《I Reincarnated As A Villainess, But Why Did I Become A Cat Butler Instead?》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 I opened a door that was guarded by five knights and entered solemnly. Inside was a woman who was dressed in dazzlingly beautiful garb, yet she was sobbing forlornly. ¡°Take it off, Ren¨¦e.¡± She raised her head when she heard my voice. As she saw me, she immediately shrank in terror. ¡°Ro-Rowaine?¡± There wasn¡¯t much time, so I hurriedly began to undress her. ¡°You¡¯ll be shipped off soon. There is no turning back if it¡¯s not now. You don¡¯t want to get married, do you?¡± ¡°Why are you doing this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Sister was being abused by mother all this time, and I pretended I didn¡¯t see anything. This is my apology for turning a blind eye.¡± At the candid confession, Ren¨¦e stopped sobbing and instead gaped at me. ¡°What¡¯s the reason you¡¯re saying this now¡­?¡± I caressed her tear-stricken cheeks. ¡°If I allow you to leave like this, Sister, then we¡¯ll both become unhappy. From now on, I want to change our fates.¡± Ren¨¦e¡¯s eyes trembled minutely as if she couldn¡¯t believe my words. It had always been like this. Ren¨¦e had always been ignored by her younger half-sibling. Whenever Ren¨¦e was being abused by her stepmother¡ªRowaine¡¯s biological mother¡ªRowaine inevitably turned a blind eye to it all and never once reached out a helping hand. I held her shoulders gently, hoping to reassure her. ¡°So, this marriage¡­ if you don¡¯t want it for yourself, I¡¯ll take your place.¡± Ren¨¦e widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°You love someone else, don¡¯t you, Sister?¡± There really was no time left. Soon, people would come to pick up the bride. I finally urged Ren¨¦e into switching our clothes, then I covered my face with a veil. Without a moment to spare, she managed to sneak out the room before people came in. Those people roughly dragged me out as if I were a criminal, then threw me into a carriage, which soon rattled off as it departed. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Only at this moment did I relax, removing the veil and sighing in relief. I couldn¡¯t exactly reveal it to Ren¨¦e, but I wasn¡¯t doing this out of the goodness of my heart. ¡®We need to twist the original¡­¡¯ It was also to save me from the horrendous death I would face as a cruel villainess. Anyway, the person who would be my husband now was an indifferent man who never came to see the bride¡¯s face, so he probably wouldn¡¯t bat an eyelash at the sudden switcheroo. ¡°Although¡­ He might hate it since it¡¯s ¡®Rowaine¡¯ who¡¯s become his bride.¡± I was currently known to have many different nicknames. Demon, slave murderer, blood-crazed villainess. Regardless of the original Rowaine, these nicknames had been accumulated by the ¡®original owner of this body¡¯ through the evil deeds she had committed. There wasn¡¯t exactly a decent nickname attached to my current identity, but what bothers me the most was the notorious nickname of ¡®Shapeshifter Disparager.¡¯ Because my soon-to-be husband, who I would shortly meet, was a cat shapeshifter. * * * When I opened my eyes in this world, it was hard for me to comprehend what was happening at first. ¡®I was definitely looking for a cat.¡¯ On one chilly evening, just as my autumn stroll ended when the sun had set, I stopped by the countryside house where my grandmother and I lived. I packed up some white rice cakes and mugwort rice cakes. As I snuck out of the gate with a jacket on, the sighs of the neighborhood aunties and my maternal grandmother dug straight into my heart. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re still looking for those kittens every night like a crazy woman?¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be so harsh. My mother died, too, so I know how they feel.¡± ¡°Yeah, but do you know how dark out it was last night that I thought ghosts were wandering around the rice fields. My heart was about to pop off my rib cage then,¡± one of the aunties said. My grandmother, who sat between the chattering aunties, looked at me and sighed. ¡°Eun-soo, it¡¯s dark out so be careful. Come back quickly.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go near Mr. Kim¡¯s house!¡± added Mrs. Lee, our next-door neighbor, a bitter smile pasted on her worried face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Kim Deok-soo. As soon as I heard that devil¡¯s name, tears threatened to burst from my eyes. I held back my tears and left through the gate. He was an old man who wiped out four cats that I cared for by putting rat poison in a bowl of local cat food. For more than a decade, I took care of those cats as if they were my own children. They were supposed to have been raised as village cats so they could catch mice, but since they were only recently born and subsequently abandoned on the streets without proper hunting skills taught by an adult cat, the malnourished kittens were left wandering around the village. It had already been more than a decade since I first started giving them food and medicine, caring for them because I saw myself in those four kittens, who would have just died lonely and helplessly. I was overcome with grief and rage as I saw them lying motionlessly on the ground, seeming to have coughed blood overnight. I reported it to the police, yet they immediately believed Mr. Kim¡¯s words over mine even as it was obvious he was only pretending to be innocent. I couldn¡¯t kick up a fuss in the neighborhood, and with my grandmother there, I couldn¡¯t express my qualms and frustrations freely. Since then, I just wandered around the rural streets every night hoping to find the last kitten, who had not yet been discovered. With a torn heart, I hoped to find the child either dead or alive. I would be glad to even find a dead body. That day, too, in the middle of the night, I went outside with a flashlight in tow to go on a search. As I was walking alone on the street at night, crying while no one was around, my flashlight suddenly flickered, and soon it lost power. I was standing on a dark road next to the highway. Sometimes, the traffic lights wouldn¡¯t turn on and so the cars that would pass by would sometimes swerve to the road used by pedestrians. But the road I was using then was usually deserted, so there really were no streetlights on. I stood by the white cement roadside and changed my flashlight¡¯s batteries. Without a flashlight, the surroundings were so dark that I could have easily rolled down the rice fields three meters below. But then, my vision was blinded as if the night sky had suddenly become broad daylight. A truck, which had swerved away from the highway, sped down the pedestrian road without any sign of slowing down. Alarmed, the driver peered down and met eyes with me. The scene played out in slow motion. Bang! I felt an incomparable impact meeting my body, and then my eyes immediately went dark. At that moment. ¡®Meow!¡¯ ¡®Nyaaoo!¡¯ ¡®Yaaoo!¡¯ Some ways away, the sound of several cats crying was accompanied by the halted staccato of a ticking clock, which eventually stopped. Those were the cries of my cats. ¡®Where are you? Where¡ª¡¯ Basking in a brilliant light, I floundered about searching for them, believing that a miracle happened and they returned to me alive. ¡®Then, I woke up in this world.¡¯ In the body of a novel¡¯s supporting character named Rowaine Larscel. Although I was confused about what the hell happened to me, I knew I was definitely inside a novel. ¡®¡­Am I dead?¡¯ But, why did I open my eyes as a character in the novel I have read before? And why a villainess of all people? ¡®The last thing I heard, those cries¡­ it was only a hallucination.¡¯ Perhaps it was because I myself had died, so only then I was able to hear the voices of my departed cats. Or maybe I was stuck in an imaginary world in my head and, like a limp vegetable, I had no ability to wake up on my own. I had many questions, but no answers. Even so, this must be a world where everything was real, not just a dream or a fantasy. After a moment of confusion, I had no choice but to accept this situation. If I stay still without doing anything, according to the plot of the novel, I would be left helpless to the crisis of becoming the old Emperor¡¯s concubine¡­ I was meant to become a mistress of an old man who already had a grown-up child. And while that¡¯s terrible in its own right, I would also have to deal with internal politics within the Imperial Palace. A lot of people were fated to die in the process. In the novel, Rowaine stayed as the old Emperor¡¯s concubine for quite some time, and in the end, she, too, was unable to avoid death. In that case, I didn¡¯t have the confidence to pull off acting like Rowaine and gaining the emperor¡¯s love to endure the deadly conflicts within the Palace tactfully. And at that, I forced myself to adapt to this world and somehow forge a plan for a better future. In the end, the plan I thought of was a contractual marriage with the Duke of Blois, who was known to be the ultimate villain of the novel. When I woke up in this world, Ren¨¦e hadn¡¯t been married off to the Duke yet. In the few days I had to adjust here, I observed and deliberated the Duke and Ren¨¦e¡¯s marriage. I then decided to switch places with Ren¨¦e. This was for me to escape the flow of the novel using the Duke of Blois. ¡®Have we already arrived?¡¯ As the carriage stopped, I peeked out the curtain and, with a tense face, I swallowed to moisten my dry throat. It was because I felt weighed down by the prominence of this overwhelmingly large mansion. The coachman bellowed, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived!¡± The carriage door opened and a man, who introduced himself as a butler, greeted me. When I looked around, I couldn¡¯t see anyone who might have been the groom who would come to pick up his bride. ¡°I shall guide you.¡± Indifferently, the butler ushered me to the Duke¡¯s office with a polite yet rigid demeanor. As the door opened, I slowly went inside and saw a man, who was holding a pen and resting his chin on the desk with a drowsy face. He slowly raised his head. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± His emerald eyes, glistening with a translucent luster, caught my attention at once. ¡®Green¡­¡¯ The wide almond-shaped eyes, with their ends raised, seemed as though they were meticulously painted on his features. He had exceptionally large pupils. It felt as though my soul was being possessed. For a moment, I was mesmerized by the beautiful color of his sharp gaze, but I finally came to my senses as I took a step closer to him. The pupils, which were narrowed up until a while ago due to the glare of the sunlight, widened as he looked towards my direction as I walked into a relatively dark spot. ¡®Cat.¡¯ His apathetic gaze made me feel self conscious, and I was suddenly embarrassed by my appearance in this wedding dress. Even though I was informed that the Duke would not hold a ceremony, the dress I was wearing meticulously picked down to the right color, so no one would find any faults as the bride would greet the groom for the first time. Rowaine¡¯s father, Count Larscel, seemed to have expressed his desire to have dinner with the Duke, but the latter had no intention of showing that much sincerity. ¡°It would be good to know each other¡¯s faces, right?¡± he muttered indifferently as he stood up and approached me. Surprisingly, he moved without making a sound. His steps were more graceful and refined than I would have imagined, his stature taller than I thought. As he stood below a colorful lamp powered by magic, his grey hair shined with a blue sheen. I took a calming breath and eyed the end of the veil that he was slowly removing. He stared at me with languid eyes. I returned his gaze, but slowly shut my eyes once, twice, like a habit. It was a cat¡¯s eye greeting. I¡¯m not a danger to you. I do not hold any malice. ¡­was the meaning of those blinks. Then, his eyebrows furrowed as if he was seeing something interesting. The corners of his lips twisted up. ¡°I haven¡¯t even taken off your veil yet, but are you already seducing me?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Mortified, I flapped my lips like a goldfish when I meant to say my name to introduce myself, yet I was rendered speechless by a rush of embarrassment. In the meantime, he put his hand on my shoulder. ¡°But then again, you¡¯re not Ren¨¦e Larscel, are you? Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ¡®I can¡¯t believe he saw through me right away.¡¯ The hands that rested on my shoulders were strong. He put more strength into the grasp. I tried to look at him confidently without flinching in pain. ¡°Is this how the Count conducts business? Changing goods like this is unforgivable.¡± He was truly insensitive, going as far as calling people mere commodities. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you, Duke Blois,¡± I said, conceding immediately before he¡¯d break my shoulder like it¡¯s a toy. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m not Ren¨¦e. I am her sister Rowaine.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± He was a villain described as very capricious, cruel, and cold-hearted. Knowing that he never hesitated to kill or destroy people as he pleased, I chose my next words carefully ¡°I thought that it doesn¡¯t matter who the bride is. I hear you¡¯re looking for a woman of the right family¡­ isn¡¯t this the case?¡± His head tilted to one side. Maybe it¡¯s because what I said wasn¡¯t wrong, so the hand over my shoulder relaxed a bit. It was as though he was a cat playing with prey without any intention of eating it. Depending on its mood, a cat would either let go of the game when it wasn¡¯t hungry, or would keep playing with it until it stopped breathing. Whereafter, the cat would throw it away without devouring it. ¡°I heard that abusing shapeshifters like me is a hobby of yours.¡± He laughed quietly as if he were having fun. Unable to grasp the meaning of that laughter, I swallowed to wet my dry throat and spoke a little brazenly. ¡°When you discussed the matter with my father and my sister, from what I understand, there was no such condition that a woman who mistreats shapeshifters could never be the Duke¡¯s marriage partner. The rest of the conditions are things that I also meet, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem.¡± His emerald eyes gleamed dangerously. Somehow, as I tried to get out of this crisis, I felt as if I walked into another one instead. I quickly added before he could say anything else. ¡°If my hobby will pose a problem, then I promise that I will never play with the Duke.¡± ¡°Ha?¡± Laughter erupted from the Duke of Blois. * * * The Duke let out a laugh, and I wasn¡¯t sure whether it was a ridicule or not. Without saying anything, he shooed me off to the butler. The butler then took me to the annex, sternly explaining that the Duke would never allow first-time guests to stay in the main building. ¡®If he was going to accept me as a bride, he wouldn¡¯t have given me a room in the annex.¡¯ In the novel, Ren¨¦e was guided to a bedroom on the fourth floor, which could only be used by the Duke¡¯s family. This was during the first day she entered the Duke¡¯s residence. On the other hand, I was driven away to the annex building. Even if I didn¡¯t ask what the Duke planned to do with me, I knew what was going on. Still, I decided not to jump the gun. ¡®I did come up with a plan, after all.¡¯ He would need me soon because I knew what Ren¨¦e saw in the Duke¡¯s room on the first day. According to the novel, the same thing would ensue around midnight later. ¡°If you need anything, you may pull the rope.¡± And at the butler¡¯s remark, I was left alone in the cold room. ¡°Is there any good excuse to somehow be in front of the Duke¡¯s room later¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t long before midnight. * * * At the Duke¡¯s Office¡ª After Rowaine left, Dimitri sat down in front of his desk, fingers pressing over his temples. Someone knocked and opened the door before entering the room. He was a man with sharp eyes and dark blue hair. ¡°What are you going to do with her?¡± the man asked and handed him a glass of wine placed on a tray. ¡°Who knows.¡± Dimitri took a large sip of the wine. As the pungent liquid flowed down his throat, warmth spread inside his chest. ¡°If it¡¯s Rowaine Larscel¡­ Isn¡¯t that the woman the Emperor is coveting? At the last banquet at the Imperial Palace, she was caught kissing Count Hermann Herth by the Emperor.¡± Trying to suppress his throbbing headache, Dimitri recalled the woman who had just looked up at him. She looked daring, but it didn¡¯t seem like she was any special. As if it wasn¡¯t enough to steal the Emperor¡¯s heart, she even had a rendezvous with another man right under the Emperor¡¯s nose in the palace. If he weren¡¯t a ferocious playboy, that would have been enough to provoke the Emperor¡¯s jealousy. ¡®Either way, she must have that much confidence to keep the Emperor¡¯s attention like that.¡¯ Why would such a woman suddenly abandon the emperor and say that she came to become my bride? ¡°From the looks of it, it doesn¡¯t seem like Count Larscel forced her to come. What the hell is she up to?¡± Was Count Larscel involved? Dimitri didn¡¯t know for certain, but it didn¡¯t seem like this was the case. Count Larscel was a businessman¡ªhis eyes lit up at the opportunity of selling his daughters to anyone who could pay the highest bid. ¡®Although, I must say¡­¡¯ Dimitri leaned back languidly on his chair. ¡®She smelled good, that girl.¡¯ The scent was so good that he could forget this terrible headache for a moment. It was one that he had never smelled before. It was like a fresh incense from dried bark or ground grass, but Dimitri had to be careful not to get drunk by it and bury his nose into Rowaine¡¯s nape. ¡®Is it a magical incense that has a seductive effect? I¡¯ve never heard of anything so powerful.¡¯ Dimitri¡¯s eyes narrowed. He licked his dry lips as if to taste it again. But instead, he winced at the coming headache. ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± The blue-haired assistant, Hyle worriedly asked as he saw Dmitri pressing his fingers into his forehead with great force. ¡°It must have gotten worse.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s not time yet, is it?¡± Hyle¡¯s eyes tensed up. He hurriedly approached the Duke and placed a hand on his forehead. He was burning up. ¡°I shall take you to your bedroom.¡± * * * I left the room quietly. To return to the main building, I had to traverse the wide back garden. On the way, I met two guards and one servant, but they all passed me without any doubt as I pretended to be walking slowly as if I was taking a stroll. When I reached the main building, I took off a glove and threw it away somewhere in the grass before entering through the back door. The butler, who was about to go up the stairs with a towel on a tray, found me there and descended the steps. ¡°Is something the matter?¡± ¡°Ah, I must have left my glove in the Duke¡¯s office a while ago.¡± The butler glanced at the towel with a slightly impatient expression and said, ¡°Instead of coming all the way here, a maid could have fetched it for you.¡± ¡°I wanted to go on a stroll anyway because the garden I passed by earlier was so beautiful. I might be kicked out tomorrow, so I wanted to see it since I had the chance.¡± As expected, the butler did not deny that I could be kicked out tomorrow. ¡°I shall have a maid take your glove to the annex.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s something I cherish, so I don¡¯t want to let anyone else touch it.¡± The butler frowned, clearly miffed. However, like any skilled employee, he changed his expression in an instant. ¡°Please follow me. No one can enter the office without the Duke¡¯s permission, so if you wait at the door, I will find it for you.¡± ¡°All right.¡± I followed the butler up the stairs. The Duke¡¯s office was on the third floor, and his bedroom was on the fourth floor. ¡®It seems like the Duke had already moved to his bedroom, seeing that the butler was about to bring that towel upstairs.¡¯ Following the butler silently until the third floor, the moment he entered the office, I quickly ran up the stairs. ¡®Where is it?¡¯ I was walking along the hallway when I saw a blue-haired man coming out of a room with a gloomy expression. By the color of his hair, I realized at once that he was the Viscount Hyle Bilph, the Duke¡¯s aide. ¡°Why is it taking so long to get just one towel?¡± he grunted as he went to the stairs. I swiftly hid behind a statue by the steps and held my breath, waiting for him to pass. After the Viscount went down the stairs in search of the butler, I went to the door that he came out from. Feeling a little nervous, I placed my hand on the doorknob and carefully turned it. The door swung open. The air in the room was cool because all the windows were open. As soon as I opened the door, I passed the tables and sofas and went deeper into the room. There, the Duke could be seen lying on a large bed. In the novel, Ren¨¦e saw the Duke being transported by Viscount Bilph, after which the Duke threatened her to forget what she saw and say nothing about it to anyone, all without explaining what had just happened. The Duke¡¯s disease was actually a magical curse with symptoms of poisoning. It was a curse that would not take his life, but it made him live with terrible pain for the rest of his life. The reason I dared to sneak into the duke¡¯s room was because the fact that the Duke was under a curse was top secret. No one would have allowed me to meet the Duke in his present condition. Still, I had to meet him now. I cautiously approached him as he lay on the bed. Perhaps feeling my presence, the sleeping duke opened his eyes and murmured briefly. ¡°Shedim.¡± At that moment, a black, meandering mist came out from under his feet and wrapped around me. Looking as if it were a boa constrictor as large as a house that immobilized its prey, the black mist coiled around me with great force. ¡°Urk.¡± The Duke sat up on the bed, frowning. His emerald eyes glared at me sharply. ¡°Do I even have to ask why you snuck into my room like a rat?¡± Perhaps because of the pain, his eyes were full of anger. Fearing that he would kill me because he thought I was troublesome, I hurriedly spoke. ¡°Please take me as your bride.¡± ¡°Ha. You came here just for that?¡± Though he laughed at the ridiculous statement, cold sweat formed on his forehead. Calmly, even though I felt pain as the black mist tightened around me, I continued. ¡°That pain. I¡¯ll get rid of it for you.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 It seemed like he thought I was talking nonsense. Or, no¡ªwith his eyes hooded and vision seemingly blurred¡ªmaybe he couldn¡¯t react or make any precise judgments because of the pain wracking through his body. ¡°¡­Get out.¡± Duke Blois called for Viscount Hyle Bilph. In the meantime, the black fog on me loosened, perhaps because the hostility he had for me faded a little. Seeing my chance to escape, I wrenched myself away. As if he hadn¡¯t just tried to hurt me or as if I never felt pain from the strange fog at all, I approached the Duke. ¡°I have the ability to heal. If what I¡¯m saying is a lie, then you can do whatever you want with me.¡± He raised his brows and looked at me. ¡°Don¡¯t come near me.¡± ¡°It will only take a minute.¡± To prove that I had nothing in my hand, I reached out and showed him my palms¡ªslowly, so as not to alarm him. But then he suddenly grabbed my hand. Suddenly, I could feel a soft duvet beneath me on my back, helpless as I was thrown onto the bed. ¡°¡­!¡± It was only a short moment, but I was pushed with a tremendous force. Dumbfounded by the situation, I thought I could deal with it easily, but I couldn¡¯t help but wince at the tight grip on my wrist. It felt like he was going to break it. Tears welled up in both fear and pain. Peering down at me from above, he was close enough that I could feel his breath. His pupils were wide open. It was the gruesome glint of a predator¡¯s eye upon its prey. ¡°I gave you a warning. I told you to stay away.¡± With his body pressed against my chest, he buried his face onto the curve of my neck. His nose and cheeks touched my ears lightly. Perhaps because it was the heat from his fever, but his hot breath tickled my ears. Duke Blois whispered in a low, seething voice, as if he was growling. ¡°I want to swallow up this scent. What exactly is this?¡± He spoke in a slower, but sharper tone. Even though he was speaking human words, at this moment, he emanated the air of a beast. Every time his breaths traced over my sensitive nape, goosebumps rose and I couldn¡¯t help but shudder. His teeth were so close to piercing my throat at any moment. ¡®This guy¡¯s driving me crazy.¡¯ Even though the heat he exuded was overwhelming, I felt strangely chilled. ¡°It feels good.¡± His eyes were languid as he raised his head, as if he was drunk. A low, growling vibration could be heard from his throat. Duke Blois rubbed his face onto me in slow, gentle circles¡ªon my cheeks, my shoulders, my hands, like a cat smearing his pheromones to mark his territory. His skin was burning, his temperature overtaken by this fever. With him being so engrossed, I held my breath and froze my movements so that he wouldn¡¯t be provoked. I did so desperately, but my heart continued to pound heavily because of the embarrassment gradually setting in. ¡®Why is he doing this?¡¯ I still couldn¡¯t understand what scent he¡¯s talking about. I didn¡¯t like having perfumes or artificial scents on my body, so I never sprayed anything on myself. The previous Rowaine had collected a lot of perfumes, but I myself never wore such things. The pain that the Duke felt must have been excruciating, which was why he could have started hallucinating just now. But even so, I calmly took a breath and cleared my thoughts to concentrate. ¡®Let¡¯s use that ability.¡¯ He pulled my hand and buried his face into it, taking a deep breath. Touching another person¡¯s face was an unfamiliar and bizarre feeling¡ªhis flimsy eyelids, his sharp nose, his soft lips. Hot breath tickled my palms. I tried to concentrate, but I shivered as the back of my neck tensed up. ¡®I¡¯ve tried it a few times and practiced it, so I know I can do it.¡¯ Soon, I could feel a refreshing and warm aura surrounding my body. I condensed that energy onto my hand, then passed this energy onto the cheek that I held. I could feel the energy connect to him as it coursed over his veins. With his cheek as its starting point, the energy flowed through his head and circled down to his body, piercing through all obstructions as it spread to every corner. At that moment, he opened his eyes. Unlike earlier, his gaze was now clearly focused. ¡°You¡­¡± He grabbed my wrist and removed my hand from his face. ¡°What just¡­¡± The Duke frowned, his gaze switching from my eyes to my hands, then back again. ¡°I felt something inside me. What did you do?¡± It was a calm voice. I responded only after I realized he had regained his senses. ¡°I told you I had the ability to heal.¡± With confusion clouding over his eyes, he stood up and spoke, his voice shaking slightly. ¡°Get off me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. A little more and¡­¡± ¡°Do your ears not work? I told you to leave!¡± At his sudden outburst, I flinched in astonishment. Duke Blois got up from his bed, walked over to the window, and took a few deep breaths of the air outside. I was at a loss for words. Who was it exactly that pinned me down and rubbed his face all over me? At that moment, a knock could be heard from outside. Though there was no answer, Viscount Bilph came without any prompting. ¡°Why are you standing¡­ Miss Rowaine?¡± Viscount Bilph¡¯s expression hardened as he set his eyes on me. ¡°The butler has been looking for you downstairs. Why are you here?¡± With his back still facing us, the Duke spoke in a low, incensed voice. ¡°The manor¡¯s security is pathetic. You can¡¯t even take care of one woman who took it upon herself to come and hide in my room?¡± Viscount Bilph shut his eyes tightly. ¡°Please allow me to correct my errors, sir!¡± ¡°Lock her away.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± The fact that the Duke was ill was confidential, and because I had trespassed into his room, this type of punishment was only to be expected. Presenting an obedient demeanor before the Viscount would grab me, I said one last thing to the Duke with a clear voice. ¡°I showed you my cards. If you want my help, I hope you don¡¯t take too long to decide. I myself am a bit fickle, too.¡± * * * Locked up in the guest room at the annex that had been initially assigned to me by the Duke¡¯s behest, I had nothing else to do but lay flat on the bed. Even if I was confined here, there was only a guard standing in front of the door, and for the most part, I was glad that they didn¡¯t take me to the dungeon. ¡®It had a temporary sedative effect, but the curse couldn¡¯t be lifted that easily.¡¯ With my eyes shut, I remained still as I felt the warm aura swirling in my body. Not long after I opened my eyes in this world, I realized that I had healing powers. Rowaine didn¡¯t originally possess this power. As far as I know, no one else in this novel, not just Rowaine, had such abilities. ¡®A new ability bestowed upon me.¡¯ I clenched and unclenched my fists, hands still warm. ¡®Maybe God felt sorry for giving me just an empty bottle, so he gave me some medicine as well¡­¡¯ Perhaps his conscience was prickled after making me die at a young age, then reincarnating me as a villain in a novel? I hadn¡¯t the slightest idea. Even if God really exists, how can a mere mortal understand his will? It was just a little disappointing. ¡®It would have been nice if I had this ability before.¡¯ If I did, I would have been able to save my cats, and they wouldn¡¯t have passed away far too early. After my mother¡¯s demise, I had only two wishes. To live happily with my cats for a long time. And to have the ability to heal the sick. That was all I ever hoped for. * * * At daybreak, Dimitri found himself tossing and turning because sleep wouldn¡¯t come to him. ¡®What the hell did she do to me?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t remember properly. As his mind was hazy due to his pain, he became drunk on the scent that she exuded. No rationality was left to prevent himself from latching onto her. After that, as if he had been drugged, his body wouldn¡¯t listen. It felt like he was on the brink of madness. The pleasing scent that wafted through the air broke Dimitri¡¯s vigilance and lulled his sharp senses. The fresh smell of grass. It wasn¡¯t enough to get it all over his body, so he wanted to lick, chew and swallow it all down his throat¡­ ¡®Is it a scent that induces hallucination? Not seduction magic?¡¯ But then the scent itself didn¡¯t feel like it had any magical effects, and human magic didn¡¯t work well on him, especially because of his connection to demons. He wasn¡¯t used to this body that was free of pain. He had felt that excruciating anguish more than a hundred times, but after going under that hallucination and subsequently coming back to his senses, he knew that the pain should have come back by now. Nevertheless, he felt lighter than ever. After being afflicted by that magic poison, the pain had continued to be a daily occurrence. He had only been suppressing it with the demonic powers he had somehow. Whenever the agony wound up after being suppressed, it would explode all at once and he¡¯d fall ill just as he did earlier. It was the first time Dimitri felt refreshed after a very long time. ¡®The ability to heal¡­¡¯ He¡¯d never heard of such a thing. There were historical records from the distant past about people who used the power of God to heal people, but nowadays it was only a myth. There wasn¡¯t any kind of magic that could cure a disease. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is that she did, but it¡¯s too bad.¡¯ Anyway, he thought it would be best to dig up her background and research that strange scent and energy that permeated his body. After much thought, Dimitri did not fall asleep until daybreak. Then, he had a dream. In his dream was Rowaine. No, looking closer, it wasn¡¯t Rowaine, but a stranger. Dressed in clothes he had never seen before, it was a woman who smiled at the four cats that surrounded her. The cats were biting some green leaves on her lap, and the fresh grassy scent that emanated from Rowaine surrounded the area¡­ One of the cats that had been diligently biting the leaves suddenly locked eyes with him. At the same time, a faint voice flowed into his head. ¡®We sent her to you.¡¯ Another voice chimed in. ¡®She left this world too early.¡¯ ¡®We¡¯ll grant you a wish.¡¯ ¡®As long as she¡¯s happy.¡¯ Suddenly, the cats were all staring at him, those glinting eyes clear with anticipation. It was a strange dream. When Dimitri woke up, the sun was already high up in the sky. Brushing it off as a strange dream, he didn¡¯t think much about it. He assumed it must be a peculiar aftereffect from what he went through last night. He promptly shook off thoughts about dreams and whatnot, then began his routine. The next time he met Rowaine was at around lunchtime, when Dimitri heard that someone had arrived from the Larscel County. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 At the time Rowaine broke into Dimitri¡¯s room, a commotion broke out at the Larscel County. ¡°How does this make sense? How can this be?!¡± Count Larscel, who had already started to lose hair from the back of his head, ripped off his cherished hair. The Countess fretted and tried to calm him down. She had been watching over from afar until now because she was afraid of her enraged husband. ¡°Calm down, honey.¡± ¡°Do I look like I can calm down? How can the bride change?!¡± Count Larscel¡¯s fierce eyes turned to Ren¨¦e, who was standing in the corner of the foyer, unable to even breathe properly. ¡°Is your brain working or not? Did you think it makes sense to send your sister instead?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s¡ª¡± The Countess hurriedly sided with her husband. ¡°You must have tricked that innocent girl! Is this all just a game to you?¡± The Countess was referring to her daughter, who made her cruel nature known to the world, as an ¡®innocent child.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡­¡± Ren¨¦e couldn¡¯t even say anything in the midst of shedding tears. Because she didn¡¯t protest and kept sobbing instead, the Count and his wife became even more furious. ¡®Maybe I should have stopped Rowaine?¡¯ Ren¨¦e thought so out of fear. ¡®But¡­¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to marry the Duke of Blois. Duke Blois was surrounded by so many rumors and he rarely showed his face in the social world. He was notorious as a blood-crazed beast who ran rampant on the battlefield, not knowing how to distinguish between enemies and allies. His capricious and cruel nature was beyond description, and it was said that many employees ended up dying after going to the Blois estate. Whatever rumor she heard about him, the weak Ren¨¦e could only cower in fear. ¡®He¡¯s definitely a scary person¡­¡¯ There must be a reason why so many people were telling similar stories. Ren¨¦e, who was weak at heart, never wanted to marry such a man. She had already suffered so much from the bullying and neglect she had received at home, and marriage was her last chance to leave such a dreadful life. If the household she was going to be married into was another hell, then she¡¯d rather not go. Above all, she had someone she loved. Rowaine told her to run away with her lover right away after they switched places, but¡­ ¡®Can I really do that?¡¯ She didn¡¯t have the courage. The world outside the mansion was unknown to her. Ren¨¦e hesitated because of her timid personality. While deliberating whether she¡¯d be able to gain courage and harden her resolve, she had missed the chance to escape. ¡°She said she¡¯ll do a good job to capture the Emperor¡¯s heart just like the sly little vixen she was, but now she just up and left? Does she think this is all a joke?! There¡¯s a limit to His Majesty¡¯s patience, a limit!¡± Count Larscel slammed the table, thinking that Rowaine was playing another dirty trick against the Emperor. Each time that happened, Ren¨¦e shuddered and trembled, wiping her tears away. ¡°Do you know how much wealth His Majesty promised to Rowaine? He said he was going to give me the whole diamond mine! And that¡¯s not all, he also decided to grant her a castle in Elia so that Rowaine can live comfortably until she grows old. All of them will belong to the Larscel family!¡± Ren¨¦e, who had never heard about this, was sickened by her father. Immediately, a question popped up in her head. ¡®Rowaine always wanted to be the Emperor¡¯s mistress, so why did she go to Blois instead of me all of a sudden¡­?¡¯ All that wealth could have been hers. Wasn¡¯t that what her indifferent younger sister yearned for the most? It was hard to guess her sister¡¯s intentions because of her abrupt change in attitude, but it was clear to Ren¨¦e that their father would not give up that enormous fortune without a fight. ¡°Ren¨¦e.¡± Count Larscel came up to her, his bloodshot eyes wide open. He grabbed Ren¨¦e, who was shrugging to get away from him, but he held on tight. ¡°Go and get Rowaine.¡± ¡°F-Father¡­¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t please His Majesty the Emperor in her place, I bet you can do everything in your power to bring her back!¡± The Count directed all of his anger to Ren¨¦e. ¡°You are the one who¡®s going to marry that beast, Ren¨¦e. You, not Rowaine!¡± And so, Ren¨¦e set off to Blois the next day at dawn, to switch places with Rowaine once more. * * * After spending the night locked up in the room assigned to me at the annex, I had to wash myself thoroughly under the strict surveillance of the maids. I had no idea what that scent was, but I needed to wash it off before going to bed so that I could get rid of it. Then, as soon as I woke up, I had to bathe again. ¡®It¡¯s uncomfortable.¡¯ Nobles normally bathe with the assistance of maids, but it was still so embarrassing because I wasn¡¯t used to having people around me while bathing. After the bath, two maids began to dry my long hair with a magic tool that blew out wind. Meanwhile, I gazed awkwardly in the mirror. There was a face, still unfamiliar, in the mirror staring back at her. On the surface, Rowaine was really pretty. ¡®She¡¯s beautiful enough that the Emperor fell in love with her at first sight.¡¯ With wide, vivid scarlet eyes and creamy, translucent skin, she looked more like a doll than a human being. How perfect the curves of her thick, slightly raised lips were. Even her thick and straight eyebrows looked as if they were drawn. ¡®How unrealistic.¡¯ That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t quite believe it yet. It felt weird to look at the mirror because the person staring back seemed more like a painting or a photograph, and it was hard to believe that I was feeling real sensations. After the maids finished styling my hair, elegant wavy burgundy hair covered my back. In the mirror, there was a beautiful woman who captivated any eye, perhaps because of her porcelain skin with slight pinkish hues. ¡°The Master sent a dress for you.¡± As I stared at the plain dresses packed for Ren¨¦e, who was supposed to be here, the maid presented another dress to me. It was a sleeveless dress meant to be fastened with a string instead of buttons, and accompanying it was a shawl to be adjusted and affixed onto the shoulders. It didn¡¯t need to be tailored to fit because it¡¯s a ready-made dress. Perhaps predicting that I would insist on not wearing that dress, the maid quickly conveyed the Duke¡¯s words. ¡°The clothes you brought may have a scent, so please wear the dress prepared by the Master.¡± How the hell exactly did I smell that he was so stubborn about it? Wasn¡¯t he just pushing the blame on me? At this point, I was getting annoyed, but I didn¡¯t want to make a fuss, so I just clenched my teeth and quietly changed clothes. ¡°Don¡¯t delay any longer, let¡¯s go quickly. I heard my sister is here.¡± Obviously, I told Ren¨¦e to run away with her lover, but seeing as she came to the Blois Duchy, she seemed to have failed. It didn¡¯t make sense that she got caught right away while running away. Because Rowaine routinely went out at night, it wouldn¡¯t have been strange for her to disappear. So, if Ren¨¦e ran away that night and wasn¡¯t noticed, she¡¯d have been ahead by at least a day or two. In the end, she must not have even tried to run in the first place. ¡®I even showed her where Rowaine hid her gold.¡¯ I thought that if she had the money, she would have finally gained some courage regardless of how cowardly she was, but I was mistaken. No matter how much Ren¨¦e didn¡¯t believe my change in attitude, she was in a situation where she had to grab every opportunity she could get. If she didn¡¯t run, she would have to marry Duke Blois. And if she did run away and got caught, the result would be the same. If Ren¨¦e thought about it like this, then she should have known that it was better for her to close her eyes and run away. ¡®I underestimated her cowardice.¡¯ I knew it wouldn¡¯t be simple, but still, it¡¯s disheartening to see that my plans were so vainly shattered. I had no more cards left. My future was now in the hands of Duke Blois. ¡®Maybe since I¡¯ve shown my ability, he won¡¯t send me back to the County¡­¡¯ I got impatient and ran to the parlor of the main building. Ren¨¦e was there waiting for me. ¡°Ro-Rowaine.¡± When Ren¨¦e, who had been shuddering in fear, saw me, she immediately jumped up. It seemed like she had been pretty exhausted throughout the day. Anyone who saw her now would have thought that the Duke had slapped her or something. It was because Ren¨¦e was watching the Duke with frightened eyes. Meanwhile, the Duke simply stared at her as if she were an insignificant ant. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything bad to Ren¨¦e, did you?¡± The Duke turned to me, dissatisfied, then crossed his legs. He looked as though he didn¡¯t want to be here in the first place. The trembling Ren¨¦e meekly responded instead. ¡°O-Oh no, Rowaine. He didn¡¯t say a word.¡± ¡°Not a word?¡± Ren¨¦e hurriedly nodded her head. ¡°Then, why do you look so intimidated?¡± To be honest, I didn¡¯t expect her to answer. The situation itself must be too much for her timid and vulnerable personality. ¡°Straighten your shoulders¡ªsomeone would think you¡¯ve committed a great sin.¡± I just wanted her to ease her mind a bit since I was an accomplice. Wouldn¡¯t she feel better if she had someone on the same side? ¡°Rowaine¡­¡± While Ren¨¦e hesitated, Count Larscel¡¯s aide, expecting her to be unable to express herself properly, came forward. ¡°Lady Rowaine, please return to the County¡± Then, he apologized to the Duke of Blois. ¡°I apologize, Duke. The County¡¯s daughters decided to play a simple joke. Please forgive us.¡± But I immediately denied his words. ¡°What joke? We¡¯re not so young anymore that we¡¯d take this lightly.¡± Ren¨¦e was twenty-three and Rowaine was twenty-one. Of course, my real age was twenty-nine. Regardless, I was old enough to know that marriage wasn¡¯t a game. ¡°Lady Rowaine.¡± The Count¡¯s aide whispered in my ear. ¡°What about His Majesty the Emperor? His Majesty is looking for you.¡± ¡°Sorry, but tell His Majesty that I¡¯ve changed my mind. Please tell him to be more devoted to his family.¡± ¡°Milady!¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 With his mouth wide open as if he couldn¡¯t believe what I just said, the Count¡¯s aide poked Ren¨¦e on the side. Because she was frightened of what had happened at the County when I went away, she pleaded with me. ¡°Rowaine, please¡­¡± She wept and covered her face with both hands, and I saw a blue bruise staining her wrists. I stood up and rolled up her sleeve, blocking the Duke¡¯s line of sight with my body. ¡°Goodness.¡± As expected, Ren¨¦e¡¯s arms were full of bruises. ¡®The Count must have vented his anger on her.¡¯ I knew from the novel that Ren¨¦e was usually treated coldly by the Count and the Countess. However, seeing traces of violence like this with my own eyes was more shocking than reading it in text. I was going to have to ask for help from the Duke. ¡°Excuse me, but can we postpone this meeting a little later? I have something to talk about with my sister first.¡± The Duke, who had been watching the situation as if he was a third party until then, sneered as though what I said was ridiculous. ¡°You just got out of confinement, but you still don¡¯t realize what you did last night?¡± That sarcasm bothered me. It was undoubtedly true that he¡¯s the owner of this place, and I knew that he might not like it that I came here uninvited, but I was a bit on edge right now. And I felt embarrassed because he kept telling me that I smelled. Clearly, it was against etiquette to enter his room like that, but he also must hide his illness from any prying eyes. Although I wasn¡¯t certain if it was because of pain or anything, I could understand why he got angry and locked me in my room, even if he did so a hundred times, because he must have been mortified for being out of his mind and acting strangely. Still though, I couldn¡¯t believe he said that I smell. I thought that type of teasing was only done by kids. That¡¯s why I was a bit more blunt now. ¡°From what I remember, while wandering around the mansion yesterday, I stumbled upon the Duke who seemed to have needed my help. So, I helped.¡± I brazenly raised my chin, acting much like an aristocrat and imagining what Rowaine would have said at this moment. I even reproached him a little. ¡°But even after getting help, the Duke imprisoned me and accused me of making a mistake, which is so unlike a gentleman. To top it all off, you¡¯ve even mocked me by saying that I smell.¡± The Duke had long-since suffered from the torment of the magic poison. While looking for a way to break this curse so he could quell the overwhelming pain, he would eventually be led to this novel¡¯s female lead, the Imperial Princess. I just figured that he wouldn¡¯t be able to let go of me easily since I showed my healing ability. Even if that wasn¡¯t the case, what would he actually be able to do to a Count¡¯s daughter? If I were to be berated, then I could say I was just looking around the mansion. He might be offended by my lack of courtesy, but the Duke couldn¡¯t do anything to me just because of that. As expected, he frowned as if offended, but he didn¡¯t get angry or pursue the topic any further. Instead, he commented on the ridiculousness of the situation. ¡°Mockery? You¡¯re shamelessly trying to brush it off. I can still smell you.¡± On the side, Count Larscel¡¯s aide waved his hand hurriedly, not wanting to hear about what had transpired last night. ¡°Don¡¯t we have a lot to talk about regarding this ridiculous switcheroo? Anyway, it looks like your sister¡¯s about to faint any second now. Take her away and calm her down. I don¡¯t want to be responsible for a corpse in my house.¡± ¡®Corpse? That¡¯s too much.¡¯ Regardless, it was permission to take Ren¨¦e with me. So, I quickly led Ren¨¦e out. ¡°Milady! Lady Rowaine!¡± The Count¡¯s aide tried to chase after us, but I shut the door right in front of him. * * * ¡°Why didn¡¯t you run away?¡± When I was alone with Ren¨¦e, the question I had been wanting to ask came out. Seeing her crying, I took a deep breath and softened my voice. ¡°Sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to get angry.¡± Ren¨¦e bit her mouth even more like a clam. To her, I might be no different from our abusive parents since Rowaine had done nothing to stop their abuse. With that in mind, I persuaded her gently so that she could trust me a little more. ¡°Did Father do this? How long has it been since he started hitting you? Where else does it hurt?¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± I inspected Ren¨¦e¡¯s arms and legs to see if she had any major injuries. Thankfully, other than the bruises, there didn¡¯t seem to be any complications. While trying to get a conversation going with Ren¨¦e, I gently poured my energy into her. Without her noticing, the wounds gradually faded. Even though I wanted to heal her completely, I decided not to and withdrew my energy moderately. It¡¯s because I still couldn¡¯t trust her completely. ¡®I still don¡¯t know the limits of this power, so it¡¯s best to keep it a secret.¡¯ Then, I put a hand over Ren¨¦e¡¯s hunched shoulder. ¡°Sit up straight. It¡¯s not like you killed someone.¡± ¡°But now¡­ What are we going to do?¡± ¡°What do you mean? Do you want to follow Father¡¯s order and marry the Duke of Blois? I told you already, I don¡¯t want to be the Emperor¡¯s mistress.¡± ¡°But you wanted to be His Majesty¡¯s mistress, didn¡¯t you?¡± I shrugged. ¡°Sister may not have known, but during that time, I was also being forced by Father. I don¡¯t love the Emperor.¡± ¡®Since it¡¯s from my point of view and not Rowaine¡¯s, then it¡¯s technically not a lie.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t sure if she believed me or not, but somehow, it seemed like Ren¨¦e decided to accept that she was now in the same boat with me. ¡°Actually¡­ I couldn¡¯t tell Nigel to run away.¡± Nigel, her lover, was a knight of the Larscel family. I¡¯d seen him before. He was a knight who swore allegiance to the family, but held no such thing as loyalty to the Larscel patriarch. It was impossible to know how exactly he felt about the other family members. ¡®I don¡¯t know for sure, but maybe he merely wanted to climb the ranks.¡¯ The first head of the Larscel family was a great swordsman. I asked Ren¨¦e carefully. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t, but¡­ He never asked me to marry him.¡± I was at a loss for words. Naturally, as a knight, he would not have been able to propose to Ren¨¦e first. How could he have proposed to his master¡¯s daughter in the first place? ¡°Propose to him first, Ren¨¦e. The notion that men should propose first is an archaic practice to make it possible for only men to win the woman they want. Go and get what you want.¡± Ren¨¦e¡¯s eyes fluttered slightly. I persuaded her with a little more force. ¡°Be brave. For yourself, sister. And for me.¡± ¡°But will you be okay? No matter how much you try to go against Father, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll let you go. We¡¯re talking about a diamond mine here.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe she continued to worry for me at times like this. I felt sorry for Ren¨¦e. This was because in the novel, Ren¨¦e was intrinsically ¡®a depressingly kind and gullible character.¡¯ That¡¯s why I had to send her to Nigel, without letting her run away on her own. ¡®I thought the plan would succeed if she was with her lover.¡¯ It was all my fault for underestimating Ren¨¦e¡¯s personality. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Since the past couldn¡¯t be changed, what we needed to worry about at this moment was how to escape from Count Larscel without sacrificing either one of our goals. ¡®I don¡¯t know about Ren¨¦e, but the Emperor and Count Larscel won¡¯t give up easily. I need Duke Blois.¡¯ He had the power to face the Emperor. ¡®Somehow.¡¯ * * * While Rowaine and Ren¨¦e were talking, Dimitri left the foyer to get some fresh air. It was because the thick grassy scent of Rowaine permeated the air inside. Whenever he smelled it, it persistently softened his mood. But if his mind was calm, then his vigilance towards her would disappear as well. Dimitri struggled to sharpen his senses. He called in the maids who had served Rowaine, annoyed that they didn¡¯t follow his orders. ¡°I told you to monitor her properly.¡± The maids bowed their heads, their necks straining. ¡°I washed her twice as instructed, and I put on the dress you sent, Your Grace.¡± ¡°I looked through her luggage, but I couldn¡¯t find any perfume¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth, Your Grace. I watched the whole time, but she didn¡¯t spray or put anything on her body.¡± ¡°I also checked several times, but I couldn¡¯t smell anything.