I am the old, fiery-faced man from the senior department.

"That's good, Your Highness."

Looking at the little dragon sitting opposite her with a pained expression, the big cat nodded in satisfaction.

"Then, Your Highness, let me teach you what the difference between men and women really is."

"Well……"

(˙ε.)？

"The distinction between men and women can be explained by the theory of Yin and Yang..."

(???‵‵)

"When yin and yang merge, new life is born..."

Σ(???ノ)ノ

With Kal'tsit's instruction, the young dragon seemed to have opened the door to a new world.

However, doubts also arose.

"Kal'tsit, what exactly does the fusion of Yin and Yang look like?"

Kal'tsit had anticipated the young dragon's doubts.

"Yin and Yang in harmony..."

Blend... blend...

What was it again?

The big cat frowned and tapped its forehead.

She had thought of what to say, but couldn't remember.

My mind feels like a jumbled mess.

Kal'tsit?

"Um, Your Highness..."

The big cat shook its head, putting the question aside for the time being.

The young dragon is still waiting for her answer.

"The harmony of Yin and Yang...that is..."

?(ó?ò)

The lesson was over. As Kal'tsit had expected, she had imparted all the relevant knowledge she knew to Daybreak.

only……

Lying listlessly on the wooden floor, which had lost its coolness due to its own body heat, the cat stared blankly at the ceiling.

The fleeting pleasure derived from satisfaction has faded, leaving behind only a faint emptiness.

"Oh... Your Highness..."

The young dragon's tongue was burning hot.

"It has a slightly salty taste..."

Kal'tsit's taste is different from sweet and sour grape juice.

"You should get some rest, Kal'tsit."

Bai Zhou covered the big cat with a bath towel and looked at her with a troubled expression, her eyes still somewhat unfocused.

"It wouldn't be good if you caught a cold."

"……Um."

■

"Kal'tsit? Kal'tsit?"

Kal'tsit!

I called her name several times but got no response, so I leaned close to her ear and called her a little louder during the day.

"Your Highness!"

The cat finally responded.

"What's wrong, Kal'tsit?"

Bai Zhou turned to Kal'tsit and leaned against her with concern.

Since returning from the hot springs and taking a nap, Kal'tsit has been sitting on the bed in a daze, occasionally pinching herself.

"Have you caught a cold or gotten sick?"

The young dragon's cheek pressed against hers, causing Kal'tsit to step back.

Kal'tsit!

The retreating cat was grabbed by the shoulder by Daylight, blocking her escape route.

"If there's anything you need, just tell me."

Looking into the young dragon's clear, sky-like eyes, Kal'tsit felt an even stronger sense of guilt.

"It's nothing, Your Highness. It's just..."

"What is it, Kal'tsit? If you have a problem, just tell me. We're friends, and I'll definitely help you."

"It's nothing, Your Highness."

Kal'tsit didn't know how to face the young dragon who trusted her so much.

She betrayed that trust.

"I am simply ashamed of my overstepping my bounds regarding hot springs."

"Feel ashamed? Why should I feel ashamed? Kal'tsit didn't do anything wrong."

Hearing her words, Bai Zhou chuckled softly.

"On the contrary, I quite like Kal'tsit like that."

"!!!"

Lynx with its fur standing on end.jpg

I like... her like that!

Looking at the smiling boy, she, who had always been confident and knowledgeable about everything, panicked.

She looked so disheveled...

"Hmm, Kal'tsit is cuter when she's drunk than when she's usually drunk. But if you can't hold your liquor, you should be careful to drink less next time."

Looking at the smiling boy praising her, Kal'tsit gently shook her head.

It turns out... she was overthinking it.

That's true. Even though he taught Bai Zhou a lot of adult knowledge, he was still the same simple-minded person who didn't care about such things at all.

"So, Kal'tsit doesn't need to feel ashamed at all."

Holding Kal'tsit's right hand and placing it above his head, Baiyue smiled at her.

"If you're unhappy, just touch my hair. I'm quite confident in my hair."

"This is a privilege granted by the emperor! Ordinary people are not qualified to do it."

The young dragon said smugly.

"Your Highness..."

Gently stroking the boy's hair, the warm, smooth touch gradually calmed her chaotic thoughts.

Since we made a mistake this time, we should learn from it and never repeat it.

"Are you happy now, Kal'tsit?"

"I'm happy, Your Highness."

Cats are cute when they smile.

During the day, he held her hand and whispered in her ear with a smile:

"Then, let's rest together today."

He couldn't bear to put down his cat-shaped power bank even for a day.

"!"

Kal'tsit's heart is in turmoil again.

New progress and new journey in the past thirty years

The night in Gaul was not peaceful.

For people living in bustling cities, nighttime is not the time to go to sleep.

The vibrant nighttime activities are just beginning, and many night owls who sleep during the day and are out at night are preparing for another round of all-nighters and partying.

The streets outside were bustling with activity, and the house was just as noisy.

Calm and collected, he repeated his old trick.

Rain falls on the fields, birds sing and warblers chirp.

The feeling of joy was fleeting, and the emptiness that had just arisen was quickly dispelled by the boy's warm embrace.

"Your Highness...you shouldn't have..."

That shouldn't have been done.

Gently stroking the young dragon's warm hair, feeling the cool dragon tail wrap around her legs, the ashamed cat couldn't understand why the boy would do that.

"But Kal'tsit did feel comfortable, didn't she?"

"Although I don't know why Kal'tsit is unhappy, and there's nothing more I can do, I just hope to make Kal'tsit a little happier through this method."