TWFLLYM Ch 9

A Realistic Observation on Why Every Knight Should Raise a Cat

The sun rose, its warm morning light tickling her cheeks.

[Roserikta] "Ah, I slept so well."

She woke and stretched her limbs with a satisfied sigh. Despite the chaotic events of the previous night, her sleep had been as sweet as honey. She felt remarkably refreshed.

[Aldwin] "You slept well, did you?"

A voice like cold water dashed her pleasant mood.

[Roserikta] "…Hm?"

She stopped mid-stretch and turned her head to scan the room. The Head Maid stood there, her eyes filled with a sharp, venomous intensity as she glared at her.

She realized immediately that something was wrong. She scrambled to process the situation, her mind racing to figure out what had happened. Then, she saw it.

[Clobellina] "Meow. I slept well, too. This bed is so fluffy, it feels like a cloud. It’s incomparable to the one we have at home."

Clobellina’s head popped out from beneath a magnificent down duvet. Seeing her cat tucked into the luxury bedding, she finally grasped the problem.

Panicked, she turned to the Head Maid.

[Roserikta] "Why... Why am I sleeping in the bed?"

Aldwin’s voice rose with suppressed fury.

[Aldwin] "Because His Highness permitted it, that’s why!"

[Roserikta] "…Pardon?"

She had no memory of such a thing. Furthermore, the Prince had been the one to fall asleep first. There had been no time for him to tell her she could use the bed.

[Roserikta] "Wait..."

She realized the Prince was nowhere to be seen.

[Roserikta] "His Highness never said anything like that to me."

[Aldwin] "He didn't say it to you! He said it to me!"

The situation had unfolded like this: The Prince always woke at five in the morning. His schedule was so demanding that he could not manage his duties unless he started at that hour.

Rising at five as was his habit, Kalart had looked down to find Roserikta and Clobellina curled up on the floor under a thin blanket.

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, he had picked them both up and moved them to the bed. It was only logical; no man with a shred of decency would allow a woman to sleep on a cold, hard floor.

However, considering the owner of this room was meant to be the future Crown Princess, this "natural" act was strictly forbidden by etiquette.

Fortunately, he was aware of this. After moving Roserikta, he had summoned the Head Maid and informed her that the girl was permitted to use the bed from now on.

Aldwin had nearly fainted from the shock. Even when she protested, asking how he could allow such a thing in that specific bed, he remained firm.

He told her it was meaningless to make the current occupant suffer just to show respect to a hypothetical person who might or might not occupy the room in the future.

He had even stated that if a woman were to fuss over etiquette regarding a bed she wasn't even using in her absence, then she lacked the character required to be a Crown Princess.

Aldwin had no choice but to nod and remain silent.

And that was how it happened.

Aldwin ground her teeth. She was certain these two—the girl and the cat—were in league with some dark magic. Otherwise, the noble and wise Crown Prince would never act so irrationally. She vowed to uncover their true identities and have them thrown out of the palace.

[Aldwin] "Now that you’re awake, get up and do your work. Feed the cat, wash her, and groom her. Make sure she is ready to be presented whenever His Highness calls."

Roserikta scrambled out of bed. There was nothing to be gained by upsetting the Head Maid further. She even wondered if she should suggest to the Prince that he reconsider the bed situation.

[Roserikta] "Yes, Countess."

Aldwin lingered for a moment, piercing her with a disapproving stare before finally leaving the bedroom.

[Roserikta] "Phew..."

She let out a soft sigh of relief. Clobellina hoisted her heavy body up and hopped onto Roserikta’s lap, letting out a questioning meow.

[Clobellina] "Why does she look at us like that? Did we commit a crime?"

She stroked the cat’s head.

[Roserikta] "I’m afraid we did."

[Clobellina] "Huh? I was just joking. Did we really?"

Feeding the Prince a suspicious drug was certainly a capital offense.

[Roserikta] "Our very presence here is the problem."

[Clobellina] "Wow. That’s quite dark. It’s not like you."

[Roserikta] "I don't care what it takes; I have to finish that antidote quickly."

[Clobellina] "Yes, that would be for the best. Being looked down upon while eating is quite sorrowful."

