Empress Delphine staggered in fright after hearing the shadow master’s report about the children in the playroom. 

The emperor held her shoulders and comforted her softly. 

“What? No one can enter the playroom?!” Queen Elisse raised her voice. Her tone was abnormally excited.

Emperor Aeris threw her an icy look but this time, it was as if she had gone mad that instead of keeping her mouth closed she rambled over and over again. 

“Your Majesties, this is an emergency. What if something happens to the little prince?” 

“Quiet!” The emperor snapped.

“But… but the knight said there was a demon inside…”

Hearing her words, Empress Delphine’s tears could no longer be held. It fell like raindrops.  

Duke Hellenberg and his knights entered the tea room to secure the monarchs as well as the delegates of Ma-i. 

“Matty… the children.” Empress Delphine cried brokenheartedly. 

Emperor Aeris hugged her tightly, kissed her forehead and murmured into her ears. “Everything will be alright my dear.” He then turned to the duke. “Raymund, what happened? How did those things slip under the net?”

“Your Majesty, we failed to check the playroom of the little prince. It seems despite having a barrier all over the palace, someone prepared a summoning spell inside and activated it as soon as the children entered.”

The emperor’s eyes narrowed. His emotionless gaze full of chill swept a room full of people for a second.  

The target was not the tribal guests, not him nor the empress, but the children. 

Duke Hellenberg started to separate people and assigned knights for their protection. The chieftain of Ma-i was grateful and impressed with the move. The empress dowager had no complaints with the arrangements. On the other hand, the emperor held the empress tightly, planning to take her to a different chamber. 

Elisse Sybil looked at the couple unwillingly. She held her bulging stomach and stepped up, “Your Majesty, where are you going?” 

No one answered her.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Don’t leave me… I’m, I’m pregnant with your son!” 

Yet her words held no effect. 

 

There was a commotion in the corridor. 

As two skeletal figures emerged from the shadows, the doors of the palace’s northern playroom could no longer be opened. The knight escorts of the second highness were helpless against it after trying several methods of attacking it. Swords held no effect, the same with battering ram and spells. 

The whole room became invulnerable. It was as if it had become a solitary fortress.  

As the knights paused, a thin figure jumped on the walls skillfully and entered the narrow opening near the ceiling. 

Inside, the four children were huddling under Milk anxious but none of them ran out panicked. 

At first, the little prince who had the least courage and most pampered baby was scared to tears but in the spirit of manly competition, seeing that neither Raven nor Carmine looked afraid he sucked back his snot and tears. 

Huh, these two were younger than him by a full year. How could he, a big boy, dare to appear cowardly? Crown prince big brother will surely laugh at him. No, not when he finally found children younger than him! 

Imagine how excited he was when meeting these two pink and white chubby babies. Where in all of Ava can you see children as lovely as them? Well, of course aside from him. (Mother empress always says he is the cutest.) 

But after seeing the twins, he wasn’t so sure about it anymore. ┐(´～｀;)┌

“Young master!” 

Johann appeared from the shadows. He was relieved to find out that none of the little guys were injured but before he could take a step further he saw the gigantic Milk growling and poised to pounce. 

Have I seen it wrong? Why does this giant thing look like our little fat cat?

If Milk could hear his thoughts it would most probably give him a paw: I’m not fat. You’re fat! 

“Uncle Johann,” Carmine called out. “You came just in time. Milk can’t go and fight while looking after us.” 

Johann was stunned. “Err, young master…” I came here to rescue you. He wanted to add but in the next second he found himself stuffed with four children. 

Milk pushed the boys on to him and gave a low growl meaning: Look after them. The great me will come back after I beat those filthy things. 

Johan put the children behind him and assumed a defensive position. 

A while light flashed straight to the two skeletal monsters and entered into fierce battle at once. Fortunately the palace had strong foundations and thick enough walls to withstand the vibrations and impact of Milk’s rampage. 

The two monsters attempted to overwhelm the lone winged leopard using their size and poisonous claws. However, Milk, who was agile and smart, easily dodged the attacks. The furry and heavy paw fell directly to one of them flinging it to the east wall. The sturdy marble grew cracks and dented. 

