Let's Go Catch the Meat Snatchers!
The princess felt the first stirrings of Blanc’s fury and killing intent, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.
Back then… before I even met Blanc… it was on a level with the rage of the Emperor Mother…
Blanc’s killing intent, forged through the slaying of the Progenitor White Tiger and the Dragon while his divine-beast vessel gradually bloomed, had been more than Kailian could endure.
She lifted her bloodless face with shaking hands, forcing them upward, and carefully covered Blanc’s eyes that blazed with murderous light.
“Blanc… why are you acting so unlike yourself… Calm down, okay? Let’s eat snacks instead…”
My eyes were hidden beneath her soft palms.
The trembling voice in my ear and her desperate touch stroked me.
The pitiful sensation reached my heart, and my rage melted away like ice under sunlight.
I got angry over nothing… There aren’t even any bugs here to blame…
I wrapped my tail around Kailian’s wrist in embarrassment, tucked my ears flat, and let out the cutest whimper possible.
“Kyuu…?”
Now I’m not angry anymore.
I licked Kailian’s fingers with my tongue, flicking back and forth.
Flick… slurp.
“Haaaa…”
The warmth and softness of her tongue made Kailian finally let out the breath she had been holding.
Her legs gave out and she collapsed to the floor with a sigh of relief.
“You… you really… don’t get angry like that from now on… okay?”
“Kyau.”
If I give you snacks, I’ll be good.
Kailian grabbed my cheeks with both hands and pouted.
“Kyauuu…”
Let go…
“You little pig! You suddenly got angry and scared me! Do you think I’d let you starve? I’ll feed you until you burst, so don’t get mad.”
“Kyau.”
Got it… I’ll stop when I hear the bug story again…
Rosalia, sitting across from us, also looked deathly pale and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and palms.
“This is the first time I’ve seen him truly angry… Although I often forget, he really is a divine beast.”
“Right…”
Clunk.
At that moment the door to the room flew open and Lina burst in frantically.
“Your Highness! Master Blanc! What is happening! Just now… an absurd killing intent was felt!”
Lina scanned the room with worried eyes, spotted Blanc calmly licking Kailian’s fingers, and froze.
“Master Blanc…? Are you alright? Did anything happen…?”
“Don’t panic, Lina… It’s all resolved.”
Kailian patted Blanc’s bottom casually and said it wasn’t a big deal.
“Just this pig… heard a little about bugs and had a small tantrum. It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”
“Kyauu!”
Stop touching my butt!
I slapped Kailian’s hand away with my tail.
Where did you sneakily grab my butt?
I leaped onto the living-room table.
From the table I locked eyes with Kailian, then pounded the surface with my front paws.
“Kyau! Kyang!”
Butler. Pack immediately. We’re going south to exterminate all the bugs right now.
I was honestly worried about not being able to eat meat anymore, but the citizens were even more worried.
I could just go hunting, but regular people couldn’t even do that, and what would happen if they went hungry?
Seeing my intent, Kailian understood perfectly and smiled, ruffling my hair.
“I get it. I can’t stand you not eating meat either. Let’s go.”
We headed straight for Grandfather’s office.
Grandfather sat sipping tea while reading the documents about Demian’s failing condition.
Grandpa’s successor training has really picked up the pace.
I lifted my front paw and greeted Demian silently.
Keep up, Butler.
Demian gave a vague wave without a word and returned to his papers.
Poor guy.
“Aba Mama.”
Kailian bowed respectfully to Grandfather.
Our relationship is finally almost normal aunt-and-nephew. I’m pretty proud of that.
“I see. What’s going on? There was a disturbance earlier, so it must be something serious.”
Grandfather glanced at me curled in Kailian’s arms and chuckled.
Don’t laugh…
I was in trouble earlier so Kailian hugged me out of worry.
I looked away from Grandfather’s eyes.
“Aba Mama, I will head south. There is an insect-type magical beast swarm rampant in the south. I will handle it with Blanc and return.”
Grandfather stared at me for a moment, then burst into a laugh.
“Alright, go and come back.”
“… Yes?”
