Once upon a time, on this island.

There lived two supreme magical beasts— The Black Cats of Misfortune and The White Snakes of Serenity.

During that time, every magical beast within this forest lives in harmony because of the well-management from The Black Cats and The White Snakes.

However, things start to change ever since the birth of a perfect-black cat.

Ever since that perfect-black cat was born, both The White Snake and Black Cat tribe’s population gradually becomes smaller because they died from an unknown reason.

Everyone believed it was because of the perfect-black cat. Ever since she was born, this forest is haunted by death itself.

That’s why both The Black Cats and The White Snakes decided to kill this accursed child. Day and night— they searched for this Black Cat.

The perfect-black cat, ever since she was born— is protected by her parents from both of the tribes.

Until one day— the so-called ‘curse’, haunted the wife of the White Snake Chief.

With the loss of his wife, the White Snake Chief is at lost in what to do and falls into utter madness.

Ever since that day, the chief threatens The Black Cats to hand over the cursed cat. If not, he will slaughter every remaining Black Cat that is left within.

However, not a single Black Cat knows where they are.

Refusing to succumb their family to The White Snake, The Black Cats decided to go against The White Snakes ever since.

With all that war going— both sides had suffered heavy losses.

Adding the so-called curse, eventually… The Black Cats were wiped out completely— but there are still no signs of the cursed cat.

The White Snakes are left with only two remaining— The White Snake chief and his daughter.

One day, the daughter White Snake— went out for a hunt.

Because resources are getting thinner nearby their territory… she went outside of her territory’s border to search for food.

That day, while spying on a certain prey— a big, juicy, rat…

…the three of them met.

The Black Cat, The White Snake, The Snow Leopard.

They were children back then.

In need of that juicy-looking prey, they fought for it— for a whole day.

The reason they stopped, is because of the prey is already long gone until they realized with their rumbling tummy.

And so, the three of them, together— hunts that rat while working with each other.

Once they did, they divided the meat into three pieces as compensation of their effort…

It was because of that, they became friends.

They promise that once in a while, they would gather at that spot and hunt together.

Because of their activity, it piqued their parent’s interest— which they followed them.

For the first time—

—the remaining Black Cats and chief of The White Snake, met.

With the Chief White Snake attacking their one and only child, The Black Cats risks their lives trying to protect her.

However, no one can stop a raging snake that is drowned in madness.

He will kill everyone— even if it’s her daughter standing in her way.

The Snow leopard’s parents, the daughter White Snake, the Black Cat’s parents— none of them could stop him even if they tried.

The Black Cat— witnessing the cruelty that was faced by her parents and friends… wished for death by offering herself to The White Snake at that moment.

The White Snake, with his fangs aiming at her— her parents pushed her away in that spur of the moment and got themselves eaten.

“I still remembered that day where my father crushed her parents with his jaws— till blood is spilling out on his mouth.” White Snake said, with a sad look. “At that moment… he was no longer my father.”

“(S-Sniff) …! This is so cruel…!” Restia murmured.

While hugging Restia in my arms… I find myself crying along with her.

White Snake then looks at Snow Leopard Queen.

“…My parents offered themselves to save The Black Cat. My father died from his poison when standing against him… and my mother never returned after she took that cat and ran away …” Snow Leopard Queen added.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…!”

“You don’t need to feel sorry.” White Snake told me. “Your father did everything he could.”

“That’s right…” Snow Leopard added. “If it’s not for your father who stops him… my tribe could be in danger next.”

“(Sniff)… Why did the Black Cat behave like this…!” Restia said while wiping her tears.

“…I don’t know.” White Snake murmured. “The last time I saw her— she changed completely.”

“Your father doesn’t want her to become the next White Snake.” Snow Leopard Queen said. “That’s why he made that pact— it was to stop her.”

“Stop her…? With what…?” I said.

“Time.” White Snake told me.

“But it seems like she still hadn’t learnt her lesson… My lady’s suffering is just as worse as hers.”

“…Lady White Snake,” I said to her. “What did you felt when you see your father turn mad…?”

“Utterly— painful.” She replied with a sad look.

“You tried to reach them— but then you realize you can’t do anything… Doesn’t that apply on all three of you…?”

“………………” “………………”

“I may still have my little sister… Both of you still had each other… But Black Cat throws away everything without a single one left—”

“What are you trying to say…!?” Snow Leopard Queen scowled at me.

“It’s extremely painful for Black Cat to choose… because the ones that killed her parents is White Snake’s father,” I remarked. “To her, should she choose— friend, or revenge?”

“But… why hadn’t I choose to think of revenge!?”

“…Because you still have your tribe,” I remarked. “You have something to move on while The Black Cat has nothing.”

“That doesn’t mean she could just aim for my lady’s life just like that…!”

“She didn’t,” I uttered.

"“What…!?“”

They look at me with a surprised look.

