Chapter 19

“Yes, I’m a kitchen errand girl. My mother isn’t well, so I got permission to step out for a bit last night. But since when has the sacred creature been here?”

The boy in question peeked out from the alley.

“Th-That is… since a little after noon yesterday…”

“What?”

Lydia’s eyes widened as she turned back to the shopkeeper.

“The sacred creature spent the night here? Oh my god, the Imperial Palace must be in chaos. His Majesty doesn’t sleep a single night without the sacred creature.”

It seemed Lydia thought the nights I spent warming her were all a dream.

Still annoyed, I didn’t deny her words.

The man suddenly dropped to his knees and grabbed Lydia’s arms.

“Child, please. Say that you simply found this cat on the street.”

“What?”

“Ah, you were going to buy herring, right? Not just herring, I’ll give you eel, butter, even a jar of honey. It was my young son’s mistake. Please. We never imagined it was an Imperial animal.”

Lydia bit her lip.

“That makes no sense. If I take the sacred creature back like this, I don’t know what kind of punishment I’ll face. You run a shop right in front of Herera Palace, yet you don’t know how strict His Majesty is?”

“That’s exactly why I’m begging you. If the truth comes out, we’ll lose our son and our shop. Please, I’m begging you…”

Seeing the man plead with tears in his eyes to a child, my heart started to soften.

If anyone was at fault, it was probably me for wandering out without thinking.

And if I told Klaus they had tried to eat me, I didn’t think for even a second that he would forgive the boy.

Even just for keeping me locked up and starving me all day, they wouldn’t be forgiven.

Sigh, I let out a long breath and lifted my head from Lydia’s arms.

Not knowing what to do, Lydia gently set me back on the stall.

“Sacred creature, do you have something to say?”

I nodded, and she asked again.

“Do you… not want to return to the palace?”

Oh my god, what kind of question is that?

I shook my head vigorously.

I want to go back right now, more than anything.

In this Kella, being by the Emperor’s side is the safest…

Then Lydia carefully asked another question.

“Should I take you back?”

But I couldn’t put Lydia in danger.

The problem was that the sun was already setting.

Could I really make it back to the palace alone?

Lydia knelt down to lower herself to my eye level.

It felt a bit unpleasant, like I was following that Emma girl’s demands, but Lydia leaned in and whispered like sharing a secret.

“Did these people trouble you?”

Honestly, I couldn’t say no.

After a moment of hesitation, she asked again.

“Do you want to punish them?”

The child who had knelt beside his father was now crying hard.

Right… the child wasn’t at fault.

He was just hungry…

I slowly shook my head.

The shopkeeper immediately lay flat on the ground with his arms stretched out.

It didn’t seem like gratitude so much as shock at a cat shaking its head.

“Then… do you forgive them?”

Even now, I wasn’t sure if forgiveness was the right word.

If I hadn’t met a shopkeeper who at least recognized a pet cat, someone else might not have.

Then I would’ve already become rabbit meat.

I slowly nodded.

Lydia smiled brightly through tearful eyes.

“As expected, you’re so generous. My little angel, sacred creature, may the goddess bless you.”

“Th-Thank you, sacred creature.”

The man bowed deeply, and beside him, his son lowered his head.

I jumped down from the stall and placed my paw on the boy’s knee.

Lydia said proudly.

“The sacred creature is granting the blessing of Goddess Favia.”

That was quite an interpretation, but the boy burst into tears anyway.

H-Hey, stop crying…

“Meooow…”

But there was still a problem.

How was I supposed to get back to the palace?

Unexpectedly, the boy who had stopped crying spoke hesitantly.

“I-I want to escort the cat to the Imperial Palace.”

His father shook his head frantically.

“No. His Majesty doesn’t forgive easily.”

Tsk… Klaus, this is what your people think of you.

Well, you probably already know…

Lydia stepped in.

“How about this? We escort the sacred creature to where the drawbridge is visible. From there, it should be able to return alone. What do you think, sacred creature?”

I nodded slowly and clearly.

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

But Lydia spoke firmly.

“Still, the child can’t go. What if he runs into wild animals or thugs? Sir, you must go yourself. And I’ll come along too to make sure everything goes safely.”

But you said you were out on leave?

I looked at Lydia in confusion, and she suddenly remembered something and picked up the two coins from the stall.

“Please just give me the herring from earlier. I’ll deliver it home on the way.”

When she held out the coins, the shopkeeper shook his head quickly.

“If it weren’t for you, we would’ve faced a disaster. As I said, take the herring, eel, butter, and honey. Do you need anything else?”

