what if I'm an undead! then so what?-Chapter 54: demon sin of sloth

Everyone fell into a contemplative silence, collectively understanding that certain truths were better left unsaid. Ryouji however decided to dismiss everyone, originally her came solely for Masaru but at the end he decidedoerhaps it can wait.

Each individual was subsequently assigned a room where they could rest for the night. It turned out that the head of the Tsukigami family was currently away on a business trip and would not return until the following day. As a result, they had no choice but to stay the night.

Masaru reclined on the bed, noting that its quality was comparable to the one he had used during his time at the Mikazuki Mansion. He was somewhat surprised by how quickly he had adapted to this unfamiliar world. It felt as though he had completely immersed himself in it without even realizing when the shift had occurred. So much so that he found himself barely remembering what he used to look like. Yet now, with the resumption of academic sessions on the horizon, a sense of nostalgia and faint familiarity began to creep in. Perhaps returning to school would help him reclaim some of his lost humanity. He was after all a scholar and he’d miss the event of new books.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he casually turned his head toward the window. There, standing on the window sill, was a cat staring at him. At first glance, it appeared to be an ordinary feline, but something about it felt oddly reflective—like looking into a mirror. Initially, Masaru dismissed it as a random stray, but he immediately sensed something peculiar in its presence. Rather than finding it intimidating, he was overcome by a strange sense of calm and comfort. The silver streaks in its tail and leg fur, along with the distinct earring piercing its ear, left no doubt. This was the cat—the familiar he had almost forgotten about, he hadn’t seen it since leaving the world of the familiar.

"Emerald!" Elias exclaimed, suddenly bolting toward the window. He feared the cat might flee, but surprisingly, it remained perfectly still even as he picked it up.

"Where on earth have you been?" Elias demanded, though he wasn’t expecting an answer. It was simply a question born of concern and curiosity.

"There were matters that required my attention the moment I returned to the human world," the cat responded in a calm, masculine voice. Judging by the tone, the voice sounded like that of a man in his mid-twenties.

Masaru nearly dropped the cat out of sheer surprise. "You can talk!" he blurted out.

The cat offered no verbal response, but the look in its eyes made it seem as though Masaru had just asked a profoundly stupid question. Regaining his composure, Masaru tried again.

"You mentioned ’returning’ to the human world. But I thought familiars came from other realms. Why are you speaking as though you’ve been here before?"

"There are many things you don’t understand, kid," Emerald replied, his tone lazy as he nonchalantly licked his paw. "I’m starting to regret having saved you back then."

"Saved me? Wait, wasn’t that just an illusion you conjured?" Masaru asked, clearly confused by the revelation.

The cat’s expression turned blank, bordering on disbelief, as though Masaru’s ignorance was too much to bear.

"You think a demon like me would stoop to conjuring something as trivial as an illusion? What do you take me for?" Emerald scoffed, leaping from Elias’s arms and landing gracefully on the bed. Masaru could only stare in stunned silence.

"D-Demon?" Masaru stammered, recoiling slightly. He had never expected the seemingly innocent feline to identify as a demon.

"I suppose your involvement might be nothing more than coincidence," the cat continued. "Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Somniel, the Sin of Sloth, one of the seven primordial demons. Judging by your clueless expression, you’re clearly unaware of the events unfolding around you. Let me enlighten you." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

He began pacing atop the bed, continuing his explanation without missing a beat. "I hail from the Chaotic Plane or rather that was where I found myself. For millennia, I remained trapped under a powerful seal placed upon me by five of the Seven Deadly Sins. My fate seemed sealed, but then you appeared. Initially, I hesitated to use you as a vessel of escape, aware that doing so would bind me to you. But the opportunity was too perfect to pass up. You’re surprised that demons exist? Foolish. Just as angels exist, so too do demons. Now that you’re aware of my power, show me the respect I deserve."

With that, Emerald made himself comfortable on the pillow, his eyes drifting shut almost immediately.

Masaru sat in stunned silence. Everything he thought he knew about the world—about science, religion, fantasy, and logic—was unraveling before his eyes. Not only was his cat a demon, but so too did the Seven Deadly Sins and angels apparently exist, he might as well proclaim that Zeus, Thor or even wukong exist since the margin between fictional and reality had almost completely disappeaed. It was all too much to process.

"Great," Masaru muttered. "Just my luck that I’d be stuck with the weakest of the Seven Deadly Sins—a demon who does nothing but sleep." Masaru muttered under his breath looking at the cat who slept lazily on his pillow.

Unbeknownst to him, Emerald heard every word.

"You think I’m weak?" the cat’s voice rang in his mind telepathically, making Masaru flinch.

It was true that Sloth was generally considered the weakest among the sins.

"Clearly you weren’t paying attention," Emerald retorted. "If I were truly weak, why would five of my fellow sins go to the trouble of sealing me in an eternal prison rather than simply killing me? Among this mortal world, only three beings across the entire world could match my current power. If that is weakness, then I’d hate to see what you consider strength. Perhaps you’d like to invite that powerful familiar of yours to try and beat me to death?"

Emerald’s sarcasm was palpable, and it was clear he felt deeply insulted.

He was a mighty entity who once had imense control over fate, probability, causality, and even possessed three tiers of acausality. To be called weak by an undead amateur was beyond disrespectful. If this boy considered him weak, then perhaps even gods would register as mediocre in his eyes.

"Well, you don’t exactly look intimidating," Masaru replied flatly. "I can barely sense any aura from you, and you’re about the size of an orange tabby. Based on appearances, you seem weak."

Even as he said it, memories surged back—vivid images of the World Flow Familiar, of titanic behemoths, galactic monstrosities, kaijus, and other impossibilities. If that had all been real, and Emerald was the one who had saved him, then perhaps this unassuming feline truly did possess godlike power.

"Suit yourself," Emerald responded telepathically, his tone unconcerned.

Meanwhile, far away in California, Elias and Aurelia found themselves seated in an opulent room adorned with high-end leather furnishings and tasteful decorations. Elias wore a smug grin, pleased with himself. After leaving the forest, he and Aurelia had wandered for hours before finally stumbling upon a settlement.

Just as they were beginning to feel truly lost, a woman approached them with confident strides. She was dressed in a sharp business suit that matched her air of professionalism. A distinct frown marked her features, suggesting she was in no mood for nonsense.

"Good evening... or perhaps good morning," she greeted, noting that it was already past midnight.

"There’s nothing good about this morning," Elias muttered to himself, though he also returned her greeting out loud. Amused, the woman chuckled, having caught both remarks.

"You two look stranded," she observed. "Apologies if that sounds blunt, but I lack the energy for subtlety."

"We don’t look stranded. We are stranded," Aurelia interjected, clearly anticipating the woman’s intentions.

"I see," the woman replied thoughtfully. "Well, I might be able to help you out—if you help me in return."

She flashed a cordial smile, but Elias’s face quickly soured. He cut her off before she could say more.

"Sorry, but I’m not into older women. However, this creature here might be interested," he said, nudging Aurelia forward.

The woman’s professional demeanor evaporated almost instantly. A vein bulged in her forehead as though threatening to burst.

"What did you just say about *older wome—" she stopped mid-outburst, taking a deep breath to compose herself. There was no point escalating things.

"That’s not what I meant," she clarified. "You both have unique features—not bad, either. One of my clients canceled a job last minute. I’m looking for a quick replacement. Help me, and I’ll provide you with accommodations and payment. Depending on your performance, you could even become a regular."

"You haven’t told me what the job actually is," Elias pointed out. No matter how tempting the offer sounded, he wouldn’t accept anything that compromised his principles.

"It’s quite simple, actually..."