Wendy quickly clarified the details of the quest, realizing that Ren might have been overthinking things.
"Ehh… Strom, I don't think this quest has anything to do with the local lord or political matters," she said with an awkward smile, eager to clear up the misunderstanding.
Ren raised an eyebrow, still looking at her with his usual unreadable expression, silently demanding further explanation.
"So?"
Wendy took a deep breath before continuing. "Actually, this quest is just a request from a bureaucrat who's having trouble handling his pets."
Ren blinked a few times, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.
"Wait… So when you said it was a special request from a bureaucrat, you meant… pet-sitting?"
Wendy nodded quickly. "Yeah, he owns two pets, and apparently, they're quite difficult to manage. So, he asked the guild to find someone who could help out for a few days."
Silence filled the air.
Ren stared at Wendy blankly, then closed his eyes for a moment before letting out a long sigh.
"And here I was thinking this was something serious… Well, if that's all, then fine."
Opening his eyes again, he looked at Wendy with a more relaxed expression. "Besides, this might be a good chance to take a short vacation."
Wendy sighed in relief, flashing a small smile. "Glad to hear it. I thought you were going to turn it down."
Leaning back in his chair, Ren seemed much more at ease. "If it's just taking care of some animals, I don't mind. But if those 'pets' turn out to be dragons or high-tier monsters, I might reconsider."
Wendy giggled softly, covering her mouth with her hand. "Hahaha, I highly doubt they'd ask regular adventurers to look after dragons."
Ren shrugged. "This world is full of surprises. So, when do we start?"
Wendy's eyes lit up with enthusiasm.
"The day after tomorrow. We should leave early in the morning to get there on time."
Ren gave a simple nod, accepting the plan.
The next day, in the spacious courtyard of a grand mansion, a stark contrast of events was taking place.
On one side, Wendy sat comfortably on a garden bench, a gentle smile on her face. Her hands slowly combed through the silky fur of a large feline—its pure white-gold coat gleaming under the sunlight. The beast purred softly, eyes half-closed in contentment.
Around her, three oversized kittens frolicked in the grass, occasionally hopping onto her lap or swatting playfully at their mother's tail.
On the other side of the courtyard, however—
"AAAAAH! DAMN IT, WHY AM I THE ONE BEING CHASED?!"
Ren was sprinting for his life, a massive tiger-like feline hot on his heels. Its orange fur, streaked with bold black stripes, shimmered under the sun, and its powerful muscles tensed with every leap as it relentlessly pursued him.
Ren zigzagged through the yard, dodging sharp claws that nearly swiped his back.
"WENDY! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"
Wendy lazily opened one eye, glanced at him briefly, then returned to petting the purring feline in her lap.
"Oh, that? Looks like he just wants to play."
Ren stared at her in disbelief. "THIS ISN'T PLAYING! THIS IS HUNTING!"
The massive feline lunged toward him again, barely missing his shoulder, forcing Ren to dive to the side in a desperate attempt to evade.
While Ren was fighting for his survival, Wendy merely chuckled, thoroughly entertained as if watching a lighthearted comedy performance.
"Hey, you said you wanted a vacation," she teased. "Think of this as free physical training."
Ren glared at her.
"I'D RATHER BE CHASED BY TAX COLLECTORS THAN THIS!"
Wendy covered her mouth as she laughed, while the oversized kittens mewled in delight, as if they, too, found Ren's misfortune amusing.
After several intense minutes of yelling, dodging, and near-death experiences, the 'hunt' finally ended.
The massive male tiger-like feline eventually collapsed onto the ground, exhausted, panting heavily.
Right beside it, Ren also lay sprawled out, arms stretched out on the grass, chest rising and falling as he gasped for breath.
"Haaah… Haaah… Had fun, big guy?!" Ren muttered between pants, side-eyeing the beast.
The feline merely flicked its tail and let out a lazy growl in response, completely indifferent to his suffering.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the courtyard, a much more peaceful scene unfolded.
Wendy continued calmly brushing through the fur of the mother feline, who nuzzled her affectionately. The oversized kittens rolled around in the grass, purring loudly as they enjoyed the gentle afternoon breeze.
Just as the atmosphere settled, a new presence entered the courtyard.
From the direction of the mansion, a graceful woman approached.
She appeared to be in her early thirties, possessing long, flowing black hair that shimmered in the golden afternoon light. Her dress, though simple, exuded elegance—subtle, yet undeniably noble.
Her sharp gaze held intelligence, but her expression remained gentle and composed.
Wendy, noticing her arrival, immediately recognized her.
"Ah, Lady Eleanor!" she greeted, speaking with a tone of respect yet maintaining her usual casual air.
The woman, Eleanor, offered a faint smile, her eyes shifting between Wendy and Ren, who was still sprawled out on the ground.
"It seems you've gotten quite acquainted with my pets," she remarked, her soft voice carrying a hint of amusement.
Ren blinked up at her, raising an eyebrow.
"Acquainted? I nearly became lunch for this oversized brute."
The male tiger-like feline beside him growled softly again, as if protesting the accusation.
Eleanor let out a soft laugh, covering her mouth with elegance.
"Don't be dramatic. They were simply playing with you. If they were serious, you wouldn't have had time to run, Lord Strom."
Ren fell silent for a moment before exhaling a long sigh.
"Yeah, that doesn't exactly make me feel any better."
Wendy giggled quietly at his defeated tone.
"Regardless, thank you both for accepting the request," Eleanor continued with a warm smile. "I hope this task hasn't been too burdensome for you."
Wendy nodded enthusiastically, while Ren could only stare at the sky, coming to terms with the fact that this so-called 'vacation' might not be as relaxing as he had hoped.
After a few moments, he finally pushed himself off the ground, dusting off his clothes. His gaze drifted toward the tiger-like feline, now lazily licking its paw as if nothing had happened.
"…Okay, maybe this is a bit late to ask," Ren muttered, narrowing his eyes. "But… what exactly are these creatures? You call them 'cats,' but at this size, can they really still be classified as felines?"
Eleanor's calm gaze met his, and after a brief pause, she smiled.
"Lord Strom, a cat is still a cat—regardless of its size. As long as its nature remains the same, it belongs to the same category."
Ren fell silent, processing her words.
Then, a peculiar thought crossed his mind.
(So… does that mean I can classify a T-Rex as a chicken?)
His expression remained blank, but deep down, he felt as though this world's logic was beginning to slip away from him.