“I can’t accept such a large reward for doing nothing. But since I won’t be able to spend time with my family as planned, I’ll gratefully take the herring.”

The man wasn’t as stingy as he looked.

He insisted on packing herring and eel, and even added a small lump of butter.

Lydia refused the honey, saying it was too valuable for their situation.

Then we all walked together back along the Emperor’s Road.

The endless white road that had felt so long to me had a name.

The Emperor’s Road.

In the end, I had never truly left the Emperor’s side for even a moment.

* * *

After stopping by Lydia’s house to deliver the food, the sky turned orange as we walked.

Lydia quickened her pace.

“If the sun sets and the drawbridge closes, you won’t be able to cross unnoticed. We have to hurry.”

Then it happened.

Clatter, clatter. The sound of multiple horses’ hooves echoed from afar.

Instinctively, I knew they were coming for me.

I lightly bit Lydia’s hand.

“Are you going from here on your own?”

I nodded, and Lydia hesitated.

“But the sun is setting, sacred creature. What if hungry foxes or wolves appear on the way?”

By then, the shopkeeper had also heard the distant hoofbeats.

“Looks like soldiers are coming.”

“Oh my god, really? They might be looking for the sacred creature.”

“Let’s head back now.”

“But I have to return to the palace.”

“If you go now, you might be suspected.”

I slipped out of Lydia’s arms and nudged her calf with my head.

“I need to go back…”

“Come on, let’s go!”

The man quickly grabbed Lydia and turned away, and I deliberately ran straight down the center of the Emperor’s Road.

So the soldiers could easily spot me if they were searching.

I prayed desperately that the approaching hoofbeats were indeed coming for me.

When the sound drew very close.

When the horses in front spotted me and stopped, kicking up dust.

A man in red leaped down from a glossy brown horse.

The feather on his hat fluttered dramatically.

“Kitty, what are you doing out here?”

…It was Lucas.

I didn’t know if I had ever felt this relieved even when I was human.

I ran and jumped into his arms.

His large hand caught me instantly, and I was overwhelmed with endless relief.

I’m alive…

I’m safe now.

But instead of returning to his horse, Lucas walked toward the white horse at the center of the formation.

Then he lifted me high.

I didn’t even need to look up to know who owned that intense gaze.

I glanced up for just a moment with frightened eyes.

As expected, the Emperor’s blue eyes burned like blue flames.

“Meooow…”

I let out the most pitiful cry I could.

I had already driven away anyone I could blame, so this time I had to take full responsibility.

Unexpectedly, Klaus extended one arm.

The silent Emperor was terrifying, but heartless Lucas placed me onto that arm.

I had no choice but to settle into the crook of Klaus’s arm.

The Emperor still said nothing.

He didn’t even ask where I had been.

“Me-ow.”

I tried to act cute and rubbed my head against his side, but it didn’t work.

“Hyah!”

That was all he said, and the intelligent white horse immediately turned.

The horse galloped at incredible speed, its mane flying.

The running horse was scary, but the silent Klaus was even scarier.

And that chilling silence continued all the way back to the palace.

That was right.

Klaus was angry.

I had never seen him this angry before, and I deeply regretted running away for a single night.

Klaus, I’m sorry… I was wrong.

No, that wasn’t enough.

Your Majesty… I’m sorry, I committed a terrible sin. Please…

Finally, the horse stopped, and Klaus jumped down.

I clung tightly to his arm, afraid of falling, but his firm hand unexpectedly supported me.

Holding me in one arm, he strode up the stairs.

The white fur draped over his shoulders brushed against my face.

“Meooow…”

I cried again, but there was no response.

The servants whispering in the hallway parted like the Red Sea at the mere sight of the Emperor and disappeared.

I clung to Klaus as he walked, leaving behind an ominous trail.

When we reached the guards at the Audience Chamber, I felt strangely relieved.

They were soldiers who often played with me.

But they couldn’t even signal to me.

They just stiffly stomped their feet and opened the crossed spears to clear the way.

Hey… guys?

We’re closer than this, aren’t we…?

Is His Majesty really that angry?

Klaus passed them coldly and entered the Audience Chamber.

Inside the large room, only the Chamberlain stood waiting, looking anxious.

Where did all the servants and guests go?

And Emma?

There wasn’t a single other person in the chamber.

Even the Chamberlain seemed tense, shoulders slightly hunched as he spoke.

“D-Did you find the sacred creature, Your Majesty?”

Klaus didn’t even glance at him.

As if he hadn’t heard anything, he simply turned toward Lucas.

Only then did the Emperor’s heavy lips part.

“I will execute the guards who were on duty this morning.”