Mom's Jealousy
Kylian stirred from her sleep, face scrunching up in irritation at the heavy weight pressing against her arm. Her eyes cracked open, and she gently shifted her arm to let Blanc rest on the pillow, his soft drool leaving a faint trail on her skin.
“Ugh… what is this? My arm’s aching…”
She pushed herself up slightly, blinking at the way Blanc’s body felt heavier than usual.
“Blanc? Why are you this heavy?”
Kylian slid off the bed and carefully lifted him, sliding her hand under his armpit. Her eyes widened. ‘He wasn’t this heavy last night… this feels like after he ate a feast.’
“What on earth did you do while I was sleeping to suddenly become so heavy?”
She tilted her head, staring at the long, stretched-out form of Blanc. Her fingers poked his soft belly, exposed between his fluffy white fur. The pinch drew a soft, yielding sound.
“…Oof.”
The plump, pillow-like softness of his belly felt even heavier and softer than yesterday’s. ‘He must have eaten something during the night, but his mouth is still clean?’
“Hey, Blanc. Wake up, you pig. Are you not waking up?”
Kylian shook him lightly, glancing at his perfectly clean mouth with an exasperated huff. She had just been dozing in her own dream of fresh tuna, and now this?
“Caaaow… cyaam… cyaang?”
Her yawn stretched wide as she rubbed her eyes. ‘Another butler yelling at me from morning on?’
She forced her sleepy eyes open and met Kylian’s gaze. “Cyaow?”
“Were you sleeping well?”
“…”
“You’re clearly lying. You snuck and ate something last night.”
“Cyaow…?”
What kind of nonsense was that? Blanc had eaten zero snacks. The cook’s dinner was strictly feedback—nothing sneaky at all.
She kept her twitching eyes calm, giving a puzzled tilt of her head instead. Her ears flattened flat against her head and her tail tucked tightly inward.
“Cyaang! Cyaam!”
She’d only just woken up! She was exhausted from yesterday and had crashed early! Her little front paws flailed in outrage, but Kylian still shot her a suspicious glare.
“…”
“Don’t lie. How is it even possible for your belly to puff up that much in just one night?”
“Cyaang?”
She was in her growth spurt… this was so unfair.
Blanc decided to play dumb the rest of the way. If she figured it out, she’d ban treats again. Later she’d drag Lumia to the kitchens and give the cooks a proper scolding… alone she had no one who would understand her.
Kylian narrowed her eyes at the innocent sparkle in Blanc’s gaze, then puffed out her lips in clear disappointment and let out a long, defeated sigh.
“Haa… fine, let’s drop it. Since there’s no evidence this time, I’ll overlook it.”
“Cyaow!”
Good butler. She’d thought things through perfectly.
Blanc raised one front paw and gently rested it on Kylian’s cheek. Kylian set him down on the bed without changing her suspicious expression.
“Cyaow.”
She’d been tense since morning.
Blanc leaped off the bed in a single bound, landed, and made himself comfortable so he could see his own mirror clearly. He began his morning grooming.
Morning washing was always important. He quickly licked his front paws to add a bit of moisture, then used them to meticulously brush and fluff his fur, ears going back and forth in perfect imitation of proper grooming.
Even a fluffy Divine Beast got two extra treats if he looked extra presentable.
Chop, chop, chop.
While he stretched his hind legs and kept grooming, a faint memory of Mama’s clumsy grooming surfaced. “Cyaow.”
That awkward affection had been so warm.
He’d have to groom her again the next time he saw her.
Kiiiiiik.
The door creaked open. Lumia and Gumiho entered the room on cautious little steps.
“Your Highness, and Blanc. I hope you slept well. We came to offer our morning greetings.”
“What… morning greeting? That sounds awkward… You two slept well too?”
Gumiho folded her hands elegantly and bowed. Kylian let out a small grunt of disapproval and gave a slight nod in response.
“Oppa! Did you sleep well?! Good morning!”
Behind Gumiho, Lumia gave Kylian a quick curtsy before darting straight toward Blanc.
“Cyaow.”
You slept well too? The mommy’s lap is the best place for sleeping, right?
Blanc paused his grooming and accepted Lumia with open arms. Lumia immediately rubbed her face against his neck in playful affection. Because they had slept apart, she seemed extra clingy today.
He gave her little face a single quick lick with his tongue.
