Chapter 5
From the very next day after hearing the aide’s words, the Grand Duke immediately began “acting like a cat.”
In fact, it wasn’t something he had to think about or do intentionally.
After the previous day’s encounter, his fondness for the aide had reached the level of “I can be comfortable even with all four paws off the ground in front of this human.” For a cat, whose brain structure makes them sensitive to anxiety and highly cautious, being able to show such a relaxed state required an enormous amount of goodwill.
Having shed a significant portion of his wariness due to his fondness for the polite and respectful aide, the Grand Duke gradually began to show a more comfortable demeanor in front of him. And that was, of course, an extremely feline-like appearance.
So, strictly speaking, this was more of a case of “his true nature came out” rather than “he made an effort”…
Anyway, the cat effect was tremendous.
The aide, who used to tremble at the mere sight of the Grand Duke, no longer showed any signs of wariness.
Of course, the aide’s face would turn incredibly stupid-looking whenever the Grand Duke did anything, but…
‘Isn’t that even better?’
It meant that he trusted the Grand Duke enough to expose his pathetic side in front of a being overwhelmingly stronger than himself.
It was truly remarkable progress.
Although he didn’t seem to have done anything particularly intentional, the Grand Duke was proud of the results he had achieved.
The Grand Duke moved forward with confident steps, his bushy Maine Coon-like tail held high.
He was on his way to meet the aide.
The Grand Duke had enjoyed the time spent with the aide during the previous night’s patrol so much that he added meeting the aide during patrol time to his routine.
Of course, he didn’t ask for the aide’s opinion, but what could be done? The Grand Duke had decided to do so.
The Grand Duke’s steps became even lighter at the thought of meeting the aide.
The method of acting like a cat was certainly effective.
Yesterday, the aide was just muttering about “not wanting to go to work,” but today, after seeing the Grand Duke’s cat-like behavior as he wished, he might even say something like “I want to be buried in the Grand Duke’s castle.”
Usually, the Grand Duke cared for his territory’s people as part of his domain, but he wasn’t fond of letting other living beings into his personal space. However, he felt that it wouldn’t be bad to keep such a polite, diligent, and nice-smelling aide by his side continuously.
‘Hmm. Not bad.’
Of course, even that aide might change over time like someone else, but…
For now, that was how he felt.
With his chest swelling with anticipation, he arrived at the same time and place as yesterday. As expected, there was a familiar scent. It was the slightly cool and refreshing smell that his aide emitted.
He had decided to spend this time with that guy, so if he wasn’t here, he was planning to go find him himself. But it seemed that the polite aide had come out early and was waiting for him.
To even keep time promises so well.
In fact, it was a one-sided time promise that Ruan Daen didn’t know about, but the Grand Duke felt very satisfied.
The Grand Duke approached the aide without hiding his overflowing goodwill.
The aide, with all his sensory organs inferior to the Grand Duke’s, only noticed him after he had come quite close.
Having apparently waited quite anxiously, the aide’s eyes widened when he saw him, unable to hide his delight.
Finding this endearing, the Grand Duke personally moved closer to the aide, who then crouched down to match eye level with the approaching Grand Duke.
“Kitty… You came… I was wondering what I’d do if you didn’t come…”
The Grand Duke, who had naturally planned to come out today and tomorrow as well, was a bit surprised by the unexpected intensity of emotion.
‘It seems he likes the cat form much more than I thought.’
This meant the probability of the aide running away was even lower, which was good for the Grand Duke.
Seeing the Grand Duke narrow his eyes in satisfaction, the aide cautiously said,
“I have something I want to ask you. This might sound really stupid, but…”
Stupid, he says.
The Grand Duke was in such a good mood that he was fully willing to listen no matter how stupid the aide’s words might be.
Usually, he detested subordinates who babbled stupid things and made him waste more time than planned, but… This time was different since he had planned this time specifically to meet this guy.
And… He rather liked the aide’s stupid expressions, so maybe the aide saying stupid things wouldn’t be so bad either.
‘Of course, saying he wants to quit is an exception.’
The Grand Duke perked up his ears as a signal that he would listen.
Then, the aide, who seemed to be contemplating whether to speak or not, opened his mouth.
“By any chance… Has the Grand Duke become cat-like… because of you?”
The Grand Duke was a bit taken aback. He had been prepared to listen to anything as long as it wasn’t about quitting, but he hadn’t expected this kind of talk.
