After becoming a baby panther in appearance, he turned into a human baby when he transformed!

Just as Kailas was wiggling his unfamiliar short arms, his face hardened with displeasure.

The deity, completely smitten with baby Kailas, jumped up and down excitedly.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ marvels at your cuteness that doesn’t match your personality.]

[Covers mouth and blushes.]

[Cuteness score: 10 out of 10!]

“Don’t be so widiculouth!”

Kailas, trying to shout “Don’t be so ridiculous,” froze in shock at his own lisp. Instantly, his vision filled with message windows.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ asks if you accept donations.]

[Claps hands saying this would be a hit parenting channel.]

[Aww, poow widdle baby.]

[Snickers that responding to baby talk with baby talk is only polite.]

‘This bastard!’

He’d expected the deity to be dignified and authoritative, but instead found someone who just loved getting under his skin.

Kailas snorted dismissively and stood up. Without his fur, he felt chilly. More importantly, he lacked strength and couldn’t maintain this form for long.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ asks what you’re trying to do.]

“None of youw business!”

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ responds that your anger only makes you cuter right now.]

“Ugh!”

Though his body had become childlike, he wasn’t sure why his mind seemed affected too—tears of frustration welled up. But there was no time for crying. Kailas hurriedly wrote on a notepad with a pencil, the only item on Cioranne’s bedside table. It was meant for Marquis Noel Ferol, his chancellor who must be desperately searching for him.

<I am in the temple.>

That was all he could manage with his aching child’s hands. Kailas was irritated but didn’t throw the pencil. Not because he controlled his temper, but because he worried Cioranne would grow suspicious if she found her writing implements disturbed.

‘How did I end up like this?’

Kailas ground his teeth. Everything was because of that woman.

‘Cioranne Letus!’

Pale skin, silver hair almost white, light blue eyes.

While fuming over the memory of that dreamy-looking woman, a gentle voice echoed in his ears.

[Yes! Isn’t our cat adorable?!]

I’m not a cat, woman!

‘…My stomach feels uncomfortable.’

Was it from drinking the milk? His stomach felt bloated. Kailas shook his head to dispel Cioranne’s voice that kept surfacing in his mind. Now wasn’t the time to think about her.

Kailas let out a low whistle.

“Phweet.”

After a moment, with scratching sounds, a small animal appeared from the ceiling of Cioranne’s room.

It was a rat.

For Kailas, a feline predator, subduing small creatures like rats was effortless. He entrusted the neatly folded letter to the rat. Then, meeting the rat’s eyes, he transmitted his will.

‘Deliver this without fail.’

“Squeak!”

The rat, receiving Kailas’s command, quickly scurried away and disappeared. Kailas watched until the rat completely vanished, then collapsed backward, almost fainting.

Fortunately, he fell onto Cioranne’s bed, so he wasn’t hurt.

Writing just a few letters had drained his energy. Kailas hissed out curses.

“Dammit.”

No matter what curses he tried to utter, his lisp made them sound adorable. Displeased even with that, he huffed angrily before closing his eyes.

The baby disappeared, and in its place remained a baby cat, lying flat on its back like a human with its plump belly exposed.

* * *

Four days had passed since the Emperor vanished in a flash of light. Though there were reports of him being seen in the Imperial Palace, only his right-hand man, Marquis Noel Ferol, had met with him privately.

It was enough time for the high priests, who had been trembling at the thought of Kailas storming in to destroy the temple, to loosen their lips.

Their conversations flowed freely the moment they saw the Holy Maiden, Cioranne Letus, standing at the pulpit to lead prayers during the grand ceremony.

“Why is the Emperor so quiet?”

“I asked His Holiness, but he gave no answer.”

“His Holiness must have defeated him, right?”

“But quite a few people have spotted him in the Imperial Palace.”

“Then what on earth happened? He came with his knights vowing to end things with His Holiness, but did nothing and just left…?”

“I-I suppose that’s what happened.”

No matter how much the high priests put their heads together, their opinions all amounted to the same thing. Who could know Kailas’s true intentions or what really happened that day? It was all speculation.

