JSOML 02

Chapter 02

“No, seriously, what exactly am I supposed to do here…?”

[Time Limit: 00:05:00]

[Penalties will be applied if time runs out.]

The numbers ticked down as if urging her on.

I don’t know! Better do something rather than nothing.

I don’t want to believe it, but… I’m a dead person now anyway.

‘And maybe I can live a better life than this one…’

Yena reflected on her difficult life and walked over with a bitter feeling. Plaques made of marble sat in front of each door, decorated with different jewels.

Reading the plaque before the first door:

<♥The Youngest Sword Master, A Sweet and Deadly Wedding with a Sword♥>

A hollow laugh escaped Yena’s lips.

It was a job that sounded like it belonged in the web novels she enjoyed reading on her way to work. She vaguely remembered reading about a job that wielded a sword.

“If I become a Sword Master… does that mean I marry a sword?”

No matter how she thought about it, she couldn’t dedicate her life to an inanimate object.

Yena shook her head and hurriedly moved to the next door. There, even more nonsensical words were engraved.

<★A Wizard, An Extremely Short 18-Year Life…★>

“Wow, that’s really something. Who would choose something like this…”

This one seemed to be openly announcing a limited lifespan.

It was miserable enough dying at the prime of her twenties after a life of hardship, but being sent back to the afterlife so soon was too cruel.

“No, maybe there’ll be a decent one now!”

Yena reluctantly ran to the next door. Catching her breath, she checked the plaque:

<♥The obsessive, bloodthirsty tyrant likes it rough~♥>

“Wait a minute. What on earth is all this? Who likes what? Are you kidding me right now?”

…Yena’s eyes twitched beneath her brows.

‘Bloodthirsty’ and ‘obsessive tyrant’ on top of that. It might be interesting in a novel, but getting caught up with that seemed life-threatening.

If this was a crossroads to my next life, then this life was a failure…

Yena trudged towards the last door, as if giving up.

Somehow, a plaque glowing more brilliantly than the others began to come into view.

‘What if this one is weird too? The light looks suspicious.’

Yena’s eyes narrowed as she scanned the door.

Since the previous options were all strange, she didn’t expect the last one to be any different. But with no other choice, she carefully read the words.

<★A Wealthy Stay-at-Home, Enjoy a Comfortable Life with the Best Butlers!★>

Finally, a welcoming sentence appeared as if to comfort her.

‘A wealthy stay-at-home…?’

Yes, this is it!

The color finally returned to Yena’s formerly downcast face. This was a luxurious life anyone would dream of.

The door seemed to beckon her to choose it.

Yena hurriedly moved to step forward but stopped short. The fact that it was the only seemingly perfect option actually made her hesitate.

‘But… something feels fishy. All the others were weird. It’s not like they’re all bad. How can only one be good? As if this was the only choice from the beginning.’

[SYSTEM: Time Limit: 00:00:30]

But the time given was only 30 seconds. Moreover, there were no other options.

‘I don’t know either. It’ll work out somehow.’

Yena opened the door and stepped inside. A blinding light surged in like a wave.

[SYSTEM: Job selection complete!]

[Initiating synchronization.]

[9%…]

[10%…]

[11%…]

[SYSTEM: Congratulations! ‘Joo Yena’ has changed jobs to ‘Cat (Lery)’!]

[From now on, you will receive ★loads★ of love from the world’s best butlers!]

Lery’s eyes snapped open wide.

Seeing the system window, the first thought that came to mind was, ‘I’ve been tricked.’

It was a problem that even a kindergartener who just learned the alphabet could figure out the answer to.

But… a cat? Lery?

A sense of injustice surged, as if he’d been scammed by a con artist. He wildly waved his hands around, trying to get rid of the system.

‘Huh?’

Unfortunately, all Lery could see in his vision were cute little cotton balls. At a glance, they were clearly a cat’s front paws.

‘…What is this? Did I really become a cat?’

Still in shock, Lery raised his other hand to check the other side.

But as he did, the world spun around him and he collapsed weakly.

At the same time, a tingling pain shot through his rear. A shrill cry escaped Lery’s mouth.

“Meow! (Ouch!)”

But the absurdity didn’t end there. He’d clearly spoken Korean, but it came out as some strange language.

“Mreugh… (Ugh…)”

Lery struggled desperately to get up. But walking on four legs for the first time wasn’t easy.

“…Meow? (Huh?)”

His face reflected in the mirror was a sight to behold.

White fur shimmering in the soft moonlight, a pink nose, clear sky-blue eyes. He looked exactly like a wealthy family’s cat.

