Bonus Short Stories

Cat on the Town

“Hey, someone get that guy!”

A man was running alone through the streets of Brunhild Castle Town. There was a stolen wallet in his hands as a fat merchant screamed at him. This man was a thief. He’d been scoping out the area and his eyes had fallen upon the merchant’s coins. When he spotted an opportunity, he took action without delay, swiftly stealing the goods. The man was fast on his feet, so there was nothing the overweight fellow could do to stop him.

The thief was certain he had gotten away with it, but it was at that moment that a small creature jumped out from the shadows.

“You meowlevolent man! Taste my blade!”

“Huh?!”

A veritable Puss in Boots appeared before the man from the shadows. The cat held a rapier in his right hand, which he thrust toward the man’s crotch. In a flash, the thief fell to the ground.

“Auuugh!”

“If a scratch against your pants is all it takes to best you, then mew better be thankful I afforded you the same mercy I would grant to kittens.” The wallet fell to the ground, much like the man’s pants, as he remained on the floor. His hair fluttered in the wind, alongside the tatters of his ripped clothing. He was defeated by a brave and valiant soldier, of course. One of the town guardsmen quickly approached the scene, but his service was no longer needed.

“Enough out of you!” The guard restrained the fallen man, then turned his blade on the cat, Mr. Mittens.

“Stop right there, criminal scum!”

“Who, me?! A crimeownal?!”

“A talking, bipedal cat?! That’s far too strange, I say! You’ll have to come with us!”

As Mr. Mittens raised his paws in defeat, his savior appeared out of nowhere.

“Are you okay, D’Artagnan?”

“V-Venerable Mother!”

“Aren’t you the teacher...?”

It was Fiana, Sakura’s mother and the head teacher at Brunhild’s school. She was carrying a brown paper in her hands. Mr. Mittens had originally come to the marketplace with Fiana, as he had appointed himself her sworn protector. It was then that he heard the merchant calling for help, and gave chase. After that, he gallantly pursued the criminal and made him taste defeat.

“Ah, sorry... This is my daughter’s cat...”

“Ma’am, are you aware that your daughter’s cat can talk? Ah, wait... Forgive me! I didn’t realize who he was...”

The guard came to the sudden realization that Fiana’s daughter was Sakura, and Sakura was the fiancee of Touya. Touya was, of course, the grand duke of Brunhild, so causing trouble for his family-to-be wouldn’t be good. He hurriedly gave the woman a panicked salute, turned away from Fiana, and dragged the criminal away by the seat of his pants.

“It only took one mention of the princess to turn him away tail between his legs... She really is the top cat around here...”

“Don’t worry, D’Artagnan. The town will get used to you soon enough... There are all kinds of people here, after all.”

People from all over the world converged upon Brunhild, so it surely wouldn’t take long for them to accept a talking cat knight.

《Mr. Mittens, where are you? With my mother?》

“Hm...? Did the princess just send me a thought...?” Sakura had summoned him to begin with, so there was a telepathic bond that linked the two. Nobody else but them could tap into that connection.

“Was it Farne? What did she want?”

“Ah, yes. Let me just paws a moment... She sent me a message saying that she and Lady Spica are at the school.”

“Goodness me... We should hurry back, then.”

“Allow me to hold your bags, Milady.”

“Ah... Thank you!” The woman smiled gently, and the valiant cat returned the gesture in kind.

Later on, the people of Brunhild would come to learn of the presence and power of the cat knight that lived in their midst... But that is a story for another day.

The Enneagram

Thanks to you, dear reader, I have finally reached ten volumes of In Another World With My Smartphone. You have my heartfelt thanks. This is also the tenth time I’ve written something personal as a bonus, woohoo... Ah, well. This time it’s not really a personal anecdote or anything. It’s a little something related to my work, actually.

Have you heard of the Enneagram of Personality? It’s a way of classifying human nature into nine separate personality types. The time has come for me to finally reveal the truth! I based the nine heroines of this series on those nine types.

Type 1: The Perfectionist

In short, this type of person strives for perfection. They have the ability to judge things well and have a well-rounded idea of balance. Their sense of righteousness is also quite strong. They’re capable of caring and have strong leadership qualities. As far as Smartphone heroines go, this one falls most in line with Yumina.

Type 2: The Giver

A person that wants to help others. An attentive person who overflows with compassion and interest. They find it easy to empathize with others and don’t feel the need to be thanked for their good deeds. As far as Smartphone heroines go, this one falls most in line with Linze.

Type 3: The Achiever

A person who wants to do things right the first time. They see their goal and make a beeline for it. They do all they can to work toward what they want, never once looking back. As far as Smartphone heroines go, this one falls most in line with Lu.

Type 4: The Individualist

A person who only follows their own code. A romantic that believes in their own creativity first and foremost. Introverted and sometimes hard to get along with. Bad at following rules. As far as Smartphone heroines go, this one falls most in line with Sakura.

Type 5: The Observer

A person who always looks before they leap. Views things objectively and calmly, with a keen analytical eye. Prefers solitude, and tends to look out for those younger than them. As far as Smartphone heroines go, this one falls most in line with Leen.

Type 6: The Loyalist

A person who sticks to their obligations, seeing things through to the end no matter the cost. They always stay true to themselves and operate with sincerity. Their purity is like that of a child’s. As far as Smartphone heroines go, this one falls most in line with Hilde.

Type 7: The Enthusiast

An active and curious individual. They always look on the bright side of life and try to impress that positive outlook onto others. Their determination and will tend to be unusually strong. As far as Smartphone heroines go, this one falls most in line with Sue.

Type 8: The Protector

A person with a strong will. Readily faces challenges head-on with a fierce attitude. Paternal in nature, they have a drive to defend the weak. They’re filled with determination. As far as Smartphone heroines go, this one falls most in line with Elze.

Type 9: The Mediator

A person who prefers things to be kept harmonious. Prioritizes others, and tolerates small annoyances. They have no particular prejudices and carry with them a sturdy disposition. As far as Smartphone heroines go, this one falls most in line with Yae.

I used those nine types as the basic framework for the heroines. Though they’re not totally bound to them or anything, so there are little parts here and there that don’t fit. These nine types all have their drawbacks, too. Type 1 can get pushy with their values, Type 2 easily turn to jealousy, Type 3 tend to be a little vain, Type 4 end up being moody, Type 5 are often isolated, Type 6 have dependency issues, Type 7 frustrate people with their spontaneity, Type 8 do as they please, justifying it as being for others’ own good, and Type 9 aren’t all that good at expressing themselves. I think I’ve done a good job of making those drawbacks clear in the heroines, too.

There are a lot of tests you can take online to see what type you have. Just search Enneagram online, it’s kind of neat! Oh, just so you know, I’m a Type 4 with Type 5 inclinations.

As for Touya... Well, I feel like he’s a Type 2 with Type 9 inclinations.

Now then, which type are you?