A Thrilling Duel with the Knights!
“All right, one at a time. Are you trying to make me wait for Blanc?”
I gazed at the knights with a satisfied growl rumbling deep in my chest.
What on earth were they so scared of?
“Kyaaung!”
Come on, you. The one closest to me first.
I pointed straight at the nearest knight. His face grew solemn as he stepped forward.
“I will obey the divine beast’s command!”
He drew his sword in one swift motion and immediately poured a torrent of blue aura into it.
Even from the very first swing, that aura was way too intense.
Whoosh—
It was obvious he possessed a solid foundation. The blade itself was dyed a deep, heavy shade of blue.
“Here I come!”
He thrust forward, the ground cracking beneath his feet, and brought the sword down with terrifying speed.
Whoosh—!
>The sound of slicing air filled the air.
But his strike reached me far too slowly.
The White Tiger’s body sight made human perception laughable in comparison.
“Kyaa.”
Slow.
I sidestepped lightly and flicked the sword aside with ease.
“W-what…?”
He swung again in a panic, but not a single strand of my fur was touched.
“Kyaa!”
This is fun!
I leaped into the air, channeling sacred energy into my right front paw.
Flash—!
>A fluffy bat-like weapon wrapped in holy power swung straight at his blade.
Kwaaang!
>Blue aura and sacred energy collided head-on, sending a massive shockwave rippling outward. The arena floor shattered, sending fragments flying everywhere.
Crack—
“G-gah… heh…”
His aura shattered instantly, and his sword exploded into pieces that rained down on the ground.
One strike. That was the end of it.
“My perfect defeat. This… I still have a long way to go.”
He clutched the broken hilt of his sword and knelt submissively.
Of course he was deflated.
I leaped lightly and landed on his broad shoulder with a soft thump.
Pat pat.
“Kyaa. Kyaaung.”
Good work, Number One. It was fun. Thank you.
When I patted his shoulder with my paw, his eyes brimmed with emotion and turned red.
“Next! Are you trying to make me wait for Blanc?!”
Demian’s shout made the second knight leap out with a face full of tension.
“Please take only one strike from me.”
He immediately thrust his sword, aura blazing around it to its limit.
Speeds a bit faster than the last one. Still nowhere near Kailian’s level, though.
“Kyaaung.”
But the power… wasn’t quite as strong as before.
I lightly wrapped sacred energy around my body, stepped on the blade, and swung my opposite front paw to strike.
Clang—!
>Clang.
“Hic…”
The second knight’s sword shattered into nothingness as well.
I landed gracefully and swished my tail.
“Kyaaung.”
You worked hard too.
“Y-yes! Thank you for teaching me one strike.”
He picked up his sword with a satisfied smile and left the arena.
“It’s over so quickly. Come on, next! Who’s next?!”
Demian was even more fired up than me and called out the next knights.
Why was he so pumped up compared to me?
The third and fourth knights charged in sequence, but the result was exactly the same.
They looked like they were giving it their all, but to me it was just fun exercise.
Clang! Clang! Crack!
The arena was already piled high with broken sword fragments.
“Kyaaaooam…”
It’s been so long since I worked up a sweat. I’m getting sleepy…
After finishing my duel with all the knights, I flopped onto the grass, belly up, and yawned lazily.
After finally letting out all that sweat, the itchiness was gone and my body felt wonderfully refreshed.
“Rumble rumble…”
The breeze was perfect. This was ideal.
I enjoyed the wind, purred contentedly, and licked my tired front paw in delight.
“Whoa… Oppa, you’re really amazing!”
Lumia, who had been watching from afar, trotted over and pounced on my front paw with a happy bark.
She squeezed my soft pink jelly pads with delight.
“Oppa! It’s so super soft! How did you break those hard swords from before?”
“Kyaaung.”
Once you’re bigger, you’ll be able to do it too.
I puffed out my chest and spread my paw pads wide for her.
“Hehe, it looks like you had a lot of fun with Blanc. You worked hard.”
Demian approached and gently ruffled my fur.
“Thanks to you, the knights seem to have learned something. That was an excellent sparring session.”
I swished my tail happily and rubbed my cheek against his hand.
I didn’t know what they had learned, but I was glad I helped.
The knights, still clutching their broken swords, stared at me in a daze.
“He held back that much power all this time… He has incredible patience.”
“Not even a single valid hit, yet he overwhelmed all of us… He wasn’t just eating all day… He must have been secretly training.”
The knights looked at me with eyes full of awe.
I tilted my head at their gazes and stood up.
