The Traveller with The White Cat
"I," the one who once slew a god to attain my peaceful "slow life"... My name is Yuna, a Great Sage. Despite my youthful appearance, I possess an ageless body and the ability to traverse time and dimensions, a gift bestowed upon me when I encountered the "God of Time" Kronos. Alas, there seems to have been an error in my dimensional journey. I've depleted most of my mana in the process. "This is dire..." I mutter to myself while struggling for control. "I need to land somewhere... but where?" Amidst my thoughts, a door to a random dimension materializes before me. "Argh... I must wager my very existence on this dimension!" I resolve, channeling my remaining mana to propel myself into the door, ultimately collapsing into an unfamiliar room adorned with antiquated furniture. "W-where am I?" I succumb to my mana exhaustion and lose consciousness.
Several hours have elapsed since my collapse. Slowly, I rouse from slumber, my vision still blurred. I discern a figure before me, though their features remain obscured due to my blurred sight.
"A-a-are you okay? I found you unconscious on the floor when I heard a loud noise emanating from my room," a gentle voice, clearly that of a girl, reaches my ears.
"Apologies for inadvertently intruding upon your abode," I murmur weakly, my voice barely audible, my energy sapped.
"Please don't overexert yourself! You're clearly drained," her voice brimming with concern.
I attempt to sit up, only to be met with a wave of weakness. "Ugh!" My mana is regenerating sluggishly; I yearn for my mana potion.
"Wait, don't strain yourself! You lack the energy to sit up. Lie back down!" With genuine worry, she guides me back onto the bed.
"I can't help but feel guilty about this," I confess softly, my voice frail.
"Is there anything I can do to assist?" she inquires, her concern evident. She must have noticed my bags when I arrived.
"Thank you. Have you, by any chance, come across a small black bag shaped like a 'V,' containing ambrosia?" I realize I'm imposing on her further.
"I think I saw something like that on your coat. Wait here a moment!" She rushes to my coat hanging by the door.
"Is this it?" She hands me the black bag with ambrosia forming a 'V' shape. It's my bag, deceptively small but able to hold several castles within.
"Yes, that's it. Thank you," I manage a faint smile. I sense a glimmer of happiness in her eyes.
I delve into my bag, retrieving a small glass tube brimming with a blue-ish liquid, my meticulously concocted high mana potion.
"It's rather enchanting," she marvels, gazing at the potion in awe.
"A-ano... what is this beautiful liquid?" her curiosity piqued.
"It's my mana potion, a creation from long ago," I explain, noting her bafflement.
"Mana? Are you capable of using magic?" Excitement dances in her eyes.
"That's the essence of it," I reply, downing the mana potion. "Puwaah! I feel considerably improved!" My mana reservoir replenished, I can move more effortlessly now. I rise to my feet, bowing in gratitude to my savior.
"Thank you for rescuing me," I express my gratitude.
"Don't mention it! I'm just relieved I could help," her confusion and amazement persist, suggesting mana potions are foreign to this world.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Yuna. And you?" I indicate the girl who came to my aid.
"M-my name is... Yukki... As you can see, I'm a demi-human, half cat," her feline features now more apparent.
"Nice to meet you, Yukki!" I extend my hand for a handshake, though she hesitates.
"Nice to meet you too, Yuna..." Her unease is evident, but she offers a smile.
"A-ano... Yuna? Are you a magician?" Yukki's eyes sparkle with fascination, her love for magic evident.
"Indeed, in a way. However, I align more with the title of Great Sage than Magician," I clarify, her confusion lingering.
"Great Sage? What sets a Magician apart from a Great Sage?" She inquires, her curiosity piqued.
"There are five tiers of magicians: Apprentice, Magician, Mage, Sage, and Great Sage," I elaborate, observing her perplexity transforming into wonder.
"Does that mean you're the most powerful among these ranks?" Her eyes glisten with admiration.
"W-well, to some extent..." Her proximity catches me off guard.
"Amazing! What kind of spells can you cast?" She inches closer, her excitement tangible.
"W-well... I can essentially cast any spell, provided I understand its effects." I avert my gaze, her proximity a tad overwhelming.
"Wow, incredible!" Her enthusiasm nearly engulfs me.
"Yukki, you're too close!" I inadvertently push her away, accidentally exerting more force than intended, propelling her into a wall. Horrified, I rush to her side.
"I'm the one who should apologize for invading your personal space. I'm so sorry, I got carried away," her voice quivers, her remorse palpable.
Feeling guilty, I cast a healing spell on her, no incantation required. "No, it's my fault. Please forgive me."
"No, no! Please don't be!" Yukki insisted as she stood up. She was quite resilient after taking that kind of impact.
"I'm really sorry... By the way, I know this sounds selfish of me, but..." I began to bow down to her.
"Eh?! A-a-a-a-ano, you don't need to b-bow!" Yukki seemed flustered.
"Do you have... an extra room?" I asked with an awkward smile, and then Yukki chuckled softly.
"Of course, you're more than welcome to stay here," she said with a warm smile.
To be continued...