The Beloved Grandfather's Warm Bread and a Mother's Healing Tears
The words “good bread” lingered in my ears like a sweet echo.
The blue light in Grandfather’s eyes dimmed instantly.
The aura that had filled the entire cave vanished as if it had never been there.
The Grandfather who had just been chatting with me a moment ago was now reduced to a cold stone statue once more.
“Kyaa…”
I really, really don’t like goodbyes.
I drooped my fluffy tail all the way down.
It was only a short meeting.
Even though it was just a soul meeting inside the stone, the bond between same-blood creatures was overwhelming.
It was so intense that I wondered if my reincarnation had been a mistake.
The moment that gentle warmth disappeared, a cold draft seemed to blow into the corner of my heart.
Did I end up alone again after all?
I turned my head and looked behind me.
My butlers and Lumia were standing there, staring at my drooping form with helpless worry.
Their eyes were filled with the desperate urge to rush over and comfort me right away.
“Kyaa.”
Yeah… I’m not alone.
Although my kin are far away in another dimension I can’t reach right now, my butlers and little brother are right here with me.
Looking at their worried faces, the sadness inside me melted away like snow under warm sunlight.
I kicked the ground and dashed forward.
This was exactly the time when I should thank them.
Tap-tap! Plop!
“Eh? Eh? Blanc?!”
I leaped straight into Princess Kailian’s open arms with all my strength.
Kailian reacted instantly and pulled me into a tight embrace.
I burrowed deep into her soft collar, rubbing my head against her with all my might to express my gratitude.
Rub rub rub.
“Kyaaung…”
It’s sad that Grandfather left, but… having you guys here is the best. I’m really happy.
I lifted my head and met her eyes.
Princess Kailian’s red eyes trembled gently as she received my loving, grateful gaze.
We didn’t need words—our hearts spoke clearly to each other.
“Blanc…! Sob… our Blanc… I’m really so happy… Let’s live together forever…”
Kailian couldn’t hold back the overwhelming emotion and hugged me even tighter.
“Kyaa, kyaa! Kkuk…”
Wait, I can’t breathe! Hey, you crazy butler, are you trying to break my bones, dummy?
Her iron-hard arms had folded my waist in half. On top of that, my face was buried deep in her chest so I couldn’t even breathe properly.
Is… is the butler… trying to assassinate me because I thanked her…!
I struggled to survive, pushing my head out over her collarbone.
“Kyaa… hek, hek…”
I almost… died.
To calm the wildly excited Kailian, I licked the tears streaming down her cheeks with my tongue.
Calm down now.
Slurp.
“Heuk… Blanc.”
Kailian’s face instantly overflowed with joy. The emotional tears had already turned into an ecstatic expression.
The other butlers watching this scene were hit with a surge of bitter jealousy.
“Your Highness! That was a clear abuse of status! You took all of Blanc-nim’s comfort to yourself! I need Blanc-nim’s comfort too because I cast subspace magic!”
Rosalia protested, veins popping on her neck.
“Exactly! I need Blanc-nim’s benevolent blessing as well! I… anyway, I need it!”
Lina puffed out her cheeks in a pout, looking jealous.
“Oppa! Me too! Lick me too! I like oppa too! Me too!”
Even Lumia transformed into her human toddler form, clinging to Kailian’s legs and bouncing excitedly, while dignified Haetae coughed politely and quietly joined the end of the line.
Her tail wagged vigorously under the hanbok.
“Kyaa…”
These silly butlers… the emotion lasted less than five minutes.
I let out a short sigh.
I really am a 3D job. Even a divine beast.
I stretched out my front paws, pushed Kailian away, and lined up with the butlers and Lumia, licking each of their cheeks in turn with great seriousness.
Slurp. Slurp.
“Huuu… I feel like I own the whole world…”
“…It’s more happiness than when I developed a new magic… fifty times happier.”
“…Ha…”
“Oppa’s tongue is super rough but it’s so soft! Hehe!”
Everyone laughed happily, and I nuzzled my sticky tongue with my front paw.
It’s really… soothing. Awo, my tongue hurts.
After safely exiting the snowy mountain cave, we returned to our accommodation.
Thud.
As soon as I entered the room, I spread out on the sofa and stretched my belly flat.
I hadn’t eaten properly today and I’d been running around the snowy field too much.
My stamina was at rock bottom and my belly skin felt glued to my back. My whole body sagged like melted cheese.
“Kyaa…”
I’m hungry…
While I was melting on the sofa, Lumia quietly approached. Her fox ears perked up as she poked my soft side with her little finger.
Poke poke.
“Oppa, are you really that hungry? I hear a crunching sound from oppa’s belly!”
At Lumia’s words, the butlers who had been unloading the bags all turned their gazes toward me at once.
“…Now that I think about it… Blanc didn’t eat anything today, did he?”
