HTLCCBFT Chapter 77

Has The Lord’s Career Chart Been Filled Today? – Chapter 77

“Can I, meow meow?”

Oliver stared unblinkingly at that fluffy cat tail, exerting tremendous restraint to resist the urge to touch it.

Even after he called out several times in deliberately varying tones… this beautiful big cat who had somehow gotten angry still coldly kept its back turned to him.

Of course, Oliver wouldn’t give up.

This was the cat from his dreams, so naturally it was his cat!

Without hesitation, he stood up and approached.

First, he soothingly stroked those slightly trembling cat ears, then embraced from behind…

“Huh?”

Separated by that hazy golden light, Oliver had assumed it would be like last time—an illusory embrace—but unexpectedly, he actually felt a faint coolness against his skin. He froze in surprise.

His arms paused as he carefully examined… this figure he now clearly realized was considerably taller than himself.

Apart from the lively cat ears and the tail that revealed the cat’s mood, most of the cat-eared youth’s form remained shrouded in golden light.

Yet his features and physique were much clearer than before, and when Oliver’s arms touched the other’s body, there was a real sense of contact.

…The vaguely visible contours of his facial features and the obvious difference in stature were enough to make Oliver realize one cruel truth.

This was not the delicate cat-eared beauty he had imagined, nor did he have a soft, snowy-white cat belly.

Instead, there were beautifully defined, firm muscles; a tall but not exaggerated frame that conveyed a pleasing symmetry; and features better described as ‘handsome’ rather than ‘beautiful youth.’

Oliver: “……”

He couldn’t help but question his life choices once more.

Why was his dream cat—aside from having a temperament that suited him perfectly, along with fluffy cat ears and a long tail… actually a handsome man taller and more robust than himself?

The newborn deity didn’t yet know that his prematurely manifested form, born from excessive anxiety, had greatly diminished Oliver’s desire to pet him.

From the moment his believer embraced him from behind, he had completely stiffened, remaining motionless. Only much later did he belatedly realize two things.

His most beloved believer could always stir changes in his emotions.

And he……

……  was utterly helpless against Oliver.

While he was still dazed, unconsciously shy and frozen in uncertainty, Oliver had already snapped out of it and slowly released him.

Seeming to sense Oliver’s cautious movements, he—who had been sulking with his back turned—promptly spun around without hesitation.

For once, Oliver shed his obsession with fluffiness and met his gaze seriously.

This face-to-face stare…

Oliver could no longer ignore the fact that this big cat he loved petting so much was indeed much larger than himself!

Why was this?

Shouldn’t he prefer small, cute cats?

Confusion flickered in Oliver’s eyes.

Why was his dream cat even bigger than a maine coon…!

Unable to find an answer, Oliver collected himself and looked at the big cat who had just been throwing a tantrum.

As if sensing the confusion and hesitation in his heart, the quiet and well-behaved cat-eared youth simply gazed silently at him.

The long tail, a beautiful pure gold without a single stray hair, swept slowly from side to side as if teasing his heart.

The small pointed ears twitched occasionally, seemingly betraying the cat-eared youth’s unease at this moment.

Oliver looked at Him, falling into deep internal struggle.

Was this his own dream—aside from his own strange inner desires acting up, he truly couldn’t find any other explanation.

Just as Oliver couldn’t decide whether to adjust his mindset and pet the cat as usual or continue sitting still, the other spoke first.

……

…… Oliver……

…… you…… what’s wrong? ……

……

It was still the deep, pleasant voice he remembered.

Yet it carried a caution that anyone could detect.

“Nothing.”

Oliver instinctively offered a reassuring smile.

Though he didn’t know exactly how this conversation with his imagined cat-eared youth would proceed, since he couldn’t wake up for the time being anyway, he simply chose the easiest topic to continue.

“Just a bit surprised.”” Oliver spoke slowly: “Could you be the Cat God?”

……

…… yes……

……

His divine body not yet complete, he actually didn’t know his true divine name for the time being.

But he knew with absolute clarity that whenever his beloved believer summoned Him, that pleasant voice would address Him as ‘Cat God’.

Though this wasn’t the true divine name bestowed by Divinity, to Him, it held equal importance.

“So it is.”

Oliver murmured to himself: “So it’s the Cat God.”

Now it made sense.

Aside from butler Fosse, what he faced most daily was the lucky cat statue placed by his bedside that accompanied him to sleep.

Combined with his recent frequent thoughts about the “Cat God” he’d made up… indeed, daytime thoughts become nighttime dreams.

So the “Cat God” his subconscious had imagined turned out to be a handsome cat-eared youth transformed from a golden cat?

Gods are majestic, divine images are handsome, but cats are irresistibly cute.

The ‘Cat God’ transformed from a golden cat… should naturally be majestic, handsome, and cute all at once.

The ‘Cat God’ in his dream miraculously blended these three qualities, perfectly matching his inner standards.

Having figured this out, Oliver’s last remaining doubts vanished instantly.

From the deity’s perspective, those beautiful blue eyes that always caused fluctuations in his divine power were examining Him with constant amusement.

Yet he remained silent.

This made Him… feel an indescribable nervousness.

