Blanc's Dreamlike Daily Life
"Kyauung..."
Mom, what's going on?
At the question, Mom looked away and only pulled me tighter against her chest.
What is it? You're making me nervous.
"It's nothing, really... I just thought I saw something that wasn't there."
"Kyaung...?"
What kind of hallucination would make Mom act like this? Did she see a mouse cooking or something?
I wanted to ask what had happened, but one look at her face told me I'd be better off leaving it alone.
There are some things in this world you're better off not knowing.
Yeah. I'll just stay in the dark.
I burrowed obediently into her arms, nuzzled my face against her, and deliberately started singing my Purr Song loud enough for her to hear.
"Grrrrung... kyau."
First things first—let's get Mom to calm down.
As I snuggled and fussed in her arms, she gradually settled, then looked over at Kailian.
"I'll step out for a bit."
"...Pardon? All of a sudden? And just where do you intend to go?"
"You don't look like you have time to play with my child anyway. What does it matter?"
Kailian clearly didn't like that. She looked from me to her desk and back again, took in the mountain of paperwork, and let out a long sigh as she waved a hand.
"Hah... Fine. It's true I can't play with Blanc right now. Just please don't leave the Imperial Palace."
"Hmph. Very well."
The moment Kailian's permission left her mouth, Mom scooped me up and swept out of the room without a backward glance.
"Kyaung."
Be back later, Butler.
I waved a front paw at Kailian, left behind to work alone.
Poor Butler.
Warm afternoon sunlight spilled over us the moment we stepped outside, pleasant as could be.
"Kyau."
Nice breeze... Cool and perfect.
Nestled in Mom's plush arms as she walked the garden's well-kept paths, I felt the tension melt away in a way I couldn't quite explain. As we wandered, I suddenly thought of Lina, who hadn't been seen since Mom took her away earlier.
"Kyau?"
Mom, where's Lina? Didn't you leave with her earlier?
The calm that had been returning to Mom's face crumpled in an instant.
...Did I say something wrong?
She looked thoroughly annoyed, as if I'd just summoned something she never wanted to think about again.
"Kyaung...?"
Mom, did I do something bad?
I folded my ears back a little and peered up at her.
"No... You haven't done anything wrong."
She sighed, then started fussing with my ears. The gentle touch sent my tail swaying of its own accord, batting lightly against her arm.
"If you mean that Saintess girl, I wouldn't know."
"Kyaung."
You look like you know plenty, though...
Still, if Mom was going to play dumb, I wasn't about to dig. I'd just ask Rosalia later. I gave a vague little nod, as if that settled it, and rested my chin comfortably on her shoulder.
"Kyaung."
So where are we going, Mom?
At that, her steps came to a dead stop.
"Mm..."
Her gaze drifted, lost, circling through empty air. I could see her eyes rolling this way and that, plain as day.
Mom... you dragged me out without even deciding where to go, didn't you.
Amused at this new side of her, I slipped free of her arms and hopped down to the floor with a light thump. I landed easily, then looked up at her with my tail swaying.
"Kyau!"
If you don't have anywhere in mind, I'll show you around! I know this place better than you do, after all.
I patted the ground with my front paws, then turned around and sashayed off, hips swaying as I took the lead. Sway, sway.
The lethal little roll of Blanc's rear spread a clear, bright smile across a face that stress had twisted out of shape.
No question whose son he is... really.
Her steps lightened, and she fell in behind him, trailing along without a fuss.
The place I led Mom to was a tucked-away back door of the Imperial Palace kitchens.
I don't tell anyone about this spot. Not a soul.
Whenever I came here, I even shook off Lumia—who would follow me no matter what—and slipped in alone, out of sight.
"Kyau!"
You're the first person I've ever shown this place, Mom.
"I'm honored."
Leaving Mom smiling faintly behind me, I hopped up, twisted the latch, and went inside. Once I was in, I checked that no other maids were around, then sprang up onto a wide wooden table in the corner with a thump.
At the sound of my paws, one of the cooks busily trimming vegetables in the back startled and turned his head. He was one of the cooks I'd bought off so I could sneak snacks behind my Butlers' backs.
Took some work, getting him on board...
"Kyau."
Been well?
"Divine Beast! I was waiting—I knew you'd come."
He set down his knife and hurriedly glanced toward the kitchen entrance. Only after he'd thoroughly confirmed that none of the other Butlers were around did color flood back into his face, and he let out a sigh of relief.
