I Reincarnated As A Villainess, But Why Did I Become A Cat Butler Instead? - Chapter 291

Chapter 146.1

After Elaine returned.

Knowing how to break the curse of the hounds didn’t mean the world would change overnight.

‘I wonder if the meeting is going well.’

Dimitri was in the middle of speaking at a cabinet meeting.

I had obtained ‘tokens of friendship’ from several nobles who had the right to speak at the national assembly, indicating their support for the enactment of the shapeshifter protection law. Of course, even if the law passed, it didn’t mean that the rights of the shapeshifters would be immediately guaranteed, though wouldn’t a journey of a thousand miles begin with a single step?

‘We need to gradually increase our influence and expand it.’

A grand dream was growing inside me.

Right now, I was focusing only on the protection of the shapeshifters, though I planned to develop the law into a system that gradually ensured their liberation and equal life as citizens. While the goal seemed impossible given the current situation, just a short time ago, it was unimaginable that I would be involved in shaping the country’s laws.

‘Let’s change things little by little. For my cats.’

I had hoped that once Elaine became emperor, it would be a bit easier to achieve my desired goals. While I stroked Coco, who was curled up in my lap in the form of a soft, fluffy cat, I thought to myself that I wanted to ensure kind shapeshifters like Coco and Sasha no longer suffered from misfortune.

I casually asked Coco, who was purring contentedly under my touch.

“Coco, how is Sasha?”

Sasha, who was expected to be depressed and sad after meeting her former guardian, quickly returned to her usual self. It seemed like she didn’t want to talk about it, so I hadn’t yet discussed that day’s events with her.

Coco patted the back of my hand, reassuring me.

“She says she’s okay.”

“She’s okay?”

“She already knew she had been abandoned, and she’s relieved that the previous owner’s baby wasn’t hurt.”

I was so devastated that I placed my hand on my forehead.

‘Why is Sasha so kind?’

I felt angry again at Sienna for abandoning the angelic Sasha.

“She doesn’t really want to think about anything else.”

“Really…?”

“Ung. And then, all of a sudden, she started studying hard.”

“Studying?”

Coco and Sasha were receiving basic education from Esca.

One of these was learning to write.

Esca believed that learning to read and write was essential for living among people, so he made it a priority for the children to study letters first. Coco, who was quick-witted and learned by watching others, seemed to have taught himself to read and write even before anyone formally taught him. So, when he came to the capital, he was given assignments to read and memorize several books. Sasha, on the other hand, didn’t improve her reading or writing.

…To think that she would start studying on her own.

Coco responded, scratching his neck with his hind paw.

“She says she wants to live with Rowaine for a long time. To do that, she needs to get along well with people, so she’ll do whatever the teacher tells her to do.”

“….!”

Hearing Sasha’s resolve made my nose sting. Then, with tears welling up in my eyes, I pulled Coco into a tight hug.

“Yes, you both come live with me. Let’s live a long and happy life.”

I wouldn’t abandon them, and I would do anything to make them happy. I would make sure they were so incredibly happy that they wouldn’t remember any of the pain they had been through before.

As he hugged me as I strengthened my resolve, Coco buried his face in my neck and shyly confessed.

“I’m just happy to have met Rowaine. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime stroke of luck for us.”

As soon as I heard those words, my heart melted away and disappeared.

‘I can’t believe my cat said such things to me!’

Overcome with emotion, I shed tears of joy and kissed Coco’s forehead about fifteen times. As they grew older, I tried to restrain myself from giving too many kisses, not wanting to treat them like children, but this time I couldn’t help it.

“I’m the one who’s so happy that you all came to me!”

“Gah! I can’t breathe! I can’t breathe!”

We spent a long time like that, embracing each other and enjoying a moment full of affection.

̊ · : * ✧ * : · ̊

Coco and I were on a carriage heading to the imperial palace. This morning, out of the blue, the butler handed me a letter with no sender, saying it was from the imperial palace.

“I didn’t expect the empress to call for me.”

It was Empress Iris who called me.

I knew there was some sort of secret cooperation between Rowaine and Iris. However, right after I possessed Rowaine’s body, I left for Blois to deal with matters in the capital, naturally turning my back on everything happening in the palace. From the Empress’s perspective, she could no longer trust me.

I thought I had become quite disliked, so the friendly smile she showed at the party was unexpected. And now to drag me into the imperial palace like this…

‘I wonder what it could be.’

In any case, it was an opportunity for me. I planned to wander the imperial palace today and meet Renée with Coco’s help.