That morning, sunlight gently slipped through the cracks in the window. A cool breeze swayed the thin curtain, dancing slowly with the scent of mint flowers drifting in from the kitchen.
Mathien slowly opened his eyes, stretching slightly on his favorite fluffy pillow.
No Hana yelling today.
No frantic sock-pulling.
No worn-out school shoes.
Weird.
He jumped down from the pillow—his body still chubby and covered in thick fur—lazily walking toward the half-open bedroom door.
And that's when he saw her.
Hana, standing in front of a small mirror, wearing a light blue dress with tiny floral patterns. It stopped just at her shins, revealing her pale legs. Her straight black hair was tied neatly back, secured with a white ribbon.
Mathien froze in the doorway.
"...Who is that?"
Hana turned.
And her smile bloomed instantly.
"Good morning, Chiro~!"
"Don't call me—" Mathien stopped.
"Wait. What are you wearing?"
Hana twirled in place, showing off her dress.
"Pretty, right? I only wear this once a year. Today's the Blossom Festival!"
Mathien blinked.
"Blossom... what?"
"The Blossom Festival! Everyone in the village gets together. There are games, food stalls, flower vendors, and... there are usually a lot of cats too!"
She looked at Mathien with hopeful eyes.
"So you'll come, right?"
"Absolutely not."
"Eh?"
"I'm not attending some commoners' celebration. And especially not... like this."
Mathien turned around, leaping back onto his pillow.
Hana came closer, shaking a small green cloth bag.
"If you come, I'll buy you... salmon~"
Mathien said nothing.
Hana crouched down, bringing her face closer to the pillow where Mathien had hidden. Her eyes sparkled mischievously, her smile wide and terribly... annoying.
"Fresh salmon, not canned. Still warm," she cooed, like bribing a child.
Mathien didn't move. But his ear twitched slightly. Hana saw it.
And she knew: he was starting to crack.
"Grilled over hot stones, wrapped in pine leaves... smoky scent soaking into the skin. Juicy. Savory. Fatty," Hana whispered like an enchantress.
Mathien turned—just slightly.
But enough for Hana to know she had him.
"Melting fat... natural salt... crispy skin, soft inside..."
"Enough."
His voice was low and full of suffering.
Hana grinned wider. "We'll just tell Grandma you wanted a walk. I'll carry you in this bag. You stay quiet, no one will know you're a cursed prince in a fat cat's body~"
Mathien took a deep breath, like a man making a life-or-death decision.
Then, in a whisper filled with resignation, he muttered,
"If there isn't a single piece of salmon... I'll use your blood to summon my ancestors."
Hana instantly raised two fingers in a solemn oath, still wearing her victorious grin.
Mathien sighed again, louder this time.
And with the most dignified step a fat cat could manage, he jumped down from the pillow and stood before Hana.
"This is an insult to noble blood," he muttered.
But Hana just chuckled and opened the wide green cloth bag.
"Welcome to the Blossom Festival, Your Highness~"
The green cloth bag was strapped securely to Hana's chest. Only Mathien's head peeked out, his ears twitching nervously as the wind brushed his fur. His sharp blue eyes scanned the crowd suspiciously.
"I can't believe I allowed this to happen," Mathien grumbled to himself.
Hana giggled quietly, clutching the bag straps.
"Don't worry, Your Highness. No one will know you're a prince from another world."
They followed a small path to the village square, now buzzing with people. Colorful banners fluttered in the breeze. Children ran with balloons. Locals set up flower and food stalls. The sound of bamboo flutes echoed faintly in the background.
Mathien glanced around.
Everything... was so simple.
No castles.
No guards.
No formal greetings.
But there were smiles everywhere.
Laughter.
And—he hated to admit it—there was a faint scent of salmon in the air.
Hana stopped at one of the stalls.
"I'll leave you with Mrs. Tami for a bit, okay? I'm joining the flower arranging contest!" she said cheerfully.
"What?!"
Before Mathien could protest, he was already on the lap of a middle-aged woman in a floral apron.
