Chapter 15

I tilted my head and looked at Klaus with a dumbfounded expression.

Why are you asking a cat that? You foolish Emperor, if the Prime Minister was that important, you should’ve set a clear return date.

Thinking that made me miss Michaela, who had scolded him with almost the exact same words.

Sigh, with Lucas gone and even Michaela having left, it felt like Klaus didn’t smile even once all day.

I stared at his stiff face, then quietly walked over to him.

Klaus looked at me in confusion, but I ignored it and jumped onto his lap.

We had never been this physically close before, so he flailed his arms like he might push me away.

Of course, he didn’t actually do it.

“What is this supposed to be…”

I thought he might stand up and brush me off like dust, but instead, he just let out another helpless sigh.

I watched with satisfaction as the corners of his lips lifted slightly compared to before.

“Didn’t Emma Schmidt hold you often?”

I didn’t bother answering that.

Emma never held me, and I never wanted her to.

“Do you miss Hael?”

Only then did I nod.

His heavy hand slowly moved and stroked my head.

There was a trace of longing in that touch.

It seemed Klaus also missed his own family.

I lifted my head and rubbed my cheek against his palm.

For a brief moment, his red lips curved into a faint smile.

I met his blue eyes, now softened without their usual chill, for a long while.

In the end, he looked away first and spoke bluntly.

“Don’t pretend to be clever and act wary. No one in this palace would dare harm you.”

You idiot, there’s someone in your palace daring to harm you.

Frustrated, I let out a deep sigh and lowered my head.

Maybe because I interrupted him, Klaus gave up on his work early and went to bed.

As the familiar weight of his large hand settled over me, sleep came over me like magic.

‘In Kella, being by the Emperor’s side is the safest.’

Ever since Klaus said that, I felt an overwhelming sense of security when I was near him.

…Brainwashing really is terrifying.

* * *

Lately, I could barely wake up when the Emperor left for hunting.

At dawn, I often went to Lydia to warm her cold body, so my sleep kept getting disrupted.

“Sacred creature, did you sleep well through the night?”

The bedroom attendant seemed to have waited quite a while so as not to disturb me.

I ended up starting the day feeling both sorry and embarrassed.

It was the first day I had to spend entirely with Emma.

I had been tense about it, but surprisingly, she didn’t show her face at all in the morning.

Instead, her two maids hovered around me with food and toys, taking care of me.

I didn’t particularly want to see Emma anyway, so it wasn’t uncomfortable.

Still, it was annoying how she appeared exactly at lunchtime in the audience chamber.

Right when the Emperor returned.

“Sacred creature Mari.”

Emma greeted me properly, lifting her skirt slightly, but right after that, she ignored me again.

Well, that was fine.

It was more comfortable for me to ignore her too.

From outside, the loud sound of hooves echoed.

Then a rider from the hunting party shouted.

“His Majesty has returned!”

At that moment, Emma suddenly approached me.

I instinctively dodged her reaching hand, but after trying only twice, she ordered her maids.

“Catch it.”

One maid came forward, picked me up, and placed me firmly into Emma’s arms.

Emma sat down, put me on her lap, and calmly began stroking me.

What is this?

Then it finally clicked.

Emma Schmidt wanted to hold me like a doll and act demure in front of the Emperor.

As if!

I couldn’t scratch a noble lady, so I used all my flexibility to slip out of her grip.

But the maids, following their mistress’s orders, stubbornly chased and caught me again.

I couldn’t harm innocent maids either.

In the end, I was tightly held in Emma’s arms, barely able to breathe, as Klaus entered.

“Did you enjoy the hunt, Your Majesty.”

Her clear and gentle voice gave me chills.

Klaus glanced once at me in Emma’s arms, then gave her a small nod.

He must have thought he got the answer to his question from last night.

‘Didn’t Emma Schmidt hold you often?’

He definitely asked that.

I was furious, but Emma’s cheeks flushed like ripe peaches from just that one glance.

Hey, he didn’t acknowledge you because you’re pretty!

Then her cherry like lips parted, and an unbelievable lie spilled out.

“The sacred creature spent the entire morning playing with a feather wand. She didn’t seem to tire at all. I think I should exercise more to build my stamina too.”

What did you just say?

I don’t even know where she got that feather wand, but there’s no way I would play with something like that!

