Chapter 5
I instinctively looked around for a place to hide.
If it was Mamela, it wouldn’t matter if she saw me, but if it was another human, I had to hide first and check.
“Who knows? If I get caught outside, Mamela might get in trouble!”
The footsteps grew closer. Nervously, I looked around.
That’s when I spotted a cabinet with pottery on top, a little further away.
“I’ll hide in there!”
I quickly ran over, pushed the wooden handle with my paw, and slipped inside.
The cabinet door shut, and darkness swallowed my view. I held my breath inside.
Soon, I heard the sound of a door opening. Strange voices followed.
Voice 1: “Come back in an hour.”
Voice 2: “Just one hour?”
A tired sigh answered.
Voice 1: “I have too much work to waste time napping.”
Voice 2: “Your Highness, rest is important. The young lady will worry if you keep this up.”
A heavy silence followed. The sound of footsteps drew nearer, making it hard for me to breathe.
Then, a deep pleasant voice broke the silence.
Voice 1: “By the way, did the craftsman come by?”
Voice 2: “He planned to visit while Your Highness was asleep.”
Voice 1: “Then I can’t sleep.”
Voice 2: “Huh? Why not?”
Voice 1 (coldly): “Quiet. It’s simply a gift for Mamela. I want to see it myself.”
My ears perked up at that.
He said “Mamela.”
They must know her.
“…Who are they?”
I swallowed hard and peeked through a crack in the cabinet door. My vision was narrow, but I could just barely see.
Voice 2: “Don’t worry, I’ll ask him to make it perfectly. Even rough work with Rudavito’s garnet diamond is worth a fortune—”
He suddenly stopped talking.
Voice 2 (panicking): “I-I spoke carelessly. Please don’t look at me like that, it’s scary.”
Voice 1: “Ansel, do you want to lose your head?”
Voice 2: “No, no! I meant—please let me handle everything while you rest. Just one hour is short anyway!”
Their steps moved closer. My heart pounded nervously.
Then, a faint scent brushed past my nose.
It smelled like Mamela—but also slightly different. Softer, cooler.
Voice 1: “Forget it. I don’t need it.”
Voice 2: “But Your Highness—think about the young lady worrying. Your Highness?”
They stopped right in front of the cabinet.
Through the crack, I saw shiny black shoes.
Then the footsteps stopped.
My heart almost leapt out of my chest.
“Wait—did he notice me?”
I froze. If they opened this cabinet door, I’d be caught!
Through the crack, a hand appeared. Elegant fingers hovered for a moment, then withdrew.
Voice 1 (murmuring): “…Fur?”
Voice 2: “Your Highness, what’s wrong?”
His voice was right outside! I shuffled back, panicked.
“Why won’t they leave…? If he suddenly opens this door—!”
My heart pounded painfully.
But then his calm voice returned.
Voice 1: “Nothing. Just some dust on the floor.”
Finally, their footsteps moved away. I waited until their presence completely disappeared.
Then I slowly pushed the cabinet door open and checked. No one was there.
I slipped out and ran down the hall.
Just as I was about to head downstairs where Mamela was, I ran into a familiar face.
“Oh my, Aril? How did you get out?”
It was Yona. She looked shocked. I froze, but relief washed over me after all that tension.
“You can’t be here. Let’s go back to the young lady’s room.”
She scooped me up and carried me away.
On the way, she stroked my fur gently. Back in Mamela’s room, she set me down, shyly touched my paw a few times, then left.
Now alone again, I sat gloomily, staring at the stuffed fish toy.
“So in the end, I couldn’t find out what Mamela went to do.”
It felt wrong to sneak out again so soon, especially after almost getting caught.
I sighed, flopped onto the sofa, and pulled the fish closer. Out of boredom, I chewed at it while glancing around the room.
That’s when my eyes fell on a small dressing table. Mamela often sat there brushing her hair, but I’d never gone up myself.
“I’m bored anyway. Maybe I should take a look?”
Curious, I dropped the toy and leapt onto the table.
There, I found something strange staring back at me.
A tiny animal.
“…Who’s that?”
It was a small, fluffy kitten with perky ears and a wagging tail.
Its blue eyes sparkled like rippling water.
“Another animal in Mamela’s room? Since when?”
I raised my paw to touch it—but the kitten raised its paw too.
“…Wait, is it copying me?”
Annoyed, I glared at it. The kitten glared back.
I growled. The kitten bared its tiny teeth too.
Then it hit me.
“…Don’t tell me—that’s me?”
I touched the surface—it was cold and hard.
It was a mirror.
I stared at my reflection.
“So… this is what I look like?”
I tilted my head, trying different angles. My face fell.
“I thought I’d look bigger and cooler…”
Instead, the reflection showed a chubby little fluffball, like rice cake dusted with black sesame.
Worse, my face looked dumb.
“Ugh, I look so silly. Is it because I am silly?”
The shock was so strong that when Mamela returned, I didn’t even run to greet her. I just stared at the mirror.
“Aril, I’m back. …What are you doing?”
She came closer, her reflection also appearing in the mirror. That proved it—it really was showing us.
Devastated, I jumped into her arms.
“Huh? Why’s my Aril so down?”
She petted my back comfortingly.
I sniffled. “It’s fine. When I grow up, I’ll definitely be big and majestic!”
Still, I couldn’t shake the sadness.
“Am I this chubby because I eat too much? But I only eat what Mamela gives me…”
As I sulked in her arms, a knock came.
“My lady, it’s Yona. I have something to tell you.”
“Come in.”
Yona entered and whispered something. Mamela’s face turned pale with shock.
I tilted my head curiously.
“Aril left the room? He didn’t get caught by my brother, did he?”
“No, fortunately the master didn’t see him.”
“Thank goodness… But how did he get out?”
“Perhaps you forgot to close the door?”
Mamela’s face stiffened. She sighed.
“You’re right… That was close. I’ll be more careful next time.”
After Yona left, Mamela hugged me tightly, her expression serious.
“Aril, it’s lucky you didn’t meet my brother. He would’ve called you a stray cat and thrown you far away.”
I didn’t understand, so I just sniffed her scent.
That brought back the memory from earlier—one of the men smelled like Mamela.
“Who was that? Could it be… her family?”
Yes, that made sense. If he was family, of course he’d smell like her.
I looked up at Mamela, wondering.
“If he’s family, he must look like her too—so probably cute and warm, right? Then why hasn’t she introduced him to me yet?”
Maybe her family was just shy?
But then I remembered how nervous Yona had been earlier, and how serious Mamela looked just now.
A sinking feeling crept in.
“Wait… maybe she doesn’t want me to meet them at all?”
The thought made my chest tighten.
