PSW Chapter 21: It Has a Foreign Nail That Big!
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The selection of the queen was scheduled for the evening.
Since the chosen one was the Cat God, who represented the moon goddess Bastet, the priests and ministers in charge of the ceremony believed that nighttime was more fitting for delivering the goddess’s divine will.
For the first time during the day, Bastet was not kept in the palace by Yofar. Instead, the gentle old palace lady, Alina, carried it away to prepare for the ceremony.
Before leaving, Bastet lay on Alina’s shoulder, watching as Nephthys led a group into Yofar’s bedroom. Following behind her were many imposing strangers who didn’t look like mere attendants or guards.
One man among them was exceptionally tall, so much so that Bastet couldn’t help but take a few extra glances.
Even with just a rough estimate, he seemed to be at least 2.3 meters tall. Not only that, but he was incredibly muscular—his exaggerated muscles were tense and solid, as if slabs of stone were attached to his body. His face lacked the common Egyptian cosmetics, and he had a rough, unshaven beard.
His eyebrows were thick and long, his skin was deep brown, and his facial features were large—his face, mouth, and nose were all oversized. It was as if his entire body had been magnified, yet somehow, his appearance wasn’t ugly. On the contrary, it suited his massive frame quite well.
When the man, who was built like a small mountain, stepped over the threshold, even the palace’s tall doors seemed dwarfed by his size.
Perhaps sensing Bastet’s gaze, the "mountain" turned his head to glance in their direction. However, upon seeing only an ordinary palace lady and the cat queen, he didn’t linger for even a second before striding into the bedroom.
This group… feels strangely familiar…
Their movements were crisp and powerful, exuding a sharp, ruthless aura tinged with the scent of blood.
After pondering for a moment, Bastet finally realized what they resembled—the armed guards stationed beneath the research tower in his previous life.
For warriors to be summoned by the Pharaoh himself… they must at least be high-ranking commanders.
But why would such formidable security be needed just to choose a queen?
Before Bastet could make sense of it, Alina turned a corner, and its view was blocked by the palace walls.
The pitch-black feline lord was carried by the old palace lady into the bathhouse for purification.
As soon as Bastet was brought inside, a wave of steam and the fragrance of aromatic balms greeted it. The sound of flowing water filled the air, bringing a touch of coolness to the increasingly hot weather.
The spacious bath nearly occupied the entire chamber, with clear water continuously pouring from the mouths of lion-head carvings on either side. Inside the bathhouse, several attendants in one-shoulder white dresses busied themselves. Upon seeing Alina, they immediately came forward.
"Lady Alina, is this the Cat God chosen for tonight’s queen selection?"
The bath attendants surrounded Alina, their eyes gleaming as they stared at the cat in her arms, some even reaching out to touch it.
"It’s so cute!"
"It’s really so black! Haha! Curled up in Lady Alina’s arms like that, it almost looks like a little monster with only two eyes."
"Lady Alina, may I touch it?"
"I want to touch it too!"
"Me too…!"
The bath attendants gazed at Alina with eager eyes, full of excitement and liveliness.
Bastet watched them in surprise.
These attendants were nothing like the ones in Yofar’s palace, who would tremble in fear at the slightest sneeze from the king and remain silent and motionless unless summoned, like decorative "vases."
Moreover, these girls were quite young.
Most appeared to be around sixteen—caught between the innocence of girlhood and the maturity of womanhood.
Bastet was unaware that the bath attendants had been carefully selected. Since there was always a chance the Pharaoh might take an interest in someone while bathing, those chosen were naturally of striking beauty.
Now that Bastet was in cat form, it had to tilt its head up to see their faces properly. Its emerald-green eyes widened even more, making the small feline appear excessively soft and adorable. This only made the attendants more excited, prompting them to plead with Alina once again.
Alina was a veteran of the palace. For certain reasons, she had risen from an ordinary kitchen maid to become a senior lady-in-waiting within the king’s chambers. Selecting attendants who could approach the king was part of her responsibilities.
