I was curled up on the bed, watching Sophia scribble something in a silver-covered book at her study table.

  It had been a few days since I was summoned into this world, and I was slowly adjusting to life here—as a cat.

  At first, I worried about how long it would take me to adapt to this strange pce, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy. Most of my time was spent sleeping on the bed, waking up only to eat until I was full.

  Occasionally, I struck up a conversation with Sophia, asking vague questions about this world and herself. I made sure to keep my questions ambiguous to avoid sounding ignorant—I had a powerful persona to maintain, after all.

  From her answers, I learned that we were in the Maurya Empire, one of the three great empires in this world. Sophia’s family, the Kovalevskas, were high-ranking nobles within the empire.

  'I definitely hit the jackpot by being summoned here.'

  Beyond some basic details about the culture, I hadn’t pried too much. During our conversations, however, I noticed Sophia’s reluctance whenever her family—especially her father—came up.

  I wasn’t particurly interested in delving into her personal problems. Her issues would likely become mine if I got too involved, so I left it at that.

  I also noticed Sophia rarely left her room. When she did, it was brief—almost as if she were avoiding something.

  'Is she a shut-in?'

  While it might be concerning to have a socially awkward person as my master, I didn’t mind for now. Being fed and pampered while contributing absolutely nothing to society felt like a dream job.

  'I’m really gd I chose to be a cat.'

  In my previous life, I envied their carefree lifestyle. Experiencing it firsthand had solidified my pns. In this world, I was a full-breed cat.

  Still, I believed in equal exchange. In return for her care, I made sure Sophia received something from me—relentless cuddles. At first, it felt odd, given that I was an adult in my previous life. But over time, I got used to it. In fact, I found it quite enjoyable.

  The sensation of being cuddled by a... wait. Let’s not go there.

  The sun began to rise, casting a warm glow through the window. Stretching, I got up and walked over to Sophia, who was also staring out the window, deep in thought.

  In my previous life, this was the time I’d start my morning chores. Here, my only “chore” was to eat until I was full.

  Sophia noticed me and picked me up, burying her face in my fur.

  “Um... Sir Seraphix,” she began, her voice hesitant.

  “Speak.”

  “You see, I... I want to have breakfast in the dining room today. My father will be there, too. Sir Seraphix, my father doesn’t like me. Ah, but it’s not his fault! It’s mine. But things are different now... I have you, Sir Seraphix. But... I still can’t face him alone. S-so... will you accompany me?”

  Her body trembled slightly against my fur as she spoke, especially when she mentioned her father.

  'It must have taken a lot for her to bring this up.'

  I didn’t know the details of what had happened between them, but since she cimed it was her fault, I doubted it was a case of outright abuse.

  But more importantly...

  “Am I also going to eat there?” I asked.

  “Ah, yes! Of course. I could share my portion with you,” she replied quickly.

  “Then let’s go.”

  ***

  In the early morning, Naphael Kovalevska sat at the grand dining table of the Kovalevska household. He was a man of many titles, his most prestigious was that of a Grand Magus—one of the elite mana users revered across the world.

  Naphael's appearance was firm. His sharp eyes and angur features gave him a commanding presence, further emphasized by his dark red eyes and hair, complemented by a neatly trimmed mustache. Unlike many magus, who often appeared frail due to their focus on intellectual pursuits, Naphael boasted a robust physique, a testament to his disciplined lifestyle.

  To his left sat a beautiful woman, Valeslina Kovalevska, his wife. Her delicate features were framed by light purple hair tied in a simple bun, and her soft purple eyes carried a serene charm. She dined with quiet grace, a stark contrast to the heaviness that lingered over the table.

  Despite its grandeur, the dining table hosted only the two of them, with an empty chair always set to Naphael’s right—a quiet reminder of his absent daughter. It had been years since she st joined them, and the sight of that unoccupied chair stirred a deep, unshakable regret in Naphael’s heart.

  ***

  As Naphael ate, he turned to his wife, initiating a conversation.

