Chương 26: Chapter 26 - Cat Freak.

After the King had that small talk with Rei, he remembered he has something else to do in his room, and so, Rei decided that she will accompany him back to his room as she is concerned about his health despite the King insisting that he is alright.

While walking on that usual narrow path, Rei feels that she had caught more attention than before, well, she is walking with the King of that kingdom after all. However, that's not her concern at all, what she was concerned about was that, there wasn't any servants or maids that were following them although he is the ruler of a Kingdom, it's just two of them. And as she recalled when he sent her back to her room earlier, there weren't any servants that are following them either.

"In case you are wondering why there aren't any servants following me along the way like the other rulers, I am the one that stopped them from doing so, I don't like the feeling of getting followed by a whole group of people, it's not like they are capable of protecting me when I am in dangers, and I might be ended up protecting them instead," said the King as he noticed Rei's concern.

Rei nodded without saying anything despite that she still doesn't understand what he meant by that at this moment...

***

They reached the King's reading room after a short while. Out of courtesy, the King invited Rei to have a cup of tea with him before leaving.

"Just some regular black tea, hopefully you will like it," said the King he poured that beautiful brownish-red tea out into a delicate translucent glass cup.

As soon as the tea is poured out, Rei is greeted by a nice robust and slightly earthy aroma that is enhanced by a subtle floral note. Rei slowly took a sip of the tea. Mmm... The taste of the tea is bold but smooth with that subtle sweetness that is tangled with that tiny bit of bitterness as well as that tiny bit of astringent sensation to the tongue. Despite not being as amazing as that jasmine green tea she had the day before, it's a comfortable cup of tea that she wouldn't mind drinking every day.

"This is the cup of tea you would want to have after a stressful and hasty day," said the King as he saw that satisfied smile of Rei after she tasted the tea.

Rei nodded, agreeing with that statement from the King.

As she was drinking that cup of tea, she recalled what Ben told her about the King's interests.

"Hmm... He sure likes tea a lot." She thought.

Then, another weird thought floated out in her head, particularly about what Ben told her about that cat freak side of the King.

With that sudden bold thought, she asked a question that she never thought she would have the courage to ask.

"Uhm... Your Majesty... I heard from Dr. Ben that, this reading room is connected directly to your bedroom. I wondered if I might have a chance to peek into it for a bit?" She asked but immediately regretted it and lowered her head down trying to hide her blushed face while avoiding eye contact with the King.

"Ah... Are you sure this is something a fine lady like you should be asking?" said the King who was rather surprised by that bold question from Rei.

Hearing that question, Rei's face become even more blushed, she doesn't even know how she should respond to his questions, it's too embarrassing for her at that moment.

"But if you are curious about it, I wouldn't mind showing you my room... Just saying." said the King, who is equally awkward.

"Eh?"

Rei was totally surprised and slightly startled by that, she never thought she will get such a response to her inappropriate and impolite question.

Then, the King steadily stood up and walked towards the tea rack in the reading room where there is a curtain with landscape drawing next to it. The King lifted the curtain a bit showing a door behind it, he slightly waved at Rei who is still a bit dazed off telling her to come over. Rei hastily stood up as she realised that the King was waving at her and carefully walked towards him.

"Don't mind about the messiness, I haven't got time to tidy up today," said the King before Rei looked into the room.

Hearing that statement from the King, Rei got even more curious about the King's room while at the same time wondering why would a King of a Kingdom like him need to tidy up his own room. With these curiosities, she carefully peeked into the room. And to her surprise, it's a normal, clean and cosy room. Except for an unwashed teacup along with a small stack of unorganized letters and books on an average-sized working desk as well as the roughly folded blanket, there is nothing untidy about that room, or rather it's not even close to the word 'messy'.

"Uhm... Rei, if you don't mind about the messiness here, you may come in and have a seat while I tidy up the things here," said the King, slightly awkward.

"Ah... No, Your Majesty, it's alright, it's not even messy, and I can help you with the tidy up if you need to," said Rei, hastily stopping the King who is about to tidy up the unorganized table.

"No, you don't have to... I..."

"Meow... Mmmrrrrrawrrr... Sssshhhhsss...."

As Rei and the King are kind of 'arguing' about who was going to tidy up the room, a white cat with tiger stripes walked out meowing from under the bed and started growling and hissing at Rei.

"Ah... Byako... It's alright, don't worry, Rei is not a bad person, it's alright for her to be in here," said the King as he noticed the cat and quickly reached his hand to the cat's forehead to comfort him.

"Hmm... I guess this is what Dr Ben means by cat freak..." That's what Rei thought at that moment.

But she will soon find out that she is totally wrong about that...