The Grandnephew’s Warm Welcome
"……."
Dozens of enormous white tigers hemmed him in on every side, sealing off every possible gap. Countless eyes were locked on him, and him alone.
...Okay, this is actually way too much.
Blanc eased his front paws apart just a crack and peeked through the gap, stealing furtive glances at the crowd around him.
I'm going to lose it... I know they mean well, but I can't even look at them. This is so embarrassing.
Cold sweat beaded on his forehead and trickled down. Every last one of them was swaying a tail at him, gazing at him with naked affection—but being stared down by bodies that size was awkward and terrifying in equal measure.
Grandpa... Grandpa, where did you go? And where's Mom?!
He clapped his paws over his eyes, trembling, and whipped his head this way and that. He needed his sturdy shields, and he needed them now.
"You lot... I told you to greet him, not scare my son half to death."
A voice he had never been happier to hear rose from behind the wall of white tigers.
Mom!!
"Blanc, my baby. Come here."
His mother, in human form, slipped through the tigers and opened her arms to him, calling him with the gentlest warmth.
"Kyaaaaauuung—!!"
Mommm!!
He flung his paws away from his eyes, shoved off the ground, and launched himself into the air.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
He sailed through empty space and landed perfectly, sinking straight into the waiting circle of her arms.
"Purrrr... kyauu..."
Mom, I thought I was going to die of awkwardness.
He buried his face deep against her chest and wound his tail around her wrist, cinching it tight.
"Hehehe... Aigoo, my baby. You were really startled, weren't you?"
She sounded delighted by the clinginess. Laughter spilled out of her as she stroked the crown of his head, then patted his back with a soft hand and murmured close to his ear.
"There's nothing to be frightened of. Every one of these fellows here is our clan. Your relatives. So you don't need to be scared at all."
"...Kyau?"
Relatives?
At that, he twisted his face just enough to peek out from her chest and sneak a sidelong look at the white tigers around them.
"……."
"……."
Dozens of white tigers, thoroughly scolded a moment ago, were now looking extremely sheepish, darting glances at one another. Guilt and apology sat plain on their faces. One had his ears drooping. Another was chewing his own tail, fidgeting in place.
...These guys are actually pretty easy to handle.
Still nestled in his mother's arms, Blanc let out a breath of relief. Anyone that flustered clearly had no intention of hurting him.
Okay, I can unclench a little... Honestly, even if they are my own kind, they were genuinely terrifying.
He uncoiled his tail from her wrist, shifted in her hold, and turned to face the herd head-on. Then he lifted his right front paw, nice and gentle.
"Kyau, kyaung."
Hello, everyone. Sorry I got so startled earlier. Nice to meet you.
He spread the pink jelly pads of his paw wide and waved them left and right in a little greeting.
"......!!!"
"......!!!"
In that instant, dozens of giant white tigers blew their eyes so wide they looked ready to pop straight out of their sockets.
"Kh-khhaaaagh!!"
"H-he greeted us!! Our baby of the clan just waved his paw at us!!"
"Ahh... what do kids that age even like...? Should I tear out an immortal's heart for him...?"
What was that last one... I don't eat things that look like people.
A roar of cheers and sobbing burst out loud enough to bring the Snowy Mountain down. One tiger, overcome, started rolling around in the snowfield. Another grabbed the tiger next to him and wailed into his fur.
Watching the white tigers make complete fools of themselves, Blanc felt the last of his wariness and tension melt away.
They're not that different from my butlers, actually...
Honestly, this level of fussing was a routine he'd already gotten used to.
A little more settled among them now, he hummed under his breath and hopped down from his mother's arms.
Softly.
"Kyaung~ kyau."
He trotted across the snow, tail swaying in a good mood, and headed for the white tiger watching him from closest by.
"......!!"
"Kyaung."
Hello there.
The moment Blanc approached first, the tiger sucked in a sharp breath and froze solid, stiff as a boulder. Blanc tipped his head all the way back to look up at that mountain of a face.
"Kyau."
You're huge... Am I going to get this big too?
He cocked his head and stretched out a front paw, setting it lightly on top of the tiger's enormous one.
Tap.
"...Hh, nngh...!!"
The instant Blanc's paw settled on his, the tiger's pupils shuddered as if an earthquake had gone off behind them. The second that small, soft warmth touched him, his whole body locked up as if he'd been paralyzed.
...He didn't actually pass out, right?
Blanc was still tilting his head, checking on him, when a laugh exploded behind him.
"Pffhah..."
His mother, who had been watching, clearly couldn't hold it in any longer.
"That's enough, Blanc. At this rate the poor thing's going to drop dead of a heart attack."
She came over, gently took him by the scruff, and gathered him back into her arms.
"Blanc, my lovely baby."
A thick note of regret colored her voice.
"This mother of yours, and all your uncles here... If it were up to our hearts, we'd keep you on this Snowy Mountain, hold you and pet you every single day, and stay with you for a long, long time."