Milk roared loudly, as if mocking his enemy.

The other took advantage of Milk’s slight inattention and jumped to avenge its brother. Opening its dark jaws, it was about to bite off Milk’s wings when a silvery white tail whipped from behind pinning it down to the ground. 

[Ugly thing, you want revenge?]

Milk turned back and with a lowl ferocious growl he stepped on the skeletal monster’s head pushing it little by little. 

[Dare to scare my little masters!] 

A paw fell, slapping the monster hard. 

[Dare to appear in front of me?!]

Then another slap. 

Its companion laying still on the wall aimed its hateful eyes on the tender and juicy children. It tried to get up and attack, Johann tightened his hold on his daggers but Milk was faster, he caught it the same and let it taste a similar miserable experience of being brutally slapped repeatedly.

Johann’s eyelid flickered: Am I a wallpaper here? 

Unable to take action, he resigned to maintain his position and watch the one sided beating.

Everytime the monsters moved to resist, the heavier Milk’s paw pounded them. It was the first time the monsters regretted answering a summon! Back in the day it was them who oppressed others. Demons are feared entities but now their terrified eyes look at Milk:

Are we the demons or are you the demon?

Kitty, your methods are cruel, we can't stand it! 

They suffered so much that they could no longer care about the spell holding the doors loosened. 

When Knoll and Fatty Lam came, their jaws dropped in shock. Σ(°Д°υ)

“Young master…”

“W-What is going on?” Knoll blinked, unable to believe what he was seeing. He looked at the winged leopard kicking two monsters like hapless takraw balls. Strange thing was, the winged leopard does not seem hostile to them. 

He threw Johann an inquiring look but the other just shrugged, also at a loss. 

Carmine giggled pointing ahead, “It’s Milk. Look!”

“Huh? The white thing is…?”

Raven nodded. 

Arius also.

Even the little prince did the same. 

The gears on Knoll’s head turned. He looked more intently this time. The huge thing did have a resemblance with Milk… the fur and eyes. But it was still hard to compare it to the tiny and cuddly cub the twins usually hold. 

Milk bit a monster's tail tossing it upwards again and letting it crash on the floor. Soon, the sound of the shattering of bones echoed. 

Johann patted the goosebumps on his arms. Cruel. Mother, Milk is so cruel.  

Knoll elbowed Fatty Lam beside him and joked, “Goodness, even cats can do a much better bodyguard's job. It won’t take long before our lot is out of business.”   

Fatty Lam slapped his forehead. He was thinking the same thing. They were expecting to see children frightened and crying out of breath, not a pair of demons being abused so miserably by a house pet. 

Sensing Knoll’s arrival and the imperial guards rushing from the other side, Milk paused momentarily. The monsters shivered in relief and tucked tails as they scramble to escape. Quick, quick before they were noticed by the white devil! 

“Ah, they’re running away!” Carmine puffed his cheeks angrily. 

Turning his eyes back to his enemies (toys) there was only a foul stench left. Milk bared his fangs. 

The monsters shrunk their bodies pitifully and scurried back to where they came from.

We’ve had enough of you, beast!  

And there was nothing left… 

“Gone…?” Fatty Lam looked into the empty hall bewildered. 

It was his first time seeing demons so aggrieved they had to escape. Aren’t they supposed to be malevolent and notorious? Why do they look like abandoned dogs? 

“Milk!”

“Milk.” 

The twins kicked their short legs and ran to their beloved pet. Arius and Prince Matthaeus followed like goslings fussing over the shrinking giant feline. 

“Is he alright?” Arius asked anxiously. 

“Uuu~ you work hard Milk.” Carmine held out his hand and caught the tiny ball of fur after it shrunk. “Look at you, your fur is bald.” 

“Great job protecting us, little cat.” Prince Matthaeus said. His green eyes sheened with worry. 

The imperial knights entered the hall smoothly this time and found that the prince and his companions were unscathed. 

The crisis has been lifted. 

But outside, it wasn’t quite so.