A Purring Back Massage for the Emperor
The Emperor’s private office, the Sun Chamber, always weighed down like a solid lump of iron.
Unlike its name, it was the coldest and most solemn space in the imperial palace. Ornate gold leaf and marble floors exuded imperial majesty, yet not a trace of human warmth could be found here.
Creak.
The heavy door swung open with a protest. In perfect time, Princess Kylian stepped inside cautiously.
“I greet Your Majesty from my father.”
“…You have come.”
From behind a mountain of sealed documents, an exhausted voice answered.
Scratch. Scratch. The only sound breaking the silence was the sharp nib of a quill scraping across paper.
I peeked out from behind Kylian’s legs and inhaled the air of the room.
Mmm.
Cold, metallic scent. Bitter aroma of high-grade ink. And most of all…
Ugh, it vibrates. It really vibrates.
I wrinkled my nose. It was the reek of endless overtime—the kind that clung to your clothes for days.
I slinked out from between Kylian’s legs and approached the desk.
From up close, the state of the Empire’s true ruler, Emperor Karsion, was pitiful.
He had surely been feasting on the miracle meat I had prepared. No corpse in sight.
Had he pushed himself that hard to defeat a miracle?
His silver hair had lost its luster and looked dull. Dark circles stretched from beneath his eyes all the way to his jaw.
Deep lines furrowed his brow, proving he had not slept a proper wink.
*Grind…*
Karsion unconsciously gripped the back of his neck and twisted. The vertebrae gave a sickening pop.
This was no ordinary fatigue. His trapezius muscles were so locked up they might as well have turned to granite.
*Kyuuuh…*
They said the people would be at ease when the tiger labored, but this was excessive.
My corporate-salary-fatigue sensitivity was about to snap.
If he kept this up, a herniated disc was inevitable, and the Empire’s administration would grind to a halt.
Tsk tsk. Now how was I supposed to fulfill my role as his precious snack supplier?
I clicked my tongue. Even if he was a terrifying, strict emperor, he had to stay healthy or my palace life would collapse.
It was time for the ultimate hyper-specialized treatment from the apex predator.
I planted my short legs firmly on the ground.
Thud.
*Kyut!*
“Blanc?!”
Kylian let out a tiny scream, but I had already launched myself across the floor. I used the nearby office chair as a springboard and leapt once more.
Target: the backrest of the massive jade throne on which the emperor sat. I landed lightly on it, then slid without hesitation down to his back.
Emperor, you big lug!
In the narrow gap between the emperor’s broad back and the chair’s high backrest, I squeezed my roughly ten-kilogram body into the cozy space.
“……?”
Karsion’s quill stopped mid-stroke. The unfamiliar warmth pressing against his shoulders felt like a soft, heavy, fluffy mass. Those front paws placed themselves on his shoulders with a gentle thump.
“What…?”
*Kyuu!*
Master, I’m your butler. I’ll fix you right up.
Karsion frowned and tried to turn, clearly planning to remove the clingy little monster. But I refused to let him.
Hmph, butler, stay still. This is all for you.
I settled into position, lifted both front paws onto his shoulders, stretched my toes, and—after a quick, subtle reveal of my hidden claws—unleashed the real paw kneading technique.
Squeeze.
“……!”
Karsion’s entire body trembled.
The soft pink gel of my paw pads sank deep into the granite-hard trapezius muscles.
It was not a simple press. I concentrated weight, paused, then followed the muscle fibers in a twisting, pulling motion of expert technique.
Left paw—squeeze. Right paw—squeeze.
“T-this is… what are you doing…”
Karsion was flustered. He should have thrown me off, but for some reason his arms refused to move.
Warm…
The baby white tiger’s high body temperature against his back was slowly warming the cold metal of his body. And every time those cotton-ball paws kneaded, the blood pressure that had been spiking to his head plummeted like it had been lying.
Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze.
It was not painful. It was not ticklish. It was the perfect pressure that pierced the clogged vessels.
“Mmm…”
A suppressed groan escaped Karsion’s throat. It was not from pain—it was the deep sigh of relief.
The emperor stopped resisting.
Instead, he set his quill on the desk. He released the stiffness in his neck, leaned back fully, and entrusted his entire body to my gel.
He sank deep into the backrest. Eyes closed, he let his breathing sync with the rhythm of the baby tiger.
