Richard carefully held the cat while lecturing me.

“When you’re hungry, you should ask for food. Why try to get by with holy power? You know frequent misuse eventually disrupts your body’s balance, don’t you?”

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ applauds your words.]

[I’ve been wanting to say that for ages.]

[I thought I would die from frustration.]

This deity! I glanced sideways at the message windows of the deity who seized this opportunity to lecture me. But I couldn’t focus on that for long because Richard was staring at me with stern eyes.

“Cioranne.”

“Well, it’s troublesome to have someone else prepare meals, and it’s difficult for me to ask for such things.”

“…”

I thought it was a reasonable excuse, but Richard’s rigid face didn’t soften. Finally, I raised both palms, sighed, and said:

“Fine. I get it. Anyway, help me raise this cat.”

“Cioranne.”

Richard held out his pinky finger to me.

“Promise. Promise you’ll never use holy power to deal with hunger or illness again.”

I glanced at Richard cautiously and said:

“…Do I really have to?”

“Cioranne.”

With his determination to not back down until I promised, I finally linked my finger with his.

“Alright! I get it. Now tell me how to take care of the cat.”

“You really…”

Richard clicked his tongue like he couldn’t handle me, but seemingly satisfied with my promise, he smiled more gently. He was already a soft-featured handsome man, so when he smiled, he radiated warmth.

His brown eyes gazed at me intently. After meeting my gaze for a moment, he blushed slightly and said:

“If you find it difficult to trouble others, call for me. I’m the knight who protects you.”

“Richard.”

It was a touching statement, but before I could feel moved, a notification popped up with a ding.

[‘Kyle’ wonders if you two are lovers.]

This cat!

‘What’s with this cat?’

How can a mere animal understand human relationships? Bewildered, I lowered my gaze and met those jewel-like golden eyes that seemed to have been waiting for me.

That was definitely a look of intense interest!

‘I’m making promises I can’t keep with Richard because of you, and you’re just calmly watching the show?!’

You were supposedly about to starve to death, but you’re thoroughly enjoying yourself!

‘Is this how animals think? Perhaps we’re not raising animals; they’re actually observing us.’

I shuddered at this chilling revelation when Richard, while fiddling with Kyle’s skinny neck, asked, “You know you need to keep him warm, right?”

“Yes. I made him a bed in the warmest spot. And I held him whenever he cried from the cold.”

Thanks to that, I haven’t been sleeping properly lately.

‘Maybe it’s just my imagination, but he seems to sleep better when I sing to him.’

I discovered while singing lullabies to the baby cat how few songs I actually knew. Besides a few hymns, I struggled to think of any songs, which was quite embarrassing.

While I was reminiscing about the nights spent with the cat, Richard muttered in a small voice:

“I’m jealous.”

“Huh?”

What did he say? When I tilted my head, Richard shook his.

“It’s nothing.”

With a slightly bitter smile and downcast eyes, Richard looked like a handsome man with a tragic past. As I stared at him, momentarily speechless, the cat mewed softly and scratched Richard’s thumb with its claws.

“Meow meow meow.”

Richard chuckled and tickled the cat’s head with his index finger.

“At least he seems energetic enough to cry.”

“…If you knew what that crying meant, you wouldn’t be smiling.”

“Huh?”

I smiled awkwardly while looking at the window only visible to me.

[‘Kyle’ mumbles something about unrequited love…]

This cat really likes romance.

I pressed my finger firmly between the baby cat’s eyebrows.

“We’re not like that, you know?”

“Meow?”

The cat tilted its head at my words but soon dropped it weakly onto Richard’s palm. Richard asked with a serious expression:

“How did you give him the milk?”

“I put it in a dish like this, but he couldn’t lap it up and spilled everything.”

“He’s too young to control his body. Even though it’s troublesome, you’ll need to use a nursing bottle. But he must have drunk some, otherwise the cat would be dead by now.”