"Awwww, what a cutie! Whose kitty is this?" Mrs. Tami cooed, petting his fur enthusiastically.
Mathien froze.
His head slowly sank between the woman's arms.
"Your Highness... does not... get cuddled... by strangers..."
Meanwhile, Hana skipped away toward the contest area, her dress fluttering lightly. Her neatly tied hair glinted under the sunlight.
And in the midst of all the shame and indignity, Mathien let out a long sigh.
"...If not for the salmon, I'd have set this entire festival on fire."
🌸🌸🌸
Mathien sat on a small wooden bench beside the stall, his belly lazily flopped across Mrs. Tami's lap. Beside him sat a little bowl filled with tuna-flavored cat snacks. At first, he glared at them in disgust. But after one bite...
...he couldn't stop chewing.
Tch.
The food standards in this world are appalling.
But the taste... wasn't bad.
One by one, the sticks disappeared into his mouth, and between slow chews, his gaze—somehow—drifted far ahead.
In the crowd, Hana stood among tables filled with flowers, surrounded by other contestants holding scissors, ribbons, and tiny twigs. Her hands were busy. Her eyes sparkled. Her tied-up hair was slightly messy from the wind. Her cheeks were flushed.
She laughed as petals blew past her face.
Mathien was silent.
The half-eaten stick was still clutched in his paw, but forgotten.
"...Why does she laugh like that," he thought.
As if the world had never hurt her.
As if she'd never been bullied at the market.
As if she'd never come home with torn clothes or worn-out shoes.
Her smile...
Was extremely annoying.
Mathien bit the edge of the tuna stick in his paw again, but his eyes didn't leave Hana, now tying flowers with a ribbon.
He shifted slightly on Mrs. Tami's lap and took a deep breath.
"I'm only making sure she doesn't embarrass herself in public."
He turned away.
But then—
"YOUR HIGHNESS MATHIEN!! I SEE YOUUU!!"
Hana's voice echoed from afar as she waved both hands high in the air.
Everyone turned to look.
Mathien froze.
Eyes wide.
Mouth full.
"-What?! No! Don't—don't call me that in public, you fool!"
But Hana was already running toward him, laughing.
And strangely, Mathien wasn't truly angry.
🌸🌸🌸
The evening slowly crept in, dipping the sky into soft hues of pink and orange. The sweet scent of fresh flowers blended with the aroma of baked treats from nearby stalls. Hana's small wooden table bustled with activity—covered in tiny bouquets, colorful ribbons, and a steady stream of customers.
At the edge of the table, a fat orange cat sat proudly. His blue eyes narrowed at the crowd. His thick tail swayed lazily, as if marking his territory.
Mathien.
His body was surrounded by piles of flowers—some even draping around his neck—making him look like a pet cat dressed up for a costume contest.
Utter disgrace.
He, Prince Valtherion, last of the ancient sorcerer bloodline, was now sitting at a village booth, surrounded by ribbons and daisies.
And worse...
"Mathieeen, watch the table for a sec, I'm grabbing the wrapping plastic!"
Hana jogged off, her ribbon bouncing with her steps. Her smile was bright.
She didn't even realize she just ordered around a prince from another realm.
Mathien let out a dramatic sigh. He looked left—flowers. Right—flowers. In front—an older woman asking, "Ooh, is this cat for sale too?"
"WHAT?!"
He almost leapt off the table.
Seconds later, Hana returned, panting slightly from her run.
"Sorry for making you wait—eh, why are you sulking?"
Mathien just huffed, turning his back to her. Silence fell. A breeze carried the scent of grilled salmon from afar.
And then, a cold voice demanded lowly:
"Where is the salmon?"
Hana froze. She turned slowly. "Eh?"
Mathien didn't face her.
"A promise is a promise. You said I'd get salmon if I came. It's already evening. Where is my due?"
Hana grinned cheekily. She hid her hands behind her back, then slowly pulled something from her green cloth bag.
"Ta-daa~"
A small package wrapped in banana leaves was opened gently, and the scent of grilled salmon immediately wafted out.
