Formo turned his head to look out the window. The landscaping trees, decorations, and fountains within the imperial castle slowly passed by. Soon, the carriage that passed through the castle gate headed toward the most bustling downtown area in the capital Terba.
The place where the carriage that had been running for about ten minutes stopped was Senita Street. Senita, the most prosperous street in the downtown area, was lined with various shops, from those selling daily necessities for basic living to luxury goods stores. Not only that, but salons for entertainment were also situated here and there. Formo, who got off the carriage holding Serdin’s hand, looked around the street with a somewhat tense face.
Beast-people much larger than him were strolling leisurely through the streets. Of course, if one didn’t recognize them as beasts, they looked ordinary, but to Formo, who knew this was Tersium where feline beasts gathered and lived, they didn’t look that way at all.
“Pipi, how is it?”
Serdin asked in a low voice against his ear. Formo, whose body trembled momentarily at the hot breath that suddenly rushed in, reddened his earlobe and replied in a small voice.
“I don’t know yet.”
“You don’t have to be scared. I’m here, you know.”
Formo glanced at Serdin, who was patting his shoulder and speaking, then let out a deep sigh. He couldn’t believe what that wretched jaguar said at face value. Of course, in a situation like now, Serdin was the only one he could trust, but…
“Then please enjoy your time. I’ll be waiting here.”
When Serdin and Formo showed signs of looking around the street, Williot bowed his head and spoke.
Leaving Williot behind, Serdin started walking Senita Street with Formo. Unlike Arancha, at the sight of the street with proper buildings lined up continuously, Formo widened his eyes. Since all he’d seen was a glimpse from the carriage, he was busy admiring everything frantically.
“Pipi, is it fascinating?”
“…A little.”
“Want to go there too?”
The place Serdin pointed to with his index finger was a building with a wooden sign that read ‘Deli’s Catnip Salon.’ It was three stories tall and quite large in scale. Moreover, the glass windows were only very small, giving it a secretive feeling.
Could he really set foot in such a place? Formo scratched his cheek, pondering, then nodded his head.
When they opened the door to Deli’s Catnip Salon, there was an unfamiliar scent he’d never smelled before in his life. Formo, who entered hesitantly, sniffed around trying to find the source of the smell. At that moment, Madam Deli, the salon’s owner, approached Serdin and Formo.
“Welcome. Oh my…? What brings Your Highness the Crown Prince to this place…?”
It was very famous that Serdin, the Crown Prince, didn’t react to catnip or silvervine. So Deli, who hadn’t thought he would bother coming to a salon that handled catnip, couldn’t help but be flustered. But for Serdin to come with a companion. Could it be that he’d become responsive to catnip and silvervine?
Deli smiled awkwardly while alternately observing Serdin and Formo.
“We’re only looking around, so you don’t need to mind us.”
Serdin, who explained dryly, passed by Deli while holding Formo’s hand. Formo, who ended up setting foot deep into the salon following Serdin in bewilderment, couldn’t hide his confusion. The place Serdin took him was a space where customers visiting the salon drank tea.
There, several beast-people were sitting around in refined postures savoring tea, but if you looked closely, every single one had dilated pupils and pleased expressions. Formo, who stopped in an awkward posture, looked at them with a dumbfounded face.
“Mmm, the scent is even better today.”
“Haah… The catnip tea here is good because it’s stronger than other places.”
“I like the silvervine chair I received a while ago just as much as the catnip tea.”
“Oh my. Really? The orders are backed up so I couldn’t even think about it.”
“I also waited six months to receive mine. You should order before it gets more backed up, ma’am. Oh, you can add a catnip cushion too.”
Formo, who had been listening to the conversation the noble ladies were having with languid faces, tilted his head. Catnip and silvervine were plants he’d never heard of or seen in Arancha.
“This salon is a place that professionally handles catnip and silvervine that feline beasts like, Pipi.”
“Beasts like plants…?”
“Not all of them like it, though.”
At Serdin’s words as he shrugged his shoulders in addition, Formo became more confused. Weren’t beasts supposed to enjoy carnivorous food?
“You can think of it as a kind of amusement.”
It was puzzling. Beasts enjoying amusement with plants. It was an unbelievable sight even while watching it.
“…Amusement?”
Come to think of it, the beast-people drinking tea and chatting were all smiling happily. He’d only known that beasts were always desperate, wandering around looking for prey or playthings.
“Yeah. There are beast-people who just smell it or enjoy it as food and tea, and beast-people who make it into furniture and use it. Most feline beast-people are like that.”
“You?”
