“Your Majesty, this is too ugly, no good,” Meilun commented confidently from behind Amos. “Our Crown Clan cubs have always liked pretty things; this kind of—”
Meilun had tidied up by now. His snowy hair was dry and tied with a band at the back. His bloodshot eyes had eased, making him less frightening. He wore no uniform, just an elegant noble outfit, a gem-topped sceptre in hand, his deep-set features truly noble.
But before he finished, the little cub on the sofa bounced up, happily pounced around Amos’s neck, and then, naturally, snuggled into Amos’s arms, reaching out a little paw to play with the ugly little snowman.
Meilun: …
Damn it!!
Anya looked over, too, swallowing hard. He forced himself to look away.
He would never be conquered by such a cub, never!
He had to be the most clear-minded one in the whole Crown Clan!
Little Chu Zao’s paws were full of chill, and the snow was starting to melt at room temperature.
The little snowball gradually disappeared; he blinked his big eyes in confusion.
“Wu-ao?”
Baba? Is this called snow?
Little Chu Zao had never seen snow before.
This was his first time touching it.
Amos answered him.
Glanced at the almost melted little snowman.
“You should drink milk now.”
Amos intended to throw the little snowman away.
He picked it up, ready to toss it into the bin.
Little Chu Zao saw him do this. His tail swung. “Awoo!”
Don’t want to throw it away.
He stretched out his little paw, big eyes blinking, gently hooking Amos’s sleeve.
This cub, who hardly ever relied on others, softly stretched out his little paw.
—This is what Baba gave to Zao Zao.
Amos’s movement froze.
Actually, he also thought the snowman was ugly.
But it was just to let the little one see snow, satisfy some curiosity.
Now to keep it…
Amos didn’t really want to.
At this moment, steward Mori finally came back to his senses, his heart still thumping—this was a cub, a Crown Clan cub!
He was fully aware of it.
This was their Little Highness!!
Heavens, His Majesty finally has his own Little Highness!!
Although father and son didn’t seem especially close yet, to Amos, this was already a big step.
Mori took a step forward. “Your Majesty, why not give it to me, I’ll put it at the window, so Little Highness can see it whenever he wants.”
Chu Zao looked over at the sound, blinking at Mori.
Mori smiled gently. “Little Highness, I am the royal steward, Mori.”
“Awoo!”
Little Chu Zao, in Baba’s arms, replied softly, looking at him expectantly, then at Amos.
Amos clicked his tongue but handed the melting snowman to Mori to set on the outside windowsill.
Amos then picked up the warm bottle for cubs, shook it slightly, and, with a little awkwardness, brought it to the cub’s mouth.
Even after some time together, finding out this was actually his real cub had only happened a day ago.
Amos still felt a bit unreal about it.
Such a small, fragile life—his cub.
He’d never once pictured himself with a little cub.
Now those tiny paws tentatively reached out, soft pads pressed gently onto his hand.
Chu Zao’s little pads were cold from playing with the snow. He bit the bottle nipple, and, testing, put his paw on Amos’s hand for warmth. Seeing Amos didn’t react, he pressed his little paw down and then happily started sucking at the bottle.
His eyes slowly grew wide—delicious!
All the other adults couldn’t help gathering round.
They watched the little white fluff ball, Chu Zao lying in Amos’s arms, Amos holding the bottle, Chu Zao hugging Amos’s hand, two little back legs splayed up, curled up shyly with his tail hiding the key part, eyes narrowed in effortful drinking.
Sucking so hard he awoo’d softly.
Even the little halo above his head seemed to shine brighter.
Amos just looked at his own hand holding the bottle.
Then at the two little paws.
Finally, he couldn’t hide the warmth and softness in his face.
“This is just too cute…”
Meilun exclaimed in awe from the side.
Eyes fixed on Chu Zao.
All that talk of doom, of inescapable destruction—
Get lost, get lost—cubs really are a treasure of the race!!
Fur can cure anxiety; fluffy cubs can cure all ills!!!
Meilun couldn’t look away.
He watched as Chu Zao finished the bottle bit by bit.
His tummy even swelled a bit. When it was empty, Amos gave him a gentle burp, and Chu Zao contentedly collapsed in his arms, wagging his little tail, wings occasionally spreading to brush soft tips against Amos’s chin.
Anya was stunned too.
He, he would never be conquered by a cub like this…
But, damn, he was just too cute… no, no, no!
Anya thought he’d better stop looking.
If he kept watching, something bad would happen!
He quickly turned away.
