Aira froze.
Snowball released the emperor's hand. Then he sat down on the emperor's desk as if nothing had happened. He calmly licked his paw. His expression was completely innocent.
Aira slowly covered her mouth.
The emperor looked at his hand.
Then at the cat.
Then at Aira.
Aira's shoulders began shaking.
"Don't."
"Pfttt.. I'm not...l-laughing."
"You are."
"I'm trying not to."
The emperor's expression darkened.
Snowball blinked at him. Then he looked at Aira. His face was the very definition of innocence.
Aira pointed at him. "Look! He doesn't even know what he did!"
The emperor stared at her. "That creature knows exactly what it did."
Snowball blinked. "Meow."
Aira nodded. "See?"
The emperor's eyes narrowed. "I am beginning to dislike that cat."
Aira immediately hugged Snowball. "But I like him!"
The emperor looked at her. She gave him the puppy eyes again. The emperor's expression twitched. "No."
Aira's lower lip trembled. "Please?"
"No."
