Chapter 08
He snapped the cookie into pieces a few times, then fed it into my mouth and stroked the back of my neck. Looks like that was the right answer.
My stomach had been about to growl, so I quickly accepted the cookie.
When I looked up after eating, I saw those beautifully curved blue eyes.
Hey—seriously, how can you smile like that with such a loose outfit and that kind of face? That’s cheating. It’s like you’re trying to charm a cat on purpose.
And to make matters worse, part of his shoulder was still damp from the water that had dripped from his hair earlier.
What if I were some kind of perverted, scheming cat? That could’ve gone very wrong.
After eating a fair amount of cookies, I became certain he wasn’t going to kill me, and the tension drained from my entire body.
Once the tension faded, a pleasant drowsiness set in.
I wriggled around and curled up on Ian’s palm.
Wow… it’s warm. It would’ve been perfect if this palm didn’t belong to him. Then I could’ve loved its owner as much as I wanted.
As I lay on his hand, he gently stroked me.
I’d been shivering from the cold all this time, so this warmth—something I was experiencing properly for the first time—made a soft purring sound slip out of me without thinking.
While continuing to pet me with a gentle touch, he spoke in a soft voice.
“So, you’re still awake today too.”
I stayed up late playing in the garden.
Yaaawn—
Overwhelmed by the wave of sleepiness, I stretched my mouth wide in a huge yawn. Of course, I didn’t forget to cover my mouth.
Maybe because I’d played so much, the warmth I wasn’t used to and the fatigue came crashing in all at once.
Seeing me like that, Ian lifted me with one hand, lay down on the bed, and placed me on top of his stomach.
I could clearly feel the firm muscles beneath his clothes.
Curious about the sensation, I pressed down on them several times.
Each time I pressed, warmth spread through me.
It felt just like when you click a hand warmer and it starts heating up right after.
Completely absorbed in pressing down like that, as if I were clicking a hand warmer, I kept at it enthusiastically—when his playful voice rang out.
“You perverted cat.”
I’m not.
I said I’m not.
He looked down at me with half-lidded eyes. As he moved his head, his smooth silver hair shifted softly.
His large hand came down and covered my head, gently stroking my fur.
Ah. I’m on Ian’s stomach.
I’m doomed.
The sleepiness vanished instantly. I must’ve been out of my mind from drowsiness. This is insane. No matter how fascinating it was, I just kept pressing someone else’s body…
And he’s a male lead with a terrible personality, no less.
Climbing onto his stomach and pressing down on him—am I going to die for this? Like, stabbed—dead on the spot?
With trembling eyes, I looked back and forth between my paws on his stomach and Ian’s face.
“Don’t worry. I won’t eat you.”
He smirked slightly as he said it.
“I haven’t eaten you so far, have I?”
Excuse me, sir. If you smile like that and then say you won’t eat me, it’s not convincing at all!
“If anything, it looks like I’m the one about to get eaten.”
Ian said, fiddling with my paw resting on his stomach.
That single sentence froze my thoughts.
W-what do you mean, eaten??
Heat rushed to my face.
Why would I eat you?!
If I were human, my face would’ve turned bright red.
“You’re not thinking something weird, are you?”
Of course not!
Overcome with burning embarrassment, I lowered my head sharply. A deep, heavy scent drifted up faintly. Dark, yet warm.
It felt like a comforting presence filling my heart.
To block Ian from my view as much as possible, I adjusted my posture.
No matter what position I took, the fact that I was on his stomach remained the only flaw.
After finding the perfect position where I could sleep without making eye contact with him, I buried my face and exhaled deeply.
“…Puh…”
And I fell fast asleep.
“Hah.”
Ian let out an incredulous laugh as he watched the kitten that had fallen asleep all on its own.
…It was a very quiet and peaceful night for the tiger and the kitten.
After that, the tiger and I continued to sleep peacefully without fighting.
In other words, we slept very well.
Of course, there were some minor incidents—like accidentally pressing my paw onto the tiger’s face while sleeping and leaving a paw print on the white tiger’s face, or mistaking his hair for taffy and chewing on it happily in my sleep—but those are trivial matters, so let’s just move on.
Anyway, I’ve been living quite lazily.
“Nyaaam—.”
I opened my eyes and, while lying sprawled out, turned my head around to look at the room again.
So this is the white tiger’s room.
The familiar room felt strangely new.
Then were the tower and the cat house also things Ian ordered?
My favorability toward Ian shot up.