  “Have you heard from Sophia?” he asked.

  Valeslina fshed a soft, teasing smile. “Hey, I’m not your reporter. Why don’t you ask her yourself?”

  Naphael sighed, his expression weary. He had often turned to his wife for news of their daughter, since she still kept in contact with her. Though he always got the information, Valeslina’s responses now came with a hint of nagging, which he found increasingly irksome.

  “Dear, she’s growing up fast,” Valeslina continued. “If you don’t resolve things now, you’ll regret it.”

  “I know, but—”

  “There it is again. Always with the 'but,'” she interrupted, raising an eyebrow. “How about starting with action for once? Small steps. Little gestures.”

  Naphael fell silent.

  In their arguments, he often found himself on the defensive, and though it irritated him, as a man who valued truth, he couldn’t deny her point.

  He had no response.

  “Tonight,” Valeslina pressed. “Go to her. Just wish her a good night. How hard could that be? You do know her winter holiday is almost over, don’t you?”

  Naphael sank into thought.

  He knew she was right. The path forward was clear, yet something held him back from taking that first step.

  As he continued to reflect, a sigh broke the silence beside him.

  “Fine... I’ll go with you,” Valeslina offered. “How about it?”

  The suggestion eased the weight on Naphael’s chest.

  “I guess that’ll work. Thank you.”

  Valeslina smiled. “Yes, you should thank me more.”

  ***

  As Naphael and Valeslina continued their conversation, discussing other matters, the grand doors to the dining room suddenly swung open. Both of them immediately tensed, their guards instinctively rising.

  In noble households of their rank, only the head butler or head maid had the privilege of interrupting a noble during breakfast. Even then, protocol required a knock, followed by a formal announcement of the visitor's business from outside the room.

  The unexpected intrusion set Naphael on high alert.

  In an instant, he dropped into a battle stance. A transparent barrier materialized around Valeslina, and a ball of dark orange psma crackled to life beside him.

  He was ready to strike—but as his gaze shifted to the figure who had entered, his body froze.

  It was a girl, her face strikingly simir to Valeslina’s, though with dark purple hair and matching eyes. It took Naphael a moment to fully process the sight, but then it hit him.

  'Sophia?'

  A sudden, small cough from his wife snapped him back to reality. He gnced beside him, realizing the spell was still active. With a swift motion, he deactivated it, the crackling psma dissipating into the air.

  His eyes then shifted to his daughter. She stood at the threshold of the dining room, her expression filled with fear, as though unsure whether she should step further inside.

  ***

  Sophia stood frozen, Seraphix clutched to her chest. Though she didn’t fully understand what was happening at the dining table, she had clearly seen the spell being cast in her direction. Even after it was dispelled, the tense atmosphere in the room remained palpable.

  'Am I... not welcome here?'

  As she hesitated, ready to retreat, her mother suddenly rushed toward her and enveloped her in a tight embrace, Seraphix still in her arms.

  “Sophia, my dear. We’re so sorry. It’s a misunderstanding. We were just surprised, right, Naphael?”

  “…Yes,” Naphael responded quietly.

  In her mother’s arms, Sophia felt a wave of emotion threatening to break through, but she fought to hold it back.

  She didn’t want her father to see her cry.

  “I-it’s alright, Mother. I understand. I just… wanted to eat at the table today.”

  Her mother’s expression brightened. “Wait, you do? That’s wonderful!”

  Valeslina gently guided Sophia to a chair beside Naphael, then moved to her own seat across from them. As she sat, the tension in the room began to ease, though the weight of the previous incident still lingered.

  ***

  I am now seated on the dining table, contentedly munching on a pte of food pced beside Sophia’s.

  After she sat down, the woman who had guided her—presumably her mother—called for the maids. Each one approached with precision, arranging food on Sophia’s pte and setting additional dishes around her.

  As they worked, I noticed their expressions shift in surprise, gncing repeatedly in my direction. I could tell they weren’t used to seeing a cat seated on the dining table.

