The Final Masterminds Are Obsessed with My Foot Jelly
The grand audience chamber of the Imperial Palace carried a strangely languid air the next day.
The marriage talks had grown increasingly dull and repetitive.
“Therefore, the betrothal schedule timed to align with His Highness’s ascension to maturity…”
“From our perspective, the custody of the future second son and the duration of our stay in the East…”
“His Highness’s wishes are of paramount importance, but even so, we should consider…”
I yawned widely right beside the imperial throne, on the specially prepared cushion for me.
This was boring. Boring beyond words.
Complex political negotiations were nothing more than a sleeping pill to me.
The marriage talks were already tilting toward postponing everything until I was fully grown anyway, so there was no need to listen closely.
“Kyaa…”
Ah, so bored… It felt just like listening to some boring butler’s toast.
I flicked my tail with my front paw to show I was not paying attention.
Lumia, who had been sitting beside me, could not endure the boredom any longer. She had long since curled up and fallen asleep on her belly.
My butlers were secretly stroking my head to keep me from falling asleep.
Just as my eyelids began to droop with fatigue, the bear-like escort commander of the Eastern delegation, seated on his cushions, cautiously opened his mouth.
“Your Majesty. In the spirit of continuing the marriage talks and strengthening the friendship between our nations, perhaps we should arrange a friendly exchange between warriors from both sides?”
“Oh? An exchange?”
The Emperor asked, clearly intrigued.
“It is a match between the Empire’s knights and our Eastern warriors to test each other’s strength and share martial arts.”
The commander’s eyes sparkled.
It was one step beyond mere camaraderie—a subtle challenge to compare the Empire’s might with that of the East.
“Of course, we will use wooden swords and staves so no one is injured, and unify our armor to be light.”
My ears shot straight up at that.
Sparring? I had seen knights occasionally training here, but never a proper knightly sparring match.
It sounded amazingly fun! I could not possibly pass this up.
I was still yawning lazily when my eyes suddenly widened and my head snapped up.
“Kyaa!”
Oh! That sounds great! Let’s do it!
My tail thumped enthusiastically, and the Emperor chuckled.
“Haha, since our Blanc is showing interest, this looks impossible to refuse. Perfect timing, with me getting bored and all. I was also curious about the mysterious martial arts of the East.”
“I fully support this. It is an excellent opportunity to display the Empire’s knightly strength firsthand.”
Crown Prince Demian nodded briefly, his eyes also filled with excitement.
Haetae beside me smiled softly and chimed in.
“Since His Highness seems to be enjoying it, this will be an even better opportunity to bond brothers and solidify the alliance between our nations.”
The atmosphere in the chamber ignited instantly.
Before long, the discussion on rules and regulations was underway under the approval to use the training grounds.
The once-dull conference room was suddenly filled with the lively energy of warriors.
An invisible tension crackled between the Imperial Knights’ captain and the Eastern escort commander.
During the discussion, one critical issue arose.
“Very well… what kind of reward shall we grant to the victor?”
Silence fell across the hall at the Emperor’s question.
It was a friendly match, but honor was at stake.
A reward that was motivating yet fair was needed, but the participants here were the finest warriors from each nation.
Elite men who already possessed more than enough money or fame, so what reward could possibly satisfy them?
“Gold coins are too vulgar and meaningless…”
“Honors are complicated and not a significant enough prize…”
“Bestowing a title?”
“The weapons they already use are more than sufficient titles…”
Countless opinions flowed, but none delivered the decisive strike needed to whip up their competitive fire.
“Kyaa…”
Just give them lots of meat and let them eat their fill.
I murmured sleepily, still yawning.
Collecting money is just so you can eat more delicious things. Who thinks so complicated?
At that moment, Lina, who had been silently listening, quietly raised her hand.
She spoke in her usual holy Saintess manner, voice solemn and reverent.
“Majesty, and honored delegates. Material rewards hold little meaning for either side. True warriors should value something worth remembering for a lifetime.”
“So what might that be, Saintess?”
Lina gazed at me intently.
“Kyaa.”
Why, what… no way for me to say no.
Her eyes were not to my liking. Whenever Lina looked at me like that, I always ended up irritated.
