Our Nephew
Tap, tap.
Kailian stared quietly at the transparent glass case resting on the table.
Multiple layers of sealing magic circles had been densely engraved across the glass surface, emitting a faint blue glow.
The black scale sealed inside it bothered her more than anything else.
Just what in the world is that thing?
Kailian’s sharp eyes narrowed.
The mad woman… even at the moment when my blade sliced her arm clean off, she still struggled with everything she had just to make sure that cursed scale touched Blanc.
No matter how she thought about it, it could never be an ordinary object.
If that ominous scale had actually come into contact with Blanc, a nightmare she never wanted to imagine would have unfolded, and the thought sent a chill racing down Kailian’s spine.
Creak… phew…
Kailian gently turned her head, and there, sprawled flat on his back in the middle of the bed, was Blanc.
White drool dripped from the corner of his mouth as his small, bright red tongue lolled out slightly. He slept peacefully, utterly defenseless and heartbreakingly adorable.
Seeing that vulnerable, devastatingly cute sight, the cold glint in Kailian’s eyes slowly melted into something warm and gentle.
Softly.
She crept forward without a sound, then carefully brushed the drool from Blanc’s chin with her fingertips. After that, she pressed a quick kiss to his fluffy cheek.
Smack.
Umm… kyaaa…
Blanc made a happy noise in his sleep, wiggling his little paws as if chasing a dream.
Kailian let out a soft, stifled chuckle.
She tucked the thick blanket up to his chin with the utmost care, worried he might catch a cold, then stood and quietly lifted her sword from the floor. She left the room without waking him, footsteps silent as a whisper.
Creak… squeak.
With a sound of rusting iron, the heavy dungeon door swung open, revealing the damp, foul-smelling underground prison where the scent of old blood and mold hung thick in the air.
“Your Highness! You’ve come!”
The soldiers guarding the entrance snapped to attention, faces pale with shock, and bowed deeply in unison.
Kailian gave a casual nod, then pointed with her chin toward the dark depths of the prison.
“How is the status of that thing?”
Her gaze landed on the southern barbarian chieftain, red hair matted and tangled, hanging limp against the dungeon wall like a beast. Her entire body was wrapped in heavy iron chains and mana-suppressing restraints, so much so that she couldn’t even twitch a finger.
The arm that had been cut off earlier had somehow been hastily reattached by the doctors’ recovery magic.
“She’s unconscious and collapsed… but because she’s so wild, the moment she saw me approaching to treat her, she bared her fangs and tried to bite. There’s no other word for it—she’s a pure mad dog.”
At the soldier’s trembling report, Kailian let out a cold laugh.
Heh, a mad dog, huh?
She kicked the prison door open without hesitation and strode straight inside.
She kicked over the massive water bucket in the corner, then dumped a bucket of ice-cold water over the chieftain’s head.
Glug—!
The barbarian chieftain’s eyes snapped open, coughing up a mouthful of bloody, dirty water from the shock of the freezing deluge.
Her gaze, still hazy, quickly focused on Kailian standing with arms crossed right in front of her.
The moment she recognized Kailian, the chieftain’s expression twisted with humiliation and despair. She immediately squeezed her eyes shut again.
Thud—!
Kuhhhraaah—!
Kailian’s heavy boot slammed down on the chieftain’s chest without mercy. Ribs cracked audibly, and the barbarian howled, eyes rolling back as she spat a spray of blood and bile.
“Who the hell told you to close your eyes? Open them!”
Kailian grabbed a fistful of the barbarian’s fiery red hair and yanked her head back.
Cough, cough…! Ugh…
“That black scale… where the hell did you get it?”
…
The chieftain clamped her mouth shut so tightly blood trickled from her lips.
“Don’t count on my patience. If you keep silent and refuse to talk, the moment I return to the palace, I’ll lead the Imperial Knights and slaughter every single member of your tribe—from the babies to the elders.”
Realizing Kailian meant every word, the chieftain’s eyes began to tremble violently.
I’m the one who’ll die here anyway, but I can’t let my tribe perish with me…
Haa… haa…
In the end, she gave up and closed her eyes, voice cracking as she spoke through gritted teeth.
“We… don’t even know who that monster was.”
“Don’t know?”
“He was completely covered in black robes. No face, no mana signature… nothing.”
The chieftain continued, lips still shaking.
“He only said that if the scale came into direct contact with a divine beast’s body, the empire would be completely wiped out. He promised to give our tribe all the empty land the empire loses once it falls.”
Kailian snorted in disbelief and looked down at her with contempt.
“You believed a random guy who didn’t even know who he was? You declared full-scale war on the empire over some half-baked, stupid reason like that? And you threw your precious warriors into the meat grinder as disposable shields?”
The sneer and contempt in Kailian’s voice made the chieftain’s bloodshot eyes flash with rage. She glared up at her.
“You empire pigs who sleep warm in your bellies and eat your fill, how could you ever understand our suffering?!”
The chieftain’s voice rose, blood vessels bulging in her neck.
“We were already at our limit! The land turned black and died for no reason, and the hunting grounds have been barren for ages!”
A tear of bitter despair fell from her eye.
“Better to watch my entire tribe starve to death in silence than this!”
…
Kailian slowly released the chieftain’s throat and stepped back.
She watched the barbarian’s heaving chest in silence, expression unreadable—whether it was fury, pity, or pure exhaustion, no one could tell.
Yet no matter the reason, this woman had aimed for the precious Blanc and invaded, killing countless people across the empire.
“Your fate will be decided by His Majesty the Emperor when we return to the palace. Until then, keep your mouth shut and don’t die. Just live and behave yourself.”
Kailian turned away coldly and left the prison, footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Clang, creak.
Behind the heavy iron door that slammed shut, the barbarian chieftain’s suppressed sobs of despair rang out coldly in the empty darkness.
…
Umm… kyaaa…
Cool, clean air brushed the tip of her nose.
And the soft, satisfying crunch of snow beneath her tiny paws.
I blinked, rubbed my eyes, and slowly sat up.
Now I was back in the snowy mountain—my second home—where Grandpa and Mom were waiting.
I stretched lazily, tail wagging like a little propeller.
Kyaaaarm…
Where’s Grandpa…?
I half-closed my eyes and called out for him.
Kyaa…?
Where did Grandpa go?
Swish, swish…
Just as I called his name, enormous presences surrounded me from every direction.
Not just one or two.
Thousands of massive auras—like entire mountain ranges—encircled me in a perfect circle.
I snapped my eyes open in surprise.
Kyaa, kyaaauk…?!
Golden, silver, and blue eyes stared down at me from every side, blazing with power.
… What is this?
Grandpa and Mom aren’t the only ones here… are all the other white tigers?
I hopped in place, fur standing on end, body puffing up like cotton candy from the shock.
Uoooooo! I’m awake!!
Finally our youngest one has woken up!!
The white tigers suddenly burst into a frenzy of cheers and noise.
Kuuu, look at that! The way he jumped when he was startled—how adorable!
His fur’s all puffed up!
…Huh?
Big Brother! Can I just poke our little one once?
Insane! Would you even dare put dirty paws on our little one?! You’ll get scratched! Just look with your eyes!
… The cub is so cute.
I watched in a daze as dozens of enormous white tigers chattered among themselves, showering me with praise.
… Did I drink too much?
Maybe I did. It had to be a dream.
… Kyaa?
Feeling shy and bewildered, I sat down on the snow, covered my eyes with my paws, and waited for the scene to end.