Chapter 14: Magic grass is a treasure, is he a little monster?

Chapter 14: Magical Grass is a Treasure—So Why’s He a Little Monster?

Mei Lun didn’t get it.

Even though the one before him was the toughest in the Crown Clan—someone who could single-handedly suppress the mental meltdowns of several Crown Clan members, someone who had quelled disasters multiple times and dealt with countless assassinations and plots—he was still pissed.

That emotion kept growing as his mind crumbled.

Until Amos said, “And the way you look now is scaring him.”

Mei Lun’s anger fizzled out. Unlike Amos and others of their generation in the Crown Clan, he still cared about having kids. He instinctively glanced at how disheveled he looked, but tried to act like he wasn’t green with envy.

“What do you mean, your child, and a biological one at that? I couldn’t care less, okay? …So, I’m the first in our generation to know, right?”

Amos didn’t bother answering.

Outside the door, the little “meows” came faster over time, and the pauses between them grew shorter.

A small white fluffball hid behind the door, calling out anxiously like a baby bird crying for its mom.

Since Mei Lun had picked him up, Chu Zao had stayed by his side.

Amos couldn’t put his feelings into words at that moment.

On one hand, he thought the little one might be a bit too clingy, but on the other, he figured since he was so young, it was only natural.

Handling the kid was his one big dilemma during his century-long reign.

As Amos left, the Imperial Guards waiting outside quickly entered to tidy up. Seeing that Mei Lun had calmed down, they cautiously asked, “Your Highness, should we—”

“Of course I’m going.”

Mei Lun pushed off the wall and got up slowly, straightening his clothes.

He had to tidy up first.

The Imperial Guards, who hadn’t dared to eavesdrop on the conversation between His Majesty and Prince Mei Lun: …?

Where exactly are you going???

*

When Amos stepped out of the room, the Crown Clan was causing a ruckus.

Frey, however, stayed frozen, not moving a muscle.

“Meow!”

Daddy!

The little Chu Zao, who had been sitting in Frey’s arms, finally caught sight of Amos. His tiny wings instantly perked up, and he took off, tripping over himself to get to Amos.

Amos wasn’t quite used to seeing the white fluffball flying toward him. He reflexively raised his hands, hesitated a moment, then switched from blocking to catching the little one in his arms.

Though the white fluffball usually liked being around him, this kind of eagerness to leap at him was rare.

Amos glanced back at the Crown Clan members fighting to yank each other’s halos off and fell silent.

No wonder the kid was fidgeting—what in the world are you all doing???

“Meow!”

"Papa, what was that just now?"

"Mrow! Mrow!"

Zao Zao just saw a shattered halo—it looked so painful.

The little white fluffball dove into Amos’s arms, lifting its small head. The halo on its head swayed, and the tips of its ears trembled, as if feeling an echo of pain.

"It didn’t hurt when your halo was removed..."

Amos said, then suddenly fell silent. He looked at the beautiful, delicate little halo on Xiao Chuzao’s head and for a moment thought about what would happen when Xiao Chuzao grew older—

Would this little golden halo break apart too?

Whether it was the gloom from witnessing another Crown Clan member’s halo further shatter or this sudden thought, the air seemed to still.

The little fluffball didn’t realize what Amos was thinking, nor did it know that after all this time together, Amos had suddenly found the idea unbearable just by imagining it.

The little fluffball just tilted its head, appearing well-behaved in this unfamiliar environment, and gently nuzzled its tiny head against Amos’s chin.

Here, the scent was familiar.

Still loves Papa best.

Amos didn’t speak again. His communicator buzzed with urgent messages again, but he ignored the commotion of his kin behind him. Holding the little fluffball, he hurried through the snowstorm and returned directly to his residence.

The palace steward, Mori, was adding the final touches to the nursery. Though King Amos’s orders were unusual, they had been strictly followed, and the room was ready ahead of schedule.

It was right next to Amos’s chambers.

But no one knew who the room was for. The question left everyone silent.

The Crown Clan ruling the Saint Cas Empire was its last generation.

No one knew Saint Cas’s fate—or its future.

Now, Amos’s actions seemed to signal to them—that the Crown Clan might be nurturing a new ruler, raised by His Majesty himself.

It was... devastating.

Then they saw Amos push the door open. Snow was still falling outside, and he hadn’t bothered to avoid it—snowflakes dusted his shoulders. With a flick of his hand, he dropped a snow-white fluffball crowned with a tiny halo onto the soft sofa.

Mori barely glanced over, continuing his report out of habit.

"Your Majesty, the package from the medical center has arrived—"

Then he froze.

He spun around, breath catching.

A snow-white fluffball... with a crown’s halo???

Xiao Chuzao blinked awake, dazed. He surveyed his surroundings, then spotted Amos’s military coat, discarded nearby.

The room was warm, and the snow on the coat was slowly melting.

The little white fluffball rolled over and climbed up, crouching on the sofa. His amber eyes flicked around nervously, his small wings pressed tightly to his body, but his little dragon tail stood upright, the fluffy tail-tip twitching slightly.

He was pretending to hide... and failing miserably.

Hey, his little tuft of hair is still sticking up!

The room was silent, and Xiao Chuzao couldn’t help but give in to his curiosity—what were those white things anyway?

With his tail raised, he crept forward, leaving tiny impressions on the sofa as he went, all the way to where Amos had left his military uniform. He stretched out his paw and touched the frosty surface.

