Chapter 4

Just as I was about to lick the chocolate she gave me, Klaus’s voice rang out.

“Michaela, that’s enough. Are you trying to turn the sacred creature into a pig while it stays in Herera?”

Laughter broke out in the banquet hall, but I ignored him and licked the chocolate anyway.

It wasn’t very sweet, but the rich cocoa flavor I hadn’t tasted in a while was amazing.

For a moment, everyone’s attention shifted to me because of the Emperor’s comment, and then Lucas, who had been sitting beside him, suddenly stood up.

“Chocolate? Your Majesty, you can’t just give chocolate to an animal.”

Michaela’s eyes widened.

“Why not? It’s really delicious. Chef Britta has been making this special chocolate for me since I was little.”

“Good heavens.”

Lucas strode around the table and snatched the plate in front of me.

“Ya-ong!”

I protested for once, but that only made the laughter around me grow louder.

Michaela scolded Lucas with a smile.

“Lucas, the sacred creature is upset.”

But Lucas didn’t smile back at all.

Instead, he placed a few dried raspberries on the plate and returned it to me.

“Even if it’s a sacred creature, it’s still just a kitten that was recently weaned. You have to be careful about what it eats.”

Only then did the surrounding nobles murmur in agreement.

It seemed like none of them knew much about cats either.

As the atmosphere turned slightly chaotic, Klaus made a solemn sounding joke.

“Argyle, I wonder if your Queen is about to break the Emperor’s oath in just one day.”

Laughter erupted again, but I felt uneasy.

…Come to think of it, my stomach kind of hurts.

Wait, I can’t die before I turn human.

Michaela, are you sure I’m okay?

* * *

Unfortunately, I was not okay.

My head spun and my heart pounded.

A couple of hours later, I threw up in front of the cold fireplace in the hall. Embarrassed by the mess, I covered it with ash and immediately regretted it.

Maybe I should have shown it to someone so they’d know I was sick.

This fragile baby kitten body, not even weighing a kilogram, lost all its strength from just one round of vomiting.

I returned to the audience chamber and dozed by the fireplace until night fell. It seemed Michaela had already gone to her quarters after I fell asleep.

Just like Tobi said, I woke up in the middle of the night, but this time it was because of my pounding heart.

What do I do, I think I’m really sick.

Tobi, I’m sick.

What should I do?

I barely managed to lift my weak body and tried to move to ask someone for help.

Even at night, there should be guards outside the audience chamber, but I didn’t even have the strength to scratch the door with my claws.

What should I do…

Staggering, I made my way toward the Emperor’s quarters.

The door was incredibly thick, but it was slightly open.

I squeezed through the narrow gap.

Klaus said never to come in here…

But dying like this is too unfair.

If I’m going to die anyway, it doesn’t matter how!

But the Emperor’s room, which I entered for the first time, was enormous.

I couldn’t even make it to his bedroom before collapsing again.

So I’m going to die without even becoming human…

My short life as a cat flashed before my eyes.

Tobi, Michaela, Chef Britta.

And Lucas.

Thank you for everything…

As my consciousness faded, I heard the sharp sound of metal.

Clang-

I barely lifted my eyelids and saw a glint of metal in my blurry vision.

“Who dares sneak into the Emperor’s quarters like a rat.”

For some reason, tears welled up as I saw Klaus swinging his sword in the darkness.

Hey, I’m not a rat, I’m a cat…

“…Lump?”

Not lump, Mari…

“Are you alright?”

At that moment, I lost consciousness completely.

As the Kella Empire, my second world, faded away, I heard one last voice.

“Mari, where are you hurt? Guards, guards! Call a doctor!”

* * *

Even in the final moment before losing consciousness, I doubted this world.

Even if they called a doctor, I didn’t think they’d be able to cure me.

But when I faintly regained consciousness, instead of being pulled into another world or drifting into a perfect afterlife, I heard someone sobbing.

“Sob… it’s all my fault. Lucas told me not to give chocolate carelessly…”

It was Michaela.

I regretted just eating whatever was given to me too.

What if I die without even becoming human.

I didn’t realize cats were this fragile…

“My dear, it vomited most of it out, so it should be fine. Please stop crying.”

I see, then maybe I won’t die, just like Argyle said.

Come to think of it, Klaus called a doctor.

At that moment when I was on the brink of death, he clearly called my name.

He had never been kind to me, but I thought maybe he cared a little… guess not.

I couldn’t hear Klaus’s voice.

As I felt an unexpected disappointment at the Emperor’s absence, I suddenly heard sharp footsteps and an angry shout.

