JD slowly opened his eyes. The harsh morning sunlight filtered through the trees and fell upon his face, forcing his eyes to adjust to the light before fully opening. He felt the soft touch on his palm still present. Looking down, he saw the black cat still curled up on his chest, showing no signs of leaving. The cat had long since awakened, his large, deep eyes fixed intently on JD.

  Good heavens, this cat is truly adorable.

  JD couldn't help but marvel inwardly once more. Though clearly a stray, the pure black coat gave off an aura of pure, noble elegance.

  "Kitten, would you like to come with me on an adventure to the city?" JD stroked the black cat's cheek, extending an invitation to the creature that surely couldn't understand human words.

  "Meow!" The cat responded with a meow, climbing onto JD's left shoulder as if accepting his invitation.

  "Just relax and sit on my shoulder—it's nice and wide!" JD declared confidently to the cat. He stowed his family heirloom bow, Regis, and his trusty two-handed greatsword into the quiver and scabbard on his back. He slung the now-empty cloth bag—which had once held a small vial of ointment and some dry bread—over his right shoulder and continued his journey toward Valens.

  This unexpected travel companion added a touch of fun to what should have been a rather monotonous trek. JD occasionally stole glances at the black cat, noticing his eyes brimming with curiosity as he viewed the scenery along the road.

  Between Valens and Starkett Manor lay vast, endless plains. Once, this land was dotted with farmlands. But due to the harsh winters of recent years, and possibly over-cultivation, most of the fields now lay barren. The farmers who once lived here had all moved away. Now, only vast grasslands remain, reclaimed by nature. Not even a wolf pack could be seen. In the past, wolf packs frequently attacked the farmlands. JD's father had taught him how to drive them off or hunt them down. Though it happened long ago, the memory remains vividly etched in JD's mind, as if it were just yesterday.

  With the farmers had all moved away, JD encountered only a few scattered travelers along the way, seeing no other signs of people. Yet walking across the fields with the black cat, surrounded by the warm early autumn breeze, JD felt an immense sense of ease and freedom. After walking for quite some time, just as the sun hung high in the sky, the great city of Valens—with its towering walls enclosing the city center—finally came into view.

  Outside Valens's walls, bustling crowds finally came into view. Just as JD remembered, Valens remained as lively and vibrant as ever. JD marveled inwardly as he glanced at the black cat perched on his shoulder. The cat, observing the endless stream of people, seemed intrigued by the scene before him, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. JD found this utterly endearing.

  "Meow!"

  "It's even livelier inside."

  JD arrived at the city gates only to find that identity checks were now required for entry. A long queue stretched before the gates, and commotion seemed to be brewing at the front of the line.

  "Why won't you let me in? My son is sick! Only the healers in this city can cure him. I have money!"

  The guard at the front barked harshly, "Get lost! This city doesn't welcome you 'Stinky Cats.' Unless you're a mercenary registered with the Bounty Mercenary Guild, you're not allowed in."

  "But..." Before the man at the front could finish, the guard drew the sword strapped to his waist. Seeing this, the man had no choice but to turn and leave, holding his child's hand. Only then did JD get a clear look at the man and his child.

  They are Cassimons. Though possessing human forms, their appearances bear similarities to cats. Their entire bodies, including their faces, are covered in thick, long fur. Their ears are not positioned on the sides of their cheeks like humans, but rather atop their heads like cats, resembling feline ears in shape. However, they lack feline tails, and the structure of their torso is entirely human-like. Four races inhabit the continent of Gegal: humans, the catfolk Cassimon, the giant Borg, and the dwarf Robet. Borgs stand over two meters tall, with males possessing dark red skin like sand and females sporting deep purple complexions. Robets are diminutive in stature, sporting slender, soft "horns" resembling rabbit ears atop their heads. Unlike Cassimons, their true ears are positioned on either side of their cheeks like humans, and their skin is as fair and smooth as humans'. The citizens of Dela have long harbored deep prejudice against non-human races. This stems from the Kater royal family's extreme racial supremacism, which holds that humans are the superior race on this continent. Most giants and dwarves reside on the island of Bavian in the continent's northwest. Consequently, the only race frequently interacting with humans on the Gegal Continent is the Cassimon tribe, making them the group most profoundly influenced by Dela's national character. Though their population is far smaller than humans', Cassimons maintain their own nation, the Kingdom of Lecarter, in the continent's far northeast. Although the people of Dela have always disliked the presence of Cassimons within their borders, JD only now realized how much relations had deteriorated in recent years. Previously, Cassimons weren't explicitly barred from entering cities.

  The sorrow etched on the Cassimon man's face as he departed with his child tugged at JD's heartstrings. He recalled Walter, the Cassimon mercenary who had trained him in swordsmanship within his family. Though Walter was exceptionally strict, JD held him in deep respect. When JD struggled to master the archery his father taught him, Walter helped him find another path. The sight of Walter wielding his greatsword had profoundly shaken the young JD, who had longed from the bottom of his heart to become such a valiant man. JD didn't truly understand why the royal family and most people of Dela disliked the Cassimons—was it simply because they looked different from humans? Yet in the southern nation of Tonetta on the continent of Gegal, the people seemed less hostile toward Cassimons. And in the northern kingdom of Bellule, Cassimons could even obtain legal citizenship, living alongside human residents. If JD remembered correctly, several years ago one of the princes of Bellule had even married the queen of the Kingdom of Lecarter. Humans in these nations could treat the Cassimons with kindness, yet only the people of Dela harbored all manner of prejudice and discrimination against them.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  "Meow..." The black cat let out a faint cry, and JD thought his voice carried a hint of sadness. Even a cat can sense the cruelty of this world.

