CHAPTER 107…………………………………………………..
That evening, the family gathered together in one place.
Until that moment, the children were simply happy, thinking it was unusual but nice to have all three meals together.
“Aslan, Ayla. Mom has to go to the royal palace.”
Until they heard those words.
Not long ago, someone had come in from outside.
Ayla, without realizing it, glanced at Aslan.
Aslan, after staring at Minerva for a long while, finally asked,
“Are we moving again?”
“We’re not moving. Only Mom is going to the royal palace.”
“What?”
The dishes Aslan was barely holding slipped from his hands with a clatter.
Minerva couldn’t bring herself to look at Aslan and tried to act calm as she spoke.
“I’ll be going to the royal palace. You two stay here with the Duke.”
“For… how long?”
Until all the royal factions were cleared out and the Crown Prince was officially appointed.
The length of that period was impossible to predict.
Minerva’s hand, which had been lazily cutting meat, froze completely.
From Minerva’s silence, Aslan could tell it wouldn’t be a short period.
Aslan sprang up from his seat and stood on a chair.
“I want to go too! I want to go too!”
“No. The royal palace will be even more dangerous than before.”
And the answer was firmer than any refusal he had heard before.
Minerva hadn’t even looked toward Aslan this whole time, and somehow this time it felt like it wouldn’t be easy.
“No! I’m going too!”
“I said no.”
He tried again, but the answer remained unchanged.
Minerva hadn’t given him a single glance.
Tearfully, Aslan turned to Lloyd for help.
“Dad!”
His watery gaze was heavy, but Lloyd couldn’t contradict the person he loved, not even once.
In the end, even Lloyd turned his back on Aslan.
How could even Lloyd do this?
The easiest target of persuasion was the first to look away.
“Ayla!”
Aslan decided to recruit the last remaining Ayla.
Ayla looked troubled, unsure of what to do.
“Aslan!”
“Hik!”
Minerva’s loud, thundering scolding filled the dining room.
Being called in such a big, angry voice made Aslan start hiccupping.
“M-Mom…”
She hadn’t even started doing anything dangerous, yet Minerva was already this angry. It didn’t seem like the usual Minerva.
Seeing Aslan on the verge of tears pained Minerva’s heart as well.
But this time, she absolutely could not give Aslan any leeway.
“I’m sorry I decided this without consulting you, but this time, Mom cannot compromise. Ayla might be different, but neither of you should throw a tantrum with the Duke.”
Lloyd, sensing the moment while watching Minerva, chimed in.
“Yes. I promise to take care of you both until His Highness returns…”
“A promise?”
The word ‘promise’ immediately brightened Aslan’s voice.
From experience, Aslan was dangerous at times like this. Detecting the impending crisis, Minerva and Lloyd instinctively glanced at him.
Seeing the gleam of opportunity in his eyes, both swallowed hard.
“Stamped, copied, and even laminated?”
Why did this mother-and-son duo make such a fuss over a single finger?
Feeling an ominous premonition, Lloyd hesitantly recalled his promise to Minerva that night and replied reluctantly.
“I-I laminated it…”
Lloyd lied subtly.
Suddenly, Aslan strode over to Lloyd and jumped onto his dining table.
Crash! Clang!
Even after breaking the dishes on the table, Aslan didn’t care, sitting boldly and glaring at Lloyd even harder as Lloyd tried to avoid his gaze.
“This sounds like a lie.”
“W-Well…”
“Aslan! What are you doing on the table! Get down!”
If this kept going, things would go exactly as Aslan wanted!
Minerva hurriedly ran over and pulled Aslan off the table.
Even then, Aslan’s eyes didn’t leave Lloyd.
Lloyd, feeling like an herbivore in front of a carnivore, steadfastly lied for Minerva’s sake.
“I-I really did it.”
“Hmm…”
Aslan’s eyes narrowed further into sharp triangles.
An adult dared to lie—to him, Aslan.
He would have to be taught a lesson.
