65 Uncanny Feelings of familiarity with a Dying Catgirl Part-2

[Name: Kara

Age: 15

Gender: Female

Race: Demihuman[Cat-kin]

…

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Remark: Has lost all hope in life; Doesn't want to be hurt more; Deeply traumatized from recent events; Experiencing trauma.

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Status: Healing(Physically), Scared, Distressed, Heartbroken, Pained, Traumatized.]

"It hurts… please… stop…"

She repeated. It was at this time I realized the cause of her pain.

It wasn't physical. The wounds were healed. But her heart was broken and scarred.

'How much did they hurt her to develop such a deep trauma?! Those motherfuclers! I'll…'

[The poor girl has been deeply traumatized. She needs to be comforted.]

Iris's words shook me out of my momentary daze as I stared at the girl.

Willing to clean all the remaining blood, and only blood, on her body and the towel below, I cast another <Cleanse> on her.

Soon, all the clotted and semi-fresh blood was gone, fully revealing her pale white skin, without even a single scar left.

When she was neat and clean, I cleaned my own clothes and hands, and then took her and made her sit on my lap. Her thin and frail body shuddered but didn't resist. Like it didn't have the will remaining to do so. It was unusually cold.

"It's okay, you're safe. Don't fear. I'll keep you safe. Nobody will hurt you. It's alright."

Bringing her little head to my chest, I made her listen to my heartbeat—the knowledge that catkins and other such demihuman races used such methods to calm their children coming automatically to my head from one of the many books I'd read when I initially came to this world. It was such a random bit of information that I'd forgotten, but at that moment, it'd resurfaced.

While I gently caressed her, I kept telling her those reassuring words.

Her body shook and she clawed my body, instinctively hugging it in fear of the painful mental images she was experiencing at the moment, her nails digging deep into my clothes, almost boring holes in them.

"It hurts… it hurts… it really hurts… please stop… please….it hurts… please stop them… mommy… "

I couldn't tell what pained her so much for her to repeat the same two lines again and again, like a broken record.

But what I did know was, that at the time she needed comfort and reassurance. And that's what I gave her.

Cuddling her closely, I kept trying to soothe her, with whatever gentle words I could think of.

It took me a fair part of half an hour to finally get her to stop talking like a broken record and then another to make her stop crying.

She was in a really bad state mentally.

In the meantime, I also wondered why I felt so emotional for a girl I'd just met. She and I had no relation and it was one thing to feel sad and pity for a hurt child, but another to feel to much pain. I couldn't put a finger on why I kept comparing her to my previous life's sibling.

In the end, it didn't really matter. I was already invested in her well-being.

After a long time of soothing, comforting, and caressing, she'd finally calmed down.

I looked at the catgirl who had been clutching my body as if she would lose me if she didn't hold on. Like my comfort meant something— perhaps more than something— to her. And strangely, I felt similarly. I wanted her to feel comforted. Why? I didn't know.

"Are you okay now?"

The catgirl pulled her face out of my chest and slowly looked at me.

"…"

But she didn't speak.

I wondered if I should repeat my question or wait for her to answer.

In the end, I realized where we were and decided it'll be better if she moved out of this dungeon cell.

"Can you move? We should leave this place—"

"N-No… Please… D-Don't leave… I-I… please, I'm sorry… I'll do anything. Just don't leave me. It hurts—*cough*"

"Calm down, I'm not leaving you. We'll both go out together. You don't want to stay here in this terrible place, do you? This place is bad. We'll go back to your family."

"Mommy… Mommy… I want my mommy."

"Yeah, I'll take you to your mommy."

"She's… She… died. My mommy died a week ago."

'Ah.'

My lips thinned as I heard more of the poor girl's misfortunes.

'As if getting kidnapped and beaten wasn't enough, her mother died too!? Why is she so unfortunate? And why do I feel so very sad about her case?'

Was it just normal sympathy for a poor girl's misfortune? Or was there more to it? Why did I want to comfort her so much? Why did I care so much about her?

Why did she remind me of her? Of my family. My little sister.

"I'm… very sorry. What about your dad? Siblings? We can still go back to your home."

She must have a home still. Unlike me who had been sent to another world, she was still alive and had a home here. She could go back home, but I couldn't. She must still have some of her family—

"Her father is dead too. And she's the only child. As a matter of fact, she's all alone. No family, friends, or caretakers."

The catgirl shuddered in my arms as the tears she'd finally stopped shedding started to pour out again.

"Uuugh… uuuu…no, please stop…."

'Fuck!'

Furiously turning to look at the one at fault, I saw Sharon standing there alone.

Furrowing my brows in confusion and annoyance, I asked.

"Where are the other kids?"

I didn't bother asking her how she knew about Kara's past. It was obvious, with her being a mind mage and all. Though, for some reason, it ticked me off a little that she kept using her magic so flamboyantly.

The crazy woman, however, only smiled ignorantly, even though she could probably guess I was annoyed. She didn't care much as she spoke.

