The Treasure Vault's Jolly Haul Ends with a Shaky Stick
"Kyauung."
Yeah. This ought to keep me from getting bored for a good while.
A mountain of treasures from the Imperial Treasury was piled in front of me—everything Lumia and I had picked out as we tore through the vault, hunting for toys worth playing with.
"Ehehe! Brother, I wanna take that sparkly mirror too!"
"Kyau! Kyaang!"
Yeah! That one's perfect for looking at your face! Sweep it all up!
Lumia wagged her tail furiously with a golden mirror clamped in her jaws, while I raked artifacts toward myself with my front paws and carried off whatever caught my fancy.
Faced with the merciless plunder of two little fluffballs, Kailian buried her face in both hands and let out a long, weary sigh.
"Haa... Father, this is well past the point of picking out toys."
"Haha. What's the matter? Blanc and Lumia are enjoying themselves, aren't they?"
Karsion stood with the Earth Dragon's Bone slung over his shoulder, smiling with unmistakable satisfaction.
"These are treasures the Empire spent ages gathering. Are you truly all right with this?"
"What good is a treasure if it just sits in a pile? A treasure's worth is in the using of it. And don't pretend you weren't smiling yourself, watching how much Blanc likes them."
"That's... true enough."
Kailian pressed her fingers to her forehead at Karsion's words. Of course she was pleased that Blanc was happy. Still... wasn't this going a little too far?
Watching the two of them pile up treasures indiscriminately, she called out to Blanc and Lumia.
"Hey. Blanc. Lumia?"
"Kyau?"
What?
"Why don't you just yank the columns out of the Treasury while you're at it? Hell, ask them to move the whole building over to the Princess's Palace."
"Kyauung?"
We're allowed to do that?
Those would make a pretty great cat tower, actually.
I stared at the Treasury's massive marble pillars with naked, dripping longing. Kailian lurched in front of me in a panic.
"No! Do not actually try to pull them out! I can't even joke with you, can I?"
"Kyaang!"
Then don't say it! That's just mean!
In the end I smacked my lips in disappointment and dragged my gaze away from the interior of the Imperial Treasury.
"You there! Package every toy Blanc and Lumia picked out and send them up to the Princess's Palace at once!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The Treasury keepers began wrapping my toys with painstaking, reverent care.
Their hands are shaking like crazy in front of Grandpa and Kailian, but damn, their wrapping skills are impressive.
I watched their deft fingers with genuine admiration.
"Have you enjoyed yourself enough?"
"Kyauung!"
Thanks to you, it was a blast!
I rubbed my face all over Grandpa's hands.
"Good. If you're happy, I'm happy."
"Kyauung!"
I like you too, Grandpa.
I finished fawning over Grandpa, picked up the old, hole-riddled wooden stick I'd chosen earlier in my mouth, and headed back to the Princess's Palace.
"Kyauuung... kyaang."
The Treasury was fun, but nothing beats my own room.
Back in Kailian's chambers, I spread my spoils across the plush carpet.
The Earth Dragon's Bone. An unidentified old wooden stick.
The rest hadn't been delivered yet.
I looked back and forth between the two toys, my rump twitching with excitement.
"Kyau! Kyahaang!"
Oh yeah. This is a comforting sight.
My tail lashing violently from side to side was all the proof anyone needed of my mood. I nudged the wooden stick off to one side for now and padded toward the Earth Dragon's Bone.
Snack first. I'd already eaten the broken-off piece, but gnawing my way through a whole giant bone like this is a completely different flavor.
Sliiide. Lick.
"Kyau..."
That's it. That deep flavor!
I narrowed my eyes and wrapped both front paws around the bone, hugging it tight. Every time I flared the barbs on my tongue and rasped it over the surface, a contented Purr Song spilled from my throat all on its own.
"Grrrr... purr-purr-purr..."
This. This is the taste of power...
I was licking the bone with the expression of a creature who owned the world when a rustling sound reached my ears.
"Keng..."
Lumia had crept up at some point. Watching me purr as I licked the bone with such obvious relish, her curiosity had clearly been piqued. She swallowed hard and carefully nosed toward my prize.
"Brother, is that really that tasty? Can I... can I just lick it once?"
Lumia flicked her tongue and pushed her snout toward the bone. I reflexively stretched out a front paw and shoved her white muzzle away.
"Keng... Brother, just one bite..."
Lumia looked up at me with pitiful, glistening eyes.