“Then show me how to laminate it.”
“What?”
While Minerva raised her voice, Aslan quickly grabbed Lloyd’s hand and locked his finger.
“First, the promise. Lock fingers.”
With his finger held hostage, Lloyd trembled.
Laminate? Of course, he didn’t know how.
He had only learned about stamping and copying yesterday.
Lloyd glanced at Minerva standing behind Aslan, silently asking, “How…?”
“Like this, like this!”
Minerva understood perfectly and moved to press her palms together to demonstrate, intending to serve as a human cheat sheet.
“Cheating is forbidden!”
Aslan barked the order.
“Mister, if you look away now, you’ll lose a finger.”
Where did he even learn such words?
Lloyd’s mouth froze, and Minerva squeezed her eyes shut.
Who had taught him? She had, when teaching him the con game as a snack.
“Now, start.”
Under Aslan’s command, Lloyd reluctantly interlocked his pinky with Aslan’s.
Then he pressed their thumbs together, rubbed his hand backs with Aslan’s, following the steps.
Now, the lamination part was tricky.
“Try laminating it.”
Aslan glared at Lloyd like a fierce tiger instructor.
His Highness definitely pressed both palms together, right?
It flashed through his mind, but he was sure.
Please, let this be correct!
As Lloyd pressed both palms together and bowed his head,
“You liar! Gotcha!”
Aslan cheered, and Minerva raised her head and pressed her forehead with her hand.
Wasn’t this correct?
She had certainly made this gesture!
Conflicting emotions surged.
Minerva shouted to save Lloyd, who had fallen for Aslan’s trick.
“Aslan! The promise doesn’t require lamination to be valid! You already copied it, so that’s enough!”
“Nope! If you didn’t laminate, the promise is invalid! Mom always said so!”
“When did I ever…! Ah…”
Minerva realized her mistake.
It reminded her of when she trimmed the cat’s claws:
She had said it would be quick, promised to just do ten, stamped the promise, but didn’t laminate it, then declared the promise invalid, trimming all eighteen claws on the back paws as well.
Why did I do that…?
This was why you shouldn’t make empty promises to a cat.
But it was too late for regrets.
Minerva had already dug her own grave.
The cat had become someone who could turn her lies against her.
“So I’m going too!”
Aslan looked ready to sneak into the carriage if necessary.
Already intent on following, he started humming cheerfully.
Feeling frustrated that Aslan wouldn’t understand her, Minerva’s anger surged uncontrollably.
“Aslan. Are you trying to make Mom suffer?!”
The sound was louder than before, and even the cup of water vibrated.
“Uh… Mom…?”
Aslan, who had been grinning, Ayla, quietly watching, and Lloyd, who had been sulking, all opened their eyes wide at Minerva.
From a young age, he had never listened.
As soon as he became a person, he ran away three times, and now had even been kidnapped!
Why didn’t he understand danger? Cat or human!
“Do you think I’m leaving you because I hate you? Why would I leave you! Please, for Mom’s sake, listen to me! Please! Huh?!”
Minerva panted heavily, looking down at Aslan.
Only then did rationality return, and she noticed Aslan’s expression.
His face, deeply wounded, slowly sank toward the floor.
Minerva hurriedly knelt and babbled.
“A-Aslan… what I’m trying to say is…”
“Are you saying I’m in the way?”
“What?”
Aslan’s question made Minerva’s heart drop.
Aslan, not even looking at her like Minerva had earlier, drove a nail into her heart once more.
“You’re saying I’m being left behind because I’m no help.”
“What are you talking about!”
He didn’t hear that it was because it was dangerous, not because he wasn’t helpful.
His small, clenched fists trembled.
Just as Lloyd tried to intervene to explain Minerva’s feelings,
Rustle.
“Uh…?”
Lloyd caught sight of something popping out from under Aslan’s skirt.
Long, fluffy, and flexible like a feather duster.
Something that looked almost like a tail.
