78 That Sound

\"Bllllllloooooooooowwwwwwwwss!!!\"

\"Huh?\"

Mina heard a loud distorted sound.

\"Blllllllooooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwss!!!\"

Mina winced. Her eyes scanned the whole area as the persistent voice gradually disappeared.

But there was no one else in the pod.

'Where did the sound come from?'

'It was as if...'

\"Boooooooooooowwwwsss!!! Boooooooossss!!! Boossss!!!\"

Mina could feel pain with each soundwave.

Covering her ears and closing her eyes had no effect against the persistent sound.

This time, the ringing in her ears persisted even after the voice disappeared. Her back twitched as she tried to put her emotions under control.

It took Mina a long time to get up from her protective stance. Still cautious, Mina rose from her hunched position and slowly opened her eyes.

'What was that sound?'

Her back twitched and her eardrum throbbed at the mere thought.

\"That sound...\"

Her weak meow echoed in the pod. The bouncing sound slowly lifted the fog in her brain.

\"Bbbbbbooossssss?\"

With alert eyes, she scanned the pod but saw no other creature.

\"Tarou?\"

Caught off guard once again, Mina lost all sense of feeling when another loud cry assaulted her eardrums.

\"Boooooooooooosssssssssssssss!!!\"

This time the sound made her entire body hurt.

Mina could only see the blinking monitor inside the pod but soon even the illuminated screen became blurry.

~~~

\"Wake up, Boss!'

Jolted awake by the familiar squeak, Mina was up in all fours.

'I was just in a pod a few seconds ago...what happened?'

\"Finally!\"

The small squeak coupled with a light touch on her leg pulled Mina back to the present.

\"Come on, Boss!\"

A small mouse circled around her hind leg while scolding her but she simply stared back and studied the place.

\"How did I get back here?\"

'I was just in the pod and ...How did I get back here so quickly?'

Mina hissed inside her head expecting to hear a reply.

\"Boss!!!!\"

More like a screech than a wake-up call, Mina subconsciously felt her head hurt at Tarou's squeak.

Her eyes narrowed while examining the small creature.

'Seriously? This underling of hers should be taught a lesson.'

Mina ran towards Tarou with a sinister intention but the mouse made her forget those thoughts with a few squeaks.

\"Boss, I can feel it!\"

This time, Tarou spoke in soft and gentle squeaks.

\"Something is about to happen...\"

A brilliant flash illuminated the whole room and Mina barely caught Tarou's next words over the loud crack of thunder.

'Waiiiit... was it... was it Tarou who called her back in the pod ?'

'But ...'

'Collar, how... is this even possible?'

Mina hissed while interrogating the collar but there was nothing but silence inside her head.

No snide comments or snappy remarks either.

Tarou, on the other hand, looked outside the window before running towards the door.

\"Boss, hurry!\"

This time, the little mouse squeaked louder and Mina felt the ground rumble followed by the sound of hooves.

\"Boss, this is an emergency!\"

Mina could only stare at the little mouse who stood listlessly near the door while gnawing one of his paws.

\"Why...\"

\"We can't waste any more time, we need to move now!\"

Tarou's squeaking stopped Mina from voicing her thoughts.

\"Did a war break out, what are you panicking about?\"

Mina found herself jumping off the table reluctantly and headed towards her little underling with a scrunched face.

Sensing her movement, Tarou made his way out of the room.

'Just wait until I catch you!'

Without pausing to think Mina followed Tarou who ran down the wall with ease. Even with her enhanced sense of sight, she could barely make out the silhouette of the little creature.

'Did Tarou ingest a speed-enhancing drug?'

\"Hurry up Boss!\"

\"Why are you in such a rush?\"

Wanting to learn why the little mouse was in survival mode, Mina could only quicken her pace when she saw the distance between her and Tarou.

Mina hissed after hearing the alarmed squeak from a distance.

\"We can't let other rodents beat us.\"

\"Is war about to break out?\"

\"This is war!\"

Tarou let out a loud squeak before slowing down to a stop and slipping inside an open room.

When Mina looked around, she realized that they were right outside the kitchen. For some reason, a brick propped the door open, making it easier to slip inside.

Mina couldn't help but notice the absence of the kitchen staff. But before she could figure out the unusual scene, a sytong scent caught her undivided attention.

'It smells divine in here!'

Tarou shook his head and tugged on her fur.

\"Boss quick, grab what you can.\"

'How dare this...'

The mouse pulled on Mina with as much force as he could muster but she didn't give in.

\"Don't be distracted by food!\"

\"Meeeow...\"

'Why is this mouse ordering me what to do?'

A soft breeze entered the window, making the delicious smell of food stronger and more delectable.

Mina's stomach rumbled.

While she internal struggled on what to do, Taro disappeared from her side.

\"Boss!\"

The shrill sound irritated her ears and she looked down on the little creature that reappeared.

\"Guard this.\"

A small pile of food ended up right next to her.

She had no idea how many times Tarou scuttled back and forth while she was trying to sort her thoughts while trying to get some answers from the collar. The next time she looked down, there was a small pile of food right next to her.

When Tarou reappeared with another haul, he eyed Mina and shook his head before squeaking with bitterness.

\"You need another underling —someone who could feed you.\"