The Heavenly Saintess Was Touched by the Compassionate Divine Beast
My gaze drifted toward the teatable nestled in the center of the garden.
There, Princess Kailian and the Saintess Lina sat facing each other, sharing a cup of tea.
Normally I would have wedged myself right between them, munching on cookies and sweets. But not today.
Lina’s serene face was overlaying yesterday’s maniacal expressions. It was almost unfair, even to the gods.
“Kyuaaaa~”
Beneath that tranquil mask, such wicked thoughts… truly, the gods had no mercy.
She sipped her tea at one-minute intervals, darting glances around as if searching for a lost treasure. Her eyes burned with obsessive hunger.
Don’t look. I’m right here, hiding.
I held my breath and flattened myself against the trunk of a tree.
That image from the day Demian and I witnessed Lina’s room had burned itself into my memory and refused to fade.
The fear that gripped me was wrapped in dozens of dolls sewn from my own fur.
“Did you sense the scent of the Divine Beast nearby?”
Why the hell are you sniffing me out like I’m a stray dog?!
“Where are you, Divine Beast? I brought the most delicious meat!”
Lina called for me in the sweetest, most innocent voice imaginable.
My ears twitched instinctively at the word “meat.” I clamped my paw over my muzzle and swallowed it down.
No. That’s bait. The second I eat it, I might get kidnapped.
I tucked my tail and hid even deeper.
“Waaah… I think he’s somewhere around here…”
A note of genuine sadness crept into her voice.
She rose from her seat and wandered the garden. In her hand dangled a piece of fragrant meat and a feather toy.
“Divine Beast? I have the best meat and the funnest toy right here!”
She shook the feather toy back and forth.
Normally I would have pounced and snatched it with my paws. But today was different.
As she drew near, I dashed straight up the opposite tree.
“Eh? Divine Beast!”
Lina spotted me and beamed, racing over with open arms.
“You’re here! Come down! I’ll give you a hug!”
Her sleeves fluttered and the generous swell of her chest looked so comforting.
But to me, they looked like a trap.
“Kyaaak!”
Don’t come near! Get lost! I’m not playing!
I hissed down from the branch. I wasn’t the same fool who had obeyed after seeing that yesterday.
“Eh…?!”
Lina’s face drained of color. She slowly lowered her arms, eyes glistening with hurt.
“Why…? What did I do wrong…? I played with you just fine yesterday…”
Tears welled at the corners of her eyes.
“Am I… no longer to your liking? Because my prayers aren’t enough…? Or does my scent smell bad?”
She lifted her sleeve and sniffed, sniffling.
Watching her, Kailian set her teacup down with an elegant smile.
“Oh my, Saintess, don’t be so heartbroken. Our little Blanc is a bit of a diva, after all. He’s just in one of his moods today.”
She walked beneath the tree and beckoned me.
“Blanc. Come here.”
I leaped down without hesitation the moment she opened her arms.
Plop.
I slid straight into Kailian’s embrace, burying my face in her neck and rubbing my head against her.
“Kyuaaa…”
Butler, this woman is scary. Protect me…
I kept my eyes away from Lina and clutched Kailian’s sleeve tightly.
“Our little Blanc came to Mama, did he? No scratching, okay?”
Kailian stroked my back while holding me, shooting Lina a victorious grin.
The corner of her mouth curled in a smug, knowing smile.
“See? Our Blanc loves me the most. It’s the bond between family, after all.”
In her sidelong glance I caught the unmistakable superiority: *See? You’re just a toy. I’m the real family.*
Butler… don’t provoke her. She’s terrifying…
“Ugh…”
Lina twisted as if I’d punched her in the gut.
On top of the terror I’d already instilled, Kailian’s provocation shattered her.
“I-I only… wanted to get closer to the Divine Beast…”
She bowed her head. The meat and toy in her hands dropped limply to the ground.
“I just wanted to become closer to the Divine Beast… waaah…”
Her shoulders shook. She was genuinely crying.
“Kyuaaa…?”
Hey, she’s really crying…?
I shifted in Kailian’s arms and secretly glanced at Lina.
