After finishing his noodles, Wang Xiaole headed straight to the main hall of the royal palace. Due to his own level of fame, the guards at the entrance did not stop him, simply letting him pass. Without much hindrance, Wang Xiaole walked in. After only a few steps inside, he noticed that on either side of the hall there stood a long line of females, led by those of the cat tribe, dressed in attire that indicated their positions as high-ranking officials of the country. When these loyal subjects, alongside the former Queen White Water and the current King White Bear, appeared, Wang Xiaole realized the gravity of the situation: what he was about to experience was definitely no small matter!
If he had known it was an occasion that required more solemn attendance, he would have been more careful; if nothing else, he would have made sure to wipe off the sauce residue still lingering at the corners of his mouth. Although standing next to the throne, White Water's expression remained gentle, a stark contrast to White Bear beside her, his face almost entirely covered in bandages. Observing carefully, Wang Xiaole had already noticed: the finger bones protruding noticeably beneath White Bear's hand placed just below his waist, and the piercing gaze directed at Wang Xiaole seemed to silently question, "What's going on? Why is my good daughter next to you? Didn't I warn you not to wake her up?"
As for this matter, Wang Xiaole really couldn't help it. Wherever he was, Bai Meow would always follow along, like a shadow. White Water dismissed it casually, "Isn't my good granddaughter here as well? Besides, she'll be needed for the upcoming ceremony, so you spoil her too much." White Bear, unusually contradicting his mother-in-law, retorted, "It's not 'spoiling,' my attitude is normal, just like any father's would be; besides, girls truly need good rest, or it will affect their skin." "Is that so? Well, a few times waking up early won't hurt. At most, as compensation, my good granddaughter can stay in bed all day, and when it's time to eat, I will personally feed her..."
Who between White Bear and White Water was indeed the one overly indulgent? Wang Xiaole pondered seriously on this question. White Water was not going to let him drift off like this, so she coughed slightly and said to Wang Xiaole, "To show the seriousness of your own attitude, add the word 'meow' at the end of each sentence after understanding its meaning, until the moment the ceremony ends, understood?" "Understood...meow!"
Wang Xiaole understood, almost forgetting; fortunately, as White Water was about to finish her sentence, she kindly reminded him with a friendly glance. Seeing him getting into it, and with no one else present, White Water informed Wang Xiaole with a different solemn tone, "Given your previous good performance and the country's need to recruit talented individuals, the King and I have decided to appoint you as the Regent King." A Regent King was one who acted as a country's ruler before the King took charge of governance, essentially the de facto ruler of the country until the King reclaimed full authority. Past history of the mainland had seen Regent rulers more powerful than the actual Kings and Emperors, some even dethroning the monarchs eventually and taking their place. Even though the next monarch of the beastkin kingdom would be Bai Meow, ensuring that Wang Xiaole wouldn't do such a thing, it still didn't change the fact that he would have significant influence in this country's future.
"Why meow?" This question was inevitable, and now Wang Xiaole, blinking his watery eyes, showed utter confusion. "One reason: looking at the younger generation, your strength is considered top-notch, possessing the ability to protect my good granddaughter; the second reason: my good granddaughter, who has always had little contact with humans, is quite close to you, and a good relationship between ruler and councilor is essential; the third reason: compared to a certain despicable traitor, I have a better impression of you and find you more trustworthy." White Water, though not the most eloquent, was quite adept at speaking, though her last barb deeply wounded a certain bandaged King's heart...
"Do I have to agree, meow?" Unfortunately, even White Water's communication skills couldn't always persuade everyone in every conversation. There were exceptions, and Wang Xiaole was unsure if he would be one; just before he gave his final answer, Bai Meow at his side gently tugged on his sleeve. Wang Xiaole hung his head, taking a glance at Bai Meow's eyes and expression, and replied, "Okay, I'm willing to be the Regent King, meow!" White Water's long explanation still couldn't match Bai Meow's "silent" approach.
