Once it works, he keeps using it over and over again.

Still, it wasn’t good that we’d already had this kind of conversation several times.

I gestured to Kyle to put me down. Instead of separating from me, Kyle seated me on the desk and faced me right in front of my nose.

I answered in a stern tone.

“Making pitiful expressions won’t work for things that can’t be done.”

“Tch.”

Kyle’s expression instantly hardened, seemingly expecting me to give in as usual. Kyle, who had been pouting his lips, lowered his eyes and sighed.

‘Another pitiful expression! Let’s see what he says this time.’

I firmly locked the gates of my heart. But I couldn’t help swaying at the words that followed.

“It seems like Ran doesn’t like me as much as I like Ran.”

“……What are you suddenly talking about?”

Not liking him? It was completely incomprehensible. While I frowned, Kyle continued in a dejected tone.

“I’m always lacking Ran, but Ran gets along fine without me.”

“That’s nonsense.”

“You only treat me kindly when I transform into an animal.”

“……”

That was hard to deny.

‘Was I really that affectionate toward cat Kyle?’

It seemed like I was. But actually, isn’t it natural for your heart to open when you see a trustworthy friend covered in fur from head to toe?

And even so, saying I didn’t like Kyle was pure speculation. I spoke to Kyle in a serious tone.

“I like Kyle very, very much.”

Kyle seemed thoroughly sulky, turning his head away sharply and grumbling in response.

“Well, there’s never been a cat as cute and magnificent as me.”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

“……Did you find a cat cuter than me?”

What kind of nonsense is this?

I thumped my chest and answered firmly.

“No matter what cat appears in this world, none will be more lovable than Kyle. I like Kyle the most in this world. There’s no one who could replace Kyle.”

“Hmm.”

Kyle’s eyes narrowed. He whispered in a strangely meaningful tone.

“You must remember those words.”

It sounded like some other cat besides Kyle would appear. I felt frustrated that my sincerity wasn’t getting through. I made a pitiful expression too.

“I don’t like Kyle because he’s a cat. I’ve said this so many times already.”

“But I’m not confident. I’m always scolding you, but when I transform into a panther, you can’t scold me.”

“That’s because…… But it’s completely different. Totally different. It’s not for that reason.”

My love for Kyle and my fondness for cat Kyle were completely different things. While I hesitated briefly on how to explain this fact, I spoke in a voice mixed with sighs.

“What do you think is the reason I’m trying to create a school where beast-folk and ordinary people attend together?”

At those words, Kyle’s eyes widened.

“……Don’t tell me it’s because of me?”

“Then is there another reason?”

Believe me this much at least. Kyle still muttered without confidence.

“Ran is kind. You were always positive toward beast-folk.”

“But I didn’t actively work to save beast-folk either. I’m ashamed to say I thought it wasn’t an area for me to be concerned with.”

That was my fault, no matter how I thought about it. If I could turn back time, I wanted to return to that moment. To when Pope Incensino proposed oppressing beast-folk.

‘If I could do that, I would never just stand by.’

But I wasn’t a god, and the miracle of turning back time didn’t happen to me. So all I could do was work completely to make up for my mistakes.

And it was none other than Kyle who gave me that courage.

“I changed entirely thanks to Kyle. When Kyle told me to do what I wanted to do, I thought about it for the first time. But no matter how much I thought about it, there was only one answer.”

I cupped Kyle’s face with both hands. When his gaze focused on me, the many turbulent emotions settled, and what I needed to do became clear.

I had spent my life so far in the temple. And I decided to spend my second life by Kyle’s side.

“I want to be Kyle’s strength. That’s the only thing I want to do.”

“Ran.”

Kyle seemed to cover the back of my hands, then closed his eyes and lightly kissed my palm.

“I hated that b*stard called God the most in this world. To me, the world was a collection of all kinds of absurd things.”

At the feeling like being kissed, I unconsciously scrunched my shoulders and blushed. Kyle whispered to me in a soft voice.

“So if I believe in God, the reason is solely because of Ran. Because that God sent Ran to me.”

The golden eyes that appeared again emitted a sharp and clear light like hooks. I felt captured by his gaze.

An intense stare. Eyes filled with strong will and vitality that I didn’t possess.

Come to think of it, Kyle’s appearance, different from mine from the beginning, seemed to have strongly attracted me.

“Ran.”

The nickname he called me sounded sweet.

The only being in this world who called me that was embracing me in front of me, seeking my love.

I willingly embraced his neck.

Our lips locked together seamlessly. Like his body temperature was transferring to me, I kept feeling warmth rising from my spine to the tips of my ears.

When I faced Kyle with my completely reddened face, Kyle asked in a cautious tone.

“……By any chance, can you still hear God’s rambling now?”

Huh? I hadn’t thought of that.

When I turned my gaze, messages suddenly poured out.

[The ‘Dragon Trampler’ is startled.]

[He asks why you’re suddenly looking at him.]

[He waves his hands telling you to finish what you were doing.]

So you were holding your breath too. I shrugged my shoulders.

“He says to finish what we were doing?”

“……”

I hadn’t thought much of it, but for some reason Kyle’s face hardened stiffly. The black panther who seemed ready to swallow me whole suddenly pretended to be gentle and withdrew from me. Then he tidied my disheveled hair and asked subtly.

“You said you couldn’t hear God’s voice anymore if you had a child, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then there’s no choice.”

“Huh?”

What’s there no choice about?

Before I could ask that, he lifted me up in his arms again. And he muttered in a meaningful tone.

“The sooner the better, we have no choice but to chase away that rambling lump first.”

“Huh? How exactly?”

The fact that I didn’t understand even after saying it with my own mouth was probably because I was too unconscious of that direction.

Seeing me ask back in bewilderment, Kyle smiled until his eyes became crescents.

“I love this innocent side of you too.”

His lips touched the bridge of my nose with a light peck.

“Ran.”

Calling my name in a tone sweet like sugar, he whispered in a very small voice.

“Don’t forget what you said about me being the prettiest no matter what cat appears.”

So you’re saying you won’t bring in a new cat either.

Before I could answer, Kyle stole my breath away once again.

* * *

After that, I ended up having dinner with Kyle in my palace and staying with Kyle until early morning before parting.

This happened because when I said I was sorry that Lady Eleanor had to come pick me up late last time, Kyle answered cheerfully.

[Then I can just stay here.]

The situation became the opposite of last time in this vague way, but it naturally wasn’t as simple as Kyle said. Judging by Lady Eleanor’s haggard face when she came to see me the next morning after Kyle left.

I said while reading the mood again.

“……You can scold me.”

I meant I would listen and fix whatever I did wrong. But Lady Eleanor sighed deeply and said something unexpected.

“Should I consider this fortunate?”

“What?”

For some reason, she looked up at the sky and muttered in a pitiful tone.

“I was wondering whether it’s fortunate that Lady Cioranne at least doesn’t collapse from exhaustion, or if it’s something to feel too sorry about.”

I don’t know what she means, but the positive side would be better then.

“Say it’s fortunate. But why suddenly?”

Instead of answering my question, Lady Eleanor suddenly changed the subject.

“May I ask you something seriously?”

“Anything.”

With my permission, Lady Eleanor asked with a very serious expression.

“What exactly do you like about His Majesty?”