Chapter 299 – Musings on the Condition of Humanity

Chapter 299 – Musings on the Condition of Humanity

Hobbes pranced along the smooth wooden board, pawing the glass globes out of his path.

The bottles clinked and rolled, ultimately falling toward the rim of the cabinet. They shattered on the stone floor with a satisfying cascade of tinkles, releasing puffs of colorful powder and scented liquids.

Inferior elemental motes swirled in a vortex that lost Hobbes’ attention halfway through. Humans liked to hoard things with bright mana; it was one of the silly habits his familiar enjoyed as well. Though the owner of this cabinet wasn’t a very skilled collector.

Among all these sealed glass balls, not one contained superior mana. How disappointing.

Lost in his musings, Hobbes realized a single black glass blob remained on the shelf—the brightest in the collection. Sometimes, his ability to complete a task surprised even himself. Pity it also contained useless, murky mana.

He had no idea what silly pursuit the shiny bottles were for, but he enjoyed watching them tumble and break. That was enough. Hobbes rolled the last glass globe beneath his silver paw. This throw required finesse, not that he doubted his ability to hit a target.

With an elegant push, the inky bottle wheeled toward its destined goal. It tipped over the wooden rim just as the door on the left was thrown open. Half a dozen humans garbed in black barged in just in time to enjoy the shattering of the glass. Perfect. After all, amusing experiences were supposed to be shared—Hobbes hoped they appreciated his generosity.

Bound by duty, he blinked to a room in the opposite direction, unable to fully enjoy his masterful work. They must believe they were chasing a cunning human, not that they’d be worthy to gaze upon him anyway.

From their dramatic screams, his efforts hadn’t been wasted. After this last stroke, the blood-reeking humans would be busy searching in the wrong direction.

Tail held high, Hobbes sashayed to check on his favorite servant. Humans were careless creatures; they wouldn’t survive a light cycle without his guidance.

He blinked across a cluster of rooms, disdainfully slipping past their blatant traps. What was the point of weaving webs of essence over the doors when you left the stone and ground wide open? If you were so incompetent, it would be better to forgo the task entirely.

Hobbes flicked his tail at the absurdity. Since traveling outside his birth dimension, he had learned not to judge lesser creatures too harshly. It wasn’t their fault they were born witless and lumbering.

Crossing a chamber that stank of dried blood and sorrow, he landed in a dusty storeroom filled with piles of paperstuff. The scribbles on the door had dimmed due to an improperly traced line that no one had bothered to fix. Flynn had twisted his frame into a nook beneath a cabinet—right where he had been left. He would have been much more comfortable if his body wasn’t so needlessly tall.

Why would anyone want such long limbs? No wonder humans were so clumsy. If they had been smart, they would have learned superior magic to travel. Still, large bodies had their uses; his servant’s shoulders offered a snug place to look down on the world.

It was a miracle no one had found him despite the Shadow mana clumped over him. But while he may be foolish, there was a reason Flynn had gained his favor: the other humans were clearly beneath him.

Hobbes was about to go comfort his retainer when a pair of boots thumped in the hallway. The door swung open with a low creak, and an individual clad in dark clothes strode inside.

These damp caves swarmed with humans in unimaginative clothing stinking of blood, though quantity couldn’t compensate for their lacking competence or hygiene.

Hobbes slumped on the highest bookcase. His paw hung over the edge as he watched the pale-faced woman give a cursory glance at the shelves of blotched paperstuff. Her gaze flew over Flynn’s cluster of Shadow to a desk with a half-rotten leg.

“…this to catch a rat,” she huffed with a grumble. “They were supposed to tie off loose ends, not make a bigger mess…” The woman grabbed a folder and marched toward the door, still muttering gibberish to herself.

As she was about to cross the threshold, her hand lingered on the iron pommel. With lackluster speed, she spun around to sweep her gaze across the ceiling. A loose page fluttered in a winding motion toward the ground.

“Ugh…” She caught the paper, shoving it back onto a shelf. “Someone should tidy this place…”

On the empty ledge behind her, Hobbes stretched his claws, drawing a line in a leather cover. How many sheets would he need to drop before she caught on? Given how dull these humans were, probably more than a dozen…

And how long before she started jumping at every shade? Three days? Four?

Finding the answer would have been amusing at another time, but he had other duties to fulfill. An invisible thorn pricked his guts and made his coat puff up; fear lingered along the muted bond like a sour taste. He must find his foolish familiar and provide the leadership his servants need.

A few tedious moments later, the human woman shut the door behind her. Her steps grew fainter and soon disappeared. No other presences moved in their direction. This branch of the den remained deserted except for a handful of flickering auras in a chamber below, no one that posed a threat.

Hobbes leaped to a pile of books where his servant was hidden.

“Uh… Is it safe to come out?” A whisper came from the veil of Shadow.

Such a question should need no answer—naturally, the clueless humans had run where he pointed. Still, Hobbes didn’t mind indulging his favorite with some reassurance. “Meeew.”

A relieved sigh came from the dark nook. “Thanks, Hobbes. You’re the best.”

“Meow.” Hobbes raised his tail in a modest arc and started grooming his coat. Sometimes, it wasn’t bad to rehash obvious facts.

“Give me a moment…” Flynn twisted his head and shoulders out of the cranny. Despite his tall frame, he was one of the least clumsy humans Hobbes knew. He pulled himself out without making the cabinet so much as quiver.

Standing upright, he cracked his neck and bowed to scratch his liege’s ear. “Did you lead them away? Are we in danger?”

“Mrooow… Mew…” Hobbes allowed the petting for Flynn’s sake. He rolled onto his back to enjoy the scratches as his body let out a soft purr—it was clear his servant needed to be comforted.

“Thank you for the help.” Flynn showed his teeth in contentment, then his gaze wandered to the dimly lit, dusty room. The hand scratching his belly stiffened. Looking up, Hobbes recognized the droopy look humans had when they were sad or scared. “Do you know where the others are? Are they…?”

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“Meww.” Hobbes nuzzled Flynn’s hand.

“Oh, I see… They’re still alive.” A sigh escaped his lips as his frantic heartbeat slowed down.

His servant picked him up against his chest for more pets—clearly, he needed a lot of comfort. Hobbes had to admit it wasn’t too bad himself. He pulled his paws close and wrapped his tail around his arm. For a moment, he forgot the damp, dark tunnels that made his fur curl and matted.

Everything would be alright. The presence that had accompanied him out of his dark days was feeble and clouded but unmistakably alive. Kai breathed somewhere in this underground den. Hobbes couldn’t say about the others, though he didn’t bother to specify.

He arched his body, enjoying the fingers drawn over his back. It almost balanced the troubles he had to go through. Humans could dally and loiter all day, but he had a group of helpless humans to save.

Hobbes gathered his resolve and gave his orders. “Mroww.” Looking after his retainers was an exhausting and thankless job.

“Uhmm, you’re right.” Flynn delicately placed his paws on the rough stone floor. “We can’t stay here.”