Chapter 04
“Alright. I’ll spare you.”
Thank you.
I survived! I actually made it! I managed to survive the male lead! I raised a toast in my mind.
Goodbye! That was terrifying, and let’s never meet again!
I waved my front paw in farewell. I couldn’t hide the twitching corners of my mouth or my tail trembling with happiness.
Then, without looking back, I tried to slip out through the dog hole—but my escape ended before it even began.
Before even half my body could fit through, I was grabbed by a large hand.
That big hand held my body firmly, yet not too tightly.
Caught in his grip, I struggled desperately to get free.
But no matter how much I flailed my front and back legs, only my limbs moved—my body didn’t budge at all.
Was this what it felt like to be a fish thrashing in a net?
Eventually, I gave up trying to escape and turned my head.
And I couldn’t hide my dumbfounded expression.
What… is this?
Why are you here?!
I looked back and forth between his hand and his face several times.
His hand was holding me so I couldn’t escape through the dog hole.
Seeing my stunned expression, the male lead lifted me up and brought me to eye level.
Those mysterious blue eyes—eyes I would’ve admired under normal circumstances—now only filled me with betrayal.
Hey! You said you’d spare me!
My whiskers trembled in injustice.
You said you’d let me go!
I protested with my short limbs. You said you’d spare me, so why are you stopping me from leaving? Didn’t that mean you’d let me go…?
You said you’d spare me.
Was that just false hope?
The more I thought about it, the angrier I became.
Do you know how hard I tried?
Dying like this would be so unfair. So miserable.
I can’t die like this—not without a fight.
My vision blurred as tears welled up.
It felt like if someone so much as tapped me, tears would roll down my face.
The male lead, who had been watching me silently, slightly curved the corner of his eyes.
“I said I’d spare you. I never said I’d let you run away.”
He gently wiped the tears gathering in my eyes.
Was it just my imagination, or was there a mischievous glint in those cold eyes? Please, let it be my imagination. It felt like something I couldn’t handle was about to happen. No—this has to be nothing. It has to be.
How am I supposed to deal with someone like him?
Even the female lead couldn’t handle him.
I lifted my chin and stared at him.
Then what are you going to do?
Tears still clung to my light green eyes.
After looking into my eyes, he turned to the people gathered around him—presumably his subordinates—and said while holding me:
“I’ll take this one too.”
…This… lunatic…
HEY!! Why are you taking me with you?!
Did he eat something weird? What is wrong with him?!
I was so shocked I couldn’t even close my mouth. The tears that had been building up vanished instantly. Honestly, nothing could’ve dried them up faster.
You’re not supposed to just pick things up randomly!
My green eyes shot out metaphorical laser beams.
Didn’t anyone teach you not to pick up random things when you were a kid?!
But my opponent was a tiger—and I was just a tiny kitten dangling in his hand, smaller than his palm.
I could say without even a second of hesitation: if this ferocious tiger decided to close his hand just a little tighter, my life would end in an instant.
And this wasn’t just any tiger—this was a crazy one who had just killed a beastman right in front of me without blinking.
A very crazy one.
And he was still holding that blood-dripping sword.
As a kitten who definitely knows to fear tigers, I was so intimidated (I don’t want to admit it, but still) that I couldn’t even make a sound.
He kindly closed my open mouth for me.
As if he had truly decided to take me with him, he placed me on his palm.
He doesn’t look like he’ll let me escape anyway…
Having no other choice, I quickly accepted reality. Sitting on his palm, I adjusted myself into the most comfortable position I could manage.
Unfortunately, no one could understand my internal screams of protest.
In conclusion, fortunately, I am still alive and have not parted ways with this world.
Yes. Yesterday, I didn’t die.
The problem is—I slept like a log.
How did I manage to fall asleep on top of someone who almost killed me?
Well… he did say he’d spare me.
I didn’t even wake up once. I slept straight through. Am I insane?
