Compared to a certain Stan who had no bottom line, was available to anyone, and served as a three-surname family slave, Can showed the chastity and quality a good cat should have.
She descended cat-brand righteous punishment upon the lying Old Man Kevin... Although this bite made her mouth a bit cold, Can, hanging from Kevin's pant leg and baring her fangs and claws, thought that all this sacrifice was worth it.
—Even if I, Can, lose my old cooler, I'll find a new cooler to cuddle with!
"Huh? Can, what are you doing...?"
Seeing Can biting Kevin without letting go, Pardo looked a bit confused, then suddenly thought of something...
"Can usually doesn't bite people! Unless... Boss Kevin, you're lying—!!!"
Felis looked at Kevin with an expression that said "Boss, you've changed," forcing the latter to beg for mercy from the little kitty Can—
"As soon as we get out, I'll go to work. I'll go to work as soon as we get out, okay—"
"Meow—!"
Having received Kevin's promise, Can finally let go, but she continued to bare her teeth at the man.
"Speaking of which—Bronya and the others should have cleared the game... Where's the grand prize for clearing the game?"
Kyuusyou seemed to think of something and started looking around, trying to find some treasure...
"Bronie thinks that with the way we cleared it, there probably won't be any treasure or rewards—after all, the examiner-miss seemed to have been driven away by you, Sister Kyuusyou?"
Bronie shrugged, looking at the empty surroundings, indicating that our grand adventure's reward is doomed!
"We can't be sure about that, Miss Bronie. Miss Pardo, since you've met that Miss God and even received her help... and you've been living here all this time, you must know something, right?"
Kyuusyou turned to Pardo... who, as expected, pulled out a "Golden Apple."
"Um... if there's any special reward, it's this... This is what that golden-shining God herself entrusted me to keep—she told me that someone who brings their younger sister along would use it in the future..."
"I think the person she was talking about is probably you, huh?"
Felis looked curiously at Bronya, who seemed to be the only one in the group who had brought her younger sister.
"The Golden Apple of Eden, symbolizing the 'Truth' that awakens humanity from its ignorance..."
Staring at the Golden Apple, Kyuusyou fell into deep thought...
"This thing... we aren't supposed to just eat it directly, are we?"
Taking the Golden Apple from Pardo, Bronya tossed it up and down, feeling its weight. It was very heavy. Without a doubt, this Golden Apple, shining with a strange light, might actually be made of gold...
"Eating gold... even for Mr. Kevin and Miss Pardo, you warriors, it would still cause indigestion, wouldn't it???"
The Bronyas were at a loss looking at the Golden Apple before them. Although the apple looked truly delicious and fragrant... it was made of gold...
"Meow—!!!"
Compared to the hesitating group, Can, acting on instinct, jumped up and took a small bite of the fruit's flesh... then curled up to the side, smacking its lips in satisfaction, seemingly finding the taste quite good...
"Wow—Can, don't eat random things!!!"
Pardo, seeing her cat take a bite of the fruit, nervously picked up Can and checked her up and down...
Fortunately, the cat's vital signs were all very normal, except that her body was glowing...
"It looks like it's edible..."
Seele nodded while looking at the satisfied-looking cat.
"It really is edible... Or rather, this is the apple from Eden in human myths. The less sentient a creature is, the greater its attraction—"
Looking at the cat radiating golden light, Kyuusyou seemed to finally confirm something.
"Bronya, eating that Golden Apple... your legs and lost emotions will all be fully restored. If nothing goes wrong, this is the materialization of the Truth that all scholars and scientists are pursuing."
"Then can Bronya share this Golden Apple with everyone? If this is a reward for clearing the game, Bronya didn't clear it alone..."
Bronya looked at the people around her, seemingly wanting to share this small apple equally.
"Up to you... but I don't need this thing anyway. Since it's a gift given to you, how you handle it is your business, Bronya."
Kyuusyou shrugged indifferently.
"However, as the recipient of the gift, unless something unexpected happens, even if this apple is shared equally, you'll probably get the most benefit, since you're the designated one—"
"Then let's split it equally..."
Bronya nodded, drew a combat knife, and began slicing the apple.
-
"Mm... This tastes pretty good?"
After Kevin, Kyuusyou, and Veliona all refused the Golden Apple, only Bronya, Bronie, Seele, and Pardo, the apple's keeper, ended up sharing it.
The three besides Bronya gave the reviews: "My mind feels much sharper," "It tastes pretty good," and "This cat is fired up!" No extraordinary events occurred... only Bronya stood there blankly after eating her piece.
-
"We meet again, Bronya... I hope this brief reunion doesn't surprise you too much."
In the depths of Bronya's mind, the girl saw a familiar figure.
"I know you have many, many questions. But I'm afraid I cannot answer most of them. The figure you see is merely an echo from the past. The sole purpose of this existence is to guide you to grasp the authority named 'Truth'."
"Sister Snow?"
"Wait, Sister Snow is a god?!"
Bronya looked at the blonde figure before her in disbelief, as if she had discovered a new continent.
"Indeed. The existence known as Snow Apocalypse is indeed a god, but that is not the main point of this journey... Come forward, Bronya Zaychik. Reach out and grasp that light, the beam of light named Truth."
"I have placed all the answers you desire within it. The true gift is also one of them."
The golden-haired girl looked at the grey-haired girl before her with a faint smile and stepped aside. The latter nodded and reached out her hand toward the beam of light in front of her...
"Responsibility is the cornerstone of a person's identity. Child of the Crown... I hope you have found your own cornerstone."
A faint voice echoed, and a white light completely covered Bronya's vision.