The Head Chef's Unexpected Visit
I felt my mother's body slowly fading.
The warm body heat that had been pressed against me was gradually dispersing into the cold night air, leaving its mark straight on my skin.
“......It's time already.”
I bit back the tears welling up and hugged her even tighter.
A man who cries when he leaves is no real man.
“Kyaaung......”
Mom, take care. I'm really fine.
At the sound of my stiff little sniffles, Mom couldn't bring herself to say anything more and simply held me back in silence.
The gentle fingers that had stroked my forehead kindly all the way to the end turned into a beam of light and scattered into the empty air.
Swoosh.
The warmth in my arms was gone.
I sat alone on the chair, completely empty-handed. The night breeze that had lost its warmth brushed against my fur.
Sniff.
I sneezed lightly and took in the last traces of Mom's scent deep inside my body.
If even this scent disappeared, I would finally feel it for real.
I slid down and sat on the floor, looking up at the black night sky powerlessly.
My vision kept blurring. I couldn't tell whether the stars were sparkling or whether my eyes were flickering.
“......Don't cry. I'm not a baby.”
I pretended not to notice the hot tears streaming down my eyes and stared at the sky alone for a long time.
How much time had passed? After finally calming myself down, I dragged my tail across the floor and made my way back to Kailian's room in a daze.
Creak.
When I pushed open the heavy door, Kailian—who had just finished bathing and was only loosely wrapped in a thin white robe—turned to me with a smile.
“Blanc, you're back? Your mom......”
Kailian shook her wet hair with a towel and came over to pick me up, then suddenly froze.
Normally she would have greeted me with wagging tail. But today I was hanging there like a limp doll.
“Kyaaau......”
Butler...... I'm here.
The listless, pitiful sound reached Kailian. Her sharp red eyes flickered for a moment.
She must have noticed everything even without me turning around.
“Oh dear......”
Kailian tossed the towel to the floor and hugged me tightly.
The heat of her body coming through the thin robe felt especially warm.
I had no strength left to resist and pressed my head against her chest, pressing my paw pads against the hem of her robe. Seeing me drooping like that, she patted my back without a word.
“Even with you here, I'm feeling a little better......”
“Blanc.”
Still holding me, Kailian walked straight to her big bed and laid me down on the soft blanket. She lay down beside me and pulled me close into her arms.
“Don't go anywhere else today. Just sleep in my arms. Don't think about anything.”
She gently pulled my head to the center of her chest.
Thump-thump-thump.
Kailian's steady heartbeat echoed pleasantly in my ears.
It was a different, familiar, comforting rhythm—the heartbeat I trusted more than anything else in this world.
“Rumble......”
Hearing her gentle heartbeat, the suppressed fatigue and sadness melted away like snow in spring.
I felt my eyelids growing heavy and slipped into a deep, deep sleep inside the arms that were comforting me.
“......Haa......”
In the middle of the snowy mountain where a fierce white blizzard raged, Blanc's mother collapsed onto the snow and sat down.
The warm, fluffy body heat of the baby she had been holding in her arms until just moments ago. The soft, jelly-like touch. The cute little cries that tickled her ears.
All of it had been so vivid, yet right now her arms were ice-cold and empty.
She bit her lips hard, suppressing the overwhelming sense of loss and longing.
Her fists clenched until blood welled up.
She wished she could go back to the lower realm right now.
Crunch, crunch.
Just then, a massive shadow stepped on the rough snow and approached her from behind.
“Hard work.”
“Grandpa...... ugh......”
Unable to hold back the warmth any longer, she collapsed into her father's broad embrace and let out silent tears.
“Yeah, yeah. I get it. Leaving that cute little one behind... how could you not be upset?”
He clicked his tongue with a look of sorrow and patted her back.
“Just a little longer. You held it together this far, didn't you?”
“But...... what if our little one is crying alone, looking for me......”
