Elemental Cats

Dyra was a little flustered due to Toz's blatant hostility. Yill's hatred-filled gaze also turned into one of wariness due to Toz's flashing murderous intent. It wasn't as if they couldn't understand why Toz was angry. It was just that they hadn't needed to pay attention to Toz's feelings when they acted. However, things change when the person whose will they disregarded controlled whether Dyra lived or not.

If Toz was sufficiently angry at them, he might ignore the consequences and just make sure to inflict as much pain or take as much revenge as possible.

Dyra and Yill urgently communicated with each other using their eyes and mana. As long as Toz was reasonable, it wouldn't matter much if they negotiated with him. But if anger consumed him, Yill would have to save Dyra as quickly as possible. However, they had miscalculated one thing.

Their mana communication might be secret and unnoticeable to others, even people with the same capabilities, since the minute amount of mana only traveled between them. A mage would have to stand in the middle of the mana and have sufficient mana sensitivity to notice something going on.

But Toz was different. His mana vision let him see mana as clearly as he saw Dyra and Yill. And he naturally saw the streams of glossy black and icy blue mana passing between Dyra and Yill.

Toz showed no hesitation as he grabbed Dyra's hand and cut off her pinky finger with a blade he conjured almost instantly.

The finger fell to the floor with a soft thud.

"You..!"

Toz ignored Yill's shout as he glared at her and Dyra, who still hadn't quite realized what had happened.

"What the fuck did I say? If you want to try anything funny, pay for it with a limb or two."

Dyra turned to look at Toz and then her four-fingered hand.

"Ah! What the shit? We were only communicating because it looked like you were about to kill me, you bastard!"

Dyra regained the liveliness she displayed during the negotiation between the Alliance of Kingdoms and Pirate Haven. Unfortunately, showing off her temper lost her another finger as Toz cut off her ring finger without even blinking.

"Shut it lose or lose the rest. Your choice."

Toz was already irritated that everything he knew, and even himself was nothing more than pawns in the eyes of Dyra, her empire, and seemingly the rest of the universe. Finding that out right after he almost became enslaved at the hands of an old hag was just like icing on the cake. The last thing he needed was an unruly hostage.

Thankfully, it seemed like Dyra realized she wasn't in a position where she could carefreely curse and show off her lack of manners.

Yill, on the other hand, looked like she was about to snap from anger, but Toz didn't care.

"That goes for you, too, hag. One wrong move, and I turn your young miss into a 'young missing a few limbs.'"

Yill forced herself to retract the mana she subconsciously roused, but she kept glaring at Toz without saying anything.

"How long until my companions get here?"

Since Dyra was afraid she would lose another finger if she dallied, she hurried to answer.

"I-it shouldn't be long. They were put in the same cell block not far from here."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why were Mindle and I separated from the rest?"

"Security reasons."

Toz glared at Dyra since she had gone back to giving short, uninformative answers. Dyra realized her mistake and hurried to rectify it.

"You two were the highest security risks, so you two were put in one of the cell blocks with the tightest security. Not that it worked."

It seemed like Dyra's words made her realize something.

"How did you two break out, anyways?"

Toz ignored her question as he asked his own.

"Why me and Mindle, specifically?"

Dyra was a little miffed that Toz ignored her question, but she knew she wasn't in a place where she could ask him that.

"What do you mean? Isn't it obvious? The strength you displayed back at that pirate place, and your cat's identity, are the reasons."

"Are you dumb or what?"

Dyra looked affronted at Toz's sudden insult, but before she could complain, Toz interrupted her.

"I'm asking what's so special about Mindle."

Toz was already pretty sure he knew the answer, but he wanted confirmation. And it seemed like Mindle also did since she climbed up Toz's back and rested her head on his shoulder as she looked at Dyra.

Dyra asked Toz with a stupefied expression on her face.

"You mean you don't know?"

Toz didn't say anything. He just grabbed Dyra's hand again and brought the blade to her middle finger.

"Ah, fuck wait! She's a spirit!"

Toz let go of Dyra's hand after she answered, but he maintained his group on her shoulder so that she couldn't try and escape.

He looked at Mindle, who was deep in thought. Toz didn't disturb her since his mind was also brimming with questions. Questions that Dyra also wanted answers to. Despite having lost two fingers and being Toz's hostage, she didn't really know when to keep quiet.

"How did you even encounter a spirit? And a mortal one at that?"

"Do you know a lot about spirits, then?"

"I wouldn't say 'a lot,' but I have the knowledge required of my position, so I know more than the average person. Yill probably knows a little more than me, but I don't think she's in a cooperative mood."

Dyra was happy to talk and show off her knowledge. It also seemed like she didn't hold a grudge against Toz cutting off two of her fingers. Toz didn't know why she changed her attitude so suddenly, but he didn't mind.

"Alright, tell me what you know, then."

"Okay. But in exchange, can I pet her? It's my first time ever seeing a spirit in real life."