Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri)-Chapter 57: Dark reality

"Because, in their tradition, Furrens aren't considered people at all," she says, her tone sharp with barely concealed disgust. "Among many noble families, a husband is expected to be faithful to his wife. He's forbidden from laying with another woman—unless, of course, it's a Furren. They believe it doesn't count as cheating if it's not with a 'real' person."

I feel my stomach churn.

A sickening wave of nausea rises in my throat.

To them, Furrens are nothing more than animals.

Not human. Not worthy of rights. Not even people.

And suddenly—it all clicks.

That's why those men targeted me and Eris.

That's why they planned to sell us.

Because to them, there's nothing wrong with it.

It's a perfectly acceptable industry in their eyes.

A twisted, vile trade where no one sees anything wrong.

My hands clench into fists.

"Wait…" My voice is shaking now, as the realization hits like a hammer. "If I remember correctly… all those men were human!" I gasp. "And they wanted to sell us to nobles!"

Eris nods solemnly. "Exactly. That, plus the tattoo I noticed on them, makes me almost certain they were members of the Crimson Order."

A heavy silence settles between us.

The weight of it is suffocating.

At last, I find the courage to speak.

"But even so…" My voice is quieter now, yet thick with frustration. "Can't the Guilds do something? What about the laws? Why do they allow this to continue? Why let these people keep committing such… such horrible crimes?"

I can't understand it.

I don't want to understand it.

How can a world that recognizes Furrens as people still allow this to happen?

Eris meets my gaze.

For the first time tonight, she looks… tired.

"Well," she begins quietly, "it's a lot more complicated than you think…"

"What?" My anger flares. "How complicated can it be? Furrens are recognized by law, right? Crimes against us should be treated the same as if they harmed a human! And surely," I press on, desperate for a logical explanation, "the law forbids forcing anyone into slavery, right?"

Eris lets out a slow, bitter sigh.

"Yes," she admits. "The law does prohibit forcibly turning someone into a slave. Anyone caught in the act would, theoretically, be punished severely."

She pauses.

Then, she closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and says something that sends ice down my spine.

"But… it's not illegal to own a slave."

My breath catches.

Eris opens her eyes again, and I hate the look in them.

That weary, exhausted acceptance—like she's explaining something so obvious, something so hopelessly ingrained into this world that it's futile to fight.

"And once someone already owns a slave," she continues, her tone flat, "how can you prove that the situation was illegal? That it wasn't consensual? No one listens to a slave's testimony."

I feel sick.

No.

No, no, no.

She keeps going.

"On top of that, practically every noble house owns Furren slaves," she says, shaking her head. "The demand never disappears. As long as there's a market, there will be traffickers. And even if the Guilds want to fight it—some of these noble families are too powerful. Too big to touch. Too dangerous to go against."

Her words lodge in my throat like a blade. She pauses, and I can feel my pulse pounding in my ears.

I want to argue.

I want to scream.

I want to believe this world is better than that.

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

But—

I can't.

Because deep down…

I know she's telling the truth.

"So, basically…" I whisper, my voice barely audible over the gentle ripples of the bathwater, "the law exists… but it's powerless. It changes nothing."

Eris exhales heavily, closing her eyes for a brief moment before nodding.

"Yup. That's exactly it."

Her words settle over me like a suffocating weight.

So, in the end, as long as these criminals aren't caught red-handed, they'll always find a way to slip through the cracks.

And that means, for years—for centuries—countless Furrens have been forced into slavery, their lives shattered beyond repair.

Endless catgirls, fox girls, wolf girls…

My heart clenches.

My ears droop, my hands ball into fists beneath the water, and before I know it, my eyes are stinging with unshed tears.

I think about them.

About those who were never saved.

About those who lost everything.

A world where they were hunted.

Stripped of their freedom.

Their voices ignored.

Their pain unseen.

And yet—people still pretend everything is fine.

"…Well, at least Mistvale is safer than most places," Eris remarks after a moment, her voice softer now. "Mainly because the Guildmaster here is a Furren."

I sniff, quickly wiping my eyes before the tears can spill.

"Yeah…" I nod.

I hadn't really thought about it before, but now that I do, I realize just how lucky we are to be living here.

