PSW Chapter 19: Of Course, We Choose to Forgive Her
| Previous | Table of Contents | Next |
The weather today was truly splendid.
The carefully maintained royal garden stretched across a vast area, filled with rare birds and beasts roaming freely. A flowing water pond held lotus plants yet to bloom, their broad green leaves covering most of the surface, occasionally revealing small fish darting underneath.
Even a pair of deer, their short tails flicking lazily, grazed leisurely on the grass.
The maidservants of the royal menagerie watched the animals closely, ensuring that none would disrupt the Pharaoh's unexpected visit. Meanwhile, the higher-ranked maids, tasked with serving the king, laid down thick rugs and arranged fruits, pastries, and wine, before stepping back into silent attendance.
The royal guards stood at attention, surrounding the area in layers of security, their gazes steady and unwavering.
A pale, slender hand with sharp, elegant knuckles held a golden goblet filled with fragrant wine. The rich scent of grapes mingled with the beauty of the garden, creating a scene of indulgence and lazy contentment.
Yet, the owner of the hand did not take a sip.
Instead, his lips hovered just before the rim, and his entire attention—those icy blue eyes—was fixed solely on a small, black furball rolling around on the ground.
—
The tiny creature occasionally tumbled and lay there, completely flattened against the grass like a defeated pancake. Its four paws paddled helplessly in the air while its thin tail pointed upward, wagging slightly… occasionally revealing a rather undignified view of its tiny pink behind.
After sulking for a moment, the little ball of fluff would suddenly latch onto its own tail, biting and kicking at it in frustration, sending tufts of fur flying everywhere.
The fresh scent of flowers and grass filled the air, sunlight casting a gentle glow around the playful feline, making it appear even more adorable.
Yofar's lips curved slightly, his golden eyelashes casting a delicate shadow over his piercing gaze.
Standing nearby, Nephthys glanced over as she continued his report. Though she didn’t pause in speaking, she couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved at the rare sight.
To outsiders, their Pharaoh always seemed "distant"—cold and indifferent, like an icy abyss or a venomous snake biding its time.
His hair, his skin, his eyes, even his smiles… all carried a kind of detached chill.
Apart from his ruthless, brutal nature on the battlefield, Yofar rarely displayed strong emotions, making him seem almost inhumanly distant.
At times, even Nephthys, as High Priest, worried that if their Pharaoh stood in direct sunlight too long, he might simply melt away.
But now… things were different.
Because their Pharaoh had a cat.
Just a single cat.
Nephthys, temporarily forgetting the emotional breakdown he suffered yesterday while searching for that very same cat, took a pleased glance at the black fluff currently pouncing on a butterfly.
"I knew it! My instincts were right. The Pharaoh finally looks like a normal living person now!"
Wait… could keeping a cat really be this effective?
Maybe I should send one to Hesse, that old fossil.
He recalled how Hesse, after being ordered to reflect in the temple, had taken it a bit too far—whipping himself in penance daily, only to end up bedridden with illness.
Despite their differences, as former colleagues, Nephthys couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy.
—
“…Princess Nefertari and Princess Batrana were indeed involved with the same man. His name is Saya, a servant of Princess Nefertari.”
“However, my people were unable to gather detailed information on him. We only discovered that he was originally recommended by a noblewoman close to Princess Nefertari.
That noblewoman happens to be the younger sister of General Konopo. She purchased Saya from the slave market and, finding him handsome, kept him secretly as a lover. Later, in an attempt to please Princess Nefertari, she gifted Saya to the princess instead.”
The Princess Nefertari had hidden this man inside her own chambers, giving him the title of a personal attendant. However, for reasons unknown, he had somehow become entangled with Princess Batrana as well. They had not only met in secret but had done so multiple times.
Reading up to this point, Nephthys snapped back to reality. His good mood from earlier was completely ruined by these two utterly shameless princesses.
To be fair, both princesses were still young—only seventeen years old.
At first, they weren’t even the first and second princesses. There had been more than a dozen older siblings before them. But those siblings had either been married off to other nations as bargaining chips or—more commonly—executed by the current Pharaoh.
Back then, when all of this happened, Nefertari and Batrana had been only twelve or thirteen years old. Too young to be involved in the bloody struggle, they had simply survived.
