Tangled By Fate

Chapter 95 - FELIX'S ASTONISHMENT

Felix gaped at the note he was reading. Even if thunder fell on top of his head, he wouldn't be this surprised.

There was one sentence in the note. That was –

I AM VERONICA

Felix blinked several times and then stole glances at the cat in his arm. He concluded that he wasn't delusional. He whispered, "Miss Veronica, is that really you?"

Veronica's eyes shimmered with laughter and relief as she thought he recognized her. She nodded vigorously.

[A/N: Just imagine a cat nodding its head like a human XD ]

Felix was stunned when the cat nodded its head like any normal human. 'It can't be! The cat understands my words and even acts like a human. This must be really Miss Veronica. But how?'

"Sir Felix, I'm hungry," Veronica said while rubbing her stomach. "Meow."

Felix understood her gesture. "Oh, you must be hungry. Let's take you to a restaurant."? Later, he took her to a restaurant and ordered meals for both of them.

When fish curry, spicy meat stew and bread were served, Veronica's eyes sparkled. 'Finally, some meat!' She blew the stew and started to eat.

Felix balanced his face on his palm and observed her. 'No matter how I see it, this is Miss Veronica. This silver fur, green eyes and her love for meat. No normal cat would take meat over fish,' as he thought that, he pulled the fishbowl toward him.

After they finished eating, he asked her politely, "Miss Veronica, how did you turn into a cat?"

Veronica pulled the paper that was given by him and bit the quill. Then she wrote with great effort, "Curse spell."

Felix frowned. "Who cursed you?"

Veronica didn't write anything. She didn't want Leticia to be harmed. Leticia may not see her as her friend but she thought of Leticia as her friend. So, what the other party felt was none of her business.

Felix saw how quiet she was. He said, "Let's go to Master Arthur. He will take care of it." He was about to stand up.

Veronica sprinted and grabbed his hand. Afterward, she vigorously shook her head. She didn't want Arthur to find out about her curse or she would be a cat forever!

"What's wrong?" Felix was surprised by her abrupt action.

Veronica quickly wrote down the reason and he became silent. He pondered, 'This is tricky. I know Master could help her to break the curse. I'm a novice when it comes to reading books and spells. If we can't ask for his help, we have to find the culprit and let them break the curse.'

His eyes landed on the silver fur kitty who was writing something on the paper. He read what she was writing. "So, you know how to break the curse! The person who cursed you told you about this?" he asked.

When she nodded in reply, he mumbled, "Why did that person curse you and even tell you how to break a curse?" He came up with a conclusion soon enough, "That culprit must have been threatened by someone, haven't they?"

Veronica was astounded noticing how intelligent he was. He was right on the dot. She nodded her head. Still couldn't get rid of her amazement. 'Are all the people around Arthur this smart? If I stay with him more, will I become smarter as well?' she thought.

'I wonder who threatened the culprit. It can't be Master. But It has to be someone powerful. Since she didn't tell me who cursed her, she may not tell me who threatened the culprit either,' Felix thought.

Then, he told her, "Since the person already told you how to break a curse, things are a lot easier then. Tell me, Miss Veronica. How to break this curse?"

Veronica remembered what she was told by Leticia. "You were cursed because you were too close to Arthur. You don't deserve him. That's why the first thing you cannot do is tell him you were cursed or you will stay as a cat forever. The moment your heart will distance from him, the curse will break automatically. Until then, stay close to him. But, don't let him find out."

Veronica explained to Felix what Leticia told her.

Felix frowned. "What a nasty curse!" He was thoroughly displeased. "How can you stay close to Master and not let him find out? Even if you can do that somehow, how can your heart be distant from him? This is so annoying."

'The curse was given to her because she was close to Master. That's why he needs to know more than anyone what has happened. But even I cannot tell him what is going on. This is so frustrating.' He slapped the table not so gently.

'Since it was because of him, I guess the culprit is a girl. I will find her and make sure she can never harm my benefactor again,' he promised to himself.

He sighed. "Fine, Master Arthur is leaving tonight. I will let you be with him. I will not tell him who you are. Just be sure you don't act like a human and make him suspicious about your identity. Or, you may have to remain as a cat forever."

Veronica nodded. 'I will do my best to act like a cat.' She swore.

Later, she regretted taking this oath very much.

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As promised, Felix took her to Arthur at midnight.

"What's this?" Arthur asked him to see a bamboo basket with him.

"This… is a gift," Felix couldn't come up with a better excuse.

Arthur curiously pulled the cloth that was covering the basket and saw a kitten.

Veronica looked at him in a friendly manner and said, "Meow!"

Arthur was momentarily speechless. Then, he questioned, "Why on earth you brought a cat with you and gave it to me?" Arthur and his subordinates were very rational people. They never did whimsical things.

Felix coughed to clear his throat and answered, "This is a good luck charm you need in the desert. Also, this cat needs someone to take care of it."

Arthur was even more confused by his answer. "Then, why don't you take care of this cat?"

Felix shrugged and told him, "I'll be busy looking for Miss Veronica."

"I will be busy with my mission," Arthur retorted.

Felix: "…"

Arthur: "…"

Two of them stared at each other and afterward, Felix resigned. He bowed and said, "Master, please, this is a humble request from a humble servant. Please take care of Mis… cat. I won't ask you anything."

'Miss Cat?' Arthur furrowed his eyebrows. "You asked something from me only a month ago," Arthur mentioned their meeting on the Synetian border.

Felix told him, "I know and that's why I'm begging you. It's not a request."

Veronica was listening to their conversation with rapt attention and became furious. 'Why is Arthur being so mean to his friend? He even made Sir Felix bow his head. This is too much. I should scold him. But I can't let him know that I'm a cat. But I also have to help Sir Felix.'

"Meow!" she snuggled close to Arthur and rubbed her face on his arm.

Felix said, "Look, Master. Even the cat likes you. You know I'm not good with animals. You will be the best person to take care of her."

Arthur coldly stared at the cat before saying, "Give it to a family who likes cats. They will take care of it I'm sure."

He was going on a rough mission. How could he take a pet with him? It would become a burden he didn't want.

"You don't want me? But I want you," Veronica uttered softly and gave him a pitiful and sorrowful look. "Meow?"

It might be easy to avoid a human's pitiful gaze but when it comes to children and small animals, it's hard to resist.

Moreover, the cat's unique eyes looked so much like Veronica's emerald eyes.

Arthur covered his eyes and took a deep breath. 'What is with this cat?' he wondered. Somehow, it reminded him of Veronica's sorrowful gaze. He couldn't say 'no' to those eyes.

"Fine, I will take it," he finally agreed.

Felix sighed in relief but didn't let his Master notice that. "Thank you, Master," he said.

"What about her food?" Arthur inquired.

"Everything she needs is in the basket," Felix replied.

"I'm off then. If you find Veronica, send her to Utahill first. Then, you can do your other job," Arthur instructed him. He took the basket and put it on the horse. After that, he mounted on the horse and tightened his grip on the reins.

"Yes, Master," Felix bowed.

Arthur straightened his back and lightly kicked the horse with his heel. The horse neighed and began to run.

Arthur disappeared in the dark along with his horse and the newfound kitten Veronica.

'I hope everything goes well,' Felix thought.

The journey was quite long. It took them forty days to reach the desert.

'It took longer when we went to Synetia. Maybe because it's just the two of us and that's why we came here faster than I expected,' Veronica thought.

Arthur suddenly asked her, "You, kitty, there are no mice in the desert. Are you sure you can handle it? You are a city cat, aren't you?"