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Although the glass ceiling offered a beautiful view at night, it was a different story during the day. In the early hours of the morning, the sun would start blazing, its bright rays flooding the room and abruptly waking me.

“I just want to sleep a little longer, nya...”

Kumo, too, seemed disturbed by these sun rays. Despite my desire to extend this moment of rest, I mechanically got up, dressing as usual. Old habits die hard, apparently.

I tried to shield Kumo from the sun’s rays by leaning over him, hoping to give him a few more moments of sleep.

As I watched him, I couldn’t help but smile. This big cat wasn’t just a dream; he was really here, right in front of me. Had the heavens finally taken pity on me, answering my silent complaints?

And now, what would become of me? Though these questions crossed my mind, they didn’t trouble me as much as before. This world seemed rather pleasant. What had Kumo called it again? Nyanko? A world populated by cats... What bliss! I couldn’t have dreamed of anything better.

I felt strangely happy thinking about it all, a smile forming on my lips.

“NYAAA!”

Kumo woke with a start, frightened to see me leaning over him with that smile. Truthfully, anyone would have been startled in such a situation.

“You’re finally awake. Did you sleep well?”

“I was sleeping well, yes, until someone decided to surprise me like that...”

He gave me an accusatory look before getting up and heading toward the door.

“Are you coming, nya?”

“Oh, uh... I’m coming!”

I hurried to get up and follow him. We headed to the dining room for breakfast. The table was again sumptuously set, with a spread of delicious foods that made my mouth water. Madame Mizu truly had a talent for cooking, but she was nowhere to be seen.

“Is Madame Mizu not here? I don’t see her anywhere.”

“It seems she went somewhere,” Kumo replied, spotting a note on the table.

It explained that she had some business to attend to and would be back shortly. She encouraged us to have breakfast and enjoy the morning.

So, we sat down. I had never seen such an appetizing breakfast. There were golden croissants, fresh-cut fruits, fluffy pancakes drizzled with maple syrup, and a wide variety of pastries.

Kumo didn’t hesitate to dive into the food, picking at everything with no restraint. On my side, I was more hesitant. My body seemed uncertain, unable to choose among all these temptations.

“The food won’t come to your mouth on its own, nya. Hurry and eat; I want to show you a really cool place afterward!”

His words snapped me out of my daze. With a mix of hesitation and excitement, I took a bite of pancake. It was absolutely delicious—a burst of sweet, comforting flavors. Kumo was lucky to have such a talented mother. A slight twinge of envy crossed my mind.

“What’s this cool place you want to show me?” I asked, curious.

“I won’t tell you! Eat first, nya!”

We quickly finished our meal, the excitement of a new discovery preventing me from savoring each bite as much as I would have liked.

Kumo led me outside with childlike eagerness, brimming with energy.

We walked along paths lined with wildflowers and shrubs, the landscape bathed in morning light. A gentle breeze carried the scent of nature and freshness. After a while, we finally arrived in front of a vast field of giant dandelions, their fluffy white seeds forming airy spheres suspended in the air.

“A field... of dandelions?” I said in surprise, looking at the expanse before us.

So, this was the “cool” place he had mentioned? Granted, the unusual size of these dandelions was impressive. Some reached as tall as 1.6 meters, even 2 meters. The sight reminded me of my grandmother, stirring a sweet nostalgia within me.

“Don’t make that face! It’s not just any field of dandelions! It’s a magical field. Mom always forbade me from coming here alone, but with you, it’s surely allowed!”

So that’s why he was in such a rush this morning! He wanted to come here before Madame Mizu returned, afraid she’d prevent him from carrying out his plan.

“Come on, step into the field; it’ll be fun, nya!”

“Wait for me! Don’t run!”

Despite Kumo’s sprint, which stirred the air, the dandelion seeds remained still, as if the wind had no effect on them. How was that possible? I was certain the wind was strong enough to carry them away.

“Kumo! Where are you?” I called, searching for him with my eyes.

Suddenly, his voice sounded further ahead in the field.

“Yui! Come over here! Look at what I found!”