Originally, the fact that the Reinke ducal family has been cat therianthropes for generations is top secret. This is to prevent plans to exploit their cat nature for harm.
But in reality, even without keeping it such a big secret, nobody knows.
To begin with, therianthropes?
Who in their right mind would think such an impossible being actually exists?
Unlike orcs, dwarves, or elves, which are completely different races, a being that’s human but also a cat? Isn’t that too unrealistic and nonsensical?
Ruan, who came from the modern world and thought anything was possible in fantasy, didn’t know, but even for the inhabitants of this fantasy world, there was a line of common sense that made them go, “Ah, that’s a bit…”
Anyway, in such circumstances, there was no way anyone would have such a far-fetched idea that the Grand Duke in front of them might be a cat.
Moreover, the Reinke Grand Dukes have been famous for their strict and cold-hearted nature for generations, so few people even get close enough to notice anything… It was impossible for their identity as cat therianthropes to be discovered.
But even though the Grand Duke had acted cat-like, to directly connect the cat-state Grand Duke with the human-state Grand Duke.
Although he hadn’t realized that the Grand Duke was a therianthrope, even this situation itself was something the Grand Duke had never experienced in his life.
To dispel his bewilderment, the Grand Duke stuck out his tongue and licked his nose.
Seeing this, the aide’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re flustered right now, aren’t you?”
The Grand Duke was surprised again at these words. He knew the aide was attentive, but he didn’t expect him to be able to read even the displacement behavior cats do to relieve emotions.
Surprised, the Grand Duke unconsciously performed another displacement behavior, yawning.
Even as he did so, he realized his mistake and turned his gaze to observe the aide…
“Aha?”
The aide was looking at the Grand Duke with a meaningful expression.
Feeling dismayed at his behavior that had completely exposed his confusion, the Grand Duke heard the aide ask,
“Then, can’t you turn the Grand Duke back to normal?”
Turn him back to normal?
Even in his confusion, he felt displeased. What nonsense was this guy, who had just let down his guard, saying?
If he acted like before, this guy would just mutter things like “I don’t understand why the Grand Duke is acting like this towards me” or “I don’t want to go to work” and try to run away again.
As the Grand Duke thumped his tail on the ground in displeasure, the aide, reading the negative meaning in it, said,
“No, you can’t turn him back?”
That’s right. He can’t. What am I supposed to do if you run away?
When the Grand Duke firmly thumped his tail on the ground once, the aide let out a deep sigh and covered his head with his arms.
“Damn… What should I do then…”
What do you mean, what should you do?
You should just be my aide for life. With that intention, he glared at the aide, who peeked at the Grand Duke through the gap in his arms and sighed deeply again.
“Really… So the Grand Duke has to live like this as a cat?”
When the Grand Duke, who was originally a cat and planned to continue being a cat, didn’t deny it, the aide became even more desperate.
The Grand Duke couldn’t understand the aide.
‘Why? Didn’t he like it when I acted like a cat?’
He clearly said so, and his reaction today was good too. He even let down his guard like this.
But suddenly he’s dissatisfied with me being a cat. What exactly does this guy want to do?
Anyway, humans, unlike straightforward and intuitive cats, were all too complicated.
He really couldn’t understand.
But…
It wouldn’t do if he ran away because things got too complicated.
The troubled aide soon left after a brief farewell. Watching the aide’s troubled-looking back as he walked away, the Grand Duke also fell into contemplation.
Even as he returned to the Grand Duke’s castle, as he went to bed, and as he woke up the next morning, the Grand Duke’s worries continued.
‘What should I do if that guy starts whining again because I acted like a cat this time?’
If that happened, there was nothing he could do about it.
Before, he acted like a cat because that’s what the aide wanted, but if he wanted the opposite, that would be troublesome.
How could he do anything about being a cat in the first place?
It seemed like everything was being perfectly resolved until he went to meet the aide in the evening… But it appeared that the aide was a more fastidious and complex human than he thought.
Appeasing such a human was not something the Grand Duke was familiar with. He had lived a life where he never needed to appease anyone until now.
In the end, the Grand Duke faced the aide without deciding how to respond to this situation.
And contrary to his expectations, the aide… began to treat the Grand Duke even more politely and respectfully than before.
* * *
Ruan felt responsible for the Grand Duke.
To be precise, for the Grand Duke who had become a cat-human overnight because of him.
