Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri)-Chapter 59: Confession

"Hmm… I didn't quite catch that. Can you say that again?"

Eris tilts her head, her blue eyes locked onto mine, piercing yet unreadable.

I swallow, my throat dry as sandpaper. I can't back out now.

"I-I mean… what if I'm from another world?" My voice wavers. "What if the real me… isn't Felicia at all?"

A flicker of something—confusion? Curiosity?—crosses Eris's face. She straightens, shifting her weight so she's fully facing me, her gaze scrutinizing.

"What do you mean by that?"

My heart slams against my ribs. My breath turns shallow. My entire body trembles so violently it feels like I might fall apart at any moment. It's suffocating.

But—I have to continue.

I force myself to take a deep, shaky breath.

"A-actually…" I pause, willing my body to stop trembling. "Have you ever heard of… reincarnation?"

Eris blinks. "Reincarnation?" she echoes, brows drawing together. "You mean, like souls being reborn?"

I nod stiffly. "Nn…"

And then, mustering every ounce of courage I have left, I spill everything.

———————————-

A long while later…

"Ahhh… so that's how it is…" Eris murmurs at last, her fingers pressed against her chin, brows furrowed as she processes my words. "You died trying to save a girl, and then somehow, you woke up in this world… in her body. And tonight, she appeared in your nightmare and saved you."

"Y-yeah…" I nod weakly.

Then—silence.

A long, suffocating silence.

Ah…

I've done it now.

And I'm so, so fucked.

Honestly… why did I even do this?

Even though I've unburdened myself, the weight on my chest hasn't lifted. If anything, it's grown heavier—crushing, suffocating.

I should've kept my mouth shut.

Because now… what happens next?

I don't want to see Eris's reaction. I can't.

Will she believe me? Will she think I'm insane? If she does believe me… how will she look at me from now on?

Maybe she'll hate me.

Maybe she'll fear me.

Maybe… she'll be disgusted.

After all—I'm not Felicia. I'm a stranger. A foreign soul occupying her body like some twisted parasite. That thought alone unsettles me, so how much worse will it be for Eris?

And worse yet… I used to be a man.

That revelation alone could change everything.

Eris has treated me with such kindness, such warmth, because she believed I was a girl. But now that she knows the truth…

My stomach twists violently. She'll be repulsed.

She'll realize:

She unknowingly bathed with a man.

She unknowingly slept beside a man.

And worst of all—

A man who couldn't help but steal glances.

At her bare skin.

At her curves.

At her body.

My own self-loathing crashes over me like a tidal wave.

It's creepy. It's disgusting.

And I feel wretched just thinking about it.

I don't deserve her kindness.

If Eris rejects me, I won't blame her. I'll deserve it.

And yet…

It will shatter me.

Because despite only knowing her for a day—one single day—we've grown so close.

We've shared secrets.

We've laughed together.

We've fought side by side.

There's something about her presence—something steady, grounding, something I desperately cling to without realizing just how much it means to me.

And if I lose that…

I don't know what I'll do.

My mind spirals with awful scenarios—Eris turning her back on me, her eyes cold, distant, full of disgust.

Telling me to leave.

To never return.

The thought is unbearable.

And yet, if that's what she decides… I'll have to accept it.

I have no right to feel betrayed.

I'll just be—

Heartbroken.

Because more than anything—I don't want to lose her.

And the idea that my confession might destroy the fragile bond we've built makes me want to curl up and scream.

…

But then—

"Say that again. What's the name of the thing that hit you?"

Eris's voice slices through the silence, shattering my downward spiral of thoughts.

Her question catches me off guard—not at all what I expected.

And somehow…

There's no disgust on her face.

No revulsion. No horror. No anger.

If anything… she looks genuinely curious.

"A—a truck! A truck hit me and killed me!" I blurt out, too flustered to think.

But instead of nodding in understanding, Eris's brows knit together even more.

"A truck? Is that some kind of giant monster?"

"Eh?—AAAAHHH!!!"

Damn it!

DAMN IT!

I forgot!

This is a fantasy world—there are no trucks here! She has no idea what a truck is!

"NO!" I exclaim, shaking my head frantically. "It's like a really, really big carriage! Except there are no horses or birds pulling it, and it runs super fast! It could probably carry a hundred Filoan Birds without breaking a sweat! It can even carry a house!"

I freeze.

Ah… shit…

That sounds even more ridiculous when I say it out loud.

Eris stares at me, clearly trying to process my nonsense. I can almost see her brain short-circuiting.

"No birds or horses?" she murmurs. "Then… how does it move? Magic?"

"Ah—no! Not magic—gas!" I blurt in desperation.

"Gas?"

"Yeah! Well… actually, oil! OIL!"

"Oil?"

"Uggghhhhhh!!!"

I groan, yanking at my hair in frustration. How the hell am I supposed to explain modern technology to someone from a medieval fantasy world?!

But then—

"So… is this special oil a kind of fuel? Like how mages use magic stones to power their devices?"

Ooooh!

SHE GOT IT!

"YES! EXACTLY! FUEL!" I yell, nearly jumping in excitement.

Eris nods, looking thoughtful. "And how heavy was this 'truck'?"

"Uh… I-I'm not totally sure…" I rack my brain, realizing I have no clue how much an average truck weighs. "…Maybe… a thousand tons?"

"…What?"

Eris's eyes widen, reflecting the moonlight.

Eh?

Why is she reacting like this?

Then, without warning, she reaches out and touches my head.

"A thousand tons? And it hit your head? Are you serious? Did it hurt? Are you still in pain?"

Her fingertips graze my scalp, light as a feather. Her warmth seeps into me, and for some reason—

Tears spill down my cheeks.

"…Yes!" I sob, frantically rubbing my eyes. "A-actually… no. No! I—I died instantly, so I didn't feel anything… but… but still—"

Eris exhales a long sigh, relieved. "Still, that must've been terrifying. I'm sorry."

Before I can fully process her words, she pulls me into a hug.

My breath catches. My mind reels.

What?

Why?

Why am I getting a hug now?

Does she truly not hate me?

"Hic… Y-you're not mad at me?" I stammer, my voice trembling as I cling to her warmth. "I… I hid everything from you…"

"No, silly," Eris murmurs, her voice impossibly soft as she strokes my hair. "Why would I be mad? You must've been so scared… and it must've taken so much courage to tell me all of this. I'm sorry I made you so nervous."

She tightens her hold, and I practically melt into her embrace.

Relief washes over me—pure, overwhelming relief.

She doesn't despise me.

She doesn't hate me.

She's here. Holding me.

I'm so glad.

Her acceptance feels like a miracle I never dared to hope for.

And then, after a long, comforting silence, she whispers—

"Felicia… did you have family in that other world?"

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My chest tightens. My fingers curl into the fabric of her shirt.

I nod slowly. "Nn… I had an older brother and a younger sister. Our parents passed away, so… they were all I had."

Eris nods. "What about a wife? Were you married before?"

"No…"

"A girlfriend?"

"No…" I admit quietly.

"I see," Eris murmurs, pausing for a moment.

Then—gently, almost cautiously—she asks:

"So… do you miss them?"

I swallow hard, my throat tight.

"…Yes."

My voice wavers, barely above a whisper.

And for the first time since I arrived in this world—I let myself grieve.