¡± He frowned. Judging by their expressions, it didn¡¯t seem like they were lying. They had no motive to lie, anyway. Dmitri looked at the nervous maids with confusion behind his eyes. ¡®Am I the only one who smells that scent?¡¯ The sense of smell of humans wasn¡¯t very good. She may have used incense that could only be discerned by Shapeshifters. At that, he lowered his gaze. ¡®I heard that she abuses Shapeshifters. Does she use a seductive kind of incense to incapacitate them?¡¯ Just then, Hyle found him out on the porch and ran to him. ¡°Did you find out?¡± ¡°Yes, but I haven¡¯t been able to find a perfume that has the same effect as you mentioned. I even looked into the collectors, but nothing came up.¡± Dimitri crossed his arms and tapped his elbow with a finger, before asking Hyle again. ¡°You can¡¯t smell that scent either, can you?¡± ¡°Yes, I really can¡¯t. How effective is it that you care so much about it?¡± At his words, Dimitri let out a pained groan. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good. It¡¯s crazy good. It can really drive a person to madness¡ªto the point where I can¡¯t get my shit together.¡± Hyle stared in bewilderment at Dmitri¡¯s vehement reaction. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 6 Chapter 6 I sat facing the Duke. It was only the two of us in his office. Count Larscel¡¯s aide was restless and tried to join the conversation, but the Duke¡¯s imposing countenance stopped him from doing so. The Duke was sitting in a relaxed posture, and despite his languid expression, he looked rather arrogant, just like a cat. Without holding back, I immediately brought up the subject. ¡°Yesterday while I was treating the Duke, I noticed that it wasn¡¯t a common disease. You seem to have a powerful curse in your body.¡± Obviously, I found out about this fact through the novel, but since I couldn¡¯t say that, I started spinning a story. He raised one corner of his mouth and smiled. It was a sharp smile. ¡°No wonder you¡¯ve been so brazen. You think you¡¯ve caught my weakness?¡± ¡°Rather than saying such a scary thing, let¡¯s just say we both got lucky. I finally found a way to stay here, and Your Grace will be able to get help from me.¡± I shrugged, emphasizing contingency. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I will replace my sister as your bride. That¡¯s all.¡± He stroked his chin and smiled slyly. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty romantic proposal. It looks like you¡¯ve fallen for me, enough to sneak into my bedroom and pounce on me.¡± ¡°If Your Grace doesn¡¯t accept me, I will soon be sold to the Emperor as his mistress. All I want is for you to put a stop to that.¡± I tried to negotiate while pretending that I wasn¡¯t too invested. The Duke smirked without giving in. ¡°I almost couldn¡¯t believe my ears. Are you really rejecting the Emperor to choose me?¡± ¡°I know that His Imperial Majesty has been pressuring you to marry. The purpose is to make you his son-in-law just to put a leash on you. Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re in a hurry to find a bride?¡± In the dawn of aristocratic society, shapeshifters were merely a class of slaves. Duke Dimitri Blois was born after the previous Duke raped his enslaved mother. Had the previous Duke and his children not all been killed on the battlefield, Dimitri would have been kicked out of Blois, even if he did make it back unscathed. ¡®That¡¯s why there are rumors that he may have killed all of his brothers on the battlefield¡­¡¯ He was the only one to return from the terrible battlefield where all the Young Lords of Blois were killed. There were no women who wanted to marry him because of the heinous rumors that he was someone who would not hesitate to kill his brothers for his own benefit, and because he was a shapeshifter. To him, Count Larscel simply sold Ren¨¦e for money. For the Count who believed that wealth was power, having a son-in-law like him wasn¡¯t such a big deal. Moreover, even if it wasn¡¯t Dimitri, he was already regarded as a mercenary among nobles, so there was no honor left to lose. ¡°You are very interested in me. That passionate heart is admirable.¡± Even when I said that I knew about his situation clearly, he had a relaxed face. At first glance, it might seem that we both were only speaking for our own sakes, but it did not mean that we did not listen to each other. We were engaged in a tense battle of nerves, trying to determine the intentions of our opponent. And I was trying hard not to get swept up by his mischievous look. Being emotional would only make me careless. ¡°If you scratch my back, then I¡¯ll scratch yours. I have a few conditions, but I assure you that they won¡¯t be disadvantageous to you, Your Grace. First, this marital relationship will only be for appearances. As long as my honor is not tarnished, I will abide by the Duke¡¯s authority. Second, please divorce me in three years.¡± He raised an eyebrow, surprised by my conditions. Still, he didn¡¯t ask why and only responded in a playful way. ¡°There are many things you want from this marriage. I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a detailed plan for your marriage with me. The more I get to know you, the more formidable you become.¡± I was committed to staying calm, but his non-serious attitude, which continued to rile me up, gradually bothered me. I copied his clever smile the same way, and added one more condition I just thought of. ¡°¡­Finally, the third. It would be nice to be equals. If you¡¯re not opposed to it, it¡¯s not bad to treat each other well.¡± He smirked at my sudden use of informal language. [e/n: there¡¯s no equivalent in english, but she¡¯s been using formal language until now.] ¡°How bold of you.¡± ¡°Being bold implies that the superior is judging the inferior. If you accept this contractual marriage, I want us to be equals.¡± He stared at me. At first glance, it was a gaze that seemed to be scrutinizing and observing. However, seeing his pupils open and close non-stop, even minutely, seemed that he¡¯s immersed in his thoughts. I waited patiently, not wanting to rush him. ¡®You won¡¯t be able to pass up on my healing powers.¡¯ Through the novel, I looked into the pain he¡¯s suffering from the curse. Even though he didn¡¯t express himself openly, I was certain that the sudden presence of my abilities would make him hope for the better. Anyone who had an incurable disease or something of the sort around them would know¡­ ¡­How depressing it was to live with pain that would never end until his last breath. The suffering that did not go away. Endless hopelessness. A sense of despair at the thought that you could only truly feel comfortable when you die. It would gradually gnaw at his mind and drive him crazy. I knew exactly how he felt. I watched my mother succumb to her illness and eventually passed away. It would be inevitable for any patient to hold on to even the slightest hope that they could get better. It was better than dying. Conversely, such people were those who were willing to seize even the tiniest hope. The Duke of Blois will never let me go that easily. ¡°Let me add one condition as well.¡± Did this mean that if I can accept his terms, he¡¯d agree to this contract marriage? I nodded my head to ask him to speak. ¡°Confess about the perfume you wear.¡± I furrowed my brows. Why was he still talking about that? ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Does it look like I¡¯m joking?¡± I stared at him for a while, but in the end, I couldn¡¯t understand his intentions and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t use perfume or anything like that.¡± He, who had been leaning so far back in his chair, suddenly reached out and grabbed my wrist. Then pulled me towards him like a torrent without any room for me to resist. My long hair, which slid forward from behind my shoulder, cascaded down in front of him. He stroked my hair with his delicate gestures, as if playing a string instrument, and took a deep breath. ¡°Ha.¡± As he breathed out his breath and smiled, his fangs, longer and sharper than ordinary humans, were revealed in front of me. ¡°Are you still trying to make excuses when my nose is itching from your scent?¡± I pulled away from him, but his hold didn¡¯t budge, as if my body was trapped by a strong force. In an instant, emergency bells rang in my head. ¡®I¡¯m gonna get eaten up.¡¯ As I was engulfed in fear, I closed my eyes involuntarily, then he whispered softly. ¡°Did you intend to deceive me like this just to cloud my judgment?¡± ¡°W-what¡­¡± ¡°Then, you¡¯ve succeeded. I¡¯m dying to eat you up right now.¡± His hot breath grazed my neck with a chilling sensation. Shivering at the thought of getting bitten, this time he chuckled and let me go. ¡°If you knew how much I¡¯m holding back, you¡¯d never think of using it again.¡± My heart was pounding in surprise at the sudden confession of his intent. When I thought that he was only teasing me, I jumped up and expressed my indignation. ¡°If you keep doing this, you¡¯ll never find out from me about how to undo the curse.¡± At that, I turned around and slammed the door as I left his office. Ren¨¦e, who was waiting outside, looked at me, startled by the fire in my eyes. ¡°What happened?¡± I reassured Ren¨¦e so she wouldn¡¯t get worked up. ¡°It¡¯s going to go our way. Trust me.¡± I already hinted that I knew how to break the curse. I said everything I wanted to say and left it at that. I wouldn¡¯t be so easily discouraged by the Duke¡¯s attitude, so I glanced at the door to his office and spoke to Count Larscel¡¯s assistant. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the County.¡± ¡°Good idea, Milady!¡± Count Larscel¡¯s aide rushed out in delight, smirking and saying that he would prepare a carriage. I couldn¡¯t figure out why, but he seemed to think it was a good thing. I grabbed Ren¨¦e and explained. ¡°Just wait for me here. I¡¯ll go home and get Nigel.¡± ¡°What? How are you going to get out again?¡± ¡°Duke Blois will take care of that.¡± I gritted my teeth, recalling his sly smirk. Let¡¯s get in trouble. ¡°Try and catch me.¡± I muttered in a low voice and got on the carriage engraved with Count Larscel¡¯s emblem. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Derek, the butler, knocked on Dimitri¡¯s office door. Dimitri, who was drunk with the scent that Rowaine had left behind, stretched out on the sofa, and as he was gazing up at the ceiling, he asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Count Larscel¡¯s aide is leaving.¡± ¡°Without putting up a fight?¡± ¡°Miss Rowaine is in the carriage as well. When I asked if she would like to say goodbye to the Master, she said she had already finished talking to you, so she just left.¡± Dimitri leaned back with his shoulders shaking lightly. As he smiled like a madman, Derek just stood there with a straight face, like a true professional. After a while, Dimitri sighed, but then laughed silently again. ¡°She knows I¡¯m desperate, and she¡¯s still testing me¡ªthat girl.¡± He remembered the look in her eyes as she stared straight at him. Rowaine¡¯s eyes were quite firm, as if she knew a lot. It didn¡¯t seem to be a ruse. Derek asked, ¡°What will you do, sire?¡± ¡°Indeed. What will I do?¡± Dimitri pressed his lips as he recalled Rowaine¡¯s confidence. Just the thought of her made his mouth water because of that sweet and refreshing scent. Feeling a distinct hunger because of his impatience, he slowly rose to his feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go catch her.¡± *** My carriage passed through the teleportation magic circle at the Blois estate, so I arrived at Count Larscel¡¯s residence before long at dusk, the setting sun drooping down the mountain. I didn¡¯t just come back without a plan. While the Duke of Blois ensured that I would be far from Count Larscel¡¯s grasp, I was planning to persuade Ren¨¦e¡¯s lover, Nigel. ¡®Now that things have turned out like this, I can¡¯t just ignore Ren¨¦e. I have to take responsibility.¡¯ It seemed like Ren¨¦e wouldn¡¯t be able to take care of the matter herself if I left the task to her. To be honest, I could just turn away from it all, but if I did, I would feel a bit guilty. It felt like I was taking advantage of Ren¨¦e and just throwing her away. So, I took action, but there was something I was a little worried about. ¡®It would be difficult if Count Larscel tried to take me to the Emperor before Duke Blois would make his move.¡¯ As I got out of the carriage, trying to figure out how to hold on to the situation, someone violently pulled me. ¡°Just what the hell are you doing, Rowaine?!¡± It was Count Larscel, his plump face in a furious bright red hue. Meanwhile, the Countess, Rowaine¡¯s biological mother, tried to raise the white flag and stopped the Count. ¡°Calm down, honey. She¡¯s already come back, isn¡¯t she?¡± But, the Count still shoved me roughly and knocked me down. ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°It seems that I¡¯ve spoiled you too much, Rowaine. I always thought you were a smart girl, but why did you do such a stupid thing?¡± ¡°Honey! What if you hurt her face? Do you intend to provoke His Majesty¡¯s wrath ?¡± ¡­What? ¡®She¡¯s telling him not to hit me not because she¡¯s worried about her daughter, but because she was worried about the face that would seduce the Emperor¡­?¡¯ Amazing. ¡®With a family like this, it¡¯s no wonder why Rowaine turned out this way.¡¯ Her vicious nature of stepping on the weak as a hobby didn¡¯t just fall from anywhere. It¡¯s her environment that created her. As I stared at Count Larscel as he raised his hand against his daughter, my real father suddenly came to mind. My real father used to beat my mother. With very patriarchal values imbued in him, he raised his hand if my mother even so much as offended him slightly. I became his next punching bag as soon as mother got hospitalized. Then, one day, I fled to my grandmother¡¯s house after I was beaten badly. My father found me in no time. He said that he came to find me in the distant countryside because there was no one else who¡¯d cook for my brother, whom my father feared. And, what did I do when I heard that? Thinking about that time, I jumped up. I had never once again surrendered helplessly to violence inflicted on me. ¡°Don¡¯t give in, Eunsoo. Resist¡ªyou don¡¯t have to live like me.¡± My mother¡¯s muffled voice crossed through my mind. At that moment, it felt as though blood was rushing to my head. With a swagger to my steps, I approached Count Larcel, close enough that my forehead was just an inch away from his. ¡°What is it, Rowaine? Are you trying to rebel against me?¡± ¡°Yeah. Am I not allowed?¡± ¡°What? Has your head gone bigger just because you¡¯ve been so adored by His Majesty? Now you¡¯re so arrogant that there¡¯s nothing beneath you?!¡± I laughed out loud at those words. ¡°Isn¡¯t that you, father? While you¡¯ve been sucking up to His Majesty, you were beating me behind his back. Have you forgotten who exactly made it so that you¡¯re chummy with the Emperor now?¡± ¡°Huh? You dare talk back to your father?!¡± Although the Count raised his hand again, I didn¡¯t bat an eye. It was foolish for the Count to even think he could control Rowaine. Even if I had been the real Rowaine, she, who had become so arrogant, wouldn¡¯t have put up with this treatment. In the eyes of others, the fight between me and the Count now seems to be a tug of war to determine who it really was who held the most power in this household. I deliberately imitated Rowaine¡¯s behavior and provoked Count Larscel without hesitation. ¡°Sure, go ahead. Hit me. The day I become the Emperor¡¯s mistress just as you wish, I will not let this slide.¡± ¡°What?!¡± At that moment, Count Larscel¡¯s eyes flashed with astonishment, and he backed away, staggering. It was only after he moved away that I relaxed. I realized that my cheeks were tingling, probably red with rage. ¡°You dare hold a grudge against your father? Who was it that worked so hard to make the Emperor take notice of you?!¡± I straightened my posture and stared at him with a firm gaze. ¡°You¡¯ll see. You¡¯ll regret touching me.¡± ¡°This wench!¡± Count Larscel¡¯s hand raised high, and I shut my eyes without a hint of resistance. However, nothing happened because the Countess clung onto his arm and held him back. ¡°Honey, no! If His Majesty finds out about this, you¡¯ll be in big trouble!¡± The mention of His Majesty seemed to have snapped Count Larscel back to his senses. He lowered his arm, which he had lifted so vigorously, and tried to catch his breath. ¡°You! Go up to your room right now!¡± I looked at him silently, before lifting my hand and hitting my own cheek. The resounding clack echoed around us. Everyone who was watching widened their eyes in surprise, as if they had seen something truly astounding. ¡°What are you¡­!¡± Nonetheless, I did not stop and I slapped my cheek two more times. The knights finally came to restrain me when Count Larscel¡¯s ordered it, terrified by my actions. ¡°Why are you doing this, Rowaine! You¡¯re out of your mind!¡± To be fair, Count Larscel¡¯s bewildered face was pretty hilarious. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the sight of him stomping his feet, not knowing what to do, as he saw the quickly forming bruise on my face. Wasn¡¯t it a pity that a supposedly high-priced product suddenly got a few scratches? To this man, his daughters must have been nothing more than mere commodities. ¡°If His Majesty the Emperor finds out about this¡­!¡± The Count looked at my face and trembled. I snorted. ¡°He¡¯ll throw me out because he¡¯ll think I¡¯m crazy, or maybe he¡¯ll throw me out because I¡¯m not pretty anymore. If you don¡¯t want that to happen, you should work hard before your vassals come and see me like this.¡± I paused for a moment and smiled at him. ¡°Oh, but before that, wouldn¡¯t His Majesty think that I¡¯d been beaten by Father?¡± ¡°Nonsense. Who would believe that when you¡¯re crazy enough to do this?¡± ¡°How would I know? His Majesty would believe anything I say. All I have in my head are memories of that father hitting me and making this happen.¡± At that, the Count opened his mouth wide as his eyes shook. ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind. You¡¯ve really gone crazy.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯m nuts. So, if you use violence against me one more time, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± I shook off the dazed knights, adjusted my clothes, and said one last thing to the Count. ¡°I will sleep and think about whether or not to let my father off the hook, so please behave well.¡± With that, I finally went up to my room with a spring to my step. In my experience, families who treated their daughters this way needed to experience a taste of a crazy bitch¡¯s rampage at least once. It was only then that they¡¯d realized that their daughter was an actual person¡ªa fellow human being. Of course, knowing about it and actually comprehending this were two completely separate things. ¡®All right. Now, he won¡¯t be able to take me to the Emperor until my face is better.¡¯ In fact, that¡¯s exactly why I slapped my face like crazy. I bought myself some time. Now, all I needed was the Duke to come on time. *** The next morning, I opened my eyes, rubbing my bruised cheeks. I glanced in the mirror and I could see my cheeks were swollen. ¡®I look terrible.¡¯ Still, this was what I wanted. The fact that it looked horrible meant that Count Larscel would try to hide me from the Emperor until I was fully healed. The first thing I did after getting ready for the day was to sneak out to look for Nigel. He was with the other knights in the training hall, looking a little dazed. Spotting my target, I stood still until he found me, and when his weak gaze turned to me, I beckoned him secretly. ¡°You called, Milady?¡± Even if he had a good personality and got along well with others, he really still wasn¡¯t a good enough man, no matter how I looked at it. Nevertheless, the deep longing he had for his lover was clear in his eyes. I peered at his face to see if he was a man I could entrust Ren¨¦e with for a while, but I soon gave up. Reading people was exactly like looking into water. You could see only what you could see, but the view from within would be entirely different. There was a proverb like that, but in any case, there must be a reason why Ren¨¦e chose him. ¡°Do you love Ren¨¦e?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Nigel¡¯s eyes, which had been wary, opened wide. Perhaps because he didn¡¯t clearly understand my intentions, he averted his gaze as if he was weighing his options. But before long, he suddenly, desperately hung on to me. ¡°I was told that she had gone to the Duke of Blois. Where is she right now?¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 ¡°Do you want to meet her?¡± Nigel nodded eagerly. Then, he fell to his knees and knelt on the floor. Even though he didn¡¯t know my intentions, he still willingly submitted to me, and so I wondered if I could put my hopes on him. He must have decided to take a gamble because he was either quick-witted or blinded by love. ¡°I want to see her again, even if it¡¯s for the last time. At least once more. Please help me. Please¡­¡± I lowered myself and leaned closer to level my eyes with his. I wanted to believe in his earnestness. I still wished to know if it was just a fleeting love, or if it was truly a kind of love that was strong enough that he¡¯d sacrifice everything just to be with Ren¨¦e. ¡°If I help you, do you think you can run away with her?¡± ¡°Will you really help, Milady?¡± His eyes twinkled with hope. It was the positive response I had envisioned. Ah, maybe I could trust this person with Ren¨¦e. Obviously, I had no choice but to think this. However, the words that came out of my mouth were so cynical that even I was surprised with myself. ¡°If you had such a passion in you, I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯ve been waiting for a helping hand all this time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± At that, I suddenly realized why I was underestimating his devotion. It was because he was just like an actor shouting passionate love on stage. The heat of love that was so fiery that it melts the hearts of many audiences, it literally turns into smoke and disperses as soon as the performer leaves the stage when the curtain falls. This kind of love was just ridiculous. My real father, who often used violence against my mother, must have whispered his love to her like this when they were young. I didn¡¯t think it was a lie. It would be too pitiful on my mother¡¯s part if she was deceived by that shallow lie. I simply believed that all true love in the world was, itself, a profound lie. But, in my opinion, Nigel wasn¡¯t particularly to blame, so I stopped judging his pathetically drooped shoulders. If Ren¨¦e needed him and the two of them confirmed their love for each other, I had no right to ridicule and doubt their relationship. I had no choice but to accept it, so I¡¯d just be riding on the same boat as them for a very short time. My role was to become the bridge that would bring them back together. With that, the responsibility for switching places with Ren¨¦e was over. If I got involved with the two of them more than this, it would be too much, even for me. ¡°The Duke of Blois will be here soon. I¡¯ll take you with me, so hide yourself inside the compartment of my carriage before I leave. Ren¨¦e is waiting for you at the Duke¡¯s estate. Then, run away with her.¡± His face brightened in an instant. ¡°Thank you, Milady! Thank you!¡± ¡°Once you¡¯ve escaped with Ren¨¦e, go to a distant country and live in hiding.¡± After saying what I needed to say, I left the training hall. When I returned to my room, the maid was looking for me, fidgeting on her feet. ¡°Lady Rowaine!¡± The personal maids who knew Rowaine¡¯s harsh personality had never been so fussy like this before. I laughed to myself, knowing why she was looking for me. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°H-His Grace, the Duke of Blois is here!¡± Called it. He wouldn¡¯t let me go so easily because I knew the secret of his curse, but still, this was pretty quick of him. ¡®How impatient.¡¯ He must have left his estate as early as dawn. I took a leisurely step towards the parlor where Duke Blois was talking to Count Larscel. The employees, who had been snooping through a small gap in front of the parlor door, were surprised to see me and scattered away. They were listening to the conversation inside through the slightly opened door. So, as I stood in front of the door, I could hear voices inside. I stood still for a moment and overheard the conversation inside as well. ¡°I thought Your Grace had agreed to let go of Rowaine.¡± It was Count Larscel¡¯s frantic voice. ¡°I came here to talk to her.¡± And Duke Blois¡¯ elegant tone. Indeed, inside the parlor, the Duke was sitting arrogantly. Even though the plump Count Larscel wasn¡¯t that small in his size, as I saw him in front of the tall, sturdy Duke, he looked like a dwarf in comparison. Duke Blois, who sat loftily like a beautiful statue, spoke indifferently. ¡°And I¡¯m here for an apology.¡± Count Larscel sighed. ¡°For that reason, I didn¡¯t know how to face you again¡­ Of course, I apologize deeply for the absurdity of the bride¡¯s change. My daughters played a terrible prank.¡± ¡°No. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Count Larscel glanced at the Duke curiously. His eyes were asking, ¡®what kind of apology do you want?¡¯ Duke Blois just smiled and met eyes with me. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ I recoiled away from the door, startled by the gaze staring right at me through the gap in the door. ¡®Did he know I was there? How long did he know?¡¯ All of a sudden, there was the sound of clothes brushing from inside, like someone got up and moved. As I tried to peer inside the door again, I heard the Duke¡¯s voice above my head. Suddenly, he was standing in front of me with the door in between us. ¡°I want to meet Miss Rowaine in person.¡± ¡°She isn¡¯t feeling well because she used the magic circle twice to teleport in a short period of time.¡± Even as Count Larscel lied brazenly, the Duke opened the parlor door as if he had nothing to wait for. ¡°There you are.¡± ¡°Rowaine!¡± The Count looked at me with widened eyes, as if he couldn¡¯t believe that I was out of my room right now. I shrugged and approached Duke Blois. ¡°Here so soon?¡± When I spoke with a smile to provoke the Duke, Count Rowaine¡¯s expression distorted as badly as a crumpled piece of paper. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Not even pretending to listen to his words, Count Larscel ran up to me, looking despicable, and tried to grab me. ¡°Why are you so being so rude¡­!¡± It was then. ¡°Excuse me, Miss Rowaine.¡± The Duke grabbed me by the waist and pulled me closer to him. Count Larscel¡¯s hand, which had been trying to nab me, clutched at the air instead. ¡°That looks dangerous.¡± In a split second, the Duke had me in his arms, then he laid me down on the sofa where he had been sitting. He stared down at Count Larscel, who was much shorter than him. The Duke¡¯s shadow covered Count Larscel¡¯s face completely. ¡°I wish for you to move away a little bit, Count. I hate touching other people.¡± ¡­Didn¡¯t you just touch me? Count Larscel took a step back without knowing the Duke¡¯s intentions. ¡°I just needed to talk, but that¡¯s too much of an excessive response, isn¡¯t it?¡± The Count¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°Keep it short, Duke.¡± Duke Blois then turned towards me. Though the look on his face as he stared at me was strange. Then, he suddenly reached out and held my chin as he observed my face from side to side. ¡°Why is your face like this?¡± ¡°Oh, this¡­¡± While I was wondering how I should explain it, I could see his pupils dilating a little. ¡®Why is he angry?¡¯ The cat¡¯s pupils would dilate when they focus on their prey in front of them, and when they¡¯re scared or angry. If he wasn¡¯t treating me like a game, it would be correct to assume that he was angry. He couldn¡¯t have possibly been frightened here. Still, I had a hard time getting a read on his sudden mood swing. Seeming like he wasn¡¯t angry with me, his eyes flitted to Count Larscel with malice in his gaze. ¡°You raised your hand against her?¡± ¡°It has nothing to do with the Duke.¡± Count Larscel drew a line, meaning for him not to meddle in other people¡¯s family affairs. However, Duke Blois didn¡¯t seem to mind it at all. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that such parents treat their child this badly. I can see why she wanted to run away.¡± He slowly circled around Count Larscel. Very slowly. His gaze stayed fixed on the middle-aged man. Because of that, Count Larscel felt a sense of tension in the air and swallowed dryly. I, too, felt as though the air had sharpened. It felt like something was about to happen at any moment. Far from being an obedient son-in-law, the Duke¡¯s low voice was enough of a threat. ¡°I wish to get my wife back.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Believing that he heard it wrong, the Count tilted his head. Duke Blois stared down at him and smiled arrogantly. I watched him take a piece of paper out of his inner pocket and handed it to me. Seeing this, Count Larscel widened his eyes. ¡°A marriage certificate¡­?¡± ¡°I happened to have it in my pocket, Miss Rowaine.¡± It didn¡¯t seem like a coincidence that the oath had already been signed by the Duke. Anyway, I realized his intentions and hurriedly picked up the pen on the table. ¡°No!¡± Count Larscel, with a sense of foreboding, threw himself to stop me, but the Duke blocked him. I quickly took off the pen cap with my mouth and wrote Rowaine¡¯s name next to the Duke¡¯s signature. At that moment, to my surprise, our signatures flew out of the paper and floated in the air, forming a black ring before sinking onto the ring finger of both the Duke¡¯s and my left hand. ¡°Wow¡­¡± The wonderful handwriting of the Duke of Blois became a ring and was engraved on my finger. While my signature was engraved on the Duke¡¯s. ¡°W-what the hell¡ª! Noooo!¡± As I heard Count Larscel¡¯s screams, I had only one thought. ¡®If I knew there¡¯s a contract feature like this, I would have made my handwriting slightly prettier¡­¡¯ Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Count Larscel tore up our marriage certificate in anger. However, the names that were engraved on our fingers were not erased. ¡°It¡¯s no use, Count. Even if you do that, the oath won¡¯t be revoked until the same two people sign the same oath with the same spell again.¡± The Duke of Blois said this to Count Larscel teasingly. Come to think of it, the Countess¡¯ signature was also engraved on the ring finger of the Count¡¯s left hand as well. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor is interested in Rowaine! I was set to become a government official! When His Majesty the Emperor finds out about this, he will not let the Duke go unscathed!¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The Duke faced Count Larscel with a calm expression. ¡°But, did you ask the Emperor exactly what he¡¯d do to me, Count?¡± ¡°Well, of course, even if I haven¡¯t asked¡­!¡± ¡°There is nothing unnatural about a man and a woman being in love. I didn¡¯t know I was going to marry Miss Rowaine so suddenly, so why not ask the Emperor first and then threaten me?¡± ¡°This¡­!¡± ¡°The Emperor and you are not the same person, so talking as if you are the Emperor is quite presumptuous.¡± It was a warning that it wasn¡¯t a good idea to speak on behalf of the Emperor and wield His Majesty¡¯s authority, regardless of his opposition to his daughter¡¯s marriage as a father. At that, Duke of Blois turned away from Count Larscel and reached out his hand to me with a sly face. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, Wife.¡± As he addressed me respectfully, I smiled when it was clear that he would accept the conditions I had previously stated. Soon, the Duke¡¯s armed knights made their way, and Count Larscel had no choice but to sit down before the knights and watch the Duke of Blois leave his estate. I climbed into the Duke¡¯s carriage carrying Rowaine¡¯s gold sack that I had meticulously stashed away all night long. Among the crowd, Nigel, who was standing there staring at the carriage, caught my eye. I left the mansion and told the Duke I wanted to take a man, so he had to take care of the rest himself. ¡®Be brave.¡¯ As the carriage departed, the desperate Count Larscel appeared as he peered out a window. ¡°Is it okay to just leave like this?¡± The Duke of Blois looked at me with his apathetic face, his chin propped on one hand. ¡°Did you think that coming to Blois in Ren¨¦e Larscel¡¯s place would be a smooth process?¡± ¡°Not really¡­¡± ¡°Perhaps you thought I¡¯d deal with the aftermath.¡± Well he wasn¡¯t wrong, so I could only smile awkwardly. He snorted as he saw my reaction. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it as you wish, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯d rather do that than see your face in that condition.¡± I touched my still swollen face. He watched me as I did this, maybe wondering what I was doing. Growing conscious of his pointed gaze, I removed my hand from my bandaged cheek. ¡°It¡¯ll be easy.¡± Looking at my face from this angle and that, he muttered to himself as he crossed his arms. ¡°Seems like the perfume wasn¡¯t a trick.¡± Talk of the perfume came out again. I was nervous that he would torment me again with his assumptions, though he kept his mouth shut as if he was just talking to himself. With his eyes closed, his very expression showed that he was extremely relaxed. ¡®I feel great.¡¯ The scent that Rowaine exuded tickled the tip of Dmitri¡¯s nose, and it was strangely comforting. He watched with his own eyes as she massaged her own cheeks. When he confirmed that she wasn¡¯t deceiving him through a perfume, he was no longer bothered by this soothing scent. ¡®It seems that Count Larscel doesn¡¯t know her abilities.¡¯ Judging by how she was acting, it didn¡¯t seem like she was showing off her powers. Otherwise, would Count Larsel sell his daughter off to the Emperor as just his mistress when she had such powers? A smile formed on his lips. It seemed like he was having a very nice dream. ¡®Could the curse be broken?¡¯ He narrowed her eyes and gazed at Rowaine, who was looking out the window. Then, his smile deepened. It would be really nice if the curse could be lifted. But, what if it wouldn¡¯t? Still, it won¡¯t be as bad as before¡­ because she¡¯s by his side now. ¡®Divorce after three years?¡¯ She knows how to dream big. She may have freely jumped into his arms, but it wouldn¡¯t be so easy when she decides to run away. With her chin rested on the window sill, her eyes turned to him as she hummed. Then, when Rowaine met his eyes as she smiled absently, she awkwardly flitted her gaze out the window again. ¡®Cute.¡¯ She pretended to be smart, but she¡¯s still naive. Look at her walking on her own two feet into the tiger¡¯s den. His pupils dilated significantly. It was the eyes of a cat or a beast focusing on its prey. When the wagon arrived at the Blois estate, Dimitri parted ways with Rowaine and headed for his office. He walked slowly towards the back of a chair and picked up a crystal glass that was displayed on the bookshelf. Seeing Dimitri pick it up, Hyle¡¯s expression stiffened with tension. It was because he knew very well what the glass was used for. ¡°Hyle, go run some errands.¡± Saying so with an emotionless face, Dimitri pulled out a small dagger from his coat pocket, and suddenly cut his palm. Red blood dripped down in a long line. He went through the motions and filled the glass. When the cup was filled to some extent with the warm red liquid, he pushed it over to Hyle. ¡°As long as my blood is in your body, you¡¯ll be able to control my demons for a while.¡± The ¡®errand¡¯ meant he had to drink it. Hyle shut his eyes tightly as if bitter medicine was in front of him. The disgusting smell of blood caused a sense of repulsion, but he couldn¡¯t rebel against the Duke. ¡°Yes. What should I do?¡± ¡°Go and¡­¡± Dimitri thought about it for a while before he spoke again, as if he just came up with a good idea. ¡°A wrist. Break it.¡± ¡°Whose wrist are you talking about?¡± ¡°My father-in-law¡¯s.¡± He recalled Rowaine¡¯s swollen cheeks. How dare he touch someone who belonged to him. ¡°If possible, it would be better if he stays in that condition for quite a while.¡± That way, for a while, he wouldn¡¯t be able to work with the Emperor while scheming to get Rowaine back. Humans were predisposed to focus on recovering their health, leaving everything behind when they are sick. ¡°Send over a doctor from our side to make his rate of recovery slower.¡± It would be disrespectful for the Emperor to urge for his daughter when the father was on a sickbed. If they dragged out the time, wouldn¡¯t the old man who constantly chased young women eventually give up and turn his gaze away to find a new woman? As Hyle let the blood trickle down his throat, Shedim, the demon who took the form of a serpent, squirmed out from Dimitri¡¯s shadow and slithered into Hyle¡¯s. As soon as I arrived at Blois, I immediately reunited Ren¨¦e and Nigel. It was nice to meet them together again, and I gave them the gold pieces of Rowaine that I treasured very much. It was the last consideration I could give to Ren¨¦e, who was my accomplice. ¡°Run away, Ren¨¦e. Don¡¯t let Father catch you.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you¡­ This would really be something I could never have imagined. Thank you, Rowaine.¡± Ren¨¦e hesitated a little before getting into the carriage that the butler had called, and then she grasped my hand tightly. ¡°I must have misunderstood you all this time. It would have been nice if we had talked more before. I won¡¯t forget you. If there¡¯s anything I can help you with in the future, contact me. I¡¯ll write to you.¡± I had no idea how Ren¨¦e had viewed Rowaine, but it probably wasn¡¯t a misunderstanding. Because the real Rowaine treated Ren¨¦e as an invisible person. I just smiled awkwardly and sent off Ren¨¦e. Hoping she wouldn¡¯t be fooled and continue to be naive as she will meet more people in her life in the future. ¡®Looks like everything¡¯s settled now.¡¯ Even though the urgent fires had been put out, I was relieved, yet uneasy. Until now, I was busy adjusting to the situation, making plans, and moving to further those plans. There had been no time for me to think about my new life. As the Duke of Blois didn¡¯t say much, I went back to the room at the detached building to which I had been assigned before, mulling over my thoughts. ¡®New life¡­ What should I do now?¡¯ Strangely, I didn¡¯t know why, but while I kept thinking about my future life, I also thought about my past life. Memories of my life came to mind one by one¡ªthe painful memories, the dreams I wanted to reach, the things I wanted to have, the things I liked but couldn¡¯t do anymore. Then, I suddenly realized that I had very little regrets from my previous life. ¡®I can¡¯t eat tteokbokki anymore.¡¯ After my mother passed away, and after the cats that were my only attachments to that life disappeared from my reach as well, there wasn¡¯t much left in my life as Seo Eun-soo. I wasn¡¯t hungry, but feeling strangely empty. Because of this, I didn¡¯t head straight to my room and just wandered around the rear garden under the moonlight for now. If I stayed in the room now, I would feel stuffy. As I walked under the moonlit garden, the anxiety of this new, unfamiliar world subsided. I crossed my arms and hugged myself, rubbing my shoulders with both hands and patting myself like a butterfly flapping its wings. ¡®You worked hard to survive throughout your last life. It wasn¡¯t a very happy life, but I¡¯m proud that you didn¡¯t give up.¡¯ I was encouraging the me of the past. ¡®You woke up in this new world where everything was scary and unfamiliar, though you behaved really well. You could have sat down and done nothing to change your fate in the novel, but you acted wisely and calmly. There may have been a better method to go about it, but you did your best and I¡¯m happy with the outcome. Well done, me.¡¯ And complimenting the me of today. ¡®I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯ll continue living here in the future, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to handle it. Let¡¯s not worry too far. I¡¯m looking forward to a few months from today, or even a few days from now. Let¡¯s go step by step and try to live normally. It¡¯s the same everywhere people live. There¡¯s no need to be afraid.¡¯ Cheering on my future self. After comforting myself like that, I felt much better. My heart was moved and it also gave me some courage. There was nothing to fear under any circumstances because I¡¯ll always support myself. I let out a light sigh and looked back at the path I had come to get to this place. At that moment, something rustling could be heard from somewhere. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡®A cat?¡¯ Finding cats wherever I went became my specialty, so I instinctively turned my head and looked into the darkness. The rustling sound could be from an animal about the size of a cat. I soon found something in the dark and smiled broadly. Two green eyes glowed in the grass. ¡°Cats are everywhere, after all.¡± Forgetting the situation I was in, I quickly became happy. As I crouched at a distance, holding my breath for fear of the cat being wary, it jumped up onto the wall that separated the garden and the detached building. For a moment, the silhouette of a cat with its back to the moonlight appeared. Seeing that, I exclaimed. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± At that sound, the cat stopped and gazed at me. ¡°You¡¯re so pretty. You¡¯re such a perfect cat. So cute¡­¡± It was a gray-haired cat. His shiny hair shone with a mysterious blue light. He had chest hair longer than in any other body part, as if it was a dignified scarf, and he sat flaunting his beauty with his four feet wrapped around him with a fluffy tail that was like a fox¡¯s tail. With a fairly large physique, graceful curves, muscular body, long legs, and a well-balanced and healthy body. He was one of the coolest cats I¡¯ve ever seen. The gray cat glanced at me with a still gaze, and, as if he wasn¡¯t interested, then crossed the fence and disappeared from view. Seeing this, I had some lingering feelings of regret and kept glancing at the place where he was standing, and suddenly I felt sad. My heart, which I had been struggling to comfort a while ago, collapsed in longing. ¡°My cats were alive and well like that¡­¡± Thinking of the warmth of the little lovely kitties I loved, perhaps my whole life, made me feel helpless and lonely. When I closed my eyes and pondered about it, the sensation of the soft fur in my hands, the delicate gestures that rubbed my body against me, and the slender voice that made me laugh came to life in my senses. ¡°I want to see you¡­¡± At some point, even though I had dry eyes, I seemed to have the talent to shed tears to wet my entire face in an instant. I remembered the days when I took care of my cats, even as they vomited blood. I hoped they wouldn¡¯t get sick, hoped that they¡¯d live long, happy lives. ¡°I miss you.¡± Even though people might say they¡¯re just cats, to me, they weren¡¯t only cats. After my mother, who was my only pillar of support, passed away, my cats were the only friends and family I had left who gave me comfort. I thought I had no regrets in life. ¡°Why did they have to die like that?¡± It was so helpless to feel that the things I loved had been horribly crushed into the hands of others. I stood frozen in the dark. The soil beneath my feet was stained with moisture as if it had rained. It seemed like I¡¯d been standing like that for a while, but when I came to my senses, the gray cat I thought had gone away was sitting on the wall gazing at me. He was staring at me with his mysterious green eyes wide open, like a statue. ¡°¡­Hi?¡± Cats have mystical powers. The power to make me laugh even after crying so tiredly. ¡°You are so cute.¡± Did I look weird smiling with a teary face? This time, the guy has vanished arrogantly. ¡®How did she know I was there?¡¯ Dimitri, who had turned into a cat and was wandering around with no direction in mind, was a little surprised. He only made a very small sound, so he didn¡¯t think Rowaine would find him right away. It didn¡¯t look like that, but it seemed like she had acute senses, as if she had learned martial arts. ¡®She didn¡¯t seem to recognize me.¡¯ She didn¡¯t know who she was calling cute and pretty. By the way, according to the rumors, she was a woman who was notorious for brutally abusing and killing shapeshifters. However, he was curious to see her crying desperately in a place where no one was there, saying she wanted to see him. Even if he didn¡¯t really care about rumors, isn¡¯t this interesting? ¡®They said she was someone evil, but it didn¡¯t seem like the case.¡¯ As far as he knew, malicious people never wept like that. When walking around as a small animal, he would often see such trivial and interesting things. Indifferently, Dimitri finished his walk and returned to his office, without realizing that a hint of curiosity lingered within him as he took every small step. At that time, the name of Rowaine was being discussed in the mansion of Elbas, which was very close to the Blois estate. ¡°You mean that Dimitri brought back Rowaine Larscel?¡± Sophia, a maid from the Blois estate, bowed her head. ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± The old lady, whose hair was white, set the teacup down on her table with a clack. She was the former Duchess of Blois. ¡°Ha. She¡¯s just a woman from the Larscel family. Despite it¡¯s an old family, Count Larscel is not a very educated person. Rather than a noble, he¡¯s closer to a merchant.¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°Besides, Rowaine Larscel is surrounded by bad rumors. That boy sure took after his father. He¡¯s already disgraced the family name, but he must be trying to demean the Blois family.¡± Then, she tilted her head as if she had suddenly remembered something. ¡°Wait, come to think of it, wasn¡¯t that girl the one who was fluttering about to catch the Emperor¡¯s attention? Why is she suddenly marrying Dimitri?¡± Her eyes narrowed as she folded her arms as though she wasn¡¯t happy with the fact. ¡°Suspicious¡­ There must have been some sort of deal.¡± At that, Sophia turned to the maid. ¡°I¡¯ll have to meet her at once.¡± At noon the next day, the butler came and told me that the Duke had asked to have a meal together. ¡°The Master wants you to have breakfast together. I brought maids to help. From now on, these two will serve the Madam.¡± After the butler left, two maids still remained. There was a look on their faces that clearly said they were wary of me. It was understandable. The rumors about Rowaine weren¡¯t very good, so they¡¯d be worried about how picky and haughty the new wife would be. With a small sigh, I decided to offer them a compromise. ¡°I know you hate me because of the rumors about me. It¡¯s uncomfortable to be with people who don¡¯t like me, so just get me ready as quickly as possible.¡± Because of my words, their expressions became awkward since they didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be straightforward. ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t say anything. I don¡¯t mean to make it difficult. I¡¯ll wash my hair alone, so can you just help me get the clothes on?¡± One of the two maids, who was shorter than the other, glanced at me, then the other maid in turn with her big eyes, and muttered something under her breath. ¡°Please tell us your orders.¡± I nodded awkwardly. I grew up in a place where people spoke politely to each other when it¡¯s the first meeting, it was quite unsettling that I suddenly had the upper hand. After I washed up by myself, the maids watched quietly and dried my hair with the magic stone they brought, then I went through my luggage and put on Ren¨¦e¡¯s dress. When I first arrived, it was Ren¨¦e who was supposed to come, so I only brought her luggage. Her clothes did not fit well and it was rather uncomfortable. Since Ren¨¦e had a thinner frame and Rowaine had a voluminous body, the chest area was too tight and it felt like I was choking. ¡®I need to buy some clothes.¡¯ Yesterday I had a chance to get some of Rowaine¡¯s dresses, but I regretted not paying attention to her clothes because I was so focused on bringing her gold jewelry. Barely holding my breath, I tucked my body into Ren¨¦e¡¯s clothes and somehow made my way to the dining room in the main building. The Duke, who sat at the head of the fancy table, was waiting for me. He was basking in the midst of the sun¡¯s rays without giving the order to pull the curtains down. I thought it was too cat-like, so I giggled at the thought that he was ¡®cute¡¯ even though he had a human form. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± All of a sudden, he opened his eyes at the sound of my laughter. I snapped out of it as well. Why did I think ¡®cute¡¯ while looking at an adult man? How can such a big man be cute? ¡®He¡¯s human, but he has cat eyes, so my brain is having some cognitive dissonance¡­¡¯ Shaking my head slightly, I came to my senses and apologized to him. ¡°I apologize if I made you feel bad. It wasn¡¯t a laugh meant to ridicule you.¡± ¡°Forget it. Please sit down.¡± He replied politely. Somehow, he had a nice expression. He was wearing the same happy expression he had on the carriage we rode yesterday right now as well. ¡®He smiles pretty well. I thought he was a frightening person.¡¯ We didn¡¯t have a good first impression of each other, so I was surprised by his gentle face. Though it was good for me to spend time together. ¡°We didn¡¯t seem to be able to have the conversation we needed due to the hectic situation, so I invited you for a meal so we could talk.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± There were some things to sort out. I¡¯d want to hear about the curse, too, and we had to talk about what to do next. And anyway, now that I¡¯m the Duchess, there will also be things for me to do, too. As soon as I sat down, trays of food started coming out as if they had been waiting for my signal, so we stopped talking for a moment and stared at the dishes the servants were carrying busily. Meat-based foods were set in front of him. He didn¡¯t even pay attention to the vegetables on the table. Apparently, I guess those were just for me. ¡®Cats are carnivores. This man is a cat. So, he would be eating meat, too.¡¯ Those thoughts kept running through my mind. Every time he took the shredded meat to his mouth and chewed it, his sharp fangs could be glimpsed. Somehow, it seems that large fangs like a lion would suit him, but his fangs reminded me of the cute fangs of a cat. ¡°Cute¡­¡± As the word I wasn¡¯t aware of escaped, I quickly covered my mouth with my hand. However, as if he heard my murmur, he raised an eyebrow. ¡°Was that directed at me just now?¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡°Oh, no, um¡ªthe cherry tomatoes are so cute!¡± I hurriedly pointed to the cherry tomatoes on the salad plate. ¡°It¡¯s round¡­ The round ones are so cute. My goodness.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± He then frowned and glared at cherry tomatoes. Then, when he glanced at me again, I could see the confusion in his eyes. ¡®He must think I¡¯m a strange person.¡¯ ?? Let¡¯s be more careful¡­ I smiled awkwardly and pretended to eat as though I¡¯m very hungry. So, he waited patiently without talking to me until I finished my meal. ?? After the awkward meal, a baked apple pie was placed in front of me for dessert. The plaid dough covered like a lid was baked to yellowish color and looked delicious. Although he didn¡¯t seem to want to eat. ??¡¯Cats don¡¯t like sweets.¡¯ Maybe he doesn¡¯t have a sweet tooth? As I took a small bite of the apple pie with my fork and put it in my mouth, he finally got to the point. ¡°Now that we¡¯re married, it¡¯s better if you sleep in my room.¡± ¡°Cough!¡± I was preparing to answer questions about curses or my healing power, but this? He wants me to come into his room? ¡°There was nothing like that in our contract!