Blanc Is Actually a Cat
"Kyao?"
Why the sudden question about that branch?
I stopped nuzzling into Gumiho's tail and tilted my head.
Does it have some kind of special power or something?
At my question, Gumiho gave her tail a lazy swish, her eyes sparkling with interest.
"It's hard to call it an ordinary branch. The energy flowing out of it is far from ordinary."
"Kyaong."
I don't know what it is either. I just keep it because it's fun to chew on!
Gumiho let out a disbelieving little laugh at my shameless answer.
"Using something you don't even understand as a chew toy... that is such a Divine Beast way of thinking."
She stroked her chin, pondering for a moment, then offered me a gentle smile.
"If you don't mind, shall I take a look and figure out what that branch actually is? I may not look it, but I have lived quite a long time. I can usually tell what a magic tool is at a glance."
"Kyao!"
Sure! Go ahead and check it out.
I had no reason to refuse, so I nodded readily. I was curious about its exact effects myself, after all.
...It probably can't be turned into a branch that grows meat, right?
I'd have to show it to Rosalia later, too.
"Very well. I shall take a look at it later, then. Now, I ought to be heading back to rest."
Gumiho rose from her seat, dusted off her skirts, and started to draw back the two tails she had been lending us.
"......!!"
"......!!"
In that instant, Lumia's eyes and mine went wide at the same time.
No... we haven't finished playing yet.
As if we had planned it, Lumia and I both lunged forward and snatched Gumiho's retreating tails back into our arms.
"Kyaoong..."
You're leaving already? I haven't finished playing yet...
"Heeey... Mamaaa, let me touch your tails just a little more... pleaseee?"
Faced with her own daughter and Blanc gazing up at her with teary eyes, Gumiho let out a deep sigh.
"Ugh... haa. Fine, fine. How am I supposed to win against you two little schemers?"
In the end, Gumiho plopped back down and surrendered her tails to us completely.
"But just a little more, understood? My fur is going to be completely ruined."
"Kyao!"
"Yay!"
Lumia and I cheered and carefully wrapped our paws around Gumiho's lush, fluffy tails once more.
After rolling around and playing to our hearts' content in Gumiho's tails, lunchtime had snuck up on us before we knew it.
Grrrowl.
Hunger struck, and I spotted Kailian — who had just finished her work and come out into the garden — and hopped right into her arms.
"Kyaong."
Butler, let's go eat.
"Alright, my Blanc. It is about time you got hungry. Let's go to the dining hall."
Kailian patted my rump and started walking toward the dining hall.
Creeeak.
The moment we opened the dining hall door, the smell of delicious food hit my nose. But right in the middle of that lavish table, a corpse was sprawled out.
"......"
Demian was sitting in a chair with his upper body completely collapsed onto the tabletop, slumped over like a zombie that hadn't eaten in days.
Is that thing even alive?
I wriggled out of Kailian's arms and hopped up onto the table, carefully approaching Demian's head — his cheek pressed against the surface like it was marble.
This guy isn't actually dead, is he?
I stretched out a front paw and gave Demian's hair a few pokes.
Poke. Poke.
"Nngh..."
At my pawing, Demian let out a faint groan and his eyebrows twitched. He was breathing, if only barely.
Hmm... looks like the life insurance payout will have to wait.
"Kyaong."
Butler, this one's still alive.
I turned to Kailian and meowed. She stood with her arms crossed, looking down at Demian with a pained expression.
"Haa... Father has been working my brother into the ground lately. I haven't even seen his face recently."
Kailian clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"He's going to collapse for real at this rate."
"Kyao."
I think he already has.
I looked down at the collapsed Demian with a pang of sympathy. The food wasn't going to be out for a little while yet anyway. Time for a special service.
I quietly settled myself on top of Demian's crown and gently placed both front paws on his head. My soft, warm pink jelly pads pressed against his cold scalp.
Press. Press. Press.
"Kyaoou..."
Cheer up, butler. I'll give you a special massage.
I slowly began kneading Demian's head, pressing down with one paw and then the other. Grandpa always loved it when I did this.
"...Haa... so soft..."
The moment the paw kneading started, a dopey moan spilled from Demian's lips. I could feel it through my paw pads — the rock-hard muscles in his nape and shoulders melting away like spring snow.
A boulder would've been softer than this.
"Aaaah..."
Demian squeezed his eyes shut, a thread of drool leaking from the corner of his mouth, his face gone completely vacant.
...A guy making a face like that is honestly kind of gross.
Press. Press. Press.
"Kyaong."
You've been looking rough lately, so I'm doing this as a special favor.
After a few more rounds of kneading, Demian's breathing gradually grew deep and peaceful. A little color even started returning to his deathly pale face.
