As the door slowly creaks open, my heartbeat slams against my ribs.
Every muscle in my body tenses. I brace myself for the worst, gripping the wooden chair so tightly that my knuckles begin to ache.
But then...
It isn't a man standing in the doorway.
It's a girl.
A catgirl.
For a brief moment, my mind goes completely blank.
She's beautiful.
No, wait. Beautiful doesn't even begin to cover it.
Long black hair flows past her shoulders like silk, catching faint traces of moonlight from the window. Her skin is warm and tan, contrasting sharply with her striking blue eyes, which seem almost luminous in the dim room. They're sharp and focused, carrying a calm confidence vibe. A pair of sleek feline ears sits atop her head.
But it isn't just her appearance that leaves me stunned.
It's her presence.
Strength practically radiates from her.
She's wearing a rugged, sleeveless black shirt paired with fitted dark pants that look made for travel and combat. Belts wrap around her waist and thighs, carrying small glass vials, knives, pouches, and various tools I can't immediately identify. Her outfit is practical and clearly well-used, but somehow, that only makes her look cooler.
And, well...
It's hard not to notice how toned she is.
Lean muscles shift beneath her skin with every movement. Her arms are strong and defined, and I can even make out the faint outline of her abs beneath her shirt.
She looks like the kind of woman who could walk into a tavern full of drunk idiots and knock every single one of them unconscious without breaking a sweat.
For several seconds, I genuinely forget how to breathe.
Holy shit...
My brain short-circuits on the spot.
I am simping unbelievably hard right now.
If she were a limited-time gacha character, I'd absolutely ruin my financial future trying to pull for her.
There's no way someone this gorgeous could be evil, right?
...Right?
My grip on the chair loosens a little.
Then reality slaps me across the face.
Wait.
No!
This isn't a game.
This is real life, and I'm absolutely not lowering my guard just because I'm weak against attractive catgirls!
I tighten my grip on the chair and raise it defensively, holding it in front of me like some kind of makeshift weapon.
"S-Stay back!" I bark, though my voice wavers a little. "Who are you?!"
I might look like a fragile catgirl now, but I still remember my karate training back on Earth!
I was a green belt.
Which... admittedly isn't all that impressive, but still! I know a few moves! I can probably fight!
...Maybe.
The catgirl's ears twitch at my sudden outburst. She immediately raises both hands in surrender and bows slightly.
"Ah, please relax!" she says quickly. "I'm not here to hurt you. My name's Eris. I'm an E-rank adventurer. I found you unconscious in the dungeon and brought you here."
Huh?
...
Dungeon.
Adventurer.
Unconscious.
The words echo through my head, one after another.
So that's why I woke up here.
But that doesn't mean I can trust her.
For all I know, she could be lying. Maybe she's really an adventurer who happened to find me and decided to help. Or maybe she's a thief, a criminal, or something even worse.
My imagination immediately starts running wild.
What if she plans to sell me off somewhere? What if this whole kind-adventurer act is just a trick?
I stare at her carefully, searching her face for any sign of deception.
A twitch. A nervous glance. Anything.
But all I see is patience.
Calm, steady patience.
Even so, I don't lower the chair. My body remains tense, every muscle ready to react if she makes even the slightest suspicious move.
Meanwhile, my thoughts keep racing.
What am I even supposed to ask her? How do I figure out whether she's telling the truth?
As if sensing my suspicion, Eris slowly reaches into one of her pockets.
I tense immediately.
But instead of pulling out a weapon, she takes out a small card and holds it up so I can see it.
Its surface catches the dim light, shimmering faintly.
I frown. There's no way I should be able to read something that small from this distance.
And yet... my vision suddenly sharpens.
The details snap into focus with startling clarity. Strange symbols etched onto the card seem to shift and rearrange themselves before my eyes until, somehow, they become completely understandable.
My breath catches in my throat.
*****
Name: Eris Wildfang
Date of Birth: April 10, 1302
Race: Cat Furren
Hometown: Sablethorn, Zehrak Desert
Adventurer Rank: E
Criminal Record: None
****
A seal is stamped at the bottom of the card, bearing the image of a stylized lion's head.
I blink slowly, trying to process what I've just read.
Meanwhile, Eris remains perfectly still, her arm extended toward me. There's not the slightest hint of aggression in her posture. She isn't trying to pressure me or force me to trust her. She simply waits, giving me time to make up my own mind.
And for the first time since she entered the room, my heartbeat begins to settle.
"See?" Eris says gently. "I'm officially registered with the Adventurer's Guild. I'm not some criminal or anything. Please believe me. I won't hurt you."
She lowers the card a little but keeps it where I can still see it.
I hesitate, my eyes lingering on the strange, shimmering letters.
Even with this card, there's no way for me to know for sure whether she's telling the truth. After all, I know absolutely nothing about this world, let alone what its official documents are supposed to look like. For all I know, someone could scribble a bunch of nonsense onto a piece of paper and call it legitimate.
But then, I stop and think about it.
If Eris really wanted to hurt me, she could have done so easily while I was unconscious. She could have tied me up, locked me in a cage, or taken away any chance I had of escaping.
Instead, I woke up completely free.
No chains. No restraints.
She even left the room key on the table where I could find it myself.
That simple act reassures me more than the card ever could.
Slowly, I lower the chair.
...I think... I can trust her.
At least for now.
"Okay," I say cautiously. "But where exactly am I? What is this place?"
"Ah, this is The Gilded Horn," Eris explains. "It's a small inn in Mistvale."
"And where did you find me again?"
"In the Silverwolf Dungeon, about ten kilometers south of Mistvale."
I close my eyes, searching my memory desperately in the hope that one of those names might sound familiar.
Mistvale.
Silverwolf Dungeon.
Zehrak Desert.
Nothing.
Not even the faintest spark of recognition.
My mind is completely blank.
Still, Eris doesn't seem to be lying. And right now, she might be my best chance of surviving in this world.
Maybe she can help me understand this place. Its people, its culture, and how things work around here.
Honestly, I'll take whatever help I can get.
Taking a slow breath, I finally set the chair aside.
"All right," I say quietly. "I trust you. And... thank you, Eris. For saving me. And for keeping me safe."
Her ears twitch slightly at my words, and some of the tension leaves her shoulders. A small smile spreads across her face, soft and visibly relieved. It's such a beautiful and gentle smile, it makes me feel relaxed too.
"Well," she says with a quiet chuckle, "I just happened to find you while scouting the dungeon. You were lying there unconscious without any visible injuries, but something about the situation felt strange. I couldn't just leave you there."
She scratches the back of her cheek, looking a little sheepish.
"Honestly, I'm sorry for leaving you alone after bringing you here. I didn't think you'd wake up so soon."
"No, it.... it's okay," I reply, managing a faint smile.
Eris nods, her expression softening a little more.
Then her head tilts, curiosity flickering in her bright blue eyes.
"Now that things have calmed down," she says, "can I ask you something?"
"...Sure."
"What's your name? And where are you from? You still haven't told me anything about yourself."
The moment those words leave her mouth, my entire body stiffens.
Ah.
Right.
About that....
Panic immediately floods my brain.
Because what the hell am I supposed to tell her?
I can't exactly say, "Oh, I got hit by a truck and reincarnated into another world as a catgirl!"
That sounds completely insane.
There's no way I can tell her the truth.
...Right?
****
Character art: Eris Wildfang in her adventurer's outfit.