¡± However, he just smiled as he twirled the wine glass with a nonchalant face. ¡°Marriage is also a contract, and a couple¡¯s partnership is an implicitly agreed upon condition.¡± I stared at him blankly, not hiding my embarrassment. In the novel, he made Ren¨¦e stay in the Duchess¡¯s bedroom after the marriage. And, I remember he didn¡¯t even lay hands on her hair at all¡­ I shook my head and tried to pull out the words I had picked up from my scattered mind. ¡°I-Isn¡¯t it the way of life of commoners for couples to share a room? There are certain social rules we must abide by as aristocrats. Besides, I like the annex now.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know that my wife had such an old-fashioned idea. How old is the rule that you¡¯re talking about? These days, even among the aristocrats, good couples are envied, and they say that they share a room.¡± The Duke smirked and rested his chin on his hand. I was swept away by his words, looking for something to refute. Then, I suddenly came to my senses. ¡®No, not this. There¡¯s something more important than separating the rooms.¡¯ I quickly spoke calmly and firmly. ¡°Our contract is not an ordinary marriage contract, so I won¡¯t accept implied agreements on marital relationships.¡± At that, I hurriedly poured out what I wanted to say before he rebutted anything. ¡°I¡¯ll treat the Duke once every three days, and I¡¯ll let you know when we get a little more trust in our relationship on how to break the curse. But, I hope you understand that much, as we can¡¯t just drain the water and throw it away. If you don¡¯t have anything else to say, then I¡¯ll be off.¡± Then, without even hearing his answer, I got up from my seat and hurried away. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Hyle, Dmitri¡¯s chief advisor, asked the Duke this question while he was sitting at his desk, staring intently at something. ?? At the same time, Dimitri smiled slightly, rolling something with his hand on the desk, without even glancing at him. ¡°Hyle, is this cute?¡± ?? ¡°What? Cherry tomatoes?¡± ¡°Is it cute?¡± ¡°But Your Grace doesn¡¯t like vegetables.¡± ?? ¡°She says this is cute.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Hyle stared intently at the tomato in Dimitri¡¯s hand. ¡°No matter how you look at it, sire, it¡¯s just a cherry tomato. Round and small.¡± ¡°Is the color cute?¡± ?? ¡°It¡¯s just scarlet.¡± ¡°Is scarlet a cute color?¡± ?? ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s just scarlet.¡± At that, Hyle snapped his fingers as if he realized something and opened his mouth. ¡°Perhaps she likes it because the color is similar to her eye color?¡± ?? ¡°Is this the color of her eyes?¡± Dimitri tilted his head. Hyle explained because the Duke was born without being able to recognize the color red due to him being a cat shapeshifter. ¡°Yes. Her eyes are the color of ripe red cherry tomatoes. Her hair is also red wine colored.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Even if Hyle explained it like that, Dimitri could not fully understand them. Just imagine the images of cherry tomatoes and wine, and imagine the colors that ordinary humans feel¡­ He then recalled Rowaine¡¯s eyes, which were warm, and her thick, soft hair. ¡®It was a color similar to a blade of grass.¡¯ In his eyes, Rowaine¡¯s red eyes and hair were divided into light green and dark green. If he based it on the color standards set by humans, that is. She was embarrassed when he suggested they share a room, so he thought of her, whose face was changing colors, and laughed again. ¡®If I did better, she could¡¯ve fallen for it. That¡¯s too bad.¡¯ ?? The scent of sweet grassy leaves emanated from her, making him thirsty. Dimitri thought that he would be able to have good dreams if she slept next to him. However, he didn¡¯t mean it sincerely because when he fell asleep, he slept in his cat form rather than his human form since it was more comfortable. He didn¡¯t want to show her who he really was. He hadn¡¯t shown his body to anyone in a very long time. It was a world where everyone despised and looked down on shapeshifters. Thanks to his pedigree and abilities, he became a Duke even as a shapeshifter, but people ridiculed him behind his back. So, he was ashamed of revealing his anthropomorphic figure. Well regardless, sleeping together was not going to happen at all. It was just some empty words. It felt good to be around her. ¡®¡­Should I visit her as a cat?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t recognize him, anyway. ?? If she couldn¡¯t recognize that he was the grey cat, then there¡¯s nothing stopping him. As he imagined getting closer to her, he licked his lips from the thirst. Eventually, Dimitri decided to take on an adventure he would not normally do, and stood up. ¡°Where are you going, Your Grace?¡± ¡°To get some sun.¡± Dimitri hid himself in the shadows of the wall and slid down without making a sound. His gray fur was useful, as it sometimes absorbed and reflected light. As such, when he walked by the shadows, most of the human eyes cannot find him¡­ ¡°You¡¯re here again!¡± ¡­No way. ¡®How is this woman so good at finding me?¡¯ Dimitri hurriedly leaped onto the wall beyond Rowaine¡¯s reach. But the eyes gazing up at him were wet with tears. ¡®Why do you keep crying?¡¯ It seemed like she was crying alone again like yesterday. ¡®You were so bold before.¡¯ Did she get sick or something? ¡®No. Then, she would have healed herself with her own abilities.¡¯ ???? While he was puzzled, Rowaine muttered with a sad smile. ¡°Every time I think of my cats, you appear like magic. How strange.¡± Last time, she came out alone like this and cried about some cats, and it was the story of the cat again this time as well. ¡®You said the cats are dead? Are you still so sad because of them?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if she was talking about a shapeshifter cat or a normal cat, though it was strange that a cruel person who abused shapeshifters cried every night because of them. At this point, he wondered if all those rumors saying she was the demon were all a ruse. In any case, Dimitri looked around him, thinking he should hide from Rowaine for now. But then, her exclamation was heard. ¡°Wow, you look more handsome in the daytime. Kitty, pretty kitty, what¡¯s in your mouth? And you¡¯re biting it so well~ Who¡¯s a good kitty?¡± Dimitri opened his mouth wide, startled by what she had just said. ¡®How can she talk like that¡­¡¯ As he opened his mouth, something he was biting fell and rolled down the wall. ¡°What is this? Cherry tomatoes?¡± Rowaine widened her eyes and picked up the cherry tomatoes that had fallen. He had brought it to compare because her eyes are the color of cherry tomatoes. Even if he can¡¯t distinguish the red colors, he can still see the light and shade. However, he didn¡¯t expect to be caught by her¡­ Dimitri became somewhat embarrassed and pretended not to hear her, then ran without looking back and hid himself in the grass. ¡°I¡¯m going to take this!¡± Rowaine picked up a twig and pushed the cherry tomatoes towards the grass where he hid. Even though the blades of the grass touched her face, she was so diligent that he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡®It¡¯s okay, so don¡¯t get hung up on that.¡¯ He thought the cherry tomato bothered her, but Rowaine crooned sweetly. ¡°Tomato prevents cat obesity and is good for anti-aging, but too much of it gives you an upset stomach.¡± ¡®¡­Obesity? Anti-aging? Is she saying that I look old and fat now¡­?¡¯ It was insulting. Dimitri unknowingly tapped his lower belly with the soft sole of his foot. A man with a sagging belly is terrible. Nonetheless, cats were naturally born with a tendency to gain belly fat. But, Dimitri was always vigilant and particularly well taken care of. ??Hyle saw Dimitri, who had gone out for a walk, suddenly return with a look of displeasure and went to the training grounds with a sword. No matter how upset he looked, Hyle couldn¡¯t let him go out again because of a pile of paperwork he had to deal with. However, no matter how long he waited, Dimitri did not return, and in the end, he had no choice but to go to the training grounds to find him. There, he found Dimitri, beating up the knights with sheer force. As if possessed by something, he occasionally glanced at himself in the mirror on the other side of the smokestack, and then returned to grab the sword again. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is, but something very serious must have happened.¡¯ Did the knights do something wrong? If so, they must have made a huge mistake. If it wasn¡¯t for that, there was no way Dimitri would have come forward and beaten up the knights like that¡­ The knights with a lot of discipline gazed at Hyle as if they were begging for their lives, but even so, it was impossible to stop the angry Dimitri. ¡®I¡¯m scared, too.¡¯ The sun will rise again tomorrow. And so, Hyle decided to postpone the unfinished until then and ran away from the training grounds without looking back. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 The next day, Dimitri, who had turned into a cat to take a break from work, went by the wall where he had met Rowaine the day again, as if he had been possessed. The butler told him that Rowaine locked herself up inside the annex, and that she was being unusually quiet. Even though rumors said that she likes crowded, noisy places and attends all kinds of parties, even going to three or four parties a night, enjoying being noticed by doing this and that to stand out. It was a fact that Hyle found out about after diligently finding information about her before reporting it to him in detail. ¡®If I only based on the rumors, she seems like a completely different person from the person I heard.¡¯ The gap between the facts and rumors was so great that he got curious. He wondered if she would cry again today¡­ Dimitri lightly leaped down to the ground and headed to yesterday¡¯s place, but this time, Rowaine was nowhere to be seen. ¡®Well, this isn¡¯t even a place where you can stay all day long, so it¡¯s weird that we run into each other at any time like that¡­¡¯ He tried to turn her away, thinking it was nothing, though something caught his eyes. ¡®What is it?¡¯ A box just the right size for a cat was hidden in the grass. And, inside it was a bundle of wool with a rod, like a bait in a trap. ¡®She left the trash behind¡­?¡¯ Was it her? It was confusing. ¡®¡­Why?¡¯ He tapped the tufts of wool on the rod. Ring. ¡®Why?¡¯¡¯ Cling clang. ¡®Why¡­?¡¯¡¯ Cling clang. ¡®¡­This is annoying.¡¯ He angrily beat the bundle of wool, which was reminiscent of a small creature, and was instinctively stimulated by the sound of bells that rang in his ear. Dimitri hugged it tightly and rolled around in the grass as though he were hunting. The bundle of wool smelled of Rowaine¡­ That made him even more excited. He grabbed the stick and climbed up the wall. A tuft of wool, tied in a long string, hung down the wall. Dimitri then swung his round paw, mercilessly smashing the tuft of wool. ¡®Ya! Ha! Strangely, I feel good?¡¯ Cling clang. Clang, cling clang He was hitting it like crazy. Clink, cling clang, cling clang. Dimitri, who had been beating, biting, and tearing the wad of wool as if possessed, came to his senses. ¡®¡­Why am I doing this?¡¯ Quivering with shame, he sat down for a moment to calm his confused mind and picked up the fur. ¡®It must have been that the woman had put a strange spell on that tuft of wool.¡¯ He was staring at it with that thought when he heard a rustling sound from somewhere. At that, Dimitri raised his head and stared to the side where the sound was coming from, and he froze like a stone statue. Rowaine, whom he doesn¡¯t know how long she¡¯d been there, gazed at Dimitri with her cheeks flushed. ¡®Is she laughing at me?¡¯ Seeing Rowaine smiling like that, his fur stood up in indignation. But, he couldn¡¯t reveal his identity, so all he could do was leave. As he was grinding his teeth and turning around. ¡°So cute!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Hearing that, Dimitri looked back at Rowaine in embarrassment. Upon closer inspection, he saw a different smile on her face. At first, it seemed like she was ridiculing him, but under her long eyelashes, the corners of her eyes curled up unpretentiously, and her smile now seemed to him like it was in full bloom. To Dimitri, an innocent smile that did not feel so selfish or pretentious came to him with a shocking intensity. As far as he can remember, he had never seen anything like this. ¡®What¡­ What is she so happy about?¡¯ It was a smile too dazzling to be interpreted maliciously. The warm sunlight was breaking over her head. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Dimitri left the place in a strange haste, suddenly feeling like he couldn¡¯t breathe properly. Even when he returned to his office, he could still remember Rowaine¡¯s smile for a very long time. He doesn¡¯t know what was her intention of leaving the despicable tuft there like that, and he didn¡¯t understand why she smiled like that when she saw her foolish self. ¡®What a strange woman.¡¯ The hideous rumors about her that he had heard from Hyle and her innocent smile she had just seen a moment ago were chaotically jumbled up in his mind. That night, as Dimitri slept, he had a dream. Due to the vigilant nature of the race, he usually had a lot of dreams due to his habit of sleeping lightly. In his dream today, there was a hand with a pleasant scent tickling the nape of the neck pleasantly. ¡®My cute kitty.¡¯ It was Rowaine¡¯s hand. He instinctively tried to avoid her touch, but he hesitated at the fragrant scent coming from her hand. It was a scent that made him want to stick to it over and over again. If only he smelled that scent, all the tension in his head would disappear. He pondered whether to go a little closer or to stay still for a bit. Dimitri leaned into her hand as if possessed. Though he thought he had to come to his senses, he couldn¡¯t refuse. It was like he was drunk, and Dimitri felt so good that he suddenly wished that he could forget all the complicated things and just stay like this. However, at that moment. ¡®You¡¯re making such an ugly appearance. What an unseemly sight, Dimitri!¡¯ The ominous and unpleasant voice of the former duchess broke the peace. The dream, as usual, turned into a familiar nightmare and swallowed him up. The ridicule from the former Duchess¡­ ¡®Hahaha, you turned into a cat!¡¯ ¡®Ha, how ugly!¡¯ ¡®Look at that tail! How can you pretend to be a human like that! Haha!¡¯ What followed was the voice of the brothers from the previous duchess in his childhood. At that time, Dimitri had become a kitten and was locked in a cage. His brothers kept mocking him, who turned into a cat, as they were watching him behind a cage. Even though they were already dead, the shame he had suffered as a child came back again, and Dimitri covered his ears and shrugged his body. ¡®It¡¯s this dream again. This is just a nightmare. You have to wake up.¡¯ Dimitri struggled with the nightmare he had been accustomed to dreaming of several times. Then, Rowaine¡¯s scream was heard. ¡®Save me, Duke!¡¯ The shadow of the former duchess was strangling Rowaine¡¯s neck. The hand wasn¡¯t really meant to hurt Rowaine¡­ It was just a gesture to break Dimitri¡¯s hopes. She was a glimmer of hope that appeared to him, who was struggling in the agony of the curse. He might be able to finally be freed from this pain that he has endured. The former duchess, as always, was trying to push him into despair. Stop it. Leave her alone. Leave me alone¡­! Rowaine is the only clue to breaking the curse. He couldn¡¯t lose her in vain at the hands of the former duchess. She always took away his precious things¡­ He couldn¡¯t let her take away his hope again. But, his body didn¡¯t listen as if it were being weighed down by something. Dimitri struggled desperately. Stop¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Dimitri woke up with that cry. The sun was already high. It looked like he had overslept. He put on a robe over his sweaty body and immediately called the butler. ¡°Where is the Duchess now?¡± Naturally, he expected that the butler¡¯s mouth would say that Rowaine was in the annex. However¡­ ¡°Madam Elbas called her in the morning and crossed over there.¡± Madam Elbas was the name of the former duchess. Dimitri¡¯s face hardened. Early in the morning, when I received an invitation to a luncheon from Madam Elbas, the former Duchess of Blois, I was a little worried. ¡®She is the main culprit in making the Duke of Blois the villain in the novel.¡¯ Madam Elbas hated Dimitri, who was the former the Duke of Blois¡¯ child with a concubine. She poisoned Dimitri¡¯s biological mother when he was young, and has since abused Dimitri, In addition, even throwing him away by the age of ten. It was around that time that he was subjected to the magical poison. Dimitri was suspicious of Madam Elbas, though he was unable to investigate her because he had no physical evidence. In any case, Dimitri, who somehow survived and returned to the family, went to the battlefield at the age of sixteen to avoid the Madam. ¡®But at one battlefield, he met the two twin sons of Madam Elbas, who he fought together with but were both killed. Only Dimitri survived¡­¡¯ Madame Elbas poured her sorrow and her resentment at the loss of her child into Dimitri in anger. She believed that Dimitri had killed them with evil intentions. ¡®Is she planning a scheme with the elders to overthrow Dimitri, who has since become Duke?¡¯ I gathered up her memory and put together a track record of Madam Elbas. ¡®I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be very friendly to me.¡¯ If you know thy enemy and know thyself, you will win a hundred battles. And so, I made up my mind and decided to meet her once. I thought it would be better to do this early, and since there will be many occasions in the future that I would run into her. It would be better to find out if she was an opponent I could handle. Anyway, all I¡¯d done in Blois these days was look for the gray cat, so I was trying to see if there¡¯s something else I could do. ¡°Are you going to wear that to go see the madam?¡± One of the two maids the butler had put on me before stared at my outfit, looking at me up and down. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 It seemed to be because I was wearing the shirt and pants I had been looking for. Ren¨¦e¡¯s clothes that were prepared in a hurry didn¡¯t fit her body, so they were uncomfortable. Originally, I was originally going to go shopping for some clothes today, though since I suddenly got an invitation from Madam Elbas, I couldn¡¯t help it. At the maid¡¯s words, I looked down at the clothes I was wearing and tilted my head to the side. ¡°Why can¡¯t I?¡± Even though it wasn¡¯t a tailored garment, it was still formal enough. It wouldn¡¯t be considered very flawed if I wore this to meet my mother-in-law for the first time. However, to the maids, that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. ¡°Other guests will come to the Madam¡¯s luncheon, so you must look pretty. That¡¯s too¡­ casual.¡± I glanced in the mirror. ¡®It¡¯s already dazzlingly pretty.¡¯ Rowaine was considered to be one of the three most beautiful women in this novel. Perhaps, even if I had scattered my unwashed hair for ten days, wore a rag, and had soot smeared on this face, Rowaine would still shine on her own. So, I was a bit dissatisfied with the maid¡¯s remark. ¡®There is an old saying, only the good die young.¡¯ What¡¯s the point of a girl being pretty? Only troublesome things happened to pretty people. In my previous life, I wasn¡¯t a very caring person either. No matter how pretty and handsome celebrities are, compared to cute cats, they all looked the same. Cats are the best! I then turned towards the maid, who kept rummaging through Ren¨¦e¡¯s dresses and complaining that none of them were pretty. ¡°Isn¡¯t it okay if it¡¯s neat and plain? Do I really have to look pretty?¡± ¡°For the sake of the Duke¡¯s reputation, you must dress properly.¡± The maid shoved forward one of Ren¨¦e¡¯s dresses that looked the best. Nonetheless, I did not agree with her. ¡°Do you think that the Duke¡¯s reputation can only be achieved when I wear clothes that reveal my body like this? Just to look good in front of other people¡¯s eyes?¡± ¡°Pa, pardon?¡± ¡°Then, the Duke should have taken in a beautiful prostitute. I don¡¯t know why he would marry someone like me.¡± ¡°How could you say that!¡± At my words, the maid¡¯s expression didn¡¯t look well. ?? ¡°Miss Rowaine doesn¡¯t seem to know very well, so let me tell you, the luncheon you are attending is a classy place. Everyone will dress formally.¡± ¡°Clothes are not a criterion for judging a person¡¯s dignity. I know that dignity comes from the character of a person. And now, my attire is formal enough.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know that women wear skirts for formalities, Miss Rowaine?¡± She said, raising her voice a little as if she was frustrated. ¡®It was not long after Dimitri became Duke. It seems that there are still a lot of Madam Elbas¡¯ people in this mansion.¡¯ When I was shopping for the clothes I am wearing now, I had heard stories from the maids that the head maid often came and went to and from Madam Elbas¡¯ mansion. ¡®Is this maid also Madam Elbas¡¯ person?¡¯ With that, I thought it would be a good idea to let this person know who the new boss is. ¡°You, what¡¯s your name?¡± Feeling that I was trying to establish my authority, she pouted her lips. ¡°¡­It is Tilda.¡± ¡°Yes, Tilda.¡± I raised her hand to her. Thinking I was going to hit her, she shrank slightly. However, my purpose wasn¡¯t to hit her. I clearly showed Dimitri¡¯s signature on the ring finger of my left hand before her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m telling you because you don¡¯t seem to know what you¡¯re talking about, but it¡¯s me, not Madam Elbas, who you¡¯ll call ¡®Madam¡¯.¡± Then, I gently brushed her hair with my raised hand and went out of the room. Moments later, another maid, who had been silently waiting for me without saying a word, followed me. She was the one who whispered to me yesterday to speak informally, and she was silently preoccupied with straightening my shirt collars, as Tilda and I were fighting over a dress. I opened my mouth to her. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Agwen, madam.¡± I smiled contentedly at the voice that was clearly audible from Agwen, to the maids who still remained in the room. ¡°From now on, you are my personal maid, Agwen.¡± Her eyes widened. As she gulped, she bowed down to me quickly. ¡°Th, thank you, Madam!¡± It seems that becoming my personal maid was a high-speed promotion. Seeing that, I continued my words to test how bold she would be. ¡°As my maid, I have a job for you to do. Put Tilda in a place that suits her while I go to Madam Elbas¡¯ estate. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll fit in with my former maid.¡± Then, as I turned around, I could hear Tilda, who was arguing with me earlier, whispering to Agwen. ¡°Agwen, if you follow her words, the Madam won¡¯t let you go.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that? She is my madam now.¡± ¡°You¡­! You traitor!¡± ¡°Betrayal? When I first came here, my colleagues and I were very much under you because of your territoriality. What kind of friendship do you think we had?¡± ¡°Come on, wait, Agwen!¡± ¡®In many ways, it¡¯s tragically good.¡¯ I walked out of the room, listening to her pleading with Agwen. ¡®I think my fighting skills are improving. I¡¯m on my own after all.¡¯ I shook my head with a crude smile. At the age of twenty-nine, I¡¯ve been fighting for my whole life. For that reason, there was not much love for humanity left in my heart. During those days, I faced my brother who beat me up, and my father, who regarded me as a slave. Even with Kim Deok-soo, who killed all of my cats, I fought to death every time I ran into him. ¡®Compared to those monstrous people, the maid was actually quite cute.¡¯ If I had to choose my life motto, I would say, ¡®Let¡¯s just live as humans.¡¯ I¡¯m fed up with people who try to press me down. ¡®What about Madam Elbas?¡¯ It was said that the Elbas territory was quite close to Blois. The carriage didn¡¯t run for long and came to a stop shortly after. As I slowly got out of the carriage, no one came to meet me at the front door of the mansion. ¡°Anyone here?¡± Still, I knocked on the big front door a couple of times, but no one came out. I could feel the maids giggling and watching from the windows at the far end of the second and third floors. ¡®Aha, how long is she going to make me wait?¡¯ In the end, I shrugged lightly as I picked up a branch from the garden and wrote in large letters in the yard. Fortunately, the characters and the language in this world were included with Rowaine¡¯s memories, so I was able to handle it as freely as if it was my native language. ¡¸ Rowaine came and left. ¡¹ Leaving the branch on the grass, I jumped into the carriage. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The horseman was bewildered when I banged on the carriage wall as a sign of departure. The request to return as soon as we arrived seemed to embarrass him. ¡°Pardon? However¡­¡± ¡°No one is coming out to greet me, so I can¡¯t go in without the owner¡¯s permission, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but¡­¡± As if it would be better to wait a little longer, the horseman hesitated, stammering his words. Nonetheless, that must have been what Madam Elbas wanted. I didn¡¯t want to be like a horse that moved the way someone wanted. Even before I could see her face, this attitude of trying to rile me up stimulated my emotions. I knocked on the carriage¡¯s wall and shouted in a gentle but firm voice. ¡°Depart!¡± In the end, just as the horseman was about to leave, the head maid of the Elbas mansion hurriedly jumped out and caught the carriage. ¡°You¡¯re here, Miss Rowaine. I was late in greeting you because I was busy preparing for the luncheon.¡± She wore an awkward expression because she didn¡¯t think I was going to leave like this. ¡®I wish I had left sooner¡­¡¯ I was already mentally exhausted from going through just this test that Madam Elbas had set up at the entrance. When I got out of the carriage and went inside, I could see that there were more tests waiting for me. I sighed and got off the carriage. ¡°Where is Madam Elbas?¡± ¡°The Madam is decorating the table in the backyard. Let¡¯s go.¡± Even though she was looking at me up and down, dissatisfied, she guided me without a word. There, Madam Elbas was standing in front of a round table, working on the flower arrangement. ¡°Miss Rowaine has arrived, Madam.¡± At that, Mrs. Elbas stared at me, raising her sharp-looking eyes. She had a somewhat strict impression. Her white hair was tied neatly like a flight attendant, creating volume in her thick hair. Although her stature was small, her posture was upright and her presence was so great that she felt bigger than she really was. Since their blood was not mixed, of course, there was not the slightest bit of resemblance to Dimitri. ¡°Welcome, Miss Rowaine.¡± Her gaze looked up and down at me as if displeased. ¡°Nice to meet you, Madam Elbas.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the first time. You may not remember, Miss Rowaine, but I have seen Miss Rowaine¡¯s face a few times at the Imperial party.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. By the way¡­¡± Looking at my attire, she burst into laughter as if she was astonished. ¡°I invited you quite hastily, but I didn¡¯t know you would come like this. Didn¡¯t I write in the invitation that the luncheon is to be formal?¡± I replied with a smile. ¡°I did read your invitation, but you see, I was invited here before I had even unpacked my luggage at Blois. I wish I had time to get a dress tailored for this occasion, so I¡¯m really flustered because I was summoned all of a sudden. I didn¡¯t expect to see you in such a hurry like this.¡± It was only yesterday that I came back to Blois, but calling me out so suddenly like this was a clearly euphemistic expression of a lack of consideration. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¡°I am glad to know that you are ashamed. I¡¯ll give you some new clothes, so you better get changed.¡± ¡°Thanks for your concern, ma¡¯am.¡± It felt like I had to spend too much time here if I had to change my clothes like she offered. Thinking that, I opened my mouth again. ¡°I just came to meet you today and say hello. I came here to politely convey that I will not be attending the luncheon, so please understand.¡± At that, the elegant expression of Madam Elbas was cracked. When you decline an invitation, it is a very polite expression to go and say no. So now, even if it was Madam Elbas, she would not be able to be stubborn. But then, the maid who was carrying a tray full of cups of drinks, crashed into me as she was passing behind. ¡°Ah!¡± Splash! As the tray rolled on the floor, shards of broken glass were scattered everywhere. ¡­And, brightly colored drinks dripped down my shirt. ¡°What should I do!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The maid frowned, looking at my shirt and the shards of glass lying on the floor. Meanwhile, Madam Elbas grinned as if the maid had done well. ¡°Now that it¡¯s like this, it seems that Miss Rowaine has no choice but to do so as I offered.¡± She then called her maid chief and ordered, ¡°Give Miss Rowaine a dress to wear.¡± ¡°Yes, madam.¡± She turned her back faster than me, who was about to say it¡¯s okay to go back to the duke like this. Because of that, I had no choice but to follow the maid chief since Madam Elbas started having a serious conversation with the chef. ¡°If you wait here, I¡¯ll have another maid attend with the clothes.¡± She escorted me to her guest room and then left. After waiting for a while, another maid came in with a pair of clothes. ¡°There are only suitable clothes like this. Is this all right, Miss Rowaine?¡± I accepted the clothes she presented as I wondered if something major might be happening so if Madam Elbas had planned something. ¡°I¡¯m fine with anything.¡± It was a simple, plain dark blue dress. It even looked like a maid¡¯s clothes at first glance. ¡®Well, better than flashy. Right now, I¡¯m not in a position to hide anything.¡¯ Did Madam Elbas intentionally send a cheap dress up in the hopes that I wouldn¡¯t wear it and cause trouble? I was suspicious that something was up, though I meekly changed my clothes. People here may be ashamed to wear cheap clothes, but I¡¯ve never lived in such an environment. Just putting on a modest dress is not an insult to me. The maid stared at me as if surprised by my obedient attitude, although she soon helped me change my clothes. After I got dressed and went downstairs, the luncheon had already started, so I was taken to the luncheon venue at the maid¡¯s request instead of leaving. The guests were sitting around the table. ¡°Finally, my daughter-in-law is here.¡± When Madam Elbas looked at me and pretended to know me, everyone turned towards me in unison. ?? However, their reaction was unusual. ¡°Oh, my.¡± ¡°The clothes¡­¡± They glanced at me and someone alternately. As I followed their gazes, I saw a line of maids serving food at the luncheon. They were dressed a little differently than the other maids in the mansion¡ªthey were wearing the exact same dress I was wearing. Madam Elbas was laughing at me. ¡®¡­This was the purpose from the beginning.¡¯ With this level of preparation, the maid must have spilled drinks on my clothes earlier on purpose. Madam Elbas spoke to me calmly, as if she knew nothing. ¡°Why are you standing like that, Miss Rowaine? Come on, sit down.¡± There were no empty seats at the table. The ladies giggled and laughed at me. Obviously, everyone here was on her side. ?? ¡°Oh, look at my mind. There¡¯s no place for Miss Rowaine to sit.¡± She uttered that as though she realized it too late. Madam Elbas pretended to think for a moment before pointing her hand somewhere. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you sit over there?¡± A chair was placed in the place where the maids lined up. And, on the chair was an apron, as if it were a napkin. The ladies who saw the apron shook their shoulders like it was hard to hold back their laughter. I bit my lip. It was because I was reminded of something similar that happened to me in the past. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Disgusting food, my father¡¯s horrible words, and the apron that was thrown right in front of me. ?? When I went out to the kitchen to calm my boiling heart, my dad and brother were sitting at the table waiting for me. ¡°When it¡¯s time, food is supposed to be set up. What have you been doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m starving to death.¡± The two of them, who did not even lift a finger while unpacking rice and taking side dishes out of the refrigerator, and placing them on my table, naturally started eating before I even sat down at the table. The table was cramped. I took a seat in the corner, avoiding the two people sitting wide at the narrow table. That was my seat. That¡¯s what I was. A half-serving daughter who can¡¯t be treated as ¡®one.¡¯ ¡®Something¡¯ that sits cramped between two ¡®people.¡¯ ¡­But even here, they were treating me the same way. Their purpose even included an intention to ridicule as well as ignore my character. They wanted me to be a ¡®fun spectacle for half a person,¡¯ who couldn¡¯t sit at the same table as them. I clenched my fist tightly. Dimitri rushed to his horse and arrived at the Elbas mansion. ¡®If she dares her to do something to her.¡¯ Anger rose. He didn¡¯t expect her to steal Rowaine like this when his guard was down. ¡®She should have told me in advance.¡¯ Rowaine should have told him first when Cayetana called. ¡®I should have gone to that woman docilely and told her not to fall victim to her¡­¡¯ ?? Dimitri gritted his teeth. As a child, he remembered the then Duchess, Cayetana, harassing his biological mother. ¡°I¡¯m sure I told you not to stand out!¡± A voice that shouted sharply¡­ ¡°You brute!¡± And, the harsh beating that landed on his mother¡¯s body. Recalling that moment, Dimitri squeezed his eyes shut and opened them. ¡®I won¡¯t let it go any longer.¡¯ He was just a powerless child back then, though now, it¡¯s different. ¡®I won¡¯t let you touch her hair.¡¯ It was a challenge for Cayetana to touch Rowaine. Of course, it must not have been that she had called her with pure intentions. ¡®She¡¯s trying to provoke me.¡¯ Then, I will gladly respond to this fight. At that, Dimitri entered the mansion with a force to break the door, pushed the servants who were trying to stop him, and opened the dining room door. However, the room was empty. ¡°Where is my wife?¡± When he grabbed the butler of the Elbas mansion and asked him, the butler, who was almost grabbed by the neck, swallowed his dry saliva and pointed towards the garden. ?? ¡°Mis, Miss Rowaine is enjoying lunch with other guests in the backyard.¡± ?? Hearing his words, he let go of the butler and spoke coldly. ¡°Who dares you say her name? It¡¯s not Miss Rowaine, it¡¯s Duchess. Is it not something you already know?¡± Dimitri, who glared at the butler fiercely, quickly headed towards the garden. Worried about what Rowaine was going to do, he couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s crying.¡¯ After observing her for several days, she was surprisingly a delicate woman who cried well. She may have been crying alone because of Cayetana¡¯s vicious behavior. However, Dimitri, who went to the luncheon venue, paused at the scene unfolding in front of him. ?? Something unthinkable was happening in front of him. ¡°What is this, Miss Rowaine?!¡± Cayetana¡¯s screaming, and¡ª ¡°I like this seat.¡± He could hear Rowaine¡¯s calm laugh. Dimitri paused for a moment, staring at Rowaine sitting on Cayetana¡¯s lap. ¡®What the hell is going on¡­?¡¯ ¡­Why is Rowaine sitting on Cayetana? Without even paying her attention to the struggling Cayetana, Rowaine even ate this and that with Cayetana¡¯s fork on the table. ¡°The appetizer is really good! Would you like to try it, Madam Elbas?¡± Then, Rowaine turned her torso and placed it in her mouth. Although Cayetana slapped her hand and dropped the food. ¡°Right now¡­! Get up, now!¡± Still, Rowaine just shrugged her shoulders. ?? ¡°It¡¯s delicious, I don¡¯t know why you don¡¯t like it.¡± Dimitri, who was standing blankly, for a moment without realizing it, burst out laughing. At that, people¡¯s eyes turned towards him. Rowaine also found him and swiftly waved her hand. ?? ¡°Duke!¡± ?? As she abruptly raised her body Cayetana, who was struggling, lost her balance and rolled onto the floor. ¡°Ahh!¡± Rowaine rolled her eyes as she looked down at Cayetana, who collapsed on the floor as she screamed. Then, rather, she chastises Cayetana¡¯s behavior. ¡°You have to be careful, Madam Elbas!¡± The maids gathered quickly and lifted Cayetana to her feet. She burst out in her rage with her face blushing. It was like a ridiculous play. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ Dimitri struggled to hold back his laughter as he grabbed Rowaine¡¯s hand. ¡°I apologize. You seem to be having a good time, but I¡¯m going to need to take my wife away since I¡¯m quite busy.¡± ¡°Dimitri! ¡± He then took Rowaine out of the mansion, pretending to not hear Cayetana screaming behind him. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Rowaine smiled like a child, as if she was enjoying the situation. ¡°It was a perfect appearance, Duke.¡± It was then that Dimitri burst into a loud laughter that he had been holding back. ¡°Really, Madam¡­¡± She also crackled together, like what they did was belatedly funny. Laughing still, the two grabbed their stomachs as they returned on horseback. How long has it been since he laughed like this? Rowaine, who was sitting in front of him, smelled of fresh grass. Perhaps, it was because they laughed out loud, Dimitri spoke to her in a soft voice. ¡°Madam Elbas is a terrible person.¡± At his words, Rowaine nodded her head without denying it. ?? ¡°I actually experienced it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have written it down or told you in advance.¡± ?? ¡°It¡¯s all right. Rather than that, I didn¡¯t make the Duke in trouble, right?¡± If the elders find out about Rowaine¡¯s actions that had made Cayetana lose face, they may be outraged. However, Dimitri reassured her. ¡°If Madam Elbas wants to do anything else to you, do it as you did today. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Hearing so, Rowaine turned her head slightly behind and smiled. Dimitri thought it was fortunate that she wasn¡¯t as weak as his mother. Such a person as Rowaine seemed reliable and even great. ¡°Purr¡ª¡± Dimitri hurriedly covered his mouth at the sound of a purr that had flowed out unknowingly. ¡°What did you just say¡­?¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯re here.¡± In the end, he jumped off his horse as though to run away. Hyle couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing now. Dimitri, who had been to Elbas¡¯, was smiling alone in his office. ¡®I thought he was going to be smashing everything by now with nothing left.¡¯ ?? Usually, whenever he went to see Cayetana, he was always out of his mind. In his rage, he would not distinguish between objects and people, and would scourge and destroy everything in sight. That is why rumors about Dimitri being cruel and ferocious were circulating. So, he was thinking about whether to take a vacation today and run away, though he barely went to work, dragging his feet. But, instead, what he saw was Dimitri¡¯s smiling face¡­ ¡®Even if it¡¯s not because of Madam Elbas, it¡¯s normal that he would have a harsh expression on his face.¡¯ Because Dimitri was always tormented by the curse, he had never seen him in such a good mood. Eight years ago, from the time they first met on the battlefield, he had always been seeking death. Dimitri, who was sixteen, and Hyle, who was nineteen at the time, met in the opposite upper and lower relationship. ?? Hyle participated in the war as a descendant of aristocrats who were educated as the successor of Viscount Bilph, and Dimitri participated in the war as a commoner without revealing his identity. Dimitri was an arrowhead soldier on a mission to protect Hyle. So, he lived with the slaves and was treated the same. Then, despite the unfavorable conditions of being a shapeshifter, there was a tremendous performance that he did without sparing his life until he rose to an equal position with Hyle. Because of that, the Duke of Blois, who heard about the performance, recognized him as his son in order to intercept his son¡¯s ball. Then, Dimitri went around the battlefield without being restricted by his status. Relations between him and Hyle quickly turned around, and he was saved several times by Dimitri. Eight years went by like that. In the meantime, Dimitri had cried and laughed about many things. He managed to survive on the battlefield, miraculously winning victories, sometimes enjoying sweet vacations, and suffering life-threatening injuries. But, Hyle had hardly ever seen him genuinely rejoicing in all those moments. So, Dimitri¡¯s appearance right was very unfamiliar. ¡®Was he a person who laughed like that¡­?¡¯ Rumors were circulating that Rowaine had done a terrible thing in Elbas¡¯s mansion. Maybe that could be why. With that thought, Hyle decided to ask him. ¡°Your Grace, Baron Rant¡¯s wife had said something strange about Duchess Rowaine.¡± ?? ¡°Ah, the rumors have already spread that far.¡± ?? Hyle made a bewildered face. ¡°Is what Baroness Rant said true?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking if it¡¯s true that the Duchess sat on Madame Elbas¡¯ lap and made a joke out of her, then yes.¡± ¡°¡­Is that really true?¡± Dimitri burst out laughing, even just thinking about it again. ¡°She is a really fun and amazing woman. Well, you should have seen it, too. How surprised Madame Elbas was!¡± Hyle¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°What are you saying¡­ How could she do that¡­? Do you mean it wasn¡¯t a mistake? No, who would make such a mistake¡ª¡± Dimitri, who was shaking his shoulders with a low chuckle as if he didn¡¯t want to explain much, continued cheerfully. ¡°She told the Duchess that she has a bad cold. Her fever soared, and she lost her mind.¡± In the end, Hyle just nodded his head. Even if he thought about it, it didn¡¯t seem like there was any other way except for such an excuse¡­ ?? That night, Dimitri finished his work and went out for a night drink with joy. He was thinking of going to see Rowaine. Until now, she had not moved her room yet and was still using the annex. ¡®I was joking around with her for no reason. I couldn¡¯t even bring her to the room next to me.¡¯ Dimitri thought he should persuade her as soon as possible and give her the closest adjacent room. ?? At first, he thought he¡¯d just keep her by her side and take advantage of the healing powers he desperately needed. However, when he smelled the scent from her, it made him feel better. So, Dimitri wanted to keep Rowaine by his side more. ?? It was just an attachment to a useful tool. But, after watching Rowaine for a few days, his curiosity and interest in her grew out of control. Now, when he thought of her, even his smirk came out. In Dimitri¡¯s head, she was not a ¡®tool,¡¯ but ¡®someone a little special.¡¯ Humming, he strode to the annex. Though Rowaine was sitting under the moonlight and weeping alone again. ¡®¡­What is this?¡¯ Dimitri somehow lost strength. ¡®Is it because of what happened during the day?¡¯ He thought she gave Cayetana a cool shot, but was she actually hurt, too? Dimitri slowly sneaked up to her. His mood plummeted sharply. Maybe he was expecting that innocent smile he saw last time. Seeing her cry like this disappointed him. ¡®Doesn¡¯t she like cats? Would she smile when she sees me?¡¯ As Dimitri thought impatiently, without even realizing that he had thought that he wanted to make someone laugh, before carefully moving his steps towards her. ¡­Will she laugh? Will he ever be able to see her dazzling smile again like the last time? With that strange feeling, he stared at Rowaine. It felt like his stomach was boiling for some reason. ?? How many steps did he take? Suddenly, Dimitri stopped walking, feeling pathetic about what he was doing. ¡®What am I doing?¡¯ For a moment, a sense of shame instantly made him lift his head. ¡®Ha. What am I looking forward to?¡¯ Looking back at it now, he thought it was ridiculous. Dimitri couldn¡¯t believe he was thinking strangely like that as if he was possessed by something. Thinking that this was all because of the strange smell I got from Rowaine, he quickly turned around, although she found him first. ¡°What¡­ When did you get here?¡± Rowaine stopped whimpering as soon as she found him. Dimitri paused, stood still, and gazed up at her. Rowaine was smiling. Just as he expected. ¡®¡­.¡¯ Even though it was a lightless night, she shone under the soft moonlight. At that moment, he was instantly overcome with indescribable emotions. ¡®What is this relief¡­?¡¯ ¡°Are you here again? You¡¯re getting pretty close now.¡± She unexpectedly stretched out her fingers and held them out to him. ¡®What is she trying to do?¡¯ The scent of grass from the tips of her fingers stimulated his sense of smell as he was about to stare at her alertly. ¡®The smell of fresh grass¡­¡¯ ?? Why does she keep smelling such a refreshing scent? Does she even wander through the grass? Dimitri followed the scent as if possessed, without even knowing he was doing it. When he came to his senses, he noticed that Rowaine was tickling his head. ¡®¡­I was distracted. Whose hair do you dare¡ª¡¯ Coming to his senses, he was ready to scratch Rowaine¡¯s hand. After counting to three, he was going to launch an attack. ¡®One, two¡­!¡¯ But, before he could count to three, Rowaine pulled out her hand as though she knew he was going to attack. Dimitri trembled with a sense of despondency, not knowing that she knew the behavioral language of cats. ¡®¡­Unbelievable.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe his agility could be caught up with by an ordinary human like Rowaine. With that level of judgment and agility, she must have been spoiling her talent if she hadn¡¯t learned her sword. ¡®I think it would be better to make her let her guard down.¡¯ Dimitri changed his course and pressed his pride down to persevere, and called out for Rowaine. ¡°Nya!¡± ¡®Touch me more.¡¯ At this point, it was difficult to come here, so he will do it no matter what. Without realizing that he was excited, Dimitri was poised to rush in, thinking that he would scratch her white hand so that it would bleed. ?? However, once again, Rowaine withdrew her hand just before Dimitri could launch the attack again this time. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Could it be that she really learned martial arts? If it wasn¡¯t for that, she wouldn¡¯t have been so quick¡­ At that, he muttered in vain without thinking of getting stroked anymore. ¡°What¡¯s your name? Since you live in Blois¡­ Can I call you Blue? What do you think, Blue?¡± ¡®What do you mean, Blue?¡¯ ¡°Do you like it, Blue?¡± ¡®There¡¯s no way I would like the name that you gave without any special meaning.¡¯ When Dimitri meowed again and again in disgust, showing that he didn¡¯t like it, Rowaine cried out loud. ¡°You already know the name!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Rowaine, who was overjoyed, called Dimitri¡¯ Blue¡¯ several times for joy before her eyes suddenly began to blush again. ¡°I miss my cats since I¡¯m looking at you like this. One day, when I have my own house, I want to take all my cats and give them a treat.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I wanted to heal all those that are sick and give them delicious food every day so that they can live comfortably in a warm place.¡± As she took a deep breath, a drop from her tears fell onto the floor. ¡°However, because I am incompetent¡­ I can¡¯t afford to bring them home and take care of them¡­¡± A drop or two of a watery sigh fell. ¡°They were more like family than my family.¡± Dimitri watched her cry silently. ¡®Cats were like family¡­?¡¯ It was a way of thinking that he could not understand. Sometimes he¡¯d seen people treat dogs like family. Nevertheless, it was rare, and in this world, beasts were only beasts and were not treated equally with humans. Moreover, for Shapeshifters, weren¡¯t they regarded much less than as beasts and treated like slaves? But, it was strange to see her thinking of her cats and to see her say that they were like her family. ¡®¡­As expected, she¡¯s a strange woman.¡¯ At that moment, Rowaine suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°Thank you for comforting me, Blue. You¡¯re so smart.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± It was then that Dimitri noticed that his tail was rustling as if it were brushing her back, and he stood up in shock. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to comfort her. She¡¯s misunderstanding me again.¡¯ He walked away shyly. The next morning after returning from Madame Elbas¡¯ mansion, I decided to visit the Duke after much deliberation. ¡®Can I propose that we fire some of the employees?¡¯ Even if I became the Duchess, I still was in a pretentious position, so I didn¡¯t want to go out of my way with the internal affairs of Blois. Nonetheless, seeing Madame Elbas¡¯ behavior yesterday made it necessary to reduce her influence in this mansion. I heard that Sophia, the maid, educated and led the maids here and there between this mansion and Madam Elbas¡¯ mansion. Because of that, even a maid like Tilda, was still standing in the shadow of Madam Elbas and ignoring me. If it goes according to the plan, I will be spending about three years here. It was impossible to live with the eyes of such employees for a long period of time like that. It would not just be a fight with employees. It will be a long battle with Madam. Elbas. ¡®I don¡¯t want to waste my energy on unnecessary things.¡¯ Clearly, just by firing a few high-ranking people, the discipline could be reestablished. ¡®Let me ask him first, anyway.¡¯ I wrapped my head with a note that I was holding in front of me before going to the Duke. My offer would be accepted if I had prepared well enough for him to be plausible. ¡®First¡­ if we¡¯re going to get rid of someone, we should fire Sophia first.¡¯ Among the maids working at Blois, we can hire new maids with a lot of experience. ¡®Still, the fact that she has a lot of experience here doesn¡¯t mean she could be a close associate of Madam Elbas, like Sophia.¡¯ No matter how Madame Elbas took all of the maids to the place where she lived now¡­ I would never know if there were eyes and ears left behind here. ¡°It¡¯s difficult¡­¡± Wouldn¡¯t I have made a personnel decision before I knew what to do? I covered the note with Sophia¡¯s name on it. ¡°Let¡¯s hang out a little longer and observe people.¡± If there was no alternative, I would have been unable to carry out any opinions if I only hastily visited the Duke and begged him. There was nothing I could do, anyway, so I decided to collect information by observing the employees. And, until then, I decided to leave only Agwen by my side. Fortunately, Agwen did not feel burdened to serve me alone but willingly accepted it. ¡°The Madam is so considerate of her servants, so it¡¯s not difficult even though I¡¯m alone at all.¡± As I was used to doing anything on my own without being picky, it seemed that it felt like consideration for her. I talked a little more with Agwen. She is a woman with cute dimples that appear when she smiles, she fits her age. After talking to her for a while, I really like her. Contrary to her docile-looking appearance, she was cautious and respectful in her determined attitude that sometimes appeared. Still, she also seemed to have a pretty daring corner, seeing that she sent Tilda to the most arduous workshop in the mansion. Just as I searched for him, he must have searched for me as well. It was a time when I got to know each other with Agwen, the butler sent by the Duke came and held out a pocket with bills and cash. ¡°Your Excellency has asked me to pay forty million pennies every month to the Madam.