The Divine White Tiger Cub's Gift to the Ancestors
I brushed my front paws across the garden soil, tilting my head with a soft *kah-woong*.
*This place isn't bad at all…*
“Ha… Yo, you noticed that Blanc is already doing his fourth lap around the garden?”
*kah-woong…*
But Grandpa gave it to me, so I had to take proper care of it!
The Princess, who had been trailing behind me, placed a tired hand on her hip and grumbled.
Her face was clearly showing exhaustion.
*Kyaaang!*
But no way! This is Grandpa's gift, so I have to treat it right!
I barked at her, my tail thumping the ground.
“Your Highness, even though it's Grandpa's divine beast gift, wouldn't it be better to place it in a good spot?”
*Ha… Well… where am I supposed to put it so this pig is satisfied?*
*kah-woong.*
Rosalia seemed to know something.
I flicked my tail toward her once, then looked around for a place to put it.
“Oppa! How about over there? Next to the fountain! The water is sparkling and it's pretty!”
*kah-woo.*
No. There would be dew on the altar.
I rejected Lumia's suggestion flat-out and sniffed my nose again, continuing the garden search.
A bit further on, I reached the base of the largest ginkgo tree in the princess's palace.
*kah-woo…*
Here.
My instincts were telling me so.
The enormous tree stood firm, bathed in a shower of brilliant sunlight.
The scent of the earth was rich and comforting, and even the breeze was gentle.
Above all, the trunk was thick enough to be perfect for scratching my claws whenever I visited Grandpa and Mom.
*kah-woo! Kyaang!*
Here! Let's do it here! Perfect!
I flopped down beneath the pouring sunlight, my tail wagging vigorously, and cried out.
“Oh, truly magnificent taste. This is a place where the earth's ley line energy gathers with exceptionally stable flow.”
Rosalia circled around, praising my instincts.
Kailian looked around too and finally let out a relieved sigh, nodding.
“There was a point to my diligent search for our pig. What a wonderful spot. Rosalia, bring it out quickly.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
Rosalia reached her hand into the air, and a meaningless yet enormous magic circle appeared.
*Uuuung—*
With a heavy sound, it flashed, and a massive, sacred altar emitting holy energy settled carefully onto the grassy field before us.
*Thud—*
The sight of the altar carrying Grandpa's energy made my tail wag on its own.
The moment the altar was placed, the surrounding air felt purified and reverent.
“Wow… It looks even more amazing up close!”
Lumia’s eyes sparkled as she burst into admiration.
I could no longer control the instinct boiling inside my chest once I confirmed the altar had settled safely.
*Tap-tap-tap!*
I began circling in front of the altar. With my tail held high and stiff toward the sky, I relentlessly rubbed my cheek and jaw against the smooth edges of the altar.
*Swish, swish.*
*kah-woong, kyaang.*
This is mine. Grandpa’s altar is mine. It needs to smell like me.
As I rubbed my cheek harder, Grandpa’s energy flowed into me, and my heart felt at ease.
Once my scent had soaked into every corner of the altar, I finally felt secure.
Eyes gently closed, I sang my purr song while rubbing my cheek against the altar for a long time.
“Oppa, me too!”
Watching me happily rub my cheek, Lumia couldn’t hold back and transformed into her original fox form.
With short legs, she leaped over and began vigorously rubbing her soft cheeks against the altar’s corner on the opposite side.
*Kyaa! Kyaa! Heh heh.*
Between the two enormous white-furred creatures circling and scent-marking the giant altar.
Kailian and Rosalia, watching from behind, could no longer hold their expressions.
*Ha… I’m going crazy. Our Blanc is just too cute…*
*Hic… Adding Lumia makes Blanc feel twice as adorable.*
Rosalia blushed deeply and didn’t take her eyes off them for a moment.
After long scent-marking on the altar, Lumia and I sat on the ground, panting.
*kah-woo…*
Was I working too hard?
Kailian came over and gently scratched my neck.
“Everything is set perfectly. Scents have been marked. So, Blanc, shall I bring up the bread now?”
*kah-woo!*
Yes! Bread!
“I thought you kneaded it earlier, so it should be well-baked by now, right?”
*kah-woo!*
Already?! Time passed that fast?
My tail stood stiff, I sprang up from my seat, and without looking back, I dashed at full speed toward the kitchen.
*Pa-pa-pa-pak!*
I’m going to eat fresh bread baked by Grandpa and Mom!
