Does The Demon King Come With A Paycheck? Chapter 1 Part 2

Why was the cat looking at me like I'd just insulted it?

...

As I sat up, sunlight enveloped me like a warm blanket, and I blinked against the brightness. My eyes gradually focused on the little black creature fluttering near the turnips. Its black wings sparkled in the sunlight, leaving behind tiny sparkles in the air that stood out heavily against its colour.

Cool, so the cat was real. I blinked at the thought of it before letting out a snort. Seriously, they gave me a magical cat for a companion? Why do I feel like I am not going to go on a regular adventure anymore- Granted, maybe the turnips should've been a dead giveaway of that!

Though that wasn't really the issue at the moment. I had a much, much bigger concern-

“Hey, little buddy! Glad to see you’re still here!” I greeted, grinning.

-and that concern was to how to get this little bugger to let me pet him! It looked adorable!

The cat tilted its head, its oversized ears flopping adorably as it regarded me with a mix of confusion and curiosity. It looked like it had seen too many odd things lately and was trying to process yet another one.

Welcome to the club bud!

It untilted it's head at me before squarely looking down on the two magical turnips.

Right.

I don't think the island had counted on an idiot deciding to double those.

“Funny story,” I began, gesturing toward the two turnips resting on the weapon's stand. “I kind of split a single turnip in half!” As soon as I said it, I could see the cat’s eyes widen in disbelief. “I figured if I split it, I’d get double the magic!”

Which I mean, I did- Why was the cat looking at me like I was an idiot? The cat blinked slowly, fluffing up its fur in a way that was almost comical. It let out a little trill that sounded more like laughter than anything else.

...I can't speak magical cat but even I know the universal look that it had on iti's face- Moron it basically called me.

Well, now I am just not gonna share the turnips!

I waited for a beat and immediately took that back. The bloody cat looked too adorable to refuse!

I let out a slight fake cough, with a fist covering my mouth and everything! “Yeah, I know it sounds odd! But I had a theory and just wanted to test it out that's all!” I continued, trying to convince both the cat and myself. “Plus, you know, it gets weaker with each bite so...” I could feel my enthusiasm lowering as I waved my arms slower by the second.

The cat in response to that floated closer, inspecting the turnips with an exaggerated tilt of its head, its tiny mouth forming a perfect ‘O’ of surprise. The cat then proceeded to hover closer in my direction, its eyes darting between the turnips and me, the playful flicks of its tail creating trails of sparkles that twinkled momentarily before fading away.

Suddenly, it raised a paw and dramatically pointed at a timer etched in the sand. The numbers glowed softly, ticking away like a heartbeat of the island itself, shimmering with an enchanting aura.

And honestly, I am just glad it stopped focusing on the turnips!

“You’re wondering why I’m still here, right?” I guessed, half-laughing, half-exasperated. “I’ve been, uh, focused on training! It’s been my goal to become… you know, a legendary hero..." I waited for a beat, "or something.” I gave it a thumbs up, realising how ridiculous that sounded. What am I even doing with my life? I jokingly asked myself in my head.

The cat blinked again, the corner of its mouth twitching almost like it was laughing at my absurdity. Now it really had that 'Oh, this poor idiot!' look.

“Hey, it’s not all bad!” I protested, waving my arms to emphasize my point. “Just look at my enthusiasm! It's gotta be infectious or somethin' right? That's what all heroes are supposed to be about!” I threw in a mock heroic pose for flair, striking a dramatic stance like I was on a grand stage.

The cat floated a bit closer, eyes narrowing skeptically. “Mew,” it chimed softly, more curious than convinced, as if pondering.

"...I can't speak cat!" I remarked excitedly with another thumbs up.

It hung its head slightly down at that, though only for a moment before with a resigned sigh, the cat flicked its tail dramatically, backpedalling a little as its gaze slowly filled with more resolve before it promptly crossed its paws at me.

