IJEBPSCLB 8

He broke a cookie into pieces a few times, then placed it into my mouth and gently patted the back of my neck. Seems like that was the correct answer.

Just before my stomach started growling, I quickly accepted the cookie.

After swallowing it, I looked up—and saw his beautifully curved blue eyes.

Hey. But if you’re going to wear loose clothes and smile like that, what am I supposed to do? That’s cheating. Were you trying to bewitch a cat or something?

On top of that, part of his shoulder was still damp from the water that had fallen from his hair earlier.

‘What if I were a shameless perverted cat?’

After eating enough cookies, I finally felt certain he wasn’t going to kill me. With that realization, all the tension drained out of my body.

My now-relaxed body felt pleasantly sluggish.

I slowly shifted and curled up on Ian’s palm.

‘Wow. Warm. If this hand wasn’t attached to him, it’d be perfect. I would’ve loved the owner of this hand dearly.’

As I lay on his palm, he began to stroke me.

I had been shivering from the cold for so long that this warmth—something I was barely feeling properly for the first time—made a soft purring sound slip out of me.

He, who had been gently petting me, spoke in a soft voice.

“You’re still awake today.”

‘I stayed up late playing in the garden today.’

Yaaawn—

Overwhelmed by drowsiness, I surrendered completely and yawned wide, though I still made sure to cover my mouth.

I must’ve been tired from all the playing, because sleepiness came rushing in along with a warmth I wasn’t used to.

Seeing me like that, Ian lifted me and placed me on his bed, then set me on his stomach.

Through his clothes, I could clearly feel his firm abs.

Curious, I pressed them a few times.

Each press sent a wave of warmth spreading through me.

It felt just like pressing a hand warmer and feeling it slowly heat up.

I got completely absorbed in poking it, pressing repeatedly like I was clicking a hand warmer.

Then his teasing voice came.

“Perverted cat.”

I’m not.

‘I’m not.’

He narrowed his eyes slightly at me. As he moved, his silky silver hair shifted softly.

His large hand covered my head and gently stroked my fur.

‘Ah. I’m on Ian’s stomach.’

I’m doomed.

Even the sleepiness that had been building up vanished completely. I must’ve been half-asleep and out of my mind. Crazy. Really crazy. No matter how interesting it was, I shouldn’t have been pressing someone’s body like that…

And of all people, it was the male lead with a terrible personality.

How dare I climb onto his stomach and press him… Am I going to die? Like—poof, gone…?

I glanced nervously between my paws on his stomach and his face.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going to eat you.”

He gave a crooked smile.

“Up until now, I haven’t eaten you either.”

Hey! With a smile like that, how am I supposed to believe you?!

“I’m the one who looks like I might get eaten, honestly.”

Ian murmured while fiddling with my paw.

At that single sentence, my brain stopped.

‘W-what are you eating?!’

My face burned instantly.

‘Why would I eat you?!’

If I were human, my whole face would’ve turned beet red.

“You’re not thinking anything weird, are you?”

‘No!’

I quickly lowered my head in embarrassment. A deep, heavy scent rose gently around me. Dark, but warm.

It filled me with a strangely comforting feeling.

I shifted my position to block Ian from my view as much as possible.

No matter how I moved, I was still on top of his stomach—that didn’t change.

I finally found a position where I wouldn’t have to look at him, pressed my face down, and exhaled deeply.

“…Phew…”

And then I fell asleep.

“Hah.”

Ian let out a dumbfounded laugh at the sight of the kitten who had fallen asleep on his stomach.

…It was a quiet, peaceful night between a tiger and a kitten.

Later

After that, the tiger and I continued sleeping peacefully without fighting.

Well, “sleeping peacefully” meaning—

I accidentally stepped on his face in my sleep and left paw prints on the white tiger’s face, and mistook his hair for candy floss and happily chewed on it while asleep… but those are minor issues, so let’s move on.

Anyway, I’ve been living quite lazily.