I made my way through the giant dandelions, following his voice until I reached him.

“Look, this dandelion is glowing!”

Indeed, a soft golden glow emanated from the dandelion he pointed at, radiating a gentle, enchanting light. It was both fascinating and surreal.

Without thinking, Kumo began digging at the base of the dandelion, revealing a luminescent flower hidden under the ground. The flower seemed to glow with the same intensity as the dandelion, but its light dimmed suddenly once unearthed. It regained its glow upon contact with Kumo’s fur.

“A Flower of Light! If that’s not luck, nyehe!” he exclaimed, delighted with his find. He quickly tucked the flower into his fur.

“Huh?! Did you just put it in your fur?!” I asked in surprise.

“Nothing more natural, nya! Our fur is magical; it serves as a pocket to store all sorts of things, nyeheh!”

“Well, that must be very practical…”

Even though I knew I was in a magical world, every little thing that was ordinary to them still left me speechless.

“So, this field... Are only the glowing dandelions magical?”

“Not exactly, no. All the dandelions here are magical and unique.”

“All the dandelions?” I repeated, intrigued.

“Yes! Didn’t you notice something strange about the dandelions? The seeds don’t float away despite the wind.”

It was true; I had noticed it earlier.

“So, what makes them magical? I have to admit, I don’t understand...”

“I’m getting to that, nyan! If you manage to blow all the seeds away with your breath, a unique magical item appears!”

“A magical item?” I exclaimed, more intrigued.

How could you make these seeds float simply by blowing on them when they resisted even the wind? It seemed impossible, but if it meant obtaining a magical item, I could understand the challenge.

“Has anyone ever succeeded?”

“I think so, but it’s very rare. The few cats who succeeded only managed to blow away one or two dandelions at most. Those seeds are called Solanae! But why were they named that again...? Nyaa, I can’t remember…”

While Kumo was lost in thought, trying to recall, I tried blowing on a dandelion beside me. To my surprise, it only took a gentle puff for all the seeds to float away gracefully. It was fascinating!

In place of the seeds, the rest of the flower transformed into a beautiful crystal blue butterfly, which landed delicately on my shoulder.

“K-Kumo! I did it! The seeds floated away, and a butterfly appeared!”

“Nyaa! How did you do that?!”

Encouraged by this success, I blew on another dandelion. Again, the seeds floated away, and this time, little bells appeared, emitting a soft, soothing chime.

Each new discovery made this field more magical, like a treasure chest filled with unexpected surprises.

“Murmuring bells?! But how are you doing this, nya?!”

I tucked the bells into my hoodie pocket, continuing to blow on other dandelions, followed closely by the crystal butterfly.

The ease with which I accomplished this task made me feel light, and a pure joy filled me. It was as if all my worries vanished into the air, carried away by these floating seeds. My laughter echoed in the field, filled with a childlike glee I hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Are you sure of your information about these dandelions, Kumo? It’s pretty easy, haha!”

“Holy dried fish... How is this possible? I’m sure of my info… What did Solanae mean again, and why did the seeds float?” he murmured to himself, clearly baffled.

While Kumo continued muttering in his corner, searching for answers to his puzzle, I kept wandering through the field, making dandelion after dandelion float away.

The sight of the floating seeds was breathtaking. Each breath revealed new objects, all more peculiar than the last, though most turned into small spheres resembling flowers.

“Solanae... Solanae...” Kumo repeated before suddenly stopping. “But… Wait, I remember now… These seeds only float for...”

When I turned my head toward him, I saw his expression darken, a clear sadness visible on his face. What was happening? Was it because he couldn’t make the seeds float himself? Or maybe his information was wrong?

POV Kumo:

The Solanae… Yui, seeing the joyful expression on your face after blowing on these seeds, I finally understood everything.

The name “Solanae” comes from the Latin word “sol,” which means “sun.” It evokes warmth, light, and, by extension, joy. These emotions that I saw reflected on your face...

These seeds are drawn to those who carry an inner sorrow or a great need. They symbolize healing, responding to inner pain by offering a magical item meant to awaken joy within the person.