¡± ?? At that, I counted the value of money in my head and tried to calculate how much it was. ¡®If you multiply Korean currency by two, it seems to be similar to the value of the currency here.¡¯ In a very rough calculation, forty million pennies was about two million won in Korean currency. ¡®Twenty million won a month? No way¡­¡¯ Unknowingly, I opened my mouth and stared at the butler. Seeing that, he added an explanation. ¡°On average, the duchess would be paid thirty million pennies, but the Master told me to increase it if you said it wasn¡¯t enough.¡± Obviously, the money was a lot. Although I had no choice but to refuse with my hands shaking. ¡°This is enough.¡± ¡°I will inform him about that.¡± ¡°Oh, I will go to the Duke himself and tell him. I had something to tell him, anyway.¡± I immediately went to the Duke of Blois. As promised in the past, I had to help him relieve his pain every few days, and I was able to ask him some questions. There, the Duke was listening to reports from his aide in the office. ¡°What is going on, madam?¡± Come to think of it, he casually called me his wife. Since his assistant, Viscount Hyle Bilph also knew about the curse, so I spoke without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯d like to see your condition.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sit down.¡± It seemed that he was in a good mood, as he sat down on the sofa in front of his desk. Whether he was having a conversation with Viscount Hyle Bilph, he stepped aside without any hint of doubt. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± ¡°Is only one hand enough?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When I reached out, he put his hand on it. However, it wasn¡¯t exactly palm-to-hand, but his hand was awkwardly raised somewhere between my palm and my wrist. It felt so disrespectful I gazed up at him, and I realized something when I saw him staring awkwardly to the other side. ¡®Cats don¡¯t like to be touched¡­¡¯ I knew that the cat had a lot of blood vessels distributed on the convex cheeks like soft jelly under the soles of the feet, and that they have a sensitive sense. ¡®He¡¯s holding it in for me.¡¯ I think I could use the healing power that overflows within me when it comes into contact with skin, so I thought it would be better to ask for an arm next time¡­ I quietly pushed my aura into his body through the softly grazed skin. Perhaps, he was enduring the pain without saying anything. It felt as if everything in his body was blocked. He must have felt pain in every part¡­ ¡®The headache must have been particularly severe.¡¯ As my warm energy circulated throughout his body, I could see his expression becoming more comfortable. Even though he didn¡¯t say anything, there was a sense of relief and joy in his countenance. When everything was over, his eyes that were looking at me were softer. ¡°If you are not feeling very well, please come to me anytime. I said once every three days, but it¡¯s not difficult, so you don¡¯t have to ensure it.¡± He showed a little favor to me because of the memory of laughing loudly when we came out of Madam Elbas¡¯ mansion yesterday. The Duke smiled and favorably offered me refreshments. ¡°At least, have some tea before you go.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t plan on staying long. Since I¡¯m here, there are a few things I want to ask you.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°So, the cost of maintaining dignity.¡± ¡°Is it too little?¡± ¡°No. I think it¡¯s not too much. In our relationship, this is the cost of employment.¡± ?? ¡°You can say it like that.¡± Then, it was a little strange that the successive Duchess was being paid more than they are now. ¡°You don¡¯t think I have the power to bring the dead back to life, do you? I can only treat you like this.¡± I was worried that he was overestimating my abilities and paying too much, so I wanted to check. However, he responded that he didn¡¯t really think about it that far. ¡°I don¡¯t expect anything like that from my wife.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Think of it as paying the price for keeping that ability a secret.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± I blinked my eyes for a moment, sneaked my guts out. ¡°Then, can I get a little more?¡± As soon as I brought up this topic, I asked if the amount was small because I thought I could raise the amount. At first, I thought this was a lot, though I changed my mind when I heard that it was money that recognized the value of my abilities. ¡®If I can increase my value, there is no need to miss the opportunity.¡¯ Isn¡¯t money a good thing, too? As if reading my thoughts, the Duke chuckled. ?? ¡°As much as you want.¡± Oh, if this is the case, it¡¯s a war of wits. ¡°Forty five million pennies¡­?¡± It was equivalent to raising a monthly salary of 2.5 million won in Korean currency. I gazed at him anxiously, wondering if it was too extreme, but he had an awkward expression as if he had heard a childish joke. ?? ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you don¡¯t have any talent for negotiating.¡± ¡°.¡­¡± Thinking it was a word of refusal, I pointed my lips out and grumbled inwardly. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have raised my expectations.¡¯ But, at his next words, I widened my eyes. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 17 Chapter 17 ¡°I¡¯ll pay sixty million pennies and provide you with jewelry so you won¡¯t be disappointed by what the wife is doing. If the maintenance cost is too high, the elders will chase after me, saying that I was blindly in love and nag me.¡± ¡°¡­That much?¡± ¡°When negotiating, it is better to avoid such a reaction as the other person may use it against you.¡± Hearing that, I shut my mouth and unknowingly nodded. ¡®I¡¯m rich! If I stay here for another month, I¡¯ll get richer day by day!¡¯ It felt like winning the lottery. Now that it has come to this, it seemed that the employees¡¯ problem had to be addressed even more now. ¡®In order to stay together for a long time comfortably and safely.¡¯ So, I asked, trying to calm the excitement of becoming a high-paying person. ¡°There is one more thing I want to ask you. Of course, it doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m going to do it right away, but how many servants can I fire? I wanted to ask if I had that much right¡­¡± Maybe because my voice was too low since I was trying to calm my excitement as much as possible, so, it came out like a small, excited voice. I thought the Duke would have noticed my raging heart, so I was a little embarrassed and faltered towards the end. He frowned slightly and put his hand to one of his ears. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Well, I want to hire servants¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s so far away that I can¡¯t hear well. Come a little closer.¡± Without thinking, I walked up to him and sat down. Seeing so, he lifted his finger as if to come closer. Even though I thought it was a little suspicious, I quietly bent down and narrowed the distance with him a little more. He pulled his upper body forward and whispered in my ear. ¡°Consult with the butler and wield as many greetings as you like, Madam. By the way, you are getting this much from me, so how about revealing the identity of the perfume you are using?¡± Upset, I couldn¡¯t take it after hearing him talking about the perfume again. I realized he was joking from the start and glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. Isn¡¯t it the wife who tempts me with sweet taste?¡± At that, I left right away, hating what he just said. ¡°Oh, I really want to hold you¡­¡± Gazing at Rowaine¡¯s back, Dimitri licked his lips as though disappointed. He fell on his desk as if he was melting. The scent of grass left in the air relaxed his whole body. It was really a ticklish scent. ¡°She ran away so easily.¡± He wondered what he could do to keep Rowaine from running away. ¡°Did I push too hard¡­?¡± ¡®Well, don¡¯t I get uncomfortable because I feel annoyed when someone touches me?¡¯ ¡°Next time, it would be better to approach her a little more openly and ask.¡± Since the butler said that the paid money could be used freely, I took Agwen with me and left the mansion. ¡®I should buy some clothes that fit me properly.¡¯ And so, I wandered around the shopping district with Agwen, buying some comfortable clothes and shoes. It was so exciting to be able to buy anything without worrying about money. I was so excited that I bought Agwen a scarf that she had been fiddling with for a while. As I did that, she was terrified and trembled. ¡°Oh, Madam! Don¡¯t be like this. No, no.¡± ¡°It is up to me to decide whether or it¡¯s okay or not. I¡¯m buying it because I¡¯m in a good mood after receiving my first paycheck, so there is no next time.¡± ?? It was when I forced the scarf to Agwen¡¯s hand and turned around¡­ ¡°Nyan, nyaan¡ª¡± There was the sound of a cat crying from somewhere. Was it because my head is always full of thoughts about cats? It seemed that I could hear the sound particularly well. Immediately, I straightened my head like a meerkat and focused on the direction the sound was coming from. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Madam?¡± ¡°Shh. Cats are fighting.¡± Agwen tilted her head slightly at my words, not knowing what I was talking about. Nevertheless, I grabbed her hand and sprinted towards the sound. The sound was coming from the back alley of the shopping mall. It was only after wandering through the maze of alleys that I found a group of cats fighting. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Just to see if anyone was hurt.¡± Cats fight for territory, and they could get seriously injured or die. Even though I can¡¯t always stop them from chasing after them, if I didn¡¯t check them out like this, I would be too worried and uncomfortable. ¡®Really, I¡¯m just going to check it with my own eyes and leave.¡¯ Then, I suddenly remembered that I had healing powers. ¡®That¡¯s right, if there¡¯s a cat that¡¯s injured, I can treat it myself!¡¯ I was suddenly excited at the sudden realization and carefully observed the gathered cats, hiding behind the wall. There were four cats on the dead-end side of the street, and two of them were fighting. It was probably a group of three, and the one in the corner was the newcomer. I was surprised to see the guy in the corner. ¡®It¡¯s serious¡­!¡¯ His condition was not serious. He was a sick guy with scabs clinging to his hair and a shriveled face. ¡®That¡¯s not a wound from a fight between cats.¡¯ Cats usually attack the neck, face, legs, or buttocks. So, it was strange that his body was covered in scabs like that. ¡®If they thought they would lose the fight, they¡¯d have run away before it got to this point¡­ Cats don¡¯t chase people who run away from their territory.¡¯ Judging from the intuition of a ten-year-old cat butler like me, the cat driven into that defense was more likely to have been abused by humans. It was as if he was running away from human hands and then accidentally entered another cat¡¯s territory and was chased like that. ¡°Wait here, Agwen. Don¡¯t make a sound.¡± After telling Agwen firmly, I chased away the three cats from a distance. Meanwhile, the guy in the corner limped in the opposite direction to the guys who ran away. As I blocked the guy¡¯s path with my body, wary, the cat stepped back. ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay.¡± I lowered my posture in the slowest possible motion and blinked my eyes at him. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± He was staring at me with big blue eyes. ¡°I¡¯m trying to help. I want to help you.¡± Is this going to work? It was a difficult task for me to reassure a cat whom I had just met. But, he looked so sick and tired. I knelt on the floor and waited for him, hoping my whole heart would reach the cat in front of me. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t run away. He seemed too weak to do that. ¡®I don¡¯t even have a bag to put a cat in. Can I catch him¡­?¡¯ It was almost impossible to capture a cat without a cat cage. No matter how gentle a domestic cat is, when they go outside, they become more vigilant and rebellious. However, I couldn¡¯t leave him alone. Besides, I also have healing powers that I can share as much as I want! ¡°Can I take a look?¡± It would be nice if he could just stay still for a little while. Carefully, I stretched out my hand slowly so as not to startle him. Upon closer inspection, it was a wheat-colored cat with long hair though it seems to be getting darker as time goes on, perhaps dirty. He glanced at me, alternately looking into my eyes and hands. But, he didn¡¯t run away while he got my hands close to my nose. ¡®I think he¡¯s familiar with human¡¯s touch.¡¯ Otherwise, the cat would not have allowed a stranger to come close to it in such an injured state. I swallowed dry saliva and carefully extended my index finger to him so that he could approach me first, sniffing. ¡®Please, please.¡¯ Staring at my fingers, the cat poked its moist nose to the tip of my finger. ¡®It¡¯s done!¡¯ Singing with delight, I gently tickled his forehead and moved closer. ¡°Ah, how did you get hurt like this?¡± His wounds were more serious than expected. I thought that if I had left him like this, he might have died today. ¡°Hold on a little bit. I will make you feel better.¡± Saying so, I placed my hand near his wound. The cat flinched, though miraculously, he didn¡¯t run away. ¡°Don¡¯t get sick, don¡¯t get sick, don¡¯t get sick¡­¡± As he concentrated my mind, I could feel a warm aura pulsing from my palm and seeping into the cat¡¯s body. ¡°That should be enough¡­¡± When I took my hand off, I saw that the terrible wound had healed quite a bit. Even I was amazed. ¡°It¡¯s really done. Wow.¡± I didn¡¯t know such a deep wound would be treated so quickly like this. I felt like I had made a name overnight. Even the cat stretched out his crouched body, licked the wounded area, and looked back at me as it couldn¡¯t believe that the pain had disappeared so quickly. If I had to guess, he seemed to be in a better mood now. ¡°Oh, are you okay? Doesn¡¯t it hurt? It¡¯s good? That¡¯s a relief.¡± I thought he was going to run away now. However, unbelievably, he rumbled over to me and rubbed its face in my hands. ¡°Thank you. Oh, are you thanking me?¡± Did the cat know that I treated it? It¡¯s so fascinating, how cute! I wish I had something for him to eat. If it was closer to the mansion, I wanted to take it and wash its hair, even if it was clogged with scabs. It¡¯s a pity I couldn¡¯t do it, although my job ended here. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you have a place to go¡­¡± I struggled to take a step that did not fall. At that moment, Agwen, who had been rolling her feet in fear of danger without knowing what I was doing in a distant place, slowly approached me. I turned around to her. ¡°It looked like a serious injury, but when I looked closely, it must have been just a small wound.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief. I feel bad for it.¡± She lifted me up and gently brushed the hem of my skirt. ¡°Madam, he¡¯s not running away?¡± Agwen whispered. As she said, the cat was still staring at us. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 The cat didn¡¯t seem to want to run away. Not only that, but as we moved a little, it even followed us in a hurry. ¡°What should I do¡­¡± Agwen looked at me and carefully suggested. ¡°If the Madam likes it, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to take him?¡± ¡°But, what if the Duke doesn¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°How about leaving it in the annex? After all, it¡¯s far from the main building and is where the Madam lives, so wouldn¡¯t the Duke also allow at least one little cat?¡± ¡°The annex is bigger than most houses¡­¡± ¡°There are a lot of noble ladies who have cats these days¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be all right to develop similar hobbies to communicate with other people?¡± ¡°The garden attached to the annex was also very large¡­ If you just look down on the corner of the garden for a bit¡­ ¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The Duke wouldn¡¯t even care. Besides, the Duke hasn¡¯t even visited the annex once¡­¡± Saying so, Agwen stopped talking and hurriedly shut her mouth before glancing at me. She seemed to think that I was concerned that the Duke didn¡¯t come and visit me. However, she was right. Of course, I agreed and took it one step further. ¡°Anyway, the annex seems to be used as a place for uninvited guests. There¡¯s no way the Duke would visit on his own.¡± As Agwen suddenly clasped her mouth, I looked at her once again as if it was okay and grabbed her cat. ¡°How can I leave a cat who was hurt like this alone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right.¡± Neither of us had anyone to stop us¡­ Just then, Agwen whispered words that sparked my ears. ¡°Even if Duke doesn¡¯t like it, there are a lot of people who work in the mansion, so if you ask, there will be at least one of them who would want to raise the cat.¡± ¡°Then, this is temporary protection¡­!¡± In the first place, I was infatuated with cats as I was so swayed by them that I was the one who fed the local cats every day with the money I worked hard for ten years. ¡®How can I not fall for the cat!¡¯ So, I ended up reaching out to the cat following us. In fact, there were unfounded positive thoughts running through my head. ¡®If the Duke was just a cat, he might be wary of and dislike unfamiliar cats, though wouldn¡¯t it be different because he¡¯s a beast? Shapeshifters might like cats since Blue is living in the mansion right now.¡¯ The gentle wheat-colored cat was held in my arms with a face that knew nothing that was going on. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a human-friendly cat again!¡± ¡°Madam, your clothes are dirty!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Clothes are washable. How can he be so modest!¡± Preoccupied with the cuteness of the cat, I did not see the shackles covered by the cat¡¯s long fur. Dimitri suddenly felt uncomfortable. ¡®What is this¡­¡¯ What is this feeling of wanting to keep searching inside the mansion¡­? It felt like he could smell an unfamiliar smell from the wind that brushed the tip of his nose. ¡®Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡¯ This ominous energy was creeping over from the annex where Rowaine was living. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Dimitri, who had turned into a cat, immediately ran to the annex. However, there was a spectacular sight right in front of him. ¡°Oh, beautiful. You¡¯re so pretty.¡± ¡°Ppyak¡ª!¡± Rowaine, dressed as if she¡¯s been somewhere, was petting a cat! ¡®How dare you dare invade my territory without fear?¡¯ Dimitri¡¯s eyes flashed fiercely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll find you a good guardian.¡± Muttering, Rowaine quickly noticed that Dimitri had appeared again this time. ¡°Blue?¡± Astonished to see him, she hugged the strange cat. Dimitri slowly approached the unfamiliar cat, rubbing his jaw and tail at every passing spot, burying his pheromone. ¡®This tree is mine.¡¯ ¡®This land is mine.¡¯ ¡®This chair is mine too.¡¯ ¡®This person is mine, too.¡¯ He then wrapped his tail around Rowaine¡¯s legs and stared up at the strange cat. ¡®Where did you come from?¡¯ The cat trembled as soon as it saw Dimitri and climbed onto Rowaine¡¯s shoulder. It was because he felt the unusual intimidation emanating from him. Rowaine also felt embarrassed and apologized. She looked a little troubled. ¡°Calm down, Blue. I¡¯m sorry. I was passing by for a while. I¡¯m going to bring this kid into my room.¡± ¡®What? Bring it into her room? That intruder¡­?¡¯ Hearing those words, Dimitri¡¯s eyes lit up. He quickly returned to his room, humanized and properly dressed, then headed back to Rowaine. ¡®I can¡¯t tolerate another cat in my territory.¡¯ Cats are territorial animals. The new cat, not a family member or friend, was just an intruder to drive out. So, instinctively, Dimitri wanted to get rid of the cat that Rowaine had brought. As he raised his hand to knock on her door with a sharp force, then came the sound of Rowaine and her maid talking from inside. ¡°How can a cat be so friendly?¡± ¡°I know, right? Even after I wash it, it¡¯s still so calm!¡± ¡°Our Coco is an angel cat, right? Oh, how are you holding up?¡± It looked like she was washing the cat. ¡®Are you holding up? Angel? Our Coco¡­?¡¯ Deepening his frowns, Dimitri snorted as though he was dumbfounded. ¡®That cat is having a lot of fun.¡¯ Feeling the limits of his patience, he knocked on the door of Rowaine¡¯s room. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Madam.¡± Dimitri¡¯s voice quieted the inside for a moment. Subsequently, a flustered voice murmured, followed by a bustling presence. ¡°Please hold on a second!¡± The door opened, revealing Rowaine with her sleeves rolled up. ¡°Is there something going on?¡± ¡°The wife must be pretty busy tonight.¡± ¡°Well, what do you mean by busy¡­¡± Sensing something unusual, Rowaine blocked the door and did not show Dimitri the inside. However, he made full use of his stature to glance around the room over her head. Then, Dimitri narrowed his eyes and looked down at Rowaine. ¡°Madam.¡± Rowaine, who was always confident, could not make eye contact with him today and rolled her eyes back and forth. ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°I have a very developed sense of smell.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Saying so, he took a deep breath at Rowaine¡¯s neck. At that, she flinched at the breath tickling her neck and took a step back. ¡°The wife¡¯s body smells terrible.¡± Dimitri¡¯s stomach churned. ¡®Who dares to put a lot of pheromone on her body?¡¯ His grip on the door frame was strengthened. Because of that, she closed her eyes tightly and confessed, ¡°That¡­ I¡¯ll explain everything, Duke.¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯d better do that.¡± Dimitri reached out and pushed the door Rowaine had been blocking with his hand above her head and slammed into the line. With his ferocious momentum, she had no choice but to step back. On one side of Rowaine¡¯s room was a wooden barrel full of water. There was a lot of wheat-colored cat hair left there. Seeing that, he turned his head and looked in the opposite direction. Agwen was trembling while holding a cat wrapped in a towel. ¡°I went out today and found Coco being attacked by other cats. Oh, Coco is that cat¡¯s name.¡± Rowaine quickly explained. ¡°But, Coco¡¯s condition didn¡¯t seem so good since he had been abused by someone, so I looked at it for a while, and since then he has been following me¡­¡± She then gazed up at Dimitri pitifully. Perhaps, because his mood didn¡¯t seem to get better, her words got longer and longer. ¡°There is a gray cat living here in the garden, so I thought it would be all right to bring another one. It¡¯s spacious here, and I¡¯ll be able to provide enough food for him. Of course, I was planning on getting permission from the Duke before that.¡± Rowaine rolled her eyes and struggled to vomit excuses. ¡°Do you¡­ do you hate cats? They¡¯re just ordinary, cute cats.¡± ¡°For me, a cat¡­¡± He was going to say that he hates cats very much. ¡®A normal and cute cat? A cat is just a cat.¡¯ Cats hate unfamiliar cats. That¡¯s their nature. Especially a cat that hides a secret like the wheat-colored cat with that innocent face. Dimitri¡¯s patience, as he was staring at the cat, thinned out. However, he was speechless at the sight of Rowaine, who looked at me eagerly with her hands clasped. It was because he was reminded of the story she had told as she was crying last night. ¡°I wanted to take all of my cats and give them a good treat when I have my own home.¡± ¡°I wanted to heal all the sick and give them delicious food every day, so that they can live comfortably in a warm place.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Dimitri bit his lip. ¡®Still, it¡¯s not okay.¡¯ The cat¡¯s pheromone was poking at the tip of his nose. ¡®¡­No way.¡¯ Making up his mind, he parted his lips slowly. Although the words that came out of his mouth were completely different from his thoughts. ¡°I don¡¯t hate cats that much.¡± ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯ The confident woman looked at him so pitifully that he couldn¡¯t bring up the words that no other cat was allowed. He wouldn¡¯t have been swayed by her if he didn¡¯t hear the story she said whilst crying. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Dimitri irritably wiped his face dry. Meanwhile, Rowaine confirmed it again as if she was surprised. ¡°Really? Is it really okay?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief!¡± ¡®I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s so happy without knowing how I really feel.¡¯ Dimitri struggled to suppress his boiling heart. At that moment, the cat that didn¡¯t have any clue about what was going on could no longer stand the water dripping from its fur and shaking its body. ¡­And, a few drops of water even splashed on him. Dimitri, who was already annoyed to the top of his head, unwittingly revealed his teeth. ¡°Oh, my!¡± ¡­He wanted to take back what he just said. Chapter 19 Chapter 19 In an instant, silence fell in the room. Frozen with shame, Rowaine carefully asked him again. ¡°Really¡­ Are you okay?¡± Dimitri, whose face was heated in anger, clenched his teeth and repeated the same answer. ¡°I don¡¯t hate cats that much.¡± At those words, Rowaine stared at him with her eyes wide open. Meanwhile, he repeated the same words quickly, emphasizing them. ¡°I don¡¯t hate cats.¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate it. I don¡¯t hate it¡­¡± Then, nervously, Dimitri ran out of her room after finishing those words. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with me?¡¯ Thinking so, he ruffled his hair in shame. ¡®Still, she won¡¯t cry alone again since I allowed the cat to stay.¡¯ Disgusted, he went back to his room, changed his clothes, and burned the clothes that had water droplets from the ugly cat in the fireplace. ¡®Don¡¯t cry again.¡¯ That cat will have to be useful. ¡®If it¡¯s useless, then I¡¯ll have to kill it secretly.¡¯ After facing Dimitri, I decided to send Agwen to rest first since she must have been tired. ¡°Are you really all right by yourself, Madam?¡± ¡°He¡¯s such a gentle cat. Besides, all I have to do is wash and dry it so I can do it alone.¡± Eventually, I sent her out after learning how to use a magic stone that produced a warm wind. ¡°Then, shall we finish?¡± Saying so, I rolled up my sleeves and started washing Coco again. It seemed that there was a lot of tangled hair because of the scab. ¡°This must be troublesome for you. Hold on a little, okay?¡± No matter how kind it was, the cat was still a cat. So, as I washed up Coco, he was making noises because he didn¡¯t like water. Then, belatedly, I found something wrapped around Coco¡¯s neck. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Peeking through Coco¡¯s fur, it was a necklace made of black metal. ¡°It must be frustrating like this.¡± The necklace was tightly wrapped around Coco¡¯s neck without any gaps. Seeing that, I tried to find a seam and untie the necklace, though there was no seam. ¡°It¡¯s iron, so I can¡¯t even cut it off with my bare hands¡­¡± ¡­Guess I¡¯ll have to ask Azen tomorrow if there are any tools to cut this off. So firstly, I washed Coco completely and dried all of the furs with a magic stone from which provided a warm wind. After that, Coco was incredibly pretty. ¡°After all, cats become so pretty when they are being loved.¡± Feeling proud, I kissed Coco on the forehead and laid it on the floor. Coco, too, seemed to be happy that it became soft, and rubbed its body here and there around the cushion of the sofa. I gazed at Coco and took a seat in front of the table. It was rather chaotic during the daytime, but it was time to think a little more about the employee changeover. ¡°¡­How do I differentiate between those who are on my side and those who are not?¡± It was too burdensome for me to fire everyone and hire new people. ¡°If I could, I want to get rid of only Mrs. Elbas¡¯ people¡­¡± Even though Agwen agreed to help her with all her heart, she still wouldn¡¯t know all the maids¡¯ hearts. The Duchy of Blois is so big, and there are a lot of people working there. It seemed to me that I had to select people around me as safe people one by one first. As I was pondering in deep thoughts, Coco was sitting and staring at me beautifully. That expression of staring at me as though to understand what I was saying was so cute that I trembled and approached Coco as if possessed. ¡°How can you be so pretty!¡± Blue was an elegant and cool cat, while Coco was a charming and pretty cat. Surprisingly, each cat has such a different personality. Carefully stroking it, Coco growled pleasantly before crawling onto my lap. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here!¡± Normally, cats don¡¯t like being cuddled or getting on people¡¯s laps. Furthermore, I usually take care of stray cats who are very alert, and this was the first time that I have taken care of a cat that voluntarily climbed onto a person¡¯s lap like Coco. It was clear that Coco knew it was pretty, as it sat on my lap with that pretty face and looked at me cutely. ¡°My heart¡­!¡± I grabbed my heart and trembled with joy. That day, I fell asleep stroking Coco while it curled up not far from me and fell asleep. Until then, I thought Coco was just a really cute, ordinary cat¡­ ¡°Open your eyes, angel.¡± Early in the morning, someone shook me from my sleep and woke me up. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± I woke up, rubbing my eyes. Coco was already staring at me. ¡°Angel!¡± Coco spoke¡­ It did. ¡®This is a dream.¡¯ With that thought, I lay back on my bed and fell asleep again. At that, Coco crouched down in front of me, tapped my nose with its soft paws, and chuckled. ¡°You really are a sleepy angel.¡± Wait, this doesn¡¯t seem like a dream¡­? Immediately, I jumped up and opened my eyes wide before staring at the cat in front of me. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re up!¡± Coco rolled over on the bed as if pleased. ¡°You¡­ talk? Did you just say that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not important right now. Look at this!¡± Coco, who said calmly to me, who was still surprised, put down the crumpled paper in front of me. ¡°Gift.¡± I opened the paper with a bewildered mind. There were various people¡¯s names written on them in crooked handwriting that was clearly written by a blunt cat¡¯s hand. I asked, feeling like I was dreaming. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°People whom the angel said yesterday that you want to get rid of them. I did some research this morning.¡± Saying so, Coco¡¯s eyes narrowed and growled. ¡°Cats are compassionate animals.¡± On the paper, many names were written on the paper, divided into groups. Coco explained each one, pointing it out to me. ¡°These people are the people who said they liked it better when Mrs. Elbas was around. And, these people said that the new Madam seemed like a good person. While these people are neutral.¡± Then, it pulled out its sharp claws and pointed to a few names. ¡°I personally liked this person, this person, and this person. They said I was pretty.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And, this person and this person tried to kick me out. They look like bad people, so these people here seem to be very friendly with each other. This person and this person seemed to have an argument, while this person said that he had an affair. This person has back pain these days¡­¡± Coco released endless employee information. ¡°Well, first of all¡­ thank you.¡± I gazed down at the paper in confusion. Nevertheless, this would be pretty useful if I asked for some information through Agwen, and it matched with Coco¡¯s words. In spite of my lack of spirit, I carefully folded the paper and put it in my pocket. After a while, after shaking off my sleepiness and coming back to my senses, I placed Coco on the table and sat down across from it. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were a Shapeshifter in the first place?¡± I knew that the Shapeshifters appeared in this novel, and that they go back and forth between the form of an animal and a person. Of course, it was also possible to communicate with humans in the form of animals. But, didn¡¯t Coco act like a perfect cat the whole time¡­? Coco, who was sitting on the table, purred, rubbing its face with its paws. ¡°Originally, beasts don¡¯t want to be found, angel.¡± In the novel, the male protagonist, who is obviously a dog Shapeshifter, used to freely turn into a dog in front of people though? Coco quickly answered my question. ¡°Except for the dogs. Because they don¡¯t even have any courage.¡± I suppose he had no courage¡­ ¡°Then, why did you tell me that you were a Shapeshifter?¡± ¡°If it was an angel, I thought that even if you knew that I was a beast, you would still be nice to me.¡± Finishing his words, Coco grabbed my wrist and tilted his head as if asking if that was the case¡­ in the form of a cat with big shiny blue eyes, pointed ears, and a round face with a cute nose! ¡®Oh, my heart¡­¡¯ Coco used a lot of cuteness, so I couldn¡¯t get a hold of myself, which made me confused. I smiled happily before quickly shaking my head to calm myself and spoke sternly. ¡°Can you turn into a human for a moment?¡± ¡­Otherwise, I think I¡¯ll be too swayed by you. At those words, Coco sullenly closed its ears. ¡°I want to, too¡­¡± Then, it scratched near the neck with its hind paw and said, ¡°Coco cannot change because of these shackles, my angel.¡± Th, third Person Speech¡­! Obviously, it was a third-person conversation that other people would have avoided if they had done it, but Coco was a cat. ¡®S, so cute!¡¯ Coco raised its big sky-blue eyes and stared up at me pitifully. ¡°Can¡¯t the angel release me?¡± Hold on. Is my nose bleeding¡­ I hurriedly covered my nose with a handkerchief and nodded quickly. ¡°Do it, I will do it¡­! I¡¯ll do anything. What can I do? Just tell me!¡± ¡°Then, ask that brother yesterday.¡± ¡°Brother?¡± ¡°He tried to kill me here yesterday. He¡¯s this area¡¯s leader cat.¡± It looked like he was talking about the Duke of Blois. Though, what does it mean¡­ a leader cat? It was cute to even refer to the Duke that way. However, aside from being cute, I became worried when the Duke¡¯s name came out from Coco¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s difficult¡­¡± Obviously, he said he doesn¡¯t hate cats, but when I saw him, I was certain that he didn¡¯t like it. Besides, didn¡¯t Coco just say that? That he was trying to kill it¡­? His momentum was so ferocious yesterday¡­ As if he knew what I was worried about, Coco turned its stomach upside down and acted adorable again. ¡°So, angel, please do me this favor, okay?¡± ¡°Does he really have to do it? I can bring a tool to cut the iron and do it for you.¡± Coco nodded as it licked its front paws left and right. ¡°These shackles are magical shackles that restrain prisoners, and they cannot be released unless you have the key. Wouldn¡¯t the demon who uses black magic know how to release me?¡± ¡°Devil¡­?¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 ¡°Yeah, the devil! Yesterday, I saw the devil hiding in brother¡¯s shadow. A strong cat can wield a demon!¡± Come to think of it, I remembered that the Duke of Blois had summoned a demon during a fierce battle with the male protagonist in the novel. Cat beasts were known to have nine lives and are said to use one of them as collateral to make a contract with a devil. Nevertheless, I was still worried. ¡°But, how will he react if he finds out that you are a Shapeshifter¡­¡± I think he allowed me to keep it because he thought it was a regular cat. If it was revealed that Coco was a Shapeshiftercat, I wondered if the Duke would hate Coco even more than when he thought it was a normal cat¡­ However, Coco spoke confidently. ¡°The brother, he knows that I am a Shapeshifter.¡± ¡°He knows¡­?¡± ¡°We all recognize each other, angel.¡± ¡°Although you didn¡¯t tell me anything, though?¡± What a shady cat! What would I have done if I had changed clothes in front of him without knowing that Coco was a Shapeshifter? ¡®Didn¡¯t you say this so that I would know?¡¯ As I pushed my lips out and made a dissatisfied look on my face, Coco swung the pen on the table with its foot and spoke indifferently. ¡°Originally, it¡¯s supposed to be a secret angel. When turned into a human, the characteristics of the beasts are so prominent that we cannot hide our identity. However, when we are in the form of a cat, humans cannot recognize us unless we directly reveal it.¡± The pen Coco was playing with tumbled down the table. With its round head bowed and looking down, Coco, satisfied with the pen falling down, raised his head with its eyes twinkling. ¡°Keeping each other¡¯s identities a secret. This was our unwritten rule, angel. So, don¡¯t be angry.¡± ¡°All right. If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll try to talk to him. Though you need me, too.¡± Dimitri turned into a cat and sat on the wall of the annex. It was because he was curious about what Rowaine was doing with Coco. ¡®I heard that damn bastard has been spraying a lot of pheromones in my mansion since morning.¡¯ Although he was staying still as Coco was with Rowaine, he couldn¡¯t deny that it was pricking his nerves. ¡®If I see it again, I¡¯ll have to scold it.¡¯ While he was poking around, he could see Rowaine coming out of her room with Coco. It seemed that the two were heading straight for the main building. Dimitri followed the two in hiding. As she met the butler on her way, Rowaine asked. ¡°Where is the Duke?¡± ¡®She¡¯s finding me¡­?¡¯ It was then that he realized that she was coming to see him and ran back to the office. As soon as he quickly turned back into human form, Dimitri adjusted his clothes and gathered his breath. Adjusting his appearance, the butler who had brought Rowaine at just the right time, knocked on the door. ¡°The Madam is here.¡± ¡°Tell her to come in.¡± Rowaine appeared, carrying Coco. Dimitri lost his temper at the sudden smell of Coco and ran, growling, before grabbing Coco¡¯s back. Everything happened in an instant. ¡°Nhgaa¡ª!¡± When Coco screamed, Rowaine scrambled to snatch Coco from Dimitri¡¯s hand and hug it. ¡°Calm down, Duke!¡± ¡°He¡¯s been stinking my mansion so much with his smell, Madam.¡± Unlike when he ran to Coco, Dimitri spoke as he got up in slow motion and gracefully brushed his hand. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I think Coco wanted to help me.¡± Coco let out a whine and dug into her arms. ¡°Brother hit me, angel!¡± ¡®That wicked cat has revealed its identity. He doesn¡¯t even have a gut.¡¯ Seeing that, he caught Coco¡¯s back again and lifted him up into the air with a ghastly glow in his eyes. ¡°Who do you dare put the smelly pheromone on, kid?¡± Everything in this mansion, whether it be a person or an animal, was the concept of ¡®territory¡¯ to Dimitri. Therefore, Rowaine was also his property. Needless to say, he didn¡¯t like Coco, who smeared pheromones in his domain. ¡®Should I just kill him?¡¯ While he was contemplating, Coco struggled pathetically and swung his front paw towards Rowaine. ¡°Angel! I¡¯m scared, angel!¡± It was a scene where Shapeshifter and Shapeshifter were fighting, although in the eyes of Rowaine, she could only see an adult man tormenting a small cat. ¡°Let it go, Duke! It¡¯s a small, weak cat!¡± Dimitri, who saw her staring at him as if he was unscrupulous, scoffed. ¡®As expected, killing¡ª¡¯ However, contrary to his thoughts, his body was quietly laying Coco on the floor. It was because Rowaine¡¯s face, which was tearing up as she recalled her dead cats, overlapped with her anxious expression as she was worried about Coco. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Coco quickly hid its body behind Rowaine¡¯s legs. He grunted and opened his mouth. ¡°What do you mean, a small and weak cat? He¡¯s just a weak kid. An incompetent cat that cannot even break its shackles.¡± Dimitri, who clicked his tongue, looked at Coco disapprovingly. At that moment, Coco, who had been whining with an angelic face, suddenly put on a cheeky face and stuck out its tongue to Dimitri. ¡®That¡­!¡¯ ?? Seeing that, he stretched out his hand. Meanwhile, Coco hurriedly clung to Rowaine¡¯s leg before he could even reach it, screaming in a deadly tone. ¡°Ahh! Argh¡ª! Angel! Little and weak Coco is dying!¡± It was a very, very treacherous cat. It took me a while to calm the Duke of Blois before we all eventually sat down on the couch. ¡°Do you want me to untie the shackles, Madam?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not difficult.¡± The Duke leaned back leisurely on the backrest and glanced at Coco. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Seeing me reply excitedly, he smiled mischievously and asked another question.. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°That¡­ would be difficult.¡± I dropped my shoulder and glanced at Coco. Coco, who was not able to overcome Duke Blois¡¯s annoyance and sat on the other side of the diagonal far away from him, stared at me pitifully and sighed. Duke Blois¡¯s eyes narrowed. He tapped his finger on the armrest of the sofa he was sitting on as if telling me to look at him. ¡°Look at me, because this greedy scoundrel keeps bewitching the wife.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s enthralling me¡­¡± As my gaze began to return to Coco again, the Duke noticed it quickly and tapped the armrest again. ¡°Look at me, Madam.¡± I don¡¯t know why the Duke keeps talking about Coco like that. ¡®I¡¯m not beguiled, it¡¯s just objectively cute.¡¯ Coco, with the cotton candy-like fluffy wheat-colored fur, was such a cute cat. ¡°The shackles, can¡¯t you even look at that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to look at that rascal.¡± A pun. [ T/N: It¡¯s a play on word in Korean with the word ???? and ????, though it doesn¡¯t really translate. ] ¡°Narrow-minded.¡± ¡°I heard you.¡± ¡°I-I said the sun is shining today. The weather is especially nice today, right?¡± I hurriedly made something up, though the Duke just looked at me with a distrustful look. At that moment, Coco, who was crouching down on the big sofa, shivering sadly, raised its front feet and said. ¡°If you don¡¯t like me, just take off the shackles and I¡¯ll leave here. What do you think, brother?¡± ¡°Who is your brother? This had been bothering me since earlier.¡± ¡°Hnng¡­¡± Coco gazed at me with tearful eyes. ¡°Do you have a place to go?¡± ¡°Where there¡¯s freedom! I want to go out into the vast world!¡± ¡°I see¡­ as expected.¡± If it was a cat that had nowhere to go and lacked the ability to live on the street, I would have taken it with me, but Coco was a free-willed beast. If he wanted to leave me, it was right for me to let it go. I gently calmed the Duke, who was scoffing. ¡°If you don¡¯t release the shackles, Coco will continue to be with me. So, wouldn¡¯t it be better to free the shackles and let it go?¡± Hearing my words, he put his chin on the armrest of the sofa with a languid look on his face. ¡°Tell it to stay with you in shackles, be incompetent and cute¡ªlike a clown. That¡¯s what I decided for him.¡± I could sense the dark energy of the villain who said those words. ¡°If I refute some of those words, wouldn¡¯t the Duke¡¯s heart be more reluctant?¡± Then, he responded jokingly, ¡°Have courage, Madam. I¡¯m not going to do it anyway, but wouldn¡¯t it be good for the wife to try to be honest with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, too.¡± I accepted it and confessed openly thanks to his support. ¡°Were you originally such a mean person? You¡¯re so mean.¡± ¡°Are you really that honest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling you how I wanted it. It would be a waste if I miss the chance.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how you would have endured it if I hadn¡¯t given you a chance?¡± ¡°It must have been difficult to endure, although I was lucky that you gave me permission.¡± The speechless Duke of Blois touched his forehead as if he had lost. Eventually, a smirk leaked from under his hand that covered his face. ¡°At this point, it seems that I¡¯ll keep hearing your honest criticism until I release the shackles¡­ All right, fine.¡± Is that permission¡­? Excited, my eyes glistened as I put my hands together and flattered him. ¡°As expected, as handsome as you are, you also have an open mind.¡± Perhaps, it was plain flattery. The Duke twisted his arm, which was holding his chin, and staggered. ¡°¡­What the wife said is correct.¡± Although he had a bewildered expression, he didn¡¯t seem to hate it because he was turning red. ¡®He likes compliments.¡¯ He crossed his arms and stared at Coco. ¡°If I release the shackles, will it leave without making a fuss?¡± Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡°Stop nagging!¡± [ T/N: The author used the word, ¡®????¡¯ which is an expression meaning something said earlier is so certain that there is no need to say it again. ] The Duke still looked dissatisfied but nodded as if he understood. As he snapped his fingers, something like black smoke rose from beneath his feet. ¡®Is that the devil that bound me last time¡­?¡¯ As the day dawned, I wondered if I could see the devil better than the last time, though to my eyes, it was nothing more than just a whitish smoke. The smoke hovered near Coco¡¯s shackles, then sucked into the shackles. The shackles finely vibrated into small pieces¨CTiing! It made a clear sound before falling into three pieces. ¡°Oh, this is cool! How long has it been since I¡¯ve had freedom?¡± Coco rejoiced as it smashed its hind feet, scratching it. Then, it jumped off the sofa, and Coco¡¯s body began to grow in an instant as he landed. In the blink of an eye, in the place where Coco was standing was a boy with a smiley face who resembled the image of Eros, the God of love in Greek and Roman mythology. He was a pretty boy with curly wheat-colored hair, light blue eyes, and a playful and cheerful expression. I think he looked around to be about sixteen years old, young and white. That wasn¡¯t it¡­ Body¡­body¡­ naked body¡ª ¡°Are you insane?¡± At the same time as the rough words came out of the elegant Duke of Blois, his large hands covered my eyes. I tried to soothe myself with a smile. ¡®All I saw was cat peanuts. Let¡¯s not think otherwise¡­ Cat Peanut, big Cat Peanut.¡¯ It sounded like the Duke was yelling at Coco, though I couldn¡¯t hear it well because I was too busy trying to erase the picture of the big cat peanut from my mind. ¡°Please close your eyes, Madam.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± As I nodded obediently and sat quietly, I could feel something like the wind blowing from the Duke¡¯s body. ¡®Is it the devil from earlier?¡¯ He ordered low. ¡°Shedim, grab it.¡± The next moment, there was the noise of Coco running and screaming. ¡°Spare me! it¡¯s been a while¡­! It¡¯s been a while, so I didn¡¯t know!¡± Coco seemed to run away pretty well. I shut my eyes and imagined the cat running around, playing catch. Of course, the Duke of Blois was by my side, so it was his demon that was running instead. ¡®Cat runs fast¡­¡¯ Eventually, the sound of Coco¡¯s bare feet, who had probably run around the office three times naked, suddenly headed towards me. Then, I could feel the Duke stretching out his arms, trying to block him. However, Coco avoided his hand and came closer to me. ¡°Thank you for your help, my angel.¡± His fresh voice and warm breath seemed to land on the tip of my nose. His soft lips briefly touched my forehead before falling off quickly. ¡°See you later!¡± When I opened my eyes, Coco, who had turned into a cat again, was jumping out the window. ¡°¡­.!¡± The Duke of Blois came up to me and rubbed my forehead with his hand as he murmured slowly. ¡°How dare he put such an awful pheromone in my realm¡­¡± I mustered up the courage to tell him, who was still muttering in anger. ¡°It hurts, Duke.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°And, it¡¯s my forehead, not yours.¡± It was then that he seemed to have realized that it was my forehead that he was rubbing, and he stepped back in surprise. ¡°Excuse me, Madam.¡± He coughed and sat down gracefully on the sofa. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± There was an awkward atmosphere for a moment. ¡°The Coco problem has been resolved. It¡¯s an ending that we can all be satisfied with, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°If you want me to be part of that ¡®us,¡¯ wash away that remark right now.¡± I laughed awkwardly at his blunt reply. ¡°All right¡­¡± To be honest, I was a little sad that Coco left so suddenly, although I was also happy that this happened for the sake of the Duke. ¡®He said he doesn¡¯t like cats. He hates it that much¡­¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t obvious that he didn¡¯t hate it from the beginning, but he said he would allow me to keep Coco so I thought it would be okay if we slowly improved their relationship. ¡®I didn¡¯t know Coco would be a jester like that.¡¯ I wonder if that¡¯s how the relationship improved. Regardless, it was already in the past. So, I decided to change the topic of conversation. ¡°Duke, there is one more thing I want to discuss while I¡¯m here.¡± Hearing my words, the Duke of Blois stood with his arms crossed and raised his head before answering. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the personnel management of the employees I talked about last time.¡± I brought up the topic that there were a lot of Mrs. Elbas¡¯s people who still remained in the mansion right now. And, looking at his reaction, it seemed that he knew it, too. ¡®Did he not have enough money to deal with the personnel issues of the employees because he was in a hurry to protect his position from the elders¡­?¡¯ Thankfully, he nodded eagerly when he said that I wanted to solve the problem. ¡°Could the wife take over the matter?¡± ¡°I think I can try.¡± Since there was already a list that Coco wrote for me, I thought I could start by organizing it little by little. As I was quite enthusiastic about this, the Duke stared at me, a little puzzled. ¡°I thought that you would be indifferent to this kind of thing because he said you¡¯d stay quiet, but it is surprising.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to have privacy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Only then will I be able to comfortably prepare for my independence and our divorce. Besides, in a contract marriage contemplating divorce, fighting with the mother-in-law is rather unnecessary and cumbersome. Having been fully entrusted with the personnel rights of the employees from the Duke of Blois, I set out with Agwen. First of all, the priority was to check whether the list Coco gave was correct. So, I spent the day carefully observing the maids who could be on my side from Coco¡¯s list. ¡°Coco is right.¡± It seemed that with that small body, he was running here and there, picking up people¡¯s stories. I was glad that Coco¡¯s research was pretty reliable. ¡°It would be a good idea to sort out a few people who will be on my side to make it look natural first, and then set a date before Mrs. Elbas notices and gets things done at once.¡± Holding up my pen until late at night, I grunted to myself as I tried to devise a plan. However, suddenly, in the quiet room, there was a sound of something scratching. ¡°What?¡± The sound was coming from outside the window. I approached the window where the sound was coming from, put my hand on the window, and glanced out. Although it was quite dark outside and bright inside, so I couldn¡¯t see out the window very well. While looking for the source of the sound of doubling over with my forehead on the window, I found something and opened the window in amazement. ¡°Coco¡­?