"I took them out. I even called for help from the adventurer's guild, telling them about the situation."

"… What?"

"High-rank adventurers such as I have special privileges, including means to contact the local guild using our Adventurer's ID."

I wasn't asking how she did that, but why. If the knights came here and asked about my identity, I wouldn't be able to deny and once they found out, they'll take me back home.

But, maybe it wasn't so bad. I suddenly wanted to go back home. To my family… To Alexander's family, anyway. I couldn't go back to MY family.

'No, stop it, Alex. If you went back now, you'll be locked in the mansion. This is an opportunity to do the things you've been holding on to doing. Like leveling up and meeting some of the characters from the game. You can't go back. Not yet.'

Since it was already done, I didn't bother correcting her misunderstanding. The knights coming did help with the children's case. All I had to do was leave before it happened. If they'd already come, that is.

"… I see. Did they already take the kids back?"

'Wait, how long have I spent sitting here?'

[About 40 minutes.]

"Wha—"

I almost blurted out loud, incredulously. I didn't realize how long I'd spent with the young catgirl, trying to soothe her. Though, I quickly shut my mouth back and instead asked mentally.

'What? For that long? Seriously?'

[Yes. According to my estimates, anyways. Though, it's pretty accurate.]

'…'

"Hm?"

Sharon tilted her head curiously and hummed in confusion.

"Ah, nothing. So?"

"They've contacted the knights. It's not really a matter for the guild to get involved in themselves, though they'll send in an official since the one who reported it, I, am an adventurer belong to the guild. The knights and the official will soon be here. I took the kids out and made them stand near the courtyard gate where we entered from, and also keep a watch over the goons I've been transporting up there. They were scared of the dark and gloomy place and I didn't think keeping them here any longer did them any good."

"You left them out on their own… with their kidnappers?! That's highly irresponsible! Why would you do that?!"

"Don't you worry, darling~ The kidnappers are sound asleep. It'll take a knife stab or a heavy hit in their privates at the very least to wake them up right now. They'll keep sleeping for another half an hour or so. I'm here to collect their boss and… well, you and her."

She pointed at the only kidnapper remaining here, and then me and the girl in my lap.

"How did you transfer all of them? Did you carry them?"

"I had to make a few rounds, but it wasn't a big deal. I dragged them out two at a time."

"I see… thanks, I guess. I'll join you soon."

"Don't mention it."

I turned to look at the girl who was still not in very good condition.

"Can you take her out? I'll drag the last guy myself."

"Oh, it's alright. I don't mind—"

"No."

I stopped her from continuing.

"I'll do it myself. Please take her and… keep her safe. She's traumatized from the recent events."

I pulled the catgirl out of the floor and into my arms and stood up making her jerk and cry in shock.

"Kyaa!"

"It's okay. Go with the big sis here. She'll keep you safe."

I wouldn't have minded escorting her myself, but I had something to do here… Some unfinished business with the 'leader'.

"Hmm, sure~ Don't take too much time or I'll have to leave the kids and come back to fetch you~"

"… I won't take long."

I walked up to her to hand over the still-shivering catgirl. But when I tried handing her to Sharon, she unexpectedly clutched my shirt tightly, not wanting to let go.

"No! Please, don't leave! Please… I'm sorry. I'll-I'll do anything… Please, don't go away…"

Her plea went straight through my clothes and chest and pierced my heart, making me hesitate for a second. I momentarily didn't want to let go either.

'… No. What am I doing getting so attached to a girl I've just met. She's not her. She's not related to me. Don't get attached, Alex.'

Sighing gloomily, I spoke.

"Hey, it's okay. She's just going to take you back to the outside, to safety. She's… nice(Probably). Don't be scared."

Sharon didn't miss my hesitation when I called her 'nice' as she stared at me in moke annoyance. I ignored her for the time being.

It took a lot of persuading for the catgirl to finally stop clutching me like a koala and go to Sharon, who held her in her arms and walked towards the exit.

"Don't take too long, darling."

She spoke without turning back.

I wondered for a second if she knew my intention. Even if she did, I couldn't do much about it.

Taking a deep breath in to calm myself, I turned to look at the only other person lying on the stone floor.

'Alright, let's do this quickly. Before Sharon comes back. And before the knights come and take him away.'

I didn't waste a second, pulling the man from the floor to one of the cells.

One of them had hooks that were probably used to tie the prisoners/captives.

After a short check, I found them to be quite sturdy. Good enough for what I wanted to use them for.

Taking out a set of chains from my Inventory, the same ones Sharon used for her play or whatever her plan was initially—it sure didn't go as she'd hoped… Or at least I thought it didn't—I used it to tie the man to the hooks.

'Alright, all done.'

Rechecking to see if the locks were working properly, I finally heaved a sigh of relief.

'Let's wake him up.'

"Wake the fuck up, you filthy piece of shit."

I grabbed the handle of the short sword I had collected from them and stabbed his left thigh.

"…!!!"

That certainly woke him up. Now, it was time for some interrogation.

***