She nuzzled her nose against the top of his head.
"But you still have time you must spend in the world below, and we can't keep you here for long either. It's a shame, but... I think today we'll have to content ourselves with introducing you to the clan and exchanging greetings."
"Kyauung......"
I see. I have to go back already?
It was a little disappointing, but this was a dream anyway. He could always see them again.
He nodded, then turned toward the tiger still floundering, unable to climb out of the sensation of that tiny paw.
Blanc stuck his rump back, lined up his front paws neatly, and dipped his head in a proper little bow of farewell.
"Kyaung, kyau."
I'll come play again. See you then.
"Yes. Let's see each other again."
"Our baby even has manners..."
"Babyyyy!! You have to come back!! This uncle will pull the Black Tortoise's shell and wait for you!!"
The white tigers' wailing and cheering stabbed the sky, loud enough to bring the mountain down. Watching them wave at him with tears and snot running freely, Blanc huffed out a little laugh.
They were huge, every last one of them—but on the inside they were as soft as the pads of his own paws.
"Hehe. We'll see each other again, my treasure."
His mother pressed her lips to his ear and whispered it, warm and fond.
"Mmrph...... kyaaaawn......"
Warmth. The heavy, familiar weight of a blanket. In that pleasant haze of drowsiness, Blanc slowly pushed his eyelids up. He stretched both front paws straight out in front of him and arched his back.
"Kyau, kyaung."
Slept well.
He lifted his head and looked around. An unfamiliar inn ceiling stared back at him.
Huh. Kailian's not here?
The spot where Kailian always slept with him gathered in her arms was empty.
What's going on... She even takes me into meetings in her arms. Where would she go by herself?
He patted the bed with a paw, checking for leftover warmth, but the only heat he found was his own.
He was still cocking his head, rolling around on top of the covers, when—
Bang!
The door flew open, and Kailian strode in.
"Our Blanc, you're finally up? Sleep well?"
"Kyaung."
Butler, where'd you go off to all by yourself.
He rose to meet her, tail beating a happy rhythm—and then her eyes flashed, far fiercer than usual, and she launched herself at the bed at full speed.
"Blanc—!!"
"K-kyau?!"
Wh-what is she doing!
She grabbed him without a word of warning and flipped him flat onto his back. Then, without a single second of hesitation, she buried her face smack in the dead center of his belly.
Nuzzle-nuzzle-nuzzle-nuzzle—!!!
"Nngh... that's it, that's the stuff... haaah, I'm actually going insane..."
With her nose planted in his belly fur, Kailian rubbed her face against him like a woman possessed, dragging in one deep, shameless breath after another.
"Kyaaaaak!! Kyak!!"
What do you think you're doing!! Get off!! Let go!! You pervert butler!!
He kicked at her forehead and nose with his hind legs, rapid-fire.
Thwack-thwack-thwack!!
"Ow, ugh, Blanc! Hold still for a second, just a little more......!"
"Shaaaaaah!!"
Have you lost your mind?! Get off me right now!!
He twisted his whole body and barely wrenched himself free. He bolted to the far corner of the bed, curled into a tight ball, bristled every hair on his body, and hissed.
Why are you taking your stress out on my belly!! You filthy human!!
On the receiving end of that furious hiss, Kailian raked her mussed hair back, looking thoroughly satisfied and refreshed, and let out a long, deep sigh.
"Haaah...... Seriously, I feel like I can live again. My head was about to explode all night, but one whiff of your belly and the fatigue just... gone."
She grinned, adding by way of excuse,
"Sorry, sorry, Blanc. Don't be mad. I saw a lot of ugly things first thing this morning. I needed somewhere to cool my head."
"Kyauung!"
Don't make excuses! You were just indulging yourself!
Even after the apology, his temper refused to settle. He puffed his cheeks out round and lifted his tail, smacking the bedsheet in sharp, irritated little thwacks. A warning: touch him and that paw was going straight across her cheek.
...I'm telling Mom on you later... My butler is bullying me.
Catching that he was well and truly sulking, Kailian let the corner of her mouth curl up.
"Our Blanc is really mad, huh... Looking at you, I guess we can't eat breakfast together. And breakfast is that steak you like, too."
"……."
The tail that had been beating the bed without pause froze on the spot.
Food... If I drop it now, I'll look too easy...
He barely managed to swallow the drool pooling in his mouth.
...I really want to eat, though.
He hadn't touched a single snack yesterday, and his stomach was unusually empty.
He kept his brow furrowed for a long while, putting on a sulk—then, slowly,
he padded out from the corner of the bed and came to stand beside her. Pretending he couldn't help himself, he gave the tip of her finger one small, careful lick.
Lap.
"Kyau."
I'm forgiving you this once. There won't be a second time.
You had to eat to live. Breakfast came first.
...I can always sulk after I've eaten.