The White Cat That Swore Vengeance Was Just Lazing on the Dragon King’s Lap - Volume 2 - Chapter Pr

Prologue

The gentle rays of the afternoon sun beamed into the royal office.

Ruri, in her cat form, was occupying her usual seat atop Jade’s lap. Jade was right in the middle of his administrative paperwork. Sometimes, however, he would drop what he was doing to pet Ruri’s head, running his fingers through her soft, fluffy fur in order to replenish himself with the cuddly comfort he so craved. Ruri didn’t mind Jade’s petting either. She squinted her eyes contentedly, not an ounce of dissatisfaction on her face.

There was a knock at the office door. Once Jade gave permission for the person to enter, a slightly tired-looking Joshua stepped into the room. Seeing the state Joshua was in, Jade’s smile took an about-face into something more serious. Ruri saw that and instinctively corrected her posture.

“I’ve returned, sir.”

“Excellent. So, how are things looking?”

“They seemed to be pretty gung-ho about beating the Nation of the Dragon King. I don’t know if they just don’t understand their role or they’re just being optimistically naive, but having a bona fide idiot for a king sure makes you pity those poor citizens,” Joshua replied. His tone was frivolous, but his words conveyed a strong disdain for the King of Nadasha.

Soon war would commence between the Nation of the Dragon King and their neighboring nation, Nadasha.

Although it felt like a matter happening in some faraway world, Ruri was very much involved in this upcoming war. The path she’d had to take before coming to the Nation of the Dragon King and ultimately leading a carefree existence sitting atop Jade’s lap was long and arduous.

Once upon a time, Ruri Morikawa lived in Japan, constantly struggling to deal with her childhood friend, Asahi Shinomiya. She eventually enrolled in higher education and was in the midst of enjoying her fresh start as a college student. That was until, one day, Ruri found herself abruptly summoned to this alternate world along with Asahi and four of her former classmates from middle school. Ruri tried her best to settle into life in this new place, the Land of Nadasha, despite the sudden turn of events—until she was framed for a murder plot and exiled into a dangerous forest.

As luck would have it, an elderly dragonkin woman named Chelsie who lived in the forest took Ruri in. After enough time had passed, Ruri moved to the royal capital of the Nation of the Dragon King, and even though she held out hope for a way to return to her world, she also grew accustomed to life in this different world.

Although still seething in rage at the people responsible for summoning her, not only was she away from Asahi, the bane of her existence, but she was enjoying her life in this alternate world being gainfully employed in the Nation of the Dragon King. She was at a turning point—instilled with motivation to keep trying her best for the future. However, that was when she heard the rumors of Nadasha plotting to invade the Nation of the Dragon King.

Jade, the King of the Nation of the Dragon King, quickly sent out his intelligence operative, Joshua, to investigate. His investigation finished, he returned and was right in the middle of reporting his findings. Jade’s greenish-blue eyes were focused on Joshua. Though his graceful features were wrought with exasperation, he listened attentively to the report. Ruri also listened in, quietly atop Jade’s lap.

“They’re forcing people into a draft and buying up weapons left and right. I was only half-convinced before, but now it does seem that Nadasha is steadily prepping toward an invasion. I have no doubt it will lead to war.”

“Do they honestly think they stand any semblance of a chance...?” Jade rhetorically asked as he sighed in disappointment.

Joshua smiled wryly, apparently thinking the same way. “Most of the people taking part in this war are a bunch of inexperienced citizens. Those implicated with the exiled moderates are eager to regain their good standings in the nation, but their morale isn’t exactly high considering the majority of troops are folks forced into serving. I have to wonder if they actually intend on winning this war, don’t you?”

“What in the blazes is the King of Nadasha trying to do here? This is practically sending his subjects to die in vain.”

Ruri flinched upon hearing the words “die in vain.”

“Hey, Joshua? Will their figurehead, the Priestess Princess, also be taking part in the war?”

“Yeah, looks like the Priestess Princess is joining in too.”

Ruri’s expression turned dour. Despite her practically drilling the warnings into Asahi’s head, the message just didn’t stick at all with her, betraying all of Ruri’s expectations. The very thought of the upcoming war was enough to leave Ruri unsettled.