Alina was gentle and kind-hearted, never harsh with the attendants. When the high priest and the king weren’t present, the girls often liked to act playfully around her.
"Quiet down, girls!" Alina sighed helplessly at their eager young faces. "Bastet is the king’s beloved pet. The king must see it every day, and High Priest Nephthys has even said that it is highly gifted and incredibly intelligent. If you frighten it, what will you do then?"
The girls weren’t deterred by her words. Instead, they giggled and continued to stare at Bastet.
"We’ll just pet it for a bit~ Lady Alina~ If the Cat God agrees, then you shouldn’t refuse us!"
When they leaned in, their white dresses fluttered, carrying a pleasant scent of rose essential oil. The fragrance made Bastet’s nose itch slightly, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
After all… this was the fragrance of young maidens!
And not just one, but a whole group of them!
The little black furball tilted its head up, gazing at one beautiful young lady after another, a silly, enamored smile appearing on its furry face. The attendants in front of it had light brown skin and deep, defined facial features—standard foreign appearances.
But beauty had nothing to do with skin tone. A person with truly exquisite features could make any unconventional skin color, height, or weight into a unique style and charm, making one sigh in admiration: Wow, being beautiful really has nothing to do with weight (or skin tone) after all!
Wouldn’t it be amazing to play with a group of fragrant, stunning young maidens?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful?!
Do you have any idea how many men dream of this?!
"Meow~!" I’m willing! I swear I’m a hundred percent willing!
The little black cat anxiously patted Alina’s arm with its paw, as if it couldn’t wait to shout, I volunteer!
"Oh? It seems like Bastet really wants to come down and play?" Alina gently stroked Bastet’s back in surprise, before quickly finding a reasonable explanation. "Well, it is a lively little kitten, just at the age where it loves to run around and be mischievous."
She then handed Bastet over to the eagerly waiting lead attendant.
"Thank you, Lady Alina! You’re the best!"
The girls let out a small cheer, their bright smiles lighting up the room. In an instant, multiple soft hands eagerly reached out to pet Bastet’s fluffy little head, and the maid holding it even planted a firm kiss on its furry face!
Bastet, whose face instantly turned red: …I… I can die without regrets now…
"Let’s go over there! I’ll give it a bath!"
"Hey… but I want to bathe it too~"
"Then let’s do it together!"
"You guys can wash it—I want to trim its claws! God knows how long it’s been since I last touched a kitten’s paw pads!"
"Oh right! I want to touch them too!"
"Come on, let’s go…"
Egyptians adored cats. Cats could hunt venomous snakes and mice while also being affectionate and playful, so nearly every household had one. However, once these attendants entered the palace, they rarely saw their families or pet cats.
Although Yofar loved cats, for some reason, none were kept within the palace.
On rare occasions, when a temple needed to coronate a new Cat God, those cats were housed in the royal menagerie—far out of reach for the attendants, who couldn’t leave their posts.
Now that the Pharaoh had a cat and had even sent it to the bathhouse, the attendants—who hadn’t touched a feline in ages—were beyond excited. They eagerly scratched Bastet’s chin, washed its fur, and expertly massaged its tiny paws.
Meowww—this… this must be heaven…
Surrounded by beautiful women, the feline lord purred in satisfaction, unable to resist sighing in bliss.
An hour later, after the attendants had thoroughly washed and dried it, Alina brought out the ceremonial "attire" for the Cat God and displayed it before Bastet.
A golden "cat tag," a thin golden cord for fastening it, a pair of earrings, and a single nose ring.
Bastet shook its fur and curiously hooked at the items with a paw. Having never worn jewelry before, the straight-laced tomcat had no clue what they were.
"Meow~"
—What are these? Three round rings?
"You mean this?" Alina crouched down and affectionately ruffled the cat’s head. "These are for Bastet."
The little black furball: "Meow?" For a cat?