I just ignored it when the maids waved it a few times.

Klaus looked at me again.

Seeing satisfaction in his eyes, I shook my head repeatedly, but I couldn’t stop his words.

“Good work.”

You foolish Emperor!

She didn’t even hold that boring wand herself!

Wow, what this palace really needs is CCTV.

Someone is plotting at night, and their niece is telling blatant lies in broad daylight!

Unaware that his cat was about to explode from frustration, Klaus changed his clothes as usual and returned.

Then everyone moved to the banquet hall together.

By everyone, I mean the ladies who had been looking for excuses to stay in the palace were still here.

They all used either me or Emma as an excuse, yet not a single one came to see me in the morning.

Not wanting to stay near Emma, I quickly followed Klaus.

Even in the banquet hall, I settled right at his feet.

And immediately regretted it.

Because Emma used me as an excuse to sit right beside the Emperor.

“May I sit near the sacred creature and serve her food?”

Of course Klaus nodded.

With neither Michaela nor Lucas around, there weren’t many nobles of higher status than Emma.

I sat there halfheartedly, tasting the food she occasionally served.

New dishes, fish dishes… nothing new, so it didn’t help at all in figuring out how to become human.

As I kept pushing my plate away without finishing it, Klaus placed his own plate in front of me.

It was mascarpone cheese, my favorite.

Just as I happily licked it, Emma suddenly spoke in a touched voice.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. You’re truly considerate.”

Her face lit up as if she had just received an expensive necklace!

Hey, that has nothing to do with you!

What kind of scammer is this!

I was furious, and Klaus cleared his throat.

Our Emperor just preferred taking care of me quietly without others noticing.

“Well. Keep eating.”

At his reluctant words, Emma blushed again like an innocent girl.

Not that Klaus would actually serve her anything, but even hearing a single kind word from him was rare.

I truly endured that day with Emma.

* * *

After that painful realization in the banquet hall, I stopped following the Emperor around.

When returning, I deliberately headed to Emma’s quarters instead of the audience chamber.

Emma and the other girls naturally followed me.

Among them, some occasionally brushed me or took care of me, but it was never Emma.

Emma only paid attention to me when the Emperor was present.

Because that clever duke’s daughter knew exactly how to attract his attention.

Even if she never directly mistreated me, it was incredibly annoying!

I tried to get small revenge by not acting the way she wanted, but sadly, it didn’t have much effect.

The guests in Emma’s room finally left after dinner.

“Good night, Emma.”

“See you next time.”

Seeing their lingering expressions of regret was baffling.

They didn’t even do anything special together, so why did they want to stay in the palace so badly?

Once everyone left, I wanted to return to Klaus.

At this hour, he would always be alone, and his residence would be filled with the scent of burning candles and wood.

That quiet, cozy place suddenly felt very appealing.

Maybe I can go back now?

Would Emma really follow me even at this hour?

As if she had read my mind, she gave an order.

“Prepare the sacred creature. I will take it to His Majesty.”

The maids bowed in unison.

“Yes, my lady.”

Prepare what exactly?

I was eager to leave immediately, but one maid picked me up and leisurely began brushing my fur.

Ugh, that actually feels kind of nice…

Well, I just have to endure a little longer.

The Emperor wouldn’t let anyone keep me overnight, not even his sister, so Emma would have no choice but to return me.

But while I was being brushed, another maid brought in a large tub of water.

Oh, am I getting a bath too?

I looked at it with anticipation for a moment, but unexpectedly, the maid started undressing Emma instead.

Why is she undressing?

I stared at them with wide eyes.

Emma stepped into the bath, and the maid began washing her skillfully.

Wait, preparing also included her? Why?

I was stunned, but there was nothing I could do.

So I just watched Emma’s bath blankly.

Now that I looked, Emma Schmidt had a body far too mature to be called a girl…

Even her figure is annoyingly perfect.

“Spray rose water.”

As I watched her lift her arms while perfume was applied beneath them, I smirked inwardly.

Even so, you won’t hear anything nice from Klaus.

But when Emma finished bathing and changed into indoor attire, I was actually shocked.

This is ridiculous.

She’s going to see the Emperor and she changes into sleepwear?

Emma then stood before the mirror, staring intently at herself.

Right, she must realize something too.

That’s obviously sleepwear.

But then she said.

“Loosen it more.”