“Meoooow… (Unbelievable…)”

This is a dream. It must be a dream, right?

Lery continued to examine every corner of his body. Then, he noticed that the central area behind him was unusually dark.

The mysterious shadow confirmed that Lery lacked two certain spheres.

‘Is that a relief? Because I’m not male?’

Lery let out a hollow laugh and began to explore his surroundings.

This spacious, luxurious place was like a giant’s house to the small cat Lery.

‘Is this a wealthy European household? Reminds me of Arienti on the floor.’

The interior was filled with intricate and elegant patterns, and luxurious furniture.

Lery’s eyes followed the gems embedded one by one.

This one was worth a foreign car, that one was the deposit for my old room.

‘This cat must have had a good life.’

Though, probably only until I got here.

The red carpet felt like a red carpet.

Lery trotted across it. Tiny paw prints were left behind perfectly.

Just then, a breeze lingering by the window gently ruffled Lery’s fur. Feeling the cool wind and watching the slow-moving clouds, his chest felt tight.

‘Where am I? How am I supposed to live now? I can’t stay like this. What if I had chosen nothing…’

The shock of becoming a cat was brief, and now he was in the dark.

He couldn’t understand the situation he was in, and he wanted to grab someone and ask, but there was no way to communicate.

“Meowww… (Sleepy…)”

Perhaps it was because so much had happened in such a short time. Lery’s round eyes began to slowly close.

Lery hopped onto the bed and curled his body into a ball. As the soft bedding enveloped him, his weary mind and body grew languid.

‘Let’s sleep first and think about it later.’

Whether it’s a dream or reality.

Just as he was about to drift off, the hill-like mound next to him rustled. The quiet bed began to tremble.

He hadn’t thought anyone would be there. Was it the cat’s owner?

Lery twitched his small ears.

“Meow? (What is it?)”

As he wondered, a finger suddenly came up towards Lery’s plump rear. And then it began to stroke him gently.

‘No, what the hell!’

What kind of pervert touches a young lady’s rear!

As Lery flinched, a warm voice was heard.

“Lery.”

At the same time, a sweet and cozy scent brushed past his nose.

Lery looked up at him, observing. But what greeted his gaze was the collarbone and shoulder line revealed through the deep V-neck of his robe.

‘Oh my god. What is that. Bare skin?’

Lery quickly averted his gaze to his face.

Perhaps it was because of his attire. A man with a somewhat risqué aura was looking down at him with green eyes.

“Did you sleep well?”

His eyes curved like half-moons.

‘He’s like a human Pocari, or something.’

While Lery was distracted by his refreshing smile, his hand dove back towards Lery’s rear.

“Meooooow! (Where are you touching!)”

Lery arched his rear high and let out a sharp cry.

This was going too far. He’d warned him, but still. Even if he was handsome!

Feeling the unexpected reaction, he hesitated.

“…Lery?”

He blinked his half-lidded eyes and reached out to Lery. But Lery fiercely swatted his hand away.

“…Lery, what’s wrong?”

His voice, flowing like a melody, was full of concern. But to Lery, he was just a criminal guilty of a heinous offense.

“Meowww. (Just try touching me again.)”

As Lery glared up as if warning him, the flustered man hurriedly approached to soothe him. But as Lery dodged left and right, his gaze began to waver.

His small, cute companion cat had never acted like this before.

“Did you have a bad dream?”

He lowered himself to Lery’s eye level and asked in a worried voice. He stared at Lery for a long while.

“What’s wrong with our Lery? Want a treat?”

“…”

“Or, should I hold you?”

Perhaps his desperate efforts had paid off. Lery’s wariness seemed to ease just a little.

Seizing the moment, he carefully scooped up the small shoulders. He intended to stroke him in his usual favorite position.

This usually calmed him down quickly, but…

“Meeaooow! (Let go of me?!)”

But it was strange. This wasn’t the Lery he knew.

Normally, he would have snuggled in and purred, but Lery thrashed his limbs and scratched his forearms.

That wasn’t all. He even darted under the bed.

“Lery…”

Why was he so upset?

The man followed him to the bed and tilted his head, sending pathetic signals to Lery. But Lery’s large eyes only blazed fiercely in response.

‘So I have to live with that pervert? Even if he is the owner!’

Just as Lery’s anger reached its peak—

[SYSTEM: Fatigue has reached maximum level! An irresistible urge to sleep is overwhelming you.]

[Your current fatigue is 100%.]

*Ping—*

With the system notification, Lery powered down completely.