“...Okay, fine! Let’s compromise!” I said, hands raised in surrender, half-expecting it to flutter away in frustration. “I can set aside time to train, but I'll also keep an eye out for a way off this island. Deal?"

The cat perked up, its eyes sparkling like it had just won the lottery. It gave an enthusiastic flutter of its wings, seeming to be caught up in the spirit of this negotiation. “Mew!”

“Absolutely! Together we’ll make an incredible team.” I grinned, feeling a surge of confidence as I watched the cat’s expression begin to brighten. With every word, I could see the gears turning in the cat’s mind, and it nodded slowly, its earlier concern easing as if my offer genuinely piqued its interest.

“Mew!” it echoed again, more excited this time, a clear spark of determination flaring up between us.

Nodding to myself at the succesfull recruitment, since that's obviously what happened there, I made to turn around back towards the turnips- but before I gathered my thoughts fully, the cat clapped it's paws together, and in an instant, I was levitated off the ground. I felt like a balloon caught in a playful breeze!

Oh shit, the magical part's actually magical!

“Whoa! Hey, what are you doing?!” I yelled, flailing my arms like a windmill in a storm. “I didn’t say I wanted to leave yet!”

The cat hovered closer, its eyes wide as saucers, tugging at my shorts with an urgency that was both cute and slightly concerning. “Look, I appreciate your enthusiasm!” I laughed, trying to maintain my balance mid-air. “But I need more time to prepare! I want to train!”

The creature let out a huffy trill, flapping its wings so fast that sparkles erupted around us. It gestured dramatically toward the strange words etched in the sand.

What's those words got to do with this- Wait not important, the cat's about to zero gravity my ass outta the tutorial island!

"Put... Put me down please?" I pleaded with a hint of slight panic. The cat in response just frowned at me, it's paws crossed again before it let out a huff and slowly lowered me back to the ground, though it's gaze quickly turned back towards the strange words.

“Those?” I waved dismissively. “I think they’re just referring to my stats- strength, agility, all that good stuff!” The cat blinked in disbelief, its expression shifting to even more confusion as it slowly nodded at me.

Oh cool, the cat can read the magical letters!

“I've been slowly raising them since I got here so I wanna see how far I can take them!” I continued, determinedly ignoring the mounting concern on the cat’s face. "I can do that right?"

It nodded, very slowly before it's expression turned more concerned-

"Is there a problem with raising them?" I questioned with a tilt of my head.

It neither nodded nor shook it's head that time, instead it put a paw up to it's mouth with a confused expression on it's face. I could practically hear its inner voice asking 'How can you NOT see what’s important here?!' But it didn't seem to know how to actually say it.

“Hey, take it easy!” I laughed, trying to ease its evident distress. “So it's not good but it's also not bad to raise them?"

The cat rolled its eyes and flew around me in little circles, landing with a dramatic sigh. If I thought that looked comically exasperated, I was right on the mark.

“So if it ain't good or bad, there's no harm in raising them right?” I asked with a grin. The cat let out another huff at that. “That's why I want to train first! I need to be ready for whatever adventure is waiting!”

With newfound enthusiasm, I reached for one of the turnips on the stand and took a hearty bite. The sweetness burst on my tongue, sending a rush of energy coursing through me. “Ah-ha!” I exclaimed, pumping my fist in triumph, all the while the look on the cat's face turned more and more resigned by the second.

After a moment of just appraising me, the cat let out another sigh and settled on my shoulder, finally relaxing, its earlier frustration diminishing into curiosity.

“Let’s do this, team!” I declared as I walked over to where I'd left the heavy ass sword.

Whatever those strange words meant exactly, I'll figure it out eventually. For now, I was content knowing they were in fact my stats and set on raising them as much as I could! All the while my whimsical companion watched me with a blend of amusement and cautious optimism, obviously wondering just how this would all play out.

...

With the turnip’s energy coursing through me, I felt incredible! “Alright, watch this cat!” I exclaimed as I swung my sword like a grand knight.