[Roserikta] "I’m glad you finally realize how sorrowful it is."

If Clobellina had continued to babble about how much better palace life was, she would have been tempted to pluck out one of her whiskers.

Regardless, another day had begun.

After washing her face, she cleaned the sleep from Clobellina’s eyes and brushed her fur while her own breakfast arrived.

While the cat staged a pointless protest—claiming she would rather starve than eat boiled vegetables—Roserikta finished her meal.

---

Shick! Clang!

The blades collided, releasing a heavy, metallic ring. Eaton felt his wrists throb from the impact. He pulled his blade back and leaped away. He was signaling for them to stop.

[Eaton] "I’m no match for you today, Your Highness. Let’s call it here."

He looked at Eaton, appearing puzzled.

[Kalart] "Did something happen to you last night?"

Eaton shook his head vigorously.

[Eaton] "To me? No, Your Highness. It seems something happened to you."

[Kalart] "To me?"

[Eaton] "You’re overflowing with strength today. Seriously, I have to ask—what did you eat for breakfast?"

He had eaten the usual: warm milk with honey, an apple, and pheasant soup.

[Kalart] "I didn't eat anything out of the ordinary."

[Eaton] "Are you sure? It feels like you had a mandrake stew."

Eaton scanned him with suspicious eyes. Kalart was different. He was indeed different today.

[Kalart] "I couldn't have eaten something that only exists in fairy tales."

Kalart sheathed his sword. A strange, lingering energy remained in his hands, making him feel restless because he hadn't spent all his strength.

[Eaton] "Well, if you’re going to keep this up, we’ll have to switch to wooden swords for morning training. My wrists are going to fly off at this rate."

To be fair, Eaton wasn't usually the complaining type. As the Captain of the Guard and the Prince's daily sparring partner, he knew Kalart's swordsmanship inside and out.

Objectively, the Prince was a fine swordsman, but he would never be the best in the Empire as long as Eaton was around. That was his small pride.

He knew it wasn't exactly fair; becoming an elite swordsman wasn't just about talent or physique. It required spending eighty percent of one's time on effort, and the Crown Prince was far too busy for that.

But just now, that belief had almost cracked. Today, Kalart seemed to have eaten not just a bowl of mandrake stew, but an entire field of them.

[Eaton] "Did you perhaps sleep well?"

He didn't give up and asked once more. If he had to pinpoint why someone’s condition had improved so drastically, it usually came down to two things: food or sleep.

[Kalart] "Did I sleep well? I slept less than usual."

Kalart tilted his head, recalling the previous night.

He remembered falling asleep while listening to the song. When he woke up, he found a pillow beneath his head and a blanket neatly covering him.

Since he couldn't have done that himself in his sleep, it meant Roserikta—who had slept a short distance from the hearth as if giving him space—had done it for him.

The fire had gone out during the night, yet the room had remained cozy. The sound of the cat’s rhythmic purring and the soft rustle of someone shifting in their sleep had sounded warm to his ears.

It was strange. Though he had slept on the floor, he didn't feel tired at all.

[Roserikta] "Mm..."

She had made a soft, dream-like sound.

He remembered the song her voice had carried last night, and a smile touched his lips. He liked the thought that he could hear that song whenever he wished. Of course, he would have to pay a price each time, but the requests she made were so trivial they hardly felt like a cost at all.

He realized that later that morning, he had been carefully carrying Roserikta to the bed. An impulse to lie down beside her and keep sleeping had surged within him, a feeling that felt entirely foreign.

[Kalart] "…It might be because I slept with the cat."

[Eaton] "Pardon?"

His eyes widened.

[Eaton] "You slept with the cat? And that is why you’re so full of energy?"

[Kalart] "Cats are warm. It helps one sleep."

[Eaton] "Is that so?"

He stroked his chin, looking grave.

[Eaton] "If that’s true, I should get a cat for myself."

Kalart patted Eaton on the shoulder.

He noticed that the Prince seemed very different from his usual self. It wasn't just the excess of energy; his entire aura was changed.

[Kalart] "That’s enough for today. I’m going to change."

[Eaton] "Yes, Your Highness."

He watched Kalart walk away. A moment later, a realization struck him, and he slapped his own forehead.

