Baby Blanc's Joyful Return to the Imperial Palace – And the Terrifying Tiger Mother Reveal
"Kyauuung..."
Time to go home.
Nestled comfortably in Mother's arms, I looked down at the people who had come out to see us off in front of the carriage.
"Divine Beast, and Your Highness. Our house will never forget this grace, not until the day our bloodline ends."
Marquis Valder laid one arm across his chest and bowed from the waist. Behind him, the people of the territory and the knights dropped to one knee as one, offering their respects.
Why is everyone making this so extra...
Honestly, who even likes being treated like this.
I bit down on my swaying tail and looked at them. Faces that had been grim as death only yesterday were starting, at last, to show something like hope.
"Kyaung."
That's a relief.
Good that they didn't stay crushed for long.
"Marquis. You've had a hard time cleaning up this whole mess."
Before she boarded, Kailian offered him her thanks, even and sincere.
"Keep working to restore the south to what it used to be, for the palace and the people of the Empire. I'll send whatever resources you need as soon as we reach the capital."
"Yes! Your Highness... Even if I have to burn this life that the Divine Beast and all of you preserved, I will restore our former glory!"
Satisfied with the marquis's resolve, Kailian nodded and climbed into the carriage first.
"Kyau!"
Do your best from here on out. I'll keep eating delicious meat.
Leaning against Mother's chest, I waved a front paw in a last goodbye to the marquis and the people of the territory. I couldn't help a little snicker at the kid in the crowd, jumping for all he was worth and flailing his arms.
"Kyaung."
Looks like he ate that meat just fine.
"Divine Beast, please go in peace!"
When I waved my paw, the marquis wiped his tears again, overwhelmed, and bowed even deeper. Then Mother climbed in with me in her arms, and Rosalia, Lina, Gumiho, and Lumia all boarded after her.
"Move out."
At the command of Kailian's captain of the guard, the massive carriage began to roll smoothly forward.
"Kyaung."
Business trip: over.
Rattle, rattle.
The carriage raced toward the capital along the rough road. It was a top-class carriage, so the ride itself was comfortable — but the people inside made it feel like I couldn't breathe. That was how bad it was. Even Lumia, who usually never shut up, had been pretending to sleep ever since she got in.
You poor thing. Stuck suffering because of these hopeless adults.
"………"
"………"
Kailian sat with her arms crossed, staring a hole through me. More precisely, she was staring a hole through Mother, who was holding me like I was the most precious thing in the world.
"Excuse me. Blanc's mother."
Kailian finally snapped, her voice blunt.
"How long do you plan to hog Blanc all to yourself? Let me hold him too."
"Kyaung..."
I could just go by myself...
Mother adjusted her hold on me and snorted at Kailian, as if the request were laughable.
"Hmph. I intend to hold the child I carried and birthed. What exactly is your complaint?"
She rubbed her cheek all over the top of my head as she answered, perfectly unbothered.
"Until I leave, you can give it up."
"But still... I want to be with Blanc too..."
"You humans will have all the time in the world with my child after I go back, won't you? You're throwing a tantrum because you can't even yield a few days?"
"Kh..."
Faced with Mother's airtight logic, Kailian was left speechless.
"Kyaung..."
Right... Mother has to go back eventually...
Hearing it confirmed again that she would leave, I drooped my ears and burrowed deeper into her arms.
"There, there. So you like your mother's arms too... you adorable thing."
She hugged me even tighter. Right now, I just wanted to remember her warmth and her scent a little more.
Watching me nestle into her, Kailian pouted but didn't dare say another word, and snapped her head toward the window instead. Beside her, Lina — who had been fidgeting her fingers because she wanted to hold me too — let out a sigh at those words and withdrew her hands.
After staring out the window in silence for a long while, Lina broke the quiet in a heavy voice.
"Haa... The southern territory is going to have a hard time for a while."
At the end of her gaze, the southern plains were receding beyond the glass.
"We drove off those magical beasts, but the poison and demonic energy that soaked into the land... the soil is completely rotten. Forget this year's harvest — even next year's is going to be a stretch."