She's my precious little sister, but this is where I draw the line. With my snacks confiscated for the day, this is the only food I have left.
"Kyauung."
I'll give you something else. Not this!
I firmly pushed Lumia away with a paw and hid the bone behind my back.
I don't care how cute my little sister is. I am not sharing my snack.
"Tch... Fine, you pig..."
Lumia's tail drooped as she turned away, looking thoroughly dejected.
That wilted little back of her head is poking at my conscience, but it can't be helped.
"Kyauung..."
I do feel a little bad.
But contrary to my worries, Lumia was back in no time with a toy she'd brought from the Treasury clamped in her mouth—a round jeweled ball, lavishly gilded in gold leaf. She padded over, plastered her small body against my side, and started licking her own toy while sneaking glances at me.
"Mmph... lick."
"Kyauung."
This cute little thing... Why does she have to look so pathetic? She's going to make me go soft.
Feeling guilty for shoving her away, I let out a deep sigh.
I can't share the bone, but I should at least give her some affection.
I lifted a paw and very gently stroked and patted the top of Lumia's head. Then I rolled over just enough to put my plump white belly on full display.
"Kyau. Kyaang."
You can't eat this, but you can bury yourself in my fluffy belly all you want.
At my generosity, Lumia's drooping ears shot straight up.
"Hehe! Brother's belly is so squishy. You're like a pig!"
"Kyauung?"
This little brat?
Lumia wasted no time burying her head in my soft belly fat, her tail swaying happily as she went back to playing with her toy. Feeling her warmth against me, I turned my attention back to the Earth Dragon's Bone.
Watching Blanc and Lumia stuck together, companionably licking their toys with tiny tongues, Kailian allowed herself a small smile.
"Heh. The two of you are so very sweet."
While we were peacefully licking bone and toy, Haetae returned from speaking with the envoys and stepped into the room with a light, graceful tread. She smiled with elegant composure at the sight of us sprawled on the carpet, came to my side, knelt, and affectionately stroked my head.
"Heh. Across the entire continent, the only one who would treat a precious Earth Dragon's Bone as a snack is you, Lord Blanc."
"Kyauuung."
Obviously. At my level, this is just the tribute my butlers bring me. You should try harder too.
I closed my eyes and purred contentedly under Haetae's hand.
Then, as she was savoring the feel of Blanc's fur, Haetae's gaze snagged on something. Behind Blanc's rump, in a corner of the carpet, an old wooden stick lay rolling about, utterly neglected.
"Hmm... and this is?"
Haetae's eyes narrowed, just a fraction. She took her hand from my head and slowly reached toward the wooden stick riddled with holes.
What's with that?
"Lord Blanc. Where did you come by this?"
The usual playfulness had vanished from Haetae's voice, replaced by something grave, even faintly tense.
Why's she acting like that? It's just a wooden stick.
At her peculiar reaction, Kailian, seated on the sofa, turned her head.
"Oh, that? Father pulled it out of the Imperial Treasury for Blanc."
"The Imperial Treasury, you say?"
"Yeah. Blanc left all those treasures sitting there and came back with that beat-up stick in his mouth. He must've taken a liking to it."
Kailian took a sip of tea and answered without much concern.
"Why? Haetae, do you know what it is?"
At that, Haetae carefully withdrew her hand from the stick, treating it as if even touching it required caution.
"Kyau..."
Is it because it smells like my drool? I did carry it around in my mouth for a while...
Her blue eyes bored into the wooden stick.
"No. I have seen countless relics and magical implements in the East, but I have never encountered an object like this... In form it resembles a flute, yet its essence is entirely different."
"Is that so? Then it's probably just some worthless scrap."
Kailian tried to dismiss it, but Haetae shook her head firmly.
"Your Highness. You must not be deceived by its appearance. This object... I can sense an aura similar to Lord Blanc's and my own."
"Kyauung?"
I didn't feel anything like that at all?
Haetae patted my head again as she continued.
"It is far too faint for someone of Lord Blanc's formidable presence to notice. That is only natural. I am simply a little more sensitive to such things."
"Kyauung?"
Yeah? So is it something important?
"At the very least, it is certain that I sense the aura of a Divine Beast. This is no ordinary object."
"Kyauung."
I brought that thing so I could chew on it when my teeth itch... Can't I just use it as a scratcher? Divine Beast or not, Grandpa and Mama are probably stronger anyway.
Afraid someone might snatch my toy, I carefully gathered the wooden stick into my arms.