The Empire's Reception Awaits... Ugh, It's Heavy.
Just a bit more to the imperial reception...
Humph.
It’s heavy.
Am I being pinched?
Every time I breathed in, a suffocating pressure squeezed my chest. I groaned and forced my eyelids open with effort.
White collarbones greeted me right in front of my nose.
And that faint rose scent tickled the tip of my snout.
Ah.
I was now trapped inside the arms of the Empire’s greatest tyrant—Kylian de Rose. She was sleeping soundly, her long legs and arms wrapped around me like a dying deer or a dying tiger, as if I were her most treasured possession.
Let me go already.
There was no escape. My precious belly was being crushed flat by how tightly she held me.
Before my dignity as a magical beast, this was pure asphyxiation.
I wriggled and only managed to free my front two paws.
Annoying. Let me go a little.
I stretched my paws forward to shove her away, but the texture under my soles felt strangely soft.
Warm, plush, with that elastic bounce.
Whoa?
What is this?
My thoughts were half-asleep, so my mind was sluggish. Or maybe it was the instinctive feline instincts of my tiger body. Without realizing it, I pressed down with my toes. Claws hidden, I simply cradled it with the softest jelly of all.
Press.
I let go again.
Press.
Oh, this feels great?
Is it the world’s best latex pillow? Or a drug-soaked cushion?
Each squeeze sent a sticky, elastic vibration up my fingertips that made me want to get addicted right there. Unconsciously, I started a rhythm.
Left paw press, right paw press.
With expert hands, I began kneading in earnest.
“......Mmm~”
At that exact moment, a strange moan drifted down from above my head.
A drowsy, sticky voice still thick with sleep.
“There... it feels good...”
......Eh?
Wait a second.
I froze for a moment and lifted my head.
Right where my fluffy paw had been vigorously kneading—right on top of her white nightgown, a puffy swell rose.
It wasn’t a latex pillow.
It was the imperial princess’s... very intimate and precious...
My mind snapped fully awake. My spine turned ice-cold.
Where exactly am I touching right now?
I hurriedly tried to pull my paw away.
But it was too late.
Kylian’s eyelashes fluttered, and her crimson eyes slowly opened.
Her gaze alternated between my paw and her own chest, then finally locked onto mine.
Game over.
I was doomed.
“Blanc.”
But her reaction was nothing like what I expected.
A dreamy smile bloomed at the corner of her lips.
Instead of anger, she cupped my paw in her hand and pulled it even deeper against her chest.
“Do more.”
“......?”
“It’s cool... keep going...”
Is this woman not herself in her sleep? Or does she have some weird tastes?
She rubbed my jelly-like paw pads against her soft skin and let out a satisfied sigh.
“It wasn’t a dream.”
She pressed a kiss to my forehead.
The soft press of her lips made every hair on my body stand on end.
“Your Highness! It’s time to wake up!”
At that moment, the trembling voice of the head maid came from outside the bedroom door.
Kylian’s expression instantly returned to its usual cold blankness. The temperature difference was obvious. She released my paw with a sticky reluctance.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and the head maid and personal attendants entered carrying morning water.
Every single one of their faces was deathly pale, as if they had been dragged to the slaughterhouse.
That was no exaggeration—the imperial princess’s mornings always began in a bloodbath, according to everyone.
Because of her insomnia, she hadn’t slept properly all night. By morning, her irritability exploded like a volcano. Even the slightest mismatch in water temperature or a curtain being drawn too loudly would send her hurling objects.
Another round of chaos today, it seemed.
I prepared to watch like popcorn or hay. Let’s see just how grand this tyrant’s morning tantrum would be.
One maid pulled the curtains open, trembling.
Swish.
Morning sunlight poured into the room.
“......!”
The maids collectively gasped. The sunlight had stabbed straight into Kylian’s eyes.
Normally she would have screamed like “It’s blinding! Tear the curtains!” right then.
“The weather’s nice.”
Kylian narrowed her eyes and murmured lazily.
“......What?”
The head maid’s ears twitched in disbelief. She looked like she thought she had misheard.
“It’s nice out. We’ll have breakfast in the garden today.”
“Y-Your Highness? Is there somewhere... uncomfortable...?”
“My head’s clear.”
Kylian sat up from the bed and stretched. A loud cracking sound echoed from her bones, but her face looked refreshingly bright.
“How long has it been? I haven’t slept this well in years.”
Her gaze shifted to the crumpled figure in the corner of the bed.
“It’s all thanks to you, Blanc.”
She scooped me up and tucked me into her arms.
The maids stood there with jaws dropped, staring at the scene in utter confusion.
The usually emotionless imperial princess was sending gooey, honey-like eyes at a little fluffy ball. Was the world ending? Or was I still dreaming?
“What are you doing? Blanc’s hungry. Hurry and get ready.”
Kylian’s icy glare finally snapped the maids out of their daze. They scrambled into action at lightning speed.
“Yes, Your Highness! We’ll prepare it right away!”
The morning of the princess palace began with a miracle-like peace.
Princess Palace Garden.
I sat elegantly on Kylian’s lap, savoring breakfast.
The menu: fresh goat milk and smoked salmon, just prepared.
This taste is why you keep a butler.
I clamped down on a salmon fillet with my front paws and tore into it. The salty, savory flavor exploded across my tongue.
Kylian was busy wiping the milk that had dribbled onto her own meal.
“Eat a lot. Otherwise you won’t grow big.”
My body was already tiny.
But I didn’t correct her. Accepting things as they are is the master’s virtue. I was full, warm, and there was nothing in the world to envy.
Thump, thump, thump!
Heavy, rumbling footsteps echoed from the garden entrance.
The maids panicked, trying to block the path.