The icy sensation startled Xiao Chuzao for a moment, and he quickly pulled his paw back. Staring at his pink paw pads, he tilted his head in confusion and pressed one gently against his cheek.

“Papa?”

Dad, it’s freezing!

He looked dazed, adorable, a soft little fluffball bursting with curiosity, whimpering “Papa” at every new thing he encountered.

Amos’s expression softened briefly, wondering if this was the joy the elders of the Crown Clan felt when raising their young. But then his brows furrowed slightly again, clearly caught up in troubling thoughts, his face darkening.

Amos’s mind was on the verge of collapse. He had already accepted the fate of the Crown Clan’s extinction, but now, with a child in his care, he wasn’t sure whether he could provide everything this little one needed before he was gone—or what would become of the empire...

Xiao Chuzao turned and saw the look on Amos’s face.

Though Amos rarely smiled, when he wasn’t moving or speaking, he usually appeared calm and refined, like a gentleman. But with even the slightest shift in mood, his face could turn rather intimidating.

The little creature instantly withdrew his paw, his previously tense posture shrinking back down as he cautiously watched Amos.

Seeing Amos’s expression, his tail drooped behind him, and he recalled something from the past, growing slightly panicked.

In the Angels’ gathering grounds, magical herbs occasionally grew. They resembled glowing lilies of the valley, like tiny glowing lanterns. Xiao Chuzao had only heard about them—he never actually saw one until the day he found one beneath a great tree.

Back then, he was even smaller. Struggling to maintain his angelic appearance, he reached out curiously and carefully to touch it.

The light scattered like fireflies, floating gently into the air.

It was like a beautiful dream.

But then the dream shattered. An enraged Angel grabbed his hand and dragged him to the Archangel’s dwelling, accusing him of ruining the magical herb’s growth and causing a rare and precious treasure to lose its intended effect.

Only then did Xiao Chuzao learn:

Magical herbs must not be touched before they mature.

Terrified, he transformed into a small white ball of fluff and was expelled from the Archangel’s dwelling.

The Archangel forbade him: *Do not casually touch anything within the territory that does not belong to you.*

To the Angels, magical herbs were treasures—but to them, he was just a monster.

But…

Back then, the tiny child could only curl up in the little nest he had built in the great tree. His small form didn’t change back, and he huddled into a ball, crying quietly—no one had ever told Zao Zao he shouldn’t touch it. Zao Zao didn’t mean to.

Xiao Chuzao thought Amos was different.

They looked the same—didn’t that make them family?

But was this also something he couldn’t touch?

In the past, he never spoke up because no one listened. He had to be strong and protect himself.

But before… before—Papa had answered Zao Zao’s cries.

Zao Zao called out for Daddy, and Daddy came to protect Zao Zao.

"Meow—"

S-sorry, Daddy...

The little white fluffball curled his paws in, soft and gentle, letting out a soft meow as he lay on the small couch.

This place felt too unfamiliar to Xiao Chuzao. He was filled with curiosity, yet too wary to act recklessly because of past experiences.

Amos snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of the little one’s voice.

He looked at the suddenly dejected little white fluffball, still unsure what had happened.

What’s got him upset now?

He opened the package delivered from the medical center—inside was a small bottle filled with warm cub formula. Amos set the bottle down in front of the little cub. "Here, Zao Zao, drink this first?"

Amos watched the little one’s face, then stood up and glanced outside.

"Just wait here a sec."

"Meow?"

Wh-what are you doing?

The little cub lay on the soft couch, shuffling forward a little.

He watched Amos step outside, while Mori beside him stared at him, wide-eyed in disbelief.

Xiao Chuzao fidgeted nervously.

"Meow."

Zao Zao won’t mess with it, Daddy, Daddy... what are you doing?

Amos rolled two snowballs outside.

He frowned as he squished them together.

Outside, Mei Lun and An Ya arrived together.

Frey had official duties to attend to and had temporarily returned to the military headquarters.

The two watched Amos standing in the snow, shaping something with the two snowballs, and exchanged a silent look.

"What is His Majesty doing?"

"M-making a... snowman?"

My brother’s snowman looks terrible.

Is that for the cub?

Even if he's never seen a cub before, according to past records... no cub would actually want that, right?

Amos hurried back inside, clutching his lopsided "snowman."

He returned quickly. Xiao Chuzao still hugged the bottle, peering with big, watery eyes toward the outside, then watched Amos step in, dusted in snow.

He hurried over to Xiao Chuzao.

"Meow."

Papa, Zao Zao won't touch anymore, Zao Zao won't—huh?

Amos crouched in front of the sofa and held out the 'little snowman' in his hand toward the cub.

Amos paused, surprised by the cub's words.

"What?"

Xiao Chuzao's tail slowly relaxed from its tense state and then curled upward.

When Amos heard this, he seemed genuinely puzzled: "Don't like this? Or... do you need me to bottle-feed you?"

The little cub gazed blankly at the snow-white 'little snowman' that looked just like himself.

He reached out his tiny paw, not daring to touch it directly, resting his soft paw pad on Amos' palm.

That's right, here there's no magic grass, and Zao Zao isn't a little monster either.

"Author's Note"

The Emperor, slow on the uptake: Hmm... is it because you need me to bottle-feed you?