¡± Apparently, Coco, who had said goodbye like a storm during the day and disappeared, was there. Also¡­ ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Like the first time I saw him, he was severely injured. It was a wound reminiscent of a d¨¦j¨¤ vu. As soon as I opened the window, Coco stumbled into the room and fell down in front of me. ¡°Angel, help me¡­¡± Coco¡¯s tiny body was completely in disarray. ¡°Coco¡ª! Wake up, Coco! What¡¯s going on?¡± I hurriedly grabbed Coco and laid him on the bed, readying my powers. As my power seeped into Coco¡¯s wounds, his fainting face gradually relaxed. At that moment. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± I hurriedly set my gaze elsewhere, pulled out the blanket and wrapped it around Coco¡¯s body. It was because Coco abruptly turned into a human. ¡°Greung¡­¡± Coco growled a little as he slept, making me wonder if the soft duvet felt good. ¡°¡­Where did you get hurt like this?¡± My heart was heavy with worry. ¡°Are you being chased by someone?¡± Thinking I should ask when he wakes up, I stroked Coco¡¯s wavy, wheat-colored hair. If I hadn¡¯t known that Coco was a cat, I would have never done this. No matter how young he looks, sixteen years old is quite an old age already. Because of my disgusting father and older brother, I originally hated any man¡ªdespite how young a boy is. Nevertheless, Coco was just a cute cat, even though he looked like a boy this way. ¡®Is the Duke feeling comfortable because of his cat-like behavior?¡¯ I had never seen the Duke of Blois as a cat, though I always felt like he was a great cat because he was good at whatever he does, even in human form. Well, he was the man I talked to the most in my life. I had more conversations with the Duke of Blois than my father and brother, who lived together until school. Thinking about it up to that point, I felt strange. ¡®What happened with him raging about the smell and acting annoyed? Somehow, did he lose his vigilance all of a sudden?¡¯ It was such a strange thing. I peered carefully at Coco¡¯s small, smooth face and pondered. ¡®Anyway, I should tell him, right?¡¯ When he found out that Coco, who had decided to leave, had returned, he might be displeased, but¡­ ¡®If I say he came back injured, he won¡¯t be kicked out right away.¡¯ Last time, he was the one who came to my room after smelling Coco so he¡¯ll find out, anyway. It would be better than keeping it a secret and getting caught later. I was going to ask Agwen to tell the Duke of Blois the truth, although I decided to go directly to him instead. ¡®If he gets angry, Agwen won¡¯t last.¡¯ I left the room and headed to the main building. However, as I entered the spacious hall on the first floor of the main building, I could hear a commotion from the front door. ¡®What¡¯s going on¡­?¡¯ Hearing the sound, I sifted through the servants, and soon saw the knights lined up, the Duke of Blois, and some unfamiliar men. ¡°Please release the Shapeshifter slave who is hiding in the mansion!¡± At that moment, I was startled by the shouts of one of the unfamiliar men. ¡®If it¡¯s a Shapeshifter slave¡­ Coco?¡¯ Chapter 22 Chapter 22 I had to let the Duke know that Coco was in my room now. Thankfully, the servants and knights who recognized me paved the way, so I could reach the Duke without difficulty. ¡°Why are you looking for your slaves from me?¡± The Duke of Blois uttered coldly as he looked down at the men from the front door. I approached him and tapped him slowly. ¡°Duke.¡± Hearing my call, he turned to me and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Actually¡­¡± As I was about to tell him where Coco was, he sighed and whispered to me. ¡°I know.¡± You know¡­? Eventually, he added a brief explanation to my puzzled eyes. ¡°The smell of him is terrible.¡± ¡­He has a really good sense of smell. Nonetheless, I feel sorry for him because I think this incident occurred because I brought Coco back from the beginning. And, at the same time, I was worried. ¡®It seems they must have done something bad to Coco. The Duke doesn¡¯t like Coco, so what if he says they¡¯re right and hands over Coco?¡¯ Worried, I glanced around the men who confronted the Duke of Blois. There were what looked to be like a dozen men or so. All but two of them were wearing expensive-looking clothes, while the rest were carrying weapons and traps. There were what looked to be like a dozen men or so. ¡®Is it like a search party?¡¯ They¡¯re catching a cat, though they were carrying around scary weapons like that¡­ I can¡¯t believe it. ¡°The traces of the slave we were looking for are lost here, Sir. If you allow me to search, I will find that rat-like bastard right away.¡± At that, I was terrified that the Duke of Blois would give up Coco at any moment. I was looking at his mouth anxiously, and he snorted. ¡°You¡¯re going to bring those dirty feet into my mansion for just one slave? You have a big dream.¡± ¡°Then, please find it yourself!¡± ¡°Why should I do that? They aren¡¯t even my slave.¡± ¡°That, that¡­!¡± The men looked at the Duke as if asking what to do, before exchanging glances with each other. Moments later, the two people in expensive clothes whispered to each other, and one of them smiled a little bit in an instant. He quickly lowered his head to hide his smile, although I could clearly see the obvious sneer. The other one took a step forward and said. ¡°Even though you¡¯re both Shapeshifters, the Duke isn¡¯t planning to protect the Shapeshifter slave, are you?¡± Saying so, he emphasized the words both Shapeshifters¡¯ and the words ¡®Shapeshifter slave.¡¯ Obviously, it was a sarcastic tone of sarcasm because the Duke didn¡¯t give up Coco because he felt sympathy with the Shapeshifter slave. ¡®Is he provoking him?¡¯ It was amazing. Still, he was the Duke of Blois, so the slave traders could only provoke him at best. ¡®It seems that buying and selling prisoners and abusing them have become so commonplace that there is nothing in sight.¡¯ ?? I once read a column about buying and selling human dignity. There, it was said that anyone who once traded someone¡¯s dignity for money would never forget that exhilarating experience. That was why, whenever an opportunity arose, they repeated the experience to the opponent he considered weak. Moreover, what of those slave traders who made their business of buying and selling beasts with free will? Their brain would have been filled with the thought that Shapeshifters were someone that could be crushed easily. Because of that, the slave traders provoked the Duke of Blois without hesitation. He seemed to be talking without even realizing that he was looking down on the Duke. ¡°We are invested by the Count of Bilbao!¡± The Duke tilted his head. ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to make things big, please give me the prisoner slave.¡± At his words, the Duke grinned and asked back, ¡°What if he wasn¡¯t in my mansion, what do you plan to do?¡± ¡°No way¡­!¡± ¡°If you are so sure, why not risk your lives as collateral?¡± He looked very angry. ¡®It¡¯s stupid. You¡¯re hurting a cat¡¯s pride.¡¯ After all, cats are proud creatures. Meanwhile, the traders, who hesitated at the Duke¡¯s words, did not respond and hesitated. ¡®Please just leave like this¡­¡¯ I longed inwardly. But then, the maid, Sophia, was seen quietly bringing someone and shoving their back. ¡®¡­Tilda?¡¯ The back that Sophia was pushing was Tilda, the maid who was belittling over my clothes when I went to Mrs. Elbas¡¯s mansion. She came forward with a smirk, and turned towards the Duke of Blois. ¡°Duke, there are people who have seen the prisoner hide in the Madam¡¯s bedroom.¡± Then, I could feel she was staring at me. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ ¡­Is she really saying that here? It was clear that she wanted the Duke¡¯s wrath directed at me. On the other hand, the faces of the slave traders who heard the maid¡¯s words were brightened instantly. ¡°The Duchess is very interested in Shapeshifter slave¡­¡± They seemed to be familiar with Rowaine¡¯s notoriety. The next moment, the slave trader rubbed his hands together and opened his mouth. ¡°The smooth face of the guy who ran away is perfect as a plaything for ladies. It is understandable that the Duchess is coveted.¡± Now, the arrow was aimed towards me. I pondered for a while. Would it be better to explain the situation in a way that everyone could understand and pay Coco¡¯s ransom right now? ¡®However, if I give money to those guys, that will become money that enables them to take prisoners again, to make them slaves and abuse them¡­¡¯ I never wanted to help their ecology. Perhaps, he noticed my concern, the slave trader smiled sullenly and spoke again. ¡°If you wish to take our slaves, Duchess, will you not have to pay the price? If you stand still like that¡­¡± He glanced at me and continued to mutter to himself. ¡°Slave is private property¡­ Is it not theft¡ª¡± Hearing that, I saw Sophia, the maid, looking at me and smiling as if sneering. Desperate, I opened my mouth to say that I would pay the ransom for Coco. However, Duke Blois was faster than me. ¡°Are you breaking into my mansion, and now treating my wife like a thief? How dare you insult Duke Blois?¡± The shadow of the angry Duke shook. At that moment the wind seemed to wrap around his body, and black smoke shot out towards the slave trader and the armed search party. Kwaang¡ª! ¡°Euaak!¡± ¡°Aaggk!¡± In an instant, the men who had gathered flew in all directions. Literally, like a piece of paper¡­ ¡°If my wife took the slave is a thief, am I a robber who will take your life?¡± When the Duke smiled and reached out once more as if his joke was funny, the men screamed and ran across the garden without looking back. ¡°Hm.¡± The Duke, who snorted his nose, called his aide. ¡°Hyle.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± ¡°Follow them and take them down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At that, Hyle and the knights pursued the slave traders swiftly. As I stared blankly at the scene, the Duke of Blois spoke coldly. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re happy.¡± Am I? Then, leaving me behind with a puzzled look, he gave a glance at Sophia. At first glance, I could see him wriggling his lips. ¡®Huh¡­? What is he talking about?¡¯ I thought he was going to kill me, but somehow, I must have seen it wrong. For a person who said that, he had a very gentle face. Besides, he left Sophia¡¯s disposal to me. ¡°I¡¯ve entrusted the personnel right to my wife, so let¡¯s wait and keep an eye on the servants. It won¡¯t be easy.¡± It meant that he would leave this matter to me without punishing me separately. Before he left, I carefully asked him, who was passing by me. ¡°What should I do with Coco?¡± He shrugged his shoulders and answered, ¡°Aren¡¯t I the one who gave the wife permission in the first place? Do as you please.¡± Hearing his words, I spoke softly to the back of him as he went up to the office. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± When I returned to the room, Coco was still asleep. Looking down on him lovingly, I fell into agony. ¡®Where do I sleep¡­?¡¯ Even though I had already slept with Coco in the same bed, at that time, I didn¡¯t know that Coco was a Shapeshifter. ¡®Besides, now that he¡¯s in human form, sleeping next to him is a little¡­¡¯ After contemplating, I went to the sofa with a pillow and a lap blanket and laid down. Coco¡¯s peaceful breathing sounded like a lullaby. He was falling asleep peacefully without knowing what had happened. I crouched down on the sofa with my legs crumpled. ¡®There¡¯s no other way.¡¯ Cats are like that. The next day, I heard through Agwen that the slave auction house under the shopping street had been destroyed overnight. It seemed that the slave traders seemed to have fled to another area. Hearing that news, I felt as though I had received a great gift. It was a moment when the Duke of Blois felt humanly wonderful. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± After all, those bad guys who abuse lives deserve to be ruined. Agwen, who told me the good news first, hesitated as she examined my mood before telling me another news. ¡°Well, Madam¡­ But, the maid who did it yesterday¡­¡± ¡°What about that Tilda?¡± ¡°I heard Tilda talking to the other maids.¡± ¡°What did she say?¡± ¡°Yesterday, even though she did such a thing, the Master kept an eye on the Madam, he didn¡¯t say anything to her and just moved on.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that the Master doesn¡¯t like you¡­¡± Agwen looked into my eyes, hesitating that I might offend. Still, she seemed to have decided that it was an issue that I should be aware of. Sure enough, she already knew I was going to replace the servants. ¡°¡­I heard they said you haven¡¯t even joined the room yet, and the Master put the wife in the annex.¡± ¡°Thank you for letting me know, Agwen.¡± ¡°Are you not offended, Madam? Tilda is a very nasty woman. How dare she say such things to the Madam without knowing the subject?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s rather good.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± I smiled meaningfully at Agwen, who took my side and resented. Chapter 23 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 23 ¡°If there is someone who instigates my employees like that, the group that supports me and the group that hates me will be clearly separated.¡± The stronger the antipathy towards me, the more prominent I would become¡ªlike a moth that grew taller than the rice planted in the paddy fields. And, by then, I will be able to pull them out like weeds¡­ Because of that, I decided to let Tilda run freely first. ¡°By the way, Agwen, have you seen Coco? I couldn¡¯t see him anywhere since I woke up.¡± ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t seen it, Madam.¡± ?? ¡®This is a big deal. No matter how much the Duke agreed to allow Coco to stay here, he wouldn¡¯t really like it when he met him¡­¡¯ In order to get along well in one mansion, I first need a strategy for uniting the Duke of Blois and Coco. ?? ¡®I can¡¯t forget the blue either.¡¯ Cats are territorial animals, so connecting them is very crucial. Depending on how you instill the images of each other in the beginning, it would be decided whether they would become a good friend, or an enemy to be expelled from the area. Therefore, no matter how the Duke gave Coco permission to stay, it was another matter for the two of them to at least get along without fighting. ¡®I don¡¯t even need them to be friends. At the very least, it would be nice if they didn¡¯t growl whenever we met each other¡¯s faces¡­¡¯ Otherwise, it would be too much stress for both of them while they are together. ¡®Since I have experience, I¡¯m going to try it.¡¯ Even though I have only raised stray cats, sometimes I have tried to induce a new cat to get along with the original ones. ¡®I can do it well this time, too. The basic rule of thumb anyway is to let your cats know that good things happen when they¡¯re together. I just need to follow this rule.¡¯ So, if they receive a lot of compliments, eat delicious food, or play fun games together while recognizing each other¡¯s existence, cats learn that pleasant things happen when they are together. ¡®Although because the Duke and Coco are beasts, there are some variables¡­ Still, if I keep to the basics well, I can somehow¡­¡¯ As I decided to try various methods one by one, firstly, I need to look for Coco. Despite all the hard work I had been scrutinizing all day, Coco was in my room. Looking closer, I could see a rich wheat-colored tail in the corner by the window, under the curtains. ?? ¡°Coco¡­?¡± When I carefully lifted the curtains, he stared up at me with his big sky-blue eyes sullenly. ¡°I want to be alone, angel.¡± As he muttered that, he looked depressed, unlike the lively appearance he had before. ¡°Is it because of the slave traders yesterday?¡± At my words, he opened his eyes wide. ¡°How did you¡ª!¡± It seemed that he didn¡¯t know what happened yesterday. Seeing that, I squatted in front of Coco and comforted him. ¡°Nothing terrifying will happen anymore. It¡¯s safe here.¡± Coco sighed. ¡°I¡¯m too weak¡­ so weak to be caught by the bad guys.¡± Hearing his words, he seemed to have come to think that he couldn¡¯t protect himself. I reached out to Coco. ¡°That¡¯s not true, Coco. You can become stronger through training. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Where¡­?¡± ¡°To train.¡± I then grabbed some of the cat toys I had made earlier for Blue and went out to the garden with Coco. ¡®After all, the best way to boost a cat¡¯s confidence is to go hunting.¡¯ Dimitri turned into a cat to take a break from work and headed to the annex. Strangely, the time to turn into a cat has increased these days. And, the number of visits to the annex is increasing as well. ¡®¡­It¡¯s not because of my wife.¡¯ No, of course not. It was just that the scenery of the mansion he sees from the annex these days just suddenly improved. Dimitri, who was running happily on the floor, stopped on the wall of the annex. A look of disapproval appeared in his eyes in an instant. ¡°Coco, it¡¯s here! Here!¡± It was because Rowaine was playing with a fishing rod in front of Coco, swinging it around. Meanwhile, Coco was struggling to catch the fish doll hanging from the fishing rod. ¡®What is she doing¡­?¡¯ Dimitri narrowed his eyes and stared at them both. However, his gaze gradually turned to the toy Rowaine was waving. ?? The fish doll on the end of the fishing rod catches his eyes. ¡®What is this¡­¡¯ Noticing the movement of the doll, he lifted his head up and down as if possessed. It was as though Rowaine knew how to miraculously move the doll like a living prey. Even Dimitri, who knew that it was a doll, suddenly forgot it and focused on the prey. The doll sometimes soared like a bird and hid behind obstacles like a mouse. Because of that, he unknowingly jumped off the wall and ran like the wind and snatched the doll. ¡°Blue!¡± ?? Hyuk¡ª Dimitri, who had been running with his fangs towards the doll, intoxicated with the pleasure of hunting, came to a standstill. ¡®¡­What did I do?¡¯ It was shameful. Nevertheless, he tossed the doll on the ground, strode a little more arrogantly and gracefully before sitting down, smirking. Glancing at him like that, Coco laughed. ¡®That small thing.¡¯ Even when in a human form, Coco was much smaller than Dimitri, and even as a cat, the difference was small enough to be seen with the eyes. Dimitri was a large, dignified and elegant cat. ¡®This ignorant, impudent guy.¡¯ Proud, he inflated his body and threatened Coco. Because of the unwritten rule that they hide each other¡¯s identities when they turn into cats, Coco pretended to not know him. In fact, there seemed to be no time for that, anyway. ¡°Angel, shake it again!¡± ¡­It was because he was obsessed with toys. However, Rowaine cautiously approached Dimitri and made a fuss, leaving Coco behind for a while. ¡°Is our Blue good at hunting, too? So cool! You did a great job, you¡¯re the best¡ª!¡± ¡®What¡­?¡¯ At her words, Dimitri was a little stunned. ¡®I just caught something like that. Why is she making a fuss?¡¯ Still, he raised his chin proudly. On the other hand, Coco, who saw it, grabbed the doll on the fishing rod and dragged it around, whining to Rowaine. ¡°Angel, what about me?¡± At Coco¡¯s question, he clicked his tongue inwardly. ¡®That thing without courage like a dog?¡¯ Dimitri didn¡¯t like the dog beasts very much. That was why he didn¡¯t like Coco, who was acting cute with the pretext of being a cat. But, Rowaine wasn¡¯t complimenting Coco by saying that he was cool or great. ¡®This is splendid.¡¯ Seeing that, Dimitri narrowed his eyes, then slammed to the ground and leaped gracefully to catch the toy wielded by Rowaine in the air. As soon as he glanced back at her, she burst into applause. ¡°Blue is really cool! You must be a genius! You¡¯re doing so well¡ª! Aww, pretty! Is it okay if you two hunt together? Isn¡¯t it fun? It¡¯s fun to play together.¡± Seeing her like that, Dimitri narrowed his eyes. ¡®I think she¡¯s up to something.¡¯ Then, as if he couldn¡¯t lose again, Coco grabbed the toy Rowaine was exerting. ¡°Look at me! Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m pretty trained now?¡± After that, he spit out absurd remarks. ¡°If I become much stronger than I am now, will you be my wife instead of the brother, angel?¡± When Coco peered up at Rowaine with a face different than before, Dimitri couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. ¡®¡­This bastard.¡¯ He ran and smacked Coco on the head. It was a punch so fast and strong that his feet could not be seen. The next day, a welcome letter was delivered to me. It was a letter from Ren¨¦e. The letter stated that she had crossed the border safely and that she would soon marry Nigel once she settled in a foreign country. She expressed that she was grateful to me for being able to get the marriage she wanted and wrote down the story that every day was like a dream. It was a happy ending for everyone. I felt amazingly at peace. Even though I didn¡¯t get to know Ren¨¦e that much, looking at her reminded me of my childhood days. ¡®I had my own problems, too, but still.¡¯ How long has it been since I¡¯ve cared so much about others¡­? It was me who lived a closed life with no friends to open up to except my mother. Although my maternal grandmother, whom I had been living with for ten years after my school days, took care of me for me, there was a wall between us that I couldn¡¯t overcome. She couldn¡¯t really understand me, who devoted all my heart to the cats, and I couldn¡¯t open my heart to my maternal grandmother. ¡®I wasn¡¯t so interested in others, and lived only by looking at cats.¡¯ ?? So, unlike my usual self, I was rather nosy about Ren¨¦e. As I comforted Coco, who was begging to play, I called the maid, Sophia and the butler, Derek. ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ?? Unlike Derek, who was more polite than when I first saw him, Sophia still stood in front of me with a cold face. The next moment, I showed them both a list of employees and my newly created work schedule. ¡°In the future, I¡¯ll have my employees move according to what I have set.¡± Sophia frowned. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 24 ¡°The management of the maids is under my jurisdiction, and the management of the servants is under Derek. No matter if you¡¯re the Madam, I can¡¯t manage personnel like this. Moreover, if you change it all at once, the uproar would be significant.¡± She was half right and half wrong. When the hostess of the house changes, personnel changes inevitably occur. It was the content of what I saw in a book called ¡´ The Lady¡¯s Life White Paper ¡µ, which Dimitri gave me as a gift. He gave me the book when I asked him if I could take over the management of his employees. I was able to get a lot of hints from there that helped manage the employees. However, the personnel change I ordered was more significant than necessary. So, Sophie or Derek¡¯s concerns were understandable. But, it was Sophia¡¯s act of ignoring me and openly complaining like that¡­ ¡°It¡¯s natural for clashing to occur when there¡¯s a change, so it would be better to solve it at once without dragging it out.¡± ¡°Madam, the circumstances of this mansion are well known to me and Derek here. Leave it to us.¡± Sophia did not break her argument until the very end. Still, I answered calmly. ¡°I will. Though I will rule the mansion my way.¡± ¡°Madam.¡± ¡°Sophia, as you said, I am the Madam here. You are a hired servant for the needs of your superiors.¡± Instead of backing away from her, I stared into her stubborn eyes as I continued my words. ¡°Isn¡¯t it your real job to manage the commotion that arises when I, the superior, want to move?¡± Then, I asked provocatively. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you confident in your job?¡± Sophia did not hide her displeasure and rolled her eyes at my question. ¡°All right. Instead, even if the mansion becomes chaotic for the time being, it¡¯ll be inevitable. It¡¯s because the Madam mixed up the work of the employees, who were skilled in the task at hand, at will.¡± I smiled and nodded my head. ¡°Yes. Do your best. Does Derek have anything more to say to me?¡± Actually, it was Dimitri¡¯s job to take care of Derek. However, he had entrusted me with the management of all the servants. Derek, whom I have seen so far, was a man of few words and quick-witted eyes. He answered with a light smile on his face. ¡°I will do as the Madam commands.¡± ¡°Okay. Then, go ahead and get busy.¡± Eventually, the two nodded and went outside. After a while, Coco, who had disappeared from somewhere, came through the open window and spoke to me. ¡°The woman who just left said, ¡®We didn¡¯t work like this for Mrs. Elbas, but now, the Madam is too reckless,¡¯ angel.¡± I tickled Coco¡¯s head and smiled a little. ¡±You¡¯re such a cute snitch.¡± ¡°Scratch my neck more. The angel smells fragrant, and it makes me feel good.¡± It seems that he is cheeky, too. For a week after ordering the large-scale reshuffle of the employees, the mansion was in quite a refurbishment. There have been frequent situations where clothes that were supposed to be washed were not washed on time, mealtimes were delayed, or even fights between employees were common. Whether it was because the work was difficult or some were doing it on purpose, as the days went by, the eyes that looked at me in a bad way became visible. As I pretended I didn¡¯t see it and turned a blind eye, the employees¡¯ acts of overbearing behavior had gradually gone too far. ¡°There was even talk of a strike today.¡± Agwen relayed the status of the employees in real-time to me. She was believing that there could be something unwavering for me even in this situation. ¡°It¡¯s a strike.¡± In order to encourage personnel transfers with Dimitri¡¯s cooperation, he was giving double overtime pay and even a special allowance. ¡®Most of the salaries doubled, probably?¡¯ Well, if they feel that the work is too hard for their monthly salary even though they are paying a fair price, they can go out on their own. Otherwise, organizing and countering against me could only be seen as having personal feelings towards me. ¡°Are there people who want to join the strike, other than those gathered around Sophia and Tilda?¡± Agwen shook her head as she pondered. ¡°There are also many people who do their job quietly without getting caught up in the atmosphere.¡± I grinned. ¡®Look. If we are paying twice their salary, it is indeed good treatment.¡¯ Two days later, Coco, who had been wandering around in a human form with Blue and me as we played in the garden, jumped over the wall and ran to me. ¡°It must be today, angel.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡®If we go on a strike, wouldn¡¯t the Young Madam be surprised? The Master may scold her. She just made things complicated for nothing.¡¯ They¡¯re coming here while saying that!¡± It seemed that the employees were coming after me to argue. ¡°Blue, I¡¯m sorry, but today¡ª¡± I was going to say that I would play until now, and was going to say I will play more next time although Blue was not anywhere to be seen already. ¡°When did he go¡­?¡± Cats are always like this¡­ So, before the employees arrived, I went to my room and dressed neatly as I waited. Soon, there were murmurs from outside, and several people gathered at the door. When a knock was heard, I opened the door to them myself. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why is everyone gathered like this?¡± ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve come to tell you something.¡± Dozens of people were lined up along the hallway, led by the maid, Sophia. Seeing that, I went out into the hallway, glanced around at them, and asked in a calm, slow tone. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Sophia?¡± ¡°After the Madam instructed me to move, the work became very difficult. Please evoke the order so that I can return to my original position.¡± ¡°I understand that, and you are being paid more. Aren¡¯t you satisfied?¡± ¡°Each of us has our own skilled work. We know what¡¯s going on. No matter how much the salary rises, it¡¯s still difficult.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ?? As I blurted out my words, people¡¯s expressions became more elated. ¡°What should I do about this¡­?¡± I pretended to be embarrassed and took a little more time before continuing. Meanwhile, Sophia¡¯s nose rose higher. ¡°Then, let¡¯s do this.¡± As if I had finally come to a conclusion, I stared back at the people and said. ¡°In the meantime, I will pay severance pay according to the length of time you have worked here. And, all of you gathered here are fired.¡± At my words, Sophia snorted as if she was dumbfounded. ¡°Ha, fired? Is the Madam saying you¡¯re going to fire all these people at your own will?¡± ¡°Each one of you could find a skilled job for yourself and go elsewhere. If you come here saying you can¡¯t work, then I have no choice but to let you go so you can find your aptitude and go somewhere else.¡± ¡°If only you could restore it back to its original state¡­ ¡± ¡°No, I have no intention of doing that.¡± Sophia clenched her teeth. Employees who came all the way here, trusting her, began to murmur. Some even cried, saying, ¡°There is no place that pays more than here.¡± As some of them started to run away, Sophia, annoyed, was cornered and shouted. ¡°Without us, the mansion would not run properly. Are you prepared for that?¡± I smiled at her words. ¡°Thanks for the concern, but it¡¯s up to the rest of us here. So, there¡¯s no need for the people who are leaving to worry about that.¡± ¡°This is unfair. It¡¯s the Madam who is in trouble when the Master finds out that you have freed us in this way.¡± ¡®Oh, my. Even threats.¡¯ I was confident that the Duke of Blois would not mind what I was doing. Still, I knew such a remark would come out. ¡®So, I have something prepared.¡¯ As I smiled leisurely, I then pulled out something I was holding at my side. It was a ledger book created with the help of Coco. ¡°You really think so, Sophia? If so, where would you like to go and take a look at this with me?¡± Curious, the employees jerked their heads, wondering what I was going to do. After clearing my throat by coughing slightly, I recited the things written in the book in a cheerful voice. ¡°Hughes, 1 million pennies stolen in a week by embezzling magic lighting, and 800,000 pennies in a week by embezzling uniform fabrics. Sony, 750,000 pennies were stolen in a week by embezzling groceries. Artie, stole cleaning supplies and stole 550,000 pennies in a week¡­¡± Every time I recounted each person¡¯s embezzlement, the employees trembled in embarrassment. Their faces turned white when they heard the names of individuals and the exact amounts. ¡®This is why doubling the normal monthly salary was not good enough for them. If they made up their mind and moved diligently, they could have embezzled three times the salary.¡¯ The reason they were so dissatisfied with the personnel change was probably not because of the intensity of my work. Their grievance was that they had upended the grounds of the embezzlement. ¡®It seems that Mrs. Elbas turned a blind eye to the embezzlement of the employees to spy on Dimitri.¡¯ So, I guessed that many of these people would have remained loyal to Mrs. Elbas, who had now left the Blois¡¯ mansion. After going through the list for a long time, I stared at Sophia as I uttered the last part. ¡°¡­Sophia, about 3.5 million pennies were received for a week in return for closing your eyes after seeing their embezzlement.¡± Sophia¡¯s eyes widened as big as a candle. I purposely covered the ledger so that it could make a noise. The shoulders of the employees gathered at the sound also shrank. ¡°Now, which side do you think is unfair?¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 25 There was silence for a moment in the hallway. Outside, there was only the faint chirping of insects in the spring. After a moment of silence, Sophia swallowed a dry saliva and spoke in a groan. ¡°Do, do you have any evidence? How dare you drive us down with such fake ledgers without any evidence¡­!¡± She was desperately trying to find a way out. ¡®Every time Coco informed me about the information, I kept a thorough inventory check.¡¯ All evidence was collected. Nevertheless, even if I did not have to confirm that, among the people present, they would have known how much embezzlement each other had done. So, seeing that I knew a lot of information accurately, without an inch, they resigned, realizing that there was no point in arguing like Sophia. The employees, who had come in hopes of going on strike, looked frightened and were at a loss for what to do. I opened my mouth towards them. ¡°Now, I want you to stop and leave Blois.¡± It was then. ¡°Madam, that¡¯s not how you handle things.¡± Suddenly, Duke Blois¡¯s voice was heard from the other side of the hallway. With silent footsteps, he had already reached quite a distance. ¡°Duke¡­?¡± I did not know from where he had heard, though he looked displeased. ¡°No matter how much you delegated personnel authority to the wife, you should have discussed this with me. You seem to have done a bigger job than I expected.¡± Sophia rolled her eyes at the voice that seemed to bruise me and looked at the Duke. She must have used her head, wondering if this could have fizzled out since she thought the Duke was neglecting me. ¡°Master, the wife misunderstood and framed us! It¡¯s clear that she¡¯d never done inventory management before.¡± Then, with a pathetic face, she knelt in front of the Duke. ¡°It has been six years since I have been here, working with loyalty to Blois. Would I have committed embezzlement because I was blinded by small immediate gains, having promised to devote my life to working for Blois?¡± Adversarially, she pleaded with tears in her eyes. ¡°That is not fair. Please, investigate and reveal the plight, Your Excellency!¡± The Duke stared down at her indifferently and slowly opened his mouth. ¡°Yes. You said you wanted to work for Blois for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I was born and raised here. I¡¯ve been living in Blois since I was very young¡­!¡± ¡°Remembering that, did you act like a mouse in this mansion that was just like your hometown?¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Contrary to the sharp content, it seems that Sophia¡¯s cognitive dissonance has occurred in the Duke¡¯s elegant and quiet tone. He then continued to speak in an indifferent tone without even getting angry. ¡°Catching rats is trivial and boring. I mean, if you just stick your fingernails in, it¡¯ll die on its own. Do you know what it takes to have a really enjoyable hunt?¡± The corners of his lips rose long. ¡°You¡¯ll have to hunt them down when they¡¯re plump and ripe to delightfully play with.¡± Then, he chuckled with a mischievous face. The gaze staring at Sophia as if he was watching an interesting prey made me even feel intimidated. ¡®After all, he knew it all and let it go. Did he wait until the sins piled up and then pretend he didn¡¯t know so that he could blast them all at once?¡¯ Cats often trick their prey, playing with it and slowly killing it. They enjoy the terrifying game of losing, missing and driving the prey into a corner, and when the excitement cools down, they will take its life. Only then did Sophia realize that the Duke of Blois knew everything and cornered her through me. ¡°Ma, Master¡­!¡± The Duke turned his head away from the trembling Sophie and gazed at me. ¡°It¡¯s a little disappointing. I thought the wife would do things in a more fun way.¡± ¡®¡­Did he expect me to punish the employees in a way that befits Rowaine¡¯s notoriety?¡¯ `He shrugged his shoulders and spoke as if he was teaching his disciple to hunt. ¡°Look carefully. I¡¯ll show you clearly what to do in this case.¡± At that moment, he snapped his finger¡ªSnap. Then, as if waiting, several knights approached and grabbed Sophia from both sides. Seeing that, the Duke looked back at everyone who had gathered here and said softly. ¡°I will hold all employees accountable for the embezzlement of every employee so far and confine Sophia Hersen in the dungeon for the same length of time as she worked for Blois.¡± Although his voice was not very loud, there was no one who could not hear him in the hallway that was as quiet as a dead mouse. ¡®She said that she was born and raised here, so how long is that¡­¡¯ It seemed that I was the only one who was surprised to guess Sophia¡¯s age. As the Duke of Blois waved his hand, ¡°Take her,¡± the knights took Sophia away. ¡°Master! Master, please¡­! This is a misunderstanding! Master!¡± Sophia¡¯s desperate voice pierced my ears sharply. As the Duke frowned his brow as though it was noisy, the knights covered her mouth with a dirty handkerchief that might have come from someone¡¯s pocket. Some of the weakest employees saw the sight and fell to the floor. Everyone had a blue complexion. Looking at them, the Duke took the ledger that I had handed, glanced over, and opened his mouth. ¡°Everyone gathered here is dismissed. Of course, there is no severance pay and no letters of recommendation for those whose names appear on this book.¡± Then, he ordered knights to line up the employees and take them away. They were kicked out of Blois with their bare hands, with no time to pack up. For a while, the mansion resounded with cries and pleas. ?? The Duke stood with his arms crossed at the scene, looking indifferently before eventually turning his head to me. His eyes were shining a little differently than before. It was as if asking, ¡®Did I not do well?¡¯ ¡°This is how you do it, Madam. If you had consulted with me in advance, I would have given you a more stringent way to punish the employees, but you have a soft side, unlike how you look.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯ve never dismissed anyone before. After watching the Duke do it, it seems like I was too soft.¡± Even if the punishment seemed to have been imposed by the Duke, embezzlement is a crime, but I even tried to send them out by giving severance pay as well. ¡®¡­After seeing the Duke¡¯s solution, I think I was too timid.¡¯ Even though it was an excuse, it was burdensome to release even one person, although trying to fire several people at once like this was rather intense, so I could not even think that far. Quite a lot of my concentration was wasted just by pretending to be relaxed without showing any discomfort. Besides, I had never given any punishment to anyone, so I did not even think that it was necessary. I was just buried in the fact that I had to completely get rid of Mrs. Elbas¡¯s weeds. ¡®If the Duke had not been listening, I would have wasted his fortune.¡¯ But, how did he know to come here in such a timely manner? ¡®Was he coming to see me?¡¯ I asked him, thinking he might have something to say to me. ¡°Duke, what brings you here¡­?¡± The Duke paused for a moment. ¡°That¡­ I was walking around.¡± ¡°With the knights¡­?¡± ¡°To train them.¡± ¡°But, you said you were just out for a walk¡­¡± ¡°Walking training. Knights need that as well.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Because I am not a knight, I would not know so I just nodded my head. However, it seemed that he interpreted my reaction differently. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I never said that I didn¡¯t believe you, Duke.¡± His pupils instantly enlarged and contracted. He seemed to be flustered. Well, he was worked up for nothing. ¡°The employees were disrespectful to the wife because of my title of the duke. Even if it¡¯s a contract marriage, please pretend to be close.¡± ¡°Pretending to be close¡­?¡± ¡°Call me Dimitri. Of course, just because you¡¯re calling my name doesn¡¯t really mean we became close.¡± ?? Somehow I laughed. Why does it not feel like a line was being drawn at all even though he drew a straight line? ¡°Dimitri calls me Rowaine, too. If you want to pretend to be close, we have to do it together.¡± He just nodded his head without saying a word. Then, he asked, looking down at the ledger in my hand. ¡°By the way, I can¡¯t believe you even made a ledger like this. How did you do it?¡± I praised Coco proudly like a big sister. ¡°Our Coco had a hard time. He was so quick-witted and tenacious that he caught all the suspicious behaviors of the employees. Coco made my job easier. That¡¯s truly amazing. How smart¡ª¡± Dimitri stared at me with his wide-open, wary eyes before cutting off my words. ¡°I¡¯m not curious. I¡¯m not curious at all.¡± ¡°You asked me how I did it just now.¡± ¡°I never did.¡± ¡°Still, Dimitri is definitely¡­¡± ¡°No. Rowaine is mistaken.¡± ¡°I¡¯m certain.¡± ¡°No.¡± He quickly turned his head. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 26 The next day, I greeted the morning invigoratingly. It seemed that everything went well after what had happened yesterday. It was a peaceful and satisfying ending. Those who committed the crime were punished accordingly, and now, there were no spies left by Mrs. Elbas in the mansion. ¡®It was a big problem, though I¡¯m glad it worked out well.¡¯ I thought it was all over¡­ However, I received shocking news from Agwen. ¡°¡­Sophia killed herself?¡± ¡°Yes. She said that she wanted to repent for her own sins by dying.¡± ¡°No, why would she throw her life away¡­?¡± I could not believe it. She did not look like someone who would die in vain. Especially, to make such an extreme choice right away after being imprisoned for a few hours¡­ It was shocking that a person who was a criminal, although still alive until yesterday, died overnight like this. At that, I could only blink blankly. After I came back to my senses, I then ordered Agwen. ¡°Take her belongings and deliver them over to the bereaved families. I think Dimitri would allow that much, too, though just in case, please ask him first.¡± ¡°Yes, I will. By the way, I have one more thing to tell you, Madam.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Tilda. After hearing that Sophia was dead, she went missing. Obviously, I thought that she would be looking for a train to go back to her hometown with the other maids, but when I woke up at the inn, she was already gone.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± I could not believe that a person who was trying to return to her hometown suddenly went missing out of nowhere. Even though I was skeptical, I thought I should not be. Something I know of, such as the story of a person who was expelled for committing a crime. After Agwen disappeared to do what I had told her to do, I was so busy that I didn¡¯t even have time to think about Sophia or the laid-off employees. It was because the maids and many employees were vacant. Hence, there was a shortage of workers and the employees were running around looking for me. Dimitri promised to fill the positions of the employees soon. Regardless, it was not enough for Derek, the butler, to lead the employees who had changed their jobs immediately. In addition, he has a lot of other responsibilities besides managing his employees. ¡®This is something I started, so I have to take responsibility.¡¯ With that thought, I rolled up my sleeves and went out. ¡°From this time on, until the new maid arrives, I¡¯ll supervise you on behalf of the chief maid.¡± It was very awkward to gather a large number of adults and speak in command, so I had to work hard not to stutter as much as possible. All the maids of Blois, gathered at my call. As they heard my words, they would widen their eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look around the laundry room first.¡± After returning the maids to their respective seats, I headed to the laundry room with the maids who were stationed there. There was a lot of laundry piled up like a mountain. Among them, Dimitri and mine were kept separately, and the rest were mostly bedding, tablecloths, and uniforms of employees. ¡°Is this the amount of laundry per day?¡± Among the remaining employees after being fired, a senior maid with the highest position in the laundry room came up to me. ¡°There are some things that are a little delayed, though usually, this is what we get. When there is an event, it would be twice as much.¡± I stuck my tongue out and glanced around the laundry room to try to come up with an idea. ¡°Until we have enough people, let the employees hand over their uniforms to their own laundry. Leave a little bit of space over there so employees can move around freely to do their own laundry. And, leave the unused bedding in the guest room without washing for a while.¡± ¡°But, will the dust sit there¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right because the bedding doesn¡¯t get damaged right away just because it sits in the dust.¡± Then, I turned to Agwen, who was right next to me. ¡°Agwen, from now on, don¡¯t wash my bedding every day. I don¡¯t have any problem using it comfortably for about a week.¡± At my words, the maids in the laundry room looked as though they could breathe. At the same time, they seemed surprised at the suggestion that I would use the same bedding for a week. ¡®¡­Originally, I only washed the duvet once a month.¡¯ I did not know what was so surprising for about a week. To be honest, if I had said two weeks, they might have thought I was being dirty. Next, I got out of the laundry room and headed straight to the kitchen. There were several large countertops in the kitchen, and it was already very busy. So, I called the chef and asked. ¡°What¡¯s the most uncomfortable thing here right now?¡± A middle-aged female chef who seemed to have a strong sense of self-esteem spoke up softly. ¡°The fast-handed and diligent mains are now paying for their sins, Madam. I¡¯ve barely taught them¡­ It¡¯s a mess here. It¡¯s in disarray like this¡­¡± Her complaint was understandable. Unlike other places, most of the kitchen work consisted of experienced workers. So, I did not want to even touch the kitchen staff when I moved on a large scale, although there were a few employees who had Sophia¡¯s influence in the kitchen, so I had no choice but to do it. Nonetheless, now that they are all gone, it was necessary to reorganize the word load again. ¡°As you can see from yesterday¡¯s work, I had no choice but to rectify the problem. I¡¯ll let the chef take back all the people you want, so go ahead and take them.¡± ¡°Are you sure, Madam?¡± ¡°Yes. Also, it¡¯s okay not to make desserts for the time being. Wouldn¡¯t it be a bad idea to reduce the number of dishes a bit until there are enough people? At least, that means that you don¡¯t have to cook for me separately.¡± Even though if I eat a meat-based diet like Dimitri, I would have a hard time in the bathroom for a while as I have a different constitution, but if I eat a lot of fruit, I think I¡¯ll be fine. Besides, Dimitri does not eat desserts, and they are mostly for me. ¡°Dessert is also the most demanding dish, so I don¡¯t need to overwork the kitchen people for me.¡± At my words, the chef then brightened her face. She smiled contentedly and promised. ¡°Instead, I will put all my heart into every dish for the wife.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Although it was just a trivial eight-letter word, the chef blushed and was at a loss for what to do. Since then, I have met all of Blois¡¯ maids, from the people who cleaned the main building, the people who maintained the annex, and even the handymen. Eventually, when I returned to the annex¡¯s room, I was very exhausted. Coco, who jumped lightly onto the back of the sofa where I was lying, took a loaf position on the corner of the narrow back. The cat¡¯s loaf posture was a posture in which a cat curls up, and its shape resembles a round, puffed bread, hence the name. [ T/N: The google images for cat loaf is just adorable ? ? ? ? ?? ] With a triumphant look on his face, Coco told me what he had heard from outside. ¡°People were praising the angel.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°She¡¯s attentive, generous and not picky. Contrary to the rumors, you seem like a very nice person.?¡± ¡­Such an evaluation. Though I was confused, on the other hand, I was happy. ¡°It feels good to hear compliments.¡± ¡°Really? Then, I¡¯ll tell you more! Well. They also said that the angel seemed thoughtful enough to show courtesy to the employees. And, it¡¯s so good that Sophia¡¯s gone.¡± It was fortunate that public opinion among the employees was good. At first, I was worried about what would happen if the atmosphere in the mansion became too uncomfortable because Sophia committed suicide after being imprisoned, but rather than being surprised by her death, the people who remain now seemed to feel relieved that she disappeared from the workplaces. I smiled happily and tapped Coco¡¯s nose. ¡°Still, if you keep walking around like that, the Duke¡¯ll be upset someday and scold you someday.¡± Hearing my words, Coco opened his wide eyes with a pathetic face. ¡°¡­But, it¡¯s so nice to roam freely like this, angel.¡± This guy is getting better and better at using his face¡­! I couldn¡¯t stand it and hugged Coco tightly. ¡°Oh my, pretty. Oh, you¡¯re beautiful. How can you look this pretty?¡± ¡°Hehe! Teeheee~!¡± Even though I knew that Coco is a shapeshifter, what can I do when he is this cute? He is so adorable! What do you want me to do? As I hugged and stroked Coco for a while, I finally calmed down and lowered him to the floor. Then, with a stern expression on my face, I placed his hand on my waist and said, ¡°I told you to be a human when you¡¯re with me!¡± ¡°Though the angel loves me more as a cat!¡± How did this smart cat know? After saying so, Coco rushed to reach out his paw and stroked my hair, swiping through my head with his round, adorable paws. When I saw it, I quickly relaxed and laughed again, barely coming back to my senses again. ¡°You have to use honorifics. Call me Madam, not angel or Duchess.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°People are saying that I raised you as a very naughty cat.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°This naughty cat!¡± ¡°Blah, blah, buee~¡± ¡®Ugh. Although I am angry at him, he is so cute.¡¯ After all, it was clear that he knew that I thought he was cute. He is indeed a quick-witted cat. I took a deep breath and thought about how to get Coco to listen. ¡°Coco, what¡¯s your favorite thing?¡± Coco tilted his head at my question. ¡°Angel?¡± He truly is a despicable cat¡­ ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Snack?¡± ¡°Snacks? What snacks?¡± If it was a cat treat, I am quite good at making it. However, the snack Coco said was a very different kind of thing I thought it would be¡­ ¡°The Devil¡¯s heart!¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 27 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 27 ¡°Wh, what is that¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a stone that comes out when you hit the devil, and it¡¯s really delicious.¡± ¡­It sounds like an explanation of a game description. ¡°You say you hit the devil¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, though humans can¡¯t catch it. Cats as strong as tigers seem to catch them.¡± Saying so, Coco then bumped his fluffy front paws like cotton together before adding. ¡°Ah, the dream demon¡¯s magic trick also makes their hearts hurl out. I¡¯ve eaten it once.¡± Rat Shapeshifters and dream demons¡­ I have seen the contents mentioned in the original novel about their existence. The status of the prisoners was not high in human society here. However, among them, the rat beast received less treatment than all the other beasts. This was because rat Shapeshifters were enemies of humans, using dream demons, which were lower demons, and shared the energy of sleeping humans. Even if a little bit of energy was taken away from people with a healthy body, they would only have little energy for a couple of days. But, in the case of children and the elderly, it could lead to death. People here often suffered from headaches because of rat beasts and dream demons. However, for the cat beast, the low-level dream demons were nutritious food. Cats and beasts have mystical eyes that can recognize demons, and it is said that cats and beasts can use that point to catch dream demons. So, even though it was the first time I had ever heard a story like a devil¡¯s heart, I knew to some extent about rat beasts and dream demons. Coco opened his mouth confidently, waving his paw. ¡°Devils are strong, but I can catch a dream demon with just one shot.