(Fumina: Ha… I feel so stupid. I didn't know who the last character was and was convinced it was SAM, which is why I teased it in the previous chapter. Turns out, Cipher's name is actually three characters in Chinese.)
It was as if a telepathic connection had formed.
The "big kitty" seemed to sense Firefly's gaze and suddenly turned her head.
In that instant—
Their eyes met.
A pair of deep blue pupils locked onto hers.
A human-like expression of surprise flickered across the cat's face, as though startled by the sudden eye contact.
But it lasted only a moment.
She quickly regained her composure.
Then—
With a playful expression, she stuck out her tongue and gave a small wave.
Firefly, whose heart had already calmed—
Smiled gently in return and waved back politely.
Seeing this—
The cat's expression brightened instantly.
She broke into a cheerful smile and began walking toward Firefly with a graceful, alluring cat-like stride.
"Hello there, dear. If I'm not mistaken, you must be Firefly, right? My name is Cifera, but you can just call me Cipher~ meow."
Firefly nodded slightly.
Her gaze carefully examined the figure before her.
Cipher had a pair of fluffy cat ears atop her head.
Her short silver-white hair flowed like moonlight, smooth and luminous.
Her blue eyes were clear and deep, like stars reflected in water.
She wore a light black outfit.
At the cuffs—
A gradient transitioned from deep navy to pale blue, like the meeting of night and dawn.
A modified hood framed her head, its blue lining echoing the colors of her sleeves, adding a subtle sense of mystery.
Behind her—
Two blue silk ribbons fluttered lightly, like delicate wings.
At her waist hung a small blue pouch—
Both practical and decorative.
Her golden thigh-high boots hugged her long legs tightly, their metallic sheen complementing the golden heels beneath them.
Elegance and strength intertwined perfectly.
At her neck—
A Flipping Coin swayed gently, producing a faint, crisp chime with every movement.
And most striking of all—
Was the small mole on her chest.
Like a star set against snow-white skin—
Adding a unique charm to her already mysterious aura.
…
Firefly quietly opened the system panel.
[Host's current viewable characters: Acheron, Sparkle, Yunli, Silver Wolf, Cipher, Firefly]
[Acheron: 87%]
[Sparkle: 75%]
[Yunli: 69%]
[Silver Wolf: 72%]
[Firefly: 5%]
[Cipher: 13%]
…
Cipher's eyes shimmered with amusement.
Her gaze curved into crescents—
And the corners of her lips lifted knowingly.
It was clear—
She had already seen through Firefly's thoughts.
With a soft laugh—
She leaned forward slightly.
Her left hand rested casually on her waist—
While her right index finger pointed lightly, teasingly, at Firefly.
Tilting her head back—
Her star-like eyes met Firefly's again.
She winked.
"Don't look so surprised~ Little White-Hair. Even this kitty was quite surprised too, you know, meow."
Firefly: (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)
Her face flushed instantly—
Like clouds dyed by the sunset.
She hurriedly looked away—
Taking two small steps back to create distance.
Just now—
When she lowered her gaze—
Cipher's playful face had been far too close.
And when her eyes shifted—
She had caught a glimpse of something dazzling and overwhelming.
Ripples stirred in her heart—
Forcing her to avert her gaze in panic.
For a moment—
Firefly didn't dare look at her directly.
She could only stammer awkwardly.
"H-Hello… I'm Firefly… Do you… usually talk like that?"
Cipher paused briefly—
Then let out a soft, charming laugh.
Straightening up—
Her figure swayed lightly, like a willow in the wind, forming an elegant curve.
Her slender waist and graceful figure complemented each other perfectly.
Beneath the hem of her outfit—
Her long legs were faintly visible.
The nearby shop assistants couldn't help but stare, their eyes filled with admiration.
Cipher chuckled.
"You mean the 'meow'? Of course not. Maybe someone liked speaking that way a thousand years ago, but now… hmm… it seems people here like it even more."
Halfway through—
She gently cupped her chin.
Her fingertip tapped lightly against her cheek.
Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
Then—
She casually glanced around the café.
Breaking into a sincere smile—
She spread her hands.
"I'm just going with the local customs. Look—everyone here seems to enjoy it quite a bit."
As she spoke—
The fluffy ears atop her head twitched playfully.
…
Hearing this—
Firefly looked around.
The cats nearby were all staring at Cipher.
Firefly (๑•. •๑): A cat coming to a cat café to pet cats… that's quite unique.
…
"Wow, those two girls are so beautiful…"
"A Cat Girl in a cat café? This is amazing! Can I pet her?"
"Just give up, they clearly know each other."
The staff whispered among themselves.
Nearby customers couldn't help but look over as well.
The two of them—
Were like entirely different kinds of scenery.
Their contrasting styles—
Combined with their striking beauty—
Made them the center of attention.
Even passersby outside paused to glance in.
Especially Cipher—
With her cat ears and mysterious aura—
Like a being out of a fairy tale.
Behind her—
Her tail swayed happily, like a small broom moving side to side.
Everyone's eyes were drawn to it.
People couldn't help but wonder—
Just what kind of prop it was.
It looked so real.
Even more flexible than an actual tail.
Some curious thoughts inevitably surfaced—
I want to touch it.
But no one dared voice them aloud.
…
At this moment—
Both Firefly and Cipher realized—
They had become the focus of the entire café.
Cipher didn't care.
And Firefly—
Had already given up resisting such attention.
Even on the street—
She couldn't avoid it.
So—
The two naturally clicked.
And decided to spend time playing with the cats together.
…
As time passed—
They gradually became acquainted.
Firefly learned about Cipher's situation.
She had appeared—
When Sparkle's progress reached 60%.
Thus—
Her "spawn point" had naturally been in Canglan Capital.
And when Sparkle was mentioned—
A strange expression appeared on Cipher's face.
Somewhere between laughter and helplessness.
Firefly found it puzzling.
But—
Cipher said nothing more.
"Surprises should always be saved for the end. Only then can they truly be called surprises. Spoilers are cheating~ meow."
Since Cipher originated from Sparkle—
Her initial memories naturally came from her.
Which meant—
She already knew Sparkle's "script."
And since—
They were essentially the same person—
Cipher kindly chose to keep the secret.
Cipher (=ↀ⩊ↀ=): It's definitely not because this kitty also wants to watch the fun unfold…