  Frankly, I half-expected to be unceremoniously tossed out of the room. But to my surprise, at Sophia’s mother’s request, they brought me my own pte—complete with food specially prepared for me.

  I have to admit, the experience is delightful.

  However, my initial impression of this dining table is far from positive, mostly due to the man sitting at its head, likely Sophia’s father.

  I can’t pretend to understand the full story, but the fact that he nearly attacked Sophia earlier is something I can’t ignore. The memory still fuels my simmering anger, and despite my blissful meal, I can’t help but let out an occasional low, disgruntled cat-grunt as I chew the meat.

  That said, I’m not reckless.

  Even if I were to unleash every ounce of my feline fury, I know it wouldn’t end well for me.

  The reason?

  One gnce at his status window was enough to tell me this man is no ordinary opponent.

  ---

  Naphael Kovalevska

  Level: 126 Mana Capacity: 1,025,001 Occupation: Head of the Kovalevska Household (Maurya Empire), Grand Magus, Member of Celestial Order, Captain of the Koshchei Unit (Maurya Empire)

  Strength: 58 Intelligence: 494Agility: 29 Dexterity: 25 Vitality: 24

  ---

  Throughout my journey to this room, I made a point to examine the status windows of every maid, butler, and worker I encountered.

  From my observations, I concluded one gring anomaly: Sophia’s status window was unusually low. While I haven’t checked others her age for comparison, the lowest levels I’ve seen among adults here are around 50 or higher.

  Her level stood out as particurly odd.

  Another striking detail was Sophia’s father’s mana capacity.

  Compared to everyone else, his mana reserves were overwhelmingly high—practically monstrous. The average range for mana capacity in this world seems to be between 500 and 50,000, with Sophia’s mother on the higher end at about 40,000.

  As I ate, I gnced around the table.

  While the initial atmosphere had been tense, the scene had shifted into something resembling a typical family breakfast. The mood seemed lighter than I had expected.

  'So, it doesn’t seem to be a case of outright abuse.'

  As I let out a low cat-grunt, I tried to ease my lingering irritation and refocus on enjoying the meal before me.

  ***

  Valeslina watched Sophia, seated across from her, quietly staring down at her pte. Her daughter seemed too nervous to meet her gaze—or Naphael’s.

  Still, the fact that Sophia had willingly stepped into the dining room at all was a moment worth celebrating.

  As Valeslina studied her daughter’s figure, a regret settled in her chest.

  Sophia had grown into a beautiful woman, more beautiful than she could have ever imagined, surpassing even herself. Yet, this realization came with an ache—her daughter was no longer the little girl she once knew.

  'So many years have passed without me even noticing, as always,' she thought, her heart heavy.

  Her eyes shifted to the left, where a bck cat was noisily enjoying its meal.

  By noble standards, allowing a pet to dine at the table—especially one this noisy—was completely unacceptable. However, after only a brief moment of deliberation, Valeslina decided to let the cat stay.

  Her reasons were simple. First, she didn’t want to ruin the fragile atmosphere by removing the cat, which seemed to have emboldened Sophia to come to the table in the first pce. Second, and perhaps the most compelling reason of all…

  'This cat’s cuteness is overwhelming. I absolutely must find a way to pet it ter.'

  Valeslina then gnced at Naphael, seated to her right. He was staring down at his food, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Sophia.

  A small smile tugged at her lips.

  'Why is it they only resemble each other in the most useless ways?' she mused.

  The table remained steeped in an awkward silence, save for the occasional cat grunt breaking the stillness.

  'Really? None of you can speak? How has a cat managed to contribute more sound to this atmosphere than the two of you?'

  Eventually, Valeslina couldn't endure the awkwardness any longer.

  'Haa, I suppose I’ll have to intervene again.'

  She cleared her throat softly, drawing the attention of everyone at the table—even the cat, which stared at her with surprising intensity. For a fleeting moment, her confidence wavered under its adorable gaze.

  'No, get yourself together. You’re the anchor of this family.'