Chapter 9

My slumped shoulders shot upright.

So the chamberlain really knew about that drink?

But why him?

In this empire, the chamberlain wasn’t just a servant.

Joshua Pensler, Baron Pensler.

Emma Schmidt’s uncle, and the lord of the Pensler estate.

The title of chamberlain was less about servitude and more a symbol of power, someone who attended the Emperor closely.

With such high status, what would he possibly gain from doing something so dangerous?

But thinking about it more carefully, the chamberlain hadn’t offered a glass to his own niece, Emma.

I had assumed he only served the Emperor and the Queen because of their higher rank, but what if that wasn’t the case?

I didn’t know enough about the history of the Kella Empire or the political struggles surrounding imperial power to draw a clear conclusion.

Still, I didn’t want to be caught by someone so suspicious.

I dodged his reaching hand several times, running around to avoid him, until he clicked his tongue and turned away.

“If you don’t want to come, then do as you please. Because of a worthless creature like you, that young temple attendant has already lost his position and been cast out. Without you, things would be much quieter.”

What? Tobi got kicked out?

The question lingered in my mouth, but I couldn’t ask it.

The chamberlain continued to berate me, even though I couldn’t speak.

“What difference would it make if one troublesome cat disappeared from the palace? Tch.”

Maybe Klaus, Michaela, and even Lucas thought the same way.

That thought alone made me shrink in on myself.

The chamberlain left without a second glance.

Even if Tobi had been dismissed, wouldn’t they at least give him time to gather his belongings?

Clinging to that hope, I stayed in the empty room, waiting for him.

But he never came back, and my mood sank deeper.

I stared at the wooden door the chamberlain had left slightly ajar.

I have to find Tobi myself.

But no matter how much I searched through the palace, I couldn’t find a trace of him.

The dungeon?

Should I check there?

But the chamberlain clearly said he was thrown out.

Ah, Tobi.

Did you really leave me behind?

To me, Tobi was like a mother.

He fed me, played with me, took care of me.

Which meant without him, I was completely helpless.

Night was already approaching, but I didn’t even know where I should sleep.

I couldn’t go to Klaus, who must be furious.

I couldn’t go to Michaela either, who might have been hurt because of me.

Wandering in search of a warm place to sleep, I slipped into a small room connected to the kitchen.

Dinner time had already passed, but something was still being boiled over the hearth there.

* * *

“Eek!”

I had curled up beside a large pot and fallen asleep when a young girl’s voice startled me awake.

It was late at night, yet a young maid had come into the kitchen.

She seemed just as startled by my shadow flickering in the firelight.

Clutching her chest, she spoke.

“Oh my, aren’t you the sacred creature? How did you come all the way down here? I’ve seen you from afar, but up close you’re really like a doll.”

Have we passed by before?

No matter how much I tilted my head and looked at her, I couldn’t tell.

There were too many servants in the palace, and they all dressed similarly.

Sensing my gaze, she quickly added as if explaining herself.

“Please don’t look at me suspiciously. I’m not here to steal anything. You wouldn’t be interested in the fish here either, right?”

Of course not!

At her unexpected words, I lifted my head proudly.

She leaned in and whispered.

“I’m here on a secret errand for the chamberlain.”

What?

I hadn’t been wary of the little girl at all, so I was completely startled.

Was the chamberlain really plotting something in the middle of the night?

The girl even raised a finger to her lips and added softly.

“It’s something no one else must know, but I’m telling you specially. I thought you might suspect me.”

Kid… now I’m suspicious of you.

I looked her over carefully.

She looked about ten years old, wearing only a couple layers of thin cotton skirts despite the cold.

Her cheeks were red and chapped, dotted with freckles like a child who played outside all day.

The white headscarf worn by servants was too large for her, covering most of her hair.

A child like this was working under the chamberlain?

She winked at me and poured a handful of dried berries into a mortar.

Then she began grinding them carefully, as if afraid of making noise.

The dark bluish berries gave off a strange scent, both sweet and sickening.

As I listened to the soft grinding sound, I recalled her words.

‘I’m here on a secret errand for the chamberlain.’

A secret errand.

I didn’t even want to know what those berries were, but I couldn’t leave things like this.

