Meeting the Dream Grandpa in the Snowy Mountains
The table was filled with a grand banquet meticulously prepared by the empire’s top chefs.
“Blanc, ah~ here, try this today. It’s my special stew made from turkey breast and pumpkin. It’s so soft you won’t even need to chew.”
Kailian blew softly on the cooled stew and offered it to me. I opened my mouth listlessly.
“Kyaaang…”
The soft stew slid into my mouth.
It tasted good. Every drop of broth carried the devotion of someone who had poured their soul into it. The savory yet slightly sweet flavor danced across my tongue.
But it didn’t scratch that itchy spot deep inside my heart.
The wild flavor was missing…
I licked my empty gums with my tongue.
Starting with the first tooth that had fallen out, my front teeth and molars had all come out too. My mouth was now a construction site.
If only I could sink my teeth into a bone-in piece of meat and gnaw it like crazy.
“Kkying…”
I accepted the stew, tail drooping.
I never imagined chewing could feel this good…
“Eogu, our Blanc. You’re eating so well. No chewing sounds, so it’s boring.”
“Kkyuu..”
Kailian read my mood like a ghost and gently scratched under my chin.
“Just hold on a little longer. The vet said once the gums heal, you can eat meat again. Let’s just eat like this until then, okay?”
I nodded at Kailian’s kind words of comfort.
I finished every last drop of the stew.
After the meal, when Kailian wiped my mouth, she suddenly tilted her head.
“But that’s strange.”
“What is it, Your Highness?”
Lina, standing by with a wet cloth, asked.
“It’s about Blanc’s teeth. At least four have already come out. Front teeth too, and one canine.”
“Yes, that’s right. His growth has been extraordinarily fast. He’s grown bigger every single day.”
“But where did all the fallen teeth go?”
Kailian checked under the table and looked puzzled.
“Normally when you chew something, they should fall to the floor or be spit out when you eat. I’ve never seen any except the first tooth. I was going to pick them up and store them, but…”
At Kailian’s question, I perked my ears too.
Wait a minute. If teeth fall out, they should disappear soon. Did I swallow them while sleeping?
“Maybe they were swept away while cleaning?”
“U-uh, who knows? Maybe you swallowed them… or they rolled somewhere and got stuck in a corner. The maids who clean might have missed them and swept everything up. They’re so tiny.”
Lina deliberately avoided eye contact. Her voice trembled slightly, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.
“Hmm… what a shame. If we collected our Blanc’s baby teeth and made a necklace, it would be so pretty.”
“Ah, no! That’s too… I mean, unhygienic!”
“Kkyuu..”
I wanted to check if there was a tooth fairy here, but it was a shame I couldn’t.
Lina jumped up a bit more than usual, waving her hands frantically.
“To forcibly process something that has fallen from the Divine Beast’s body is disrespectful. Just… let nature take its course…”
Lina rambled while carrying the burden. Every time she moved, small sounds came from inside her pocket.
Tik. Clink.
It sounded like tiny glass fragments clattering inside a small bottle.
“Kkyuu…”
Are you…?
I narrowed my eyes and looked at Lina.
You…?
Feeling my gaze, Lina wiped away the sweat and looked away.
It’s you, kid.
“Hahahaha… Lady Blanc, would you like pudding for dessert? It’s super stretchy.”
Changing the subject so abruptly seemed suspicious.
Did you pick up my teeth and store them there?
Imagining Lina praying over the countless teeth I had dropped, a chill ran down my spine.
“Kkyuu.”
… I’m not playing with you today.
I shivered and burrowed into Kailian’s arms.
Since there was no meat, I decided to overlook it for now. Digging deeper into that would probably bring up even more trouble.
“Oh my, it’s a little different today…?”
Recently Kailian had been saying my body felt heavier every time she hugged me.
Visually it hadn’t changed much, but the muscles had gotten firmer and heavier. The bones felt more solid, the muscle fibers tightly woven.
It was as if the pieces of a puzzle inside my body were finally finding their place.
That night, I slept in the middle of Kailian’s bed. My gums itched and I tossed and turned a little, but Kailian’s gentle pats on my belly all night long let me sleep deeply.
I dreamed.
Whoosh—
The entire world glowed pure white.
In front of me stretched a vast snowy mountain.
The peaks rising toward the sky were covered in snow and shimmered with a mysterious blue light.
It wasn’t cold. It felt cozy instead.
As if I were tucked safely in my mother’s arms, the cold mountain wind gently wrapped around my fur.
I walked toward the summit of the snowy mountain. Every step I took, the snow beneath my paws hardened into a path.
[…… Is that tiny thing my descendant?]
A voice sounded from somewhere.
“Kkyuu?”
Who’s there?
The voice echoed directly in my head.
[So small and fragile…]
The voice held deep worry and pity.
A massive shadow fell over the mountain peaks.
Within the snowstorm, enormous eyes stared down at me.
The gaze carried warm affection.
[Poor little thing. Growing up without knowing your parents’ arms, tumbling with your siblings…]
The voice continued with a sigh.
[How lonely you must be, growing up alone in the midst of strange humans. No mother to lick your fur, no father to teach you hunting… left alone in this harsh world.]
It sounded like a grandfather worried about a grandchild who had wandered far away.
Beyond the dignity of the Divine Beast, a stronger feeling of bloodline longing welled up.
I blinked and looked up at that giant form.
“Kkyuu.”
Who are you? I’m not lonely at all. I eat well and there are tons of butlers… and I even got a little brother recently.
[… I’m worried you’ll grow up in a too harsh life… huu.]
Whoosh—!
His unconscious breath became a fierce gale that slammed into the snowy mountain.
No matter how much of a Divine Beast I was, I was still just a baby white tiger cub. I couldn’t withstand such a strong wind.