Yofar’s ruthless massacre of his own parents and siblings was so horrifying that it had become a forbidden topic—even within the royal court. No one dared to mention the past. They acted as if the two princesses were the only remaining royal family members.
Nephthys himself had no personal opinions on the two princesses. They were obedient, kept their heads down, and never made fools of themselves in front of Yofar. Because of this, he had barely paid them any attention in the past.
But now—these two had actually dared to do something this outrageous?
They were destined to give birth to Yofar’s heirs. One of them would even become the Queen of Egypt.
And yet, they had the audacity to secretly share the same lover?
This was not just a disgrace to the royal bloodline—it was a direct challenge to the Pharaoh’s authority!
"Great Sun God Ra… have they lost their minds? Did they really think they wouldn’t get caught?"
Nephthys shook his head. “These two princesses must be insane.” If they wanted to die, there were easier ways to do it.
—
Meanwhile, a small black furball in the garden was also thinking the same thing.
Pretending to be an innocent little kitten, Bastet hopped around playfully, chasing butterflies. But in reality, he was eavesdropping.
And honestly? He had nothing but admiration for this man named Saya.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk… people always say that beautiful women bring disaster… but look at this guy."
A former slave, yet he had simultaneously won over the hearts of two of the most powerful women in Egypt.
Unfazed. Calm. Unshaken. He was sailing two ships at once with absolute confidence.
And on top of that?
He had even managed to secure a position as a royal attendant.
"Now that’s inspiring."
But then Bastet thought about his own master—the terrifying Yofar—and suddenly felt a little guilty.
Sitting on the grass, Bastet scratched himself with his back leg, fur flying everywhere. His little cat face was full of remorse.
"Meow~ Didn’t I warn you? You should’ve let me choose! Look at you now—do you regret it?"
Back in the day, anyone I matched would get cheated on. That wasn’t even a joke!
I was the ultimate “Love Killer” in school!
Couples would flee like mice the moment I walked into the room!
Feeling nostalgic, Bastet sighed deeply, watching his own cat fur drift in the breeze. He thought about his past life, where all his friends found partners while he remained single until the bitter end.
He had gained weight from eating too much “dog food” (PDA)…
Just as he was lost in his memories, Nephthys suddenly asked:
“My King, didn’t Bastet predict this before?”
Bastet froze.
“Hmm.” Yofar, who had been listening quietly the entire time, finally responded. His tone was indifferent, as if discussing someone else’s business. He didn’t even look away from Bastet. “It did mention it.”
Nephthys, completely unaware of Bastet’s internal panic, nodded excitedly.
“It truly has a gift! It actually foresaw this event.”
Yofar raised an eyebrow, his gaze deepening as he looked at the now-stiff black cat.
His lips curled into a knowing smirk.
Bastet felt an icy chill crawl up his spine.
Does he know?
He forced himself to look away, swallowed nervously, and rubbed his butt against the grass.
"No way… My disguise is perfect! Who would ever guess that a cat is actually a reincarnated human?!"
"Unless Yofar has supernatural powers…?"
Luckily, the Pharaoh didn’t pursue the topic.
He ordered a maid to take Bastet to the bathroom (because, apparently, even a cat must relieve itself on schedule in this palace). Meanwhile, Yofar and Nephthys continued their discussion.
By the time Bastet returned, he only caught the very last sentence of the conversation.
Yofar’s voice was calm as he spoke:
“——The Queen selection ceremony will proceed as planned.”
Nephthys smiled. “Understood.”
Bastet, who had missed everything before that:
“…Meow meow MEOW?!”
YOU’RE STILL GOING THROUGH WITH IT?!
The tiny black cat stared at Yofar in pure disbelief.
"My poor master… his head has already turned into a giant green pasture of betrayal, and yet he’s still going forward with the marriage?!"
—
[Author’s Notes: Bonus Mini-Theater]
Yofar (coldly): “They’re just two women. Did you really think I’d let them interfere with my plans? Hmph. Who actually believes in ‘love over power’?”
One year later.
Yofar: grabbing Bastet by the scruff of his neck “Tonight. Turn human.”
Bastet: TUI!
T/N: Please give support on my ko-fi page, thank you🍊🍊🍊
Comments
Post a Comment