I sighed with relief at Richard’s words, then asked him:

“Would there be a nursing bottle for cats in the temple?”

“Probably not.”

“Can I feed him with one meant for humans?”

“Since the central temple doesn’t care for babies, you’d have to go to a branch temple to get one.”

“Hmm.”

Worried the cat might get sick while we searched for a nursing bottle, I rested my chin on my hand and muttered seriously:

“Or maybe I could hold the milk in my mouth and transfer it directly, like we do with patients…”

“No!”

“Meow meow!”

To my surprise, not only Richard but even the cat loudly objected.

I put my hands on my hips and pouted.

“What’s this? Both of you rejecting me in unison. I’m hurt, you know.”

“…”

At my grumbling, Richard narrowed his eyes and looked at the cat. The cat pretended not to notice, looking around before closing its eyes. Richard sighed and said:

“Anyway, we need supplies to take care of the cat. Let’s go out together and come back.”

“Won’t people find it strange if we buy cat supplies?”

Cat supplies—wouldn’t that clearly indicate I was raising a cat?

In response to my muttering, Richard crossed his arms and replied:

“Well, I can name at least five people who would be delighted that you finally purchased personal items. And those people would be happy even if you brought back a meatless bone instead of cat supplies. They’d say you’ve finally grown attached to the temple.”

At Richard’s teasing, I waved my hand dismissively.

“Come on, surely not.”

While it was true that I didn’t buy things for myself, I didn’t think anyone would be concerned about such behavior. I thought that was the quintessential image of a Holy Maiden.

“…”

“…Am I really that bad?”

To my incredulous question, Richard didn’t answer.

As I stood there with my mouth slightly open, notifications appeared.

[‘Kyle’ clicks his tongue in disapproval.]

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ clicks his tongue in disapproval.]

Hey, aren’t both of you being too harsh?!

* * *

In the Imperial Palace at the heart of the Empire’s capital.

Marquis Noel Ferol, the Emperor’s right-hand man and the nation’s chancellor, repeated the same words like a parrot in a rigid voice to those demanding to see the Emperor immediately.

“His Majesty is unwell and resting. A council meeting will be held at an appropriate time.”

The ministers expressed strong doubts to Noel but eventually left. This was because they occasionally glimpsed Emperor Kailas at the window—actually a magical replica Noel had prepared in advance.

Ministers who feared Kailas returned home, worried the Emperor might still be alive and punish them.

‘This is serious.’

However, Noel himself knew best that such a disguise wouldn’t last long.

Noel anxiously bit his nails. After all their work establishing the nation, just when they were about to achieve stability, the Emperor disappeared. If this fact became known, chaos would inevitably follow.

Noel stared at the Emperor’s chair that Kailas should have been occupying. On it lay the imperial scepter with a purple gem that had been imprinted with Kailas’s imperial authority.

‘But the scepter’s light hasn’t gone out. He must be alive.’

If Kailas had died, that purple would have lost its luster. That was Noel’s only hope.

‘I need to find him quickly.’

Noel desperately prayed for the Emperor’s swift return.

* * *

At first, I intended to buy only the essentials.

‘How did it end up like this?!’

On our way back, Richard followed behind me carrying an enormous amount of luggage. I pressed my forehead in frustration. This was all because of the pet shop employee’s enthusiastic recommendations.

[Everything your lovely cat needs is right here! What’s that? You’re a novice caretaker? Then I must explain everything in detail! Remember just one thing: perfect cat servitude depends on having the right equipment.]

[Caretaker?]

[Yes! Caretaker. We could say we’re caretakers chosen by our cat masters, hohoho.]

Thanks to the clerk, I finally understood why the quest title included “caretaker.”

‘So that’s why it was “You, become my caretaker”!’

It wasn’t me choosing the cat—the cat was choosing me!

The clerk’s sparkling gaze seemed to demand I acknowledge what an honor it was to be chosen.

The clerk’s overwhelming love for cats was obvious and made me uncomfortable.