Chapter 00
Prologue
Saaaah—Even in the dead of winter, the sound of rustling leaves drifted in through a small hole in the mansion wall.
A bizarre standoff was unfolding: a tiger beastman holding a sword… and a kitten with a flower clenched in its mouth.
The kitten had no weapon other than the flower between its teeth, yet its presence was every bit as imposing as the tiger standing before it.
Even while facing Ian Cadelion, who held a cold, gleaming blade in his hand, the tiny cat didn’t seem intimidated in the slightest. It simply glared at him.
Fifteen minutes had already passed with the two staring each other down, radiating a murderous tension.
Every so often, the kitten performed strange little movements with the flower, gradually asserting its presence.
There was something about that tiny creature that hinted it would grow into something extraordinary.
A suffocating tension hung thick in the air between them.
The subordinates pretended not to look, but kept sneaking glances at the scene.
With courage like that, it surely surpassed even Allen, their lord’s personal aide.
Allen—famously the only one who could cheekily banter with Ian—was rumored to have multiple hearts.
If this kitten surpassed even him…
“Just what in the world is that little cat…?”
How could it stare directly into their lord’s eyes like that?
They felt both self-reproach and awe at the same time.
Surely, this was a being destined to leave a great mark on history.
The subtle yet intense standoff continued for quite a while—
Until suddenly, a small sigh broke the tension.
With that sigh, the kitten, as if being generous, dropped the flower it had been holding.
The subordinates watched nervously as the red flower fell onto their lord’s black shoes.
“…Picked it up on the way?”
The kitten sat there, looking utterly annoyed, flicking its tail lazily.
“…Ah. Is this a ‘now get lost’ kind of thing…?”
The subordinates blinked once. Twice. Three times.
No matter how many times they looked, it was unmistakably a “picked it up on the way” gesture.
To say that to their lord…
They were horrified by the unimaginable sight.
‘What a brazen little cat.’
Ian let out a quiet, incredulous laugh to himself.
Normally, anyone facing a drawn sword would tense up or shrink back.
But this kitten hadn’t shown even a hint of that from the very beginning.
Just look at it—
Holding its head high as if it didn’t even notice the bloodstained blade.
Even meeting his gaze directly.
This was no ordinary cat.
‘And what’s with giving me a flower, too?’
Now intrigued, Ian picked up the flower from his shoe and turned it over in his hand.
From below, he could feel a rather sharp gaze, as if asking, “So, are you going to spare me or not?”
He leisurely spun the flower between his fingers.
Under the persistent stare, Ian finally spoke.
“I’ll spare you.”
At that, the tiny ball of fluff broke into a grin, waved its front paw, and even gave a little greeting.
Its expression was full of immense satisfaction and pride—
As if it had just defeated a genius of the century.
With that triumphant look, it turned toward the hole in the wall.
Yet despite its proud expression, the way it sprinted toward the hole was utterly desperate.
‘Even if you run like that, it won’t change much.’
Watching the little black fluff scurry away, Ian felt an inexplicable sense of defeat.
Before he knew it, he reached out and grabbed the fluff.
Thwack. Thump.
The puffed-up ball of fur struck his hand vigorously.
When he lifted it into the air, its short legs flailed wildly in all directions.
Among them were surprisingly well-formed kicks—
Not something it seemed to be trying for the first time.
Just where had a kitten found the time to practice kicking?
After flailing for a while, the kitten glared up at him, its eyes brimming with tears.
As if it refused to show defeat.
Lifting the kitten, Ian brushed off the moisture clinging to its fur.
From offering a flower to this bold attitude—
For some reason, he found it all quite satisfying.
The corners of his eyes curved as he spoke impulsively,
“I’ll take this one too.”
The subordinates, who had been watching the entire scene with great interest, nodded without a single question.
‘With that kind of guts… it’s worthy of being taken in.’
The moment he said he would take it, the kitten—who had looked on the verge of tears—glared at him again.
As if the tears had evaporated, its eyes were now completely dry.
Even while glaring, once placed on his palm, it quickly settled into a comfortable position.
Truly not ordinary.
Perhaps it was trying to lull him into a false sense of security before striking back?
The subordinates all watched the kitten with tense anticipation.
As everyone focused on it—
“…Snrrr… fuu…”
A soft snoring sound rang out.
At some point, the kitten had completely fallen asleep, resting peacefully in Ian’s palm.
All eyes shifted to its tiny body, rising and falling in steady rhythm.
…As expected, this was no ordinary being.
Perhaps, in a past life, it had even unified the continent.
The subordinate who witnessed the scene sank once more into quiet awe.
