Chapter 8
There’s something I really hadn’t anticipated.
Tionis must have completely forgotten that he’d prepared a separate room for me, because that night, he hugged me and slept with me.
This is… really just treating me like a pet cat, isn’t it?
‘Don’t you know cats are independent animals by nature?’
You know all that high-level knowledge—like how you need to place a wooden pillar by the window so cats can look outside, and install stairs so they can move around easily—
so how do you not know this?
Still, he clung to me with such desperation that if I tried to slip away while he was half-asleep, I’d probably meet those suddenly flashing eyes and faint on the spot.
Only after confirming that he was sleeping soundly, breathing evenly, did I stretch my body long and carefully wriggle free.
Judging by how much brighter the moonlight had become, several hours must have passed already.
At this point, going back to my own room was out of the question.
I comforted myself with the thought that at least the bed was large, then plopped down beside Tionis.
Black hair with a faint bluish sheen in the predawn light.
A sharp yet boldly defined jawline.
Skin so pale it was almost startling, even though he must have trekked through treacherous mountains hunting monsters.
Okay—being pale is one thing, but how can someone’s face be this flawless?
‘…He really is handsome.’
Maybe because I’d always been looking up at him from beds or desks, this was my first time seeing his face up close like this. It felt oddly new.
‘Still, his eyes are the prettiest. What a shame.’
The thought startled me so much that my body stiffened.
Embarrassed, as if I’d been caught staring at someone’s face, I quickly turned away and lay on my back, staring at the ceiling.
‘What was that thunder earlier?’
It felt far too strange to be a naturally occurring storm.
A sudden thunderclap in the middle of the night was odd enough—but the fact that it vanished the instant Tionis entered the room made it even stranger.
And on top of that, the sound had triggered some memory from the past.
I’d run away from my older brother countless times, but no matter how hard I tried to recall it, I couldn’t remember ever fleeing up that hill.
And yet, the moment the scene surfaced, I instinctively knew—it was part of my past.
Why had I gone there?
It felt like something long buried deep in my memories was trying to resurface.
“…Hng.”
Huh?
My thoughts were cut short by a low groan from beside me. I turned my head to see Tionis frowning in his sleep.
‘Is he uncomfortable?’
Did he get injured fighting the Fifth Prince?
Fidgeting anxiously for a moment, I realized there was nothing I could do with my fluffy little paws. Instead, I grabbed the blanket with my fangs and pulled it down.
That’s when I saw it.
Something was writhing inside his chest.
Black. Twisted. A tangled mess.
‘…That’s mana, isn’t it?’
Mana.
This wasn’t something happening outside his body.
It was internal—black energy violently churning within his heart.
Something was seriously wrong around Tionis’s heart.
‘…Can I fix this?’
The people of the Fontine Count’s family were born with the ability to control mana.
They focused their mana into a single point, manifesting it as overwhelming offensive power.
Among them, my sister Radian Fontine, who had an exceptional talent for fire magic, was appointed as the Crown Prince’s adjutant at a young age.
But unlike the rest of my family—
I awakened a different ability.
The power to regulate other people’s mana.
Not strong enough to attack.
Too vague to be called healing.
And to amplify that ability, I had to sing.
Because to me, these energies looked like melodies.
When I sang, tangled mana slowly unraveled and returned to its proper place.
No matter how I explained it, my family only mocked me.
What use was a power that merely “untangled” mana?
But Tionis needed it.
He wouldn’t be able to resolve such chaotic mana on his own.
After making sure he was deeply asleep by gently placing my paw near his nose, I returned to my human form.
I carefully placed my hand over his heart and let my power flow.
The mana, tangled like a knotted ball of fur, slowly began to loosen.
‘…It’s working!’
A faint smile spread across my face—only for Tionis’s previously furrowed brow to smooth out as his breathing evened.
‘If I help organize his mana a few times like this, then turn back and tell him it was me… maybe he won’t kill me?’
In that case, it’d be better to resolve it quickly by singing.
What I was doing now was nothing more than first aid.
Before long, it would tangle again.
‘If I sing now, I might wake him up… I need a way to make sure he’s completely out.’
I stared down at Tionis, sleeping peacefully, lost in thought.
Ah.
I’ve got it.
I quickly came up with the perfect solution.
A way to exhaust Tionis so thoroughly that he’d pass out the moment night came.