“Meooow—”

I woke up, lying spread-eagle, and looked around the room again.

‘So this is the white tiger’s room.’

A space that once felt somewhat familiar now felt strange.

‘So did he also order the tower and cat house?’

My impression of Ian kept rising in my mind.

Maybe he’s not such a bad person after all.

As long as you’re well-fed and warm and can sleep comfortably, they say someone isn’t a bad person.

I rolled around on the enormous king-sized bed.

‘Beds are meant for rolling around like this.’

The bed was so large that even a tiger wouldn’t fall off no matter how much you rolled.

After a while, I stopped rolling and stood up suddenly.

‘Ah. My fur.’

I checked the bed carefully where I had been rolling.

Thankfully, there weren’t clumps of fur everywhere.

‘Guess I’m not balding yet.’

Lately I’d been worrying about that a lot.

A wave of relief washed over me.

‘Ugh… becoming a bald kitten would be awful.’

I shuddered and wandered around the bed.

The soft mattress sank under my paws, which felt nice.

The spot where Ian had slept was already cold and empty.

It looked like he had left at dawn to handle his duties.

Such a diligent tiger.

‘I could never live like that.’

‘It’s impossible.’

Knock knock.

“Kitten-nim, I’m coming in.”

It was Mari’s voice—normally blunt, but slightly cheerful today.

“Meow.” (Come in.)

Even after 19 years, I still couldn’t get used to speaking “human words” but only hearing “meow” come out.

My thoughts and words never matched.

So I didn’t use cat language often. Nobody understood it anyway—cats or humans.

The door opened carefully.

“Oh my, kitten-nim, you’re waking up earlier and earlier.”

Sorry, but it was noon.

Some people might already be having lunch.

Still, compared to the days I slept all day after that first incident, this was progress.

Mari gently stroked my chin, then picked me up and carried me to the bathroom.

Her way of holding me was becoming more and more skilled.

For the record, I’m not a naturally lazy cat.

Since “that day” at the Simond family, I had been unconscious most of the time due to accumulated exhaustion.

‘Though I did sleep a lot there too.’

Maybe that’s just a cat trait.

If I had to justify it, this place is much warmer than Simond. Especially when Ian is around—it’s even warmer, despite being in the cold north.

Soft blankets, a fluffy bed, and perfect blackout curtains… it was impossible not to sleep.

‘Not sleeping in a room like this would be rude.’

And no one even comes to wake me up here. How am I supposed to wake up early?

I nodded internally, satisfied with my reasoning.

“Kitten-nim, would you like to tour the mansion today?”

‘I can explore?’

“Yes, you can.”

Mari said as she vigorously dried my fur with a towel, already looking like a professional butler.

Apparently, except for a few restricted rooms, I was free to go anywhere.

Ian had given permission yesterday.

Surprising for that tiger, but I had been bored anyway, so I nodded.

Thus, my plans for the day were decided.

The moment Mari finished drying me, I rushed to the door.

‘Mari, let’s go!’

I jumped repeatedly trying to reach the handle.

But my paws couldn’t even come close.

Sadly, it was too high.

I waited by the door.

“Meow!” (Hurry!)

Mari smiled and opened the door.

It slid open silently.

And standing there was a warm-looking elderly man.

He wore a suit and had a dignified face lined with experience—clearly someone of high rank in the mansion.

He looked like a teddy bear version of those characters holding honey jars.

“Good day. Kitten-nim, I am the head butler of this estate, and I will be guiding you today.”

“I will do my best to explain everything about the mansion thoroughly.”

He smiled warmly.

‘Explain… what?’

My eyes trembled violently.

I don’t want to know anything.

He’s not going to explain the mansion’s history or origin, is he?

‘No way… right?’

I don’t even need to understand this place.

For a moment, the kindly smiling head butler looked exactly like an old tutor from my past life.

A scary teacher who smiles sweetly and says, “Now—time to study.”

A sudden urge to escape surged within me.