“Yo! You’ll fall, Blanc, go slowly!”
Kailian’s shout followed my back, but I didn’t stop.
A short while later, a fun sight unfolded in the palace garden grass field.
Blanc, carefully carrying something in his mouth, was walking toward the altar.
It was a large sack several times bigger than Blanc’s body.
Warm, freshly baked bread from the Imperial Palace kitchen.
A sweet and savory aroma wafted from the sack.
*kah-woong…*
Aah, I was so careful because I thought it might get crushed.
I gripped the strings of the sack in my mouth and carefully pulled it toward the front of the altar.
The kitchen staff had thoughtfully placed a base so it wouldn’t crush even if I moved slowly.
“Puhahaha! Yo, Blanc… you carried that all by yourself? Didn’t the knights or the kitchen staff help?”
*kah-woong…*
Even though it’s for my family, I should bring it myself. That’s what a grandson is supposed to do, right?
I don’t know if I’m correct about that, but when I got angry and gripped the sack tightly, Kailian’s eyes filled with tears as she tried to stifle her laughter.
“Okay, okay. I won’t tease our filial son Blanc. I’ll help.”
Since it was too heavy for me to lift alone, I borrowed Kailian’s strength.
*kah-woong…*
If I move my front paws like a person, I did it.
“Alright, everything is lifted. Should I send it right away?”
Following Kailian’s words, I placed the bread loaves very neatly in front of the altar.
Lumia also placed her loaves beside mine, while Kailian and Rosalia stepped back a little.
I closed my eyes and offered them with a greeting, hoping they would be properly delivered to Grandpa and Mom.
*kah-woo, kyaang.*
Grandpa. Mom, this time there’s a lot, and it’s freshly baked and warm, so try eating it right away.
No sooner had my words ended than the patterns engraved on the enormous altar began to glow blue, and the sacks of bread melted into thin air along with them.
“The transmission will have gone well, Your Highness Blanc.”
Rosalia smiled and approached, scratching behind my ear.
*kah-woong.*
I hope they tasted good.
---
Before the massive ice cave. Two great white tigers sat facing each other.
“Father… Blanc must be eating his meals properly…?”
“Hahaha. Would your child go hungry? Don’t worry. My grandson has strong jaws that would let meat fall off even while sleeping.”
Grandpa laughed heartily and comforted his daughter, yet the love for his grandson burned deeply in his eyes.
*Paaat!*
At that moment, Blanc’s energy surged intensely from the center of the ice cave.
“That’s…”
“His… child’s energy…?”
A altar appeared before them, and on top lay a single enormous sack.
From the gap in the sack, the rich, sweet aroma of fresh bread and Blanc’s divine power wafted out, causing her to jump up from her seat.
“Hahaha… So you weren’t the only one thinking of that child. It seems your grandson was thinking of us too.”
Grandpa lifted the bread sack with a joyful face and placed it in front of her.
“Open it yourself. Isn’t this from your child?”
“…Yes.”
Blue light swirled around her body, the fur that had been wrapping it transformed into sparkling light, and soon a beautiful human woman with long flowing silver hair appeared.
With trembling hands, she opened the bread sack and carefully picked up one still-warm loaf.
“My baby… when did you grow so big… and think of your mother like this…”
Tears filled her eyes as she gazed at the bread, then she bit into it with a big bite.
*Crack—*
Outside crunchy, inside soft and moist. The sweet butter flavor spread throughout her mouth, and even thicker was the tender warmth of her son.
*Hic… It’s so delicious… Even though I didn’t give birth to anything…*
Without wiping the crumbs from her mouth, she let her tears flow freely.
“Father. Please, quickly. Try this too. We must taste Blanc’s baked bread…”
The moment she offered a loaf to Grandpa’s lips with a sob.
*Thud-thud—*
“This is…”
“…”
The land of the snowy mountain began to vibrate intensely as if enraged.
The two who had peeked out from the cave entrance let out deep sighs.
All the white tiger clans had gathered outside the cave entrance, drawn by the aroma of bread and Blanc’s energy.
“Growl… How rude of you two to eat only the child’s food!”
“Elder! We also wanted to talk to our youngest!”
“Yes! We filled the entire snowy mountain with the gifts for our youngest, so please let us meet!”
In an instant, the front of the ice cave became a chaotic battlefield.
*Ha… Everyone, line up… One by one.*
Grandpa’s sigh mixed with the words, and the white tigers roared together in cheers.
*
*