Were they… rings for a cat’s paws? Did cats even wear rings? How strange.
Could it be a ring for a cat’s paw? Do cats even wear rings? How strange.
"Bastet is very curious about how this is used?"
The little black furball obediently nodded.
"Don’t worry, you’ll find out soon enough." Alina’s smile was full of meaning.
Bastet saw her wink at the attendants, and before it could react, one of the gentle, beautiful young women suddenly grabbed the loose skin on the back of its neck and lifted it into the air!
At the same time, two other attendants pulled out two ice cubes from seemingly nowhere and pressed them against its ears.
Bastet had no time to respond before the skin on its neck tightened!
The sudden pull made the black cat’s entire face stretch backward, almost as if it had undergone a facelift. Its eyes widened, one of its ears tilted at an odd angle, and all four paws instinctively dangled downward, completely motionless—even its tail froze.
Because it was so black, any change in expression was magnified a hundredfold on its dark face. On any other cat, this stunned look might be just a little silly and cute, but on Bastet, it was hilariously exaggerated!
"Pfft—hahaha…!"
The surrounding attendants and even the senior lady-in-waiting, Alina, couldn’t help but cover their mouths and laugh.
"Meow???"
Wait… why are you grabbing me?!
Bastet’s large emerald eyes darted around in panic, growing increasingly uneasy. Its two big eyes flickered anxiously, making the attendants laugh even harder.
Finally, Alina patted Bastet’s head again and reassured it, "Don’t be afraid, little one. We’re just putting on your earrings and nose ring. Every Cat God wears them—we’re only holding you so you don’t run away."
"That’s right, that’s right," the other attendants echoed while continuing to ice its ears. "Be a good kitty, don’t worry—it won’t hurt. Once we’ve numbed your ears with ice, you won’t feel a thing when we pierce them. Plus, we’ve already applied medicine to the earrings, so the wounds will heal very quickly!"
Bastet, now in full panic mode: "…………"
P-Pierce my ears?!
One of the attendants rolled her eyes at the girl who had just spoken and added, "Don’t forget the nose ring, Lalal."
Pfft—cough cough—!
Bastet, which had been completely frozen in shock, suddenly started trembling violently.
N-Nose what?! Ring what?!
No… it can’t be what I think it is… right?
"Oh, right. Silly me, I almost forgot." The earlier attendant smiled sheepishly, looking a bit embarrassed. Then, she picked up the nose ring from Alina’s hand and gave it a slight twist. The seemingly seamless golden hoop revealed two ends—one thinner and sharper than the other.
She held it up against Bastet’s still-wet little nose and carefully measured the spot.
As she did, she smiled reassuringly and explained, "No need to be scared~ It won’t hurt that much. The nose ring goes in the middle part of your nasal septum, right between your two nostrils—yes, right here. There’s no bone in this area, so we just take the sharp end, push it straight through, and then pull it out from the other side! Hehe, don’t worry, I’m very quick—it won’t make you bleed much, just a tiny bit. And the nose ring isn’t that thick either—eh? Wait… did something just break?"
Bastet’s upper teeth chattered against the lower ones: The thing that just shattered… was my cat courage, holy crap!
Did she just say this thing isn’t thick?!
Bastet stared at the nose ring the maid had twisted open, its legs shaking as if about to give out, and an overwhelming urge to pee rising inside.
It wanted to roar at her: This is "not thick"?! This isn’t a nose ring—it’s a giant steel nail!!!
If they pierce this through my nose, will I even be able to breathe for the rest of my life?!
Tears welled up in Bastet’s wide green eyes as it trembled violently, looking at the once-gentle and beautiful maids in utter horror.
Wuwuwu… I was wrong… This isn’t heaven… This is hell!
Help! Human! Come save your cat! They’re going to take my nose!!!
"MEOWWWWWWW——!"
Amid the joyous laughter, a black furball’s piercing wail echoed through the royal bathhouse.
