Entering through the door while being carried in the matron''s arms, Puss saw a large hall full of children… and a sheep… and a human egg… and a blue-skinned boy. Well, there were many different children, but most were still normal humans.


    The hall was filled with a cacophony of noises—children playing, singing, and making a mess.


    The matron, whom Puss remembered was called Imelda in the movies, walked to the middle of the hall and gently placed him on the ground behind her.


    "Wait here a moment."


    She then turned to the noisy hall and spoke loudly.


    "Silencio!"


    She clapped her hands lightly, trying to get their attention, but the children were too loud to hear.


    Seeing that there was no effect, she raised her voice a little more and clapped louder.


    "Silencio!"


    Nothing again.


    Her voice rose once more.


    "Silencio!"


    But the children continued their ruckus.


    Her eyes narrowed, her cheeks puffed up in anger, and with a furious shout, she silenced them all.


    "SILENCIOOO!!!"


    She finished clapping, and absolute silence filled the hall as all the children turned their attention to her.


    ''A little scary. But it works.''


    Puss couldn''t help but think, amused by the children''s stunned silence.


    Smiling gently again, Imelda spoke softly to everyone in the hall.


    "I''d like to introduce a new boy joining us."


    Her smooth voice carried through the room, and then she turned back, looking at Puss kindly.


    "It''s OK, peque?o. You show with the face."


    She encouraged him with a supportive nod.


    Puss didn''t hesitate like the Puss from the movie. He wasn''t a real baby kitten—he wasn''t going to be shy in front of children.


    With a casual stride, he stepped out from behind Imelda and looked at everyone with indifference.


    "Meow!"


    He introduced himself.


    ''It''s not like I''m going to start talking with my old-man voice in this tiny kitten body. Let me grow a bit before I start speaking, so it won''t be weird. Though, considering the logic of this world, no one would probably even find it strange.''


    He thought, amused yet resigned.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    The children didn''t seem to care much, and soon after his introduction, they all went back to what they were doing.


    Imelda just shook her head helplessly and turned to Puss.


    "Come, you''ve already eaten, but I''m sure there''s still room for some beans."


    She said playfully, then took him to a table and placed a plate with three green beans before leaving.


    Puss couldn''t help but look at the plate strangely.


    ''Seriously? Raw green beans for children? Is this normal?''


    He thought, unaccustomed to such poverty.


    ''Welcome to medieval life, right?''


    He shook his head internally, feeling powerless.


    As he hesitated, staring at the plate, an unfamiliar hand made the decision for him.


    Looking at the culprit who had just stolen the beans from his plate and stuffed them into his pocket, Puss wasn''t surprised. So far, everything had been pretty much like the movie.


    "Humpty Alexander Dumpty."


    The human egg introduced himself with a friendly smile, extending his hand after lowering the book he had been writing in.


    Puss had no interest in shaking his hand—not because he despised the poor egg for his future villainous self. After all, he was just a lost child who later redeemed himself by sacrificing everything.


    In the end, he was just someone searching for a friend and someone to trust, without even realizing it. Someone who wanted a place to call home… without knowing he had been standing on it all along.


    ''People can be foolish sometimes…''


    Puss found himself thinking.


    No, the reason he didn''t greet Humpty was because he knew what was coming next.


    A hand slammed down between them, and a boy with a hateful face glared at him menacingly.


    "Hey, Whiskers! You''re sitting in Little Boy Blue''s chair."


    The boy said, trying to sound threatening.


    But Puss looked at him indifferently, and with fluid movements, he grabbed the plate from the table and held it behind his head.


    Bang!


    "AUGH!!"


    Another boy, who had sneakily come up behind Puss, clutched his injured fingers, tears of pain welling in his eyes.


    He had tried to grab the cat by the scruff and threaten him, but who would have thought that the kitten would suddenly place a wooden plate in the way, making him slam his fingers hard against it?


    But Puss didn''t stop there.


    He leaped, spinning his body, and smacked the boy across the face with the plate, sending him to the floor.


    "You! How dare you hit Billy!" The boy who had threatened him, along with a new short, blue-skinned boy, surrounded him angrily.


    Puss, with his feline eyes, observed the scene with apathy.


    But suddenly, someone interrupted.


    "Oh, come on. Is this necessary? Why don''t you pick on somebody your own size?"


    It was Humpty, and although slightly frightened, he still tried to help the surrounded cat.


    "Who asked you, Breakfast?" The boy growled back at the egg boy.


    Puss wasn''t interested in watching drama, so, without further ado, he skillfully threw the plate. It bounced off the heads of the two boys, knocking them down before smoothly returning to his hand.


    Looking indifferently at the three unconscious children and his easy victory, he unconsciously straightened his stance on two legs and hissed playfully.


    "Hiss!"


    Then, jumping from the bench to the floor, he began walking away indifferently—on two legs.


    "Wow!"


    The children whispered among themselves, and Puss could hear their hushed exclamations of admiration.


    With his keen senses, he also caught Humpty murmuring in awe.


    "Wow! That was very impressive."


    But Puss didn''t care and kept walking away.


    ''Well, so far, nothing has been too different from the movie, but I think the plot I know will start to diverge from here. I don''t intend to follow what Puss from the film did. I will forge my own path.''


    He thought, determined, as he left the hall.


    Out there was a world full of opportunities.


    But before venturing into it, Puss had decided to prepare himself.


    And although this had only been a small childish scuffle—far too easy for him—this battle would one day be recounted whenever someone asked where Puss in Boots had come from.


    Because his legend…


    … began here.