My body staggered, unable to resist the gale.
“Kyaaaarang!”
I screamed and rolled across the snowy field.
Rolling like white tteok, I was buried straight into a deep snowdrift.
Thud.
“Uep?!”
The world instantly turned white.
Nothing was visible. I couldn’t breathe. My legs were short and the snow was deep.
Panicking, I flailed my short hind legs in the air.
“Kkying! Nyang!”
Help!
Struggling to get out, my plump belly and tail wiggled violently left and right.
Every time I thrashed, my short hind legs paddled desperately. The jelly-like pads flailed pitifully in the air.
Pop!
I barely managed to pull my head out of the snowdrift.
White snow clung to my entire face, like a snowman.
Shiver!
I shook my head to shake off the snow, but it only made me look even more ridiculous.
Snow piled up only on one ear, making me lopsided.
I didn’t understand what was happening, so I blinked in confusion and tilted my head.
“Kyuu.”
[……]
The voice cut off abruptly, and a heavy silence fell over the snowy mountain.
Was I too pitiful? I was supposed to show off the dignity of a Divine Beast, not do a butt dance.
A moment later, the stern voice vanished and a watery, warm voice filled with relief spoke up.
[It’s all right…]
The tone of the voice had become brighter and gentler.
[I was worried you might be starving and begging among humans, but seeing your sturdy little bottom and glossy fur, I’m relieved.]
“Kkyuu!”
My butlers take such good care of me!
[It’s good you’re growing up well-fed and healthy. My clan lives so healthily and adorably.]
Deeper than any dignity, the voice held true sincerity and relief.
The huge eyes stared straight into me, then murmured softly to themselves.
[…… So cute.]
“……Kkyuu?”
A warm breeze brushed my nose.
I stood there blankly.
I thought it was going to tell me something amazing. Then it just looked at my butt and went away, relieved.
‘What…? Is that my grandpa?’
“Kkyuu…?”
I opened my eyes wide.
Familiar ceiling greeted me. Kailian’s bedroom.
The window was still dark outside.
“Kkyuuu..”
I took a deep breath.
The lingering warmth of the dream remained thick. The cold air of the snowy mountain and that relieved voice saying it was good because of my butt felt incredibly real.
The heart that worried about me being alone without family somehow felt warm and fuzzy.
Even though I didn’t know the face of the person watching over me, it felt reassuring.
I didn’t have to worry. I was living well right here.
I tried to sit up, but paused.
Because I felt a small wriggle beneath my belly.
“Kkyuu?”
I lifted the blanket slightly. A little ball of white fur was sleeping curled against my belly.
Lumia.
In her original white fox form, she had burrowed into my arms and fallen asleep.
Feeling me move, she opened her eyes. Her ears perked up and she lifted her head.
“Kyang…?”
She still needed more sleep. She had to sleep a lot to grow big and strong.
I raised my front paw and gently pressed it on Lumia’s head.
Tuk, tuk.
“Kkyuu. Kyuung.”
No, sleep more. It’s still dawn.
I softly stroked her back with my soft jelly-like paw pads. The steady patting pattern made Lumia, who had been about to wake, close her eyes again.
“Uung…”
She buried her face deeper into my belly and fell back asleep.
Warm, tiny body heat.
I confirmed Lumia was asleep again, then looked toward the window.
‘I’m sleepy…’
I turned my gaze to my side.
Kailian was still sound asleep, completely unaware of the world.
Her hair was a mess, lips slightly parted. She looked quite defenseless.
The blanket had been kicked off at some point.
“Kkyuung.”
Isn’t it cold?
I yawned widely once, then crawled quietly toward Kailian. Without hesitation I climbed onto her chest.
Peck.
It’s so warm here.
The weight of my heavy body made Kailian let out a tiny sound, but she didn’t wake. Instead, in her sleep, she smiled unconsciously and lifted her arms to hug me.
I pressed my front paws against her face for a moment.
“Kkyuung.”
For a while I played with the butler’s face, then settled in and curled into a ball. Her regular breathing rose and fell against my belly.
It’s warm.
The voice in the dream was nice, but nothing beat the warmth of a real butler’s touch.
I rubbed my head against Kailian’s chin and went back to sleep.
“……”
How long had I slept? Just as the sunlight pouring through the window felt blinding, something soft and damp touched my cheek.
Kiss.
“Kkyu-uuung…?”
Kiss! Squish!
Suddenly ticklish and warm, I narrowed my eyes. Kailian was looking down at me with eyes full of honey.
“Our Blanc, you’re awake?”
“Kkyuu…?”
Is it morning…?
Just as I tried to yawn, Kailian’s lips suddenly lunged at my face fiercely again.
“Huhu, I was worried I’d wake you, so I slept quietly in your arms?”
Kiss! Squish! Squish!
“Kkyaaak?!”
What the—! From the morning already!
I jerked my head away in surprise, but Kailian didn’t let go.
“Aww, you’re so cute! Your scent is nice too!”
“Kyaaak!”
Grandpa! I’m being hugged! Help!
She grabbed both of my cheeks and unleashed an unrelenting barrage of kisses. Even the plump cheek flesh disappeared completely inside her mouth as she chewed with a loud “Waaang!”
“Kkyuu…”
After the storm passed, Kailian finally released me with a satisfied expression. I staggered and ran to the corner of the bed.
“Kkyuu…”
You’re not sleeping with me tonight.
My fluffy fur was now damp and matted from Kailian’s kisses.
I frowned at my nose and rubbed the dampness onto my front paw to clean my face.
I groomed my wet cheeks seriously, looking annoyed.
“Kkyuu…”
You, I’ll get all my teeth from the grandpa in my dream.