Snnnk... koooul...
In the end, Demian buried his face in the table and sank into a deep sleep.
"Kyaong."
If you sleep here your face is gonna go crooked. Go sleep in your room.
I shook Demian's head with my paws, but he showed absolutely no sign of getting up.
"Pfft."
Watching this, Kailian let out a small laugh and stroked my head.
"Our Blanc has such a kind heart. Thanks to you, my brother will finally get some proper rest."
Kailian gestured to the attendants standing behind her.
"Carry my brother to his chambers immediately. Be extremely gentle — do not wake him."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The attendants carefully approached, lifted the dead-to-the-world Demian, and carried him out of the dining hall.
...Being a white tiger really is the best.
I watched Demian's receding figure with a brief flicker of sympathy.
Clink.
"O Divine Beast! Your meal is served! Today's dish is freshly grilled tenderloin steak!"
But the instant the Head Chef set a steaming plate of thick, juicy meat down in front of me, every last scrap of sympathy for Demian evaporated from my mind.
"Kyao!!"
MEAT!!
After a thoroughly satisfying lunch, Kailian went back to her office to catch up on overdue work, leaving me alone in an empty room.
"Kyaaaawn..."
I rolled around on my back, swishing my tail, but I was desperately bored. Lumia and Gumiho had gone off for a nap, and Lina... had been holed up in her room since earlier and wasn't coming out.
I sprang to my feet and trotted down the hallway with familiar little steps, heading for Rosalia's room.
Bang, bang!
I shot a look at the attendant standing guard at the door, and he hurriedly opened it, sweating buckets.
Creeeak.
Rosalia's room was, as always, a complete disaster of parchment scrolls and unidentifiable magic tools.
"Hnn... hnn..."
Rosalia had thrown all dignity as Tower Master out the window and was sprawled out in a midday nap, scratching her belly.
Who would look at this and think she's the Tower Master?
I clicked my tongue and hopped lightly onto the bed, shoving my face right up to hers.
"Kyaong."
Wake up. Play with me.
I stuck out my tongue and licked the sleeping Rosalia's cheek.
Lick. Lick.
"Mmh... nngh..."
Rosalia just furrowed her brow and turned her head. No sign of waking up.
Oh-ho, so you're not getting up, huh?
I relocated to the area around Rosalia's solar plexus, put my full weight on both front paws, and launched into a ferocious round of paw kneading.
Press! Press! Press!
"Kyao! Kyaaang!"
Waaake uuup! I'm booored! Get up and play with me already!
"Ghk...! Ugh...!"
Finally, having taken a direct hit to the solar plexus, Rosalia gasped and her eyes flew open.
"W-what...?"
She bolted upright in alarm, then spotted me sitting on her solar plexus and went blank for a moment.
"...Huh? Lord Blanc?"
"Kyao."
You're up? You really don't wake up easily.
I swished my tail and stared at her. Rosalia scratched her messy hair and let out a little laugh.
"Haha... you startled me. What brings you to my room? And where has Her Highness Kailian gone?"
Rosalia rubbed her eyes, scooped me up onto her lap, and started stroking my back and the nape of my neck with a natural, gentle touch.
"Purrrr..."
Kailian went to work. I got bored, so I came to hang out.
I purred under her hands, gazing at her desk with eyes full of curiosity.
"Kyaong! Kyao!"
Don't you have any fun toys around here? I'm bored. Pull out something interesting.
I pointed at the desk with a front paw and whined. Rosalia caught my meaning and chuckled.
"Aha, so you came looking for me because you were bored? Well, you've come to the Tower Master's room, so I ought to provide something befitting the occasion."
She got up and started rummaging through her desk drawers and the clutter piled on her shelves.
"Hmm... let's see. This one's too dangerous... this one might explode... ah! Found it."
From a small, dust-covered box, Rosalia pulled out a silver wand-shaped magic tool about the size of a finger.
"Kyao?"
What's that?
"Hehe. Just a moment. This is a Visual Amusement Magic Tool I invented back at the Magic Tower, for when I needed to clear my head."
A finger-length silver wand of Rosalia's own invention
Projects a darting crimson light beam for visual amusement
Click.
Rosalia pressed the tip of the wand and channeled mana into it.
Ziiing—
A crimson beam of light shot from the end of the wand and formed a tiny red dot on the floor.
...Huh? That's it? Just a light?
I snorted at the red dot on the floor.
Whoosh!
Rosalia flicked her wrist, and the red dot darted past my eyes, shooting into the corner of the room in an instant.
"......!"
In that moment, I leaped before I even knew what I was doing, slamming a front paw down where the red dot had been.
"Kyaong."
Missed it.
This... is actually fun?
I swished my tail and locked my eyes on where the red dot had gone.