“Granting the victor one-time access to touch His Highness’s paw pad once…”
“Kyaa?”
You’ve truly gone mad. Will that even satisfy you?
Lina’s proposal froze the entire audience chamber in stunned silence.
“……”
The silence was so complete it felt like cold water had been poured over everyone. Even the wind seemed to have stopped, leaving me strangely tense.
And in the next instant, the chamber exploded.
“The, the paw pad…?!”
“To dare… touch the holy place…?”
“To be able to… touch His Highness’s holy body…”
“No licking… allowed…?”
Even the composed Imperial Knights’ captain shot to his feet in shock, and the Eastern escort commander dropped the teacup he was holding.
The eyes of the knights and warriors gleamed like starving hyenas.
Those eyes… why do they look like that…?
Intimidated by their eerie aura, I tucked my ears flat with my front paws and scanned the room.
To them, Blanc’s paw pad was no different from holy ground. Stroking my head or body was allowed when I was in a good mood, but my paw pad was off-limits to anyone except my chosen butlers.
Touching that soft, jelly-like foot pad was an enormous privilege—family glory and a lifetime of stories to chew over.
An opportunity they could never buy with money had arrived.
“Oh my…! Perfect! There can be no greater reward!”
“Betting our lives… or even our souls!”
“Let us begin the tournament at once! I am ready!”
The knights, who had only moments ago spoken of gentle friendly sparring without injury, now bared their teeth with terrifying smiles.
Their eyes were not normal.
The gaze of a war-mad fanatic was nothing compared to this.
“I am in full support! Strongly in favor!”
Kailian slammed the table as she shouted.
“Your Highness? Why are you so excited about this?”
“I’m going too! I’ll compete as a princess and win! Blanc’s jelly… I can’t even touch it lately, so I’ll never let anyone else have it!”
“Kyaa.”
Why is everyone here insane… I mean, why would you even… try to…?
Why are you betting my jelly as a prize?
“Kyaa!”
Hey! Where did my opinion go?! It’s my paw pad! My jelly! How can you decide without even asking me?!
I yelled in utter bewilderment, but my voice was drowned out by the crowd’s cheers.
At that moment, the usually calm Haetae suddenly rose. Her eyes burned with an intense, predatory hunger that was completely unlike her usual gentle expression.
A hunter’s gaze, rather than a divine beast’s.
“I will… participate as well.”
“Haetae? You, the representative of the delegation?”
“Yes. It is also a fitting excuse to demonstrate the martial arts of the East… and most importantly…”
Haetae swallowed hard and fixed her gaze on my paw pad.
“This noble paw pad is something even a fellow divine beast like myself should touch, is it not? Besides… there is a man… who will one day become my husband.”
“Kyaa…”
Husband…?
The word husband froze my brain for a second.
Of course it was a marriage talk, but husband? I’m still a kid!
I lifted my front paw and carefully checked my precious paw pad jelly.
Imagining those sweaty uncles or my doting butlers with their bloodshot eyes messing with my soft jelly gave me chills.
I pressed it firmly against the floor to hide it and urgently looked up at my Emperor grandpa.
“Kyaa!”
Grandpa! This is wrong! Stop them!
But even the Emperor I had trusted was now sparkling with excitement, stroking his beard and smacking his lips.
“Hmm… not bad at all.”
The Emperor toyed with the armrest of his throne, a look of deep regret on his face.
“Could this old man participate as well? My swordsmanship has not rusted.”
The ministers and knights gasped and bowed their heads in panic.
“Your Majesty! Maintain your dignity! How could the Emperor… participate in a knightly sparring match!”
“I fear the sun will damage your holy body!”
“Tsk.”
The Emperor clicked his tongue, narrowed his eyes in reluctance, then suddenly burst into laughter and waved a dismissive hand.
“Very well. Proceed. This old man is sorry he cannot join, but at least I shall watch. It promises to be most entertaining.”
The Emperor’s approval sealed the deal. There was no turning back now.
“Kyaa…”
These crazy people…
I buried my head on the cushion and pressed my ears down with my front paws.
I give up… I might as well go to sleep.