[Chapter 8] The Cat That Repayed a Favor

I stood up with a feeling of helplessness.

‘Ugh, I should see if Meril and Sir Walter have arrived.’

I moved toward the center of the plaza to look for Meril and Sir Walter.

“……!”

‘It’s my baby!’

While moving, I spotted Leon.

A small alleyway leading out of the plaza. Leon was struggling with a boy who was taller than him. Looking closely, I saw that the larger boy was holding my brooch and the bag with the currywurst.

“Give that to me.”

Leon spoke to the larger boy.

“Hey! Did you forget the rules between thieves? This is mine!”

Despite the larger boy’s size, he was at a loss for what to do against Leon’s swift moves.

“It’s not yours. You touched someone you shouldn’t have.”

Thud!

Just as the larger boy pushed Leon and tried to escape, Leon quickly used his wits to grab the items back. Leon then ran straight into the plaza.

“……!”

Golden eyes met pink eyes. How long had passed in those few seconds?

Leon’s ears and neck turned bright red.

“…Did you see?”

“Hello! My baby, but what are you talking about?”

‘He’s embarrassed, so I’ll protect him even though I saw everything.’

I acted nonchalantly.

“…No, it’s fine if you didn’t see.”

“Oh my, now I’m curious.”

“Forget about it. By the way, why haven’t you said anything since I’m holding your stuff?”

At his question, I moved closer to Leon.

When I had treated his wounds back at home last time, he seemed much better. But Leon still seemed embarrassed, his red face not fading. His clear, radiant pink eyes looked up at me. His kitten-like charm was undeniable.

‘So cute. My baby, I need to take him home and feed him so he can grow up strong.’

“…W-What?”

As I lowered myself closer, the redness on his neck deepened.

“My baby, I know you didn’t do it.”

I spoke while gently smiling, having lowered my body a little.

“…How do you know?”

At my words, Leon’s pink eyes wavered.

‘…He’s so cute. My baby.’

It was time to stop teasing and give him an answer.

“I trust you because you didn’t sell the necklace. Plus, you took the items and came to find me.”

“…Like I said before, it’s not that I couldn’t sell it because I was thinking of you.”

Leon firmly denied my words.

“Yeah, yeah. I got it. Then, did you sell it now?”

“…I’m not telling you. And you…”

“Hmm?”

Leon seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing.

“…You have something red on the corner of your mouth.”

‘Ah, it must have been from the currywurst while watching the puppet show earlier.’

I quickly pulled a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped it off at lightning speed.

‘This is a disaster. What a humiliation in front of my baby.’

“…It’s not that bad, it’s just a little bit.”

Just as I was diligently wiping my mouth, I heard Meril’s voice.

“Miss! I’m here. You’ve been waiting a long time, right?”

I looked up at Meril’s voice and saw her running toward me.

“Gasp!”

Meril, who had been running toward me, seemed to catch sight of Leon, and she took a sharp breath.

Click Click Click.

Click Click Click.

Meril fiddled with her film camera and marveled at Leon’s appearance. When she touched the camera, it made the sound of a cassette tape rolling.

“What’s this! A pink-haired, cat-like handsome boy!”

“……!”

Leon, startled by Meril’s excited voice, looked at her in surprise.

“Of course, not as much as the lady, but still… such beauty…!”

Meril locked eyes with Leon, and her orange eyes sparkled with excitement.

‘Oh no, Meril’s going to go off on one of her tangents.’

“Meril, my baby’s getting startled. Calm down.”

“Oh my, is the pink-haired cat boy’s name ‘My Baby’?”

“No, not yet. It’s the name I gave him.”

“I see. Cat boy, what’s your name?”

Meril directly asked Leon his name.

“…….”

But Leon, unsure of what to do with Meril’s intense gaze and attention, just stared at the distance without answering. Then, as if making up his mind, Leon finally spoke.

“…I’m going.”

“Cat boy, you’re such a tsundere.”

“…….”

Leon seemed creeped out by Meril’s playful words.

‘The two of them together, it’s like a shy cat and a clingy puppy.’

“Meril, that’s enough. My baby looks like he’s in trouble.”

“Hehe, yes, Miss.”

I calmed Meril down and spoke to Leon.

“My baby, can you pass me that bag for a second?”

“……?”

At my words, Leon handed over the bag. I took out only two spicy currywurst from the 29 and handed the bag back to him.

“Take it and eat. It’s mild, so it should be okay for you.”

“…The brooch is here.”

“Thanks for finding it. I’ll visit your place next time.”

“…….”

With that, Leon disappeared down a side path without saying another word.

Thud!

“Miss, but why was the brooch that Meril put on you in the hands of the cat boy?”

“Oh, my baby helped me find out that I was pickpocketed. He’s my savior.”

“Gasp, you were pickpocketed while Meril was away? Are you hurt anywhere?”

‘Not today, but there was last time…’

I buried the painful memory and spoke to Meril.

“I’m fine. Thanks for worrying. And my baby helped me last time too. Right, Sir Walter?”

I gave Sir Walter a subtle glance to help create the right atmosphere to bring my baby over.

‘Sir Walter, you know, right?’

I stared at him intensely.