After an unknown period of silence, just as Oliver was again struggling to restrain his itching petting hand, the “Cat God” suddenly spoke.

He spoke very slowly, clearly still unfamiliar with ‘human language’.

……

…… Oliver……

…… Your wish……

…… I have heard it……

……

The tone sounded serious and earnest, but to Oliver’s ears, it still carried the unique softness of a cat.

Faced with the Cat God, who tried to speak with utmost seriousness while combining cuteness, handsomeness, and majesty into one, how could he possibly feel any fear toward the deity?

Even so, Oliver pretended to look earnest and expectant, suppressing his laughter as he asked with equal solemnity, “Oh generous, dear, adorable Cat God! Having listened to the words of your most devout believer, would you be willing to fulfill my wish and grant me larger and more mining areas?”

The newborn deity, who could no longer hear Oliver’s inner thoughts once he entered the divine realm, naively believed Oliver’s words of “believing” in him.

Just as he was about to agree without hesitation, he remembered his previous plan and barely managed to stop Himself.

—This deity, as pure and innocent as the first snow, had quietly acquired a hint of cunning after receiving countless prayers from mortal believers.

……

…… I can……

…… but…… there are conditions……

……

Upon hearing this, Oliver felt both somewhat surprised and curious.

The Cat God in his dream wasn’t a naive pushover who granted every request but actually set conditions seriously!

Although this attempt at shrewdness only made the Cat God seem even more adorable to him, Oliver feigned a hurt and troubled expression: “Ah, dear Cat God, always the most benevolent and generous, must you impose such a stern trial upon your most devout believer?”

When the beloved deity saw the heartbreaking sorrow on his cherished believer’s exquisitely beautiful face… though he had been deceived too many times before and had learned some lessons—preventing Him from fully believing—he still felt somewhat uneasy.

But this condition was one he absolutely could not concede.

He… did not want to be sent into a temple by Oliver.

No matter how splendid and magnificent the temple might be, it could never compare to the golden temple he was born with in the divine realm.

And the most precious treasure within his temple was sitting right before him.

No matter what, he did not want to lose the opportunity to gaze upon this treasure as it slept, to be held in its embrace, and to listen to those gentle, pleasing words.

So after a brief silence, he clumsily tried to explain.

……

…… No……

…… No trial……

…… conditions……

……

Oliver curled the corners of his lips with interest.

Unexpectedly, the “Cat God” had principles.

Even in the “cat deity setting” imagined in his dream, it remained alert and sharp, not fooled by his tricks.

Seeing that playing pitiful hadn’t worked, Oliver immediately changed his attitude.

His posture shifted from relaxed to that of serious negotiation. Watching the “Cat God,” who spoke slowly, he leisurely asked, “Then, my dear Cat God, what is your condition?”

Completely unaware of how cunning his beloved believer was, the Cat God was pitifully stunned by his sudden change in demeanor.

His inner turmoil was fully exposed to Oliver through his suddenly flattened ears like airplane wings and his tightly curled tail.

…… Yes……

It took Him a long moment to regain his composure, and he earnestly emphasized.

…… no ‘cats’ allowed……

…… no placing me…… in a temple……

 

As if worried Oliver would be upset, he hesitated for a moment, then made a small concession and added.

…… you can…… pet chicks……

Oliver frowned slightly, appearing troubled as he negotiated: “Wise Cat God, if you don’t like that temple or appearing before other believers, I’m willing to create a golden substitute for you to receive the worship of your followers on your behalf.”

Not placing it there would be fine too.

The temple hadn’t been renovated yet, and he had grown accustomed to holding the Cat God—well, the fortune cat statue.

But was he really so reluctant to let go of the cat statue in his subconscious?

With this thought, Oliver continued his nonsense: “Bathed in your great glory, the people of Laina will surely show extra care towards cats. And the arrival of cats can largely prevent the occurrence of plague, so we must keep them.”

Regarding this point, the understanding Cat God quickly responded.

…… Oliver…… cannot raise them……

…… others…… may……

Oliver blinked.

Alright.

Even in his imagination, the Cat God was one who would righteously feel jealous and demand to monopolize his owner.

At this thought, he couldn’t help but break into a radiant smile.

“Of course.” He completely let go of his earlier slight discomfort, reached out toward the obediently sitting Cat God, and gently stroked those fluffy ears that had begun trembling slightly again.

Then he leaned forward and placed an extremely tender kiss on the highly sensitive tip of its ear.

The deity froze.

…… ! ……

…… ! ! ……

He suddenly fell into an irresistible state of intoxication.

All he could hear was the beautiful believer whispering in his ear with clear laughter in his voice, making a promise he couldn’t resist:

“…Anyway, I already have the most generous, most beloved Cat God, so I never needed to keep other cats in the first place.”

When he had Fosse purchase a batch of cats, his original intention was for them to become working cats.

There were too many things to do in Laina City. Although there was still a long time before winter arrived, considering all the tasks that needed to be completed, time was actually quite tight.

He didn’t have much time or energy to spend with pet cats, nor did he want to be an irresponsible owner.

While stroking the incredibly soft cat ears, Oliver calculated frankly.

—At most, he would just casually pet any friendly and beautiful cats that happened to pass by.

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