Stray Cat Strut - Chapter Forty-Four - Machina

A wicked mother one day brought home a girl. The child was the hidden legitimate daughter of the duke, the heroine of [The Duke’s House Has Three Sons and One Daughter] Loretta. I was Melody, the villainous girl who tormented her and was condemned along with my mother. Not wanting to die like that, I decided to start treating her well now. I personally fed Loretta, put her to bed, and played with her. And then her reaction was…? “I want Melody to marry me!” Caught off guard by her endless affection, I too ended up entering the duke’s family, “I’ll stick right by Miss Melody’s side.” And there, it seems I’ve met a young lord who’s an even bigger ‘Melody fool’? All I did was be kind to survive, but why am I being loved…?!

Necromancer】, Originating from ancient Europe, these mysterious wizards were often male, knowing how to summon and enslave the souls of the deceased to create undead creatures. Usually, those who practiced this craft had frail bodies, pale complexions, and twisted psyches, shunning and distrusting others. Some, who mastered the art, could even trade their flesh for an immortal Lich’s life. But can someone tell me how to practice the art of necromancy in the 21st century? In a law-abiding society, I can’t even get a skeleton! Misumi Mikoto: Doctor Chen, come quickly and help me examine this body; I can’t find the cause of death! Jounouchi Hiromi: Doctor Chen, come check on this patient first; what exactly is wrong with him?

Haewon, a violinist, is a nonchalant person who neither blocks the ones who come into his life nor holds onto those who leave. One day, his only friend, Taeshin, commits su*cide, and after failing to speak to Taeshin, who called him several times shortly before his death, Haewon is haunted by his death, even though he doesn’t have much of an attachment to human relationships. Then, he inevitably runs into Woojin, the man Taeshin had a crush on, and Haewon indifferently crumples up the business card Woojin hands him.One day, Haewon, forced into an unwanted relationship, becomes entangled in an assault case, but thanks to the business card given to him, he receives help from Woojin, who’s a prosecutor. Haewon feels uncomfortably guilty and tries to keep him at arm’s length, but Woojin is comfortable enough to take a few extra steps.

A broken prince, a shadowy scheme, all that amidst a bloody fight for a throne wrongly succeeded. Join a group of youngsters as they take their first steps into the martial world, towards the grandest adventure of their lives. It all begins in a certain inn, set against verdant mountains and facing a scenic lake.

“Bring us your finest wine and best meat!” Yelled a hulking man who seemed to be the leader of the dozen strong group.

“How much?” The waiter anxiously nodded his head.

“As much as you have!” The hulking man yelled back.

“That’s…”

“HUH?” The hulking man shot the waiter a furious glare.

“Dear guests, our inn operates on the principle of ‘pay first, dishes later’. As such, it will be better if you tell us exactly how much meat and wine you need.” Xiao Se returned their furious stares with a thin smile.

“Who are you supposed to be?” The hulking man eyed him with bulging eyes.

“This humble one is known as Xiao Se, the owner of this inn, the Fallen Snow Villa.” Xiao Se replied with the same smile and with a level of courtesy worth a solid 12/10.

“Well, we have no money.” The hulking man stabbed his blade into one of the nearby tables.

“Oh?”

“But I’m sure you have some!” The man pointed his finger at Xiao Se.

At that, Xiao Se furiously shook his head. “I’m sorry to break it to you but our little inn hasn’t made a single sale in almost a month. I’m about to owe them salaries myself…”

“Like hell if I care!” The hulking man smashed his palm down on the table. “Even if you have no money, that fur coat of yours should at least be worth a hundred odd silvers.”

“NONSENSE!” Yelled Xiao Se, eyes wide open and gaze as sharp as daggers.

The hulking man was stunned, his body even shivering involuntarily for that split second.

“I, Xiao Se, ride only the finest horse and wear only the richest threads! This fur coat of mine was specially sewn by some of the finest seamstresses in the imperial capital in the August Threads. Just sewing it took three whole months, shipping it, another one. Hmph, a hundred silvers? That’s not even enough to buy the sleeves of my coat!”