After that, I spend several more minutes getting used to my new body.
It feels strangely light and agile, far more nimble than the one I used to have. Even the slightest movement feels different, as though my body responds a little faster than I'm used to. My hair is short and white, soft strands brushing against my cheeks whenever I turn my head.
And then there are my ears.
I no longer have human ears. Instead, a pair of cat ears sits atop my head, their insides covered in incredibly soft fur. Every time I touch them, a little shiver runs down my spine.
Okay, that's actually pretty nice.
As for my tail, I'm still trying to figure out how to control the damn thing. It keeps swaying and twitching on its own, almost as though it has a mind of its own. At least it's exactly the kind of tail I like, sleek and elegant without too much fluffy fur getting in the way.
But out of everything, the strangest part is my face.
After rummaging through the room for a while, I manage to find a tiny mirror hidden inside the drawer beneath the table. The moment I look into it, my breath catches in my throat.
It's her.
I look exactly like the catgirl I tried to save before the accident!
The same short white hair.
The same crimson eyes.
She's beautiful.
No...
I'm beautiful now.
I stare at my reflection for a while, still struggling to wrap my head around that thought. There's dirt smeared across my face from earlier, and my hair is a complete mess after all that rolling around on the floor in agony. Yet somehow, I still look absurdly pretty.
Seriously, how does that even work?
While I'm busy examining my new face, my sensitive ears pick up the distant chatter of people talking in the streets below.
I pause and listen.
The language isn't English, French, or Japanese, and I'm pretty sure I've never heard it before. Yet somehow, I understand every word perfectly. People are talking about their day, arguing with shopkeepers over prices, and gossiping with their friends.
Just ordinary conversations.
Normal life, I guess.
It's a little strange, considering I'm apparently in another world, but at least I can understand the locals. That's one less thing to worry about.
"All right," I mutter, lightly slapping my cheeks. "I can't just sit here forever. I need to go outside and figure out what's going on."
Maybe someone can explain where I am.
Or at least tell me a little about this world I've somehow been thrown into.
Either way, sitting around in this room isn't going to get me anywhere.
With that in mind, I get to my feet and glance toward the door.
A key rests on the table beside me. I pick it up, unlock the door, and cautiously step outside.
*****
Step.
Step. Step.
I walk slowly down the hallway, taking a deep breath as excitement begins to stir in my chest. This is it. My first real step into another world.
My cat ears twitch constantly, picking up distant sounds from beyond the building, while my tail sways restlessly behind me, almost as if it's just as eager to explore as I am.
Honestly, despite everything that's happened, I can't help smiling a little.
Sure, my situation is completely insane, but I'm a catgirl now. That's objectively cool.
I mean, come on. How many people get a second life in a fantasy world with cute ears and a sleek tail?
But before I can even reach the stairs...
Creeeak.
The door ahead suddenly swings open.
My ears flatten instinctively.
Two enormous figures stumble into the hallway, their heavy boots slamming against the wooden floor hard enough to make the planks groan beneath them.
Then the smell hits me.
Holy shit.
It's absolutely disgusting.
A thick, rancid stench of alcohol, sweat, and something rotten assaults my nose. It's so overwhelming that it almost feels physical. My stomach twists, and I instinctively recoil, trying not to gag.
My tail puffs up immediately.
And then my blood runs cold.
"Well, well... what do we have here?"
The man's voice is slow and slurred, with a greasy sort of amusement that makes my skin crawl.
He lurches closer, and another foul gust of alcohol-laden breath washes over me. Seriously, does this guy bathe in cheap liquor or something? The wooden floor creaks beneath his weight as he approaches.
For the first time since arriving in this world, I feel genuinely afraid.
The first man is massive, an absolute brute with shoulders so broad that they strain against his filthy, sweat-stained shirt. A greasy beard hangs from his face in tangled clumps, and his bloodshot eyes settle on me with a look that makes my stomach sink.
He reminds me of a predator that's just spotted an easy target.
A chill crawls down my spine.
And the second man...
He's somehow even worse.
Tall and gaunt, with slicked-back black hair shining with oily grime, he wears a twisted grin that exposes rows of yellowed teeth. I doubt he's seen a toothbrush in years. His pale skin has an unhealthy grayish tint, and a jagged scar runs down one side of his face, making his already unpleasant features look even more sinister.
Slowly, he licks his lips.
Then his gaze drifts over my body.
Up and down.
Far too slowly.
I freeze.
My legs feel weak, and every instinct in my body screams at me to run, fight, or do something. Anything!
But I can't seem to move.
Fear has taken hold of me so completely that even taking a step feels impossible.
The two men loom over me, their massive bodies blocking out much of the light.
Suddenly, the hallway feels far too narrow. The wooden walls seem to close in around me, and the stairs, which were only a short distance away moments ago, now feel impossibly far.
"Hey now," the taller man chuckles, his raspy voice crawling under my skin. "Looks like a cute little kitten wandered into the wrong place."
His gaze continues to wander over me, slow and deliberate.
God, I hate the way he's looking at me.
It's difficult to describe, but I feel filthy just standing here, as though insects are crawling beneath my skin. I want to cover myself, to make him stop looking at me like that, but I can't bring myself to move.
My hair stands on end.
My heart pounds violently against my ribs, each frantic beat echoing in my ears as panic begins to creep in.
I try to step backward.
They step forward.
Just like that, the distance between us disappears.
Their massive bodies crowd the narrow hallway, leaving me with nowhere to go. One blocks the way to the stairs while the other closes in from the side, trapping me between them and the wall behind me.
My breath catches in my throat.
Fuck.
I'm screwed.
How did I forget something this important?
How could I have been so careless?
Back in my old life, I never had to think much about things like this. I could walk around alone without constantly worrying about whether some stranger might try something. Of course, being a man didn't make me invincible, but I'd always felt relatively safe going about my day.
I never really thought about how much that could change.
But I'm not that man anymore.
Now I'm a girl.
And not just any girl, either.
A beautiful catgirl.
Which means I'm vulnerable in ways I never truly understood before.
The realization hits me harder than I'd like to admit.
I don't know the rules of this world. I don't know how dangerous these men are, and I have no idea whether anyone would even come to my aid if things went wrong.
Hell, I don't even know where the nearest guard is.
"Hey, don't be shy now."
The brute's voice softens into a disgusting imitation of kindness.
A thick, grimy hand reaches toward me, his filthy fingers twitching as they close the distance.
"Come on, have a drink with us. We'll take real good care of you."
His fingers brush against my arm.
A wave of icy terror shoots through my body so suddenly that I nearly forget how to breathe. I recoil instinctively, but my back is already pressed against the wall.
There's nowhere left to retreat.
"Relax, kitten. We're just having fun."
The taller man leans in far too close, and the stench of alcohol pouring from his mouth makes my stomach churn. I turn my face away, desperately trying to escape his foul breath.
Then his hand begins to drift lower, inching toward my tail.
"C'mon, kitty," he whispers with a crooked grin. "Why don't you show us how playful you are?"
The words make my skin crawl.
Every instinct in my body screams at me to get away. I want to shove them aside, scream for help, or kick one of them somewhere painful and make a run for it.
Anything would be better than standing here like a helpless idiot.
But my mind is going blank. I can't think straight.
My thoughts stumble over one another, each desperate attempt to find a way out ending in the same terrifying realization.
I'm trapped.
There's only the wall at my back...
And the two monsters closing in around me.