*Grrrrrrung…*
My tiny purring song from my chest spread like a lullaby around his ears. The sound instantly erased the gnawing stress and worries that had been eating away at his brain.
Yes, that’s it. You’ve got to let go. You’ve been working so hard feeding me meat every day, so this is just right.
You’ve been pushing yourself hard. Now take a moment to rest.
I kicked off with even more energy.
I focused on the knotted spots between his shoulder blades. Ten kilograms was the perfect weight for a massage. Not too light, not too heavy.
Kylian, watching from the side, stood frozen with wide eyes.
Her eyes bulged as if in disbelief.
No way… Father is… just letting it happen?
Even though Father removes his liver and gallbladder for me, at work he is the most logical person in the Empire. Yet here he is, offering his shoulders to Blanc and lying completely vulnerable. And he even looks… perfectly at ease.
A strange emotion rose in Kylian’s chest—relief mixed with a thick, heavy jealousy.
‘Disgusting…’
He had always treated her with icy indifference whenever she tried to approach. Yet he was giving his back to Blanc like this.
Was it because she was his daughter, or because he was jealous of Blanc who had stolen the position?
I also… I also want paw kneading… I also want to get close to Father…
Just as Kylian was sticking out her lips and shooting jealous glances at me, I felt the emperor was ready to finish.
I rubbed my wet nose against his ear and gave him one last *pakk* lick. This was the VIP ultra-affection service reserved only for special customers. Without hesitation, I slid off his shoulders and landed with a bounce on top of the pile of documents.
*Kyung!*
Cool, right? Now you’ll feel better, won’t you?
I sat with my rear on the desk, tail swishing lazily as I looked up at him.
“……Hoo.”
Karsion slowly opened his eyes.
The exhausted breath he had been holding finally left him. The heavy lump of headache that had crushed him every day had vanished as if washed away. His vision cleared, and his head felt light.
He habitually rolled his shoulders once. No *crack*—only a smooth, lubricated sensation.
“Amazing.”
Karsion muttered. He touched his shoulder once, then looked at the fluffy white ball sitting in front of him with its arrogant expression.
Finally,
He smiled.
The corners of his tightly closed mouth softened.
It was not a cold smile, nor a sarcastic sneer. It was a genuine, disarmed smile—like a grandfather watching his cute grandson perform a trick, or a boy who had finally laid down his heavy burdens.
“Thank you. It’s… refreshing.”
Karsion reached out with his big, rough hand and gently stroked my small head.
*Kyuu-bubub…*
The coarse yet tender touch ruffled my cheeks, producing an odd sound.
The icy chill that had always lingered in his blue eyes was gone. Only warm warmth remained.
The emperor who had always carried a heavy burden on his chest no matter where I sat now looked more comfortable than anyone else.
“……Hic.”
At that moment, Kylian standing beside him froze like stone, forgetting even to breathe. Her pupils shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck.
At this… Father is… smiling so comfortably?
Was she seeing things? Was she hallucinating? She had never seen such a relaxed expression on her father after that day.
Kylian’s limbs went limp with shock. The man who had smiled so kindly was her father?
Cognitive dissonance made her head spin. She stood rigid, mouth slightly open.
“A-Abbama…?”
“Hm?”
Still scratching my chin, Karsion turned to his daughter with a beaming smile.
“Why are you standing there like that, Kylian? Did something happen?”
“U-um… well…”
Kylian backed away. The father she had always feared was now looking at her with such a relaxed face. Her immunity collapsed, and her face flushed bright red.
“N-nothing! I-I’ll just…!”
She bowed her head and tried to flee. But the corners of her eyes trembled. It was not fear. It was the strange relief of a daughter who had finally witnessed the kind, loving father she had longed for.
I yawned while staring alternately at the dumbfounded Kylian and the emperor who looked in high spirits.
‘Well, at least it was worth it.’
I rubbed my head against Karsion’s hand. Come on, the service is over—time for a tip?
Karsion, having read my intention perfectly, smiled at the corner of his mouth and opened the drawer. Inside lay the Emperor’s secret stash of the finest jerky.
The Empire’s mornings had always been hard. But in the Emperor’s private office, a warm, slightly awkward spring breeze was blowing—warmer and more unusual than ever.