“Crown Prince Damian! The imperial princess is having her meal right now!”
“Get out of the way! I’ll check with my own eyes!”
Crown Prince?
My ears perked up.
Crown Prince Damian de Rose.
The older brother in the original novel who clashed with the imperial princess over power. The most inflexible person imaginable—a walking rulebook. Here he comes.
“Kylian!”
The garden doors burst open with a thunderous bang.
Golden hair, sharp blue eyes. A statue-like handsome man with deep lines between his brows strode in.
Armed knights followed right behind him in a wave.
Hey, dusty one.
Invading the palace while people are eating? This is the manners of someone who swallows their food whole.
Kylian didn’t even set her fork down. She simply flicked her head in annoyance.
“What’s with the morning noise, brother? Ruining my appetite.”
“Are you choking on your food? I heard rumors that you went completely mad.”
Damian marched up to the table, his blue eyes widening when he spotted me on Kylian’s lap.
“Hah! It really is true. You let a magical beast into the palace.”
He pointed straight at me.
“Clear that thing away immediately! You can’t smell the mana radiating from the northern magical beast? No matter how much you want to do as you please, you can’t threaten the safety of the imperial palace!”
Magical beast? Who are you calling a magical beast?
My mood instantly soured. The flavor of the smoked salmon vanished. I set the fish down and glared at Damian. Me? A magical beast? I’m this cute.
“That needs to be disposed of right now. Knights! What are you doing? Remove that beast!”
“Who decides?”
Kylian slammed her knife onto the table with a loud crack.
Clang!
The plates shattered with a crash. A sudden wave of killing intent swept through the garden as Kylian’s eyes turned blood-red.
Black mana swirled around her like mist.
“If you touch something that’s mine, I’ll cut off that wrist.”
“Go ahead and try. As the Empire’s crown prince, it’s my duty to eliminate this dangerous magical beast!”
The atmosphere had turned icy.
At this rate, a real sword fight was about to break out. Sibling rivalry with a tiger on the loose. The knights and maids shivered, only daring to watch.
Sigh, this place is really something. Let’s just eat our meal in peace, humans.
I should step in.
I let out a long sigh. Honestly, that crown prince was the worst, but I didn’t want Kylian to go into a rage and actually kill him.
Plus, choking on food was the worst thing ever.
I carefully lifted my body and leaped onto the table.
Thud.
Light landing.
The gazes of the two brothers locked onto me at the same time.
I walked with pride across the table and stopped right in front of Damian. He flinched and took a step back.
“D-don’t come any closer! I know you’re a wicked magical beast! I’ll cut you down if you attack!”
Wicked magical beast?
Yeah, I’ll show you. The terror of the white tiger. I’ll stop your heart.
I fixed my stare on his sternum and gathered power in my back legs.
Spring!
I leaped like a coil and clung to his dress shirt.
No claws out. I used my fluffy paw to firmly grab his cravat.
“Waaaaah! Let go! T-this beast!”
Damian panicked and flailed his arms. He swore he would cut me down but couldn’t even pull his sword. Pathetic.
I clung stubbornly and even crawled up to his shoulder. Then I pressed my muzzle to his ear and let out a low rumble.
“Golgolgol...”
“......?”
Damian’s movements froze.
The soft fur against his ear.
The warm breath tickling inside his ear and the vibration of my purr song.
This inflexible crown prince had probably never been touched by any animal his entire life—only sword training and studying.
His brain circuits had clearly shut down from the first-ever soft, warm living creature’s surprise attack.
“Kyuu?”
Relax already. I’m this cute.
I rested my chin on his shoulder and rubbed my cheek against his.
Damian’s face flushed like a perfectly ripe tomato. His breathing grew ragged.
“Y-you... shameless...”
He tried to pull me off, but he couldn’t bring himself to grab my fluffy hair and just hovered his hand in the air. It was obvious he was worried that if he squeezed too hard, I might pop. He called me a magical beast with his mouth but was being honest with his body.
“What are you doing?!”
At that moment, Kylian screamed in jealous fury.
“That’s my Blanc! Who dares put it on your shoulder? Put it down right now!”
Kylian rushed over like lightning and snatched me from Damian’s shoulder.
She gave my butt a few playful pats and hugged me tight against her chest. Poor butler...
“It’s dirty. How dare you dirty my tiger?”
“......Hah?”
Damian’s mouth fell open in shock.
Just moments ago he was ready to kill me, calling me a magical beast, and now he’s jealous because I got taken away?
Even I thought that was ridiculous. How much worse must his reaction be?
“Go away. Blanc might get indigestion.”
Kylian waved her hand dismissively.
Damian touched his shoulder with a dazed expression. The spot where I had been moments ago. His eyes were swirling. It was a critical hit.
“......I’ll keep watching. I’ll check every day, so remember that!”
Are you crazy? Stay away!
It’s my heart! I’ll monitor you with the crown prince’s authority!
Damian turned and stormed off, grumbling.
I watched as the corner of his mouth twitched, and he discreetly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his cheek—the one I had rubbed—while pretending to check for dust.
That guy got caught too.
I flashed a victorious smile from inside Kylian’s arms.
All the imperial nobles of this empire clearly carry the weak gene for fluffy balls. No need to suppress them with force. Just a little rub and it’s over.
“Blanc, even you. Don’t rub your tail against anyone. You’re mine.”
Kylian pinched my cheek with jealousy and grumbled.
It hurts. Be gentler.
My jelly-cheeked cheeks hurt.
Seeing her jealous face was kind of cute.
But since I liked her jealousy, I playfully bit her finger with a sharp “Anh”.
A sigh of relief spread through the garden like spring wind.
It was another peaceful morning in the princess palace. Of course, my belly was the only exception. I still had to finish that salmon.