Kate had once been attracted by the dreamlike magical animals shown in the movies, but when she actually came face-to-face with them, she was left with only one feeling.
She was utterly overwhelmed.
There were two or three Bowtruckles clinging to her fingers, and the Gold Galleons and Silver Sickles in her pocket had just been swiped by some unknown Niffler.
She wanted to chase after it, but Blackie was rubbing against her feet, refusing to let her leave.
Furthermore, a nest of Jobberknolls was waiting for her to feed them.
Occasionally, a few custard-colored fluff balls—said to be called Puffskeins—floated and bobbed before her eyes.
In contrast, Newt, who was also surrounded by several types of animals just like her, was handling them with ease.
He even had the leisure to teach her what to feed the Jobberknolls.
It turned out that being too popular was also quite distressing.
Especially after the scamming System issued a belated notification.
[Please note, Host. Under the influence of this System, the Host's affinity with male animals remains unchanged, while affinity with female animals is doubled.]
[The Host may toggle this status at any time.]
So, this bunch of animals surrounding her... were all female?
Kate looked at the large pile of animals around her with an indescribable expression, her heart filled with complex emotions.
However, maintaining the status quo seemed acceptable. Rashly turning off the buff status would attract Newt's attention.
If it were just these slightly smaller animals, it would be fine, but clearly, the affinity radiation range influenced by the System covered all animals.
After finally finishing feeding the small animals Newt had assigned to her, Kate felt as if her small body could hardly straighten up.
While moving the few balls of Puffskeins still entangled around her away from her line of sight, Kate struggled to walk out of the bamboo forest.
Suddenly, her vision was shrouded by a mass of black shadow.
Immediately following that, a roar sounded from close at hand, blowing away the Puffskeins blocking her view.
A foul stench hit her face!
How long has this guy gone without rinsing his mouth!
Kate frowned tightly and managed to open her eyes with difficulty, only to discover a creature similar to a leopard in front of her.
Except, unlike a normal leopard, this "leopard" before her had its mane standing on end, and its neck was inflated and swollen like spikes.
It was a Nundu!
According to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them written by Newt, the Nundu is one of the most dangerous creatures existing in the world today.
It has a massive body, moves silently, and its exhaled breath is toxic enough to cause fatal diseases capable of wiping out an entire village!
In the movies, there seemed to be a scene where Newt had raised a Nundu...
Knowledge related to it immediately surfaced in her mind. Kate's expression changed drastically, and she wanted to retreat and flee immediately.
But alas, with her small frame, having not even started learning formal magic, and her body being incredibly weak, how could she outrun a Nundu known as the world's most dangerous creature?
She hadn't run a few steps before she was picked up by the mouth from behind and tossed into the sky.
It's over, it's over, it's over!
Was she going to die here today just like this?
System! System! Save me, quick!
Kate screamed frantically for the System in her heart, the sensation of weightlessness making her heart almost stop beating for an instant.
[Beep. Detected that the Host is currently in no mortal danger.]
The familiar mechanical female voice broadcasted ruthlessly in her brain.
This doesn't count as mortal danger?
Dog System, are you lagging again!
Just as Kate was falling in despair, her body suddenly felt light, and the sensation of weightlessness vanished instantly.
Sensing something was wrong with her body, Kate opened her eyes in confusion, only to find that she seemed to have no weight, drifting and sliding down like a feather.
What was this situation?
Before she could react, her body landed first on the Nundu's back.
"Kate, she likes you very much!" Newt shouted at her from the edge of the bamboo forest, the wand in his hand not yet put away.
A Levitation Charm?
She immediately understood her strangeness just now and lowered her head with lingering fear.
Beneath her, the leopard had already retracted its erect mane. Its originally swollen neck also gradually shrank, looking no different from an ordinary cheetah.
"T-Teacher..." Her voice couldn't stop trembling. She sat on the leopard's back, not daring to move a muscle. "What is going on? Can I come down first?"
Let alone a child, even as an adult, she would be afraid of this kind of dangerous creature!
Newt walked over quickly. As soon as he extended his hand, the Nundu obediently lowered its head, allowing him to stroke it.
"I brought this Nundu back when she was a cub, so she is very obedient and won't actively hurt you."
You liar, she was playing 'human toss' just now.
Since she was still on someone else's back, Kate held it in for a long time and didn't dare say those words out loud.
What if this Nundu understood human speech, got angry, bucked her off, and then stomped on her a few times...
Scaring herself into a cold sweat with her own imagination, Kate maintained an expression as if she wanted to cry but couldn't. "Teacher, can I come down first?"
Newt looked hesitantly at his little apprentice, who was about to be scared to tears, and tentatively patted the Nundu's head.
"Roar!" The fellow, obviously a female leopard, shook her head unhappily.
She almost scared Kate, who was on her back, into a heart attack.
Fortunately, although the cute little fellow on her back had a strong attraction, Newt had, after all, accompanied her for decades.
Finally willing to put the person on her back down, the Nundu turned around and roared twice at Kate, who was still frozen in place due to nervousness.
Only then did she turn and sprint toward the distant area that belonged to the desert.
Then...
Kate's limbs went soft, and she almost fell to the ground.
Luckily, Blackie rushed up extremely loyally to protect her, her forked tail wagging incredibly happily.
"Ahem! I didn't expect the Nundu to suddenly appear here either."
Newt also wore an expression of wanting to laugh but holding it back, trying to explain to her. "It's probably because the scent on your body attracted her attention too much."
Scent?
Subconsciously lifting her hand to sniff her own scent, Kate raised her head with a face full of question marks.
Why didn't she smell anything?
[Host please note. Given the Host's age, the affinity for magical creatures is primarily manifested in a parent-child relationship.]
[When the Host's age increases, the affinity for magical creatures will transform into an indescribable relationship. Please use this status with caution, Host.]
Kate, who was still sitting on the ground, heard the System's reminder—which was delayed once again—and her eyelid twitched violently.
In other words, the Nundu currently treated her as a cub.
But when she became an adult, magical creatures would run wild to come and court her?
And they would all be female?!
"Little Kate, are you alright? Did you get hurt from the fall?" Newt asked with concern, seeing that her complexion was exceptionally poor.
"...I'm fine." Kate struggled to crawl up from the ground.
She just wanted to chop the System into pieces.
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