Saebyeok pounced on my tail.

Chomp—!

With her feline instincts, she bit down using her sharp canines.

It wasn’t a hard bite, but it was the first time I’d ever felt pain through my tail. Even someone like me, accustomed to pain, couldn’t help but flinch in surprise.

“Nyah!”

A catlike yelp escaped my mouth before I quickly shut it. It wasn’t an “ouch” or an “ah!” but a “nyah!”—a sound befitting a feline instinct that might have been deeply ingrained in me.

“S-sorry...”

Realizing what she had done, Saebyeok froze, fidgeting awkwardly while stealing glances at me to gauge my reaction.

I waved a hand at her reassuringly. “It’s okay, I was just startled.”

Looking at the tip of my tail, I saw no blood or even a scratch. Given Saebyeok’s strength, she could’ve easily severed my tail, but even in her frenzy, she had controlled herself for my sake.

“Your Majesty! Did Saebyeok bite your tail? Do you want Levinas to blow on it?”

Levinas grabbed my tail and started blowing on it with exaggerated breaths, though she wasn’t even close to the spot where Saebyeok had bitten.

Still, it was the thought that counted. I was about to thank her when Levinas suddenly popped my tail into her mouth.

Slurp, slurp—

She nibbled on it like a baby with a pacifier.

It didn’t hurt, so I decided to let it slide.

“Saebyeok and Levinas seem to really like tails,” I observed.

“They’re young; that’s why,” Sophia said.@@novelbin@@

“They’re young?”

“Yes. Aren’t you the same?”

I tilted my head in confusion. I didn’t feel particularly drawn to tails. But then, I noticed that Sophia’s tail was somehow nestled in my arms.

“Uh, when did this happen...?”

I didn’t recall grabbing it. Looking to Sophia for answers, she calmly explained, “When Saebyeok bit your tail, you ran toward me and grabbed mine.”

“I... did?”

“Yes. It seems you were too flustered to remember.”

“Ah... that must be it,” I muttered, trying to rationalize my behavior. Perhaps it was some instinct tied to being a young beastfolk. I hadn’t lived as one for long, so failing to control these urges might be expected.

Brushing off my embarrassment, I looked down at the toilet paper still wrapped around my body.

Time to call it a day.

I carefully began unraveling the paper, trying to avoid tearing it. There was no way I could waste this much paper.

“We should reuse this,” I said.

“Oh, let me help!” Midsummer offered.

She began circling me, pulling the toilet paper off as I turned to make it easier.

Spinning endlessly like this made my head spin. Thanks to my agility-focused body, I didn’t topple over, but Saebyeok wasn’t as fortunate.

Spinning similarly to unravel her paper, Saebyeok stumbled, losing her balance. I rushed forward and caught her in my arms before she could hit the ground.

“Me too! Me too!” Levinas exclaimed, twirling around.

Unlike Saebyeok, she wasn’t even trying to unwrap her paper—just spinning for the sake of spinning.

After three spins, she wobbled toward us dramatically. There was no way three spins could make anyone dizzy, but Levinas tottered like she’d just stepped off a roller coaster.

“Waaaah, I’m so dizzy!”

She probably just wanted to be hugged. Stretching out an arm, I beckoned her over.

Levinas staggered for a moment, then bolted toward us, latching onto me.

“Snuggle!”

I ended up with Saebyeok in one arm and Levinas in the other.

“Oh my,” Midsummer said, snapping pictures with her smartphone. She really loved taking photos.

I didn’t mind, so I let her.

At Yeomyeong Park

Seori was the undisputed ruler of Yeomyeong Park. When alone, she roamed the park with regal strides, embodying her title.

“Mew.”

Today, Seori carried an empty bottle in her mouth and placed it beside a tent. She repeated this act three times.

“Mew, mew.”

After working so hard, it was time for her reward.

Tap, tap, tap—

With a bounce in her step, Seori strode like a tiger despite her small frame. This gait, taught to her by Winter—the king of cats—was meant to charm humans.

