"Still, even if it's to win her favor, giving her this..."
Dorothy's gaze lingered over the pearl on the table. She looked rather like a cat caught by Shade: "What a pity, giving away such a beautiful pearl. Ahem, I mean, if it's to please the Empress and perhaps earn a title in the future, this is just right."
"A title? Dorothy, I don't care about that."
Shade shook his head. "If you like this pearl, keep it."
Although Shade always felt short of money, he actually had quite a few valuable items on hand that could be exchanged for cash.
"No, no, it's better to give it away. Even if you don't care about a title..."
Dorothy looked up at Shade, and Shade looked back at her. The blonde-haired and blue-eyed young lady did not continue immediately. Only after they held each other's gaze for several seconds did she look at Shade and softly finish her sentence.
What exactly lay hidden in those beautiful eyes of hers was something Shade simply could not figure out. "...Leisha cares."
"Meow?"
The cat in Shade's arms stared curiously at Dorothy with eyes even prettier than those of beautiful young ladies, while Shade slightly opened his mouth in surprise.
Because of those words, Shade spent the entire day lost in wild thoughts. He even delayed Professor Garcia's report paper on Locked Space, which he had intended to finish during the day, until the evening.
Though the report was quite long, when he placed the final period on that scroll of parchment, he still felt a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. "Mia, get away from there!"
The cat was trying to smear the ink that had not yet dried with her paws.
Shade had arranged to meet Priest Augustus at midnight, but the meeting