There was the Cat. Then there was Jewel, the Jewel Cat. Finally, there were their four kittens: Miel, Rael, Uel, and Gael. All in all, six cats currently lived in the Village Head's Mansion.
The range of activity for these six was so vast it was hard to believe they were actually cats. Not only did they roam the mansion and the gardens, they traveled as far north as the orchard, south to the inn in the residential area, east to the ranch, and west as far as the bathroom in the residential area.
Jewel, however, rarely left the mansion. She only went out when it was time to round up the kittens and bring them home.
The Cat’s behavior was generally predictable, so his location could usually be pinpointed based on the time and the temperature. The problem was the four kittens. I still called them kittens, but a year had passed since their birth, and they were now roughly the size of adult cats.
They used those bodies to be quite elusive. They had a knack for showing up in the most unexpected places. I’d found them perched on the rim of the bathtub, on the roof of the inn, and once even sitting on top of one of the cows in the ranch area. I constantly worried they might get crushed.
As for their temperament, the four of them were usually well-behaved. Even when they felt like rampaging, they made sure not to do it inside the mansion. That wasn't because of me, though; it was likely thanks to Ann.
They might ignore what I said, but they always listened to Ann. If I called them, they might snub me, but they always answered her. They clearly understood who the person providing their food was. In their internal hierarchy, Ann likely outranked me. Not that I had any complaints about that.
The four of them never, ever caused trouble in Ann’s room. They were clever like that.
Where they did decide to run wild was in my room while I was away for the festival. Fortunately, a few of Zabuton’s children had remained behind on guard duty, so the damage was kept to a minimum. The rug was essentially the only thing torn to shreds.
When I returned to my room, I found the four kittens tangled in silk, unable to move and meowing pathetically for help. What was I supposed to do with them?
For starters, I praised Zabuton’s children for protecting the room.
Once I released the four of them, Miel got angry with me, seemingly demanding to know why I hadn't rescued her sooner. Rael looked dejected and reflective for a moment before coming over to act spoiled and seek affection. Uel simply lay down in the middle of my bed as if nothing had happened. Gael went right back to attacking the ruined rug. Hadn't he finished his assault yet?
I had to put a stop to that. I felt a bit guilty for not spending time with them during the festival, but I thought they could have been a little more mature about it.
By the way, these kittens never went near the children's wing. They didn’t even go there to act cute. It wasn't that they were afraid of the children; they were afraid of the mothers. It was true that those women were terrifying when they were truly angry.
"Gael, stop attacking me just because I took the rug away. Miel, I know you’re upset, but please stop digging your claws into my head."
Maybe I needed to be a bit firmer with them? As soon as that thought crossed my mind, Gael stopped attacking me and Miel retracted her claws. Their intuition was truly something to be feared.
I might have been being soft, but I decided to focus on helping them relieve their stress. First, I would replace their scratching boards. Apparently, the wood had to be just the right level of softness, otherwise the kittens wouldn't use them, choosing instead to ignore the mansion's sturdy pillars.
Their favorite was a type of timber I’d sourced from Village Five. I had cut it to size and fixed it in a specific spot, but it was so tattered now that it was unrecognizable. I swapped it out for a fresh piece. They didn't use it immediately, but I was sure it would be covered in scratches within a few days.
Next, I cleaned the cat toilets. Unlike the slime toilets I used, the cats had normal litter boxes filled with sand. Cleaning them involved scooping out the waste along with the sand and replenishing it with a fresh supply. Afterward, I had to tidy up the area around the boxes where sand had been scattered.
Usually, the High Ogre maids handled this, but they were likely exhausted after the festival. I decided to take care of it myself today. There were three litter boxes in total, all shared by Jewel and the kittens.
As a side note, the Cat was skilled enough to use the outhouse I used. After he finished his business, he even made sure to wash his paws properly. He was remarkably intelligent.
Next up was a bath. All four kittens immediately signaled their rejection. It was strange, considering the Cat climbed into the bath without any fuss.
"Fine, then we'll do grooming."
I had Gatto forge some iron brushes specifically for combing their fur. Since it was their first time seeing the tools, they were understandably cautious. It was fine, though; the tips of the brushes were perfectly rounded for safety.
"All right, who’s first?"
Out of the four kittens lined up, three of them immediately backed away. Uel was the only one left standing.
"Okay, Uel first."
I laughed softly. "Don't worry. I'll get to all of you."
I spent the rest of the day playing with the kittens. Perhaps I went a little overboard, caught up in the post-festival high? The four kittens eventually fell asleep, looking quite exhausted.
Now, I was grooming Jewel, who had come to fetch her children. The iron brushes were definitely a success. I’d have to ask Gatto to make a few more. I should also get some made for Kuro and his pack.
Kuro’s children were watching enviously as Jewel leaned into the brush, looking utterly blissful.
"I'll pet you guys as soon as I'm done with Jewel."
Just as I thought that, some of Zabuton’s children came sliding down from the ceiling.
"Wait, isn't it physically impossible for me to pet you guys?"
They were remarkably good at acting shocked. There was no need for them to look so devastated.
"My bad. I guess I'm just spoiling the kittens because they're always causing trouble. I can't really pet you, but I'll make sure to play with you later."
The moment I mentioned playing, Kuro’s children perked up. Their eyes were filled with expectation.
"...Fine, we'll play tomorrow. For today, I'll just give you some pats."
Jewel nudged me, looking annoyed. "Sorry for stopping, Jewel. I haven't forgotten you. You're number one right now."
Hm? I noticed someone watching me from the doorway. It was Alfred, with Tiselle standing beside him. They both had looks in their eyes that said they wanted to tell me something.
Of course, you two come first.
I was glad I’d finished plowing the fields before the festival started. I had the time to spare.
Hang in there, me.