The news Sabine brought back a while later wasn’t good.

“Refusing all food and water?”

My heart sank at those words.

“Yes, she only ate when His Majesty was around before… but now she won’t even touch water.”

Sigh, what should I do about this?

Miamo was an exceptionally sensitive cat. With Ainberg away, she apparently wouldn’t eat or drink.

Poor thing.

She probably thinks her owner abandoned her twice.

My heart ached thinking about Miamo.

“So where is she now?”

“They say she’s being kept at the temple now.”

“What? The temple?”

Why is Miamo at the temple again?

Before my puzzlement could fade, Sabine spoke again.

“But Miss.”

“Yes?”

“You said Miamo was the cat Her Majesty the Empress took care of.”

When I answered briefly, Sabine opened her eyes wide.

“Then why is the Emperor taking care of her now?”

Well.

“I’m not sure about that either.”

From what I remember, Ainberg didn’t particularly like animals.

Even when I was always with Miamo, he would look at us with contemptuous eyes.

“Didn’t you say Miamo only followed Her Majesty the Empress?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

Sabine rubbed her chin and said:

“But now the Emperor takes care of her, and Miamo won’t eat food or drink water because His Majesty isn’t present?”

“……”

“Don’t you find that strange?”

“Yes, very strange indeed.”

“Miss, listen to my deduction.”

Sabine spoke with an elongated voice as if she were a detective.

“After Her Majesty the Empress collapsed, Miamo must have fallen into great sorrow.”

My heart ached thinking about Miamo, surprised and confused when her owner suddenly disappeared without knowing what had happened.

“You’re right, she must have. Poor thing.”

“Right at that moment, His Majesty must have taken devoted care of Miamo.”

“Why?”

“Because she was the cat Her Majesty the Empress cherished!”

“……”

“His feelings for Her Majesty—”

“Enough, you started well but then went completely off track.”

“No, listen to me until the end.”

There was nothing more to hear.

I must have been mistaken. He liked cats all along.

I just didn’t know it.

We had no interest in each other after all!

“Miss, think about it. If His Majesty truly hated Her Majesty the Empress, would he have taken in the cat she raised?”

“……”

“If it were me, I would never have done that.”

I slowly shook my head, but Sabine didn’t stop.

“Miss, think about someone you dislike.”

Well, I’m not sure why I’m following Sabine’s instructions, but…

I reflexively thought of my former father.

“Have you thought of someone?”

When I nodded with my lips pursed, Sabine said with very serious eyes:

“Could you devotedly raise a dog or cat that person owned?”

I couldn’t even imagine my former father with a ball of fur, let alone—

“Why would I?”

“Exactly! That’s the normal reaction!”

“……”

“You wouldn’t even think of doing it.”

Up to this point, yes, Sabine was right.

Apart from whether one likes animals or not, there’s no reason to take care of an animal left behind by someone you dislike.

“But what if it’s an animal left by someone you truly love?”

Sabine continued, cleverly stretching her lips.

“Then you’d cherish and care for it devotedly. Because it reminds you of that person.”

“……”

“Think about it carefully, Miss.”

“There’s no evidence anywhere that he took devoted care of Miamo.”

“Miamo is the evidence. That poor child follows His Majesty the Emperor.”

I tried to deviate from the main point. But the more I tried, the more persistently Sabine cornered me.

“Animals can’t lie. They only express themselves according to what they see and the love they receive.”

At that point, I raised both hands in surrender.

“Fine, everything you say is right.”

“Right? I knew it! My thoughts were correct.”

“……”

“Her Majesty the Empress must have misunderstood something. Or His Majesty had some unavoidable circumstances.”

Hadn’t she said this repeatedly last time too?

But it seemed pointless to argue with Sabine, who was already convinced.

“Yes, that could be the case.”

I nodded with an indifferent face.

“Right? Isn’t it? So… now is it time to deduce why His Majesty acted that way?”

