MHGA Chapter 280 – silly cat
"Eh! Granny Elina! This won't do… Look at how much stuff you've given me, how am I supposed to carry all this back…"
As the farewell finally arrived, Kairo Retsu was loaded down with large and small packages, preparing to leave Joseph's world.
Granny Elina seemed to have taken quite a liking to this young man who was close to Joseph, having bought many things to give to Kairo Retsu. She even packed a significant amount of food for him… to the point that Joseph started to suspect whether Kairo Retsu was actually her real grandson.
Before leaving, Kairo Retsu earnestly reminded Joseph to take care of his affairs before returning to the Gathering Hub. After all, no matter what, real-life matters were most important for Joseph.
And finally, Kairo Retsu also quietly advised Joseph to do things beneficial to the world whenever possible, considering Joseph's current time period was during World War II…
"Don't worry, I'll handle it," Joseph said. "Once I've settled things on the home front, I'll return to the Hub!"
Once Joseph's matters had reached a temporary conclusion, Kairo Retsu returned to the Gathering Hub with various specialty products from Joseph's world. He handed out industrial-era snacks, little gadgets, and such to many people.
"Granny Felyne!!! This mirror is for you! Look! It's such a big one!" Kairo Retsu happily held up the mirror and ran into Granny Felyne's canteen, offering the gift.
"Thank you kindly, Guildmaster," Granny Felyne said as she accepted the mirror and gently patted Kairo Retsu's head with her paw. "Looks like Hunter Joseph's troubles have been resolved, yes?"
"Exactly! If I hadn't caught wind of it and gone to check, something might really have happened…" Kairo Retsu slumped a little as he sat at the round dining table in front of Granny Felyne. "Granny Felyne, does this count as me being derelict in my duty? Could there be other hunters going through troubles they can't handle and refusing to ask others for help…"
"You've done very well already, Guildmaster! You're a fine Guildmaster." Granny Felyne gently rubbed Kairo Retsu's head with her soft paw pads. "Would you like some cheese pizza? It's loaded with sausage and scallops, you know?"
Without hesitation, Kairo Retsu raised his hand. "Yes! I want a double portion!! I can't live without Granny Felyne's cooking anymore!!"
"Alrighty. Once you're full, you won't feel so down." Granny Felyne put on thick heat-resistant gloves and pulled a freshly baked cheese pizza from the stove on the other side. She sliced it expertly and placed a plate in front of Kairo Retsu, who immediately began devouring it with gusto.
Melted cheese stretched and drooped from the slice he picked up, and Kairo Retsu quickly caught it with his mouth. Though he scalded his tongue a little, he puffed and blew air while still biting into the heart of the pizza.
The savory flavor of the sausage mixed with the rich taste of the melted cheese as he chewed, and when crushed between his teeth, the sausage burst with juicy umami fat…
With another bite, the scallop meat was crushed in his mouth, releasing a clean, sweet oceanic flavor that lingered on the palate. The hot pizza disappeared bite after bite down his throat, as if he feared someone might snatch a piece if he didn't eat fast enough.
Just eating this Palico Meal personally made by Granny Felyne made Kairo Retsu feel like he could solo an Elder Dragon.
"This is the Palico Meal hunters should be eating!" Kairo Retsu said, tears welling in his eyes. "After slaying a dragon, getting dragged to some dango party or whatever… who does that?!"
Granny Felyne watched him scarf down the entire pizza with a gentle smile before finally speaking: "By the way, Guildmaster, we've got new companions arriving at the Gathering Hub soon…"
"What! Really?! Who are they?" Kairo Retsu, still licking cheese off his fingers, lit up at the news. "We've got new hunters coming?!"
"This time, the new hunters… are adorable young ladies," Granny Felyne said. "And they're all girls that you already know."
"People I know?" Kairo Retsu scratched his head. "Ah, people I know… any specific traits?"
"Let me think… oh, that's right!" Granny Felyne recalled seriously. "They all seem to be related to… magical girls."
"!! Magical girls?!!" Kairo Retsu's eyes widened. "For real?! Magical girls are coming to our Gathering Hub?! Ones I know?!"
"You know how it is, Guildmaster! We men can't survive without watching magical girl stuff now and then!" Kairo Retsu was beaming with excitement. "This is amazing. Magical girls I know… wait a minute, the magical girls I know…"
Kairo Retsu suddenly fell silent.
In that moment, a flood of… very specific magical girls came to mind.
Like Madoka from Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Aya Asagiri from Magical Girl Site, Yuuna Yuuki who suffers physical consequences from using her powers, Shirayuki from the Magical Girl Battle Royale, and even Maple Syrup Supreme Leader, who dreams of becoming a magical girl…
"My magical girl path… has been corrupted," Kairo Retsu said bitterly as he clutched his throat. "A tainted adult like me should never have watched magical girl shows in the first place…"
"There's one more thing!" Granny Felyne gently patted the dramatizing Kairo Retsu on the hand. "Someone else you're quite familiar with is coming to the Gathering Hub, and this one specifically requested to work by your side."
"Work by my side?" Kairo Retsu blinked. "Who?"
"It's a new Felyne we've recruited!" Granny Felyne pulled a slightly yellowed letter from her chest fur. "This is the letter it wrote to you."
"What? A letter for me? And it wants to work by my side? You're not joking?"
Perplexed, Kairo Retsu opened the letter and the first thing he saw was a paw print, followed by a wobbly, handwritten message in the Hunter Tongue…
[Boss, I miss you nya~! It's been so long since we met! I miss you as much as the biggest Slicing Wiggly Litchi Bug we ever caught! But Boss hasn't taken me on a hunt in ages nya… But Granny Felyne said Boss is in a new Gathering Hub now, with lots of new hunter companions nya! So I want to hunt with Boss again too! I'll help steal materials, play the Hunting Horn, and command Kinsects for Boss! Granny Felyne even taught me how to cook Palico Meals in the wild… That way, Boss can always eat hot meals no matter where we are! Granny Felyne said I'm doing a good job nya! You'll see me real soon, Boss. This time, don't leave me behind again nya—silly cat]
"Silly… Palico?" Kairo Retsu froze. "Wait, this letter… is for me…"
"That's right. It's the Felyne that always hunted alongside you, whether in the Old World or the New World," Granny Felyne said warmly. "It might not be as powerful as some of the elite Palicoes in other Gathering Hubs, but it's a passionate little one who really loves the Guildmaster. So we brought it here for you."
Kairo Retsu's face twisted in guilt. "Damn it… I'm the worst…"
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