Upon hearing Celia’s instructions, Norton turned around to see the cat slowly moving toward a dark corner where the moonlight couldn't reach. However, despite his vampire eyes that could see in the dark, Norton found it pitch black. Even his magical vision revealed only void.

"Is it some kind of magic?" Norton guessed, his estimation of the cat's power rising yet again.

When Celia returned, she was carrying something—an unopened-eyed kitten.

"…?" Norton was perplexed. He watched as Celia looked up at him expectantly, prompting him to crouch down and gather the kitten into his arms. Despite being held by a stranger, the kitten didn’t struggle, instead letting out contented meows, seeming rather pleased.

"Our spirit cats have been with you vampires since time immemorial..." Celia said with a touch of nostalgia, watching the kitten snuggle comfortably in Norton’s arms. "From now on, I entrust my daughter to you."

"Huh? Daughter?!" Rather than feeling overwhelmed with responsibility, Norton was intrigued, asking, "When was she born? How come I didn’t know?!" His gossipy demeanor made Celia reconsider her choice, feeling this might be a mistake. The question itself left Celia wondering how to respond.

"Well... it happened. No need to ask so many questions!" Celia flustered, waved her paws dismissively.

"Alright..." Norton tickled the kitten’s chin, thinking it was no loss to him. Having a familiar destined to grow to a dragon’s level was surely advantageous.

"What’s her name?" Norton inquired further.

"She doesn’t have one. Names mean nothing to us. You can name her if you want," Celia replied.

"Really—who gave you your name then?"

"Your grandfather."

...

Realizing now that this unreliable-seeming cat was, by lineage, more senior than his grandmother, Norton still couldn’t bring himself to treat her with respect.

While pondering this, Norton prepared to leave with the kitten, only to be stopped by Celia again.

"Hold on."

"Can’t you say everything at once?" Norton grumbled as he sat back down, continuing to entertain the kitten, who seemed to have grown fond of him. Its little pink tongue occasionally licked Norton’s fingers affectionately, stirring a bit of envy in Celia. Her voice grew louder:

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Where are you taking her?"

"Huh?!" Norton looked surprised. "Didn’t you say you were entrusting her to me?!"

"I did—but I didn’t mean for you to take her away! You’re still a child yourself, a young master who needs care. How could you possibly look after someone else?" Celia scolded. Though harsh, her words were true.

"Then... should I leave her here with you?" Norton suggested tentatively.

"Of course!" Celia agreed without hesitation.

"But... but then…"

"But what?" Celia leapt onto Norton’s chest, took the kitten by the back of its neck, and bounded back to the darkness with it. She reappeared alone—so swiftly Norton barely registered the kitten’s disappearance from his arms, leaving him feeling a bit forlorn at its absence.

The fluffy, soft, adorably tiny kitten had been quite charming, even for Norton.

"Fine. Visit her daily to bond, and once she’s a bit older, and weaned, she’ll follow you. How about that?" Celia relented, seeing Norton’s longing expression and feeling this was a fair compromise. She thought Norton must have taken a liking to her daughter, ensuring her kitten wouldn’t be mistreated—although if she knew Norton thought of it as a living plush toy, she might feel differently.

Upon hearing Celia, Norton caught onto a keyword.

"You said weaned?!" Norton asked with a curious look as if seeing something novel, causing Celia to blush furiously, waving her paws so fast they blurred. She insisted loudly:

"Such thoughts at your age—so impure! Get out, go to your room and sleep!" Ignoring Norton’s response, she bit the hem of his trousers and pulled him outside with a strength he couldn’t resist, releasing him only when they reached the door, where she asked:

"Have you thought of a name for her?"

"Yes, actually, I had." Norton nodded, saying, "Seeing her shiny, soft black fur, her adorable demeanor, and her sweet little voice—especially her irresistible softness when petted—"

Every attribute Norton praised made Celia nod proudly, until he concluded:

"Considering all this, I think I’ll call her 'Meatball.'"

Celia’s mood darkened abruptly, slamming the door behind Norton, leaving him with a figurative slap to the face.

"Really, what’s her problem?" Norton muttered as he returned to his room. And so, the next few days passed peacefully. With no more "adventures" to embark on, Norton got good sleep and rose early.

His life regained routine. After breakfast and greeting his sister and mother, he would visit Celia’s room to play with Fiola—Celia’s kitten, whom Norton had named "Meatball." Despite Celia's claim that names were meaningless, she had chosen one.

In typical cat development, three months take a kitten to a young cat, but Fiola was different. Apart from barely opening her eyes, she hadn’t changed since Norton first saw her. When he inquired, Celia explained that spirit cats shared growth cycles similar to vampires.

From one to sixteen, they grew at human rates, then development slowed drastically, only slightly changing over centuries. Even at the end of life, they maintained a middle-aged appearance, like Headmaster Asta, who had expended life force due to injury and illness.

After spending time with Fiola, it was lesson time with Teacher Triss. Norton's progress in magic was astonishing, progressing so swiftly that it left Triss feeling a bit intimidated. Upon transitioning to intermediate dark magic, she slowed the pace, realizing that though martial skills were less promising, there was still much Norton could learn.

"To be a respected noble isn’t just about magic and combat prowess. Without noble etiquette, knowledge, and grace, no matter how skilled you are, you're just pretentious. Today, we’ll practice the sixth court dance—step on my toes deliberately again, and I will smack your behind!"