Guildmaster Karlogen… he must have worked hard to keep Mistvale safe for Furrens. Maybe, thanks to him, this town has become one of the few places where we can live without fear.

A rare sanctuary.

Eris suddenly swims closer, reaching out to take my hand.

Her touch is warm—steady.

"Felicia," she says gently, her fingers squeezing mine. "When I'm not around, please try not to stay out too late. And if you ever notice anyone suspicious, tell Karl or Gordon right away. Okay?"

I meet her gaze and nod firmly.

"Nn! I promise."

Reflecting on everything that's happened tonight, I begin to truly grasp the reality of this world—the ugly reality I had been oblivious to until now.

Discrimination still exists, even in a world of magic.

In some ways, it's even worse than back on Earth.

Well… I'll just have to be more cautious from now on.

"So…" I begin, deciding to change the subject, "is that why you hide your true identity?"

Eris blinks.

"Are you, like… an undercover agent or something? Secretly working to take down criminals?"

As the words leave my mouth, I start piecing everything together.

It makes sense, doesn't it?

Eris must be some undercover catgirl cop!

She knew about those men. She probably already suspected they were part of something bigger. Maybe that's why she pretended to be affected by the Nightmare Orchid—to draw them out.

If that's the case, then holy crap—that would make her even cooler than I thought!

However—

Eris suddenly looks away.

Her lips part, like she wants to say something, but hesitates.

For the first time tonight, I see uncertainty in her expression.

And for a split second—

I catch a glimpse of pain in her eyes.

Oh.

My heart sinks.

I was wrong, wasn't I?

"Eris?" I ask quietly, my curiosity wavering.

She exhales. Then, in a low voice, she admits:

"Actually… that's not the reason I hide my identity."

She pauses.

The hesitation lingers too long.

She bites her lip, her brows furrowing ever so slightly.

"I… I can't tell you yet."

I see.

Ah… this isn't good.

I've touched a wound, haven't I?

I shouldn't have pried.

"…It's okay," I say softly, offering a small, reassuring smile. "You don't have to tell me everything if you're not ready."

Eris blinks at me, surprised.

"But…"

"I trust you," I say simply.

Her breath hitches.

And in that moment—

I see it.

Relief.

Like a flicker of light breaking through the dark, I see the way her shoulders relax just a bit. The tightness in her gaze eases.

Ah.

She was afraid I would push, wasn't she?

Afraid I would doubt her.

But how could I?

Eris has given me a home.

She's protected me.

She's been nothing but kind to me.

She saved me twice.

Once in the dungeon.

And again tonight.

If she has a secret—

If she has something she can't tell me—

Then fine.

Because who am I to judge?

I've been hiding things, too.

I never told her I used to be a man.

I never told her I was from another world.

I lied about losing my memories.

Yeah…

I'm not in any position to demand the truth from her.

"…Is that really okay?" she asks, her voice uncertain.

I nod.

"Yeah. Absolutely. Just tell me whenever you feel comfortable. If you never want to tell me, that's fine too."

Eris stares at me for a long moment.

Then—

She smiles.

A small, soft, grateful smile.

"Thank you, Felicia," she murmurs.

And just like that—

The tension between us melts away.

I feel like I can breathe again.

"…But at least," I add quickly, my tail twitching with renewed curiosity, "would you tell me your adventurer rank? Please? I'm dying to know! I'm so curious!!!"

Eris giggles.

A genuine, lighthearted giggle that sends small ripples across the water.

"Hehe, I'm actually A-rank."

"WHAT?? A-RANK?! You're not S-rank?!"

I nearly jump out of the bath.

All of that insane speed. That inhuman strength. That blood-drenched, monstrous combat performance earlier.

And she's telling me she's only A-rank?!

HOW THE HELL DOES THAT MAKE ANY SENSE?!!

Eris stifles another laugh at my reaction.

"Nu nu, I'm not that strong yet," she insists, waving a hand dismissively.

Then—her gaze softens.

She leans back, exhaling slowly, her blue eyes turning hopeful. She lifts a hand, watching the bathwater ripple between her fingers.

"But one day, I will be. And when that time comes… I'll finally be able to enter that dungeon.""

She pauses.

"…And I'll be able to see my father again."