Isaac hesitated before accepting the foxtail. Then, he slowly began to wave it. Perhaps due to his experience as a pet owner, the way he flicked his wrist was quite skillful.
The cat seemed to take an interest in the movement. Its hips swayed side to side before it suddenly leaped into the air.
Wow, it’s a good jumper!
Isaac’s deft wrist movements certainly played a part in the cat’s excitement.
As expected, he still has his pet owner skills…!
While Isaac was enthusiastically playing with the cat, it began to slow down as if getting tired.
“Meow…”
Just when the cat seemed to stop, it jumped onto Isaac’s lap. It curled up and began to rest, and Isaac’s eyes widened in surprise. He looked at me and said, “The cat is sitting on my lap.”
“That’s great!”
Though it wasn’t purring like it had on my lap, the cat seemed quite comfortable on Isaac’s thighs.
Isaac still looked a bit bewildered. He nervously asked me, “Can I… pet it?”
“Just gently stroke its head.”
With slightly trembling hands, Isaac began to pet the cat. His touch was far gentler than when he wielded a sword. The cat calmly accepted Isaac’s touch. As he softly stroked the cat’s head, Isaac’s eyes softened, and a smile crept across his face.
I could feel my heart flutter a bit at that warm smile. Looking at him like this, he seemed like just a normal person. If only he hadn’t grown up under such circumstances, he could have become a kind and ordinary person. I wondered if he could return to being that way now.
As Isaac continued to pet the cat, he looked at me and said, “You’re an interesting person.”
“…Me?”
What did he mean by that?
I was confused when the cat stretched and leaped to the ground. As I watched the cat disappear into the bushes, Isaac stood up and said to me, “Let’s go, Mia.”
…Huh? Come to think of it, this was the first time Isaac called me by my name.
“Aren’t you coming?”
“Y-Yes, I’m coming.” I quickly followed behind him, feeling a bit strange.
Just then, a message popped up.
[Isaac’s affection has increased by 5]
[Current Isaac’s affection: 1]
I was surprised by the sudden increase in affection. Why does his affection level keep rising whenever there’s a cat involved? I guess when dealing with cat owners, it’s best to talk about cats.
As we continued walking, I noticed someone standing at the front door. Raphael had returned. Oh no, I should go greet him.
I looked at Isaac, seeking permission to leave, but his expression didn’t look good. He glanced at me and said, “How do you feel about being Raphael’s personal maid?”
“Ah, it’s fine.”
“…More than being with me?”
What was he talking about? It almost sounded like he was jealous, but that couldn’t be right.
I needed to greet Raphael quickly, but since Isaac was my master, I couldn’t leave without his permission. Why isn’t he telling me to go?
While I was stuck in place, Raphael noticed us and approached, holding a lavish bouquet of black roses. He handed it to me with a smile. “Hello, Mia. Were you out for a walk? Here, this is a gift.”
“Oh, thank you…” I awkwardly accepted the bouquet.
Raphael smiled brightly and then looked at Isaac. “Looks like the two of you were on a walk together. Do you mind if I take Mia? She is, after all, my personal maid.”
Isaac didn’t respond right away but eventually spoke, almost reluctantly. “…Yes, Raphael.”
Raphael, satisfied, turned to me with a pleased smile. “Then Mia, arrange the flowers and come to my room.”
“Yes, Lord Raphael.”
I left the bouquet in my room and headed out. The maids I passed gave me curious looks as if they’d stumbled upon some juicy gossip. I even sensed a few envious glares. Ugh, I’m sure they’ll ask me a lot of questions later.
Already feeling exhausted, I made my way to Raphael’s room.
* * *
After Mia left with Raphael, Isaac wandered around the garden for quite a while. The sound of insects was particularly loud. The two of them had disappeared when the door closed, leaving Isaac behind. It was nothing special. So why was he still wandering in the garden?
When Raphael had shown interest in Mia, Isaac had a solid reason for opposing him. Mia was connected to those people. He needed to gather information to monitor her effectively…
But when Raphael took Mia away just now, he felt an inexplicable discomfort, like a sharp paper cut. It was a sensation he had never experienced before, and it puzzled him. What was causing this pain?
Isaac stood there for a long time under the sun. He felt hot.
* * *
[The night is spreading.]
[The time of darkness has come.]
As the message popped up, I slowly opened my eyes. Sigh, once again, I’d been summoned to the night mansion. As a cat, I found myself standing alone in the dim hallway.
Today had been full of strange events. More vivid than the bouquet Raphael had given me was Isaac’s face as he smiled while petting the cat. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him smile like that. It was a smile I used to see in his childhood. I was relieved to see that he seemed to be opening up to me, a human, little by little.
Alright, it’s time to get to work.
First, I should check if Isaac is here. I padded down the hall toward the study. The door was slightly ajar. Inside, Isaac was sitting on the sofa, as expected. I casually curled up in his lap.
Now he’ll pet me, right? I flattened my ears, getting ready to enjoy the pets, but surprisingly, Isaac didn’t pet me.
W-What? Is this guy an imposter? How is he holding back from petting me?
Confused, I glanced at him and noticed something was off about his expression today. I kneaded his lap lightly.
“Meow?”
Only then did Isaac snap out of his thoughts and look down at me. Apologetically, he began petting me again.
“Sorry, Mia. I was lost in thought for a moment.”
What on earth was he thinking about? I’ve never seen him so distracted before.
I slipped out of his lap and placed my paw on the Ouija board.
-What happened?
“Well, something… happened earlier, but it’s no big deal. Don’t worry about it.”
Something must’ve happened after I left with Raphael earlier, but it didn’t seem like Isaac wanted to talk about it. Instead of explaining further, he continued to pet my head. Without realizing it, I began to purr softly.
Meanwhile, a faint scent drifted from him. Wait, isn’t this the scent of another cat? It’s still lingering from earlier when he petted that other cat.
I pulled my head back and placed my paw on the Ouija board again.
-Did you pet another cat today?
“Huh?” Isaac visibly panicked.
Why is he acting like this? I was planning to praise him for taking care of another cat…
Flustered, Isaac explained, “I was just feeding a stray cat and petted it a little. But it doesn’t mean I’m planning to keep another cat. You’re my only cat, Mia.”
Oh? Seeing him so flustered was pretty amusing. Since it’s come to this, I might as well tease him a little more.
-You said I’m your favorite. But you played with another cat?
“Sorry. It just sort of happened… It looked hungry, so I fed it. But I’m definitely not planning to keep any other cats.”
I stared at him without saying anything.
Isaac, looking a bit disheartened, spoke in a low voice. “Should I stop feeding other cats…?”
Ugh, why is he getting so down all of a sudden? I gave Isaac a few soft taps with my paw.
-I’m just kidding! Keep feeding other cats! Give them plenty of food!
“But…”
-Be kind to other cats, just like you are to me. And if possible, be kind to people too.
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Is that not what she said to him as a human too? Oh he’s gonna figure it out quick. Hopefully 😮💨
Thanks for the tl! ✨