The cat did in fact watch me with eyes wide, glittering with both enthusiasm and a hint of dread, as if it already sensed the chaos that was about to unfold.

When the sword slipped out of my hand on the third swing, I promptly waited a beat and- “First up, let’s see how fast I can run!” I declared in an attempt to dodge the embarrasment, and earned a facepalm from the cat.

I took a few steps back, then dashed ahead, pumping my arms like a cartoon character. To my surprise, I stumbled over an uneven patch of sand and tumbled into a roll.

“Yes! Perfect form!” I shouted, springing back up.

The cat stared back, blinking slowly, as if processing what just witnessed.

With a flick of its tail, it darted beside me, giving a little exasperated glance as if to say, 'Is this really training?'

I gave it a thumbs-up and a grin. "We'll find out when I pass out!" The look on it's face turned a lot more worried at that. “Come on! That was just a warm-up!” I called out, grinning as I picked myself up and tried again. This time I ran in place, pretending I was in a heroic sprint, my feet kicking up sand as I let out exaggerated battle cries.

“Mew!” the cat chimed in, hovering nearby, as if deciding whether to encourage me or find shelter from my antics.

Next, I decided to work on strength. I found a couple of driftwood pieces nearby and pretended they were heavy weights. “Lifting weights- classic training!” I proclaimed, squatting in the sand and lifting the sticks with exaggerated effort. I could almost feel the sound effects of a training montage playing in my head.

The cat, now watching with both amusement and concern, cocked its head, and I could see tiny furrows forming on its brow. “You know, I think I’m getting stronger already!” I announced, maniacally grinning and flexing my arms.

It gave a soft “Mew,” clearly still trying to assess whether I was intentionally been crazy or I was born this way.

By the time my stamina hit rock bottom, I had created what I affectionately called the 'Turnip Training for the Mentally Insane!'

TMI for short!

I was convinced that I was well on my way to becoming an unstoppable force of nature. I took a moment to glance at the timer etched in the sand nearby. The numbers were ticking away- a hundred and twenty hours and counting.

“Not bad!” I mused as I took in the fact the numbers beside the words had actually changed mid-training session again. The cat, however, fluttered around me nervously, its sparkling wings fluttering as if echoing some sort of strange rising tension.

...

As days turned into weeks, going through my third here, I continued my enthusiastic training regimen.

Each morning, I woke up, excited to add a new “exercise” to my list.

I decided one day to climb the tallest palm tree I could find, envisioning myself as a daring adventurer scaling cliffs. “Just a little higher!” I called out, reaching for a branch and slipping halfway up.

Down I went but unlike my previous falls, I managed to land into a roll that led into me back in my feet as the cat looked on, half-amused, half-present in a state of perpetual worry.

The first few trees on the other hand had been a lot easier than this one, though they'd only gone up about twice my height- This one was at least five times mine!

"Don’t worry, I’ve got this!" I waited for a beat. "I’m honing my agility!" I said, brushing off the failed attempt as if that made it any better.

It was kind of surreal to think about how much I've improved in such a short amount of time though. A few weeks back and I would've been down on my ass!

“Mew?” It chirped, tilting its head in disbelief at my ever-increasing enthusiasm.

As I continued this bizarre training, the timer in the sand ticked up unabated.

By the end of the second week, since the cat had arrived here, it had reached a staggering four hundred and forty four hours.

The time had started flowing by a lot faster since the little furball had joined!

“We’ve been having fun, right?" I said with cheer- even if a part of me felt a tiny bit desperate for it to be true. The thought filled my head for a moment before I shrugged it off and continued on with my point. "Just because I’m an aspiring hero, doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the ride!” I said in what I presumed was the afternoon, while waving my sword with wild abandon, my mind pretending to fight off invisible monsters.

The cat let out an alarmed trill, darting back slightly, evidently still not over the one time I'd accidently threw it in it's direction.

I quickly shook my head. “Okay, okay, no more swordplay for a bit!” I laughed, trying to think of something less chaotic.

How about something gentler...