Since Kailas, whom they expected to come storming in with murderous intent, remained quiet, the once-trembling group gradually gained courage.

“…Surely even the tyrannical Emperor has been reformed under God’s mercy.”

“He must have had a change of heart after hearing His Holiness’s sermon.”

“Above all, wouldn’t he have been intimidated by the Holy Maiden’s genuine holy power?”

Their gazes naturally turned toward Cioranne.

Dressed in snow-white ceremonial robes, Cioranne was undeniably a holy messenger of God. Everyone in the temple knew her holy power was unprecedentedly strong in the temple’s history. Even the Emperor would have had no choice but to kneel before her.

After briefly looking up at Cioranne in admiration, one of the high priests whispered in a secretive tone as the prayer was ending.

“Then we only need to calculate what His Holiness and the Holy Maiden cannot speak of. The amount of donation to demand from the Emperor as penance, and the promise to normalize the Empire.”

They had a Pope with the courage to preach justice to the tyrannical Emperor, and a Holy Maiden with unprecedented holy power. Trusting these two, they could do whatever they pleased.

“This is all God’s blessing.”

“We should be grateful to God.”

Ironically, none of them worried about Cioranne’s well-being. Even though they had seen her return that day with blood soaking her robe front.

The Holy Maiden praying, and the priests not praying but thinking only of their greed.

The deity simply watched all this in silence.

* * *

The grand ceremony ended with its usual solemnity.

‘Everyone seemed a bit distracted.’

I sighed. The atmosphere was bound to be unsettled after what happened with the Emperor.

‘I heard the Emperor is secluded in the Imperial Palace. So what happened to that curse?’

The curse was definitely established, they said.

Since the deity doesn’t lie, there was a high possibility that the Emperor in the palace was an impostor. Still, I secretly wished:

‘I hope he miraculously survived. I don’t want to harm anyone with my holy power.’

Even now, I shuddered remembering the moment when the word “curse” appeared right after I infused my holy power. My whole body broke out in goosebumps, and I screamed involuntarily at the irreversible reality.

‘I hope nothing like that ever happens again.’

With that thought, I retreated to the back of the chapel. After neatly putting away the ceremonial robe worn only for grand ceremonies, I was heading out when an elderly nun called to me.

“Greetings, Holy Maiden.”

“Sister Mary.”

Sister Mary was an important person who personally grew vegetables consumed in the temple by tending to the fields and greenhouse. Though not a glamorous role that attracted attention, it was certainly essential.

‘But why is she stopping me?’

Given her role, we rarely crossed paths. Just as I tilted my head in confusion, Sister Mary spoke with gentle crinkled eyes.

“I heard the Holy Maiden purchased many cat supplies.”

I made an awkward expression.

‘Did they find out I’m raising a cat?!’

I looked at Sister Mary with anxious eyes. She continued in a warm, affectionate voice.

“It seems the Holy Maiden has taken an interest in stray cats.”

“Ah, yes, yes indeed.”

In reality, it was almost forced upon me under the pretext of a quest.

‘She thinks I’m caring for stray cats, not keeping one in the temple.’

While I was hiding my pounding heart with an awkward smile, Sister Mary handed me a small potted plant.

“I’m delighted to give you a gift. This plant is called catnip.”

“Catnip?”

“Yes. Cats absolutely love it.”

Something cats love? My ears perked up. I looked down at the pot. The small leaves, similar to lemon balm, looked just like cat paws.

“I heard you bought cat toys and a cat house, but stray cats are very wary and won’t approach such things. However, if you place this catnip pot by your window, they’ll occasionally be drawn to its scent.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. That’s why its nickname is ‘cat drug.'”

“Cat drug!”

It sounds like something cats would go crazy for. I held the pot with both hands and bowed my head.

“Thank you, Sister. I’ve received a precious gift.”

“Not at all. I’m truly happy to be able to give the Holy Maiden even this small token.”

“No, really, thank you.”

“No, I’m the one who’s grateful to be able to give it to you.”

We continued bowing and expressing gratitude to each other. After somehow ending what seemed like an endless exchange of thanks, I turned and went to my room—where I nearly dropped the pot in shock.