Chapter 15: Lies
“Anyway, Felicia, you were amazing!” Eris exclaims. “The way you chopped and sliced those vegetables so perfectly—it was unbelievable!”
“Yeah, even I can’t chop that fast,” Gordon adds with a hearty laugh, his large frame shaking as he chuckles.
I giggle, feeling a wave of warmth spread across my cheeks and ears. Their compliments are making me blush, but… it’s nice, really nice. I can’t help but smile.
But as the initial rush of praise starts to fade, my mind begins to replay what just happened. There’s something odd about it. I was incredibly fast—faster and more efficient than I’ve ever been before.
Just… How did I do that?
Sure, knife skills were always something I took pride in back in my old life. But at that speed? No, I’ve never been that fast. And it wasn’t just the speed; it was the feeling. When I held the knife, it was as if I became one with it. Every slice, every chop, felt effortless. The blade glided through the vegetables like they were made of air. No resistance, just smooth, perfect cuts.
And that moment of focus… it was surreal. I don’t know if I was actually three times faster or if time itself had slowed down. Either way, it felt like I was moving in another realm entirely.
Could this be one of the perks of being a catgirl?
“But… Felicia,” Eris suddenly leans in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper, her happy face fading into a curious expression. “Didn’t you lose all your memories? How do you still remember how to cut vegetables like that?”
!!!
Her words hit me like a jolt of lightning.
SHIT!
I hadn’t thought about that!
If I’m supposed to have lost all my memories, how can I still be so good with a knife?
“A-ahh…” I stammer, scrambling for an answer. “I don’t really know, b-but… maybe it’s just instinct? Yeah! Instinct! When I saw the job poster, I just knew I could do it. Like a gut feeling, you know? It’s not like I was lying or anything!”
“Hmmm… instinct?” Eris leans in even closer, her brows furrowing as if she’s scrutinizing my answer. “Hmmmm…. HMMMMMMMMM????”
BA-DUMP!
BA-DUMP!
My heart’s pounding like crazy.
Fuckk….
What the hell was that answer?
Even a child could tell it was a lie!
However…
“Ahh!!! Yeah, that makes sense!” Eris suddenly exclaims, her expression lighting up. “Even if you lost your memory, you’d still have muscle memory! Felicia, could it be that you were a chef before???”
“O-ohhhh!!!!” I fake a gasp, trying to play along.
“Wait!” Eris continues, her excitement growing, holding my hand tightly.. “That means if you work in the kitchen long enough, you might remember more! Felicia, this is amazing!!!”
“R-right!!!” I reply. “YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!”
It looks like my lie worked, and Eris bought it completely!
SAFEEE!!!
I let out an inward sigh of relief, feeling the tension slip away.
Oh boy, that was close. Too close.
I nearly got caught there.
I’ll have to be more careful from now on.
———————————-
Moments later, the door opens, and Lilly returns with a stack of papers—contracts and forms I need to fill out before officially starting the job.
However… there’s a little problem.
The form asks for my full name, age, and place of birth… those things I can make up without too much trouble. But then, it asks for something impossible—an ID number.
I don’t have any ID!
To be able to work, I need a valid ID—the same kind that Eris showed me earlier. According to Gordon, the ID is issued by the Administrative Office of the Knights Order of Löwenberg.
But since I’m from another world… I don’t have one. I’m basically undocumented, which means I won’t be able to do much here.
“But don’t worry, I’ll help you get one!” Eris says with a confident smile.
“Woah, you can?” I ask, surprised.
“Of course! I’ve got some… connections,” she replies, giving me a playful wink. “It might take a few days, but I’ve got it covered!”
“Yeah, don’t worry,” Gordon adds, patting my shoulder. “This lady knows her way around things. You can trust her! And since you won’t be able to work until we get the paperwork sorted, why not take a few days to rest and explore Mistvale?” He chuckles warmly.
“Oh, that’s a great idea!” Eris chimes in, her face lighting up.
She turns to me with a grin. “Yeah, Felicia! I’ll take a break from the dungeons and show you around.”
“Is… is that really okay?” I ask, feeling a little guilty.
“Absolutely!” Eris reassures me, her excitement contagious.
If she’s so insistent, who am I to say no?
“Thank you so much,” I say, bowing slightly to Eris.
Since I’m living here now, it’s definitely important for me to explore the town, get used to its customs, and learn more about the people and this world I’ve landed in. This is the perfect opportunity.
“Alright then, since it’s still pretty early, why don’t we go for a walk right now?” Eris suggests, her tail swishing excitedly. “I’ll show you the night market!”
“Yeah!” I nod, excitement bubbling up inside me.
Eris giggles.
We say our goodbyes to Gordon and Lilly, then step outside. I follow Eris, ready to explore Mistvale’s night life.