Yoga- clearly the pinnacle of centered energy and focus! 

I laid down on the sand, attempting to mimic poses I remembered from every yoga class I'd ever seen on a tv show.

“Deep breaths!” I shouted, feeling the waves of the ocean lapping at my feet. “Inhale… exhale…”

My attempts at balance almost turned into a full-on tumble as I twisted around in an attempt to regain balance before landing gently in the sand with a flourish. "Ta-da!" I let out belatedly with a sheepish grin.

The cat blinked, astonished, as if it were trying to comprehend what it was witnessing. After a long pause, it flicked its paw dismissively and shook it's head.

...

The weeks rolled on, and with each passing day, the cat grew more and more anxious.

I could sense its worry as I confidently proclaimed my 'progress' in my training.

“Look how far I’ve come!” I called on day forty, since I'd gotten here myself, performing an impressive (or so I thought) leap from the palm tree that had previously defeated me!

The cat hovered near me, its eyes wide with a mix of exasperation and concern.

Eventually, the cat had began trailing a healthy behind me during my training sessions, as if keeping a cautious distance. “You're sword-proof bud, remember that!” I would shout over my shoulder every time I picked up said sword.

By the time the timer ticked to nine hundred and sixty hours, the words while they hadn't increased anymore since the cat arrived, their numbers had gone up by the dozens! The first unknown word had a staggering ninety next to it!

I had a slight feeling that one was likely strength? Since the heavy-ass sword wasn't so heavy any more. Actually it was almost feather-light. It's why I almost hit the cat that one time, the weight loss it went through (Ha) had thrown me for a loop.

I wondered what would happen when that stat hit one hundred?

For some reason though the cat’s expression looked increasingly worried.

It flitted about, occasionally pawing at the words on the sand, as if trying to dig for answers hidden beneath the surface. Or get my attention on it?

I didn't see what the issue was, the numbers were still going up!  I'd even stopped relying on the turnips so much since that was one of the few things the cat refused to budge on- It wouldn't let me have more than three bites a day.

I was personally fine with it in all honesty, since the numbers were still going up regardless.

...

Each day felt like an endless loop, the sun stubbornly stuck in the sky, casting an unchanging glow over our quirky little island.

Despite the timer ticking steadily upwards- currently at a thousand, one hundred and fifty!- the world outside stayed locked in a perpetual moment, with time on a vacation of its own.

“Alright, time for another epic training session!” I declared one morning, the salty breeze tousling my hair.

The cat perched nearby, watching with a blend of concern and exasperation that was becoming all too familiar. Its wings flapped with a slight shimmer, almost as if silently saying, 'Are you sure about this again?' 

“Of course! What could possibly go wrong?” I grinned, fully convinced of my heroism in the making, as I grabbed a turnip like it was a prized trophy and took a bite, idly noting the way the cat's ears perked up as it kept an eye on me.

With a sheepish grin, I promptly put the bitten vegetable back with it's original source on the weapon stand.

Slapping my face once, I took in a deep breath.

Today’s focus? Endurance!

After reaching a hundred on the first unknown word, I'd realised that while I could push it further, it was taking a lot more time to do so- Spending an entire day swinging around the now light sword pushed it by two points in total the next day, but ignoring it entirely and focusing on everything else, pushed it by one.

All the words did that by the way, go up by one on default, without any attempt at pushing them myself.

And since the other words went up faster depending on what I focused on during the day- Agility was what I presumed the third word was, was currently at fifty- it meant I could raise the first word slowly while focusing on everything else.

I had a feeling it had something to do with the turnip- And yes I already checked whether that default number went up higher depending on the number of bites, to the cat's frustration.

The answer was it didn't- It was always one, no matter what.

So, keeping that in mind, I might as well just focus on everything else now and let strength, if the first word really was that, build itself up slowly!

 Today, I would run around the island, testing my limits and seeing how fast I really was! “Ready, set, go!” I shouted, taking off down the sandy shore.