Gumiho had already washed her, so Blanc didn’t need to do it.
“Cyaang!”
Gumiho slept well too? There was no special name for her, so calling her by one felt weird.
“Hehe, thanks to you, I got to sleep with my daughter for the first time in ages.”
Gumiho covered her mouth with her sleeve and replied with a gentle smile.
After finishing breakfast and digesting, the group stepped out into the Imperial Palace gardens.
Blue grass under warm sunlight. All the traces of the dragon they had removed with Holy Energy remained gone, leaving the beautiful lawn untouched.
Gumiho sat in the center of the garden. Behind her, nine enormous silver tails spread open like the fluffiest cushions in the world, draping over the grass.
“Hehe, oppa! Mommy’s tails are super soft! The best!”
Lumia clung to one of Gumiho’s tails and hung on tight.
Blanc’s mouth watered at the sight. …I really can’t resist.
The large silver tail shimmered in the sunlight, swaying gently. His instincts screamed at him to pounce. He wiggled his hips and leaped straight toward the tail.
“Cyaang!”
Blanc latched onto the tail with a slap, gently nibbling and chewing the fluffy bundle. “Cyaang.”
It wasn’t cotton-candy sweet at all, but the texture was still satisfying.
Chew, chew, chew.
He stayed glued to the tail, face rubbing against it, while Lumia remained snuggled in the softness. Gumiho simply watched their playful antics with the warmest, most pleased smile, never once scolding them.
Her thoughts drifted back to her homeland. The gentle comfort of those days made her lips curve into an uncontrollable smile. Blanc, lost in the fluff, accidentally put a little more strength into his teeth and gave the tail a firmer chew.
Puuk.
“Huuuuh…!”
At that exact moment, a faint groan escaped Gumiho’s peaceful lips as she recalled the memory.
Her whole body trembled once. All nine tails stiffened instantly.
“……”
Startled, Blanc quickly released the tail from his mouth.
“Cyaow!”
Sorry… I didn’t mean to…
Gumiho reached out and gently lifted him into her arms, meeting his eyes. …I’m truly sorry.
“…”
“Blanc.”
“Cyaow…?”
You’re mad…?
Her voice stayed soft and gentle, yet her cheeks were strangely flushed red. Had she gotten truly angry?
“It’s fine to play with my tail… but don’t bite too hard.”
“Cyaang…”
Did it hurt a lot?
Feeling guilty, Blanc tucked his ears flat and nodded vigorously.
When he bowed his head in sincere apology, Gumiho relaxed at once and burst into a light laugh.
“Hehe… it’s okay. You even know how to apologize. You’re such a good child.”
She stroked his head and gently wrapped her tail around his.
Blanc, smiling, wrapped his own tail around Gumiho’s tail as well.
Lumia, watching from the side, felt left out and jealousy exploded.
“Mommy and oppa are only playing together… I want to play too!”
Lumia hopped in place, demanding to be included. Gumiho laughed warmly at her adorable pleading.
After their lively garden play, Blanc and Lumia munched on snacks and then curled up on Gumiho’s enormous tail.
This was even better than Kylian’s bed…
He didn’t even need to add his own body heat; the natural warmth was perfect.
“Cyaang…”
The comforting fur texture made his eyelids grow heavier. He slipped into sleep.
When he woke, a cool, clear breeze brushed his cheeks. He had opened his eyes on the snowy mountain once again—the place where he always met his family.
‘It’s the first time I’ve come here twice in one day.’
While he tilted his head in confusion, Mama appeared in the distance and approached slowly.
“Cyaang! Cyaow!”
He loved seeing Mama again! He dashed across the snow in a single bound.
But Mama looked different from the gentle version at dawn. Instead of hugging him kindly, she immediately picked him up into the air.
He dangled upside down in her hands. “Cyaow…?”
Why? Why aren’t you hugging me?
The look in Mama’s eyes—full of mischief—made him panic and replay the events of the day. Had he done something wrong?
“My baby…”
Mama called him in a voice dripping with clear displeasure.
“How long has it been since mother spoke to you… and now you’re already chasing other tails?”
“Cyaow?”
What was Mama even talking about?
“I’ve been watching you the whole time… how could you, of all things, be thinking about a fox’s tail and liking it.”
“Cyaang!”
No way! I like Mommy’s lap the most!
“Don’t lie! You’ve already been taken by another tail and forgotten your mother’s arms!”