As Richard had pointed out, keeping animals was forbidden in the temple. Just thinking about secretly raising this cat made my head throb, and yet the cat did nothing but complain.

‘I want to smack it.’

For the first time in my life, I felt a strong urge to hit someone. I shook my head vigorously in shock. First cursing someone, then blaming others and trying to solve problems with violence? Absolutely unacceptable!

Of course, my deity found it highly amusing.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ suggests you might as well give it a smack.]

“…That would kill this baby kitty.”

As I sighed in response, the cat seemed to have fallen asleep, as the noisy notifications that had been sounding suddenly stopped.

I stroked Kyle’s back, which was rising and falling evenly, and said to Richard, “Let’s head back quickly.”

* * *

Though my body felt heavy as lead, I couldn’t rest even after returning to the temple.

Everyone cheered when they saw me. Honestly, I was more interested in sleep, but since presenting a good image as the Holy Maiden was part of my duty, I stood firm with a smile and waved.

Then Pope Incensino, who arrived shortly after me, personally came to my room and bowed.

“You’ve taken on a truly difficult role. I extend my gratitude on behalf of everyone on this continent.”

“Not at all, Your Holiness.”

After bowing respectfully in return, I hesitated briefly before clenching my fist.

“Your Holiness, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“What is it?”

The Pope’s face was as calm and gentle as always when he smiled at me. He didn’t look at all like someone who would make the Holy Maiden cast a curse.

His face was so benevolent that I could believe I had been tricked into drawing a cursed formation.

“…The formation Your Holiness drew was actually a curse.”

However, the Pope neither denied his actions nor made excuses.

“It was an unavoidable choice. Neither holy power nor magic works on the Emperor.”

“But, Your Holiness.”

“I apologize for not telling you beforehand. But please understand that I made this difficult decision truly for everyone’s sake.”

The Pope bowed again. Seeing this, I couldn’t press him further.

“…I understand.”

After sending the Pope away, I leaned blankly against the door for a moment before covering my mouth with my palm.

“Cough!”

Blood that had momentarily subsided gushed out again. As I wiped the blood with my sleeve, I slid down to the floor.

“Haah.”

Could I trust the Pope? At least there was no lie in what he said today.

[…..]

Even my talkative deity remained silent about the Pope. I sighed. My stomach felt so sour that I didn’t think I could sleep.

And in the darkness, a pair of bright golden eyes was watching me.

“Did I wake you? Go back to sleep.”

At my words, the cat closed its eyes again.

[‘Kyle’ grumbles that you should stop bothering him if you’re so concerned.]

What a sharp-tongued cat.

I gave a bitter smile.

* * *

Kyle, the strait.

The reason for that name was quite simple.

While the previous emperor had indiscriminately taken women of all races as his concubines, he became thoroughly displeased when an illegitimate child was born from one of the beast-folk he had enslaved.

[Take that child and the woman who bore him somewhere I won’t have to see them!]

So Kailas was abandoned with his mother in the strait region, far from the capital.

It was a somewhat moderate measure. Though beast-folk were slaves and could have been treated as such, they were set free as commoners. The area was warm and abundant, a good place to hide and live while pretending to be human.

The misfortune was that his mother had genuinely given her heart to the emperor. Despairing at being abandoned by him, she hanged herself.

After that, Kailas was completely alone in this world.

Until now, that is.

‘What a ridiculous situation.’

Kailas stared blankly at the wall of the room where he had been placed on a cushion. The elaborate mural depicted the moment when the deity first created this world.

‘A deity, huh.’

There couldn’t possibly be such a thing as a deity in this world. Otherwise, his life wouldn’t have turned out this way.

‘Just when I finally became emperor.’

Abandoned as an illegitimate child, he had clawed his way up. He cut down brothers who opposed him and killed those who threatened him. He killed those who objected to his ascension, and he killed those who didn’t.

After piling up mountains of corpses, he finally sat at the highest position in the world, yet there was still one place that dared to lecture him.

