When Ketir finally caved and took the vet’s advice, it felt like fanfare exploded in the sky. That’s how happy he was.
But what about Justyn?
Ries still couldn’t forget the look on Justyn’s face right after he’d gobbled down the grapes.
He’d looked tense. Restless. Worried sick.
I’ll take responsibility.
As the one who caused all this—no, as the cat who caused all this—Ries decided to take full responsibility.
He couldn’t exactly live on bland, healthy food the way Justyn wanted him to, so this was the next best thing.
He kneaded diligently with his front paws. The sensation of his firm chest muscles squishing slightly under his paw pads was oddly addictive…
“…That sound.”
Purrrrrrrrrr.
Ries, who had been purring away without a care, suddenly froze. His mouth dropped open in shock.
Wait—when did I start…?
He’d been convinced purring was something you couldn’t do on command. And yet, here he was, practically performing a full purr symphony.
“Sorry. Don’t stop.”
“……”
Justyn gently patted his back. At some point, his hand had found the perfect rhythm and spot. That alone was enough to make Ries want to wail in protest—but no sound came out.
Justyn’s face was way closer than he’d realized. His eyes sparkled like carefully polished rubies, bright and clear.
No fear. No worry. No sadness. Just like Ries had wanted.
With eyes like that looking at him, how could he possibly stop now?
In the end, Ries purred until his throat went raw and kneaded until his paws were sore.
It was unpaid labor with no sense of justice. He was definitely billing someone for the overtime…
“…I’m really glad you’re here.”
…Okay, fine. He’d let it slide this time. But next time? Not a chance.
***
Time passed in a blink.
It had been nearly two months since he started living in the Duke’s mansion. Even Ries, who still stuck to Justyn like glue, had picked up a new routine.
“Whoa!”
He lunged at a broom swishing back and forth in front of him. The servant cleaning the corridor yelped in shock.
“Wha—where’d this cat come from—oh.”
The reactions were always the same. Shock at his sudden appearance, then silence when they spotted the collar around his neck.
Or, they’d act like he was invisible from the get-go. Either way, they’d quickly turn and flee.
Word must’ve gotten around that the Duke’s cat was roaming the halls. Ries flicked his tail in amusement.
You know what one of a cat’s core instincts is?
Hunting.
“Ahhh! Why are you chasing me?!”
“Meeooowww!”
If you run, I have to chase. Sorry, not sorry.
Ries’ “walks” were… unconventional.
If he begged Justyn enough, the man would buckle him into a special collar he always kept ready. With a reluctant goodbye, the door would swing open, and the walk would begin.
But the roaming was always limited to inside the mansion. For one simple reason:
Justyn ruled here.
He was the Duke. And Ries had someone that powerful looking after him. Nobody dared mess with him. It was the safest option.
Once he’d explored enough, Ketir would come to collect him. From the looks of it, they’d upgraded the collar after the last incident—it now had a built-in GPS tracker.
Actually, that was great. A premium pickup service? He wasn’t about to complain. At least he didn’t have to worry about getting lost.
And now that he was used to the mansion’s spooky, gothic atmosphere, everything had become a breeze. He went on more walks. And…
Things like this started happening more often too.
He spotted a man bolting down the hall in a full-on panic. The guy was wheezing so hard it was almost pitiful—so Ries decided to let this one go.
Time to find someone new. He quickly scanned the area.
This weird little game of cat-and-mouse had two perks. One, it kept him from getting bored.
…Okay, yeah, saying it like that made him sound a little messed up, but that hadn’t been the plan at first.
Every time he went on a walk, people would act like they were dodging something disgusting. Out of pure spite, he’d started chasing them. Then it became a daily thing. Then it turned fun.
The second perk?
He got to explore parts of the mansion he’d never seen before.
Just like now.
Looks like this is the floor the servants usually use.
This floor was definitely more cheerful than the others. Bright lighting, sunlight streaming through the corridors, and tiny sparkles of dust floating in the air.