"Er...? Did you say you want to never ascend the throne and let me be the Regent King for life, meow?" It turned out, when it came to understanding 'Bai Meow language,' Wang Xiaole had surpassed even White Water. The meaning behind Bai Meow’s silence in that moment evaded even nearby White Water. And the proposal from Bai Meow was indeed her way of proving her eligibility and the best way for her to stay by her big brother's side forever. While theoretically and practically regents couldn't hold absolute power indefinitely in the presence of the reigning monarch, to Bai Meow, who inherited White's will, her relationship with her big brother was eternal and unchangeable.
White Water naturally didn't understand her granddaughter's current feelings. Her primary focus was still on the appointment ceremony of the Regent King. Urging the young man entrusted with the safety of her loved ones, White Water prompted the ceremony, "Following the impromptu steps I came up with, the new Regent King should place their palm on my good granddaughter's tail." "You admit it was impromptu, meow..." Wang Xiaole shook his head at White Water's casualness but didn't stand idle; swiftly extending his right hand, he gradually approached Bai Meow's tail, which she was flicking back and forth.
Snap! He grabbed her tail, feeling the sensation for the first time, causing Bai Meow's small body to involuntarily shake. "What do I do next, meow?" "To show affectionate closeness, use your hand to gently stroke her, but don't touch any strange places." "I don't need a warning; I wouldn’t do that in public!" Wang Xiaole, with the nerves of a green teenager, tentatively stroked the cat tail with the inside of his finger, letting the fingertips lightly brush over the furry hair.
"Meow, meow, meow." Bai Meow's expression at that moment was as if she was on the verge of melting from the extreme comfort; the sensation overwhelmed her to the point where she couldn't help but let out a series of meows, echoing like a song in the hall. White Water was taken aback by how well Wang Xiaole had executed his first attempt and found herself slightly perplexed.
As she stood there in a daze, Wang Xiaole, feeling a bit uneasy, withdrew his hand, bringing White Water back to awareness with a question, "What's the next step, meow?" "Swear loyalty verbally, the content is not limited, but it's best to say something that will make my good granddaughter happy, and if it's not good, say it again." Thinking he wasn't one to be tongue-tied, especially when it came to words to make Bai Meow happy, Wang Xiaole placed his right hand on his left shoulder and extended his left hand forward, holding Bai Meow's tiny hand. In a usual tone, he said, "I'll play with you wherever you want to go. From now on, as long as I can eat a fish, I'll be sure to share half with you!"
While his words might sound like a confession, it was more on the cheesy side; even if taken as an oath of loyalty, it sounded more like a sudden jest. Yet, in this world, what truly touched hearts was not so much the words spoken as it was about who said them and in what context. Although the grand hall was filled with a serious atmosphere, devoid of any romance, for Bai Meow, it was no less significant than the wedding halls described only in books.
Romance is not in the surroundings but in the heart. At that moment, the external environment was futile. No longer would he swallow essential words due to shyness, instead, he would say them openly. Throughout one's life, perhaps only ten or so sentences held real significance. Bai Meow might never become talkative in the future, but so what? Inheriting White's will, she wouldn't shun those three words she'd always desired, "I am willing!"
Hearing Bai Meow say those words today made Wang Xiaole genuinely happy. Yet, he still had a lingering puzzlement: Wasn't this a coronation ceremony? Wasn't it inappropriate to answer "I am willing"? At this point, the two of them no longer needed a second sentence.
Watching the two mutual affirmations, White Water felt deeply moved but didn't forget to explain, "At an appropriate time in the future, the current King will abdicate, and my good granddaughter will become the new queen of the country; and your duty is to assist her for a long time; from today, you are the fourth most important person in our country, ranking only below me, the present King, and the new Queen." White Water signaled for Wang Xiaole to come forward, personally handing him the token of the Regent King, a golden badge branded with a cat's paw pattern.