Formo, who had been watching the beast-people drinking tea while listening to Serdin’s story, asked in a curious tone. It was because he was doubtful that Serdin was speaking as if he didn’t fall into the category of “most feline beast-people.”
“Me?”
“Mm-hmm.”
Serdin, who looked down at Formo and asked back, showed a mischievous smile.
“I’m fine as long as I have Pipi.”
“Wha, what?”
Formo, who became dumbfounded at the nonsensical answer, furrowed his brow and looked at Serdin. He truly had an indifferent face as if he wasn’t affected by that smell at all. It was strange that he had no particular reaction to a plant that most feline beasts liked, but everyone had their own preferences, he supposed.
“It’s true, though.”
Formo, who was thinking that while looking at Serdin, somehow felt strange at Serdin emphasizing his words and quickly turned his head away. It seemed that wretched jaguar had been frequently spouting such absurd words lately. What had he eaten wrong? Surely he hadn’t become strange because he didn’t enjoy that catnip thing. Formo clicked his tongue inwardly and thought he really should reduce the time he spent with Serdin.
“Goodness, Deli! What on earth are these cookies? They’re so delicious!”
“Ah, Mrs. Chester. They’re cookies made with silvervine fruit. I made them for the first time this time, do you like them?”
“Yes. Of course! I’m sure my children will like them too. Can I pre-order cookies to take home?”
Formo watched the beast-people chatting happily, then tugged at the end of Serdin’s sleeve. It seemed this much was enough for touring the salon. He’d seen most of what was in the salon, and more than anything, he wanted to get some fresh air outside rather than being in the stuffy indoors.
“Let’s go now.”
Formo, who left the salon with Serdin, said he wanted to walk the streets. Though the beast-people passing by were frightening, as long as he was in his humanized state, it seemed it would be okay if he just didn’t show any scared behavior. And though he wasn’t very trustworthy, Serdin was also by his side…
Formo slowly walked the streets following Serdin.
“I just hope those bastards from Chaimb aren’t eyeing our Tersium’s land.”
“I feel the same way.”
“Not only that, but those stupid dog bastards screwed up my business that was about to be finalized! After I somehow persuaded those picky raptor bastards. Damn it…”
Every beast-person passing by Formo’s side consistently mentioned the words “bastards from Chaimb” and “dog bastards.” At that point, he couldn’t help but be curious. What kind of problem was there between the empire called Chaimb, which he only knew the name of, and Tersium?
“Um…”
“Yeah.”
Though he’d started speaking, he was troubled about how to ask. Formo hesitated, then opened his lips with difficulty.
“Are things not good with Chaimb?”
“Pipi, you know about Chaimb too?”
“I saw it in a book. And your father also talked about it…”
On the first day he came to the capital, didn’t the Emperor tell Serdin? To attend the state council meeting because there was much to discuss regarding the matter with Chaimb. The clever Formo hadn’t forgotten and remembered this.
“Your memory is better than Kert’s, Pipi. Is it because you’re a guardian?”
“Hm, hmm!”
At Serdin’s compliment, the corners of Formo’s mouth twitched. Formo, who deliberately cleared his throat and suppressed the pleased smile that was forming, muttered for him to answer.
“Chaimb is an empire where canine beasts live, Pipi.”
“Yeah.”
“Relations between Tersium and Chaimb aren’t always bad. But when sensitive issues like territorial encroachment arise, the story becomes different.”
“Territorial encroachment?”
“Chaimb dog…”
Serdin, who was about to say he’d returned to the capital two months early thanks to the dog bastards from Chaimb, closed his mouth. It was because no word to soften “dog bastards” came to mind. Serdin, who squinted his eyes and pondered for a moment, continued speaking.
“I had to return to the capital early because the stupid dogs from Chaimb encroached on our territory.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Ah. I heard the long-tailed tits of Arancha don’t get along with sparrows, no less than feline beasts and canine beasts don’t get along.”
“Th, that’s!”
As soon as the topic of sparrows came up, gentle Formo’s eyes transformed. With a very excited face, Formo spoke rapidly.
“It’s because those cowardly and gossipy sparrows keep shitting in front of Arancha and spreading important stories around! We unilaterally hate them, they don’t have the right to hate us!”
Beast-people passing by glanced at Formo. Receiving those gazes, Formo only then realized he’d yelled in the middle of Senita Street. His round, white ears heated up red with embarrassment. With his head deeply bowed, Formo grabbed the end of Serdin’s sleeve and muttered.
“L, let’s go back now…”
The voice saying that was trembling finely.
