The Tanaka Family Reincarnates Chapter 21: Cats Have Nine Lives

Chapter 21 – Cats Have Nine Lives

One day when I was spending calm days with the Tanaka family.

I noticed that my tail beca split in two.

It seems I’ve beco the one they called Nekomata.

When cats with strong spiritual powers live a long life, they will beco a youkai called Nekomata.

(T/N: Youkai are a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. Can be translated to ghost, phantom, specter, demon, monster.)

I didn’t realize that I’ve lived so long.

It looks like my split tail is not visible to humans.

I beca a Nekomata, but I almost have no spiritual powers left.

Not long ago, my powers were taken away for my last chance to give birth to a kitten. I used all my powers to give birth to only one child.

It seems unlikely that I will awaken so magical power just because I beca a youkai in the dayti.

Whether it’s spiritual power or magical power, both source cos from life.

Maybe I only have a little life span left.

・・・

The born kitten was nad Ryuubi.

Since he is Koui’s child, for a reason I can’t understand, the whole family unanimously decided it must be Ryuubi.

(T/N: The explanation is a bit long. See my note at the end of the chapter)

Ryuubi, who inherited Koui’s power, had the power of foresight.

She could see the future.

She would ow to remind Yoriko to take the laundry before it rained, ow before the family forgot to give us food, ow before the family would forget to bring things.

The unfortunate thing is she didn’t know that the Tanaka family labeled her a noisy child.

・・・

I beca weak recently from the cold weather.

On a night when it’s especially cold, Minato would secretly put on the front door inside the house.

She could sit together with the whole family in the warm living room, but she went out of her way to sit on the cold front door and put on her lap to warm up.

Even though I lost my spiritual power and couldn’t protect her from anything, Minato let Koui sleep on her lap and patted caringly.

It was the calst and happiest ti.

I wanted to be with Minato always.

Minato stopped crying before I knew it.

Minato beca big before I knew it.

Minato is no longer easily afraid before I knew it.

Even though Minato is still being targeted by sothing.

Even though I no longer had the power to protect Minato.

I can only entrust her to Ryuubi.

Even if truthfully, I want to protect her myself.

Ryuubi can see the far future.

The future after Koui died, Ryuubi died, and even after Ryuubi’s sons died.

The future where the family lives separately, and there are no cats to protect the Tanaka family.

The future where Minato will be killed by sothing that has always been aiming her.

The future where the whole family will be killed.

The future where a world will snatch Minato’s and the family’s souls.

What can I, who is about to die, do?

What can I do with this old body of mine?

I can’t do anything.

I can’t do anything right now.

Ryuubi’s foresight can’t be overturned.

If so, then let’s go to the world that will snatch Minato’s soul.

Let’s wait for Minato there.

Cats have nine lives.

The fact that I almost beca a Nekomata was a godsend.

If you beco a Nekomata, you can live [nine lives].

If I have eight more lives, I can live eight more tis, and I can find as many ways as I can.

I can be a Nekomata, a monster cat, or even a god.

Let’s wait for Minato while gathering enough strength.

I will be away for a while, but it’s for us to et again.

・・・

“Koui-san?”

Yoriko calls out to .

I don’t have any strength to answer.

“Koui?”

Death is drawing near.

It’s nothing. If you think of this as the first of the nine tis.

My body is beginning to stiffen.

It’s nothing. It’s the first death out of the nine tis.

I can hear footsteps.

Minato ca ho from school.

After Koui beca unable to move, she runs back ho every day.

Her face reddens, and she runs out of breath, every day, every day.

Even so, today’s the last, right.

Minato, it will only be for a while. I will beco stronger and co to get you.

Let’s have an afternoon nap together again?

Minato’s tears fall in large drops.

Minato’s tears that I haven’t seen in a long ti. You don’t have to cry, don’t cry.

I will definitely co to pick you up.

“Koui-san-“

Minato is calling.

Minato is calling.

M i n a t o i s c a l l i n g.

“……o……w……”

Yoriko gazes at in wondernt.

Even though I never gave a response for a long ti, even though I thought I would die like going to sleep.

The cat who desperately responds to Minato’s call was here.

I shouldn’t have that kind of power left anywhere.

“Koui-san please-“

“Koui-san, don’t go-“

“Koui-san, I love you!”

“Koui-san, don’t… die-!”

“Don’t leave … Please… I beg you-“

“Don’t… go anywhere…”

“To die… No… I don’t want it! …”

Minato is crying.

Don’t cry.

Minato, Minato.

It’s alright. It’s alright, you know.

Minato. I also love you. Minato.

I like you very much.

Minato, the next ti we et, I will be even stronger.

We will be apart only for a little while. Just a little while.

But you know, the truth is.

I want to be always, always be with you.

Hey Minato, don’t cry. I will co back quickly… all right?

I will definitely, definitely co back.

With Minato, with Minato, with Minato, always with Mina…to…

……I……love……you.

・・・

The cat wakes up.

I had a dream from a very distant past.

I lovingly wrap the body of the girl who is sleeping beside .

The girl whose hair color, eye color, na, and her everything have changed, but even so, she’s Minato.

We will always be together from now on.

Always, always be with you.

T/N: Ryuubi or Liu Bei in Chinese was the founder of the Chinese Shu Han dynasty and its first emperor. Shokatsu Koui or Zhuge Liang in Chinese is a Chinese strategist that served under Liu Bei to strengthen Shu Han. He is considered the most popular Chinese hero in history.