Mathien's eyes widened—though he quickly turned away, pretending not to care.
"Hmph. Smells ordinary."
But his paw had already crept forward.
After three small bites—which were more like ravenous chomps—Mathien licked his lips slowly. The aroma of grilled salmon still lingered in the air, making his full belly almost purr again.
Hana remained busy at the table, selling two rose bouquets and a sunflower. She was sweaty, her hair messy, but her smile stayed wide.
Mathien turned slightly. He wanted to complain about the heat, the dust, the noisy children constantly trying to cuddle him... but suddenly—
He smelled something.
Salmon. But not the one earlier.
This was stronger.
Fresher.
More... divine.
His ears shot up. His pupils narrowed. He whipped his head west—toward the food stalls.
"That... is no ordinary salmon."
He glanced once more at Hana—still busy tying ribbons.
"She won't notice."
Without a sound, his chubby body slid off the table. He landed softly, belly wobbling slightly. His eyes narrowed, following the scent that called to him.
"Wait for me, sacred salmon..."
Mathien slipped between human legs, snuck behind chairs, and slinked past stacks of empty boxes. The smell grew stronger. Once, he had to stop to avoid a kid's sandal—but nothing could stop him.
Finally, he stopped in front of a food stall.
His eyes widened.
"Two pieces of fresh salmon, grilled with miso-lemon sauce... and poorly guarded."
His mouth parted slightly. He nearly drooled.
"This... is heaven."
But before he could leap—
"EH?! THERE'S A CAT!!"
"THE CHONKY ORANGE CAT!!"
Mathien froze.
He turned.
A group of kids was pointing at him. They ran toward him.
"No. No. Not again..."
He turned tail and bolted, slipping behind the stall with a furious hiss.
"I just want salmon. Why does this world keep stopping me?!"
Without a second thought, Mathien crouched low. His breath held. His tiny paws padded silently on the wooden floor.
One... two...
As he reached under the table, the smell hit him like divine thunder. Fresh salmon on banana leaves, still warm. Glazed with miso sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Four pieces. Four!
"Just one... no one will know."
He gripped the table edge with his claws—then in one swift leap, launched his round body onto the table.
His little paw snatched a piece—and ran!
Screams rang out behind him.
"EH?! THE CAT TOOK THE SALMON!!" "WHERE'D HE GO?! CATCH HIM!!"
Mathien didn't care. He ran as fast as he could, his fat body wobbling side to side as he dodged legs. The salmon dangled from his mouth, nearly falling—but he held tight.
"For Valtherion... and for my belly."
He jumped onto stacked boxes, slipped behind trees lining the village edge.
At last, in a quiet place—behind a tall bush by a gently flowing stream—he dropped the salmon on dry grass. Panting, eyes shining like a victorious warrior.
"Finally... mine."
With a reverent stare at his stolen treasure, Mathien licked his lips slowly. And without hesitation, devoured the salmon like the world no longer mattered.
"Sacred salmon... worth every struggle."
With the last bite down his throat, his body shimmered faintly. Magic flowed through him like a tide, filling every cell.
His eyes glowed briefly—bright blue and ethereal.
He looked into the stream's reflection.
"Today... I feel alive again."
Salmon almost gone beneath his paws, Mathien sat proudly on the dry grass. His tongue cleaned the sides of his mouth, blue eyes narrowing in contentment.
His magic warmed, pulsing from tail tip to his neck. His small chest rose and fell gently.
"Life is cruel, but salmon... salmon heals all," he whispered with a tiny smirk.
He laid down, letting the breeze comb through his messy fur. The stream whispered. Forest bugs began their songs. Leaves danced above him.
Peace.
Yet somewhere in the village—
"CHIROOO!!!"
"CHIROOOO WHERE ARE YOU?!"
Hana ran down the path, panting, clutching her little shoulder bag. Her hair was a mess, her face pale.
"Don't tell me... he ran off again..."
She stopped at a crossroad.
Bit her lip.
Her eyes scanned the area in worry.
"Salmon. Please don't tell me..."
🌸🌸🌸