Aside from her hair, the girl's body was covered in snow-white fur, and she had a pair of cat ears atop her head.
It wasn't hard to tell that she was a cat Mink slave from the Mink Tribe.
The Mink Tribe lived on the back of the giant elephant Zunesha, and in simple terms, they were beastmen, rarely seen in the outside world. To the Celestial Dragons, however, they were nothing more than rare collectibles.
Her fur appeared clean, but beneath it were countless scars.
The moment she sensed someone approaching, she reacted like a startled cat, her fur standing on end—a characteristic trait of the Mink Tribe, who exhibited behaviors tied to their animal lineage.
When she saw it was Oran, her bristling fur calmed somewhat. Perhaps because Oran had treated her wounds, she subconsciously felt she could trust him.
"Is something wrong, Kate? These are dried fish. You should be able to eat these, right?"
The Mink Tribe didn't eat the meat of furred mammals due to their racial instincts.
Shark, the shark Fishman nearby, had no qualms about eating fish, but it was different for Kate. Forcing her to eat furred mammals was akin to forcing a human to engage in cannibalism.
This was the source of the whip marks on her body. The Celestial Dragons had wanted to see her eat food she refused, but even when beaten to the point of being covered in wounds, she wouldn't take a bite. Eventually, losing interest, the Celestial Dragons placed her on the disposal list, turning her into one of their prey.
To the Celestial Dragons, a cat Mink was no different from a house cat. A disobedient cat deserved to be killed outright.
"You know a lot about the Mink Tribe?"
"A little. If there's anything you find offensive, feel free to tell me."
Oran did recall some details about the Mink Tribe, but even without that knowledge, he figured a cat wouldn't typically refuse fish.
"No, it's just that you seem very different from other humans."
In the Mink Tribe's worldview, humans were also considered part of the Mink Tribe, classified as hairless monkey Minks. Kate had once believed this too, until a year ago when her family left Zunesha and encountered the Celestial Dragons' slave-hunting team, receiving a harsh lesson from reality.
Life on Zunesha's back was relatively safe, but Kate was born with a heart condition that the island's medical facilities couldn't treat. This had prompted her family to venture out in search of a doctor.
Unfortunately, not long ago, during a full moon, her father seized an opportunity to try escaping with his wife and daughter.
Under a full moon, the Mink Tribe could unleash an ability called Sulong, transforming into a frenzied state that granted them far greater strength than usual.
Sadly, he failed. He lost control completely, exhausted his strength, and died in battle. Shortly after, unable to bear the loss, Kate's mother took her own life.
Yet Kate stubbornly persisted, partly due to luck. For a time, the Celestial Dragons wanted an obedient cat, which kept her from starving to death immediately.
Deep in her heart, however, Kate harbored thoughts of revenge. She couldn't forget the ugly, mocking faces of the Celestial Dragons.
Though she was the same age as Ginny, her heart wasn't nearly as cheerful.
After all, Ginny had been sold into slavery from her earliest memories and had no recollection of her parents, while Kate had once known a happy family.
"I admit humanity is diverse. There are all kinds of people. If you're unlucky, the evils of human nature can leave you scarred. But let me correct you on one thing: I don't consider Celestial Dragons to be human."
"Then what do you think I am, meow? A human, a cat, or a monster?"
As she spoke, Kate maintained a slightly crouched posture, a feline instinct to protect her vulnerable abdomen in a dangerous environment.
It was clear she hadn't let her guard down, but deep in her eyes, there seemed to be a glimmer of anticipation.
Oran had seen that look many times. In Piltover, he had funded an orphanage to take in war orphans and those struck by misfortune across Runeterra.
It was a way to cultivate talent, an investment of sorts, though it was mostly a financial loss.
Some thought he was just putting on a show, but Oran didn't care about such opinions. In Valoran, he had the means, so he did it. As long as it didn't affect him, he never hesitated to show kindness.
When Oran first arrived in that city-state, he had survived thanks to the kindness of others. This was his way of giving back.
"From a scientific perspective, I'd classify the Mink Tribe as a subhuman race, a branch of humanity. It's the same logic as you calling humans hairless monkey Minks.
But in practical terms, Kate, you need to understand that the body is just a vessel. The soul and consciousness are what matter. Beneath our appearances, humans are diverse in every way.
Strip away the exterior, and we're equal. It's just that everyone's talents and abilities differ. We're all the same."
"Cat" was the label the Celestial Dragons gave her, while "monster" came from fellow slaves.
Sulong was a skill that required training to master. Her father hadn't fully mastered it, and the cost of forcing it was losing control.
Fear stems from the unknown. Because others didn't understand that power, they grew afraid of Kate.
They worried the Celestial Dragons would punish them because of her and feared she might suddenly go berserk.
Environments shape people, and the life of a slave could break someone in a short time. A year of immense setbacks had made her somewhat cynical.
Like Kuma, she had escaped alone. But while Kuma had fled still bound in chains, she had escaped by twisting off her left thumb in the cover of night, breaking free of her handcuffs and killing a guard to get away. The bandages and splint on her hand were Oran's handiwork.
"Soul of the stars, meow thinks you're a good person, a different kind of human. But good people don't tend to live long."
"Saying such gloomy things at a time like this isn't exactly auspicious. Also, how did you interpret that term?"
Oran noticed that the people he'd recently met loved slapping him with the "good person" label. Kuma did it, Shark did it, and now Kate was doing it too. The term she used also struck him as odd.
"Sidereal Auran, isn't that how your name is spelled? Meow's dad loved studying the stars, so I heard him talk about some word spellings.
He was a good person too, and so was Mom, so they died.
But don't worry. Dad and Mom always said you have to repay kindness. I probably won't live much longer anyway. Three days from now is the full moon. If you're not as unlucky as other good people, I should be able to save you once. After that, you're on your own.
If you escape alive, do it for me—"
Kate wasn't as silent as Kuma had described. Her earlier questions to Oran seemed to be seeking a specific answer.
She was well aware of her physical condition. Her heart issue left her with little time to plan her revenge.
The Mink Tribe had a tradition of repaying kindness. Oran's answer, which she accepted, prompted her to make this decision.
As a natural warrior race, with the boost of Sulong, she believed she could attempt revenge or protect someone else, shining brightly one last time before joining her family.
Seeing Kate, so young yet acting like an adult trying to solemnly deliver her last words, Oran directly shoved a piece of dried fish into her mouth.
"Hold on a second. You might've misunderstood something. I have many professions, including alchemist. There's a basic principle in this trade, which is also my life philosophy: equivalent exchange.
Life is the most valuable thing. Only a life can be exchanged for a life. Your abilities and talents are crucial and will play a significant role in our escape plan.
If you trust my arrangements, I promise I'll get you all out of here alive. I'll show you how a 'good person' gets things done."
Upon discovering Kate, a rare Mink, Oran had slightly adjusted his original plan. The natural abilities of her race were highly valuable to him.
"Cough, cough… Meow doesn't want to be a good person! Good people always get bullied. Villains get to run free. If meow survives, meow wants to be the worst villain in the world!"
After pulling out the dried fish, Kate seemed somewhat swayed but restrained her appetite. She then declared her "dream."
"So you're saying you want to be the world's greatest villain?"
"Um, you could say that."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
"Meow's gonna kill all the bad guys! That way, meow will be the worst one!"