Chapter 08
“Meow!”
I rolled around happily on the bed. The fresh, soapy scent of the soft blankets wrapped around me.
The room I had been given was small and simple.
Well, simple compared to the grandeur of the mansion. Compared to the basement storage where I used to stay, it was practically heaven.
I lay there for quite a while, enjoying myself, when I heard footsteps outside the door.
My expression tensed, and I quickly jumped off the bed and ran to the door.
Bang—
The door opened, revealing a large, bald man with a muscular build comparable to Alec’s.
He had a rough, intimidating face, and on his arm was a fierce tattoo of a dragon breathing fire.
I thought all dragons were slender… I guess there are ones like this too…
He spoke in a gruff voice.
“I’m Vane of the guard. I’ve been assigned as your personal attendant.”
Scary!
Startled, I curled up in the corner. He roughly set down a dish.
“Eat.”
I cautiously approached the bowl. On the plate was a perfectly roasted whole chicken.
How long had it been since I’d had a proper meal?!
Just as I was about to greedily tear into a drumstick—
A thought crossed my mind.
I should at least thank him for bringing me food, right?
Just being able to eat something like this after leaving the North was more than I could ask for.
And if he was going to be my attendant, it’d be good to make a good impression.
I walked up to Vane, who was staring down at me with crossed arms, and meowed.
“Meoow~”
Vane looked puzzled.
Then I flopped down onto the floor—
And started rolling side to side.
Roll, roll—
Thank you so, so much!
It was my way of expressing gratitude.
But Vane’s expression changed as he watched me.
What is this?
Vane stared down at the little beastkin rolling on the floor, utterly baffled.
The meaning of that gesture was obvious.
Help me!
Help with what?
Mia gestured toward the dish.
Don’t tell me… she wants me to feed her?
A hostage asking to be fed. Unbelievable.
Well… she’s basically a newborn. Can’t be helped.
Normally, he would’ve ignored it. But remembering Phoebe’s order to take perfect care of the important hostage, he sighed.
He crouched down and awkwardly began cutting the chicken with a knife. His large hands made the task clumsy.
“Meow?”
Mia looked at him curiously.
He speared a piece of meat with a fork and held it out.
“Come here and eat.”
Mia hesitated for a moment, then trotted over.
As she came closer, he could clearly see her face.
A small, white-furred face. Pointed ears. A tiny pink nose sniffing toward the meat. Slightly upturned lips…
What is this ridiculously cute creature?
At that moment, Mia placed her paw on his arm and bit into the meat.
Chew, chew—
Her small, chubby cheeks wiggled adorably as she ate.
Cute…
Watching her, Vane momentarily forgot she was a hostage.
As if entranced, he kept feeding her piece after piece.
Seeing her eat so well made him oddly proud.
When the plate was empty, he unconsciously reached out and patted her head.
“Meow meow!”
“Good girl… you eat so well—huh?!”
He gasped.
What am I doing?!
Phoebe’s warning echoed in his head—never fall for her cuteness.
He quickly pulled his hand back.
But then Mia looked at him again and meowed.
“Meow!”
Her bright, innocent eyes made his heart melt.
If I stay here any longer, this is dangerous… I’ll fall for it!
“I-I’ll be going now!”
Clutching his chest, Vane hurriedly fled the room.
Why did he leave so suddenly?
I watched him rush out in confusion.
Still, he was definitely a good person.
Not only did he bring me food—he even fed me himself!
And he patted my head too. His hands were rough, but warm.
Feeling lucky to have such a kind attendant, I sat there—
When the door opened again.
This time, it was a man with dark blue hair and sharp eyes. A large scar marked his face.
“That idiot Vane ran off already? Anyway, I’m your new attendant. Guard Joy.”
Why did my attendant suddenly change?
As I wondered, Joy spoke coldly.
“Prepare for a bath.”
Come to think of it, my body was still a dull gray.
Water began filling the bath.
Soon, Joy called out flatly,
“Get in.”
I dipped a paw into the tub. The temperature was perfect.
My first bath ever.
Grateful, I expressed my thanks.
“Meow!”
I lay down and rolled again.
But Joy’s expression shifted slightly.
Until just moments ago, Joy had scoffed at Mia.
Just a worthless fluffball. Why had Vane run away over something like this?
That guy’s softer than he looks.
Unlike Vane, Joy—known as a cold wind dragon among the guards—was confident he wouldn’t fall for it.
“Get in.”
“Meow!”
Instead of entering the bath, Mia rolled around again.
Joy frowned.
She wants help?
Seeing her gesture at the tub, he realized—
She wants me to bathe her?
Was this the “acting cute and pitiful” the lord had warned about?
It didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to fall for it.
With that confidence, he lathered up and began washing her.
Then—
He noticed something.
What’s that?
Between the wet white fur, he saw it.
Small, plump pink paw pads.
Unlike the tough, sleek feet of dragons, these were soft—like little jelly.
He had never seen anything like it.
I want to touch it…
He quickly looked away.
But he couldn’t stop thinking about it.
Finally, curiosity won.
He lightly touched it.
Soft!
The most pleasant sensation he had ever felt.
I want to touch it more…
Then Mia looked at him and meowed.
“Meoow~”
She stretched out her paw toward him, eyes sparkling.
“…May I touch it more?”
“Meow meow!”
Grab—
Joy held her paw and gently squeezed the pink pads.
Squish, squish—
“Meoow~”
Mia purred happily.
It felt like someone was tickling his heart.
“Hah… this is too cute—huh?!”
What am I doing?!
Snapping back to his senses, Joy quickly let go and turned away.
But her cute face and those soft paw pads kept tempting him.
No. This is dangerous. I need to leave.
“I-I’ll be going now!”
He, too, fled the room, leaving Mia alone in the bath.
“What nonsense are you two talking about?”
In the guard room, Vane and Joy stood with their heads lowered before Phoebe.
“Captain, it’s just—”
“You can’t take care of her because she’s too cute? And you ran off mid-bath?”
Joy hid his soapy hands behind his back and stammered,
“S-sorry… but if I stayed longer, I felt like I’d be completely charmed. It’s like she has some kind of aura… Maybe someone else should handle it…”
“Are you kidding me? You’re guards of the Drake household!”
As Phoebe scolded them sharply—
“What exactly did that little furball do?”
They froze and turned around.
Behind them stood Leon, the lord.
Phoebe hurriedly bowed.
“My lord, it’s nothing. My fault—I’ll correct it immediately.”
But Leon shook his head.
“No. I’ll see for myself what she’s been doing.”
Then he added sharply,
“If it’s serious, Phoebe—you’ll take over as her attendant again. No objections?”
“…Understood.”
Meanwhile, I sat in the bath, covered in soap, staring blankly.
Joy had suddenly run off, leaving me half-washed.
Maybe he really needed the bathroom…
Still, just like Vane, he seemed like a good dragon—he even bathed me without being asked.
Dragons are kinder than I thought.
Except Phoebe, anyway.
Maybe I had been wrong about them.
Then I heard footsteps approaching.
Thinking Joy had returned, I turned eagerly toward the door—
But the moment it opened, my fur stood on end.
Leon was standing there, his face terrifying.
Why is Leon here…?