¡± I was a little disappointed. ¡®That is something I cannot make or do for him.¡¯ Like a cat who was quick to recognize people¡¯s emotions, Coco quickly noticed that I was disappointed and comforted me. ¡°They sell it at stores, too. Hunters use cat and beast slaves to hunt down devils and sell them.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Dimitri, in the form of a cat, was sitting right in front of Rowaine¡¯s door, listening to them. He did not really listen to anything in particular, though he just happened to hear it by accident while walking to the annex far away from the main building. After all, cats have good hearing, so it was by chance. Then, the conversation he heard from inside made him click his tongue. ¡®That cat is wielding Rowaine very well.¡¯ Because of Coco, who wanted to eat the devil¡¯s heart, Rowaine immediately began to get ready to go out. ¡®Such a bother.¡¯ Coco, who was close to Rowaine only and liked her very much, annoyed him. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s follow first.¡¯ It was to keep an eye on Coco. He doesn¡¯t really want to follow Rowaine. ¡®It would be better to follow in the cat¡¯s form.¡¯ If he turned into a human, they would notice him right away. Thinking that, Dimitri quickly ran to his room. He then found a small bag the size of his palm in his closet. ¡®I might need clothes.¡¯ Dimitri, in human form, shoved his shirt and pants into a bag, before turning into a cat and carrying the little bag on his back. He waited for Rowaine to get into the carriage, and then slipped into the carriage¡¯s luggage compartment. As the carriage headed near the trader store, Coco sniffed the air and his eyes lit up. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to eat there! I smell the hearts of many kinds of demons!¡± Then, he put his chin on my lap, gazed up at me and begged me. Coco had now been in a human form. ¡°Will you buy me, angel?¡± ¡°Honorific.¡± Coco, who had been shouting no, no earlier, swiftly changed his tone this time. ¡°Will you buy me, Madam?¡± At that, I stroked Coco¡¯s hair. His long wheat-colored eyelashes were constantly drooping and purring. Although at my answer that followed, he pointed his lips out. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why¡­!¡± The carriage glared past the Shapeshifter¡¯s trader store. Seeing Coco feeling sad, I took a deep breath. ¡®I have a lot to teach him.¡¯ Even though Coco was a clever cat beast, he often lacked basic common sense. Perhaps, it was because he was still young and had not received the basic education that people receive because he was held as a slave. Besides, in this world, prisoner slavery was so legalized. Naturally, the rights of prisoners were not protected at all. As a result, exploitation of prisoners¡¯ labor or abuse of prisoners was a daily occurrence. So, even though Rowaine took the prisoner and abused them, no one stopped her¡­ ¡®Still, some people with the right idea seem to know that it was not desirable.¡¯ As proof of that, there were many people who cruelly cursed and slandered Rowaine, who publicly abused Shapeshifters, so her notoriety has spread far and wide. I explained to Coco in a way that was as easy to understand as possible. ¡°That¡¯s where the hunters exploit your friends and sell them, Coco.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have friends.¡± ¡°Your kind. Maybe, it could be you and not the other cat beasts.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°If I pay money to buy things at a place like that, people who have experienced it will be making money. Then, they¡¯ll take more cats, hunt them and exploit them. How would you feel if you lost all your prey? And, you don¡¯t want to hunt, but what if you force the hunt to continue?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it¡­¡± Coco, a clever cat beast, quickly understood what I was trying to say. He did not tell me that the hunters exploit the feline beasts. However, I could easily guess that they would forcibly exploit the cat prisoners. ¡®Cats are not suitable for work.¡¯ If you are a dog beast, you would be able to cooperate with humans to hunt and actively help with things that are beneficial to humans. So, in fact, it was written in the novel that among the beast slaves, the dog prisoner was the most popular. You can teach martial arts and raise them as guards, or you can carry them around as guards. Of course, there are people who just take them as pretty pets. Although I have also heard that poor aristocratic families, who do not have enough money to manage their employees, buy one or two dogs and use them instead of their employees. On the other hand, in terms of ¡®labor force,¡¯ the cat Shapeshifter was highly evaluated as beings with no investment return. After a while, two of my newly-selected exclusive maids saw Coco and said without malice, ¡®If the Madam wants to get work done, you¡¯d be better off with a dog. But, your taste is different.¡¯ Since most cats are mostly regarded as ornamental¡ªjust to enjoy the cute looks. Because of my personality¡­ ¡°Angel, where are we then?¡± ¡°Respect, Coco.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± He does not listen to me very much. Far from being loyal like a dog beast, he was showing a bit of rebellion and pride. ¡°You ignorant cat!¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening!¡± ¡°That¡¯s even worse, Coco.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s bad, I¡¯m cute.¡± I sighed. ¡®I can¡¯t refute¡­¡¯ How would they train these guys to make enough money to make a living? ¡®I asked the butler, and he said that the devil¡¯s heart was traded for that much without turning the price of snacks for cat Shapeshifters like a factory. It is impossible to make a living with cat Shapeshifters.¡¯ Of course, there were cats like Dimitri who suppressed their instincts and worked hard. However, in Dimitri¡¯s case, the story was different because he voluntarily pursued his own goals. Besides, he was a well-educated man in the first place. ¡®It was written in the novel that Mrs. Elbas hated Dimitri¡¯s cat behavior so much that Dimitri¡¯s mother trained him to behave like a normal person as much as possible.¡¯ So, that was why he seemed like a normal person when he was with other people. ¡®¡­Still, he still looks like a cat in my eyes¡­¡¯ I am a big fan of cats. Huhu¡ªThe more you know, the more you see. Anyway, given the nature of the cat beasts, it was expected that the hunters would use a coercive method against the cat beast slaves. Still, after hearing the story of the devil¡¯s heart, I came out to train Coco to hunt. ¡°Today we¡¯re going to catch a lot of demons, Coco.¡± I wanted to bring some snacks back. Coco, noticing my intentions, opened his eyes wide and then tilted his head 45 degrees. ¡°Are you going to exploit the small and weak like the hunters, Madam?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Coco¡¯s head tilted further. ¡°Are you going to exploit Coco and give the brother the devil¡¯s heart?¡± ¡­What should I do with him, really? Reluctantly, I had no choice but to beg Coco. ¡°You can hunt only three¡­ No, can¡¯t we just give two of them to this angel?¡± If I gave it to Dimitri as if it was a gift from Coco, I wondered if he would like Coco a bit¡­? Meanwhile, without knowing how I felt, Coco smiled with a triumphant expression on his face. ¡°Do you think hunting is that easy, Duchess?¡± ¡­In the end, I promised to make a cat scratch his chin for fifteen minutes for three days in exchange for receiving two devil¡¯s hearts. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 28 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 28 Eventually, we arrived at the market where many rat Shapeshifters were said to be infested. ¡°Rat Shapeshifters run away as soon as they notice signs of movements, so please keep a little distance and follow us from far away.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± I asked the personal escort driver in advance. He was the knight Dimitri had attached to take with me whenever I went out. And so, I followed Coco, who was full of curiosity and confidently took the lead. ¡®What would a rat beast actually look like?¡¯ I have heard that, unlike other beasts, even if they were in a human form, they were very small. They have a small figure that only reached my knees. Moreover, it was mentioned that they did not use human language but developed their own language instead. ¡®As long as you do not fall asleep, you will be fine as it is stated that dream demons only harm people who sleep.¡¯ I was blown away by the thought that Coco would find a bunch of rat beasts tonight and would get lots of demon hearts. ¡°Trust me, angel.¡± Because Coco looked so confident. ¡­However, it did not take me long to find out that it was a bluff. ¡®What the hell are they doing?¡¯ Dimitri was going crazy with frustration. ¡®Are they going to hunt with that kind of thing?¡¯ Coco¡¯s actions were so pathetic. ¡®He was practically announcing for all the rats in this area to run away. How can he make that sound when he is catching them¡­?¡¯ Thinking that, he tightened the straps of the flowing bag strap, then sneakily followed Rowaine and Coco. ¡®This is so upsetting. I cannot watch this anymore.¡¯ Unbearable, he secretly caught a rat that ran away after seeing Coco. ¡°Squeakk!¡± The rat beast, who had turned into a rat and fled, let out a short scream and fell over. The next moment, it quickly turned into a human. It would have been calculated that Dimitri would not be able to attack anymore if he was a normal cat, since turning into a human would make him a little taller. Even if Dimitri was a Shapeshifter, the rat beast might have thought that it would be better to quickly reveal that he was a beast, as beasts do not eat each other. ¡°Squeak, squeaak!¡± The male rat beast was terrified and took a desperate pleading posture. The next moment, he brought out a bat-like dream demon hiding in his shadow and offered it to him. Nonetheless, Dimitri did not take the demon, though just silently struck the rat beast with his front paw and knocked it down before turning it around like a spinning top. ¡°Uwaaa¡­! Nyaaaa¡ª!¡± The rat Shapeshifter shook and let out a strange scream. After being distracted for a while, Dimitri dragged the rat beast and tossed it near where Coco was wandering. ¡°You rascal!¡± Coco, who had turned into a cat and focused on the search, found a staggering rat beast and shook his butt violently. Wiggle, wiggle. It was an action to gain momentum¡ªwriggle, wriggle. Dimitri rubbed his forehead. ¡®How long will he wriggle!¡¯ While Coco shook his butt, the rat beast came to his senses and ran away. Seeing that, Dimitri clenched his fists with his round paws and slammed the wall. The front paws covered in soft fur absorbed the sound, so Coco did not notice. However, at that moment, something suspicious caught Dimitri¡¯s eyes. A quick shadow. It paused for a moment as Rowaine raised her head and glanced around her, hiding its body in the corner of the building, and then crept back towards her as she turned back to Coco. Noticing that, his pupils, who found an object to be wary of, opened wide. ¡°¡­.¡± He quietly put his front paw on the strap of his bag. If something suspicious happened, he intended to turn into a human and run towards them with his clothes on. I cheered inside as I watched Coco, who repeatedly failed to hunt over and over again. Then, the opportunity finally came. As if it had stumbled while running away, a rat Shapeshifter fell from the sky. ¡®That is a rat beast!¡¯ Although it was the first time I had seen the rat beast, I could recognize it at once. A fairy-like small body, wrinkled gray skin, and black eyes like peas¡­ Coco, hiding behind an obstacle, stuck out his head while his ears folded low. As he was shaking his hips as far as possible to avoid being caught by the rat beast, his bountiful tail swayed in the sky. I was mesmerized by the wriggling little butt. ¡®So cute¡­¡¯ But, while Coco was hesitating, the rat beast put something invisible to its head and ran away. Perhaps, the thing on his head seemed to be a dream demon that was invisible to the human eye. ¡°Oh, I could¡¯ve caught it! That¡¯s too bad.¡± Coco glanced back at me with an awkward face. ¡®Since he did not even get to catch it, it is kind of sad to say that he missed it¡­¡¯ Nonetheless, contrary to my heart, I encouraged Coco. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry about that, Coco! It was a close call, though. Next time, you¡¯ll be able to catch¡ª¡± It was then. ¡°Squeaak!¡± From the direction in which the rat beast escaped, a loud cry was heard. The next moment, behind the rubbish piled high on the side of the road, a rustling chuckle could be heard. ¡°Who is it?¡± Coco asked, staring into the darkness. As I got a little closer and looked as well, I could see someone standing tall with a piece of rag over his body. The silhouette was clearly a child even though the surroundings were dark since the sun was setting. I wondered if he would be around twelve years old. The child was standing on one of the rat beasts¡¯ feet. Meanwhile, I could see the rat beast struggling under his feet. The boy glanced at me alertly, and I stood silently from afar. Seeing that, he extended his hand to the rat beast. As if begging the child to live, the rat beast rubbed his hand and handed him something invisible to my eyes. Then, the child released the rat beast and bit the thing in his hand. Of course, it was a movement that looked like a mime to my eyes. Suddenly, a dark red stone that shone slightly fell from the air. The child who picked up the stone, perhaps the devil¡¯s heart, turned back to me again. ¡®Is he being wary of me stealing it?¡¯ Thinking that, I stepped back a little for the kid. Despite that, the child kept staring at me. He sometimes held his nose up and sniffed the air. Then¡ª ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ Thud, thud, thud. The child abruptly ran towards me, leaving about three steps between us, and snooped around me. ¡°Who are you!¡± Coco growled threateningly at the child. ¡®He must be scared.¡¯ If a cat growls when it sees a stranger, it means that although it was growling inside, it was actually scared. It was a pretentious bluff so that a strong-looking opponent could not tell that it was actually afraid. Cats are all about bluffing. ¡®Coco¡­ He acts much younger than when he is a human¡ª¡¯ What should I do with this incompetent cat? I glanced at the child who was hovering around me with a brave face as if Coco was not a threat at all. He looked dirty and thin. Though when I saw the blue cat eyes of the child that glowed in the dark, I knew that the child was a cat Shapeshifter. ¡®Is he maybe¡­ a stray cat?¡¯ Coco shouted as he hid behind me. ¡°Go away!¡± The child held up his nose in the air without paying any attention, and he kept sniffing. Little by little, he came closer to me. Then, I saw the child¡¯s face clearly in my eyes. He had a strikingly dark face, cream-colored hair like a magpie nest. The next moment, he unexpectedly pointed at me. ¡°Good smell! Is it you? Is it your smell?¡± ¡°Do you mean¡­ me?¡± What does it smell like? In the first place, I did not even wear perfume, so why is everyone saying I smell like that¡­? At this point, it occurred to me that Dimitri might not have been talking about smells just to quarrel with me. ¡®I will have to ask him in detail later.¡¯ The child came up to me and sniffed his nose frantically, almost like falling into a trance. ¡°Mwiss, it smells good. The smell of grass.¡± [ T/N: The way he says the word ¡®miss¡¯ was written differently in Korean, and later in the next chapter, it will be mentioned that it was because he has an accent~ ] After saying that, he bravely approached me before placing my hand on his hand and sniffing it. ¡°Ah, mwiss. It smells good.¡± Even though Coco threatened him in a low voice, ¡®mrruhhh!¡¯ the child just glanced at him and stamped his foot once. ¡°What? Get lost.¡± Startled, Coco closed his eyes tightly and fell down. The posture with the cat exposed on its belly and raising its four paws was not a surrender posture, but a pose that if you attacked it, it would use all four feet to attack you back. ¡®You cannot close your eyes while fighting, Coco¡­¡¯ Although he looked pathetic, he was also cute. At that time, the child abruptly held out the devil¡¯s heart to me. ¡°Do you need this? I¡¯ll give you this, so be my servant!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Not him, but my servant, mwiss. I¡¯ll take good care of you.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 29 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 29 I gently hid Coco behind my back before lowering my posture to match the child¡¯s eye level. ¡°Do you have any guardians?¡± ¡°I¡¯m strong, so I there¡¯s nothing like that, mwiss¡± With an accent at the end of the sentence, when they spoke, the word ¡®not!¡¯ sounded like ¡®nwot!¡¯ She was a young girl with a rough yet pretentious way of speaking. Of course, I do not know if I was the only one who felt that way because I like cats. I glanced at the child¡¯s physical condition. The child¡¯s cheeks and the back of her nose were covered with scars. Judging from the long and thin shape, it seemed to have been from fights with other cats. The skin that was exposed between the clothes, which was more like a piece of rag, was also covered with sinful scars. I asked anxiously. ¡°Do you live here alone?¡± Then, the child mumbled in a slightly smaller voice. ¡°Oh, there was originally a servant I was taking care of. But, that servant was stupid and lost me. Mwiss, I was told to wait for them here. Oh, they were annoying.¡± I tried to interpret the child¡¯s words from a cat¡¯s point of view. ¡®She had been abandoned¡­¡¯ The appearance of approaching strangers bravely, or trying to ask someone to be with her by telling them to be a ¡®servant¡¯ proudly, and considering the fact that the servant who was taking care of her had ¡®lost¡¯ her¡­ It was clear that the child was abandoned. ¡°Do you know where your home is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, mwiss. It¡¯s far away. Mwiss, are you going to be my servant or not?¡± The child held the devil¡¯s heart closer to me. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll take good care of you.¡± ¡®This is difficult, I am in trouble¡­¡¯ I glanced at Coco, who was staring at the child. ¡®The child does not like Coco either, and I am sure they would not like Dimitri, too.¡¯ I was barely allowed to take Coco, but Dimitri might kick me out if I brought in another cat. Nonetheless, I could not just ignore the child. ¡®I feel so sorry, the child is so young¡­¡¯ Fortunately, the child was smart and brave. It did not look like she had been starving because her hunting skills were excellent. ¡®Still, she is still thin, and there are many wounds.¡¯ Even if I could not take her home, I thought it would be better to feed the child a little bit first because that is what I can do right now. ¡°Would you like to go eat something delicious with me?¡± ¡°What?¡± The child responded. At the same time, Coco clung to my leg and yelled. ¡°I hate the child, angel!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Coco, but I¡¯ll buy you something delicious for Coco instead. Yes?¡± The child, who glanced at the two of us, eventually held out the devil¡¯s heart to Coco and opened her mouth, ¡°Hey, eat this.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t eat what you give me.¡± ¡°Oh, eat it! Eat it, mwiss!¡± The child grabbed his back with great agility and began to shove the devil¡¯s heart into Coco¡¯s mouth. ¡°Ahh! No! Eup¡ª! Waakk!¡± ¡°Eat this and hand over your servant, mwiss.¡± At that time, Dimitri, who had been watching the situation with the intention of jumping out and rescuing Rowaine, burst out laughing. ¡®I kind of like this?¡¯ What approached Rowaine was a kitten that had not grown up enough. He liked the idea of ??getting Coco stuck under the kitten. If another cat approached Rowaine, he meant to chase them away, but Dimitri changed his mind. ¡®It is a baby, so I will let them go.¡¯ Due to the habit of cats that naturally raise kittens together, an adult cat was more generous to a kitten. I decided to go to the restaurant with the child. ¡®I am not sure if any places are open now.¡¯ If not, it would not be a bad idea to get some snacks, even at a tavern. Thinking that, I took Coco, who had fallen asleep, in my arms and walked ahead. Every time I turned around to see if the child was following me, she was gazing at me the same distance away. When I walked, there was a clicking noise, and when I stopped, the child stood a little farther away with their head tilted. ¡®She looks so pretty, but her rough personality is kind of attractive, too.¡¯ What should I do after filling our stomachs? ¡®This situation is so depressing.¡¯ My mood darkened a little. If I had my own home, I would have been able to give a room to a cat that had nowhere to go. It was a thought I often had when I was living with my grandmother. My maternal grandmother hated me bringing cats into her house, so I spent more time outside with the cats than I did at home. ¡®¡­The situation is similar then and now.¡¯ When would I be able to get out of this situation¡­? As I thought that I should buy a house first as soon as I saved the money, I checked to see if the child was still following me well. However, the child suddenly raised her head and looked around. ¡®Why is she doing that?¡¯ Still puzzled, Coco, who had been depressed in my arms, suddenly lifted his head as well. ¡°Angel, something¡¯s coming!¡± Coco struggled and climbed onto my shoulder. I turned to the child reflexively. Behind the child, I could see a herd of dogs running towards us out of nowhere. I glanced around and saw that it was not just one or two¡­but rather, we were surrounded by dogs. Because of the large, black dogs that appeared from all directions, the child was also bewildered and did not know what to do. The escort guard, who was chasing me from a distance, also seemed perplexed when he saw that many dogs. ¡°Woof! Woof, woof!¡± I was terrified by the sound of a dog barking loud and rough enough that I stiffened my body. They were obviously hunting dogs. ¡®What are these dogs¡­?¡¯ Even if I might be bitten by excited dogs, my body moved on its own because I thought that I had to protect these two cats. I grabbed the child and Coco before hiding them in my arms. Since the terrified child suddenly turned into a cat, I was able to hide the two of them. ¡°Woof, woof¡­!¡± I crouched down and shut my eyes tightly. At that moment, the surrounding became silent. I opened my eyes and lifted my head as if all the loud noises had been erased. All over the area, it was as if something was covering us up. Suddenly, someone gently hugged me from behind. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Rowaine.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The cats struggled in my arms, though I held them tighter and pulled away from the man who hugged me. ¡°What is this?¡± Who are you, and what are you doing? Questions flashed through my mind, though all I managed to get out of it was, ¡®What is this?¡¯ these three words. ¡°You must have forgotten my voice.¡± The man who hugged me pulled the corner of one of his lips and smiled playfully. His blonde hair, purple eyes, a very gorgeously handsome look, and the way he spoke like he knew Rowaine¡­ I immediately knew who he was. ¡®His name¡­ Herman Heres or something.¡¯ As if a novel was unfolding in my head, the contents of what was said about him came to mind. He appeared in several incidents with Rowaine, the villain in the novel. It could be said that he was her best friend. At the same time, he was also a relative of the Emperor. ¡°Who would have thought that you were hiding in Blois after suddenly disappearing without saying a word?¡± ¡°What did you come to see me?¡± He smirked at my honorifics. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You took advantage of me and disappeared abruptly, like a stranger.¡± ¡®I used him¡­?¡¯ Seeing that I did not understand, he let out a deep sigh. ¡°Because of you, I was almost beaten to death by His Majesty after the party, don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to pretend you don¡¯t know that, are you? You hugged and kissed me at the imperial party to provoke His Majesty¡¯s jealousy.¡± I swallowed dry saliva. ¡®Come to think of it, Rowaine often used this man to control the Emperor as she wanted.¡¯ At that, I could make out roughly what he was talking about. ¡®I must have been possessed right after Rowaine did that¡­¡¯ As I was contemplating what to say, the cats who were caught in my arms used their flexible bodies to slip through my arms like liquid. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°What is it, cats?¡± Herman stared at Coco and the child with interest. Coco and the child did not say anything, as they were being wary, and decided to pretend they were normal cats when they saw a stranger. Herman sat down and held out his hand to the child. ¡°Rowaine, how are there cats? Are they shapeshifters? Were you playing with them again? Leaving them like this, it¡¯s unlike you?¡± To add more information about him, he was aiding and abetting the number of the shapeshifters Rowaine¡¯s abused. Of course, he not only aided in the abuse, but he was also Rowaine¡¯s regular partner, gambler, and friend who enjoyed drinking and drugs together. A person who was willing to be used no matter what Rowaine did¡­ Though he did not love her nor share a friendship with her. While Herman did not expect anything from Rowaine, he was inferior to others. He was a lonely man. As if the more you swallow, the thirstier you become. ¡®Actually, Rowaine loved him, though she was skeptical of the empty relationship and had for a long time walked a tightrope between the Emperor and Herman.¡¯ He glanced up at me with a beautiful face and grinned. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 30 ¡°Really, you have married the Duke of Blois? Did you know how surprised I was when I heard the news? Rowaine Larscel, who hates Shapeshifters, was to fiddle with His Majesty again this time. She¡¯s such an incredible woman.¡± At that moment, the child¡¯s pupils rapidly enlarged and contracted. In the blink of an eye, Herman¡¯s palm was deeply scratched by the child¡¯s nails. ¡°Ugh!¡± He frowned and pulled away his hand. ¡°Are you ferocious? Tsk.¡± Saying so, he stood up and looked at the wound. ¡®She is brave and ferocious, isn¡¯t she? I didn¡¯t even know¡­¡¯ I called the child and hid her behind me. I then imagined Rowaine¡¯s tone as I opened my mouth coldly to him. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Next time, it might not end with just that wound.¡± Perhaps, the wound was painful, though Herman, who turned/lifted his hand a few times in the air, smiled mischievously again. ¡°His Majesty is impatient, Rowaine.¡± The next moment, he pulled out a letter from his arms and handed it to me. ¡°He let me go, asking me to deliver this to you. He tried to split my legs when he saw you kiss me, though His Majesty let me go again just to please you.¡± Shaking his head, he continued to groan. ¡°I was quite fretful. It¡¯s a great love.¡± I opened the letter, listening to his sarcastic remarks through the back of my ear. The letter contained a few lines, perhaps in what appeared to be the Emperor¡¯s handwriting. ¡¸ I apologize for disappointing you with my affairs with the Empress. So, don¡¯t do anything wrong and return to me, Rowaine. If you say you¡¯ll come back, I¡¯ll make sure that your marriage to the Duke of Blois would never happen right away. ¡¹ Only then did I figure out what was going on. ¡°Did you bring the royal hounds and set them free to convey this?¡± ¡°I trembled when I heard that the Duke of Blois was a great cat, but His Majesty gave it to me. Isn¡¯t it cool?¡± He stretched out his hand and pointed around¡ªit was a pure white space. Possibly, this place was inside the barrier spread by the dog shapeshifter. I remembered the barrier magic of the dog shapeshifter because it was also the specialty of the male protagonist in the novel. ¡®I was surprised.¡¯ I glared at Herman fiercely. For some reason, I had a reasonable doubt that it was a show he prepared to surprise me on purpose. I returned the letter to him with a cold gesture. ¡°Tell His Majesty clearly, I have no intention of breaking up this marriage.¡± Herman shrugged his shoulders and smiled. ¡°But, you¡¯ll come to our club again, won¡¯t you?¡± Herman and Rowaine belonged to a social gathering of young nobles who wanted to spread all kinds of gloomy desires freely. Feeling bored with his life, Herman chased after stimulation every minute and every second. And, Rowaine, who felt thrilled by abusing shapeshifters she detested, committing all kinds of evil deeds. It was inevitable that the two met at a social gathering called ¡®Libido.¡¯ I shook my head with a look that said no way. ¡°I¡¯m going to live a new life here, Herman.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but are you really angry with His Majesty?¡± Slipping the Emperor¡¯s letter back into his arms, he laughed and spat out a murmur that sounded like a grunt. ¡°Since I can¡¯t bring you back with me, I¡¯ll need to be very careful again. I¡¯m afraid I might have to seek asylum in another country for the time being. I did not respond at all. I just waited for him to disappear quickly. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed my chin. ¡°The kiss I got from you in front of His Majesty was the best kiss of my life.¡± Then, he leaned over and whispered into my ear and continued his words, ¡°You¡¯d better take care of yourself, Rowaine. His Majesty won¡¯t sit still.¡± Gesturing by pointing with his chin, he added his last words. ¡°He was ready to take you away with him, even if he had to kill Duke Blois.¡± As I followed his chin and looked back, I was startled. All the sounds that had suddenly disappeared returned, and the sharp screams of the dogs pierced my ears. It seemed that there was a big crack in the barrier, and soon, the dome surrounding us was shattered into pieces like glass. And there stood Dimitri, almost half-naked, with an angry look on his face. Herman stuck out his tongue. ¡°To break the barriers of white magic-type dogs with the devil¡¯s black magic. I¡¯ve heard rumors about it, but it¡¯s really surprising.¡± However, it was not the time for him to speak so leisurely. It was because the black smoke from Dimitri immediately choked Herman¡¯s throat. ¡°What have you done to my wife, Count Heres?¡± Herman, who was struggling in the air while being caught by the black smoke ¡ª the demon who had signed with Dimitri ¡ª struggled and said. ¡°Keuk¡­ Just meeting a friend¡­ that I miss¡­¡± I felt a little grieved. Still, there was no choice but to stop Dimitri. Because Herman willingly gave up his head not because he was weak, but because he did not want to fight Dimitri. In fact, he was so adept at magic that he was even called an Archmage. Although he was wasting his great talent by being lazy and only chasing his desire to be a pleasure seeker. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Dimitri.¡± Still upset, Dimitri moved his head closer towards Herman, pulling his chin and raising his eyes, like a big cat threatening another cat. ¡°Did you bring the hounds to just visit a friend¡­?¡± The Emperor¡¯s hounds were well-trained dogs. Even though they were slaves, they were highly trained soldiers that surpassed the knights except for the difference in status. The Emperor¡¯s fearsome battle weapon. Dimitri deserved to be enraged. Meanwhile, even though he was being strangled by his throat, Herman pulled the corner of his mouth and laughed. ¡°As rumored, your personality is quite¡­ ill-tempered, Duke.¡± Then, he glanced at Dimitri up and down, mocking him. ¡°You also seem to have a unique sense of fashion.¡± At the end of those words, Herman could not stand it any longer, so he used magic to stir the black smoke that followed Dimitri and split it apart. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Falling to the floor and struggling to breathe, he noticed Dimitri, who was still gazing at me, and gestured to the dogs. In an instant, the hounds that were waiting for orders all rushed to Dimitri. By the time he blew all the dogs away with the power of the devil, Herman had already disappeared with magic. I quickly stopped Dimitri from chasing him. ¡°He¡¯s not worth chasing, Dimitri. Calm down.¡± Dimitri let out a slight grumble at his displeasure. It was a whining sound I would hear when cats were forced to endure things they did not like. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know such a person.¡± ¡­Actually, it was not me. It was someone the original Rowaine knew. Regardless, as if accepting my apology, he sighed heavily and looked at me blankly. ¡°How do you know him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s like a tag from the shameful part of this body¡­¡± After muttering the answer back, I then pointed to his attire to distract his attention, who had calmed down a little. ¡°But, who was in charge of your clothes today? I¡¯d like to meet up and talk to them.¡± Dimitri was wearing burgundy trousers and a scarlet shirt, even with all the buttons unbuttoned. ¡®It is said that the completion of fashion is the face¡­¡¯ It was surprising that even though he was wearing a bright red top and bottom, his handsomeness was not covered. It just hurt my eyes. I forgot to ask why he suddenly appeared here, as I was instinctively turning away from the strong abs that could be seen through the loose top. Dimitri could not understand what was going on with Rowaine¡¯s unfavorable reaction, so he glanced down at his outfit for a moment before buttoning up the shirt with a look of enlightenment. ¡®¡­When I saw the hounds running at them, I could not fasten the buttons in a hurry, so they must be nagging me for being untidy.¡¯ Rowaine¡¯s strange gaze stung him, so he buttoned them up more meticulously than usual. He did not glance up at her right away. As if he was a turtle, Dimitri kept glancing at her without looking directly at her as though he was embarrassed. However, even though he had all the buttons up to the end of his neck more neatly than ever, her expression did not improve. Dimitri asked Coco with his eyes. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with my outfit?¡¯ Coco, who had the same eyes as him, tilted his head and answered with his eyes as well. ¡®It¡¯s just plain. But, is that the same color as the angel? ¡­I am jealous.¡¯ Dimitri grinned. Just as cats are born red-blind by nature, to those born with red-blindness, Dimitri¡¯s burgundy pants looked more like gray by human standards, and a scarlet shirt seemed more like faded light green. Dimitri, who usually wore achromatic clothes, put aside the clothes he would normally wear and specially packed the pants and shirt he was wearing. The same colors as Rowaine¡­ She was beautiful, so the clothes she wore must have been beautiful as well. Even though He did not know what these colors would look like by human standards, still, Dimitri was satisfied. As he reached out to Rowaine, shrugging his shoulders and ruffling his shirt with a proud hand to smooth out the wrinkles on the clothes. ¡°It¡¯s late, though you better go home, Madam.¡± ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 31 Rowaine tried to say something more when she saw Dimitri¡¯s clothes, but stopped. Instead, she pointed to the kitten she had hidden behind her with her finger. Surprised by the hounds, the child who unknowingly turned into a cat was cream-colored with black spots on its face, ears, four paws, and tail. ¡®She must have been quite surprised.¡¯ To show both a human form and a cat form in front of people they see for the first time. The child must have been poorly educated. Of course, not to mention Coco, who did the same thing even though he was all grown up. In Dimitri¡¯s eyes, Coco was a foolish cat, and he was as big as a kitten. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m going to go in a little later because of this child. I want to feed her.¡± Saying so, Rowaine glanced at Dimitri cautiously. When suddenly, the kitten suddenly stuck out its tongue and wiggled. ¡°Uwaak¡ª¡± A little bit of clear, white vomit that was nothing but water and foam fell on the floor. Rowaine gazed at it sadly and opened her mouth. ¡°As you can see, she¡¯s starving.¡± If a cat starved for more than a few hours, it could not resist hunger and would ¡®throw up on an empty stomach.¡¯ ?? Dimitri clicked his tongue and grabbed the kitten by the back. Unlike what he had done to Coco, he was handling the kitten with a gentle touch. It was because the large hand with strong force was quite stable. Meanwhile, the kitten was like a doll hanging from a bag or something as it was dangling with its arms and legs hanging in the air while being quietly held. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Rowaine looked nervous about what Dimitri would do to the kitten. Instructing the knight to bring the carriage, he glanced back at her with a languid expression on his face. ¡°You don¡¯t need to feed them outside food that hasn¡¯t been inspected. How many chefs are always waiting in the mansion?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± At his words, her eyes widened. ¡°¡­No way. Are you going to take her?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s amazing! I love it!¡± Dimitri turned his head coyly and got into the carriage that had just arrived. At the same time, Rowaine followed him, hopping with excitement. ¡®If I had said not to take her, she would have come and stayed here every day.¡¯ He thought she was just like a cat. Originally a matrilineal society, cats form families centered on females. Rowaine was like a female cat growing in influence in the herd. I gazed proudly at Dimitri, who sat down graciously at the table for a late meal, Coco, who nibbled at the food, and the child who swallowed a chunk of meat without chewing. ¡°Eat slowly.¡± I asked, wiping the oil from the child¡¯s nose and cheeks. ¡°But, what¡¯s your name?¡± Coco said he did not have a name because he was being held captive by a slave trader. So, I was very fond of the name I gave him, so that was why I was using it. However, it seems like there must have been someone who took care of this child, so I thought she might already have a name. The child mumbled and gazed at me with blue eyes like the sea. ¡°Pretty.¡± ¡°¡­Is your name pretty?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that name, mwiss.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ ¡± It was a good word, though if it was a name, depending on your taste, it could be annoying. ¡°Then, what should I call you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Mwiss, give me more meat.¡± The child lifted her bowl over her head after saying that. I poured the food from the large bowl into the child¡¯s bowl. The child bluntly flattered me. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, servant.¡± ¡°At times like this, you should say thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you, servant.¡± Coco, who was next to me, interrupted. ¡°She¡¯s not a servant, but an angel.¡± At that, the child then raised his head indifferently and hit Coco on the head. ¡°Huh, mwiss?¡± ¡°Ackk¡­! Look at her, angel!¡± ¡°Sweetie, you can¡¯t do that to your brother.¡± The child retorted, opening her eyes skeptically that her pupils were half-covered, and spoke, ¡°Not my brother. I don¡¯t have a brother who can¡¯t hunt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m good at hunting!¡± ¡°Ho?¡± The child pulled one corner of her mouth and snorted. It was the outbreak for the second round. Most of the time, Coco was right. At the commotion, Dimitri struck the table with his fist. ¡°Shut up.¡± Immediately, the two cats were suppressed by his momentum and quickly became quiet. ¡®As expected, the leader cat!¡¯ It was because little cats were taught by grown cats. I asked the child again, ¡°If you don¡¯t like your original name, how about the name Sasha? Sasha.¡± ¡°¡­Sasha?¡± After repeating the name, the child eventually shrugged her shoulders and answered. ¡°Ah, do whatever you want. ¡°All right, Sasha.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°All right, you said yes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although her tone and expression were rebellious, she often followed when taught. It was in stark contrast to Coco, who had an innocent, good-natured face and rebelled when taught. ¡°Sasha, there¡¯s something you need to know. From now on, even if someone gives you something delicious, you can¡¯t follow them.¡± ¡°What about servant?¡± ¡°My name is Rowaine. You can call me Madame or Duchess, not servant.¡± ¡°Yes, Rowaine.¡± As I corrected her, she seemed to be obedient, yet she still had a strong sense of self. Also, cats were arbitrary. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s fine if it¡¯s me. You can follow me well because I¡¯m the exception.¡± ¡°You¡¯re self-centered, Rowaine.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The sound of Dimitri¡¯s chuckling and laughter was clearly audible. When I glanced at him, he was cutting the meat expressionlessly before opening his mouth to me. ¡°It seems to me that we need someone to educate these guys, Madam.¡± ¡°Education?¡± ¡°It would be nice to have a teacher. If they want to live in a human society, they have to act like a human.¡± ¡°People¡¯s pretext¡­¡± Dimitri narrowed his eyes as I mumbled because it was awkward to use the word ¡®human pretext¡¯ for Coco and Sasha. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not forgetting that they¡¯re half-human, Madam?¡± Then, Coco and Sasha joined Dimitri. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a human angel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a person. Not a cat.¡± Everyone behaves like a cat to their heart¡¯s content, and at times like this, they decided to get along¡­ ¡®Look at what they are doing.¡¯ Still, no matter how they looked to me, they were not just cats, they were cat shapeshifters. I thought it might be disrespectful to treat them like a cat too much. ¡°You just threw food on me!¡± ¡°What, mwiss?! Wouldn¡¯t it be a shame not to be able to even hunt?¡± ¡°Haaakk¡­!¡± Disrespectful¡­ is it? After many twists and turns, we eventually finished the late dinner. Dimitri offered to find a teacher for the little cats. ¡°Instead, Coco and Sasha will only be staying in the annex. So, it would be a good idea to move the wife¡¯s room to the main building.¡± ¡°What about my room¡­?¡± ¡°The room you¡¯re using now is the room I gave you because I thought the wife would only stay for a while. I think it would be better for you to move because they¡¯re some employees who have good eyes.¡± Looking the other way after finishing his words, Dimitri coughed loudly. ¡°I cleaned up the room across from me. It¡¯s essentially the Duchess¡¯s bedroom.¡± The last time he made the same offer, I turned it down because I did not trust him, though I am pretty comfortable with him now. Nonetheless, He made a lot of concessions for me. It was the same for Coco and Sasha. He also gave me the opportunity to increase my influence in the mansion and create my own people by letting me manage the people of the employees. Because of all those reasons, I had no reason to insist any longer. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be uncomfortable for me to be so close to you?¡± I asked because I was afraid that he might think that I was invading his territory. However, Dimitri¡¯s reaction was very surprising. ¡°Why is the wife uncomfortable?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Although he replied a little bluntly, I realized that he recognized me as a family member or friend already in one space. ¡°You¡¯re no longer the one who¡¯s going to leave, so please, come into the main building.¡± His smile seemed to have darkened somehow, but I nodded my head thinking it was no big deal. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s get up first.¡± As he got up from his seat, Dimitri hesitated for a moment before uttering with a prim face. ¡°The wife will manage the annex from now on, since I don¡¯t even want to manage this matter. I¡¯m not going to draw a line on the ground and go over it. If your hobby is to rescue cat shapeshifters, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± For a moment, my head went blank. He continued bluntly to me, who only blinked my eyes with a bewildered face, ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m doing anything bad. Originally, nobles were very interested in philanthropy. It¡¯s, it¡¯s not for the wife.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­ Huh?¡± Tears unexpectedly fell from my eyes. I was confused, not realizing that tears had fallen on my lap. It was only a moment later that I realized that I was crying. Dimitri was staring at me in embarrassment. ¡°Are you crying?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­¡± Embarrassed, I quickly wiped away my tears and smiled. ¡°I¡¯d like that a lot.¡± Even though I thought it would be nice to have a home where I could bring homeless cats to my heart¡¯s content, my wish came true so suddenly. It really felt like a dream. ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 32 Dimitri wanted me to come into the main building tonight right now. It was not too difficult, so I gladly replied that I would. In the beginning, the move ended in an instant because there was not much luggage brought from Count Larscel. ¡°Don¡¯t go, angel.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s play together when the day is bright, Coco. We aren¡¯t going anywhere, so we can meet after we wake up.¡± Coco, who was left in the annex, caught me and sobbed ¡ª ho, ho ¡ª as if I was about to leave far away. ¡°¡­.¡± On the other hand, Sasha glanced up at me with those big eyes with a face that I had no idea what was on her mind. ¡°Sasha, I¡¯ll see you later when you wake up. Okay?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You have to listen carefully to the sisters here.¡± I pointed to the maids Dimitri had exclusively assigned to Coco and Sasha for the cats. It was precious manpower that was barely taken out of the main building in a situation where there was already a shortage of workers. I turned and asked them. ¡°Even if the child is dirty, do not wash it for a while and leave it alone. They have to adapt to the new environment first.¡± When you bring a cat from the street, do not wash it because it is dirty. This was because, like territorial animals, cats become very sensitive until they have a sense of stability in the place. It was a habit of cats to extremely dislike getting wet. So, if they bathe when they are sensitive, they could be severely attacked. ¡®There was no help because Coco had hardened dried blood on him.¡¯ Unlike Coco, Sasha was covered in dirt and looked healthy except for minor scratches that I did not need to treat, so I thought it would be better to leave it alone without touching it. ¡°May I just change clothes?¡± Startled by the words not to wash, the maids glanced at her dirty clothes and questioned. At that, Sasha¡¯s pupils widened and then narrowed as if she was anxious to hear those words. Seeing her like that, I shook my head. ¡°You better leave her alone.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, Madam.¡± The maids looked as if they were going to faint, though they nodded their heads without saying a word. Having finished my work, I gazed at Dimitri, who had been snooping by my side the whole time. ¡°Dimitri, is there something you need to do?¡± He shook his head with a proud face. ¡°Not really.¡± Even though he was not moving the luggage himself, he had been following me since a while ago and snooping around. ¡®¡­Why did he follow me when he said he did not want to look at the annex?¡¯ Sensing my curiosity, he rolled his eyes. The next moment, he stood up on his feet and drew a line on the ground as if he suddenly remembered. ¡°I¡¯m here to definitely mark boundaries.¡± Saying that, he then threatened Coco and Sasha. ¡°Don¡¯t cross over from here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I stared at the faintly engraved lines on the dirt floor. ¡®I thought he would build a wall, but that is it¡­?¡¯ Was he telling them not to come over, or was he going to overlook it even if they do¡­? Unsurprisingly, as soon as Dimitri turned around, the little cats with the tree frog symbols clapped each paw outside the line he had drawn. Doing that, they also had very brazen and natural faces. ¡®¡­He would be holding a rod.¡¯* [ T/N: It¡¯s an idiom which means, to hit with a rod or club to give a scolding. ] I quickly said goodbye to Coco and Sasha and rushed towards Dimitri before he noticed the scene. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± He quietly followed me in the lead. We walked silently for a while. The main building and the annex building were quite far apart away from the back gate, so it took quite a bit while walking slowly. I strolled while glancing around in the hope that the blue would suddenly pop out of nowhere. Dimitri asked, wondering why I was looking around. ¡°Are you looking for something?¡± ¡°Ah, the gray cat that lives here. I named him Blue. He came to see me every day, but I didn¡¯t see him today. If I don¡¯t see him at the annex anymore, he might be sad.¡± He then snorted at my words. ¡°What do you mean, sad? Who would be sad?¡± ¡°Pardon? I didn¡¯t hear it very well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. What¡¯s more, what¡¯s that?¡± He glanced at my hand and made a gesture with his chin. It was because I was fiddling with a cat cushion the size of a pencil case. Since I made it for Coco, I wanted to give Blue one, too. ¡°This is a cat cushion for the gray cat, although I forgot to put it in the yard of the annex.¡± Dimitri¡¯s expression darkened. He looked down at the small cushion as if wondering if I was giving something like this as a gift. Seeing that, I felt like I had to explain something. ¡°If I don¡¯t see him from the annex, I think he¡¯ll be lonely. He became very close with me.¡± ¡°Close¡­?¡± He suddenly chuckled and opened his mouth again. ¡°Did you ask the cat?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That you¡¯re close?¡± ¡°Do I really have to say that? It was obvious that he loved me just by looking at it.¡± He tightened his coat tightly and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re very misunderstood.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡­What is wrong with him? He had never seen me and that pretty gray cat together. Thinking that, I pouted my lips in discontent. Then, he abruptly reached out to me. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± At his words, I handed him a cushion and Dimitri shoved it into his pocket and uttered calmly. ¡°I¡¯ll hand it over for you.¡± I widened my eyes, thinking, ¡®no way!¡¯ ¡°Do you know that cat?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Can I talk to the cat?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m jealous¡­¡± He shrugged and strode forward. I quickly followed him, trailing behind him and questioning him like an aggressive reporter, ¡°Is this the cat Dimitri cares for¡­? What do you talk about with the cat? How old is Blue? What does Blue usually say, and what does he like? Can I ask how it feels to be born as a cat, how it feels to be so cute?¡± Dimitri lifted his shoulders high and hid his face between his lapels as if burdened by my continuing questions. It was like a tortoise with its head in its shell. I could not stop being so curious about what the cat was talking about. ¡°Duke?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Duke¡­?¡± Dimitri, who had raised his collar to cover his face, eventually turned his head around. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But, you just said you were talking to the cat, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I never said anything like that. I just didn¡¯t bother correcting what Rowaine was guessing.