In both life, and death, my mother has always been an elegant and graceful woman. Her presence always felt like a calm breeze on a summer night, soothing waves caressing the shore, lulling me into the most peaceful dreams.

I am not aware of the exact details of how her death unfolded; the priest wouldn't let me see her, concerned that it would be too traumatic for me, given my relatively young age. He wasn't wrong; her death left me quite speechless. But I know she was buried with her most cherished jewelry.

Among her collection was a very wonderful necklace of a pink, almost violet color; it resembled amethyst. She also wore a little ring with a tiny azure pearl.

"Mom, what is that necklace made of?" I asked her one day, finding her more beautiful than ever.

"Hmm? This is made of Glass' Sky, sweetie. It's the same material my ring is made of," she replied.

"Huh? But they look completely different!"

She chuckled. "This material is pretty unique, isn't it? It's often found near volcanoes, guarded by dragons, and it changes based on the time it's extracted. When sunlight hits it, it reflects the blue of the sky, giving it an azure color. But during sunset, it takes on a beautiful pink hue. At night, it resembles the dark sky with a subtle violet tint."

"Whoa, it's beautiful!"

"The legend says that this material is actually the tears of one of the Deities. Mourning the death of her most beloved follower, the Goddess Lala shed tears that fell onto these lands. Her tears fused with the soil, creating beautiful crystals; so beautiful that even the dragons loved their shimmering light, so they protected them," she explained in her soothing voice.

"Do you believe the legend?"

"Of course. They say Lala is one of the most beautiful and magnanimous Deities. Those whose codex bears even a hint of her magic are considered to be among the strongest libromancers."

"Do you have spells containing her magic?" I asked her, full of curiosity.

She shook her head. "No, I do not believe so."

"Then what is your magic about?"

With a soft smile, she brought a finger to her lips. "That's a secret."

...

"What do you all want to eat?" Joey asked everyone.

It was a day like any other; I sat at the table with the others, relaxing while Joey approached, intending to prepare a meal for everyone like a good and proper cook.

"Spoil me," I replied.

"I'm fine with whatever," Jerald replied with a shrug.

"Me too," Elizabeth said,

"Me three," Selena followed, accompanied by Laura's agreement.

"Alright," Joey said, heading back behind the kitchen's peninsula to start cooking.

Elizabeth was petting her new cat on her lap, making her purr with each stroke.

"Have you decided on what name to give her?" Selena asked her, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"I still don't know..." Elizabeth replied. "I'm not so good at giving names." She then looked around the table. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"You should give her a name," Jerald replied, offering no useful suggestions of his own.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

"Why not choose a name that holds some meaning for you, dear?" Laura suggested with a warm smile.

"Hmm..."

As Elizabeth pondered what name to give her cat, Leonard and Crimson entered the room.

Crimson looked at me, and I shot her a glare to make sure she kept her distance.

Selena noticed it as well and leaned in towards Jerald. "There's so much sexual tension between them," she whispered.

"Good morning, Snowflake," Crimson still decided to greet me. Despite me being against it, perhaps it was a good idea to act normally with the other members around... "You look beautiful today," she then added, with the same grin I was now beginning to hate.

Clearly, she still wanted to do her best to annoy me. And what better way to achieve that than by feeding Selena's fantasies in the meantime? After all, I was wearing one of the most basic outfits imaginable; there was no way that comment was genuine.

"Thanks," I replied. "I'd like to say the same about you, but it doesn't seem to be the case."

Selena stifled a laugh behind her sleeve.

"Everyone, here's your share from the dungeon," Leonard suddenly announced, capturing everyone's attention. He held a bag filled with pouches that clinked with coins, distributing them to everyone at the table.

"Oh, thank you!" Selena chirped. "It's shopping time! What's gonna be? What's gonna be? New purses?" She suddenly gasped. "Maybe new heels!"

"Does this mean they've extracted all the gems from the dungeon?" Elizabeth asked him.

"Yes. Though there weren't as many veins as I hoped," he explained as he took a seat, glancing at Elizabeth's cat while he rested his elbows on the table, his hands clasped together in thought.

Out of curiosity, I peeked inside the pouch that was given to me.

Platinum coins?!

Wow... the payment was good. Well, I shall gladly accept them.

"Is something wrong?" Elizabeth asked him. "I can put her away if you don't want to be around her."

"No, it's not that. I just feel uneasy..." he said, letting out a weary sigh in a tired voice. "Will this dungeon really be enough for us to get into the top three?"

"You're overthinking it," Crimson said, nonchalantly lounging in her chair with her legs crossed. "I already told you, our spot is secured."

"How can you be so sure?" Leonard countered.

"Have I ever let you down? Come on..." she replied, brushing him off with a wave of her hand.

"I don't even know where to begin..." he groaned.

As the chit-chat progressed, Elizabeth's cat approached me, wanting to get onto my lap as well. Elizabeth handed her over; her fur was incredibly warm, and her whole body vibrated as she purred.

"By the way... I never asked so far, but what's the difference between a cat and a felicat? I can't see them," I admitted as I observed it.

"Huh, really? You can't?" Joey asked me, looking surprised.

"Weren't you supposed to cook?" I told him.

"I am; I just wanted to know if Leonard and Crimson wanted something in particular," he informed.

Neither Leonard nor Crimson seemed to have any specific requests. So, taking a little pause from the kitchen, Joey approached me, taking the cat from me.

"There are a few ways to tell a felicat from a regular cat. For example, look at the whiskers. See how they have that wave-like shape? And her irises, they're shaped like a drop of water. You see that?" he said as he showcased her like a little trophy.

"Oh, you're right..."

"They're also much stronger than normal cats. And I've also heard that they're far more sensitive and attracted to mana, but I don't know if that's true," he then added.

"Oh! Then that must be why she loves Elizabeth so much!" Selena happily exclaimed, joyfully clapping her hands. "She must've sensed she's the strongest mage!"

"But she also seems to like Argenta," Joey pointed out.

"No way," I shook my head. "All cats hate me. Don't you remember when we were little? The cats in the park always ran away from me. You were the only one who could get near them. She just probably wanted to be petted."

"No, Joey's right, Snowflake," Crimson suddenly said. "Felicats are attracted to mana; they can easily feel the connection between the libromancer and the codex. That's why many powerful libromancers have them as pets... Right now, you're practically overflowing with mana. What have you been up to, recently?" she asked, side-eyeing me with curious yet serious eyes.

"Oh, am I? I didn't notice it..." I said, faintly concentrating to feel the flow of mana within me.

Indeed, Crimson was right. I could clearly sense the white energy coursing through my entire body. But this time, my skin didn't itch because of it. I must've been getting used to it, I suppose.

"If Crimson says it, it must be true," Leonard added.

"You know, being loved by a felicat is very special," Laura also chimed in, her voice calm and serene. "Legend has it that these cats carry the essence of one of the Deities. According to the story, a Deity, grateful for a follower's devotion, blessed the follower's cat to show appreciation for their loyalty. This is why felicats are considered so rare."

It felt like listening to one of my mother's story. Laura was indeed a knowledgeable woman, and mother...

Shortly after, lunch was ready. Joey did not disappoint and prepared dishes he knew I particularly enjoyed.

"I know..." after the meal, Elizabeth suddenly spoke with surprising seriousness.

"What is it, my love?" Selena asked, leaning towards her.

"I know how to call her," she precised, glancing at the felicat as she squished it slightly.

"Oh? What's her name? Let's hear, let's hear!" Selena encouraged her.

"Her name will be... Rosemary."