After he placed me on his palm, whether it was the warmth I felt for the first time or my tension finally releasing—I don’t know—but I started nodding off like a sick chicken before collapsing into sleep.
I mean, I’m not usually like this.
Maybe it’s because I’ve been shivering nonstop like my heart was frozen…
The warmth I felt for the first time in this world completely disarmed me.
…I should just bang my head.
I don’t even know when I fell asleep.
I think I heard a quiet chuckle above me, but at the time, my drooping eyelids were far more important.
And so, focusing only on staying awake, I ended up falling asleep anyway.
And now…
When I woke up, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
Ah… I thought I’d wake up to a familiar one…
If only all of this were a dream.
Still half-asleep, I lay there blankly staring at the ceiling.
Stretching out flat, I twitched my paws.
What about me could have possibly piqued Ian Cadelion’s curiosity?
This situation didn’t exist in the original story, nor in anything I had expected.
At no point did I think my actions were strange enough to attract curiosity.
Well… at least I slept warmly. Maybe that’s good? I guess good is good. I don’t know. My brain isn’t working after waking up.
Lying still, I rolled my eyes around and looked at the room.
Why is this room so big and luxurious? Even the bed is huge.
I stretched, surprised by how spacious it was.
“Nyaaahm—.”
Even after sleeping that much, I was still sleepy.
No matter how much I sleep, I’m still sleepy. Is this the mystery of being a cat?
Knock knock.
With a knock, a slightly excited voice came from outside.
“Kitty, I’m Marie, your personal maid. May I come in?”
“Nyah…?”
Still half-asleep, I responded vaguely, and a young woman in a maid outfit entered and drew the curtains.
“Kitty, did you wake up?”
“Nyah…”
Ugh… I hate sunlight…
As she opened the curtains, bright sunlight flooded the room, stabbing my eyes.
Judging by the brightness, it seemed like it was already around lunchtime.
Choosing sleep over food isn’t so bad.
Back when I was at the Simond household, I often chose sleep over the scraps worse than garbage they gave me.
Frowning, I moved to avoid the sunlight. I thought I heard something tear, but it was probably just my imagination.
I crawled under the pillow, and the light became dimmer.
Ah… this is better. Mornings should be dark.
But that peace lasted only ten seconds.
“Kitty, it’s been a day and an hour since you fell asleep. Are you going to sleep again?”
Marie gently lifted the pillow and asked in a worried tone.
No, I’m not sleeping. But the sunlight is too bright.
To express myself, I slowly sat up and covered my eyes with my front paws.
Somewhere, someone gasped.
As if she understood me, Marie blocked the sunlight with her hand, casting shade over me. Relieved, I lowered my paws.
Her face came into view.
With blueberry-colored hair tied up high, Marie looked more like a knight than a maid—someone calm, rational, and cold.
But when our eyes met, her cheeks flushed slightly.
She lowered her head and spoke shyly.
“Kitty… would you like to take a bath?”
Wait. Why are you suddenly acting like a girl in love?
Was I wrong about her being cold and rational?
Startled, I took a step back.
“You won’t bathe? Ian said you went through the dog hole to pick flowers the other day. You fell asleep without properly washing…”
Her voice sounded oddly downcast.
No—let’s go. I was just startled earlier.
I stepped toward her again.
Her mood brightened instantly, and she picked me up.
“Then shall we go bathe?”
Hey—!
She lifted me up.
Hey! I didn’t say to carry me! I can walk! I have legs!
I struggled in her grip.
One experience of being grabbed like this was enough.
Then I looked down.
Wait… isn’t this too high?!
If I fall from here, I might actually die.
I’ll definitely die if I fall from here.
For a small ball of fur like me, the height was terrifying.
I stopped struggling and, trembling, placed my paws firmly on her hand.
Right now, I just hoped she wouldn’t suddenly let go.
I never want to experience this again.
And so, dangling helplessly in Marie’s grasp, I was carried all the way to the bathroom.
