IPBPBD 05

Chapter 05

“You really eat so well.”

After the recent snack incident, Emilina realized that Yangie’s taste was completely identical to a human’s.

No matter how hard she tried to get pet food, or even when she offered snacks made specifically for pets, Yangie wouldn’t touch them at all.

Instead, he would show outright distaste for them and only crave the food Emilina made herself.

He even went so far as to grab the food bowl in his mouth and run off with it.

In the end, Emilina gave up trying to feed him separately and just shared her own meals.

It was only possible because Yangie never showed any adverse reaction.

“Is it tasty?”

“Kyauuung!”

So she didn’t think much of it. The fact that her cat didn’t avoid human food wasn’t something she dwelled on.

As long as he ate well and enjoyed it, that was enough.

But really, she should have wondered—at least once—why Yangie had such peculiar eating habits.

She should have thought about it.

The bizarre incident that occurred the next day answered the question for her.

That night, Emilina had a dream.

A silly, ticklish dream of her and Yangie happily running around on fluffy clouds.

While playing, she hugged him tightly and rubbed her face into his soft, dark fur.

What she felt was smooth and silky—like delicate skin.

“Wait. Skin…?”

The unfamiliar sensation made her rub her face against it again, and this time she distinctly felt tender, baby-like skin brushing her cheek.

There was even the faint, fresh scent that was unmistakably human.

Startled, Emilina’s eyes flew open.

And when she saw the dark figure cradled in her arms—

“HYAAAH!”

She let out a strangled shriek and leapt away.

A strange child was sleeping soundly in her bed.

Right in her arms, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

This wasn’t some “I went to sleep and woke up with a kid” sort of situation—

Completely bewildered, Emilina blinked rapidly.

Just as she began to wonder why there was a child here, a chilling thought struck her.

The one she had been nuzzling in her dream… could it have been this child?

The memory of that vivid sensation made her feel sick with embarrassment.

“Oh no, oh no, oh no!”

She scolded herself harshly.

The boy lying there seemed about eight years old.

For some reason she felt like she had just done something terribly inappropriate.

“No, wait. I don’t need to feel guilty, do I?”

It wasn’t intentional. Who could have expected a child to just appear out of nowhere?

After going back and forth with herself several times, Emilina shook off the useless thoughts.

This wasn’t the issue right now. What mattered was retracing what had happened.

“Last night…”

She had gone to bed holding Yangie in her arms.

But when she woke up, there was a boy lying in front of her instead.

So then, where did the boy come from?

“!”

Suddenly, like being struck with a hammer, another realization hit her.

Yangie—who should have been beside her—was nowhere to be seen.

And in the spot where Yangie should have been, there was only this boy.

“No way!”

Her expression twisted with disbelief.

It was an absurd leap in logic, but… a part of her couldn’t help thinking maybe…

“I need to wake him up first.”

She wasn’t going to get any answers by speculating on her own.

The boy was fast asleep, breathing evenly.

Carefully, Emilina shook him.

“Hey, little one. Wake up.”

“Mmm…”

He stirred, then slowly opened his eyes.

His striking golden eyes contrasted with his jet-black hair, leaving a strong impression.

So strong, in fact, that Emilina felt like he reminded her of someone.

“Who was it…?”

She tilted her head.

At a glance, he looked just like a human version of Yangie… or maybe that was just her imagination.

Perhaps he even resembled someone else entirely.

While she was lost in fuzzy recollections, the boy finally sat up.

And then—oh, dear lord.

Emilina’s face froze in shock.

The blanket slipped down, revealing his bare body.

And when her eyes inadvertently lowered—

“Ah. Uh. So he’s a boy.”

That realization hit her… but wait! That wasn’t the problem!

Why on earth was he completely naked?

Her green eyes trembled violently.

So that was why she had felt bare skin earlier.

She had assumed at least he’d be wearing underwear—but no.

Actually… wasn’t this even stranger?

At this point, she couldn’t shake the thought that maybe Yangie really had turned into a human.

After all, Yangie never wore underwear.

Like… panties, or, well… panties.

But imagining a cat in underwear was… ugh.

It was beyond ridiculous.

As she drowned in those thoughts, the boy suddenly noticed her gaze, grabbed the blanket, and covered himself.

Emilina quickly decided she needed to get him some clothes.

A little while later, she handed him some clothes she had worn when she was younger.

She had tried to help him put them on, but he seemed embarrassed, so she just let him do it himself.

Did he even understand what he was being shy about? Emilina wondered as she waited patiently on the sofa.

The boy pulled the blanket over his head and squirmed around strangely as he changed.

The sight made her laugh quietly—it was oddly cute.

Before long, he was done and perched himself on the edge of the bed.

Emilina straightened her expression and spoke gently.

“All dressed now?”

The boy gave a small nod.

But the clothes were still too big, even though she had chosen the smallest ones she could find.

She walked over, adjusted the collar neatly, and sat down beside him.

After a moment’s hesitation, she finally asked,

“Are you… Yangie?”

For someone who had agonized over how to start, the question was blunt.

The boy lifted his gaze to her quietly.

And Emilina, without meaning to, held her breath.

Up close, he was… breathtakingly beautiful.

Wow—

It was the kind of beauty that made the word “angelic” feel inadequate.

His delicate, refined features were flawless, and his golden eyes gleamed like jewels even in the dim light, accentuating his already stunning face.

This was the kind of face that promised to grow into someone extraordinary.

As Emilina stared in awe, the boy’s lips moved slightly before he gave a small nod.

He was admitting it—he really was Yangie.

“…Huh.”

Finally snapping back to reality, Emilina didn’t know how to react.

She had suspected it, but to have it confirmed—that her cat had actually become human—was simply unbelievable.

Yet, suddenly, so many things began to make sense.

The way he understood words. His refusal to eat pet food.

Especially the fact that he never once ate a mouse.

“Ugh…” Emilina ground her teeth, remembering the humiliating incident she preferred never to recall.

“Just you wait, Rosie. I’ll pay you back for that disgrace.”

While she was busy fuming inside, a knock sounded at the door.

Startled, Emilina hurriedly pushed the boy back into bed and pulled the blanket over him.

At this hour, the only people who could be visiting were her parents.

Since there were no servants in the house, that was obvious.

If they discovered the boy, it would definitely cause problems.

“I’m sorry, little one. Please just stay still for now.”

Fortunately, he obediently complied, quiet as a mouse.

Emilina whispered a quick thank-you and went to the door.

When she cracked it open, as expected, Mr. and Mrs. Klein stood there with worried faces.

Peering through the gap, Katie asked,

“Milly, is something wrong? We heard a scream.”

Ah—that’s right. She had screamed earlier.

She had forgotten completely.

Emilina rushed to explain,

“Oh… I just had a bad dream, that’s all. I’m fine now, you don’t need to worry.”

“It wasn’t because of that black cat, was it?”

McTrun’s expression darkened with concern.

Right—her father never liked Yangie much.

No, dislike was putting it lightly—he hated the cat.

He always said that black beasts were symbols of misfortune, trying to convince her to get rid of him.

Her mother, Katie, didn’t say it outright, but Emilina could tell she wasn’t fond of Yangie either.

Of course, Emilina never listened to either of them.

“Father, really. How could a nightmare have anything to do with Yangie?”

“If not, then I’m glad… but still, you’d better be careful around that black cat.”

“There’s no reason for you to suddenly have nightmares otherwise,” McTrun muttered under his breath.