No matter how many times I thought about it, the chamberlain was suspicious.

It made no sense for such a strange smelling ingredient to be ground in secret at night by such a young child.

After making up my mind, I casually got up and circled around her.

The naive girl looked at me and smiled.

“Sacred creature, are you hungry? Should I find you something to eat?”

Since I didn’t refuse, she paused her work and began rummaging through the ingredients.

I felt a little guilty, but I had no choice.

The moment she turned away, I dashed toward the mortar.

The bowl rolled, and the suspicious powder scattered everywhere.

“Oh no! Sacred creature!”

She rushed back, but it was too late.

I pushed the mortar around with my paws until it was empty, then shook my body to keep the powder from sticking.

What if it was poison? I was scared too.

But the girl desperately began gathering the spilled powder.

What are you doing?

Don’t tell me you’re going to use that dusty mess?

“This was really important! That was all of it!”

She burst into tears, rubbing the dirty floor with her hands.

“Sob… you mean sacred creature… now I’ll lose the silver coin I finally got to touch… I’ll be thrown out… I needed it to buy medicine for my sick mother…”

Ah, my life…

Being a cat is even harder than my past life.

I almost died right after being separated from my mother, and now I’m stuck dealing with innocent kids one after another.

It’s just one hardship after another!

I tried my best to walk gracefully and jumped onto the table.

Right now, I wanted to look like the most divine sacred creature possible.

I tapped the dried berries with my paw.

But she was too busy crying to notice.

“Sob… even a cat has it better than me…”

Hearing her lament, I picked up a berry that looked similar to the previous ones.

I didn’t know what it was, but once ground, who would be able to tell?

At least this one shouldn’t be poisonous.

I jumped down and placed it in front of her.

“What is this?”

I picked it up again and dropped it into the mortar.

Her teary eyes lit up.

“Should I grind this instead? All berries taste similar anyway, right? Wow, sacred creature, you’re really smart!”

She reached toward the spilled powder as if to compare, so I quickly bit her finger.

“Ouch! Sacred creature! Why are you doing this to me? They said you were gentle like a doll during the day…”

Whew, it seemed today’s incident hadn’t spread all the way to the kitchen.

Sorry, kid.

But I can’t sacrifice the Emperor and the Queen for your silver coin.

If this is discovered, you won’t be safe either.

And I can’t let you suffer something like infertility either.

Under my watchful gaze, she placed the new berries into the mortar and began grinding again.

This time, the powder smelled much more ordinary, sweet and slightly sour.

Then she found more of the same berries and ground them too.

Once the amount matched before, she lit another fire and began boiling milk.

At that moment, my suspicion turned into certainty.

After blaming me for spilling the expensive drink, the chamberlain was trying to make a new batch of milk wine.

The girl crushed walnuts while the milk boiled.

Milk wine with nuts.

It had to be the same thing.

When the milk boiled, she added the walnut powder, along with spices and sugar.

After simmering it, she poured in wine, and a pretty purple drink formed, very similar to the one from earlier.

At least in appearance.

We took turns dozing while watching the fire until it was done.

“Yawn, I think it’s finished. Oh, the powder!”

She quickly grabbed a broom.

She swept the spilled powder into the fire, where it disappeared into the ashes.

Then she crouched down, her face smudged, and met my eyes.

“Today’s secret is just between you and me, okay?”

I nodded solemnly, and she smiled brightly.

“My name is Lydia. I’m the lowest ranked maid in this kitchen, but it’s an honor to see the sacred creature up close like this. Please pray for me in the name of Goddess Favia.”

Her innocent brown eyes shone above her freckled cheeks.

I couldn’t bring myself to say I didn’t know any such goddess.

So I gently placed my paw on her forehead.

She closed her eyes tightly, clasped her hands, and prayed.

“Thank you, thank you. Please heal my mother, Goddess Favia…”

I was too small to hug her.

I’m sorry I can’t heal your mother, Lydia.

She covered the prepared milk wine with cloth and went off to catch some sleep.

I could only hope that this innocent child wouldn’t suffer because of what happened tonight.

Hey, Goddess Favia.

Are you really the god of this world?

Please protect Lydia.

And poor Tobi too.