“…Yes, that’s right. He helped.”

“So, Meril, I’m planning to bring my baby to our house and raise him. He has potential.”

“The cat boy’s help to you can’t be overlooked. And a beautiful boy like him….”

Meril continued talking, but by the end, her cheeks were slightly flushed. She had her hands on her cheeks, staring dreamily as if in awe.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s go eat now. You must be tired from moving the luggage, so here, have some currywurst first.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Yes, thank you, Miss.”

* * *

We entered a high-end restaurant called The Noble’s Walk.

The red carpet was laid down along the path, making it feel incredibly soft.

“Welcome, Lady.”

“I’ll take a table by the window, three seats please.”

“This way, I’ll show you to your seats.”

I sat down and looked at the menu.

‘I’m finally getting to try the course meal I couldn’t have in my previous life. I’ll go with the French Set A course.’

Since the author of The Iron-Walled Princess was Korean, a similar food culture was woven into the world-building. I called the waiter with a soft and elegant glance.

“Yes, did you call, Lady?”

“I’ll go with the French Set A course.”

“It will take about 4 hours. Is that alright with you?”

“Yes, please.”

The waiter took the order and went toward the kitchen, and I turned to Meril to ask something I had been curious about earlier.

“Meril, what’s that tool that made the dring clink sound earlier?”

I asked about the camera that Meril had been carrying since we arrived at the plaza.

“It’s a magical tool from the Tower of Magic.”

“Can I take a look at it?”

Meril quickly showed me the camera in response to my question.

‘It looks just like the film camera I used to take on school picnics in my previous life.’

“Meril, does it take pictures that come out just like the image on the screen?”

“Yes, that’s right. How did you know, Lady?”

I was overjoyed at her confirmation.

‘Hehe, I’ll be able to take pictures of my baby!’

“I’ve seen it in books. Does it have a limited number of uses?”

I tried to keep my excitement in check as I asked Meril.

“You’re a genius, Lady! Depending on how much magic is in it, it can be used anywhere from 5 to 10 times.”

“But, how did you come to have a magical tool, Meril?”

“It was something the Marquis ordered from the Tower of Magic in case he went on a trip with you one day. This is the first time he’s come to the capital with me, so he brought it along.”

‘Hmm, the Tower of Magic seems to be like a guild of craftsmen until the original story begins.’

“Excuse me. I’ve brought the washing basin for before the meal starts.”

Meril, Sir Walter, and I washed our hands in the basin. After washing, the trolley stopped in front of us, signaling the start of the course meal.

“Meril, Sir Walter, you don’t have to worry about etiquette, just enjoy your meal.”

“Thank you, Miss. I’m so grateful for such luxury. Meril has no more wishes left.”

“Thank you. Miss, I will eat well.”

Meril, being a minor, and Sir Walter, who had to protect us, drank soft drinks as an appetizer. Next, the amuse-bouche arrived. This was the first bite-sized dish before the main meal. Escargot was placed in front of me.

‘Is this the snail dish?’

There were several edible snails placed on a green leaf. Beside the snails were halved tomatoes. Like eating conch, I took the snail out of the shell and took a bite.

Munch, munch.

‘The flavor is rich and delicate.’

It was delicious, with a strong flavor, possibly from the butter reduction.

The next course was an entrée or potage. I chose the potage since I wanted soup, and a bright orange carrot potage was placed in front of me. Parsley floated in the middle, enhancing the aroma and stimulating my appetite.

I took a spoonful, and it was smooth without any heaviness, sweet and soft.

Next was Poisson, the first main course. The chef seemed to have put a lot of effort into this dish, as the tender shrimp and fish were paired with crispy vegetables. The taste was clean and delicate.

Then came the sorbet, a palate cleanser before the next main course. A frozen fruit-based dessert arrived.

‘Ah, so refreshing!’

I was so absorbed in the food that I suddenly looked over at Meril and Sir Walter.

Even though they were commoners, working for the Marquis family, they ate elegantly.

“How is it, everyone? Is it good?”

“Yes, Miss, it’s like a taste of heaven.”

“Yes, it’s really delicious.”

Seeing them enjoying the meal so much made me feel proud and content.

“Now, let’s have the Viande.”

Next came the second main course, the meat course, and we enjoyed beef bourguignon. It was marinated in wine, but surprisingly, there was no taste or smell of alcohol.

‘Must have evaporated with the heat.’

The juicy meat melted softly in my mouth. Afterward, the salad course, which is served to cleanse the palate after the main dishes, came. The fresh vegetables seemed to soothe the fullness in my stomach.

Next was the Fromage, a slice of cheese. Finally, there was a dessert course, which had its own separate space in the stomach.

The climax was eclairs. After finishing the meal, we drank juice for the after-dinner drink when I overheard a conversation from the seats behind us.

“They’re opening the Imperial Palace’s warehouse soon, right?”

“That’s right. They’ve been busy finding a coachman to transport goods from the palace.”

“Do you know exactly when it’s happening?”

“Well, the rumor is that it’s tomorrow.”

“……!”

I was shocked when I overheard this.

‘If the Imperial Palace warehouse opens, the next step will be the ability selection test!’