“To the cat— her friends died,” I said. “She chooses to ‘blame’ everything to her curse— convincing herself that her friends are dead.”

Just like how Adam and Eve broke the rule by eating the forbidden fruit— Adam puts his blame to Eve… and how Eve puts the blame to the ‘snake’…

Because of that, men are punished to work in order to eat;

Women would have to suffer pain from giving birth;

And originally the most beautiful animal in this world— is cursed by the God of Creation and became a ‘snake’ like this.

All because humans wouldn’t admit their fault.

Blaming— could be the core of a series of disaster. It’s also a curse to make things worse.

…Or so my dad taught me.

“You mean… that cat already became my father…?” White Snake asks.

“No… not completely— she once asks me to give her a name…”

“WHY HAD YOU NOT DONE IT!!?” White Snake suddenly yells at me.

“Because I thought… that the curse would bring harm to Restia— but now I know it’s not true…!”

“No— the curse is real.” Snow Leopard Queen told me. “But it’s merely bad luck— it’s not something as absurd as the ‘so-called curse’.”

“Then what was the reason for yours and the cat’s tribe death…?” I asked White Snake.

“...Plague.” White Snake murmured coldly. “My father and I were the only ones with the antibody among my tribe because our favourite food is rats.”

“Your tribe is fine because you have antibodies?”

“… That’s right.” Snow Leopard Queen replied. “If it were the cat’s curse, the first to die would be her parents.”

“But even so, her curse— bad luck could be sometimes fatal once she turns it to misfortune with her power.” White Snake added. “That’s why we have The Fortune Rabbits to balance things out.”

Fortune Rabbits…!

“A-Ah— have you seen a pink rabbit that’s not from The Fortune Rabbits…!?” Restia asked.

“No, I didn’t see it.”

“A-Are you sure…?”

“There’s only one Fortune Rabbit left, and she’s currently living with me— none from her tribe survived from the plague.” White Snake replied.

“Are you really sure there’s no other pink rabbit…?” Restia didn’t give up.

“My lady already answered your question— what’s with your persistence, little girl…?”

“The Black Cat— along with the Fenrir wolves, are now trying to hunt this little pink girl called Ruby,” I told them.

“…The wolves…!?” Snow Leopard Queen inadvertently muttered, while glaring at Fenrir’s daughter. “Why is the young mistress of the wolves here with you!? What is he planning!?”

“He says the Black Cat is threatening his pack— he says he needs my help to save his pack.”

“Him…!?” White Snake uttered. “IMPOSSIBLE!!!”

“W-What do you mean impossible?!”

“…You did not hear of it…!?” White Snake looks completely in shock. “No… that can’t be— is this…? To his own child…?”

White Snake’s mumbles frighten me.

“That wolf— he’s once your father’s ‘contracted beast’!” Snow Leopard Queen told me. “He even had a name— he’s called Dómr…!”

Alpha Fenrir— is my dad’s contracted beast!!?

Is this why his respect towards my father— is much stronger than the other magical beast!?

“That can’t be— why did he and dad never told me!?” I uttered.

“How could you not know!? He once fought against my lady’s father— ever since then he’s been the one guarding this forest… he’s even stronger than my lady and that cat…!”

“Then why is he listening to the cat!?”

“The cat didn’t know of this— she doesn’t know how my lady’s father died! Is it because of him she’s taking revenge of my lady…!?”

“The only explanation I could think of— is that your father planned all of this.” White Snake murmured. “He knew this would happen— and he wants you to solve it.”

“N-No! It’s impossible…! W-Why would my dad do something like this!? Why would he leave me with such a problem!?”

“Unless— your father didn’t leave on his own will… He needs to leave because he knows he doesn’t have much time…”

“WHAT…?” Surprised by it, I inadvertently murmured with a shocked look. “WHAT DO YOU MEAN— MY DAD DON’T HAVE MUCH TIME…?”

“When he came here and settled everything— he once told us he won’t be living here for too long.” White Snake replied.

No, that can’t be… Why did my dad never tell me about this…!? But— there’s no reason for White Snake to tell a lie—

“Guh------ Spurt!”

“That human— WHO IS HE…!!?”

HUH—?

Hearing that voice— I look back.

I see that man with his neck and below placed inside an ice coffin— I realized I completely forgot about him.

“WHO IS HE…!? SHOULD I KILL HIM RIGHT NOW…?”

“No— wait, stop…!”

My father left me because he doesn’t have much time.

I shot Ruby, and she left— but she’s nowhere found even in The Fortune Rabbit’s territory.

Alpha Fenrir, Dómr— my father’s contracted beast, with unknown motives, is working with The Black Cat to wage war against The White Snake by using Ruby.

That mysterious man stabbed by a knife.

—overwhelming information.

I’m confused;

I’m at loss;

“HAH— HAH— HAH— HAH—”

—I can’t breathe.

THUD!

“Brother— Big brother…!”

The last thing I heard before I lost conscious— is the voice of my little sister.