Slumped shoulders. Head bowed. A pile of discarded meat and toys on the ground.
Anyone would call her a wounded soul.
“Kyua…”
Did I go too far?
Guilt twisted in my chest.
Honestly, Lina was scary and obsessive and a little insane, but she had never tried to harm me directly.
Instead, she had been the most loyal butler, always bringing the finest treats and playing with me.
Seeing her cry like that made my conscience ache.
The room I had seen yesterday was shocking, but she loved me, right?
Was I being too harsh by treating her pure devotion as a crime?
“Kyua…”
…Am I the one making her cry?
I squirmed in Kailian’s arms.
“Huh? What’s wrong, Blanc?”
Kailian looked puzzled, but I wriggled free and padded over to the sobbing Lina.
Even as I approached, she kept her head down, shoulders heaving.
“Waaah… I hate you… but you’re so cute… I hate you… but…”
I stopped at her feet and tapped her robe hem with my paw.
“Kyung.”
Hey, stop crying.
Lina startled and lifted her head.
Her tear-filled eyes reflected me sitting there, tail wagging.
“S-Saintess…?”
“Kyua.”
Just once. Just one hug.
I raised my paw with the most pitiful expression I could manage and set it gently on her knee.
Lina’s face lit up like the sun.
“Blanc-nim…! You came to me? You’ve forgiven me?”
“Kyuaaa~”
Forgiven? I’m your butler.
She pulled me into her arms in a flood of relief.
“Hiiiiing! Thank you! I love you, Blanc-nim! I’ll do better! I’ll bring more snacks and buy every toy!”
She rubbed her cheek against mine, trembling with joy.
Warm body heat. Soft robe. The salty scent of tears.
Not bad at all.
I licked the tears from her cheeks and accepted the embrace.
Kailian muttered something about a traitor behind me, but I ignored it.
While cradled in Lina’s arms, I felt uneasy. She usually stroked my back or head, but now her hands roamed my entire body with obsessive focus.
Stroke. Pat. Pat.
Her left hand glided from my armpit all the way to my toes.
Hmm? Why so ticklish?
Her thumb and middle finger stretched, tracing my spine like measuring length.
Tap. Tap.
Massage?
It felt like she was loosening my knotted muscles. I relaxed into it.
Meanwhile, the Saintess’s mind raced.
*Arm length increased by two centimeters since last time. Chest circumference… about six centimeters grown. Excellent. From neck to tail base… five centimeters longer.*
She hugged me with a happy smile, fingers never stopping their gentle exploration.
“Fufu~ Our little Divine Beast has grown again. You’ve been eating well, haven’t you?”
Her breath tickled my ear.
“Kyua.”
Of course. I eat a ridiculous amount of food.
I wagged my tail, thinking it was a compliment.
*Good. Need to adjust the pattern a bit more. Add two kilograms of stuffing…*
Lina walked around me, carefully stroking the new Blanc I had become.
“Divine Beast, you’re so warm. I’ll never forget this feeling. Thank you so much.”
She gave me a meaningful smile and squeezed my belly once more.
“Haaam… kyuaaa…”
I felt lazy and warm. The sunlight felt nice, and her hug was comforting.
I wish this peace would last… though maybe I should tone down the toy count a little.
Kailian crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at the unnaturally busy hands.
“The Saintess’s hands seem very busy.”
“Huh? Ah, no! I’m just grooming the fur!”
Lina yanked her hands back with an awkward laugh. But her gaze never left me.
Why is she acting like that? What strange thought is she having now?
I slipped back to Kailian and rubbed my head against her.
“Kyung.”
Got it. You get to do head rubs too. No sulking, okay? My butlers are supposed to get along.
Lina was just a little obsessive. She was a good girl.
Kailian shot Lina a wary glare, then scooped me up.
She pulled me close, whispering in my ear so Lina couldn’t hear.
“Blanc… if I’m not here, and Mama or my brother gives you meat, don’t eat it. Wait for me. Understand?”
“Kyua?”
Huh? Okay. Lina wouldn’t do something that bad… right?
