“Staying in warm water for too long might make you dizzy.”
Concerned about the stoat, Hadal examined it closely and asked, “Aren’t you feeling dizzy?”
“Kyu kyu.”
Far from being dizzy, it seemed very content.
“You like warmth, huh.”
“Kyu.”
Again, the stoat sincerely responded, indicating it was indeed feeling good.
Hadal furrowed one eyebrow. It was incomprehensible to him, but this stoat clearly enjoyed the flames.
“Is Kyu Kyu’s body cold, perhaps?”
Regardless, the stoat submerged in water looked like a jellyfish floating buoyantly.
“No, it actually seems to be floating on water.”
He thought it might be able to swim well now, unlike earlier when it panicked. With that thought, Hadal slightly lowered his hand that was holding the stoat. As he did, the stoat, which seemed to be floating, sank down as much as it was lowered.
“Bubble bubble!”
The water bubbled loudly. Hadal quickly scooped the stoat out. Soaked and shrunken, the stoat angrily slapped Hadal’s hand with its small front paws.
“Kyu kyu kyu!”
And before Hadal could even apologize, it was startled.
“Kyu?”
As if embarrassed by making eye contact with Hadal.
Then, floundering around as if looking for a place to escape…
Splash!
“Bubble bubble!”
It fell into the water again.
Hadal once more lifted the stoat out. Coughing and spitting out water, the stoat seemed to be on the verge of tears.
“Kyu…”
Normally, one would feel pity when the other cried, but why did his heart tremble slightly and want to kiss it at the sound of this small creature’s crying?
‘So cute.’
But he couldn’t kiss it. The stoat closed its eyes again as soon as it caught Hadal’s gaze.
‘Is it shy?’
Hadal, who didn’t miss a single detail of the stoat, felt awkward for a moment.
Kissing, affection – these were emotions he didn’t understand. He hadn’t been able to be close even with his parents because of his flame attribute since childhood.
‘But to feel this way towards a mere animal.’
It was ironic that he was discovering affection, which he had never known, while raising this small creature.
“…….”
Feeling a mix of melancholy and a strange sense of fulfillment, Hadal slowly stood up with the stoat in his arms.
“Let’s get out; you might catch a cold.”
The stoat, which had kept its eyes firmly shut until Hadal wrapped himself in a robe, suddenly seemed exhausted and slumped.
As he carefully wrapped it in a towel to take it out, the butler, who was preparing Hadal’s clothes outside the bathroom, dropped his jaw upon seeing them.
“Your Highness? Did you bathe with the stoat?”
Hadal tilted his head. It might seem odd to others, but he had a clear reason.
“It sank as soon as it hit the water.”
“Really?”
The stoat sinking was unavoidable. The butler, bewildered by Hadal’s response, glanced at the stoat and muttered.
“Stoats are supposed to swim well. Their toes are even shaped suitable for swimming.”
“Hmm?”
Looking down at the stoat as if to confirm, Hadal saw the stoat shake its head in confusion and then scream upon seeing its front paws.
“Kyek!”
As the butler said, the stoat’s toes were spread wide but also joined together like webbing, looking as if they were wearing flippers.
Oh dear. Born to be a good swimmer but unable to do so.
“……A bit lacking?”
“Kyu kyu kyu!”
At Hadal’s murmuring, the stoat got fiercely angry. The butler, watching the familiar interaction between the master and stoat with a troubled expression, offered a towel.
“First, let’s dry off.”
The stoat was being dried, but Hadal’s hair was still dripping with water.
After changing into comfortable indoor clothes, Hadal sat and fluffed up the stoat’s fur until it was soft and dry.
It wasn’t difficult at all. His hands were always warm, so all he needed to do was wrap the stoat well.
As he meticulously held the stoat’s tail and felt its weight in his palms, Hadal frowned.
“It doesn’t seem to gain weight easily.”
“…….”
Somehow, the stoat in his grasp seemed tensed up.
‘Was the raw fish too much of a shock?’
Unaware that the stoat might fear being skinned by him, Hadal tilted his head in wonder.
‘Then what should I feed it?’
He gazed thoughtfully at the stoat, when the butler cautiously asked.
“Your Highness, what about dinner…?”
“Do you like cake?”
“Excuse me?”
The butler’s face crumpled in confusion. Was Hadal really conversing with the stoat? But setting aside the conversation…
“Stoats are carnivorous, aren’t they?”
“Is that so.”
Following the knight’s and now the butler’s comments, Hadal looked serious.
‘Everyone says they’re carnivorous, so maybe this one is too young to know what to eat.’
Should he try raw fish again?
Sensing Hadal’s thoughts, the stoat frantically scratched at his palm.
“Kyu, Kyu Kyu!”
Its gestures seemed to insist on having cake. After a brief consideration, Hadal ordered the butler.
“Prepare a cake.”
“……Really?”
“And bring it to the room.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
