The Cat That Can Do Backflips.**Mia'POV**

Screams erupted one after another.

I covered my nose with my hand to block the spreading stench and moved closer to Alden—his cologne could mask some of the foul odor.

Eleanor shouted loudly for the servants, but they had been ordered to stay outside the farm, and no one responded to him.

He sat in his wheelchair, his face deathly pale. Because of his earlier agitation, the bandaged wound on his abdomen had started bleeding again.

Eleanor gritted his teeth, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

He looked at Alden. "Alden, you—"

Alden didn't wait for him to finish. With a cold expression, he turned and walked away.

Eleanor looked at me. "Mia, I'm injured. You're the only one who can save them."

"But Father, I'm still a child!"

I spread my hands and leaned against the wall. "Father, if you don't save them now... your unborn child won't survive."

Margaret's screams grew weaker and weaker.

Eleanor's face looked terrible.

He could only move the wheelchair over himself, then struggled to lean out from the wheelchair, trying to grab Margaret's outstretched hand.

But he was already weak and couldn't muster any strength.

The moment his wound was pulled, he gasped in pain and suddenly pitched forward—

"Splash—"

Another scream rang out.

I couldn't help it and laughed out loud.

My previously gloomy and oppressive mood finally felt somewhat relieved.

How satisfying.

People who don't court disaster won't meet it.

If they hadn't been so greedy, how would they have fallen into the cesspit?

I left the house and asked Alden to call the servants to fish them out.

While waiting at the door, I leaned against the wall with lowered eyes.

The night wind dispersed some of the stench.

Just then, I suddenly noticed a letter lying on the muddy ground not far away, trampled and dirty.

It was the letter Grandfather had left behind.

Probably dropped by Camilla in her panic before she fell.

I bent down and picked it up.

After gently brushing off the dirt, I opened the letter again.

I read through the entire letter.

This was a letter written in Grandfather's own hand.

From the shaky, crooked handwriting, I could tell he could barely hold the pen anymore, yet he had still used all his strength to leave me such a long letter.

And at the end of the letter, I saw that name once more.

—Twenty-Five Hour Bank.

Had Grandfather really been swindled out of all his savings by fraudsters?

If it had been before today.

If I hadn't witnessed Alden's marvelous magic.

If I hadn't accidentally used a prophecy to blow up the lower body of Eleanor, who had been unfaithful to Mother.

Then perhaps I would have thought so too.

But now.

Staring at those words, a bold conjecture suddenly arose in my mind—

The Twenty-Five Hour Bank was real.

It existed in that mysterious magical world.

"Meow!"

A crisp cat's cry suddenly interrupted my thoughts.

I looked down.

A jet-black cat without a single hair of any other color was gracefully walking toward me—

Yes.

I used the word "gracefully" to describe a cat.

Its eyes were bright, its steps light, nimbly avoiding the muddy ground and gravel, walking across the clean stone steps to come before me.

Its tail held high, gently brushing against my calf.

"Meow~"

The black cat walked forward two steps, then sat down and looked back at me.

I tentatively walked toward it.

But just as I was about to get close, it continued forward with light, nimble steps.

Ahead was the abandoned wheat field.

The wildly overgrown weeds were almost as tall as me.

I crouched down and asked softly:

"Do you want me to go in?"

"Meow!"

The black cat actually nodded.

My eyes widened in shock.

This cat... it could understand human speech?

I still found it incredible, so I decided to test it once more.

"Kitty, if you don't want me to go in, raise your left paw."

I held both hands out in front of it at the same time.

The black cat remained motionless, even lifting its front paw to lick its fur.

"If you want me to go in—"

"Do a backflip."

I deliberately held one hand out in front of it.

The next second.

The black cat actually stretched, lightly pushed off with its hind legs, and using my hand, flipped a beautiful somersault.

"Meow!"

After landing, it even glanced at me.

As if disdaining my overreaction.

Then it turned and slipped into the weeds.

I had never seen such an intelligent cat.

Again and again, it tried to lead me away from here.

Could it be trying to show me something?

Or perhaps, trying to take me somewhere?

Maybe I should call Alden along.

But while I hesitated, the black cat was no longer waiting for me.

Its figure quickly disappeared into the tall weeds.

"Wait!"

I stamped my foot somewhat anxiously.

Fine.

I'll just follow and see.

After all, this was Grandfather's farm. There shouldn't be any real danger.

"Meow~"

Following the black cat's faint meowing, I walked into the wheat field.

The weeds were too tall.

I could only struggle to push aside the grass blocking my way, moving forward as quickly as possible.

But no matter how I chased, I could only vaguely see that little upturned tail tip.

What a proud and clever cat.

I had no time for admiration and could only concentrate on following it.

But soon, I realized I had miscalculated the size of this wheat field.

It was absurdly large.

If I lost that black cat, I would definitely be trapped here.

The edges of the weeds were as sharp as small knives.

All along the way, my hands had been cut until they were red and painful, and occasionally I would step into a mud puddle.

I began to regret my impulsiveness.

All around were tall weeds.

Some had even grown taller than my head.

And just as I came to my senses—

The black cat that had been just a few steps ahead was gone.

It had vanished as if into thin air.

My heart immediately panicked.

I hurriedly quickened my pace.

Maybe it had just grown impatient waiting and run ahead?

Rustle—

A faint sound suddenly came from ahead.

I was so startled my heartbeat quickened.

Was it that cat?

I reached out to push aside the weeds in front of me.

The next second.

The view before me suddenly opened up.

Ahead of me was a soft patch of green grass.

In the center of the grass stood a massive oak tree.

Lush branches and leaves swayed gently in the breeze, making rustling sounds.

I walked closer in a daze.

Looking up to examine it.

It was too tall.

Even straining to look up, I couldn't see the top at all.

The thick trunk was even wider than my outstretched arms.

But...

If it was so tall and conspicuous.

Why hadn't I seen it at all when I was outside the wheat field?

Grandfather's farm wasn't very large.

The wheat field was only about one hectare.

There was no way I could have failed to notice such a tree.

Unless—

It had appeared out of thin air.

Rustle—

The leaves swayed gently again.

"Meow~"

I froze abruptly.

It was the black cat's voice.

Was it behind the tree?

Reason told me.

What I should do right now was leave immediately.

Get as far away from this strange tree as possible.

Along with that peculiar black cat.

But somehow.

I was still drawn toward it as if possessed.

The swaying branches seemed to be beckoning me.

As if inviting me to come a little closer.

"Meow~"

The black cat's tail tip swayed gently behind the tree.

I instinctively reached out to grab it.

But caught nothing.

My hands suddenly pressed against the trunk.

But the sensation wasn't rough, hard bark.

It was like—soft cotton candy.

I didn't even have time to react.

My whole body plunged straight in!

The sensation of weightlessness instantly gripped my heart.

Everything around me was pitch black.

I seemed to have fallen into a bottomless pit.

I instinctively flailed my arms but couldn't grasp anything, only able to let myself keep falling downward—

"Thud—"

Just as I was nearly in despair.

I hit the ground hard.

The air in my lungs was almost completely knocked out.

But the expected severe pain didn't come.

I opened my eyes, which had been tightly shut from fear.

The scene before me made me forget to breathe.