The cat began to follow, its wide eyes filled with a mix of alarm and disbelief.

It almost seemed to float alongside me, trying to keep pace without getting caught up in my enthusiastic sprint.

With every step I took, I felt an exhilarating burst of energy, completely ignoring the fact that the sun seemed unyielding.

“This is nothing! Just a bit of a breeze!” I called back to the cat, who looked as if it was mentally tallying the number of ways this could go awry. “I’ll make it around the island in no time!”

As I sped along the shore, I found myself caught up in the rhythm of my run. I imagined the great heroes of stories past, conquering mountains and racing through cities.

"Ta-da!” I declared my catchphrase when I came to a stop, my voice muffled by heavy breathing. The cat flew just above me, its paws up as if it were trying to navigate an invisible maze. “What do you think?” I used my second catchphrase, the cat was all too familiar with by now.

I watched it take on a somewhat amused and fond look at that before it slowly shook it's head.

“Come on! It builds character!” I laughed in return as my breathing slowly turned back to normal.

...

One sunny morning- well, technically, the sun had been frozen in the sky for what felt like an eternity- I was busy preparing for yet another round of my wildly imaginative training routine.

However, as I enthusiastically positioned myself for a round of “the best heroic leaps”, I caught sight of my furry companion flitting about in a different kind of frenzy.

The magical cat buzzed around the sandy clearing like a little tornado, its eyes gleaming with an intensity I hadn’t seen before. It darted from one patch of grass to another, sniffing and poking at various herbs.

“What’s going on?” I asked, pausing mid-leap, sand flying everywhere as I landed awkwardly.

“Mew!” it declared, stopping in front of a sprig of bright green leaves and batting at them with a paw.

Then, it floated over to me, its whiskers twitching with excitement. I watched in confusion as it pointed at the plants, gesturing wildly.

"...Are you trying to make me eat herbs now?” I questioned, scratching my head.

Even after a thousand and a half hours- I stopped keeping track of the actual days past the thousand- I still had no real way of communicating with the furball.

In a flurry of movement, the cat zipped away once more, continuing its herb collection expedition.

It seemed to be gathering an impressive array of colorful plants, ranging from vibrant pink flowers to some long, grassy blades.

“Hey! Are we playing hide and seek with herbs now?” I called out, struggling to keep up as it dashed around the island.

The cat didn’t respond, only continued its quest, flitting gracefully from one patch of foliage to another.

My confusion danced with a little excitement, maybe it was making an upgrade to the turnip?

I'd watched it peel a few layers out of one of the turnips already. 

After what felt like a mini-marathon of collecting the various herbs and bits of the turnip, the cat finally returned, dropping the gathered items before me. It fluffed up its fur, a glint of pride flashing in its eyes as it arranged everything in a neat little pile.

“Is this…some sort of magical recipe?” I asked, eyes growing wider at the colorful assortment sprawled out before me.

The cat nodded vigorously, almost dancing in place, indicating encouragement to blend the items together.

Alright, don't need to tell me twice! I thought, feeling a surge of excitement.

Time to unleash my inner potion-maker! I jumped at the idea but quickly came to a halt. “Uh… How am I supposed to blend these together?” I stared at the plants, uncertain how mixing them like a salad would yield any special results.

Without missing a beat, the cat flicked its paw, and lo and behold, a small, elegant pot materialized out of thin air, hovering before me. “Whoa! Now that’s impressive!” I exclaimed, barely able to contain my awe.

It was a beautifully crafted vessel- Hold right the hell up!

“Wait a second!” I interrupted, glancing down at myself. “I’ve been stuck in these swim shorts since I got here! Can you make me some clothing instead!?” I practically screamed.

The cat paused mid-motion, its paw hovering over the collection of herbs. Its expression shifted from enthusiasm to sheer befuddlement. “Mew?” it squeaked.

“Seriously! I’ve been traipsing around this island half-naked for ages! Can you whip up something for me to wear?” I called out, a desperate panic to my voice, still beyond my own incredulity at just how casual I was being about my predicament.

