Chapter 6: A Wedding with You
“IT’S almost hot enough outside to break a sweat.”
I squinted in the light of the sun. It had been steadily getting hotter and hotter over the past few days. I finally had a bit of time to relax after resolving things with Emperor Ishnad and traveling back to this world.
Most of the trouble from the past few months was already resolved, but there was one thing still weighing on my mind.
“I wonder if the Gardener Cats are still guarding their mystery crop today?”
I traveled to their second field in my carriage.
The buds of the strange plants had been growing for a long time now. The Gardener Cats were still on high alert around them.
After some time passed, they managed to calm down slightly in the wake of the incident with Princess Ileze, but not being able to interact with them like before left me feeling a bit sad.
“Peep peep peep…”
Tweety, seated next to me in the carriage, seemed to feel the same. He looked a bit gloomier than usual. I comforted Tweety until we felt the carriage slow to a stop. We’d arrived at the second field.
When he saw me exit the carriage, Wheat, the Gardener Cat, rushed up to me.
“Meow meow!”
“Oh? What is it?”
I was surprised to find Wheat tugging on my dress. I wouldn’t have expected something like this from him—not while he was on such high alert. I followed Wheat until we arrived at part of the field with the mystery plant. The other Gardener Cats were gathered around it too.
I sensed everyone was abuzz with nerves and excitement.
Looking at the plant again, I saw that the tops of the tulip-like buds, about the size of a human head, were starting to open up.
It seemed the Gardener Cats were waiting eagerly for the mystery plant to bloom. Tweety, Lucian, Berry, and I joined them in watching over the plant.
“Woof?”
I heard a bark from behind me. Lord Aroo approached and looked up at me as if to ask what was going on. Then he sat down beside me.
“Aroo…”
I stroked Lord Aroo’s back slowly and gently. His coat was as lovely as ever. Just petting him felt like all I needed to be happy.
I spent about ten minutes enjoying his fluffy fur.
But that was when the Gardener Cats froze. They were staring at the buds, just now beginning to bloom.
The petals slowly unfolded, making way to reveal…
“Mee-meeee!!”
A tiny pair of triangular ears emerged from the petals. The creature called out with a high-pitched, charming little cry. Its soft fur swayed in the open air.
“A kitten…?”
I could hardly believe my eyes.
So…so cute…! It’s absolutely adorable…! There’s a kitten sitting inside each of the flowers…!
“Mew!”
“Mee-mee!”
“Mew mew!”
Overjoyed, the Gardener Cats raced up to the kittens as they started to cry out. They licked the kittens, groomed their fur, and watched over them with love in their eyes.
“…So those buds were actually Gardener Cat eggs. Or maybe they were more like cradles.”
I would expect nothing less from Mythical Beasts. Even their methods of childrearing were astonishing. It seemed the Gardener Cats had been worked up all this time because they feared the idea of something happening to their babies.
“Mew!”
One of the kittens trotted up to my feet. I scooped it up and nuzzled its soft fur. It stared up at me with innocent eyes, tilting its head and letting out little mews.
I grinned at the kitten, who was so much like the perfect embodiment of happiness. Suddenly, I felt a tug on my dress.
“Aroo…”
“I know the baby Gardener Cats are cute, but my fur’s pretty great too,” Lord Aroo seemed to be telling me.
“Hehe! Of course. I love both Lord Aroo and the Gardener Cats soooo much!” With that declaration and a heart full of joy, I gave Lord Aroo the petting he so desired.