A wicked grin crept onto my lips.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Marri. Will you stay with me today?”
“Meow~.”
Completely unaware of my terrifying inner scheming, a touched Tionis personally fed me breakfast.
I still didn’t understand why he insisted on tying that humiliating polka-dot bib around my neck every time, but I’d grown used to it.
As if that wasn’t enough, he moved the wooden pillar and stairs from my room into his room.
Why not just set up house while you’re at it?
He could easily order new ones, but apparently he thought I might dislike unfamiliar items.
‘Honestly. It’s not like I’m even a real cat.’
Still, I needed to lull him into a false sense of security, so I stretched luxuriously and scratched at the wooden pillar.
Tionis smiled faintly and settled down at his desk.
My plan began now.
I stepped on his knee, leapt onto the desk, and scattered his documents everywhere.
“…Marri, what’s wrong?”
Seeing his usually well-behaved cat wreak havoc clearly shocked him.
Pretending to yawn, I pushed the papers caught under my hind paws onto the floor.
‘Sorry, but if you’re going to sleep well tonight, you need to be even busier.’
This is all for your own good, Tionis.
I already knew he had no outings scheduled today—just paperwork from morning till night.
But then…
Something was off about his gaze.
“Marri. Do you want to play with me?”
‘…Huh?’
How did it turn into that?
Just moments ago, he’d been scanning documents with a flat expression. Now his eyes brimmed with emotion—joy, affection, and… obsession?
No—wait, what is that?
Anyway, his eyes swirled with far too many feelings as he leaned closer.
I tried to back away, but it seemed I’d unknowingly ended up pressed against his arm while knocking down the papers.
Now I was even closer.
Trapped, I darted my eyes around as Tionis gently petted my head.
And then—
“Meow?!”
He suddenly scooped me up!
Just like when he’d given me a tour of the estate.
Frozen with my front paws raised, I watched as he fiddled with my jelly-bean paws, humming happily.
How big are his arms, anyway? He held me easily with one arm while using the other to stack documents back on the desk.
Wait.
Is he planning to work all day like this?
“No way!”
“Marri?”
I wriggled free with a light struggle.
Thanks to the stairs he’d installed, I jumped down from the desk in a flash and sprinted around the room.
“Meooow!”
Wailing dramatically.
‘There’s no way you won’t play with me now!’
I deliberately ran toward the cat grass he’d placed near the wooden pillar.
Who knew the cat grass Plan had enthusiastically bought would come in handy like this?
Tionis froze, dropping the documents in his hand.
After a moment of silence, he slowly picked up the cat grass with a “no way” look.
‘Yes—grab that!’
My pupils expanded until they nearly filled my eyes.
I’d drain him of all energy today so he’d sleep like a rock tonight.
Then I’d use my singing to fix his mana.
That was the plan.
A perfect plan—or so I thought.
The problem?
Tionis was way too good at playing.
He hid the cat grass behind the desk.
Without realizing it, I wiggled my butt and lunged.
“Yah!”
But his hand was absurdly fast.
“No—!”
No matter how hard I tried, I failed again and again.
‘…This time for sure!’
At this point, I forgot all about tiring him out.
My competitive spirit ignited.
I stretched both paws high and jumped—
—and grabbed his palm instead.
‘Th-This… why is his hand so big?!’
I bit it in frustration.
Honestly, he never lets me win even once!
“Haha—hey, that hurts, Marri.”
Liar! It’s huge! Even biting with all my strength won’t leave a mark!
Dangling near his wrist as I bit down, Tionis rested his chin on his hand and gazed at me.
I’m in the middle of a soul-level battle here, and you’re relaxed?
But then—
He playfully nipped my ear.
‘…Ow. That really hurt.’
The shock made me slip and flop onto the floor.
I snapped back to my senses at the sound of his laughter.
But maybe we’d played too hard.
I was the one who got tired.
My nose felt damp, the heat drained from my body, and a chill crept in.
“…Mm…”
A yawn slipped out, my eyes growing heavy. The world blurred.
‘A nap… just a short one should be fine.’
Tionis still had work to do.
Brr… cold.
I pressed my head against his left hand, rubbing against it.
He lifted me and set me gently on the desk.
At some point, a cushion had been placed there. I immediately buried my nose into it.
‘Ah… warm.’
I think I let out a tiny laugh—
and then I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