“Emergency! Prepare food right away! Blanc might die!”
“Lady Lina, let’s head to the kitchen!”
The butlers dropped everything and rushed straight to the kitchen.
Soon the sound of knives clattering and roaring flames filled the air, and a delicious smell wafted over.
“Oppa… I think those older sisters are a bit weird sometimes.”
“Kyaa…”
Don’t learn from that kind of thing.
A short while later, a lavish banquet was spread across the table.
Mountainous steaks piled high, along with my familiar Eastern-style meals. Next to them were a few salmon steaks and gyoza for Lumia. It seemed Haetae had put in extra effort.
“Kyaaang!”
This is it!
I let out a victorious cry and stuffed a piece of meat into my mouth. Manners had completely vanished from my mind.
Munch munch, chomp chomp. Nom nom nom…
Once my mouth was packed with meat, both my cheeks puffed up like little squirrels.
Seeing me happily eating until my cheeks would burst, the butlers’ faces broke into smiles.
“It’s so cute… look at those adorable round cheeks…”
Lina gazed at me with bloodshot eyes, tears of emotion streaming down.
At that moment, Lumia, who had been enjoying the salmon, sparkled when she saw my cheeks.
Firm, bouncy cheek flesh.
Lumia smacked her lips and stretched out her index finger, clearly wanting to poke the plump cheeks until they burst.
But Blanc’s instincts, sharpened from constant training by the butlers, stayed razor-sharp even while eating.
Whisk!
I nibbled my meat, twisted my head, and perfectly dodged her finger.
“Kyarung.”
If you poke me once more while I’m eating, I’ll steal every single one of your gyoza.
“U-uh. Sorry, oppa…”
Lumia startled and quickly tossed her gyoza far away from me.
I recovered my peace and happily sucked in the rest of the meat. My belly full, I felt overjoyed.
I really am simple like that.
Cozy room, full belly, and butlers who love me.
Perfect evening.
At the exact same time, in a space filled with silvery mist, two massive white tigers crouched low.
The enormous Grandfather Blanc and the elegant Mother Blanc, who had received a wound.
“Father…”
It was she who broke the silence first.
Her voice was heavy with exhaustion and sorrow.
[Is my child eating properly on time…?]
She had suffered a great shock the other day from forcing herself to meet Blanc, so she couldn’t properly see her human-form child.
She still looked quite tired, but her mind was filled only with worries about Blanc.
Grandfather clicked his tongue.
[Tsk tsk. You were warned not to overdo it, yet here you are eating your fill. Your cheeks are puffed out, stuffing the meat in nicely.]
He scolded her, but his own tail was also twitching nervously on the floor. He hadn’t met Blanc for a while because he was trying to lighten her burden.
Whoosh!
Suddenly, in the middle of the open field, a blue magic circle unfolded.
The empty air warped, and a beautifully crafted altar made of smooth stone was transmitted and appeared.
[……?!]
[W-what is this…?]
The two white tigers shot up in shock.
Grandfather’s eyes blazed fiercely. The only one who possessed the authority to send items from the human realm into this space was one person.
[Heh heh… It seems the Invitation Elder personally intervened.]
His gaze turned toward the altar.
In the center of the sacred altar sat an absurd object that didn’t match the altar’s atmosphere at all.
A piece of bread with faint sacred energy flowing through it and a small paw-print imprint in the middle.
[W-what smell is this?]
Her eyes trembled.
She cautiously approached. Even though she didn’t dare touch it, she gently smelled the bread.
It was the familiar scent of freshly baked bread mixed with the sweet, warm milky scent of her own child that she had hugged in her dreams.
[Aaa…]
Her lips quivered.
Grandfather, who saw the clear jelly-like paw prints on the altar, immediately understood the situation.
[It seems Blanc sent it. The Elder personally brought the altar down.]
Grandfather coughed lightly and turned his head slightly, but his thick tail was already happily wagging in the air.
[The brat… kneaded it with that tiny paw and sent it to us. How audaciously and adorably shameless is that? Come on, eat it. It’s your son’s sincerity.]
Her eyes reddened, but she nodded obediently.
Like a mother gently holding her child, she carefully extended her tongue and placed the small bread in her mouth.
Although she was a giant white tiger, the bread was so small she didn’t even need to chew it. Yet she closed her eyes and savored the taste for a long time.
Whoosh—
Pure, white sacred energy burst forth from her body.
The sacred power that had been embedded in the kneaded bread gently enveloped her wounded body.
[This…]
The pain tormenting her body began to ease, and for a moment her vision showed Blanc smiling happily.
[It’s delicious… Father. The most, most delicious in the world…]
Tears poured from her eyes.
She rubbed her cheek against the edge of the altar with her now-healed body and whispered thousands of times in her heart toward her son.