"Wait a moment. I need to head out."
Shade stroked the well-behaved cat, making sure he had all the items he might need on him. Then he informed Miss Galina in the direction of the bedroom that he would be leaving for three seconds. The Duchess, who was in quite a good mood this early morning, did not mind at all. Her voice from the bedroom sounded languid:
"Just three seconds. Wouldn't you already be back if you skipped saying that? I'm still waiting for you to tell stories by the dining table. Shade, eat something before you go. Don't let yourself go hungry."
The atmosphere at home this early morning was quite pleasant, dispersing even the gloom Shade felt at the thought of having to swim in the sea again.
He smiled and nodded, pinching up a piece of sweet pastry from the breakfast spread across the dining table. He took out the key, ready to depart, only to discover that Little Mia had followed him to the door of the Side Bedroom as well:
"Meow~"
The cat rubbed against Shade's trouser leg. Once Shade picked her up, she looked exceptionally docile.
"You want to eat too? No... Oh, you want to come with me? You'd better think this through. If you come with me, you won't eat for another thirty minutes. If you don't, you can probably eat in a minute or two."
"Meow~"
The cat rubbed against Shade's hand again. After thinking for a moment, Shade pulled over a towel hanging nearby, turned Little Mia into a toy, and placed her in the pocket pressed close to his heart.
Why did you agree to let her come with you this time?
The voice by his ear asked gently, while Shade had already inserted the key into the