Maybe Ian isn’t such a bad person after all.
They say if someone keeps you warm, well-fed, and well-rested, they can’t be a bad person.
I rolled around on the bed, which was even bigger than a king-size.
Beds are meant to be wide so you can roll around on them.
Even for a tiger, the bed had been huge—so vast that no matter how much I rolled around, I didn’t fall off.
After rolling around for a while, I finally stopped and sprang up from the bed.
Ah—my fur.
I walked around the bed, carefully inspecting every spot I’d rolled over.
Fortunately, there weren’t clumps of fur everywhere.
Looks like I’m not going bald yet.
Lately, I’d been worrying more and more about hair loss.
A deep sense of relief filled me.
Ugh… just imagining becoming a hairless kitten is awful.
I shuddered and continued pacing around the bed.
The mattress was so soft that each step made my paws sink in slightly—it felt great.
The spot where Ian had slept yesterday was empty and cold.
Seeing how cold it was, as if no one had slept there at all, he must have left at dawn to take care of things. What a diligent tiger.
I could never live like that.
It’s impossible.
Knock knock.
“Kitty, I’ll come in.”
A familiar voice, as blunt as ever but somehow slightly cheerful, sounded from outside.
“Meow (Come in).”
Even though I think in human language, what comes out is “meow” or “nyaa.” Even after nineteen years, I still haven’t gotten used to it.
It feels like my thoughts and speech are disconnected.
That’s why I don’t use cat language very often.
After all, even if I do, neither cats nor beastmen understand it—so what’s the point?
If at least cats understood, I could chat with them…
Hearing my voice, Marie carefully opened the door and came in.
“Oh my, Kitty, you’re waking up earlier and earlier.”
Sorry, but the sun is already high in the sky right now.
Some people are probably eating lunch.
Well, compared to the first day when I slept nonstop for days, it was still a big improvement.
Marie stroked my chin proudly and picked me up, carrying me to the bathroom. She was getting more and more skilled at holding me.
Just to clarify—I’m not originally a lazy cat that sleeps all the time.
At the Simond household, I had been unconscious for most of the time after that day, so the fatigue must have piled up.
Though I did sleep a lot there too…
That’s just a cat’s nature, right?
If I had to make excuses, this place is much warmer than the Simond house. Especially when Ian is around—it’s even warmer, despite being in the cold northern region.
On top of that, there are cozy blankets, a soft bed, and perfect blackout curtains. It’s the kind of environment that practically forces you to sleep. Like the room was made for sleeping.
Not sleeping a lot in a room like this would be rude.
Besides, no one even comes to wake me up here. How am I supposed to get up early?
I nodded to myself, having perfectly justified everything in my mind.
“Kitty, would you like to look around the rooms in the mansion today?”
I can do that?
“You’ll be able to tour the mansion today.”
Marie said as she briskly dried my fur with a towel, already like a seasoned caretaker.
Except for a few rooms, she said I could freely look around anywhere in the mansion.
Apparently, Ian had given permission just yesterday.
I was surprised that the tiger had allowed it, but since I’d been getting bored just wandering the garden alone, I nodded.
And just like that, today’s plan was decided on a whim.
As soon as Marie finished drying me, I rushed to the door, excitement bubbling up.
Marie, let’s go!
I jumped repeatedly, trying to reach the doorknob.
But there was no way my little paws could reach it.
Sadly, the handle was simply too high. Not that I’m short or anything.
My paws didn’t even come close.
So I stood in front of the door, waiting for Marie.
“Meow! (Marie, hurry!)”
I waved my paws impatiently.
Smiling softly, Marie opened the door.
The door opened smoothly without a sound.
And standing outside was a kindly-looking elderly man.
Dressed in a suit, with a face full of experience, he seemed to hold quite a high position in the mansion.
He gave off the image of a teddy bear—like that bear who wears a red shirt and carries around a honey pot.
“Good day, Kitty. I am the head butler of this estate, and I will be guiding you around today.”
“I will do my best to explain everything in detail so you can learn all about the mansion.”
The old man said with a warm smile.
Learn… what?
My eyes trembled.
I don’t want to learn anything.
He’s not going to explain the history and origins of the mansion, is he?
No way…
There’s no reason I need to understand this place.
For some reason, the kindly smiling head butler suddenly reminded me of an old private tutor from my past life.
Like he’d gently say with a smile, “Where are you going? Time to study.”
A strong urge to escape surged within me.