But the cat, with its large, expressive eyes, seemed entirely confused-

Oh.

Right.

Animals don't wear clothes.

It probably doesn't understand what I am saying!

With a flick of its tail, it quickly took back my attention.

How does one explain the idea of physical fur to a cat..?

Said cat, was clearly underwhelmed by my drama, turned back to the herbs and hopped around, its fluffy tail swishing indignantly. It threw a petal here, a leaf there, and with nearly artistic flair, it began to swirl the herbs around the pot, summoning a faint shimmer of energy that danced above the mix, creating a colorful display.

Reluctantly, I caught sight of the beautiful pot, the advertisement for an adventure I wasn’t fully utilizing.

“Look, I get it! Magic potions are great- And I will absolutely drink whatever you make for me-” I'll admit the sheer concern that swept through it's face at that claim was adorable. “-but can you please make me something to wear first?"

“Mew!” the cat finally exclaimed, flapping its wings, sending tiny sparkles scattering through the air.

It clearly was not amused by my antics.

“Oh come on! Just think of it as a nice little side project!” I gestured dramatically to emphasis the point.

Gridlocked in a back-and-forth glare with this adorable creature, I half-expected it to huff and turn away.

I idly pulled at the bottom of my shorts and pointed towards my chest.

"I need something like this, but for up here!"

Why was the cat looking at me like I'd just insulted it?

After a moment of just staring at me, it let out an exaggerated sigh.

The cat shook its head dramatically. 

I let my head drop in resignation.

"Alright fine, we'll make a potion first," I sighed with a slight shake of my head.

I'll admit though the idea of a magical potion was really intriguing- espicially since it was coming from the cat that was all about caution.

I watched it float closer to the pot, the herbs now swirling together in a vibrant whirlwind of color above the glowing vessel.

“Alright!” I declared, feeling empowered by the shift in its energy. “Let's see this potion of yours!” It's not like the tempreture changed here- hell I didn't even sweat or anything.

The cat paused again, and then, to my surprise, it flicked its paw once more.

The herbs began to glow even brighter, and it waved its paw around in graceful circles.

To my astonishment, fabric began to weave itself together from the magic swirling in the pot, forming something that resembled a stylish garment.

“Oh! Now we’re talking!” I called out, excitement bubbling up inside me.

But just as quickly as it had started, the cat let out a little shout of “Mew!” and the fabric halted abruptly in mid-process.

The shimmering stopped, and the pot fell silent.

I blinked, watching as the fabric floated in mid-air for a moment before unraveling back into a pile of herbs, fizzling as if the spell had run out of energy.

The cat puffed up its fur in annoyance, its wings flaring out like an indignant cat judge. “Mew!” it scolded, crossing its paws firmly.

“Ah! You need my help don't ya?” I said, realizing. At the sigh of relief that escaped the cat's mouth, I promptly ran back towards the weapon stand and grabbed hold of the wooden staff.

“Alright what do I gotta do!?”

It tilted its head and looked at me with a mixture of intrigue and amusement?

After a moment, it nodded tentatively as it slowly flew up and sat ontop of the staff itself.

I felt something flare up all across my body just as the herbs once again started swirling within the pot.

“Alright then! Together!” I exclaimed, fully on board with the newfound collaboration.

As the sun continued to shine overhead, eternally frozen in place, I could feel a spark of joy in our unlikely teamwork.

"Mew!" I blinked at the sudden sound and found the cat staring at me intently for some reason just as the fabric from earlier rapidly came into existence... with a startle of realisation, I pictured the kind of clothing I was looking for and-

I watched, wide-eyed, as the comfortable looking hoodie came into existence.

And as happy and ecstatic as I was at the hoodie I immediately grabbed hold off, I dimly noted the once again flying cat- I'd accidentally let go of the staff- that was currently staring at me with a strangely familiar look... I am pretty sure a few of my old teachers used to look at me like that!

...

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