Getting My Little Brother's Attitude Under Control
I had polished off the remaining jinjer beef jerky and saved the rest for later. Now I sat at the table to finish my meal.
The maids had brought me a brand-new chair, so I sank into it and gave the fork its first real test.
'... I used to use it all the time.'
The fork felt completely alien in my hand now.
Holding it made my tail wag on its own.
I had always felt awkward with spoon-only meals, but maybe this would work out fine.
“Eat up.”
“……?”
Suddenly two hands slid right into my armpits, and I rocketed straight into the air.
Princess Kailian lifted me effortlessly and deposited me right on her lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
Kailian casually snatched the fork right out of my grip.
“Why! I grew my fingers! I can feed myself!”
I grumbled and squirmed in protest, but she just chuckled and ruffled my hair.
'... I wonder what I actually ate wrong this time.'
She never used to do this before. Why now?
“Our Blanc. Still not used to your fingers yet? Let me feed you. Here, ah~”
She speared a chunk of steak with the stolen fork and brought it right to my mouth.
“Kyuu! What am I, a baby? Let me eat it myself!”
I tried to yank my head away, but the savory scent and the warm drip of juice had already made my mouth open before I could stop it.
“Ah…”
As soon as the meat touched my tongue, every ounce of irritation vanished.
I obediently chewed in Kailian’s arms.
“Good job, Blanc. Eating so well.”
While I chewed she kept petting my hair and scratching behind my ears, readying the next bite.
'... Feeding me isn’t so bad, after all.'
I gave up the fight, leaned back against her soft chest, and started devouring the meat she offered.
“Urrruung…”
Contentment bubbled up in the form of a deep purr.
'... I feel great.'
Squeak—.
At that exact moment the huge dining-room door swung open and Lumia and Gumiho walked in hand in hand.
“Oh my, Princess Kailian. Already eating…?”
Gumiho had started to greet her when she spotted Blanc sitting on Kailian’s lap eating. She stopped mid-sentence.
“……?”
Lumia’s eyes went round as she stared at me.
“Mama, who is that boy? Is he Kailian-unnie’s little brother?”
The two of them had no idea the fluffy white tiger cub had turned into a silver-haired boy with tiger ears and tail. They just stood frozen at the doorway, utterly confused.
Gumiho tilted her head, then suddenly remembered something was off. She carefully pulled a glowing blue fox bead from her pocket.
The moment she scanned me through the bead, her eyes widened in pure shock.
“Th-this… Blanc?”
“Eh?! That’s Blanc-oppa?!”
Lumia squealed and bounced between Blanc and Gumiho.
The two of them rushed over to the table with wide, unbelieving eyes.
“Op-pa! You’re really Blanc-oppa?!”
Lumia scampered straight over, stepped onto a maid-prepared chair, and planted both hands on my cheeks.
“Pok. Pok.”
“Kyuu…! Don’t poke me while I’m eating! I almost bit my tongue!”
I frowned and swatted her hand away, but Lumia’s eyes sparkled with wonder.
“Wow! Your voice is a little different, but your scent is still Op-pa! Did you really become a person?!”
“… Could be because I’m a divine beast, but it’s amazing.”
Gumiho stepped closer, gently flicked my ear, and covered her mouth with her sleeve.
“… Sudden change surprised me, but you’re really adorable.”
“It said to stay in this form temporarily during the growth period.”
I swallowed the soft potato puree Kailian was feeding me and answered without missing a beat.
After dinner, my stuffed belly led me out to the Princess’s Palace garden.
The warmest patch of sunlight was at the center of the grass. I flopped onto my belly and stretched out.
Even with a human body, I couldn’t give up sunbathing after meals.
“Kyuuuuum… Urrruung.”
I purred happily, eyes drifting shut.
My belly was full, so nothing in the world could make me feel jealous.
'... I like it here too. Clean air, good food, people I like, and Mom and Grandpa are only a dream away anyway.'
I just get bored sometimes.
Scribble, scribble.
