CSTB Chapter 4

Posted by Elena, Released on July 18, 2025

‘Given the situation, I completely forgot to think about that.’

If she had possessed someone, that should’ve been her first concern. But having adapted to life as a cat, she hadn’t even considered it.

A male lead who’s crazy about his cat…?

Rose glanced at the emperor in front of her and tried to recall what kind of novel this might be from.

But nothing specific came to mind.

‘This is embarrassing!’

With all her years of experience as a web novel reader, not being able to recall a single relevant story was a disgrace. Maybe it was time to return her “heavy reader” badge.

Then again…

Did it really matter?

The more she thought about it, the less she cared to figure out what kind of novel this was.

‘I mean, I’m a cat, aren’t I?’

Novel or not, what did it matter to a cat?

The same applied to what kind of person this man was.

He was the emperor, sure—but also the kind of man who made you feel invigorated just by looking at him, like you’d chugged a bottle of ginseng tonic. And now, he was her owner.

If she could spend her life purring in his arms, that was more than enough. Tyrant or not, what more could she ask for?

Rose, who had perked up her ears a moment ago out of curiosity about the novel’s plot, relaxed once again.

‘Maybe I should just consider this a wish come true?’

“Excuse me! Please take a look at how cute and lovable my cat is!”

She’d definitely once thought that way—watching some video of a pampered, adorable cat online. That cat had a good life. “Next time, I want to be born as a cat in a rich, loving home!” she’d thought.

And well, here she was, in that exact situation.

‘The more I think about it, the more fortunate I am, right?’

She could’ve been the kind of cursed villainess who dies right after reincarnation, but instead, she was the beloved cat of a rich, handsome man. That was a pretty good deal.

But the moment of comfort didn’t last long—an ominous chill crept up the back of her neck.

‘…But that only matters if I survive, right?’

Her positive outlook ended there.

Rose, who had been purring contentedly, snapped back into full alert.

A life so unlucky it was hard to even describe—just when things were finally looking up, she’d died.

And then, just as she was getting used to life as a cat, she’d been struck by lightning.

Even though she’d found her owner, it felt too early to let her guard down.

‘What if I just die again?’

Sure, his handsome face gave her a little energy—but honestly, she still didn’t feel great.

If she died on the street, that would be one thing. But dying with this man as her owner? That would be way more unfair than dying without knowing anything.

And it wasn’t just because he was rich, or because she never got tired of staring at his face.

Despite his cold exterior, when she saw his face up close, she sensed something delicate underneath.

There was a subtle hint of emotion—moisture at the corners of his eyes. If Rose were to die right now, the emperor might actually weep.

It was strange, really.

—“Ahh! Someone got hit!”
—“Call an ambulance! Hurry!”
—“Are they dead?!”
—“Why did she suddenly jump in front of that bus?”

Back then, when she died with no one to cry for her… She’d lived a decent life, more or less. Maybe she’d given up because it just got too hard.

Even in those final moments—her eyes closing amidst murmurs from bystanders—she hadn’t felt any lingering regrets.

But now, as a spoiled palace cat, she didn’t want to lose the gaze of someone who seemed like he couldn’t live without her.

And so, Rose suddenly wanted to live.

To stay by this incredibly handsome, clearly capable man with a secretly tender heart—for a very, very long time.

‘I’m never letting go of this man!’

He was a blessing in the flesh. Where would she even go?

To show her determination, Rose bumped her face against the emperor’s chest, and his rigid expression slightly softened. So subtle you could only notice from this close.

‘Ugh, seriously.’

Forget the luxury or the gourmet meals—how could she possibly close her eyes forever and leave that face behind?

‘Listen up, you stupid body! Survive! Do a self-heal or whatever it takes! Got it?!’

She commanded her own body to survive—out loud in her head, like a lunatic giving orders. The last bit of energy she’d gathered drained again, and her body slumped.

Seeing this, the emperor reached out and gently stroked the space between her ears.

The familiar touch made her sleepy.

She didn’t want to fall asleep—what if she never woke up again?

‘No! Stay awake! What if you never get up again?!’

Even if her role was to be “the cat that dies early to make the male lead cry and push the story forward,” she didn’t want to die now.

Not after she’d finally found this owner! She wasn’t leaving without at least getting a few more looks at that beautiful face.

‘So stay awake… stay awak…e…’

Despite her determination, sleep eventually overtook her.

No! You— I mean, this cat! Snap out of it!
What if you never wake up again?!
Even if you do die, at least stare at your hot owner a little longer!
You’ve hit the jackpot here!*

“Mrrrrrrrraoooww!!”

That desperate inner cry must’ve been loud enough to jolt Rose awake with a wild kick. Her eyes flew open.

Thankfully, she’d just fallen asleep.

The same luxurious wallpaper and furniture were still there, exactly as she’d seen them before drifting off.

‘Phew. I really thought I’d died again.’

Rose let out a big sigh—and just then, a large hand gently landed on her back. It slowly stroked her body a few times, then went limp again.

Curious, Rose turned to look.

Sure enough, the emperor lay asleep beside her.

He must’ve felt her trembling in her sleep and reached out to comfort her, but had fallen back into a deep slumber before he could fully wake.

‘Even in his sleep, he was worried about me…’

Rose’s heart fluttered. No one had ever cared about her while they were asleep before.

‘He’s probably just bad at expressing affection, huh?’

He didn’t seem like a bad person… So why was he called a tyrant?

Sure, he hadn’t coddled her excessively, but there had definitely been deep affection in the way he looked at her.

‘I mean, that’s a common enough setup.’

It was a cliché, really. She’d seen it so many times she’d barely given it a second thought.

‘He must be someone who runs hot.’

Rose, who had turned toward the emperor, blushed—if cats could blush.

In the silence of early morning, the fireplace had long since gone out, and even with her fur coat, Rose had started to feel a chill. And yet… the emperor had taken off his shirt.

His broad, muscular chest rose and fell gently as he breathed. Just watching it, she was completely transfixed—until a tuft of fur popped into her vision.

‘No! That’s illegal!’

Without realizing it, she’d reached out with her paw to touch him.

Rose quickly pulled her paw back and turned away in embarrassment—but her head kept sneakily turning back.

‘Wait… it’s perfectly legal for a cat to touch a human with its paws, right?’

In fact, cats kneading their humans was one of the most beloved actions by pet owners.

Turning fully toward him again, she saw that the emperor’s skin had goosebumps from the cold.

‘That’s right. This is a loving act from a devoted cat to her owner.’

Convincing herself internally, Rose slowly stood and carefully placed a paw on the emperor’s chest. Then—oops—she lost her balance and tumbled onto his arm.

Being a cat is the best. Who knew I’d live long enough to rest my paw on a chest like this?

‘But wait… he’s really cold.’

Rose, who had just been sniffling from joy, calmed down and cautiously examined his bare torso.

He must be freezing.

The cold touch she’d felt wasn’t her imagination.

Even if he ran hot, the world outside was still blanketed in snow.

This empire must’ve been set in the north, where people were more resistant to the cold—but still. Cold was cold.

The fireplace had been burning earlier, so maybe he’d taken off his shirt then and hadn’t noticed the drop in temperature.

‘If he catches a cold, it’d be a disaster.’

Just putting one paw on that chest made her feel dizzy. If both paws touched down, she might get a nosebleed—but there was no choice.

If the emperor caught a cold, heads would roll. A maid would lose her neck over the fireplace not staying lit overnight.

Rose carefully climbed onto the emperor’s chest and lay flat on her belly.