The Adventures of Rose Hood

I tried to keep it quiet, but I overestimated their maturity, by lunchtime the whole school knew I was an actual catgirl.

“Hey, you’re a catgirl, so you are probably older than us.”

“Actually, I’m a little older than a year.”

“GAHK No way.”

I didn’t need to specify that it was only my ego that was that old. Because technically my ego is me.

People kept an eye on me… some a little too much.

I walked into the cafeteria and tried to find a place to sit alone, but a boy sat next to me.

“Hey there, the name’s Mark. I heard you were a cat girl~”

“Yes, what about it?”

“Anyone ever tell you how beautiful you are?”

“Yes.”

“Ghh…”

He was not expecting that.

“Ah, well I’d like to reiterate it. You are quite beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled, and he blushed.

“Um well, have a good day.”

He rushed away embarrassed.

I began eating my lunch.

Since I was already known, I let my tail hang out a bit.

The principal had a talk with me where I sort of summarized the situation. It turned out that he was at ComiCon, so that made it easier.

I was eating my lunch, then.

“No way it’s real.”

*Grab*

I stiffened the moment someone grabbed my tail.

“P-please let go.”

It was wriggling.

The kid saw my face and blushed before apologizing and rushing off.

Then I curled my tail to my lap.

“Middle schoolers are too curious.”

“Got that right.”

A girl sat in front of me.

“Erica, right?”

“Yeah, sorry that word got out.”

“You’re fine, I just wish that people would stop grabbing at my tail or ears.”

“Yeah, that looked painful.”

“If he yanked it would’ve been.”

“For him or you.”

“Both,”

“Heh… is it true that you are only 1?”

“Yeah, pretty much.”

“Cool, do you have fancy titles?”

“Hm. I do. Not sure I want to share them though.”

“Ah man. Okay. By the way, the most torturous thing is next.”

“What?”

“Math.”

“???”

_

Erica was right. It was torturous. Not due to difficulty, no that was simple. The problem was that even the teacher kept giving me glances.

My tail was between my legs.

It was clear who the cat people were. Because they tried to keep their distance to make sure I remained calm.

“Hey, could I touch your tail?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because it is sensitive, and you could hurt it.”

“I’d be careful.”

“Still no.”

“If you didn’t want people to touch it, then why take it out in the first place?”

“Because as I said, it’s sensitive. It hurt to keep my tail in the leggings.”

“Oh, then why did you do that?”

“Because it was hard enough to pass off the ears.”

“That makes sense I guess.”

“Are your ears sensitive too?”

“Much less so.”

“Class, please focus.”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

We did more math and I helped out with some people’s confusion.

Everything was going well, and slowly my tail began to stick ou-

*Yank*

*HISS*

Reflexively I back-kicked the guy who had the audacity to grab and yank my tail.

“Ow, why would you do that?”

“Because you grabbed her tail, idiot.”

I was blushing and my tail was wagging slightly.

“Doesn’t wagging mean that she’s happy?”

“That’s for dogs not cats.”

“Oh.”

“What does it mean for cats?”

“Alert.”

“Oh.”

The guy was the same one who asked earlier.

As I helped him up.

“Remember this, look, don’t touch.”

“Okay.”

He was blushing.

I finished my class with my tail thumping the ground.

I walked through the hall and entered the restroom. I washed my face and then tried to call out to Luma.

[Luma, where are you? I can’t reach you.]

There was no response.

Even the system doesn’t work in this world. It’s isolated, so how did that book bring me here?

What’s more, I could only use magic as I am a part of Kala who used to live on Earth.

That meant that someone had absolute control over mana in this world. I never saw the Ruler of the Supreme Faction, but I could tell his power, and this world was only a testament to that overwhelming strength.

“How can I get out?”

“Rose?”

“Oh, Erica.”

“What are you thinking about?”

“How to get home.”

“What’s your home like?”

“It’s a city, the people are kind, and people don’t look at the different with disdain, but kindness. Strong people defend the weak. The weak people aid the strong.”

“That sounds cool. Are you one of the weak?”

“No, not by any stretch. I’m, in fact, one of the strongest.”

“WOAH! That’s so cool!!!”

“Heh, thanks.”

“Who rules it?”

“The regent is a powerful woman who fought toe to toe with powerful beings.”

“The regent?”

“Yeah.”

“What happened to the king?”

“He… fell, and his son is too young to rule, so they gave it to her.”

“Oh, that sounds sad.”

“It was.”

Then I lightened up the mood.

“Either way, the kingdom is very prosperous.”

‘Kala and the others should be able to hold down the fort until I return.’

“That’s good to hear… have you ever been in a fighting situation?”

“Yes, it’s hard, but we won.”

“Is it hard… to kill someone?”

This middle schooler was going into the deep questions. I sighed.

“Frankly, no, but that doesn’t mean I do it casually. Where I’m from, if I didn’t kill my enemy without a moment’s hesitation, I would have died myself. Frankly, I still remember the faces of those I slew.”

“That’s dark.”

“It is but see it this way. In my world, battles are inevitable, so if I remained weak, then I would simply be torn apart by the torrent of the strong.”

“I see. That makes sense. Thank you for being honest.”

“No problem.”

She smiled, seeming quite happy, before leaving. I was confused until I looked down. I suddenly couldn’t help but smile.

My tail was straight out.