Fwaaah...
“Ca…”
A cat— it's a cat— it's a kittyyyyy!!!
(I’ve finally arrived!! The city of cats!!)
It’s incredible. There are cats everywhere.
As expected of the city of cats!!!
I was so excited I completely forgot my status.
In my field of vision: cats, cats, cats, cats!!
They were everywhere.
Truly, it was a case of “walk around and you’re bound to bump into a cat.”
In front of Lilia, Sarasa, and Mary, I couldn’t exactly break into a joyful dance, but I clenched my fists tightly in secret.
The Nympée region.
Commonly known as—the city of cats.
Since carriages (and horses) were prohibited here, we arrived on foot, and the main street was bustling with tourists.
And at their feet...
(A kitty…!!!)
A shrill cry echoed in my heart.
So cute. It was unbearably, devastatingly cute. World-conquering levels of cute.
The main street was filled with all kinds of cats.
Tortoiseshell cats, spotted cats, white cats, tabby cats… So many varieties of cats wandered about lazily.
Some napped by the roadside.
At the checkpoint, we also received a tourist pamphlet.
It clearly stated: “Cats are fickle creatures. Only pet them when they're in the mood.”
(That’s right, kitties are whimsical like that)
As expected of the famed city of cats.
All the tourists seemed to be cat lovers. Cat-themed goods were everywhere.
There were women wearing cat hair clips, men in cat-patterned shirts.
“This is amazing… Your Maj—Lady Clementina!”
Mary called out to me, clearly excited.
I nodded in response.
At the street stalls, along with food for people, they also sold food and treats for cats.
Sarasa asked me,
“A little further down, there seems to be a ranch as well. Shall we visit?”
“Hmm… Let’s eat here first, then head to the inn.”
We had booked our lodging in Nympée itself—in other words, this city.
It made sense to eat, check in, leave our luggage, then go explore.
When I gave my answer, Sarasa nodded, looking as though she'd expected that.
Behind her, knights Luke and Kevin were looking around at the scattered cats with curiosity.
I turned toward them and declared,
“Alright, from here, let’s split up and move separately!”
☆
There were six of us altogether.
Moving as a group of that size would attract attention.
This was a secret trip—if my identity as the queen was exposed, people would start acting overly considerate.
That was the last thing I wanted.
Thus, we decided to split into two groups.
I would go with Luke and Kevin.
The other group would be Mary, Lilia, and Sarasa.
Naturally, they were hesitant when I proposed this, but I convinced them by saying that if my identity were revealed, it would be a problem.
In the end, they agreed on the condition that I at least had the two knights with me—
Which brings us to the present.
“Come on in, come on in! Freshly baked kitty-shaped cookies, right out of the oven!”
“How about some embroidered cat patches? A perfect souvenir for your trip!”
“We also have cat-shaped Ice Flowers! Come take a look!”
The main street was packed.
Energetic, lively, and nearly everyone carried some kind of cat merchandise.
“It’s paradise…”
“Lady Clementina?”
Luke called from behind me, snapping me out of it.
I’d accidentally let my true feelings slip out. I hurriedly covered my mouth.
(This won’t do… I’m not the queen right now, and this isn’t the palace. But still, I’m their master. I shouldn’t act… unbecoming…)
… Or so I thought—until it happened.
A soft sensation brushed against my feet.
I stopped in my tracks.
“——”
Th-this is…!!
I looked down—and sure enough, there was a cat.
A pure white kitty, who, upon seeing me, rolled onto its back in a seductive pose.
Yes, exactly like—
Wriggling its body as if to say, “You can pet me, you know?”
“…”
“Lady Clementina? What’s next on the—”
“Meow~”
The cat’s meow overlapped Luke’s voice.
It was the sound of a creature fully aware of how adorable it was.
A sweet, high-pitched meow filled the air—
And without thinking, I dropped to my knees.
“Lady Clementina!?”
The two knights were clearly startled, but I pressed a finger to my lips, signaling them to stay quiet.
More importantly, being addressed as Lady Clementina might expose my identity eventually…
Perhaps I should come up with a fake name…
Such thoughts drifted through my mind as I slowly reached toward the cat’s exposed belly.
… Fwaaah.
“——”
So fluffy!! So unbelievably fluffy!!
The sensation was so soft I froze.
The cat, apparently pleased, wriggled even more.
“So…”
“So?”
Following my lead, Kevin crouched beside me, repeating the syllable curiously.
In response, I completed the word.
At this point, my reason had long since taken leave.
“SO CUTE……………………!!!”
There was no stopping my genuine reaction.
“Meow~”
(Even its voice is cute! I can’t! It’s too cute!! TOO cute—!!)
All hail the cats.
And bless this body for not being allergic to cats in this life.
I petted and petted the kitty, savoring every second of its softness.
Yes, this—this is what I’ve wanted!
I’ve longed to cuddle and spoil cats like this at the palace, too!
Queen, status, decorum—forget all that.
I just wanted to coo, “Aren’t you just the cutest little thing~~!”
I slid my hand gently along the fur.
“Mmm…”
The cat didn’t mind.
I could hear its content purring.
Smiling broadly, I cast a spell.
“κάθαρση.”
A purification spell—a combination of water and fire magic.
Kevin flinched in surprise, but I ignored him—
And leaned my face closer to the cat’s fluffy belly.
The infamous act known as cat sniffing.
Any true cat lover knows it well.
In my previous life, I had a cat allergy.
In this life, I had to maintain queenly appearances.
But now, on this secret trip, with no one knowing my identity—this was my chance to indulge.
Just as I prepared to savor the fluff—
“Ah… hey! Wait, that’s—”
A familiar voice called out from somewhere.
“Huh? Ah—Kya!! Uweh—”
At the same moment I turned around, something soft and fluffy struck my face.
Along with… an unpleasant squelching sound.
A terrible domino effect had just begun.
What do you think about this chapter?