  Though JD desperately wanted to help that man, it would be disastrous if doing so prevented him from entering the city to register as a mercenary at the Mercenary Guild. Of course, no one else seemed inclined to stand up for the man. Many even shared the guards' look of disgust.

  "Sorry, Kitten. I can't help that man." JD sighed to himself.

  After the Cassimon man left, the crowd quieted down. After waiting a while longer, it was finally JD's turn to step before the guard. The guard seemed slightly surprised by JD's unusually tall and sturdy build, but he didn't make any further comment, simply conducting his routine questioning.

  "What business brings you to the city?"

  "I'm seeking works at the Bounty Mercenary Guild."

  "Do you have any proof that you're a mercenary?" The guard's tone was skeptical, but JD didn't take offense.

  "I'm here to register as a mercenary. I haven't become a bounty mercenary yet."

  "Hmm..." Though still somewhat skeptical, JD answered sincerely, so the guard didn't truly suspect that he had ill intentions. Just then, the guard noticed the bow on JD's back.

  "Is that... the Starkett family's heirloom bow, Regis...?"

  "Yes."

  "Wait... Judging by your age and appearance, you wouldn't happen to be the only son of Duke Starkett, would you?" The guard's casual demeanor shifted slightly. Though the Starkett family was now a fallen noble house, they still held a special status granted by the king.

  "I am the Duke of Starkett. My father passed away recently after an illness."

  "Eh...? My apologies! I was rude earlier." The guard seemed to tense up. JD, however, felt no offense at all. Truthfully, he'd never cared much for the formalities surrounding noble titles. He slapped the guard's shoulder heartily and said, "It's fine! I don't really care about that sort of etiquette, and besides, I'm here to make money."

  "I've heard about the Starkett family's financial situation, Your Grace, but please heed my advice. If you're taking on bounty hunter work, stick to easier commissions. The pay might not be great, but at least it's safer. Some bounty hunter jobs are so dangerous only desperate 'stinky cats' would take them." The guard cautioned JD, using a derogatory term for Cassimon people.

  "Relax. Just because I'm a noble doesn't mean I haven't had proper sword training." JD's confidence was unshakable, and the guard felt awkward trying to dissuade him. Just as the guard was about to let JD into the city, he noticed the black cat perched on JD's shoulder.

  "And this is...?"

  JD didn't immediately grasp the guard's meaning, realizing only after a moment that he was referring to the black cat accompanying him.

  "Ah, he's my buddy!"

  "While cats aren't banned from this city, remember not to let him roam freely. Because of 'Stinky Cats,' many people here dislike real cats too." The guard warned sternly, while JD casually assured him that he understood.

  "Meow." The black cat meowed at the guard, as if trying to assure him of his harmlessness.

  After some hassle, JD and the black cat finally entered Valens.

  "Wow..." JD couldn't help but marvel inwardly. The city was just as bustling and prosperous as he remembered, perhaps even more vibrant than his memories suggested. The throngs of people filling the streets stood in stark contrast to the vast, desolate wilderness beyond the city walls.

  Passing through Valens's city gates, the central square immediately came into view. At its heart stood a statue of the current King Kater mounted on a horse, depicting the monarch's heroic conquest of western territories. As a descendant of nobility, JD was required by tradition to reside in the royal palace for his education between the ages of fifteen and eighteen. When JD first laid eyes on King Kater, merely kneeling before him to pay respects, he could feel the genuine aura of a true monarch radiating from him. JD held him in the highest regard.

  To the left of the central square lay the market street, leading further on to the Bounty Mercenary Guild, a tavern, and a brothel. To the right stretched the residential district for commoners. Ascending the grand staircase directly from the square brought one to the area inhabited by the wealthy and nobility, where the mayor's residence also stood. This was the city map etched in JD's memory.

  In the Kingdom of Dela, cities not granted to nobles were directly governed by mayors appointed by the king—Valens was such a city.

  JD headed left toward Market Street, the route to the Bounty Mercenary Guild. Here, the crowds were thicker than in the central square, street vendors' shouts rising and falling in a constant chorus. All sorts of novel and intriguing stuffs were sold here, making it hard to look away. But what truly caught JD's eye was the mouthwatering food. Seeing the variety of dishes, JD couldn't help but salivate. Though he had a huge appetite, his current tight finances meant he'd just have to endure the hunger.

  "Kitten, once I earn some money, the very first thing we'll do is come back here for a huge feast!" JD declared to the black cat, who meowed in apparent agreement.

  "Meow—"

  To drown out his rumbling stomach, JD hurried past the food stalls and arrived at the entrance of the Bounty Mercenary Guild. The guild's exterior was surprisingly plain, blending in with the surrounding buildings, save for the sword-and-shield emblem hanging above the door, symbolizing the Bounty Mercenary Guild. JD pushed open the guild's doors, and the scene inside was completely different from the outside.

  The interior was much more spacious than its exterior appearance suggested, packed with mercenaries clad in iron or leather armor—a stark contrast to the average citizens outside. The mercenaries gathered here were equipped with various weapons, all appearing to be well-trained warriors. The bulletin boards displaying various commissions occupied the first floor, while the registration counter was located upstairs, accessible via the staircase on the left. JD had never entered this place during his childhood visits to the city, as his father had told him it was a place for warriors. Now, as an adult returning here, the thought of becoming a mercenary in his own right filled JD with a surge of excitement.