Small footsteps on the grass announced someone approaching from the side. I cracked one eye open—Lumia had plopped down right next to me, tail wagging.
“Op-pa.”
She sniffed right by my face like a puppy.
“Smell. Even after seeing you I still can’t believe it. You really became a person.”
Her gaze then drifted to my tail behind me.
“But why is this still here?”
Tug.
She grabbed the fluffy tail with both hands and started poking it curiously.
“Ah, stop! It tickles.”
I flicked it away with a grumble.
'... Being human makes it a little less sensitive, but still feels weird.'
Especially the tingly sensation Kailian had given me earlier when she scratched behind my ear.
Lumia pouted, then lay down beside me and stared at the sky.
“But Op-pa, you can’t go back to your original form at all, right?”
“Not at all. Once the growth period passes and I settle down, I can change back whenever I want.”
I answered lazily, and Lumia’s face lit up instantly.
“Really?! Yay, that’s great!”
“What? You think my current look is bad?”
'... Is my current look kinda ugly?'
Kailian and Grandpa both like it, though.
Even I think I look pretty good. Why is my little brother reacting so lukewarm?
Lumia just grinned cheerfully.
“Not that. Op-pa’s belly is so fluffy I sleep on it and sleep so well, but now there’s no belly so I can’t do that anymore.”
“… Belly?”
'... She’s treating me like a pillow?'
I couldn’t stop the laugh that escaped.
I was about to scold her when I suddenly raised my hand.
Thwack!
“Ow!”
My hard slap landed right on her narrow forehead.
“Waaaa! It hurts! Why are you hitting me all of a sudden?!”
Lumia clutched her red forehead with both hands, eyes watering as she glared at me resentfully.
Her puffed-out cheeks were comically round.
“This is where you get pillow treatment!”
“Tsk… Op-pa is so mean! You sleep on my face every day! Today you slapped me!”
Lumia pouted and grumbled, but she still stayed glued to my side, tail wagging happily.
After rolling around on the grass with Lumia, my stomach started rumbling.
'... Growth period must have made me hungry.'
I had eaten a full meal just moments ago, yet my belly was already growling.
'... How does it get this hungry just to grow?'
Do the cells in my body that love delicious food grow faster?
Gurgle.
The little growl from my stomach made me slip the tail out of my mouth and turn my head.
I looked at Kailian sipping tea with perfect grace.
‘Butler, time to keep your promise.’
The second my eyes signaled her, Kailian quietly set her teacup down.
Then she smiled.
“Got it, got it. Our pig’s digestion really is fast. I’ll bring the delicious snack right away. Just wait nicely until then.”
She stood up and asked Gumiho beside her.
“Could you take care of Blanc and Lumia for a bit? Don’t let them cause any trouble.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Please go enjoy yourselves.”
As Gumiho watched Kailian walk away, she stood and approached us slowly.
“It’s too sunny. Let’s go to the cool shade.”
Gumiho spread her arms and easily lifted both me and Lumia.
“Waaah!”
Lumia squeaked as soon as she was in Gumiho’s arms, shrinking back into her little fox form and snuggling against her mother’s neck.
I didn’t fight it either and simply settled comfortably against one of Gumiho’s arms.
Being cared for feels good no matter what form I wear.
... My body is definitely bigger than Kailian’s.
What do I say?
Gumiho feels a lot like Mom.
Gumiho wrapped her massive tail around me, warm and soft.
I couldn’t stop myself from wiggling my fingers and clutching the tail that enveloped me.
As I stroked along the fur, a deep drowsiness crept in.
Gumiho gently brushed my hair and asked in a soft voice.
“Blanc.”
“Hm? What?”
“Now that you’re in a human body, is there anything you want to do?”
Her completely unexpected question made me rest my chin on my hand and think.
'... Hmm. Things I want to do as a person.'
Nothing immediately came to mind.
... Ah!
I snapped my eyes open and looked at her.
“Ah, a letter.”
“Hm?”
“I want to write a letter.”
I need to write to Mom and Grandpa.
I wonder if they’ll like it?