¡± ¡­Huh? ¡°Then, why did you take the cushion I made? You said you¡¯d give it to the gray cat yourself.¡± At that, my head was slightly bent to the side, and it seemed like it was almost going to get stuck to my shoulder. It was not just one or two questions that popped up in my head. Okay. All of a sudden, he took the cushion as if he was going to talk to Blue himself, and now, he said no¡­? Dimitri shrugged his shoulders with a brazen face. ¡°I can¡¯t remember what I said.¡± ¡°All of a sudden?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± As I shouted in protest, he chuckled. ¡°What if it¡¯s a lie?¡± Because of that, my mouth was wide open with the look of not knowing what to do. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s a lie¡­ You¡¯ve got to get the cushion back!¡± ¡°I will.¡± Even though he readily answered, Dimitri did not offer a cushion even if I reached out my hand. Question marks filled my mind. ¡°¡­When?¡± ¡°Someday before I die?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was not funny. Either way, he walked forward gracefully with a stern face. ¡®I wondered who the cat was, so shameless¡­!¡¯ I stared blankly at the back of his head. However, was it because I was thinking of Blue? Suddenly, it occurred to me that his hair, mysteriously sparkling in the moonlight, looked similar to the blue fur that sat on the wall and greeted me. ¡®The blue hair was so shiny¡­ it looked like it was shining like that.¡¯ From Coco and Sasha, I was able to assume to some extent the fact that the fur coats of the cat shapeshifters appeared characteristically even when they became human. Although Blue¡¯s hair color and Dimitri¡¯s hair color also look similar¡­ ¡®Is Dimitri¡­ Blue?¡¯ The next moment, I quickly shook my head. ¡®No way, it cannot be. Blue has been friendly to me from the beginning.¡¯ Was Dimitri not very cold to me when I first came here? He sent me to the annex without even talking. ¡®Still, there was no reason for him to turn into a cat and come to me.¡¯ I could hardly have imagined him playing with the fishing rod toy I had made, purring and showing affection like that. There was no way a man who was so arrogant enough to feel so elegant and cold could be like that. ¡®Besides, Blue gets along very well with Coco.¡¯ A couple of days ago, it was Blue and Coco who even played a joint hunting game with toys. Even though there was a bit of a fight with cat slaps in the middle, it was at the level of cuteness. ¡®Yeah, Blue is Dimitri¡­? That is absurd.¡¯ I laughed out loud at my absurd thought. While I was alone in my thoughts for a while, it seemed that Dimitri strode as fast as he could and disappeared into the main entrance hall, so I missed him. ¡®What¡­? Well, it is a cushion, I can make it again.¡¯ The cushion I gave him was not a waste. Nonetheless, was it not absurd and surprising that he suddenly took it and did not return it¡­? ¡®¡­What is this?¡¯ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 33 Dimitri, who left Rowaine behind and ran up the stairs quickly, let out a small sigh. ¡®¡­Things related to Blue should be avoided.¡¯ Despite her being rather ignorant, it was not good to keep talking to her about Blue. ¡®I will be in trouble if I get caught.¡¯ The things he had done in front of Rowaine in the form of a cat so far flashed through his mind like a lantern. ¡®It is clear that she must have misunderstood my actions.¡¯ No matter how hard Dimitri tried to let her know that he was not friends with her, it was to no avail. It was because whatever he did in the form of a cat, Rowaine just liked it, not knowing his feelings and saying that he was cute. ¡®What does she mean, cuteness?¡¯ If he touched Rowaine¡¯s hand not to pet him, would she not be happy that he gave her his front paws. Or, if he yelled at her not to call him by the name Blue, she would respond well, saying that he liked it¡­ She was truly a woman who lived in a great delusion. ¡®If she knew that I was Blue, she would definitely have a weird misunderstanding again¡­¡¯ He would be in trouble if she ever mistakenly thought that he liked her. As he imagined Rowaine asking, ¡®Dimitri, do you really like me?¡¯ Dimitri, who was fanning himself with his hands, suddenly smiled to himself. ¡®Well, that would not happen.¡¯ When she saw him turn into a beast, he wondered if Rowaine would treat her the way she was now. ¡®She is going to despise me. She may be disappointed and upset¡­¡¯ Rowaine was friendly to Coco and Sasha. However, he was different from them. While Coco and Sasha were merely objects of affection for her, externally, he was a husband and a companion for the time being. Humans are bound to be swayed by what they see, and even though their head knows that he is a cat shapeshifter, she had not seen him transform into a cat. So, she must be thinking like a normal human. It was like him, so he was more friendly and less uncomfortable than other races. Nonetheless, when she saw him turn into a cat, it was clear that she would have a wall in her heart. It was the instinctive sense of distance from the awareness that they were of different races. Moreover, humans tend to view other races as inferior. Rowaine, a human, was no exception. ¡®If she realizes that her husband and colleague are half-beasts¡­ I do not know how she will change.¡¯ He does not know how the friendly relationship they have now would change. Dimitri¡¯s eyes darkened as trauma from the past was replaying in his head. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a real cat.¡± ¡°Even though I knew it, it¡¯s disgusting to see him actually change¡­¡± The memory of one day, clearly engraved in his mind, unwittingly occupied his mind. That day, the tutor who was in charge of his half-brothers taught him a lesson that he should always show selflessness to others. The half-brothers, who had their doubts, rushed to Cayetana, the Duchess of Blois at the time, and asked, ¡°Should I be kind to Dimitri, too?¡± Then, what did Cayetana do¡­? She took Dimitri, locked him in a cage, and forced him to turn into a cat. ¡­She made Dimitri turn into a spectacle and ridiculed him. ¡°Now, you know. That kid is different from you. There is no need to be pitiful, no reason to be kind. It means that Mrs. Lorca¡¯s teachings have nothing to do with him.¡± That day, Dimitri saw the sudden change in the eyes of his half-brothers, who had taken pity on him at least a little in his youthful heart. As they looked at him, there was no longer any resemblance to someone like us, a child the same age. On that day, he came to realize clearly that the awareness that ¡®we are different¡¯ could make someone ¡®wrong.¡¯ And, from that day on, bullying him became a fun game for the half brothers. There was no need to feel any guilt¡­ because he was ¡®wrong.¡¯ Dimitri, who escaped from a painful memory with a sigh, firmly grasped his heart. ¡®There is no need to reveal that I am different.¡¯ It was a bitter reminder of past experiences. Still, nevertheless¡­ ¡®¡­This was coveted enough to take the risk.¡¯ Dimitri glanced at the cushion with a proud expression on his face as if he had acquired a satisfying game. He entered the bedroom and instantly turned into a cat. As his body grew smaller, the clothes he was wearing fell to the floor like skin. With the cushion in his mouth, he jumped out of the pile of clothes and jumped onto the bed. In the middle of a bed large enough for three adult men to lie down, a small paper box containing soft pillows was neatly placed. Dimitri went inside the box and rolled his body on a pillow the size of the box. It felt very good to roll around hugging the small cushion that Rowaine had given him. The cushion smelled like grass from Rowaine. It was a really amazing smell. ¡®This is heaven.¡¯ As I entered my bedroom after separating from Dmitri, Haven and my new maid, Liddell, were waiting for me with strangely excited faces. ¡°Madam, would you like to take a bath today? I¡¯ve got the water.¡± I was puzzled by her subtle voice. ¡°You look happy, Agwen?¡± Agwen was embarrassed and smiled bashfully. ¡°It could be a good day for you.¡± ?? ¡°A good day for me?¡± ¡°Today, how about adding perfume to the water? Rose or lavender are also good.¡± It was strange for Agwen to secretly avoid answering and ask some random matter back. She also knew that I washed by myself without a bath attendant. When I first woke up in this world, I had only received a bath service once. However, the act of borrowing someone else¡¯s hand to wash my hands was so unfamiliar to me that it was difficult. ¡®It was the kind of experience you would never get used to unless you were born again¡­¡¯ To me, rather than being treated, it felt more like a person who became ill and senile and had difficulty moving. Not only did she know I did not need anyone to attend the bath, though Agwen was already aware that I did not put perfume or anything scented on my body. ¡®What is wrong with her today¡­?¡¯ Feeling burdened by the strange expectations in the eyes of the maids, I refused. ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯ll take care of it as usual, so just leave.¡± Saying so, I grabbed a towel and a change of clothes, opened the bathroom door, and shut the door behind me. The inside of the bathroom was luxuriously decorated with red rose petals and a soft yellow atmosphere. Belatedly, I glanced back at the bed deep in the room and found that the pink flower leaves were also decorated in a heart shape on the bed. ¡°Explain, Agwen.¡± Agwen smiled proudly and crossed her fingers. ¡°On a day like this, the atmosphere is important.¡± It was only then that I understood why she was acting strangely and touched my forehead lightly. ¡°Madam hasn¡¯t shared a room yet because she¡¯s been in the annex all the time. However, today is finally a historic meeting with the Master¡­!¡± ¡°Stop, stop.¡± Eventually, I pushed Agwen and Liddell¡¯s back toward the door. The two clamored for help. ¡°Madam, there is a story you should hear while taking a bath¡­!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s your first time, you might be surprised¡­!¡± ¡°If the Master comes to visit you at night, don¡¯t panic¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something to be ashamed of. Think of it as a joy, and let your instincts lead you¡­!¡± ¡°The most important thing is to relax your body! Otherwise, you might get sick¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time, so don¡¯t rush it even if the Master wants to¡­!¡± They whispered so desperately that my face felt like it was going to explode. ¡°Please be quiet, both of you!¡± They do not even know how competent a cat is¡ª! ¡®¡­It is right next door!¡¯ This is driving me crazy, really. My face was so hot that it felt like I was about to explode. At the same time, I felt like I would rather cry. The quiet but rackety sounds continued in the room due to the constant noise of the girls, and me trying to cover their mouths. After a while, I eventually managed to get them out of the room. I quickly drew my ear close to the wall in Dimitri¡¯s room to see how well I could hear it. If I could know that, I think I would be able to see how well the sound could have flowed in. ¡®Did he hear me? He probably did not, right¡­?¡¯ Once I heard nothing in that room, I relaxed a little. It may be that Dimitri was not moving, so I may not be able to hear his voice. Still, with my head burning to the limit of embarrassment now, I could not think of it that far. Of course, the Duke of Blois had a lot of money, so the mansion should be well soundproofed. Anyway, it would be. That was the way it should be¡­ Embarrassed, I stirred the petals on the bed and dropped them down before turning off all the atmospheres in the bathroom. After that, I was able to take a bath with a comfortable mind and lay down on the bed. While warming my body in the hot water, I forgot about the embarrassment I had a while ago and was just in a drowsy state. ¡®It has been a long day.¡¯ It was already dawn because it took a little more time to go out after sunset, and it took a little more time to change rooms. ¡®¡­This is an oversleeping reservation.¡¯ Drowsiness poured out, and I fell asleep softly with a long yawn. However, it was not long before I opened my eyes again. It was as if I heard the sound of a door opening and closing in my sleep. ¡®Who is it¡­?¡¯ I could not tell if it was a dream or reality. As I lifted my gaze and glanced into the dark room once, I could not see anything in the blurry vision. ¡®Was it a dream?¡¯ With a hazy mind, I barely opened my eyes once. Despite that, my eyelids, which had become heavy from sleepiness again, helplessly shut again. I then looked around and shook my head before falling into a cavernous sleep. The blanket lifted slightly, and I felt someone coming in behind me and lying on my back. __ Again, thank you so much for always supporting the novels I translate, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. ?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 34 ¡®Hmm¡­?¡¯ The movement was so careful that my mind floated somewhere between dream and reality, and I could not wake up. A warm, soft sensation touched his back. ¡®Feels good¡­ It is warm.¡¯ Nevertheless, the careful movement did not stop. Someone¡¯s warm body temperature, which gently penetrated into the duvet, went down further and further. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ The moment something touched the back of my thigh, between my legs lying on my side, I woke up in shock. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ I lifted the quilt in a hurry¡ª ¡°Huh¡­?¡± At that moment, two blue lights flashed and stared at me. ¡°Sasha?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Sasha, who was in kitten form with a black face and cream body, frowned before poking her head out. ¡°Why are you here? Was the bed uncomfortable? Did you have a scary dream?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know.¡± Murmuring bluntly, Sasha then dug back into the blanket. She rolled herself round under my legs and closed her eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t sleep here¡­¡± At that moment, I remembered Dimitri drawing alone on the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to sleep alone?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Sasha looked at me without a word at my question. Although she did not answer, her eyes looked like she wanted something. ¡°I don¡¯t like sleeping alone.¡± Was it because she is still a baby¡­? I gently hugged her. Despite her harsh tone, Sasha obediently dug into my arms and touched my neck with her adorable paws. ¡®She is a child who is used to being hugged.¡¯ Someone must have hugged and cared for this child so much. ¡­But, why did they change their mind for a moment and threw her out on the street? Why did this person take a young kitten out in this scary world? ¡°Were you lonely, Sasha? I¡¯ll stay with you.¡± Instead of answering me, she gently buried her face in my neck. A small, warm, round forehead was felt under my chin. People often say that cats are not lonely animals. After all, they are cold, and they do not know how to recognize their guardian. However, contrary to what is known, cats have a clear sense of companionship. When a companion suddenly disappears, they would feel lonely and stressed to the point that they stop eating and drinking. Because of their habit of hunting prey smaller than their body size, cats are so social that they do not hunt together in groups, and even yield to their companions¡¯ prey without taking them away. They simply do not show their emotions, such as loneliness, longing, and worry. Instead, they kept it to themselves quietly. For this reason, cats are also called animals that were subjected to ¡°quiet abuse¡± without even their owners noticing them. As I gently hugged Sasha, she made a pleasant sound and rubbed her face against my neck. Holding her, I went back to the annex through the backyard where the morning dew had fallen. I then laid Sasha down on her bed with myself, and I patted her on the back. Soon, she fell asleep. The sleeping Sasha talked a lot in her sleep. She trembled and was afraid while crying out for someone. ¡°I miss you¡­Don¡¯t go. I¡¯m scared¡­¡± Listening to her sleep talking, I cried with her. ¡®¡­I would rather she hate them and be angry.¡¯ Why does she miss the person who abandoned her so much¡­? That person must have already forgotten about her. Nonetheless, Sasha¡¯s sleep talk was so pure and honest that it brought tears to my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you. I won¡¯t leave you.¡± Dimitri stood with his arms crossed in front of Sasha¡¯s door, licking his lips. Contrary to Rowaine¡¯s wishes, this wonderful mansion was vulnerable to partial sound insulation as the doors and windows were plainly wooden. ¡­In particular, his room was adjacent to her room. It seems she has not found it yet, though between the two rooms, there was a secret little door for easy access. Since it was on the side of the bed, the sound from there was shared even more easily. As a result, Dimitri, who heard Sasha sneaking into her room and lying in bed, was soon drawn to Rowaine¡¯s sweet voice as she took the kitten all the way to the annex. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you. I won¡¯t leave you.¡± Dimitri pursed his lips once more at the sound of her quiet voice coming through the crack in the door. ¡®That senseless woman¡­ No adaptability.¡¯ He told her not to bring Coco and Sasha to the main building, so was that why she brought the child to the annex this morning¡­? It seemed that the traces of the lines he drew with his feet earlier had already become insignificant. ¡®I know better than anyone that cats are selfish.¡¯ In the first place, he did not expect Coco and Sasha to listen. Bringing a cat into a home was inherently something that required a lot of flexibility and patience. So, the cats might have played innocent and did this, though he does not know why she is struggling alone. How could she be so obedient at times like this when she had done such an unconventional thing in front of Mrs. Elbas before like that¡­? ¡®I do not even know.¡¯ In fact, what he really does not know was his own self, who had followed her all the way here than Rowaine. ¡®¡­She keeps bothering me.¡¯ Even though she was a stranger, strangely, he kept getting worried about her. ¡®It is strange.¡¯ Yes¡­ It was strange and mysterious so Dimitri kept letting it go. As she continued to arouse his curiosity, it was also unavoidable that the cat was drawn to curiosity. So, he wanted to leave Rowaine alone, thinking that she was free to do whatever she wanted. ¡®¡­It is just because I am bored, since my life is dull.¡¯ Dimitri, who had half-forced the answer in his mind, listened again to Rowaine¡¯s voice. In the room, Sasha¡¯s sleep talk and her cries could be heard resoundingly. He was somehow offended. Does it not feel like he became a villain who made the child come to the annex as if she was running away with Rowaine at night¡­? ¡®That person over there is more notorious than me¡­¡¯ His pride was hurt and he could not stand it. ¡®I will have to arrange a room for Sasha and Coco in the main building as soon as possible.¡¯ Every time the little cats could not sleep and looked for Rowaine, he could not have her bring them back to the annex like this. Although he only wanted to protect his realm, she did not want to be a villain to her. ¡®It is just not good for me to hear rumors that the Duchess sneaks out every night and sleeps elsewhere. So that was it, there was no other reason at all.¡¯ He does not know why Rowaine¡¯s lips kept sticking out as she whispers to Sasha, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡­It was because her voice seemed to tickle his chest. ¡®This is annoying.¡¯ Ruffling his hair for nothing, it took a while before he left his spot and went back to his room. Dimitri, who had been sneaking around the annex in pursuit of Rowaine, eventually overslept. As a result, his aide, Hyle, came to work late this morning and kept pestering him. ¡°¡­So, the Count of Bilbao couldn¡¯t even recover the investment and suffered a lot of damage¡ª¡± However, he did not listen to Hyle¡¯s words at all. It was because the side of Rowaine¡¯s room beyond the wall was bustling. Women¡¯s voices could be heard from the small door connecting the two rooms, a major cause of the weak soundproofing. `¡°You look tired today, Madam.¡± ¡°Are you in any pain?¡± ¡°Are you feeling okay? It looks like you had a hard time last night, how about getting a little more sleep today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be exhausting at first.¡± ¡°Did the Master act hastily? How long did he hold onto the Madam all night and never let her go so she looks so tired like this¡­?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t feel comfortable moving around, I can bring you a meal¡­¡± The voices of the maids were filled with excitement so the conversation could be heard more clearly. ¡°Please be quiet, you two. It¡¯s not like that.¡± Rowaine¡¯s troubled voice could be faintly heard next. At that, the maids wanted to shut their mouths for a moment¡ªbut, it was literally just a moment. ¡°By the way, it seems that the Master overslept as well.¡± ¡°The Viscount was entering the Master¡¯s room a while ago with papers.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know what to do on a day like this.¡± Dimitri nodded slightly, agreeing with the maid Liddell. Meanwhile, Hyle, ignorant of it, was unaware that the maids were doing anything wrong and continued to talk about work, ¡°For that reason, it was put on the agenda at this meeting of the elders¡­¡± Listening to Hyle¡¯s boring story, he once again concentrated on the interesting conversation from Rowaine¡¯s room. ¡°Agwen, Liddell¡­ Stop, don¡¯t say anything. Shh!¡± Now, Rowaine was almost crying. Hearing a sudden voice, Hyle asked, ¡°Why are you smiling, Duke? Did I say anything funny?¡± Come to think of it, Hyle was also here with him. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t laugh.¡± Dimitri glanced at him as if he was talking nonsense. ¡°You were just laughing?¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve seen it wrong.¡± ¡°Certainly¡ª¡± ¡°You must¡¯ve got an eye problem.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± __ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 35 Hyle kept his mouth shut. It was because if he insisted more, he would not be able to get the answer he wanted anyway. For him, there was something more important than the reason why Dimitri was smiling all alone like that. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll prepare as I just said. Are you okay with that?¡± Dimitri nodded roughly as he overheard Rowaine walking quietly out of the room. He did not know what it was about, though he thought it would be boring. ¡°Okay. Is there more?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Then, get out.¡± Abruptly kicking Hyle out, he then ran straight to the mirror and smoothed his hair because he had just heard Rowaine say to the maids loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Duke¡¯s room because I have something to do.¡± While Hyle tilted his head at his seemingly urgent action and opened the door, Dimitri gave the order while fixing his gaze on the mirror. ¡°Leave the door open.¡± ¡°Yes¡­? All right.¡± It was a gesture of being busy all of a sudden even though he was lazily tying his tie for thirty minutes earlier. In the end, Hyle did not even know what to say and rushed out as though he was being kicked out. After kicking him out, Dimitri could hear her exchange greetings with Hyle in the hallway. Then, Rowaine passed him and walked straight into his room. Dimitri, who quickly adjusted his clothes and fell from the mirror, picked up the papers Hyle had left behind with an unconcerned face. Though his eyes turned to the paper, his attention remained focused on the sound of footsteps in the hallway. At the end of his vision, a box on the bed suddenly came into view. ¡®Oh.¡¯ He quickly ran before shoving the cardboard box and the cat cushion she had given him under the bed. He hugged and rolled around so much that the cushion had a lot of gray hair stuck to it. ¡°Dimitri.¡± At that moment, Rowaine was at the door and called for him. ¡°Can, can I come in for a moment¡­?¡± I cautiously glanced in front of Dimitri¡¯s door, fearing that he, who valued personal space, might not like it that I came to his room like this. For some reason, the door was wide open, and I could see him lying face down under the bed deep inside the room. ¡°Can, can I come in for a moment¡­?¡± Was he surprised by the sudden conversation? Dimitri jumped up from under the bed and banged his head. ¡°Oh, are you okay?¡± Surprised, I approached without realizing it. However, he grabbed the back of his head and stood up quickly before shoving something under the bed with his feet while holding me back from approaching with his hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t come in too much.¡± At his words, I hurriedly returned to the open space. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡­I should have waited until dinner instead of coming to his room. ¡®I thought he was pretty open-minded when I saw the room next door, though I guess it was not to that extent yet¡­¡¯ Wanting to be considerate of him, I did not approach him more than a certain distance and stood far away and opened my mouth. ¡°You must¡¯ve been resting. The Viscount Hyle Bilph just left, so I came in knowing it would be okay, but if it gets in the way, I¡¯ll come back next time.¡± I never had a cat in the house, although I knew that house cats like dark, enclosed places like under beds. So, I spoke with the nuance of understanding. However, Dimitri frowned slightly, glanced at where he was just lying down, and then looked at me again. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± He insisted a little. ¡°I sleep in the bed.¡± ¡®¡­Is he shy?¡¯ I smiled broadly, hoping he would feel relieved. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I used to sleep under the bed, too. If I still have nightmares on thundering days, I will crawl under the bed. It¡¯s pretty comfortable.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Nonetheless, Dimitri, who still bit his lip once with a displeased face, raised his chin a little and changed the topic. ¡°Anyway, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve something to ask.¡± ¡°You can say it.¡± ¡°I think I should go to my parents¡¯ house, but I was wondering if you could go with me¡­¡± A letter arrived to me this morning. It was written that I had to settle the problem of ownership of the diamond mine, which Rowaine had agreed to receive in exchange for becoming the Emperor¡¯s mistress. Because of that, I had to go to the Count¡¯s house. ¡®Besides, Count Larscel was sick, and he did not reply to my request to come, so I was just going to go there like this¡­¡¯ Does it not seem too condescending to say that the Emperor and the Count talked about mines and stuff before themselves, though when we have to fix it, Rowaine, the party concerned, should come and solve it herself? ¡®It means that I have to go there no matter what.¡¯ To put it another way, it meant that Count Larscel would not dare to come to Blois where Dimitri was. In addition, the Emperor could not even shamelessly send people here to tell me to come or go. ¡®Even if I think about it, it is not fair.¡¯ Rowaine did not even sign a pledge to become a mistress, so ownership of the mine has not yet been passed on. Despite that, in order to deal with the temporary contract issue, her signature was required or something. A provisional contract was a contract that was temporarily concluded prior to a formal contract. It was absurd to mention a provisional contract on the matter of becoming a mistress. For example, it could be thought of as a temporary contract before marriage, that was, an engagement, but could an engagement not end with just one unilateral notification when there was no exchange between each other¡­? By marrying Dimitri, I had informed the Emperor that I had no intention of becoming a mistress. Still, the Emperor insisted on asking for my will directly, saying that I could become his mistress even if he had a husband. As I explained the situation to Dimitri, I could feel the heat on my face at the Emperor¡¯s childish attitude. ¡°¡­In this situation, I don¡¯t think we can just ignore the request of His Majesty, anyway. It¡¯s just a matter of signing and coming. So, if you¡¯re not busy, I was wondering if you could come with me.¡± The words came out like a mess. Still, I could not even think of going there alone. Last time, I did not give in and acted bravely in front of Count Larscel, but in fact, my original personality was not like that at all. ¡®I had to do it, so I just plucked up my courage.¡¯ My father and brother made me realize well that he would only become a pushover if I quietly endured something I disliked without saying anything. So, when I muster up the courage, I burn it like fire. Nevertheless, that was a difficult task that required me to burn myself as firewood. I think it would take courage again to meet Count Larscel and his wife, but just imagining it already made me exhausted. Therefore, I wanted to go easily and lean on Dimitri this time. ¡®Count Larscel wrote that he would respect my will in the letter, though I do not believe it at all.¡¯ I was concerned about the letter the Emperor had sent to Herman. To be precise, the sentence that said that if I said I would return to him, he would make my marriage to Dimitri never happen caught my heart. Dimitri said that the signature on the ring finger disappears when we sign the oath, but having a wedding ring engraved on your body does not mean you can do foolish things. ¡®If I see the Emperor come out like this, Count Larscel may have dug a trap with the Emperor behind my back.¡¯ So, I hoped Dimitri would go with me since I intended to stick close to him without a moment for a little. ¡®If I am with a husband who was equal to a duke, would it not be any different from being with Count Larscel?¡¯ Besides, Dimitri was a strong cat who could handle demons. With that thought, I gazed at him eagerly. A positive answer came out of his mouth so simply that it was ridiculous what I was worried about. ¡°I can¡¯t let you spend the day in such a place alone, so I¡¯ll make time for it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Dimitri!¡± Feeling relieved, it feels like I have someone on my side in the enemy¡¯s den. Now, I can put my mind at ease and come back on the same day as if I was going out on an outing. Or, so I thought¡­ ¡°What¡¯re you talking about, Duke? Attending the elders meeting today is all that has been talked about today.¡± On the morning of the day we decided to go to Count Larscel, his aide, Viscount Hyle Bilph, blocked me and Dimitri, who were getting on the carriage to leave. ¡°Didn¡¯t I report it last time? The Count of Bilbao is struggling with the issue of compensation.¡± ¡°Did you report it to me?¡± Asking back, Dimitri tilted his head. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? The last day you overslept, I went to my room and reported it to you.¡± ¡°Did you?¡± I glanced up at Dimitri anxiously. He was already fighting a hard battle with the elders who were trying to push him away. ¡®If it is because of the elders¡¯ meeting, I think it would be better not to miss it¡­¡¯ If anything, the Viscount Hyle Bilph would normally have offered to serve as Dimitri¡¯s representative. But, seeing the Viscount who was very troubled, it seemed that it would not be possible. However, I could not postpone the date of my appointment because the Emperor himself sent someone to nail me to check on my intentions. The Emperor¡¯s person must have already been sent off to the County. If I put off my appointment, it would be contemptuous of me. ¡®I would not get caught up in this damn thing and drag it around again.¡¯ Finally, I reassured Dimitri that it was okay to go alone and led him to the carriage. ¡°I¡¯m just going to my family. Although it would be nice to go together, you¡¯ve got an important business to do.¡± __ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 36 I reached out and waved Dimitri¡¯s signature on the ring finger of my left hand. ¡°I have this, so what are they going to do to me? Even though they¡¯re going to bother me terribly, if they don¡¯t want to go to war with Blois, they¡¯re just going to act within our expectations.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll clean up quickly and follow you, Rowaine.¡± ¡°Before that, I¡¯ll come back first. I¡¯m going to come back soon since I don¡¯t plan to stay long.¡± In the end, Dimitri, who thought that I might be captured by Count Larscel, left me with five elite knights. I was very grateful. Still, although I saw him off with a smile, my heart was heavy as if it had been carrying a large burden. ¡®It is not that I do not believe in Dimitri¡¯s knights¡­¡¯ It could not be helped that it was not pleasant to deal with the Counts of Larscel and his wife alone. The couple played as villains throughout the novel. How smart and quick-witted when it comes to bad things¡­ Their desires were simple and intense. ¡­To gain power and wealth and to stand above people¡¯s heads. Now, the Count couple could not understand why their daughter, who had the same determination as them, suddenly did something incomprehensible and worried them. ¡®They have no intention of understanding it, anyway. They are just frantic about not being able to dedicate their daughter to the Emperor¡­¡¯ Since they had such clear and simple desires, it was obvious how they would turn out. ¡®Somehow, they are going to use an excuse and try to drag me to the Emperor.¡¯ In fact, even if that were the case, the Emperor could not unilaterally take me as I am the Duchess of Blois. Even the Emperor was not an absolute power, so he could not ignore the attention of great nobles like Dimitri. It meant that he could not do anything that would turn the nobles¡¯ backs on him. ¡®It is just going to annoy me immensely.¡¯ ¡­Imagine your ex-boyfriend calling you out persistently. Would you not like to avoid the situation where the two of you were just facing each other somehow? That was just how it felt¡­ ¡®I wanted to make it simple, but now that this has happened, I have to solve the problems myself.¡¯ I have no choice but to come up with ¡®Plan B.¡¯ ¡®I told them that I was going with Dimitri, so they must have been well prepared.¡¯ To stand against a cat that wields a demon, they need something comparable. ¡®If that was the case, would it be a hunting dog?¡¯ The last time I met Herman, I remembered the dog shapeshifters I had seen briefly. When I recall that time, my legs still tremble. ¡­The pride of the Emperor and the foundation of his power. Hounds are the name of the Emperor¡¯s ¡®hunting dogs,¡¯ although they are practically well-trained elite soldiers. I have heard somewhere that the ability of one military dog is equivalent to the combat power of one company. If so, what was the fighting power of dog shapeshifters who have received military training while possessing both the level of human thinking and the fighting ability of dogs¡­? ¡®Perhaps, the Emperor sent hounds to meet Rowaine somehow.¡¯ ¡­Then, no matter how many knights I took, I would have still been a very easy prey. While trying to figure out how to get out of the hands of Count Larscel safely, I eventually came up with a great idea. ¡®I have no choice but to use that method¡­¡¯ Getting into the carriage, I promised Coco and Sasha that I would be back in the evening. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I go with you and be your companion?¡± Agwen stomped her foot as if she felt sorry for me because I was leaving alone without being able to go with Dimitri. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Agwen. If you use the moving magic circle, it will be quick.¡± It was already an enormous burden on my own, so I could not bring Agwen with me. ¡°Please, take care of the children, especially Sasha. She¡¯ll be very anxious.¡± For several days, I did not leave Sasha¡¯s side as I tried to soothe her fear that she might be abandoned again. Perhaps, she might feel that way again when I am gone. Still, it was impossible to take her in a situation where I did not know what would happen. So, I was so sorry that I inevitably had to leave her. ¡°Play with her while I¡¯m away so that she doesn¡¯t have time to think about it. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Soon, the carriage departed. I spoke to the coachman just before the carriage left the main gate, ¡°There¡¯s a stop I¡¯d like to go to along the way, so please go to the place I¡¯m talking about.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± The place where the carriage stopped was a rural village that arrived after teleporting through the magic circle four times. Even though it was a rural area, it was close to the capital, so the retail district was quite developed even though the city was not significant due to the large floating population. I walked around the street in the carriage before circling the same road several times and getting off in front of a shop. ¡®Is it here¡­?¡¯ The place I found was a supply store. This place, which was shabby on the outside and had a few items on display inside the glass door, unlike other handicraft stores, was actually quite special. It was a place that produced products on its own without the procurement of goods from hunters who make a living by mistreating shapeshifters without any connection with the shapeshifters¡¯ traders. Here, there is a person who later becomes an assistant to the female protagonist, the Princess. I was going to buy something very useful from that character today. Tta-di-dingg¡ª When I opened the old wooden door and went inside, I could hear a clear chime. Then, the woman, who had been dozing at the cashier, woke up in surprise. ¡°Wel, welcome.¡± The wind blew away several sheets of paper and notebooks that were scattered on the checkout counter fell to pieces. ¡°Ahh! I¡¯m sorry. Please, wait a minute.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, take your time.¡± Saying so, the woman flopped down on the floor and picked up objects that had fallen everywhere. I quietly observed her, reassuring her. She was a woman with voluminous red curly hair, which was very impressive to look at. I was convinced that she was the woman the heroine was looking for when I saw the huge, thick curly hair that was tied up high and sticking out at random. ¡®I have come to the right place.¡¯ Her name was Avila Teruel. At the age of eighteen, she was the youngest member of the imperial wizards, although she was a fairly famous eccentric sorceress who, after four years, suddenly resigned from her dream position as an imperial wizard. While specializing in studying the abilities of the shapeshifters, she became furious when she saw the Emperor abusing numerous dog shapeshifters to train them to be his hounds. Thinking that this was not the case, she had turned around several offers of scouting and set up her own private laboratory after resigning from the imperial wizard. Even though it was known that she conducted various studies in the direction of increasing the convenience of humans by studying the abilities of the dog shapeshifters, she was actually studying the weakness of hounds trained by the Emperor. Later, she succeeded in various studies that neutralized hunting dogs, such as creating a magical artifact that could easily break the chain of the hounds and their master. She believed that weakening the power of the shapeshifters would reduce their popularity in the slave market and, as a result, reduce the number of shapeshifters being abused. However, there was no research cost now, so she was able to cover his living expenses by setting up a supply store like this. ¡°What are you looking for? Even though there are not many products, if you look closely, you can see that there is nothing missing!¡± She came closer to me with her friendly, business smile. Somehow, as if she gave off the impression of a dog with good social skills, she was happy to see people. ¡®She did not recognize me¡­?¡¯ I was a little relieved as I had given a lot of thought to what I would say and convinced her if Avila recognized me. I thought I might be kicked out somehow if she found out that Rowaine, infamous for being a shapeshifter abuser, had come to visit her. Because of that, I was making up all sorts of words that would distract her. However, in the end, because there was no plausible story, I was so nervous that I bit her lip to the point of making it tattered. ¡®Well, Avila was a researcher locked in the heart of the Imperial Castle, and Rowaine¡¯s main stage was a crowded party hall¡­ The two would never have met.¡¯ It was just like because they went to the same university, that does not mean they all knew each other. No matter how famous Rowaine was, her red hair was not such a rare color in this world. So, she may not be able to recognize her if she had not seen her in person. ¡®I am glad I left the carriage a little farther away just in case. For now, let¡¯s not say things like names¡­¡¯ Thinking that, I glanced around the store slowly with the most innocent face possible. ¡°I¡¯ve adopted a young dog, a shapeshifter, and I¡¯m taking care of it.¡± ¡°I see!¡± With my careful word choice, Avila¡¯s expression became more gentle. It was because by using the friendly word, ¡®adoption,¡¯ I secretly appealed that I was someone who cared about shapeshifters and shapeshifters¡¯ rights. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since I adopted him, and I wanted to get closer to him. I heard they sell magic perfumes for dogs here?¡± Turning around, I looked to see where I could find what I was looking for. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s over here. The glass bottles you see here are just that.¡± ¡°There are more types than I thought?¡± ¡°Let me explain. This blue bottle is a magical scent that gives psychological stability, and this pink bottle is a magic scent that has a calming effect on sensitive dogs. While this orange bottle has an appetizing scent.¡± Avila carefully explained the effects of magic incense to me one by one. ¡°They¡¯re all made with natural materials. In addition, by using white magic-type spells, they¡¯re made to reduce the objection to the dog shapeshifters and are harmless to their body! Perhaps, the perfume you¡¯re looking for is a magical fragrance that lowers the vigilance of the dog and raises their intimacy. How about this?¡± ¡°There are so many fascinating things. I¡¯d like one of those first, and¡­¡± I asked her without missing one thing she did not explain. ¡°What¡¯s the effect of this transparent bottle?¡± ¡°Oh, this is¡­¡± Avila¡¯s expression became slightly awkward at my question. __ ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 37 Chapter 37 She was a person who expressed her thoughts very honestly with her expression, ¡®Can I sell this¡­¡¯ it seemed to be what she was thinking. I was convinced by seeing her expression like that. ¡®This is what I was looking for.¡¯ Avila finally opened her mouth, ¡°This has to do with dog shapeshifters¡¯¡­ sensitive sense¡­ Well, it slows it down¡ªno, alleviating it¡­ Actually, this is a failed version of the pink perfume I explained earlier. I put them up because it¡¯s pretty to display them in even numbers¡­¡± ¡°Give me that.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°How much is it?¡± ¡°What?¡± Asking back, she widened her eyes because she did not understand that I was going to buy it even though she said it was a failed version. ¡°No, I think it¡¯d be better not to sell this.¡± ¡°Why? I like it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s a failure¡ª¡± ¡°Does it have a bad effect on dog shapeshifters?¡± At my question, she went into a fit of rage. ¡°Oh, no! No! I basically don¡¯t make anything in a way that harms the shapeshifters¡­!¡± ¡°Then?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m more curious about you refusing like that. It doesn¡¯t matter if the effect is insignificant, just give it to me.¡± I was smiling leisurely, but the truth was, I was racking my brain hard to figure out how to convince her. ¡®Should I pretend to be a geeky collector who collects failed things? Or, should I say that the goal is to buy all the magic perfumes here? Should I say I will give a lot of money¡­?¡¯ Then, a good idea came to mind. With that thought, I spoke with a smirk to soften her vigilance. ¡°Avila Teruel. Actually, I came here knowing what you are doing. You¡¯re studying the abilities of shapeshifters, right?¡± There are times when it was better to break through head-on rather than to just raise her vigilance after going around clumsily? It was a well-known fact that, with her ingenuity, she was doing her personal research and struggled to find a sponsor since she was posting an announcement in the Wizards¡¯ Association newsletter that she was seeking a sponsor every time. Consequently, the heroine came to visit her in the novel because she was interested in the newsletter. If I knew what the other person wanted and I could give it to him, the deal would be over. ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ Oh, maybe¡ª¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m interested in your research.¡± She was staring at me with half anticipation and half wariness in her eyes. ¡°Does that mean that you are interested in my personal research, or are you trying to make an offer to me¡­¡± The reason that she has never been able to find a sponsor for her was not that there was no one to support her with her exceptional ability. It was because everyone wanted to donate a lot of money to do research for their own benefit. However, the reason why Avila was doing personal research with difficulty even by selling her research results to maintain her livelihood was because she had a dream she wanted to achieve. What she desperately needed was someone who would support her research. ¡®Now that it is like this, I got a lot from my salary anyway, so I should think of donating it to a good cause.¡¯ I decided to give her what she had ever wanted to hear the most, and what she wants the most now. Since I got paid a lot, it was very easy to decide to be her sponsor. ¡°I¡¯m also a person who¡¯s very interested in shapeshifters. In the meantime, I was looking to sponsor someone who has produced excellent research results and is worthy of my honor. If you were recognized for your outstanding skills, I think it¡¯d be good to trust and support you.¡± If there was something a person desperately wanted, and there was someone who would give it to you, they would bite it as if they were possessed by something without thinking about it. ¡®That is how many people get swindled¡­¡¯ Of course, I was not trying to cheat. I ended up leaving the store after a 90-degree bow to her. And, in my hand, I was holding what I wanted. ¡­Perhaps, it would be by the time when she receives my letter along with the sponsorship that she would truly know who I am. * * * It was a little later than planned when I arrived at Count Larscel¡¯s residence because I took a detour on the side path. ¡°Rowaine! Why are you here so late? I thought you weren¡¯t coming.¡± As I got out of the carriage, Countess Larscel greeted me friendly with her arms folded. I laughed a little bitterly because the overreaction did not just feel like welcoming their daughter. Still, I acted as calmly as possible. ¡°I missed you, mother. I felt bad for leaving like that last time.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You don¡¯t know how much your father cared for you after letting you go like that. However, what about the Duke of Blois?¡± Saying so, the Countess snooped through the empty carriage. ¡°He couldn¡¯t come with me because he was suddenly busy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The Countess narrowed her brow, trying to hide her delight. Seeing her smile like that, I frowned although she did not seem to realize it. ¡°Well, actually, it¡¯s a bit awkward for him to come, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s about his wife¡¯s ex-lover¡­¡± The next moment, I met Count Larscel, who was smiling brightly as he listened to our conversation a little behind. ¡®¡­He said he was hurt, it seemed that he was not lying.¡¯ There was a time when I received a letter from my father asking me to come to visit him because he was injured, though I ignored it, thinking it was a clear lie. Nonetheless, it seems that the injury was true since the Count¡¯s arm was wrapped in bandages. ¡®Anyway, the real Rowaine is not a kind person, so she would not have cared about it either.¡¯ I did not pretend I saw the Count¡¯s arm or even say hello. I casually greeted the Count. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Thank you for coming, Rowaine. Last time this father was out of his mind.¡± As expected, the Count did not seem to expect me to be kind and worried about him. Rather, he was more friendly and even asked if it was difficult to come here. It seemed that when the plan to sell his daughter went awry, all of a sudden, he was now being nice and it made me feel sick. ¡®Is he thinking of trying to persuade me?¡¯ In the first place, Rowaine was on the same team as the Count so it seemed that he would try to do this. Although diamond mines are diamond mines, if he succeeds in persuading me to become the Emperor¡¯s mistress again, the unexpected profit* that would fall afterwards in the future would be formidable. [ T/N: (figurative) A petty profit one obtains by accident, thanks to someone¡¯s business. ] Even considering that, it was good for Count Larsel and his wife that their relationship with their daughter did not go wrong. I smiled to reassure them both. ¡°I¡¯ve already forgotten all about the past.¡± At that time, I calmly passed the Count and changed the subject as if I was just fickle. ¡°I wanted to be comfortable in the carriage, so I wasn¡¯t properly dressed. However, before I see the customers, I¡¯ll change into a dress first.¡± ¡°Yes, you should.¡± The Countess, enamored with my favorable attitude, followed me up to Rowaine¡¯s room. Following me, she began to charm me in earnest by taking care of me while I was changing. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but I heard from the Emperor that you must¡¯ve been angry with His Majesty.¡± ¡®The Emperor¡¯s letter also said something similar.¡¯ Still, he seemed to firmly believe that I had married Dimitri out of anger at him. ¡®What the hell did the Emperor do to Rowaine¡­? I thought it had something to do with the Empress.¡¯ Countess Larscel held my clothes off, she opened her mouth again, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you stop and think about it first? His Majesty is looking for you. See, isn¡¯t that why he¡¯s giving you this last chance to ask for your opinion?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°When His Majesty says he¡¯ll accept it, be grateful and return to him. How good would it be if you just drop this and go to the Imperial Palace to see His Majesty? Regardless, the Duke of Blois is someone you don¡¯t really want.¡± While I listened to the words of the Countess, the only thought in my mind was that the dress I brought was uncomfortable and heavy. ¡°It¡¯s good to make a man fret, though to exhaust him too much¡­¡± ¡°I understand very well what you mean. By the way, I brought you a present, would you like to see it?¡± I interrupted her words and held out a well-wrapped present. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°I bought it just thinking of mother. Open it.¡± The Countess, whose face brightened in an instant at the word ¡®present,¡¯ forgot that she had been convincing me and quickly unpacked the present to check the contents. ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s beautiful!¡± It was an expensive shawl beautifully embroidered with gold thread. Then, I wrapped the shawl around her shoulder with my hands and gave her a beautiful brooch to close the front, making sure it sticks close to her body so it would not fall off. ¡°What do you think? Do you like it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so pretty. When did you prepare all this?