And it worked. Humans would squeal with delight, shower her with affection, or offer snacks.

“Myaa.”

Oh, there they were—her favorite humans.

Seori approached the group, rubbing her head against one of their legs. The woman’s cheeks flushed with adoration.

“She’s so cute!”

“She looks just like Winter, doesn’t she?”

Seori, the feline doppelgänger of Yeomyeong Guild’s beloved Winter, stirred memories of the latter as the two women showered her with attention.

“I heard Winter does this kind of thing too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’m so jealous I could die.”

Unable to approach Winter directly, they found solace in lavishing Seori with love. Unaware of her name, they simply called her Winter.

“Winter, are you happy?”

“Mew!”

“Aww!”

How could a cat be this adorable? One of the women pulled out not one but two cans of tuna from her bag.

“Mew, mew.”

Two cans?

Seori sniffed the air. Among the tuna’s aroma was the faint scent of her king.

Her king was nearby.

Excited by the thought of sharing the cans with Winter, she barked—a sound almost doglike in its urgency.

“Mew! Mew!”

The women, unable to understand her language, mistook her barking as rejection of the tuna.

“She just left?”

“Ugh...”

Ignoring their disappointment, Seori dashed off toward Winter, who was wandering the park.

“Mew, mew!”

Two feline tails wagged happily as they reunited.

“Seori.”

“Mew, mew!”

Though they were of different species, Winter and Seori shared a connection as felines. They understood each other to some extent.

“You want me to follow you?”

“Mew!”

“Okay, lead the way.”

Seori guided Winter, occasionally glancing back to ensure her king was keeping up. Knowing Winter was still young, Seori adjusted her pace to accommodate.

“Mew, mew!”

They arrived at a mat near the pond where the women were waiting. Still unaware of Winter’s presence, the women rummaged through their bags.

“Winter’s back.”

“Yeah. Looks like she wants the tuna now.”

They debated letting her eat on their laps and whether they could pet her while she did.

“Winter, here’s your tuna—huh?”

When they looked up, it wasn’t Seori but the actual Winter who stood before them, her wide eyes blinking in confusion.

“Me?”

“Uh...?”

Why was the real Winter here? They blinked in disbelief.

Uncertain why the women were offering her tuna, Winter hesitated.

“They said I should eat on their laps...?”

And let them pet me while I eat? Why?

Just as Winter considered refusing, Seori tugged at her sleeve.

“Mew! Mew!”

“You want me to share the tuna with you?”

“Mew!”

“Hmm...”

Winter knew how much Seori helped her—collecting empty bottles, tracking mice...

This was a small request from someone who had done so much. Reluctantly, Winter decided to go along with it.

But why did it have to involve sitting on someone’s lap?

Is this... skinship?

Winter pondered. This world’s people loved physical affection—hugs, cheek rubs, pats on the head. Sitting on someone’s lap wasn’t uncommon either.

Maybe it’s normal here?

Though hesitant, Winter approached one of the women holding out the tuna. After a moment’s pause, she settled onto the woman’s lap.

“Gasp.”

The woman froze, trembling slightly as if in disbelief.

“Are you friends with Seori?”

“S-Seori? Oh, yeah, we’re friends.”

As the woman answered, her companion reached out to stroke Winter’s head. Winter allowed it, deciding to ask a question of her own.

“Excuse me, can I ask something?”

“Y-yeah, sure.”

“Do humans... enjoy it when someone sits on their lap?”

“Oh, absolutely.”

The enthusiasm in her response surprised Winter. Maybe this world’s people really did love this sort of thing.

“Isn’t it rude or bothersome?”

“Never. Not at all.”

The women made an X with their hands, their sincerity evident.

If this happened in my old world, it’d be considered harassment...

Cultural differences could be strange. But Winter decided to accept it.

Maybe she’d test this out later by sitting on Master’s or Choi Jinhyuk’s lap to see their reactions

. If they were okay with it, she’d feel less awkward about it in the future.