Chapter sixty : Is it Really the Monster?

When I opened my eyes, I wasn't ready for what I saw. My trembling hands weren't gripping a terrifying creature or a scary shadow as I had imagined... instead, I was holding a small, cute... and weak being.

It was a cat.

I stared at it for a few moments, disbelieving my own eyes. Its long, grey fur was a little dirty, and its large eyes looked up at me with surprise, as if it, too, hadn't expected to be caught so suddenly. I felt my heart rate slow down little by little, and a soft laugh escaped my lips involuntarily.

An exhausted laugh, full of relief and embarrassment at the same time.

Was this what I had been trembling from all this time? Were all those sounds, footsteps, and the closing of the door... caused by a small cat?

But before I could let my mind delve deeper into those questions, Cairo's voice interrupted my thoughts, exploding into boisterous laughter that completely unsuited the quiet of the place:

"It's a cat!"

He said, still laughing.

"Hahahaha, were you scared of a cat all this time?!"

I shot him a heavy glare, unable to stop myself from thinking:

Do all blond-haired people laugh in such an annoying way?

It was as if his laughter wasn't just at the situation, but at me... and at my fear, which now looked ridiculous in his eyes.

I mumbled, still looking at the cat:

"Despite all this... I still have a strange feeling. I don't know why, but... there's something inside me that refuses to completely relax."

Cairo stopped laughing, then extended his hands to take the cat:

"Anyway, we found the creature that was here, I think it's over. Give me the cat, I'll take it and release it outside the castle."

I hesitated for a moment, then gently handed him the cat. It was still in my arms as if it had found warmth it didn't want to let go of, but I gave it to him. I felt a small pang in my chest as I watched it move away.

We left the storeroom, and I closed the door behind us. Its creak was quieter this time, as if the place itself had calmed down after its secret was revealed.

We reached the stairs leading to the first floor. Cairo stood in front of me, gently holding the cat, then turned to me and said:

"Well then, I'm leaving now."

I nodded:

"Alright... go on."

And Cairo left, descending the stairs with steady steps, the small candlelight dancing around him as if the night was gradually swallowing him. As soon as he disappeared from my sight, I found myself standing alone in the dimly lit corridor.

I sat on one of the stair steps, leaned my back against the cold wall, and let out a long sigh.

I didn't know if it was a sigh of relief... or disappointment.

The whole situation seemed embarrassing. Scared of a cat?! I acted like a little kid in some bad horror movie.

But despite everything... that feeling didn't leave me.

That lingering sensation in my chest, as if my eyes had seen something they hadn't fully grasped, and as if something was still hidden... watching from afar.

I looked up, into the darkness accumulated in the corners... then whispered:

"Was it really just you... little cat?"

No one answered me, as expected.

But the chill I felt at my fingertips, and the unsettling silence that filled the place after Cairo left... were enough to convince me that this chapter wasn't closed yet.

In fact... perhaps this was just the beginning.

Time passed at a painfully slow pace, as if the clock hands were sluggish in their movement, and as if the night had decided to test my patience one last time. I sat on the same step of the staircase leading to the first floor, watching the darkness gradually fade with the approaching dawn.

Finally, the faint, hesitant light of dawn crept through the small windows, but it was enough to tell me that my shift was over. I had waited for this moment as a distant traveler awaits their first glimpse of home. I slowly rose from the stairs, stretched my tired muscles, and began descending the stairs with heavy steps towards the first floor.

My eyes were so weary that my vision began to blur, and everything around me felt hazy. I could think of nothing but the bed... just the bed.

I entered the first room on the first floor, the room designated for me and my colleagues to rest. I wasted no time thinking or preparing, advancing towards the nearest bed as if we had an old pact. I sat on it first, then slowly lay down... as if sinking into a sea of comfort. I closed my eyes, not just to sleep, but as if I wanted to disappear from this world for a few moments... then I surrendered to sleep.

I don't know how much time passed. All I know is that I slept as I had never slept before. It was a deep, heavy sleep, free of nightmares, free even of dreams.

I woke up quietly, moving sluggishly. I sat on the edge of the bed, stretched a little to reawaken my limbs, then got up and went to the adjacent bathroom. I washed my face with cold water, feeling some refreshment, but my body still craved more rest.

I left the room, trying to estimate how much time had passed. There weren't many windows in the corridor, and the light seemed dim and mysterious. I decided to look for one of the guards to find out the exact time.

I didn't have to look long. I found Serion, the guard I had seen taking over the left side of the first floor. I approached him with quiet steps and said:

"Hey, Serion... what time is it now?"

He turned to me calmly, then replied:

"It's sunset. Doesn't your shift start in an hour?"

I felt a slight shock inside me. Sunset? So I slept all day? I sighed bitterly. How much I hate losing hours of the day like this. I looked at him resignedly and replied:

"Yes... it seems my shift will start soon."

But I didn't finish speaking... as a strange sound came from my stomach, a sound like an angry protest.

"Gurgle..."

I looked down in embarrassment. It was the sound of my stomach. Serion raised an eyebrow and looked at me, then burst into a smile, trying hard to suppress it.

"I think someone's hungry."

He said, chuckling softly.

I bowed my head slightly, then asked him awkwardly:

"Do you know where I can get some food?"

He replied, still maintaining his smile:

"Of course, you can go up to the second floor, specifically to the kitchen. Tell the cook you're hungry, and he'll give you something to satisfy your hunger. Don't worry, the cook is kind-hearted... as long as you don't bother him too much."

I nodded gratefully, though the embarrassment hadn't left me yet. I thanked Serion, then began ascending again, this time towards the kitchen, hoping to find something there to save me from the sound of my stomach that was starting to embarrass me in front of everyone.

I climbed the stairs, placing my hand on my stomach to suppress any other potential sounds, and said to myself, smiling sarcastically:

After all the dangers I've been through, it seems my greatest enemy now... is hunger.