Meanwhile, in the Pharaoh’s Bedchamber
"The King seems to be in a much better mood lately. Even when the past is mentioned, he doesn’t turn cold anymore."
A sharp-eyed, smiling man—one look at him and you’d know he wasn’t to be messed with—spoke in a low voice to the High Priest, Nephthys, while watching their king discuss matters with his officials.
"Hmm, that’s true." Nephthys lowered his voice as well, his gaze filled with satisfaction as he looked at his ruler. The King is becoming more… human.
"Do you know why?" the man asked, curious.
"It’s actually quite simple… The King adopted a cat. Ever since that little creature arrived, his mood has been significantly better, and the murderous aura around him has dissipated quite a bit. He hasn’t punished a servant in six days." Six days! That was nothing short of a miracle. Nephthys couldn’t help but marvel.
The man’s eyes widened in shock. "Seriously?!"
"Of course!"
Nephthys smiled, about to say more, when suddenly—
A bloodcurdling feline scream pierced the air from outside.
Instantly, the once-peaceful and mild-mannered expression of their King darkened. His icy blue eyes snapped toward the door.
The court officials froze, sensing something was wrong. The general who had been speaking promptly fell silent.
Following their ruler’s gaze, everyone turned toward the entrance—
And then, a cat appeared.
More precisely, a black blur streaked into the room, wailing at the top of its lungs as it scrambled forward in a blind panic. It was running so fast that its tiny form was nearly impossible to see clearly.
Then, with a few frantic leaps—
It launched itself straight into the Pharaoh’s arms!
The others: "…What the hell is that? It’s just a black lump."
The King’s closest confidants looked on in confusion.
And then, to their absolute shock—
Their King, their mighty ruler, actually spoke to the cat.
Yes.
Jaws dropped. Their King was having a serious conversation with a cat.
The exchange went as follows:
The King, frowning, said, "Bastet? Get down. Watch your fur."
The black furball, its voice rapid and desperate: "Meow meow meow—! Meow meow meow—!"
Tears welled up in its eyes as it pitifully cried out, gesturing frantically with its little paws. Even some of the battle-hardened generals found themselves feeling sorry for it.
As their King listened, his expression grew colder and colder.
Then, he reached out and ran his fingers over the cat’s ears.
Nephthys and the others noticed the blood staining the King’s fingertips.
Clearly, the cat had been injured.
"They dared to harm my pet—heh."
The warmth in the Pharaoh’s expression disappeared entirely.
His lips curled into a sinister smile, the kind that made Nephthys and the others' scalps tingle with dread.
With a single, effortless motion, the King crushed the golden wine cup in his hand, reducing it to a twisted, useless lump of metal.
Then, he hurled the ruined cup onto the floor with a resounding CRASH, the remaining red wine splattering everywhere like freshly spilled blood.
His fury carried the weight of a ruler who had slain millions.
"Royal Guards, hear my command—execute all the attendants in the bathhouse! Every last one!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The guards swiftly acknowledged the order, as if such brutal commands were routine.
The rest of the court: "…"
Nephthys: "…"
The sharp-eyed man who had just spoken with Nephthys: "…"
Slowly, he turned to stare at Nephthys, his expression unreadable.
Nephthys, I distinctly recall you saying that the King’s temper had improved.
Nephthys, smiling through clenched teeth: No. I never said that.
That’s right—I never said that!
___
Author’s Note:
Don’t worry, they won’t actually be executed—Bastet will stop it.
As for why the Pharaoh’s confidants couldn’t understand Bastet’s words, it’s because the cat was panicking and meowing too fast. Only the Pharaoh, after spending so much time with Bastet, had learned to understand about 70-80% of what it was trying to communicate.
To be precise, it’s not that Bastet’s meows translate directly—it’s more like the Pharaoh can instinctively grasp its intent, almost like a brainwave connection. Hehe~
T/N: Please give support on my ko-fi page, thank you🍊🍊🍊
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