"That's right. The Magic Tower will dispatch personnel on a large scale to help restore the land as much as we can, but... honestly, for the next few years it won't be much different from now."
"Haa... Yeah. Purification magic isn't exactly cheap, and holy water doesn't just bubble up out of the ground..."
At Rosalia's practical assessment, Kailian pinched the bridge of her nose, her expression grim.
"We'll have to open the imperial warehouses if we have to, but it won't be easy. This is a real headache."
While everyone was worrying over the ruined southern land, the woman who had been quietly stroking my fur until now spoke in a low voice.
"That land? If it's purification you mean, I already finished it."
"Excuse me...?"
"Kyaung...?"
Mother, what?
The air inside the carriage shifted in an instant. Kailian, Lina, Rosalia — even Gumiho, who'd been playing with Lumia — every gaze locked onto her.
"W-wait... what did you just say?"
Kailian asked again, looking as if she couldn't trust her own ears.
"You already purified it? The entire southern plains?"
"Why would I speak nonsense? I've already washed it all clean. The sprouts should be coming up by now."
Unfazed by their stunned stares, she calmly kept playing with my paw pads.
"My precious child stepped in and solved the problem. I couldn't very well leave a stain on that with something as petty as dirt. This mother of his merely put a period at the end."
"Kyauuu..."
Mother... you're actually amazing.
I buried my face in her chest and looked up at her.
...I still can't do anything like that.
"You'll be able to do it too, in time. Don't let it get you down."
I closed my eyes under her stroking.
Well... she is my mom. Of course she can do that.
After several days on the road, the carriage finally arrived at the main gate of the Empire's Imperial Palace.
Creeeak—.
The massive gates opened, and the carriage came to a smooth stop in the plaza before the inner palace.
"Kyaaaang!"
We're here! Home!
The moment the carriage door opened, I burst out of that stuffy box and hopped down to the ground.
Fwrrrrrlk!
I gave my whole body a vigorous shake and loosened up.
"Kyau!"
Home really is the best.
Thrilled by the familiar feel of the palace under my paws after days away, I bounded around.
Gotta put my scent back on all the places where it faded.
Watching me, Kailian let out a snort of laughter.
"Aigoo, who's going to stop that kid."
Mother stepped down from the carriage as well and began slowly taking in the vast panorama of the Imperial Palace. The soaring spires, the marble columns glittering in the sunlight, the overwhelming scale of the main keep.
"Hoh..."
Her eyes swept over every corner of the palace with genuine interest.
"So this is where my child has been staying..."
At her murmur, Kailian subtly squared her shoulders and asked, pride in her voice.
"Well? This is the heart of the Empire. I can say with confidence that Blanc wants for nothing here."
To that question, thick with imperial pride, she answered with a faint laugh.
"Yes. For a nest built by humans, it's rather decent."
"...A nest... Haa. Anyway, let me show you around. My father, the Emperor of the Empire, will be here by evening."
Kailian pouted, looking utterly unimpressed, but Mother ignored her reaction and held out a hand to me, her voice tender.
"Come here, baby. Mother will hold you."
"Kyau!"
Okay!
I flicked my tail and dove right back into her arms. Nestled against her, I enthusiastically showed her all the places I'd been living. She examined each one I introduced, remarked that my cat tower looked like fun, and scratched my head.
Sliiiide.
Mother's head turned in a sudden, sharp motion, and her face crumpled into something vicious in an instant.
"That wench... she's here."
Killing intent dripped from her voice, thick and heavy. It was so dense that the warning she'd given Gumiho yesterday felt like a joke. My fur stood on end before I even realized it.
...Huh?
Under that overwhelming presence, I drooped my tail and just watched her face.
"Kya...u?"
Mother, what's wrong...?
When I carefully checked her expression, Mother ground her teeth and growled low.
"That vulgar Haetae wench who went after my child... she's hiding in this palace."
"Kyau...?"
Don't tell me...?
"Kyaung...?"
Haetae... why did you have to come back now...
I offered a silent moment of mourning for Haetae, who'd returned at the worst possible time.
...I don't know her.