“Doctor! If you let the sacred creature die like this, your life won’t be spared!”

…Klaus?

Wait, wasn’t your wish to feed me to the black bear?

…Are you a tsundere?

It wasn’t just me who found it strange, as the room fell silent.

Klaus cleared his throat awkwardly and added sternly.

“It hasn’t even been a full day since the Emperor of the Empire swore to protect this small sacred creature. If something were to happen while the temple attendant stepped away, how could I face the priests of Favia? So no matter what, you must save it.”

Why are you suddenly so serious?

I was regaining my senses, but I didn’t dare open my eyes.

What’s gotten into you, Klaus…

This is kind of embarrassing…

At that moment, a large hand covered my body.

I flinched, thinking it might be the Emperor, but it wasn’t.

Lucas spoke as if he could see right into my mind.

“Kitty, that’s enough protesting. I won’t threaten you again. Making His Majesty worry is a grave disloyalty for a subject.”

Klaus cut in again.

“It’s not like I’m worried about that lump…”

That sounded way too much like you were.

I reluctantly opened my eyes.

When our eyes met, Lucas smiled brightly.

Then, as naturally as breathing, he kissed my forehead.

“Good job, kitty.”

Hey, that’s embarrassing.

Sure, you’re handsome, but you can’t just go around kissing me like that… wait, I kind of like it.

At that moment, Michaela burst into tears and rushed over.

“Mari is awake? Mari, Mari! I’m so sorry…”

My gaze passed over Michaela and landed on Klaus, who stood nearby.

His blue eyes, filled with relief, softened slightly.

It was a steady gaze that made me feel at ease too.

The imperial doctor, who I had no idea where he had been until now, stepped past Michaela and turned me over.

“I’ll examine her again, Your Majesty.”

A heavy, cold stethoscope was placed on my stomach.

The freezing sensation made me want to run away instinctively, but I took a deep breath, remembering my time as a human.

I really don’t want to die like this.

Next time, what if I end up reincarnated as a rock on the beach?

What if I become a rock that gets worn down by waves and turns into sand someday, sob.

The doctor moved the stethoscope over my small body several times, listening with a serious expression.

Finally, he made his conclusion.

“Her intestinal sounds have improved greatly. Her heartbeat is almost back to normal as well. For now, avoid giving her uncooked food and observe her carefully, Your Majesty.”

Michaela nodded with teary eyes.

Beside her, Lucas took out a familiar velvet pouch.

Soon, two silver coins appeared from inside.

“Good work.”

The doctor quickly accepted the payment and bowed deeply.

As soon as he turned away, I clearly heard him let out a small sigh of relief.

Of course, he was more relieved to have saved his life than to receive a few coins.

As soon as the doctor left, Lucas immediately started teasing the Emperor.

“Good thing it turned out alright, right, Your Majesty?”

Seriously, does the Prime Minister keep extra lives in that velvet pouch or something?

Klaus replied coldly as usual.

“I didn’t realize this worthless furball was such an idiot that it couldn’t even protect its own life.”

But somehow, his usual harsh tone sounded a little softer today.

Lucas let out a quiet sigh.

“Still, the fact that it crawled all the way to Your Majesty’s quarters means it’s not completely foolish. If it had stayed in the audience chamber, it might have quietly passed away overnight.”

“Tch.”

Klaus clicked his tongue and spoke as if he had no choice.

“Until it fully recovers, I permit it to stay in my quarters.”

Lucas smiled as if amused and gave an order to the chamberlain.

“It seems to like warm places, so make sure the fireplace doesn’t go out at night.”

A day passed where my life had been on the line.

In just that one day, it felt like my position in the Imperial Palace had suddenly risen.

The fireplace in the Emperor’s quarters never went out throughout the night.

And Klaus came out twice during the night to secretly check if I was sleeping well and still breathing.

What a weird jerk… and kind of a considerate tsundere…

But I shouldn’t let my guard down around Klaus just yet.

I realized that painfully the very next day.

* * *

“Your Majesty, this is too much. How could you imprison an attendant who merely stepped out to visit his temple?”

Michaela’s sharp voice rang out, her Bismarck blue eyes blazing.

Hearing her fierce tone, I felt chills too.

What did you say, Michaela?

“I was the one who allowed Tobias to leave. Then imprison me instead!”

At the mention of Tobias’s name, my small heart pounded.

Klaus, what did you do?

The Emperor at the center of it all didn’t even look up from the stack of documents as he replied.

“If you were not the Queen of Grayhin, I would have.”