“Bro, I’m going to take care of some things. There’s been some strange spatial shifts near the imperial capital. With outside organizations aiming more at the Crown Clan in recent years, I don’t want anything going wrong.”
Even though news of the cub wasn’t out yet, and no one else in Holy Cas Empire knew, it was easy to imagine how crazy those organizations hoping for the Crown Clan’s destruction would be if they knew a cub existed.
Anya stiffened his neck and marched off.
Meanwhile, Chu Zao was drinking till he was almost stuffed, not wanting to move.
He’d always raised himself, growing up with many stumbles, but never too well.
Now, after the medical center’s screening, the milk made just for him was perfectly suited for his needs.
After drinking, the added nutrients made him quite drowsy.
At his age, energy was plentiful, but so was the need to nap.
Right then, Mori was reporting in a soft voice to Amos about the royal court, sounding almost like a lullaby.
Chu Zao, fighting sleep, tried to force his little eyes open.
He still wanted to see what outside looked like.
But in the warmth of his parent’s arms, Amos gently lowered the cub’s paws. In the next second, Chu Zao’s eyes closed and his breathing grew calm and even.
He snuggled soft and small at Amos’s side.
Meilun watched for a good while.
He just couldn’t help asking.
“Your Majesty Amos.”
Amos, still holding Chu Zao single-handed, read documents with the other, not looking up.
“Hmm?”
“Can I hold him for a bit?”
Amos replied instantly: “No, he’s sleeping.”
“I swear I’ll be gentle, just a little hug, I won’t disturb him.”
“Still, no.”
Amos shook his head.
“He’s too delicate. You’ll hurt him.”
His own spirit force was almost shattered! Who would hurt whom, indeed?
Meilun had longed for a long time, but failed again.
He’d been out for quite a while, and it struck him as odd—normally, with a spirit force collapse, a Crown Clan would sense it, or else their brains had to be totally gone.
But this time he’d been out for ages, his spirit force at the end, yet felt nothing at all.
Meilun found that strange.
Just to be sure, he kept stealing glances at Chu Zao, at last bidding farewell.
But as Amos was carrying Chu Zao upstairs, he called back, “Uncle Meilun, next time you visit, ask him yourself if he’ll let you hold him.”
Amos turned to look at Meilun.
In his arms, Chu Zao slept soundly, tiny body curling up, giving a soft, low awoo.
Next time…
Meilun stood at the door, meeting Amos’s eyes, and finally smiled.
“Yes, Your Majesty Amos, you’re right.”
*
Outside Holy Cas’s imperial star, on a hidden airship.
A brilliant snow-white flower emblem was printed on its side.
“Boss, the Holy Cas are too alert. We can’t get more detailed info. They’re already on guard about spatial anomalies nearby.”
“No hurry. All we need is that one gap. Heh—Crown Clan—once the southern beast army makes it here through a space shift, with Holy Cas’s Crown Clan spirit force nearly collapsing, at least half will be lost—won’t be long now. The collapse of Holy Cas, total Crown Clan destruction, that date isn’t far…”
Beneath a hood, a man rested his chin in his hands and laughed low, filled with madness and hatred.
“Mythic race? If it’s a myth, it should only exist in myth.”
*
Chu Zao slept till evening.
When he woke up, it was in a strange room, already dark outside, a small lamp on above him.
A light blanket covered him.
Instinctively, the cub let out an awoo.
Baba?
But got no answer. He crept to the edge of the bed, guessed where the door was, and climbed down, heading to the door.
The furniture was all smart.
Not long ago, butler Mori, frantic inside but calm outside, had given everything a special programming, swearing the cub would feel their enthusiasm.
Chu Zao reached the door.
The moment his little paw stepped out—
The ceiling light came on.
Detecting left paw—”Little Highness, all happiness to you!”
Chu Zao: ?
The little white bundle pulled his paw back quick.
What?
Maybe his way of going out was wrong.
So he tried the other paw.
Detecting right paw, the light came on again—”Little Highness, good fortune to you!”
“Awoo?”
Huh?
Chu Zao pulled back his paw again.
He put out one.
“Wishing happiness!”
Took it back and put out the other.
“Wishing good fortune!”
“Happ… good… happ…”
The little cub crouched at the door, patting the ground and playing with the palace AI.
Eventually, the adults downstairs were disturbed, came up to find the cub bounced out the door, fluffy head turning up at the lights.
The light lit up again—”Little Highness, all happiness and fortune to you!”
“Awoo!”
Wow!
[Author’s note]
Mori [raising a finger]: Hey, I have a good idea!
He is so cute 🥺🥺