"Ha... Thank goodness... Ah! A pleasure to meet you. I was told you're the Divine Beast's mother!"
"Yes..."
Mom looked the cook up and down, then turned to me as if to ask why on earth we'd come here.
Mom really is a beginner at this sort of thing. There's a reason we came, obviously.
"This time I prepared jerky and salmon... I'd have liked to grill you a steak like last time, but the Head Chef said the salmon that just came in is excellent, and told me to serve that instead."
"Kyaung."
If the Head Chef says so, then that's how it is.
This was the Secret Snack Cartel I'd gone to so much trouble to build. Using the Head Chef I'd bought off and a handful of cooks, I was regularly scoring snacks behind my Butlers' backs. The Head Chef siphoned off ingredients, and the cooks I'd recruited took turns serving them to me.
Bribing them was a bit of a project, I'll admit.
The contract that sealed the deal: they got to touch my front paws.
The cook carefully rummaged through the pantry, then set a small, pretty silver tray in front of me with great care. On it gleamed top-grade beef jerky, glossy with oil, and fresh salmon cubes diced into perfect bite-size pieces.
"Kyau!"
Now this is what I'm talking about. I like it.
As a thank-you, I lightly set my soft front paw on the back of the cook's thick hand and pressed down.
"Hnnngh...! It's an honor...!"
The cook sucked in a breath, eyes sparkling, overwhelmed by the soft jelly-bean feel of my paw pads.
"...Baby, did you want a snack that badly?"
"Kyaung, kyuu."
...That's part of it, but it just tastes better this way.
I wagged my tail at Mom, who was staring at me and the cook from behind, thoroughly bewildered. Stolen snacks are, by law, the most delicious things in the world.
"Kyaung."
You try some too, Mom! It's really good!
Mom took one look at the snack tray clamped in my mouth and burst out with a helpless little laugh. I set the tray down on the table, clamped the biggest, thickest piece of jerky in my mouth, and nudged it onto her palm.
"Kyaung."
Try it. It's too good to eat by myself.
My sudden offering made Mom's eyes go round.
"Oh my... This is my baby's precious snack. Are you truly all right with your mother taking it?"
"Kyau! Kyau!"
Of course. I'll share as much as you want with you, Mom.
I lightly butted the back of her hand with my head, urging her on. Bonk, bonk. At my headbutts, a bright smile spread across her face.
"Hehe... Well, if my baby is fussing this much, I suppose I must. I'll eat it gladly."
She picked up the jerky I'd offered between her fingers and slipped it into her mouth, chewing slowly.
"Oh my..."
A pleasant surprise flickered through her eyes.
"The meat is quite tender, and the aroma is excellent. No wonder you like it enough to come all this way."
"Kyaung!"
That's what I've been saying. The cooks here are good.
Not to be outdone, I tossed a salmon cube into my own mouth. The rich, fatty flavor bursting across my tongue set my tail swaying. Mom and I sat at the old table in the kitchen corner and shared the snacks.
Once I'd licked the snack tray clean, I took the lead again, heading down a quiet side path through the Imperial Palace. This time, our destination was a wide clearing behind the palace, where the ladies-in-waiting and maids usually hung freshly washed white sheets to dry.
It was my own secret spot—the place in the whole palace where the breeze ran most pleasantly, and where the afternoon sun fell warmest and longest.
Lumia did catch me here not long ago, though.
"Kyau."
This is actual paradise.
From the fluttering white sheets, a faint scent of sunlight tickled my nose in the nicest way. I picked a spot right in the middle of the grass, where the sun hit hardest among the hanging sheets, and flopped down on my belly in perfect comfort.
"Kyaung."
Come on, Mom, hurry up.
I tapped the ground with my tail, pointing to the spot beside me, and Mom's eyes went round for a moment.
"To think a sunny clearing like this was hidden in such an out-of-the-way corner. My baby really does have a talent for picking only the finest spots."
She settled lightly down beside me.
"Urrrrung... gyarrung... golgol."
Sunlight warming my body through. A belly full of snacks. A pleasant drowsiness rolled in, and I half-closed my eyes and sang my Purr Song.
This is the life.
I gently laid my plump front paw over the back of Mom's hand, resting neatly on the grass. The squishy pink jelly of my paw pads met her cool skin, soft as anything.
"Kyaung."
I like being with you, Mom.
"...Yes. I like it too."
She stroked my head, then started humming under her breath. I took that song as a lullaby and let my heavy eyelids fall shut.
...I want to stay with Mom forever.