“Yes, Sabine. Why don’t you find out?”

I just thought it would be better to go along with her, but Sabine suddenly brightened her eyes and clenched her fist.

“I’ll definitely find out, Miss. I’ll definitely find the reason.”

“……”

Well, I don’t know how she plans to find something that doesn’t exist.

Not wanting to hear any more about the Emperor’s non-existent love, I changed the subject.

“Sabine, have you ever raised a cat?”

“No, I’ve never raised one myself… I’ve fed stray cats a few times. How could a maid like me raise a cat?”

Sabine scratched her head and asked back.

“Why do you ask about cats?”

“Just wondering what Miamo might be thinking right now.”

“I know. If only we could ask the cat directly.”

Yes, that’s a great idea!

“Sabine.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“You’re a genius.”

“……?”

“Let’s go ask right now.”

“What?”

I dragged the bewildered Sabine and headed straight to the temple.

❀❀❀

Of course, I didn’t think I could meet Miamo right away just because I went there.

“That would be difficult, my lady.”

The priest I finally met after a long wait flatly refused my request.

“His Majesty entrusted the cat to the temple, and I am responsible for it.”

With thin eyelids and a sharp nose, he had a stubborn and inflexible impression.

“I have managed small animals for a long time. I can clearly state that there is no one in the imperial palace who can manage them more professionally than I can.”

“But I heard the cat’s condition isn’t good.”

When I spoke, the priest’s face hardened more than before.

He didn’t hide his displeasure as he said:

“We’re monitoring everything from eating to sleeping to bowel movements, so you needn’t worry.”

“……”

That doesn’t seem to be the point.

This person seems to be missing the point.

“But she’s a living being. Miamo… might need care right now, not just management.”

No wonder she has no appetite with someone like this taking care of her. Now I understood why Miamo’s condition wasn’t good.

She was already a sensitive cat.

Cats can’t speak and don’t understand human language, but they know one thing clearly:

Who loves them and who doesn’t.

Is he being arrogant about managing all the small animals in the imperial palace without even knowing this?

“I didn’t want to say this, but…”

Of course, I wanted to talk nicely.

But since he won’t listen to reason, I have no choice.

“If His Majesty returns and sees the cat dried up from not eating or drinking…”

“……”

“His Majesty would be very displeased. Are you all right with that?”

He glared at me with a face turning red and blue.

“She avoids even my veteran hands. Do you think it would make much difference if you took care of her, my lady?”

I couldn’t help but flinch at this point.

But what I said wasn’t groundless. Miamo remembers me.

Miamo knew that I wasn’t Leonora Chadmon.

‘I can’t say this directly, how frustrating.’

Just as I was swallowing words I couldn’t bring myself to say:

“It’s my job and within my capacity anyway, so please withdraw your interest, my lady.”

With those final words, the priest pressed his lips together so tightly that wrinkles appeared on his chin.

Exuding an aura that he no longer wanted to talk with me.

Well, if he didn’t know I was the Empress, it would naturally seem like I was just a woman throwing a tantrum saying “Give me the cute cat!”

“…Very well, I understand.”

I decided to step back for now.

Before leaving, I might as well say one more thing, whether he’ll do it or not.

“Miamo likes dried fish sprinkled with cheese powder. Please prepare it for her, just in case.”

He merely nodded and turned away.

After the priest went inside, Sabine and I couldn’t help but feel quite depressed.

“How can there be such a person? Shouldn’t someone who takes care of animals prioritize the animal’s health and happiness above all?”

Sabine’s voice was rather loud, but since it was what I wanted to say too, I didn’t stop her from speaking loudly.

“He probably won’t do as you said because of his pride. Ugh, I hope His Majesty gives him a good scolding.”

I agreed with Sabine’s opinion with silence and a slight nod.

We had walked forward for a while when—

“My lady, you can’t seem to stay still for a moment, can you?”

A familiar voice came with a sense of déjà vu.

It was High Priest Millean.