“Kyaaang!”
Thanks to all of you, I had a great time! Really, thank you!
I flashed a smile filled with my refreshed energy toward the knights.
My lips curved upward into a rare, refreshing smile that only Blanc could give.
“Heh… divine beast…”
“Y-you saw me…?”
“Ah, I want to be licked…”
The knights saw my smile and quickly covered their mouths, then collapsed to the ground and shed tears in streams.
Has the entire group entered menopause…?
The sight of grown men with bulging muscles sitting delicately on the floor and sobbing was not very pleasant.
“Everyone, snap out of it… What are you doing?”
A chill voice that sent shivers down the spine froze every person in the arena solid.
Kailian and Haetae stood at the entrance with arms crossed.
Both of their gazes were ice-cold.
Fragments of shattered training swords littered the floor, and the knights who had collapsed there stared back with sharp, dangerous eyes.
“Kyaa…”
…Oh no.
“Right now… you weren’t sparring with training swords. You pulled out real swords?”
Kailian’s red eyes burned with fury.
Her killing intent, which she hadn’t shown in a long time, made the air around her feel suffocating.
“You… actually took real swords and sparred with the divine beast?”
Haetae’s cold aura radiated outward as well.
“I don’t even know where to start slicing you first.”
Kailian placed her hand on the hilt at her waist and walked forward with heavy steps.
“Hic…!”
The knights went pale and flattened themselves on the ground.
Oh no, this is really bad…
“Y-your highness! It’s not what it looks like!”
The knights turned to explain through Demian, but he was already gone without a trace.
“Eh…? Your highness…?”
The mastermind behind all this—the Crown Prince Demian—had already fled the moment he sensed Kailian’s killing intent.
“Kyaa…”
That smart little butler… he ran away first.
I clicked my tongue.
I’ll definitely claw the bed to shreds later.
If there’s a next time for me…
I drooped my ears and carefully watched Kailian.
Kailian strode over and scooped me up into her arms with both hands.
“Blanc… you.”
“Kyaa…”
Because of her fierce eyes, I looked away. She immediately grabbed my cheeks and pulled them.
“Uwoong…!”
Why…!
“Who told you it was okay to spar with a real sword like that?! What if you get hurt by the fragments?!”
Kailian flicked my nose tip with her finger and scolded me fiercely.
I glanced at the knights trembling like aspen leaves with their swollen cheeks.
“Kyaa.”
Poor little humans.
If I left them like this, they’d get in trouble with the knights.
That wouldn’t do. I can’t let them suffer because of my insistence.
These pitiful little cans are here to endure my stubbornness along with Demian.
I flicked the two hands gripping my cheeks with my front paw.
“Kyaaung… Kyaaang.”
I was just trying to play! Those knights did nothing wrong.
I reached out my paw and gently covered her two blazing, angry eyes with my front paw.
And I rubbed my nose against hers, casting my ultimate cuteness technique.
“Rumble rumble… Kyaaung?”
Don’t be angry. Huh? I didn’t get hurt at all. Just forgive me this once.
My lethal, fluffy eye-covering cuteness technique.
Especially to the Emperor, it would make him giggle all day and brag about it to his servants.
“Haah…”
A deep, defeated sigh escaped Kailian’s lips.
The fierce killing intent she had been emitting melted away like snow, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly.
“You really… think just because you’re cute you can get away with anything.”
She gently removed my paw and let out a small laugh.
“You two… from what I see, you were forced into this because of Uncle and Blanc… Still, from now on, be careful not to do anything like this. You’re dismissed.”
“T-thank you! Your highness! Thank you, divine beast!”
The knights, looking like they had been resurrected from the dead, hurriedly picked up their broken swords and fled.
I swished my tail happily, knowing my strategy had worked.
“Kyaa!”
It worked! Later I’ll have to make some meat for the knights.
But Kailian’s next words hit me like the world was collapsing.
“The knights are letting you off because of your cuteness, but you don’t get to. Blanc.”
“Kyaa…?”
Eh…? You’re not going to let me off…?
Kailian pressed my nose tip firmly with a very determined voice.
“That was dangerous. Blanc, you’re getting no snacks today.”
“……!!!”
“I’m telling everyone else too. You’re not allowed to give snacks today. You’re going to have nothing but water.”
Death sentence delivered.
I stood there with my mouth wide open, frozen stiff as a stone.
“Ky, Kyaaang!”
No! Just once! Just this one time! I want snacks!
I thrashed wildly in Kailian’s arms, howling, but her decision was not changing.