“Just a little more. Your vessel will only be complete once it meets the laws of the lower realm. Hold on until then. The lower realm isn't that far for us. Just a moment.”
His comfort made her nod silently, wiping away her tears.
Yes. I can't collapse here. As soon as the vessel is finished, I can hold Blanc in my arms again.
As she finally gathered her strength after wiping her tears, he cleared his throat lightly and gave me a glance before asking.
“So...... how is our little grandson? He really is adorable, isn't he?”
“......!”
At that single question, the girl whose shoulders had been shaking with sadness just moments ago shot upright as if she had never cried at all.
“Grandpa! Did you say adorable?”
Her eyes suddenly sparkled with fierce, protective light.
Seeing his daughter full of life and vitality once more, he laughed heartily without holding back.
“Chirp-chirp, chirp-chirp.”
“......Haa......”
The first to wake up on the bed, Kailian looked down at Blanc, who was sleeping soundly in her arms, and let out a deep sigh.
Blanc's eyes were slightly swollen from the tears shed all night, and the front of his pajamas was damp.
Kailian placed her hand gently on Blanc's plump belly with a complicated expression.
“You little pig......”
Kailian pouted and muttered very softly.
“You're right next to me, being hugged tightly, and you're still crying alone. I'm so hurt.”
Tap.
Still pouting, Kailian kissed Blanc's forehead tenderly and shook him gently to wake him up with a soft touch.
“Blanc. Wake up, it's morning.”
“Uum...... Kyaa?”
It's morning?
I rubbed my eyes sleepily and sat up from the bed. Still half-asleep, I looked around the room.
Sure enough, Mom wasn't anywhere in the room. Mom had really left.
“......Kyaaung.”
A thick, deep sigh slipped out of my mouth before I knew it.
The heart that had barely been calmed yesterday sank again, and my tail drooped to the floor.
Seeing that, Kailian's eyebrows shot up.
“You just woke up and are sighing?”
“Kyaa?”
Huh? I didn't do anything! Why are you angry...
Confused by her sudden anger, I blinked my eyes.
Then Kailian suddenly huffed and puffed and got all worked up.
‘Midlife crisis?'
“Can't let this slide. Sleeping in my arms and then sighing like you're drained? I have to set the record straight today.”
“Kyaa, kyaaah?!”
What are you doing?!
Kailian scooped me up like luggage and kicked open the bedroom door, running outside.
Bang!
“Head Chef!! Where are you!!”
At this early hour, the chefs—who had only just finished rubbing their eyes and preparing the morning ingredients—jumped in alarm at the princess's sudden intrusion and stared at us with wide eyes on the floor.
‘......Sorry. I didn't even have time to stop her.'
I sent them an apologetic look.
“Lord! What brings you to the kitchen so early......!”
The head chef, who hadn't even properly put on his hat yet, came running in panic.
Kailian supported my belly with both hands and pointed accusingly at the head chef while shouting.
“Head Chef, I have one request. Can you make food for Blanc to regain his strength?”
“Yes, yes?! R-right now?! We haven't even baked the morning bread yet......!”
The head chef broke out in cold sweat from the panic, but Kailian's red eyes burned fiercely.
‘Sorry... I can't hold back either.'
To be honest, I didn't want to stop her.
“Great! Right now! Keep fussing over him until he regains his strength and starts wagging his tail! Hurry!”
“Alright, I will! Everyone! Bring out all the beef and salmon from the storage!! Light the fire fast!!”
In the sudden kitchen emergency, the chefs screamed and grabbed their tools, running around in a frenzy.
I looked down at the chaos from inside Kailian's arms, tilting my head in confusion.
“Kyaa......”
My butler is really troublesome. Her way of comforting me is so crude.
But it's not bad.
I placed my front paw lightly on Kailian's face.
“Kyaaung.”
Sorry to the chefs.
I was at work brewing coffee when the chairman suddenly showed up.