In this chapter, the cat and the steward discuss the recent disappearances of royal guards and civilians in the castle. The cat wonders if the disappearances are the work of a "mere human" , but the steward assures him that the king does not want to involve himself in the affairs of his kingdom. The steward also tells the cat that the duke of eric is in town, and the cat speculates that he has come to settle down with his wife and child. The next day, three guards go missing, and nine more go missing in a week, bringing the total number of missing royal guards to nine.