That was the temple. Pope Incensino had said this as soon as he attended his coronation:

[A throne stained with blood will not last. Emperor Kailas, atone before the deity.]

Who was he to dare order the Emperor to atone?

The conflict between the two intensified and eventually exploded over the issue of slave liberation. Kailas decided to finish off the Pope once and for all.

But how could this happen? It had been a game he was winning.

‘That Pope setting a trap!’

Kailas thrashed about irritably. As he scratched at the cushion with his pointed claws, threads got caught in his nails.

‘Ah, how annoying.’

Can’t these tiny fingers even properly claw at a cushion?

“Meow. Meow.”

As he grew frustrated with the tangled threads, groans naturally escaped him. When Kailas meowed loudly, a rough but small, warm hand stroked his nape.

“Crying? Why are you crying?”

Pale blue eyes took him in. Kailas blinked his large, bead-like eyes and stared at her.

He immediately recognized who she was. Cioranne Letus. The pride of the temple, the Holy Maiden.

Though they had never spoken directly, they had met once or twice at official functions.

‘She definitely didn’t seem like this before.’

She had seemed more indifferent, more lifeless.

“Are you hungry? Or is your bed uncomfortable?”

None of that, you dull woman.

‘It’s because of you. You!’

When the curse is broken and he regains his power, then…!

As Kailas was grinding his tiny, thorn-like teeth, Cioranne embraced the cat with both hands. The steady, rhythmic sound of her heartbeat echoed in his ears along with her warm body temperature.

It was strange. Just the warmth alone somehow calmed his rising irritation.

“I’ll sing you a song.”

Holding him tight, Cioranne opened her mouth. A song with arbitrary pitch and rhythm tickled his ears.

Spitting blood where no one could see, suffering, and yet still smiling brightly.

‘What a strange woman.’

Anyway, he needed to find clues to break the curse while staying by her side. Kailas murmured this to himself as he closed his eyes.

* * *

It had been just three days since I brought the cat ‘Kyle’ to my quarters under the pretext of a quest.

Though pets weren’t allowed in the temple, I was prepared to be caught as I rushed to the Holy Knights’ quarters where Richard stayed.

“Richard! Help me!”

“Cioranne?”

Richard, who had been in a meeting with other knights, opened his eyes wide when he saw me running toward him.

Then, seemingly conscious of others watching, he politely changed his tone.

“What brings you here, Holy Maiden?”

Normally, I would also mind my speech, but today I had no peace of mind. I grabbed Richard’s arm and pulled him.

“Come here. I need to talk to you over there.”

As I acted forcefully, Richard smiled gently and whispered smoothly:

“When you speak like that, I might get excited…”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

Usually, I would play along with Richard’s jokes, but I was too desperate to banter.

As soon as I confirmed no one was around, I clutched Richard’s clothes tightly and shouted:

“Help me raise this cat!”

“What’s wrong with the cat?”

“I have no idea what to feed it.”

I carefully handed over the baby cat I had brought in my pocket to Richard. Though it filled both my hands, it looked like a doll in Richard’s large palm.

I frowned and grumbled.

“I thought I could just pour holy power into it if necessary, but the notifications won’t stop.”

“Notifications?”

Richard, unable to see the message window, tilted his head in confusion. I pressed my throbbing temple with my finger while forcing an awkward smile. This window had been floating before my eyes for a while:

[*Warning

‘Kyle’s’ empty stomach has reached dangerous levels.

At this rate, ‘Kyle’ might starve to death.]

Other notifications were already distracting enough, but starving to death?! I sighed.

“Holy power restores the body, so it should solve hunger too. But it doesn’t seem to work on cats.”

Richard’s face crumpled at my muttering.

“So you’re saying the cat was hungry, but instead of feeding it, you tried to pour holy power into it?”

“I did give it milk. But it couldn’t eat it…”

“So because it couldn’t eat, you tried to restore it with holy power?”

“That usually works for me.”

“I really…”

It felt like being scolded by a teacher. I hunched my shoulders.