[Eaton] "Ah! That’s it! He was smiling!"

The reason the Prince looked so energetic and different was hard to pin down, but he realized it was because Kalart had been wearing a faint smile the entire time.

[Eaton] "Well, look at that."

He scratched the back of his head, looking troubled.

[Eaton] "I’ve never seen him like that before."

He wondered if the unsettling things the Prince had said yesterday were simply because the cat had softened his heart.

[Eaton] "Maybe it’s a good thing. Perhaps he’ll finally start looking for a partner soon."

He concluded it was indeed a positive development and began to seriously consider the logistics of raising a cat.

---

[Clobellina] "Meow… I'm hungry. I have no energy at all."

It hadn't even been an hour since breakfast. Clobellina, who had sworn she would starve, finally succumbed to her hunger and started acting spoiled.

[Clobellina] "Aren't you being a bit much? You shouldn't be the only one eating."

She had known this would happen. She was currently focused on searching through her recipe books for an antidote, but she let out a snort of amusement.

[Roserikta] "Didn't you say you were going to starve earlier?"

[Clobellina] "I didn't know I’d be this hungry back then."

Clobellina rubbed her forehead against Roserikta’s arm, her voice turning melodic and sweet.

[Roserikta] "So, will you stop complaining about your food now?"

[Clobellina] "Well... ugh. Can't you just give me something edible? How can a cat live on vegetables alone? It’s against my very nature."

[Roserikta] "If you promise to eat without complaining, I’ll put a little bit of cheese on top."

Her eyes flashed instantly.

[Clobellina] "Cheese? Did you say cheese? Why are you even asking? I could eat two plates of vegetables for that."

She began to purr loudly, pacing around her and nudging her.

[Clobellina] "Hurry up. I’m going to faint."

[Roserikta] "Wait here. I’ll go to the kitchen."

[Clobellina] "Hurry, unless you want to see me starve to death."

[Roserikta] "I doubt that will happen, but I’ll be as fast as I can."

She left the bedroom. Up until that point, everything was normal. However, as she started walking down the hallway, she realized someone was following her. This definitely hadn't happened yesterday.

Startled, she stopped and turned around, and the footsteps behind her stopped as well.

[Roserikta] "…Who are you?"

A knight wearing a black-and-red Royal Guard cloak over his armor gave her a slight nod.

[Arad] "I am Arad, a Senior Knight of the Crown Prince’s Guard."

[Roserikta] "Ah, did His Highness ask you to bring Clobell to him?"

[Arad] "No. He ordered me to escort you."

[Roserikta] "Escort...? You mean Clobell?"

[Arad] "Both of you."

It was a very strange thing to hear.

[Roserikta] "As you can see, I am just a maid."

[Arad] "Those were my orders."

She frowned instinctively. This surpassed her understanding of common sense.

[Roserikta] "Why would I need an escort? Inside the palace?"

He gave a small, bitter smile. He understood why she would ask.

When he first heard the order to escort a maid and a cat, he had doubted his own ears. It was only after he was told the "escort" was also a form of surveillance that it made sense.

[Arad] "I am simply following orders, so I cannot tell you more. This is the Prince's will."

[Roserikta] "…Then I suppose I have no choice. Wait, does this mean you’ll be following me everywhere I go?"

[Arad] "That is what an escort does."

[Roserikta] "Oh my..."

She looked away, feeling troubled.

Having an escort follow her everywhere was a guaranteed way to draw unwanted attention, especially when she was already under the Head Maid’s scrutiny.

[Roserikta] "I’m on my way to the kitchen to get food for Clobell. Are you coming to the dining hall, too?"

[Arad] "There are no exceptions."

[Roserikta] "I see."

She let out a tiny sound that might have been a sigh.

[Roserikta] "…I hope the Head Maid isn't in the kitchen."

She was certain that if the Head Maid hated the fact that she was allowed to use the bed, she would hate the fact that she had a Royal Guard escort even more. She knew there was nothing to be gained by being hated.

She bit her lip and started walking toward the dining hall.

She prayed she could finish the antidote and leave safely as soon as possible—before she lost her heart to that beautiful face and the lonely way he looked in his sleep.

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