Kailian, shocked by the too-cheerful permission, blinked in surprise.
“Are you really going with Blanc? The situation in the south is quite dangerous, so I thought you would oppose it.”
Grandfather propped his chin and grinned, pointing at me with his finger.
“The way that kid looks, he doesn’t seem like someone who can be bent. If you don’t send him, he’ll sulk for days. How could you not send him?”
“Kyau.”
Who am I supposed to be?
Age-wise it fits…
“Moreover, the Dragon too… Grr. Even if Blanc came back with a Dragon, I doubt he could be taken down by insects.”
“Kyau…”
Hey, I’m sorry! Stop sulking already! I gave you a paw massage, at least forget it!
“Since the Tower Master and the Saintess will be going too, where’s the worry?”
Grandfather set down his teacup and spoke to me.
“Blanc. Since you’ve made the promise, finish it properly and come back.”
“Kyung.”
Leave it to me, Grandpa. I’ll exterminate every last one without leaving a single one.
I nodded firmly, then slammed my front paw against my chest in a heroic gesture.
We moved quickly to pack.
Kailian and Rosalia changed into comfortable combat gear and prepared to depart.
Why am I being kicked out while you change clothes?
I haven’t seen your naked bodies for even a day or two.
Outside, I was licking my paw in boredom when Lumia and Gumiho came running.
“Brother! Where are you going?”
Lumia dashed over with a worried face and hugged my neck tightly.
Kailian, who had opened her eyes, strapped on her sword and gave a rough summary of the situation.
“We’re heading south for a bit. We’ll catch some bugs and be back soon, so you stay quietly at the palace.”
But Lumia shook her head and hugged me tighter.
Her eyes were brimming with tears.
Why is she crying again…? Anyone watching would think we’re going to war.
“I don’t want to! I want to go with Brother too! Don’t leave me behind!”
“Lumia, it’s dangerous outside.”
“Your Highness.”
Just as Kailian tried to calm Lumia, Gumiho, who had been standing behind, spoke up gently.
“We will go together as well. Being cooped up in the palace and receiving kindness is not very pleasant. We will help in any way we can.”
“Kyau?”
But I still can’t leave Lumia… It looks really dangerous.
Seeing my worried eyes, Gumiho stroked my head softly.
“It’s fine. Lumia is old enough to start studying the world now.”
“Kyung.”
Alright, I see. Let’s go together.
Gumiho was hiding behind the other butlers, but honestly she wasn’t the type to fight anywhere.
Going together couldn’t be bad.
I nodded vigorously and wagged my tail, and Kailian pressed her forehead with a deep sigh.
“Haa… alright, do as you like. Just be careful. Even if it gets dangerous, I’m your number one priority, so handle yourselves properly.”
“Yes, we will not worry about that.”
In the end we decided to take a larger special carriage with the imperial crest.
We boarded the massive carriage.
The vast plains of the Empire’s south.
The endless golden wheat fields that should have stretched as far as the eye could see were now pitch black, ravaged beyond recognition by the insect swarm.
“Kruueup… Kkuuuk…”
Marquis Valder, ruling the southern territory, wiped his bloodstained bandaged soldiers’ faces.
“The soldiers who just returned say the third farm defense line has been breached. If this continues, they will overrun the fields and attack the civilian settlements.”
After listening to the knight’s urgent report, Valder gently closed the eyes of a fallen soldier, then stood up.
“Stop it somehow… Even if it means hiring every mercenary and adventurer in the vicinity.”
His voice cracked with despair and scraped the floor.
He had initially thought they were just ordinary hungry insects with strong appetites.
But their insane reproductive rate made them an even greater disaster than a plague, one that only grew worse no matter how many he killed.
Thanks to the elite mages of the Magic Tower, they could still hold on, but they were constantly multiplying.
Now the disaster had begun to crave human flesh, and his will crumbled.
“Lady Rosalia… when will you return…!”
He had been endlessly muttering that she was on her way to greet the Emperor on the imperial road and ignored the foul smell of blood and the disgusting sounds of the bugs coming from afar.
He only prayed that the people of his territory would survive safely.