The layout wasn’t much different, yet the space felt warmer, cozier. The faint murmurs behind the walls and the hurried footsteps gave off a vibrant, lived-in energy.
It made him feel… odd. Just a few floors above, his master was probably working in silence, all alone in a place as still as death.
But the thought didn’t last long. Ries spotted an open door and darted toward it, slipping behind it with practiced ease. Peeking out, he saw a brown-haired maid rolling up her sleeves, replacing the bedding.
“Ah, I forgot a blanket.”
Two modest wooden beds—must’ve been the servants’ quarters. Her muttering stopped, and so did the soft rustling of fabric.
Ries pulled back behind the door.
Footsteps approached. He’d intended to sneak after her once she passed, but an odd temptation bubbled up—the urge to pounce on her as she came close.
And in the end, instinct won.
He crouched low, wiggled his hips… then leapt.
“MyaaAA!”
“KYAA!!”
The maid fell backward in shock. From the sound of the thud, she’d landed hard. Even Ries’s tail stood up in surprise.
Did I scare her too much?
He worried he might’ve bruised her tailbone. While he nervously hovered near the groaning maid, a familiar presence crept up from behind—and snatched him by the scruff.
“Haaah… Ries.”
It was Ketir.
That sigh carried at least five different emotions. And Ries, fully aware of why, stayed obediently still in his arms.
“Could you please stop harassing the staff?”
“Mrowr.”
“Don’t give me that fake innocent cry.”
“……”
“You only stay quiet when you know you’re guilty.”
The scolding was revving up—but fortunately, it didn’t go any further.
The maid was starting to get up. Her eyes widened in confusion as she watched the Chief Steward holding the very cat that had just pounced on her… like he was cradling something priceless.
“Ch-Chief Steward?!”
“My apologies. He’s a handful. Are you hurt?”
“N-No! I’m pretty sturdy—this kind of thing doesn’t even faze me!”
Her tailbone still ached, but she answered on reflex.
Then realization slowly dawned. That cat—that cat—was the one everyone had been whispering about lately.
The Duke’s cat.
The blood drained from her face. Just yesterday, she’d been warned to avoid any trouble involving that one.
Ries noted the shift in her expression. With a little hop, he slipped out of Ketir’s arms. He could practically feel her betrayed stare on his back—but he chose to ignore it for now.
He padded over and gave her a gentle tap with his paw. She flinched the moment his soft touch landed on her through the fabric.
“Myaang. Myaaang.”
Oh—that’s working. Color slowly returned to her pale face.
Letting out a soft, carefully tuned mewl, Ries watched her shut her eyes tight. She looked torn, like her instincts and rational mind were at war.
Instinct won.
“Uuuu…”
At last, she reached out with trembling fingers and gently stroked his golden fur. Whenever she brushed past his ears, the pointy little triangles twitched and flicked adorably—too cute to handle.
“Ugh… he’s… so cute…”
She clamped her hand over her mouth, sighing like she’d just been defeated. It was the most honest reaction he’d ever seen. Pleased, Ries gave her hand one slow lick, then stepped back.
“Ries. That’s enough.”
Ketir picked him up again, as if he’d been waiting for the perfect moment. This time, Ries didn’t resist. Ketir turned and walked out of the room.
He could hear the maid’s frantic farewell behind them. It was finally time to head home.
A soft beam of golden sunlight fell across his nose. Once they returned and he ate his fill, the sun would already be setting.
And Justyn would be alone again.
Tomorrow, no walk. He’d stay right by his side.
Ries nestled into Ketir’s arm, burying his face in the crook of his elbow.
Wandering the mansion, meeting people—it was fun. But once those fleeting moments ended, a strange emptiness always settled in.
With his face still tucked against Ketir, he murmured a quiet question.
“Mrr… Mraaw…”
Ketir… why is everyone so scared of Justyn?
