The Healer in a Japanese-Style Game World: Mastering Healing to Save My Favorite Character in a Brutal World, Only to Find Everyone Around Me Becoming Obsessed - Chapter 29: Looking for a Pet Cat

Chapter 29: Looking for a Pet Cat

“Aah, we really can’t find it…”

I trudged through the streets of Shinano’s castle town around midday. 

The current task was to find a lost pet cat, but even after three days, it hadn’t been found.

Over these three days, I had searched everywhere from Shinano’s town to the land of Togakushi. Feeling a bit guilty towards the owner, I sighed lightly as I watched Makami move ahead.

“Makami, did you find it?”

“Master, no cat!”

Recently, Makami has grown taller and can’t fit into narrow spaces, so I let her handle the alleys. Still, it seemed the cat wasn’t there either. My stomach was starting to growl, and at this rate, it seemed we wouldn’t find it.

Sigh, we have searched this much and still haven’t found it. We might have to give up on this request…

“Huh, what was that!?”

I quickly turned around, feeling a gaze on me.

It was an overly intrusive, appraising stare.

It wasn’t exactly unpleasant, but it didn’t give me a good feeling either. I looked around warily.

It was a place I hadn’t visited often, but the scenery wasn’t particularly strange.

In the midst of the bustling life in the castle town, I stood out as I cautiously scanned my surroundings. The gaze from earlier had bothered me that much.

…Was it just my imagination? No, but that was definitely…

“Um… are you okay?”

Hearing a voice from behind, I immediately became cautious. 

There stood a girl with pink hair tied up in what we would call a ponytail in the previous world, wearing a pale blue kimono. She had pink eyes to match her hair and looked clearly surprised, startled by my defensive stance.

“Oh, sorry—I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“N-no, I’m the one who should apologize for suddenly talking to you.”

When I bowed my head, she also apologized, looking a bit guilty. 

Feeling a bit bad myself, I stayed silent for a moment until she spoke again.

“Are you looking for something?”

“Ah, well, yes, I’m looking for a cat.”

“A cat… you mean your pet cat?”

“No, it’s a request—I’m running a general store that does everything, you see, and that’s why.”

“I see.”

She nodded as if she understood.

Because I had startled her initially, the conversation felt a bit awkward. As I was trying to think of what to say next, she spoke up again.

“What kind of kitty is it?”

“Uh, I think it’s a white cat with blue eyes… it had a black collar and was quite small?”

Asked suddenly, I answered on the spot. She seemed to recognize something and leaned in slightly.

“Oh, I know that kitty! It’s been visiting the shop where I work recently. So it really was someone’s pet.”

“Really? Could you take me to see it?”

Thinking it was quite a coincidence, I asked, and she replied enthusiastically, “Yes!” I decided to follow her.

I called out to Makami, who had been searching the alleys, and followed her to the back entrance of the shop.

“The manager isn’t here right now, so let’s keep this our little secret, okay?”

“Of course… oh, it’s the cat from the request.”

I took out the request form, or rather, the drawing on it, and confirmed that it was the same cat.

“Thanks, that completes the request.”

“I’m glad to hear that! But what a coincidence, right?”

“Yeah, really… Makami, can you take care of the cat?”

“Sure. Meow… haha, cute.”

When I let Makami handle the cat, she immediately picked it up and spoke to it softly, laughing. 

The cat didn’t struggle, so I decided it was safe to leave it to her. I turned to thank the girl with pink hair who had helped us.

But just then, my stomach let out a loud growl.

“…Fufu.”

She looked surprised for a moment, then started laughing.

Embarrassed, I turned my face away, but she seemed amused by my red face and continued to tease me.

“Are you hungry…?”

Feeling quite embarrassed, I nodded while turning my face away, then decided to answer her.

“Well… yeah. I skipped lunch because of the request.”

“Wait a moment.”

With that, she went inside the shop through the back door and returned shortly after. In her hand was a small pouch that she didn’t have before, containing three round objects.

“These are rice balls. Please, have them if you like.”

“Isn’t that your lunch?”

When Makami asked, she smiled shyly and nodded slightly in affirmation.

“It’s fine, we’ll find somewhere else to eat.”

“But letting someone go hungry goes against my duty as a shop staff member…”

I thought her way of putting it was a bit unfair, but I couldn’t come up with a good reason to refuse. Feeling even more guilty, I accepted the rice balls.

“Oh, if it bothers you that much, please come to this shop tonight! That way, we’ll be even.”

“Well… that sounds fair. Makami, are you okay with coming here tonight?”

“No problem… those rice balls look delicious, I’m looking forward to it.”

“Alright, let’s do that. Is it okay if I bring two more people?”

“Yes, that’s fine! Fufu, I might even get a raise for this.”

I thought she was quite shrewd, and then I realized I didn’t know her name.

“Uh, I’m Yomi. What’s your name?”

“Oh, I’m Sanae! I’ll see you tonight!”