¡± ¡°It looks good on you, mother. You look much younger. Don¡¯t take it off and keep wearing it, okay?¡± With a smile, I clasped the excited Countess¡¯s arms and walked out of the room ¡ª like a good daughter who listened well. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Count Larscel smiled broadly when he saw his wife, who had come out friendly with Rowaine. He then sneakily called his wife apart and asked. ¡°Did you talk well?¡± ¡°Oh, look at my mind.¡± The Countess, preoccupied with the shawl Rowaine had given her, was startled. Seeing this, Count Larscel exclaimed as if frustrated. ¡°What did you do after going in to persuade her?¡± ¡°I tried talking to her, but¡­ everything has gone by so quickly¡ª¡± ¡°Did you also say that His Majesty is eagerly waiting for her?¡± ¡°Yes, honey. Though I had no idea what she was thinking.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know why she was suddenly so upset with her parents. I was so happy that His Majesty is so good to her¡­!¡± Saying so, the Count sighed and rolled his feet. ¡°How did you become so foolish? Even if she¡¯s nice to you and gave you something, it¡¯s not enough.¡± Count Larscel made a threat to the Countess for nothing. ¡°Anyway, I can¡¯t stand it any longer today. Don¡¯t forget to say that the Emperor was not able to come for some reason, so it would be best for her to go to the Imperial Palace and see him in person.¡± ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t want to go?¡± ¡°If she doesn¡¯t want to go on her own feet, then I¡¯ve no choice but to drag her. It¡¯s easier that the Duke didn¡¯t come with her.¡± ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? While Count Larscel took the Countess and had a conversation, I pretended to be drinking tea in the drawing room, observing the inside and outside of the mansion. ¡®She told me that no one from the Imperial Palace came yet.¡¯ Even though the Countess said so, I did not believe her at all. ¡®I already came quite late, though she was now saying that they were also later than me¡­?¡¯ Thinking that, I narrowed my eyes and glanced out the window. ¡®Is it not because they are not coming in the first place?¡¯ I stared out the window at the people walking in pairs. On one occasion, people in uniforms worn by the servants of the mansion passed by, and on another occasion, people with loads of luggage, like merchants who regularly stop by the mansion. As I quietly observed them, I beckoned to the vice-captain, the highest rank among the five knights I had brought. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Hey, do you see those servants?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange? I¡¯ve never seen employees hang around the front door of this mansion. Usually, they all went through the back door or side door.¡± The vice-captain also nodded at once at my words, apparently feeling that something was unnatural. ¡°I thought that Count Larscel might train his servants like soldiers, but it wasn¡¯t the case.¡± ?? Having never been trained like that, I did not notice it. However, to him, it seemed that the servants¡¯ movements seemed too restrained and rigid. I let out a sigh. ¡°It looks like the Emperor has released his hound to kidnap me.¡± ¡°You mean¡­ a hound?¡± The vice-captain frowned and made a face in disbelief. Needless to say, the hounds were a powerful elite unit under the direct control of the Emperor. It would not make sense to him that such a troupe would move around privately just to kidnap me. ¡®I know how much the Emperor hangs onto Rowaine, so I expected this situation from the beginning. Still, it is normal for others to not understand since the Emperor acted out of common sense like this.¡¯ Even so, the vice-captain, who had good eyes, saw the appearance of the people I pointed out and quickly realized that what I was saying was true. Hounds wore hats or raised shirt collars to cover their appearance as much as possible. Although if you look closely, you could see that they were shapeshifters. All of them had dark skin, dappled black and brown hair, and remarkably pointed ears even though they were in a human form. A large, long nose and a physique that was much larger than normal people. I asked the vice-captain just in case. ¡°If we fight them, what¡¯re our chances of winning without harm to our side?¡± The vice-captain opened his eyes wide, counted how many suspicious people he saw, and shook his head, ¡°To be honest, the chances of the five of us winning against the hounds are slim.¡± At that, he answered meekly and immediately pointed out that my question was too far ahead. ¡°But, would the Emperor do such a reckless thing like fighting against the Madam¡­ It¡¯s like declaring war with the Blois? Even if it¡¯s the Emperor, the nobles wouldn¡¯t stay still¡­¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s the idea you have because you don¡¯t know much about me.¡± I interrupted him in a confident tone. As he said, unless the Emperor was crazy, he could not attack without any justifiable reason to publicize a member of the Duke family, a great aristocrat. However, what if Rowaine was a member of that Duke¡¯s family. ¡®¡­Then, things will be a little different.¡¯ Rowaine had a past of using other men to provoke the Emperor¡¯s jealousy. It was a fact known to all aristocrats involved in the social world. I have never been to a social gathering since I came into this body, so maybe, the nobles were talking about me by now ¡ª why did Rowaine suddenly abandon the Emperor and welcome a husband who was not even treated as a human being? What is going on¡­? ¡®It must have been a situation where all such interest was focused¡­ The Emperor tried to kidnap Rowaine by using his hound? The Duke of Blois, enraged, declares war?¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks A rare villain who caused a love fight between great powers who were not on good terms¡­ Was it not so perfect that people would like it? The Emperor and Dimitri, who were played by the villainess, would be amusing. Who wants to be part of this comedy? In addition, war is not something that can happen so easily. ¡®Besides, will they raise their hand to help Blois after they ignored Dimitri, who is a shapeshifter¡­?¡¯ After explaining the whole situation to the vice-captain, I told him two solutions. ¡°As I said before, it¡¯s not something to the point of arguing, even fighting dangerously.¡± Even so, they would not imprison me, the Duchess, or touch me carelessly. my body. They would just take me in, convince me, and try to appease me. ¡°I would just meekly be led by the hounds to meet the Emperor¡­¡± ¡°Meet, and what else?¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m caught and taken away, I¡¯ll just run away.¡± The vice-captain¡¯s eyes fluttered violently. Then, I whispered something not very hopeful to him. ¡°By the way, I never, never want to meet the Emperor with just the two of us alone.¡± Imagine meeting your ex-boyfriend¡­ What kind of conversation would you have? ¡®It is obvious.¡¯ I cannot live without you, I miss you so much, why are you doing this to me? Can you not just give me one chance¡­? Then, if it does not work, they will get angry, throw away their pride, and cry. ¡®¡­A man in his fifties who has a healthy wife and grown children.¡¯ I absolutely hate it. I hate it so much. I do not want to die like this. ¡®I do not want to be dragged along into this¡­¡¯ Besides, I do not have the confidence to face the Emperor while maintaining sexy energy like Rowaine. If the two of us talk to each other, the Emperor may notice that Rowaine is somehow strange. ¡®I am not sure I¡¯ll be able to act like her well.¡¯ The vice-captain asked with a doubtful face if he had read the wretched resolve on my resolute expression. ¡°You can¡¯t outrun a hunting dog with a carriage. Can you ride a horse? If you allow me, I¡¯ll take you.¡± I quickly scanned the vice-captain from head to toe and shook my head. ¡°Do you think a horse with such a large body can speed up?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got a plan.¡± I took out the perfume I had received from Avila from my arms. It was a magical perfume that erased all odors from the body so that the dog¡¯s great sense of smell could not trace it. ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? ¡°What about Rowaine?¡± After talking with the Countess, Count Larscel returned to the drawing room and looked for Rowaine with his eyes. The butler reported ¡°She got tired of waiting for the people from the Imperial Palace to see him and went to her room.¡± ¡°Tsk, I would¡¯ve been angry.¡± Count Larscel shook his head. ¡®Still, if it was on the second floor, there is nowhere to escape, so it will be fine.¡¯ Thinking of the Emperor¡¯s hounds guarding the mansion, he decided to relax his mind before ordering the butler. ¡°Tell Rowaine to come down to the parlor. People were not allowed to come from the Imperial Palace, so it would be better to go there in person. If she refuses, drag her down here.¡± ¡°What about the Knights of Blois?¡± ¡°We have a hound, what are you worried about? I¡¯ll tell them to take them down at once.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Answering so, the butler headed upstairs with the mansion¡¯s real servants and a couple of dogs disguised as servants. Before long, he ran back down in great panic. ¡°The Young Lady is not here!¡± ¡°What? Did you look well?¡± ¡°I searched all upstairs, though I couldn¡¯t find her. Even the hounds could not smell her.¡± ¡°I¡­is that possible?¡± The Count widened his eyes. ¡°You said she went upstairs, did she go somewhere else?¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only As Count Larscel hastily sent the people to find Rowaine. The atmosphere in the mansion quickly became chaotic. ¡°Where is she hiding? Come on, find Rowaine!¡± Bringing the dog shapeshifter into the house, he handed them an item that had her scent. It was impossible for an ordinary person like Rowaine to escape the encirclement of hunting dogs with superior abilities in search, tracking, and detection. The Count shook his body in anger. ¡°She dared trick me and run away? Huh, let¡¯s see how far she can run.¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 At that time, Dimitri was listening to Hyle¡¯s nagging. ¡°Are you really going to accommodate the demands of the Count of Bilbao? It must have been irrational that we moved in anticipation that we would come to an agreement in the first place.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t have money to pay for it.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you have money or not, it¡¯s outrageous. They¡¯re making a fool of the Duke.¡± ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t for this, they¡¯d look down on me in many ways.¡± ¡°So, even more¡­!¡± Dimitri glanced at Hyle with an expressionless face. ¡°Are you dissatisfied with my decision?¡± ¡®Ha¡­ There is a lot of that.¡¯ However, as he was pressed by Dimitri¡¯s energy, he bit his mouth tightly. ¡°¡­No. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Even though he backed down for now, Hyle was going crazy and jumping around thinking, ¡®why is this person doing this?¡¯ Dimitri, who would normally have fought all day growling with the elders, was very obedient today with no fighting power. Thanks to that, the meeting was over in the blink of an eye, although the damage was also severe. ¡®It is not that I do not understand.¡¯ He was worried about Rowaine, fearing that something would happen to her. Hyle knew well that Dimitri would have no choice but to pamper her, considering her abilities. ¡®Still¡­¡¯ Anyway, it was a pity that the damage was regrettable. Nonetheless, what had already happened could not be undone. Taking a deep breath, Hyle took one of his horses from his carriage and handed it over to Dimitri. ¡°Go to the Duchess quickly.¡± Dimitri got on the horse without delay. All he could think of was Rowaine. ¡®Her expression was not that good.¡¯ The awkward smile she had when he left Rowaine was still caught in his mind. Because of that, he hoped the meeting would be over as soon as possible, so Dimitri came out of the room obediently and accepted all the repressions of the elders. ¡®¡­I hope it is not too late.¡¯ Rowaine may not know, but Dimitri fed the demon with plenty of blood and sent it to the First Knight vice-captain so there would not be any harm towards her. Despite that, why did he feel so uncomfortable and impatient¡­? Riding his horse faster than ever before, Dimitri headed to the magic circles installed in each area. He passed through several teleporting circles and arrived at the Count of Larscel. His horse ran so fast that both the horse and Dimitri were out of breath. When he reached the hill where the County of Larscel could see at a glance, Dimitri doubted his eyes. ¡®Hound¡­?¡¯ Surrounding the County, the hunting dogs were searching the mansion. Dimitri hid in the opposite direction of the wind to hide his body odor as he watched what was happening silently. He soon saw hounds coming out of the mansion with a large sack. Count Larscel ordered that someone struggling in the sack be loaded onto the carriage. Even though the carriage looked like a regular carriage, it must have been a carriage to the imperial palace, considering that it was the Emperor¡¯s hound sitting on the coachman¡¯s seat. ¡®¡­Rowaine?¡¯ ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? As Count Larscel expected, it was not long before Rowaine was caught by the hounds with a sack covering her head. The Count kicked his tongue in disapproval and ordered her to be put inside the carriage. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be rough, but in the end, you¡¯re making your father use his hand, Rowaine! How dare you try to run away?¡± ¡°Euu! Eueup¡­!¡± The gagged Rowaine struggled wildly inside the sack. Her resistance was so strong that the Count, unable to even dare to open the sack and check her face, shoved her into the carriage. He then nailed her door and sealed it tightly. ¡°Open it when you arrive at the Imperial Palace.¡± Then, with a light-hearted face, he wiped his hands. ¡°By the way, why is the Countess doing that I couldn¡¯t even see her nose? Come on, go find the Countess!¡± ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? Dimitri was sure it was Rowaine in the sack. It was because when the hounds came out with the sack, he could smell the faint grass in the wind like he always did with Rowaine. ¡®¡­A kidnapping?¡¯ She said that she was just going to her family¡­ Did she ever say that her father was the man who could do such a thing to his daughter¡­? Of course, even if she had not said it, she was still anxious about Count Larscel¡¯s coercive attitude the last time they met a month ago. ¡®I knew it would be like this.¡¯ What the hell were the knights of Blois doing? Thinking that if he found them, he would have to deal with them firmly. The next moment, Dimitri used his power without the hounds knowing and decided the timing to attack the carriage. Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks It would be a good time after the carriage had departed since everyone would take a breather and not be very vigilant¡­ It was when he was watching the carriage departing with that in mind¡ª ¡®¡­.?¡¯ His wide viewing angle caught suspicious movements behind the Count¡¯s mansion from the side of the stable. Dimitri looked at it carefully and frowned. ¡®That is Rowaine¡­?¡¯ In the morning, the woman in the dress Rowaine was wearing was doing something there. She disappeared behind the building, and after a while, she reappeared with the knights of Blois. ¡®They locked up the knight and sent them in a carriage in a sack believed to be her? Then, the real Rowaine appeared and released the knights¡­?¡¯ The knights¡¯ bodies showed no signs of a battle at all. No matter how difficult the fight with the hounds would be, the knights of Blois were not an easy opponent. Besides, the vice-captain also had his demon. ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Dimitri watched the situation with his arms crossed. Something interesting was going on. The carriage carrying someone with a sack, unknown who was inside, was far away from sight. However, Count Larscel seemed to be looking for someone else even after sending the carriage off. A group of hounds remained undeparted and continued the search. Woof! Woof, woof! Then, as he heard a barking dog, the remaining hounds found a woman in Rowaine¡¯s dress. At that moment, she and the Blois knights began running in the opposite direction of the carriage, riding the horse that had been prepared for her. Dimitri chuckled. ¡®I do not think that is Rowaine either.¡¯ Although the distance was considerable, he had excellent body vision and recognized the woman¡¯s identity without difficulty. ¡®It must be a trick.¡¯ Among the five knights he sent with her, one of the female knights was wearing Rowaine¡¯s dress. The next moment, Dimitri pursued the carriage and the Blois knights before turning his gaze back to the mansion where all the hounds had disappeared. Finally, he saw the real Rowaine. She was wearing a ponytail with her hair tied together. Dropping a pile of duvets from a window on the second floor onto the roof of a neighboring building, she jumped onto it. Then, she climbed into the stable wall and reappeared with a horse. Rowaine joined the vice-captain, who had been left alone. Seeing each of them pulling the horses out, it seemed like she was going to ride the horse on her own. ¡®She can ride a horse¡­?¡¯ Dimitri tightened his grip on the reins, worried in case she stumbled. However, he soon smiled in disappointment. It was because Rowaine, who lowered her posture to the utmost with her hips raised on the saddle like a rider on a racetrack, rode the horse as swiftly as an arrow. The speed was unbelievable even with his own eyes. ¡®How can she be so fast¡­?¡¯ Dimitri clicked his tongue and hurriedly moved his horse. At this rate, it seemed that not only the hounds would lose her, but he would, too. ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? ¡®I am lucky to have a horse that runs so well.¡¯ I smiled, riding as if tearing through the curtain of air that came over me at every moment. The reason I sent the knights as bait first was because I believed in my riding skills. ¡®No matter how well-trained knights are, they could not run as fast as horse riders.¡¯ I was used to riding a horse, except for not being able to breathe perfectly because I was unfamiliar with the horse. I have ridden horses for almost ten years in my previous life and have often won prizes in amateur horse races. ¡®I did not think I would use that experience like this.¡¯ Nevertheless, there was some time to spare, and it seemed that some of the quick-witted hounds felt something strange and returned to the Count¡¯s mansion. When I glanced behind me, I could see three hounds riding on horseback, catching up and chasing me after grasping the situation from afar. ¡®¡­I could not completely get away with it.¡¯ It was terrifying to see people flocking to each other with such a frightening force to pursue me. ¡®It is okay. They are all tall, so they cannot ride faster than me.¡¯ In order for a horse to exhibit its skills, the rider must be small and light. There were a lot of big men who looked two meters tall. Seeing that, I thought I could get rid of their horses quickly before I got tired. ¡®Ugh¡­ Even though they are large dogs, they are so small when they turn into humans?¡¯ As the horses with the two giant shapeshifters quickly got tired and fell back, I could see a small man who was invisible before, sprinting out behind them. It was unexpected. Watching them slowly speed up and narrow the distance, I swallowed dry saliva. ¡®I cannot keep riding at full speed.¡¯ I was getting tired quickly. To make matters worse, it had rained the day before, so there was a muddy road ahead. The muddier the ground, the more effort the horse took and the slower it ran. Moreover, the physical strength of this untrained body was quickly approaching its limit. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only It was extremely difficult to be on a running horse while maintaining the equestrian posture. Even professional horse riders could hold on to a sprinting horse for only a few minutes. You would not know how much training they put in to endure it. ¡­Much less with an untrained body. ¡®I have to get rid of them as soon as possible.¡¯ Adjusting the pace, I drew in my head the terrain I had been familiar with by looking at the map in advance during the marriage when planning for Plan B. ¡®Soon, there will be a fork in the road¡­ Let¡¯s end it there somehow.¡¯ Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Beyond that, I had promised to join the knights of Blois who had ousted the hounds. With that thought, I clenched my teeth and gave strength to my trembling legs. It would be a big deal if I lost my strength and fell off a horse. If that happens, I would surely be going to face the king of heaven instead of the Emperor¡­ I was out of breath. Entering the crossroads, I was riding my horse to the left side of the road and shouted at the vice-captain during a sharp curve. ¡°To the forest!¡± We veered off the road and went into the woods. On the paved road, the vice-captain was far behind me. Nonetheless, he was more skillful on the path and soon caught up with me on the forest path. The unpaved forest road had too many obstacles for horses to run, although that meant that there were quite a few places to hide as well. ¡®¡­I am at my limit.¡¯ It felt like my legs were going to lose strength at any moment, and I would fall off a horse. In addition, my thigh muscles were severely cramped. The next moment, I sat right in the saddle and sprayed Avila¡¯s perfume all around me ¡ª it was to get rid of our smell. Then, I sent a signal to the vice-captain to get off the horse and slap the horses¡¯ back for them to keep running. We quickly hid ourselves in the grass. As the hound, who entered the curved road, ran past us, it created a cool breeze. ¡®Phew¡­¡¯ I waited for a moment, resting my trembling legs. After the sound of the horse hooves faded away, I crept into the forest and headed the other way. ¡®I, I think I am going to die.¡¯ My thighs felt heavy and sluggish. Eventually, I collapsed on a leaf and had no choice but to be carried on the vice-captain¡¯s back. ¡®I am completely at my limit.¡¯ The hunting dogs passing by us may find something suspicious and turn around. Still, although I knew that I could move faster by getting up and walking with my own strength, there was no strength in my body. ¡®If I had known it would be this hard, I would have just gone to see the Emperor.¡¯ Feeling the throbbing pain in my whole body as if I had been beaten up, I wept a little inside. I was not sure if I could not use my healing ability since my energy was depleted, or perhaps because I could not concentrate as I was being chased. It was then. Clop! Clop! The sound of horse hooves was heard. ¡®Did they notice already¡­?¡¯ I immediately froze and looked in the direction of the sound. The next moment, I opened my eyes wide in surprise. ¡°¡­Dimitri?¡± ¡°Rowaine.¡± In disbelief, I rubbed my eyes and stared at him again. It was really Dimitri. As he was approaching me, there seemed to be a glow behind his head. Seeing him like this, I almost jumped on the vice-captain¡¯s back with joy. It felt like I ran into unexpected reinforcements while running away from a tiger¡¯s den. Now that he came, it felt reassuring even if the hounds found us. It was just amazing that a day like this would happen in my life¡­ a day that I would smile in relief when I saw him. ¡°What about the elders meeting¡­?¡± Dimitri replied with a calm face and rolled his eyes. ¡°After the meeting, I rode the horse around the main road until I reached here.¡± It was not yet the time that he would already finish the meeting, needless to even come here. In addition, it was not the distance to just go for a walk or anything like that. In a word, it was nonsense. There was an embarrassed expression painted on his face. ¡°Your Grace.¡± The vice-captain put me down and politely bowed down to him. At the same time, it seemed that something from his shadow was flying towards Dimitri. However, they both did not say anything so I thought I had seen it wrong and asked Dimitri, who got off his horse. ¡°How did you find me?¡± I must have run away from Count Larscel for a long time, but how did we just meet here¡­? ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you ever since you stole a horse and ran away.¡± He suddenly smirked, looking a little excited. ¡°You are very good at riding horses. I was even having trouble following you. I¡¯ve never seen anyone riding that fast outside the racetrack.¡± It seemed very surprising that I could ride a horse so well. I shrugged and replied. ¡°Someone I knew was a rider. I learned from her.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks An hour¡¯s drive from the rural village where my grandmother¡¯s house was located, there was a riding training ground. There, I was able to meet my mother¡¯s hometown friend, Aunt Eun-hee, a famous professional jockey who once competed in horse races. It was good to know someone. Since she was close to my mother, I sometimes received free training from her since childhood and learned horseback riding as a hobby for ten years. It was a great privilege. I never thought there would come a day when I would use it like this¡­ ¡°I¡¯m just trying to imitate her, but I¡¯m embarrassed.¡± ¡°Can you ride anymore?¡± As he helped me, he asked and gestured with his chin behind me. I glanced back in the direction he was beckoning and was startled. It was because while I was chatting with Dimitri and muttering, the dog shapeshifters had already turned around and found me. ¡°Ah¡­ That¡¯s fast.¡± What would have happened if Dimitri had not come? It was bittersweet to think that, despite these efforts, I would have been taken away without success still. Meanwhile, with my lamentation, Dimitri checked my condition and clicked his tongue. Every muscle in my body was trembling slightly because of over-exerting myself. Suddenly, some of the emperor¡¯s hounds jumped off their horses and turned into dogs before running towards us. Blocking behind us to keep us from escaping, they growled and started to drive us towards the opposing side. As the distance narrowed to a certain extent, the hounds used their power and placed a white barrier around us, locking us inside the area. A white dome-shaped barrier wrapped around us, quickly cutting out the surrounding landscape and isolating us. ¡°His Majesty wants to speak with her, Duke of Blois.¡± One hound that remained with us in the barrier spoke sternly. ¡°Then, he could send an official invitation. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Dimitri¡¯s pupils dilated black to their full size as he uttered. Seeing this, my spine shivered and I held my breath quietly. ¡®That is¡­!¡¯ It was the eyes of a cat that were three seconds away before it went crazy. As I expected, Dimitri, who had pressed the hound with his eyes, ran towards him without warning. In an instant, the swords collided and made a sharp sound. I shrank back in surprise. My heart fluttered since it was the first time I saw people fighting each other with blades in front of me. Though the nervousness was short-lived, since it seemed so dangerous that my sense of reality disappeared. I watched the fight with my mouth wide open. ¡®It is like a movie¡­¡¯ While Dimitri wielded a sword in both his hands, plowing the hound, the hound also held up his sword and stopped him. Even though I did not know anything about physical fights, I thought it would be difficult for Dimitri, who had a slender physique, to resist if a two-meter-tall and large hound pressed him down with force. However, it was rather the hound who hesitated. The hound blocked his and occasionally attempted to attack, but was pushed back helplessly by the persistent and bewitching attack of Dimitri. He was fast and scary ¡ª the momentum of the rushing energy was truly terrifying. ¡®¡­A dog could not beat a cat in a fight between an unexcited dog and an excited cat.¡¯ No matter how big the difference would be. ¡®Cats would not hold back¡­!¡¯ On the other hand, the dog shapeshifter had come to carry out the Emperor¡¯s orders. Their purpose was to kidnap me, not to fight with Dimitri. He must have been patient since it was what he had been trained to do. ¡°Don¡¯t make things worse, Duke Blois! Count Larscel agreed. His Majesty didn¡¯t order us to attack, he just¡­!¡± ¡°So what? Can¡¯t you see that my wife doesn¡¯t want to?¡± Lowering his sword into the face of the hound, a long cut was left on the cheek of the hound who turned his head to avoid it by a narrow call. Seeing the blood, Dimitri grinned with a flash of madness in his eyes. ¡°Get out of here before my demon excavates your bones alive.¡± ¡°His Majesty¡¯s order to enter the palace¡­¡± ¡°Go and tell your master. If he has something to say to my wife, don¡¯t do anything like this and issue a formal letter. I myself will visit the Imperial Palace with my wife.¡± Dimitri smiled and added. ¡°Tell him that the Duke gave him this advice. If possible, accept that he was already defeated and give up because this is ugly.¡± ¡­Was he offended by the insult to his master? Immediately, the hound frowned and pushed Dimitri away. Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°We listen only to His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± As soon as he finished his words, another barrier was created around me, who was far away from the two of them. Just before the barrier completely covered me, I could see the outer barrier was broken as the hound, who was fighting earlier, turned into a dog. Consequently, the hounds outside rushed to Dimitri in unison. ¡°This is why I hate dogs.¡± At the end of his annoyed voice, he was trapped in a barrier that blocked the sound and view. With Dimitri¡¯s remarks sticking close to me, I was isolated. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 ¡°Dimitri¡­!¡± I banged on the barrier with all my might. I had no idea what was going on outside. ¡°Open this!¡± No matter how much I tried, nothing happened to the barrier. I quickly gave up because I had read in the novel that it was almost impossible for an ordinary person to break the barrier of dog shapeshifters. Dimitri, who broke that barrier like glass, was called a monster by the shapeshifters. ¡°I can only wait and not waste my strength¡­¡± I did not know how long it was. The pure white crystal seemed to absorb even the sound I made while completely cutting off the passage of time and the connection with the outside. I became more and more dazed within the barrier. It was as if I was submerged in water. The reason why the dog shapeshifter¡¯s barrier was so scary was not just that it could not be penetrated through on its own. If you stay within the barrier, it absorbs all your senses for a long time so you would lose your senses and become caught up in your instinctive anxiety. In psychology, the most disliked emotion is called anxiety. Anxiety serves to inflate negative emotions. Inside, the fear that the five senses were not working properly met with the anxiety of not knowing the external situation at all inflated like a balloon. The senses of the passage of time were mixed up in a dizzying mixture, and I was horrified by the unknown sense that it seemed like a very long time had passed. ¡®¡­What will happen to me if no one breaks this barrier?¡¯ It felt as though I continued to sink into the depths of the sea floor. Everywhere I looked, it was all white, and even the sense of perspective was lost in this space without contrast. At least, I was relieved to be able to touch the wall. It was because I was afraid of losing the sense of perspective as the space had been so vast. ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s okay.¡± I went around inside the barrier to soothe the anxious whining. The fact that there were living and breathing creatures together in a pure white space where nothing could be seen gave me some relief. So, I hugged the horse¡¯s neck and closed my eyes, standing there for a while. Though I hurriedly opened my eyes because I suddenly heard a noise outside as if it had been unmuted. When I glanced towards the sound, there was a small hole in the ceiling of the barrier. ¡°Rowaine, step away from the wall!¡± It was Dimitri¡¯s voice. With the sound, the lost sensation that had disappeared returned at once. For a moment, I felt like I was going to burst into tears as a sense of relief came. I calmly pulled the horse and settled in the center of the barrier. Then, soon after, there was a sound ¡®Sweeaeaak,¡¯ and something was stuck in the barrier. The wind pierced a hole in the wall. It seemed that Dimitri struck hard against the wall leaving many holes, causing inconsistency connecting the hole. Unable to withstand the shocks applied one after another, the barrier shattered with a cracking sound. Crash¡ª! I reflexively covered my head and face and bent down. Fortunately, the shattered fragments scattered in the air and disappeared. ¡°Come back, Samael.¡± Dimitri looked into the air and spoke. Raising my head following his gaze, I made eye contact with a mass of black mist that was spinning rapidly in the air. ¡°¡­.? It was strange. ¡®Eyes¡­?¡¯ It was written that in this world, humans could not see the true nature of demons. That mist must have been a demon of Dimitri, but I could not see the devil¡¯s eyes. Still, I definitely felt that our eyes met. ¡®¡­I must have been wrong.¡¯ Without thinking too much, I hurriedly turned to Dimitri. ¡°Are you okay, Dimitri?¡± Dimitri shrugged his shoulders with a pretentious face before busily cleaning up his messy hair and outfit. It looked like he was doing ¡®grooming,¡¯ which a cat does when the hunt is over. After confirming that he was fine, I stood with my mouth wide open and looked around at the several dogs lying around him. ¡°Did you kill them?¡± As he closed his mouth and pondered over my question, he soon smiled softly and asked a question back instead. ¡°Do you want that? If so, I¡¯ll kill them.¡± Even though I did not know what he was trying to do, I stopped him from raising his hand threateningly. ¡°Oh, no!¡± He shrugged his shoulders and lowered the hand he had lifted as if to stop if I did not like it. Worried about his attitude, I looked closely at the dog shapeshifters then I was surprised. ¡®Huh? This dog shapeshifter¡­¡¯ It was a dog shapeshifter with three white patterns that looked like cute pearls on the neck. It certainly looked like a string of pearls. ¡®No way, the male protagonist¡­?¡¯ Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks It must have been Cadis, the male protagonist of this novel¡­ The Emperor¡¯s hunting dog with three white round patterns in the middle of its neck as if wearing a pearl necklace. Dimitri grumbled as I looked down at him, worrying that he might be dead. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have died like this. They¡¯re strong, even if they look like that.¡± I did not know what it looked like from here. ¡®Looking at it from here, he still looked strong.¡¯ I was relieved to see Cadis¡¯ chest rise and fall. ¡®¡­Thank god. If something is wrong with him, the Princess will not stand still.¡¯ Without realizing it, I almost walked down the villain¡¯s path with Dimitri. ¡®How hard did I try to escape the fate of being executed at the hands of the main characters¡­ It was almost in vain.¡¯ As I swept my chest, Dimitri asked as if displeased. ¡°Are you worried about these men who tried to attack you, Rowaine?¡± ¡°Dogs are not guilty. If there¡¯s a problem, the owner¡¯s always at fault.¡± After I said that, I gazed at Dimitri, who immediately noticed what I wanted and turned his head away. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± It meant that I was not allowed to heal Cadis with my ability. ¡°If it was something anyone could enjoy, wouldn¡¯t it be too much of a loss for me?¡± His words were right. He was accepting a contract marriage by giving me a large amount of dignified maintenance in return for almost monopolizing my abilities. ¡®I wish I could give the male lead a favor, so I would surely escape the villain¡¯s fate.¡¯ After thinking about whether there was a better way, I suggested it to Dimitri. ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave them here, are you? Let¡¯s take them. Why don¡¯t we take the Emperor¡¯s soldiers and treat them with courtesy and return them to the imperial palace in a dignified form?¡± I smirked mischievously and continued. ¡°I think they¡¯ll give you a diamond mine in return if you do well.¡± ¡°Diamond mine?¡± ¡°Because it was originally meant to be in my hands.¡± What this meant was that the Emperor must have been so bold because he believed that Dimitri would never publicize today¡¯s damage, fearing that it would turn out to be a muddy love fight. In the first place, my existence would be a thorn in the eyes of the elders, and it would be fortunate if Dimitri would not take the blame for me for taking the wrong woman and tarnishing Blois¡¯ reputation. For this reason, the Emperor must have thought that Dimitri would ponder for a long time and come to the conclusion that he had no choice but to bury it. But now, in front of us, three hounds, precious evidence, were lying pretty. ¡®Even the Emperor would not have known that the hounds he sent out would suddenly be divided into small groups and fight against Dimitri.¡¯ It did not matter if they took me under the pretext of having a conversation ¡ª especially if it was a situation where my father was forced to send me away. However, trying to use force was a problem. Although the Emperor may not intend to leave any evidence of the use of force, the evidence remained. ¡®Now that we have solid evidence that they tried to kidnap me by force, no matter how displeased they are with Dimitri, they could not help but support him.¡¯ When the nobles who supported Blois united, they could demand compensation from the Emperor and even start a war. Because of that, I persuaded Dimitri to use that point to threaten the Emperor. ¡®¡­In this situation, it makes more sense to dig out diamond mines than war.¡¯ If it was meant to be given to Rowaine anyway, it would not be something as though it was life-threatening bleeding. Still, it would be enough to twist the stomach because it was a waste. ¡®I can also show favor to Cadis at the same time¡­¡¯ I will give them good memories by feeding them a lot of delicious food. Sharing delicious food, no matter the time of year or age would be the easiest thing to do to win the favor of others. Delighted with the result of all my actions today, I laughed out loud. We would not have been able to get the hounds as witnesses if I had not ripped the hounds into pieces with ¡®Plan B,¡¯ and if Dimitri had not come just in time to beat them down. It was a situation where everything worked out so well that it was a win-win situation. ¡®Somehow, it became perfect.¡¯ At times like this, perhaps I could use arrogant words like luck is also a skill? Dimitri also realized what I was thinking and gave me a thumbs up. Then, I opened my mouth very generously. ¡°The profit is six to four, six for me. I¡¯m sure Dimitri will recognize my work, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re generous, Rowaine.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only ¡°If I¡¯d known that you¡¯re going to agree so easily like this, I would¡¯ve said seven¡ªthree!¡± ¡°You¡¯re still not very good at negotiating.¡± He chuckled and commanded the devil. ¡°Shedim, put them on horseback.¡± __ Chapter 42 Chapter 42 The next moment, a serpent-like cloud of black mist emerged from his shadow before it dragged the hounds roughly and placed them on the horses¡¯ backs. ¡°Careful, careful.¡± As I was restless with the concern of them being treated like luggage, Dimitri, who was staring at me, suddenly made a groaning sound as he opened his mouth. ¡°Look at their frames. It would be me who¡¯d get hurt because of pushing them around, Rowaine. ¡°Let me see.¡± ¡°It feels throbbing, to say the least.¡± ¡°Come here then. I¡¯ll treat you.¡± ¡°Should I show you my wounds? Even though it¡¯s just the two of us, I don¡¯t like to take my shirt off outdoors. Let¡¯s go home quickly. I¡¯ll hold it in. I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. ¡°¡­It doesn¡¯t hurt, does it? Are you lying?¡± He insisted without reservation. ¡°It hurts like a lie*. Come on, get on the horse. I want to leave quickly.¡± [ T/N: ¡®Like a lie,¡¯ here is an idiom which means changing completely from what it was in the past. ] He hastened me to get on the horse. Though when I got on the horse, he took the reins only after carefully arranging his hair and meticulously touching every wrinkle on his clothes. Even though the vice captain said he would do it, Dimitri waved his hand as if he had done it and drew the horse himself. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Anyway, it was fortunate that he looked fine with no injuries. I sighed in relief and nodded my head. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± I was exhausted physically and mentally and wanted to rest. Dimitri, who glanced at my exhausted figure, comforted me. ¡°When we join the rest of the knights, I¡¯ll rent a carriage so be patient even if you¡¯re tired for now.¡± ¡°All right¡± Then, Dimitri asked as if he had suddenly remembered. ¡°But, who was the one who got stuck in the carriage instead of Rowaine?¡± ¡°Oh, did you see that as well?¡± As I remembered the scapegoat that I had forgotten, I burst into laughter even though I was exhausted. ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? ¡°Rowaine ran away?¡± Count Larscel, who received the report from his subordinates, could not understand what they were saying at all. ¡°¡­Then, who¡¯s in the carriage?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had them bring the carriage back. Ah, it looks like they¡¯ve arrived now.¡± When he saw the carriage stop outside the window, he ran outside quickly. Having the servants tear off the nail blocking the door and opening the wagon door, he eventually saw the person who was inside and shouted. ¡°No, you¡­?¡± ¡°Heungg, honey!¡± It was Countess Larscel, who was lying on the floor of the carriage, with her face covered in tears. Somehow she crawled out of the sack, but it seemed that she was struggling to untie the chains and was unable to move from the corner. ??¡±I said no, huu¡ª! Stupid bastards gagged me! Heungg¡­!¡± Uttering so, the Countess wept bitterly. ¡°Rowaine, that b*tch¡­!¡± The Count¡¯s body trembled with a reddened face. ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? I laughed mischievously, imagining how far Countess Larscel was taken before she returned. ¡°It must be the Countess who got into the carriage. I put on a shawl full of my body scent on her.¡± The shawl I gave to the Countess was the shawl that I had rubbed and wore all over my skin and put my body odor on it as much as possible. You would not know how much I held it dearly throughout the carriage ride. ¡°But, it wouldn¡¯t confuse the hounds that much?¡± ¡°What if I had completely wiped the body scent from my body and gave the Countess the shawl that was the only thing that had my scent?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be possible. The body scent doesn¡¯t go away even if it¡¯s covered with other scents.¡± At his words, I took out the perfume in a small glass bottle and showed it to Dimitri. ¡°I came across this by accident. Magical perfume.¡± I made up the excuse moderately. ¡°It¡¯s a little different from its intended use, but after using it, it seems to disturb the sense of smell of dog shapeshifters.¡± After spraying the perfume to show him, he nodded his head as if he understood. ¡°It¡¯s a perfume based on white magic. It doesn¡¯t work for me though it¡¯s quite interesting from what you said.¡± ¡°Right? I thought it might be useful, so I decided to sponsor the research of the person who made it.¡± I never know when I would be chased by the Emperor¡¯s hounds again, so it would not be bad to build trust with Avila in advance. I thought it was very simple up until this point¡­ Without knowing how I would become involved with the original female lead through my choice of the day. ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks The road back to Blois was smooth. After borrowing a carriage in the middle and getting changed, I dozed off. I only woke up when the carriage was already at the Duke¡¯s residence. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I fell asleep.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t wake you up because you looked tired.¡± Getting out of the carriage, Dimitri reached out to me. When I took his hand as my feet reached the ground, the employees who were lined up bowed their heads at us all at once. ¡®¡­What is it?¡¯ However, somehow the atmosphere was strange. It seemed that there was a subtle tension between the employees. ¡°Did anything happen while we were away?¡± When asked, the newly assigned maid, Lucy, opened her mouth in embarrassment. ¡°Madam, that¡¯s¡­¡± But, before she could explain anything to me, a shriek of a tearful cat from inside the open front door made my heart sink. I hurriedly ran towards the source of the scream. It was on the fourth floor of the main building, the side where my room was. In the corner of the hallway, Sasha in cat form and my new maid, Liddell, were facing each other. ¡°Mrrrrrrrrrr¡­¡± Sasha growled at Liddell, making a noise like a running motorcycle engine. When I gazed into her eyes, she had completely lost her sanity. ¡®I do not know what is going on, but it looks like there are no serious injuries at least.¡¯ I calmed my startled heart and beckoned those who followed me to hide in the dark. ¡®If you rush in front of an excited cat, it will only increase the aggression.¡¯ Crying for a long time and making a loud noise like that meant that she was scared. Frightened cats would lose their sanity to defend themselves and exhibit ¡®defensive aggression,¡¯ and it would be counterproductive for several people to hover around in front of them. Liddell, not realizing that I was there, begged Sasha. ¡°I¡¯m in big trouble if the Master sees me doing this here! Let¡¯s go back to the annex. Yeah?¡± The next moment, she reached out to Sasha as if soothing a puppy and clicking her tongue. ¡°Come on. Come here now.¡± ¡®She should not do that.¡¯ If you approach a cat with defensive aggression while casting a shadow like that in front of you, you are likely to be attacked. I quickly called for Liddell in a small, low voice. ¡°Liddell, put your hands down and slowly step back.¡± ¡°Oh, Madam!¡± Hearing my voice, she jerked around before raising her lowered body hurriedly. ¡®You cannot move like that.¡¯ When there was a gap, Sasha took it swiftly as she ran towards Liddell¡¯s ankle. ¡°Ouch! Ah¡ªOuch!¡± Liddell screamed and ran to and fro to run away from her. Nevertheless, her loud body movements and screams only stimulated Sasha even more. ¡®Standing still and giving something away is going to hurt less¡­¡¯ However, from the standpoint of being attacked, how easy would that be¡­? It was something I could do after years of experience and getting used to it, and my reaction was not that different from Liddell¡¯s at first. The sound of a cat growling and threatening was quite frightening and scary. In addition, humans attacked by animals tend to struggle instinctively. Obviously, in my eyes, the kitten Sasha threatens only to look cute. Meanwhile, I just kept my mouth shut and waited for one of them to wear out. ¡®She is lucky since Sasha is only a kitten.¡¯ Cats were inherently weak in endurance and could not fight for a long time. In addition, their jaw strength was weak and their teeth were small, making it difficult to inflict fatal wounds on humans¡ªespecially if it was a kitten. ¡®Of course, it would not be good to get scratched, but¡­¡¯ Although I said that they have small teeth, it did not mean they were not sharp. It is all right though since it would not kill you. Still, what could I do? I do not have the magical ability to put a fierce cat to sleep. After Sasha rushed up and bit Liddell¡¯s ankle, she sprinted like the wind to the other side of the hallway. Surprised, Liddell cried and sat down before glancing up at me. ¡°Madam¡­ I¡¯m so sorry! I¡­ Hnng¡ªI was just trying to brush her teeth, but she stared at me while I was brushing them¡­! Suddenly, she ran away to the Madam¡¯s room and¡­ Heunng¡­¡± I had a rough idea of what was going on after hearing her explanation. Liddell, who did not show a sign to Sasha, seemed to scare her because she did not know how to handle a cat. Then, Lucy yelled at the crying Liddell. ¡°Can¡¯t you get up first? What a fuss in front of the Madam.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Lucy. Take Liddell and treat her.¡± ¡°Are you going to pick up Sasha? Order a servant instead, Madam. You just saw it, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡± Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only Worried, Lucy tried to stop me. Nonetheless, I told her it was going to be okay, and then I crept over to find Sasha, who hid her body in the darkness of the hallway. Soon, I found two blue lights flashing in the dark. ¡°Mrrrrrrrrrr¡­¡± __ Chapter 43 ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 43 Sasha, who saw my shadow, was surprised and flew backwards as if she had been hit by a long gush of wind and landed. It seemed that she did not recognize me right away because of the stimulation. I blinked my eyes slowly to Sasha to say hello. ¡®I won¡¯t approach you now. I¡¯m not going to attack you, I¡¯ll just stand here.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s all right, Sasha.¡± As I spoke in a low, soft voice, Sasha¡¯s growling sound suddenly stopped. ¡°Come here, Sasha.¡± I waited patiently for her. But once frightened, Sasha seldom came out of the shadows. Reluctantly, I hid myself in the corner of the hallway and only peeked out one eye. ¡®No kitten can refuse to play hide and seek.¡¯ While I thought that, I could see Sasha turning her head 45 degrees as if saying, ¡®I can see all of you, Is that hiding now, fool?¡¯ as she stared at me. Then, I hid completely behind the wall and counted two seconds before popping my head out again. Sasha had already taken three steps forward in the same pose as if I had copied-pasted her. After repeating this three times, before I knew it, Sasha was already standing in front of me. Groaning, she rubbed her head against my leg, making a pleasing sound inside her neck. ¡°I could see everything, Rowaine!¡± I squatted down and stroked Sasha¡¯s head. ¡°Do you want a hug, Sasha?¡± As if she had never been so angry, she snuggled in my arms and purred. Everyone¡¯s eyes widened when they saw me coming with Sasha. Especially Agwen, who, like with Liddell, struggled to appease Sasha and wanted to send her to the separated annex, had the face that thought I had done some magic. ¡°How did you do that?¡± Even the maid Lucy responded that she could not believe it. ¡°Even if I mobilized all the employees, I couldn¡¯t catch her¡­! The Madam doesn¡¯t know how many bites and scratches everyone has.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so amazing, Madam.¡± ¡°How do you deal with her so well?¡± ¡®It¡¯s not even something that interesting.¡¯ I thought I had to teach my employees how to handle cats. Embarrassed, I smiled a little. To be honest, it was awkward to receive such recognition for handling cats well. In a previous life, I would have been treated as a useless waste of time by my grandmother and villagers. ¡®¡­I¡¯m happy.¡¯ Being recognized for the experience and knowledge I had accumulated because it was something I like, I was more proud of this than being recognized for anything else. Because of that, I let the employees continue to say something nice though their reactions started to take a strange turn. ¡°The Master must be very happy.¡± ¡°Is this why the Master married the Madam?¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± The eyes of the employees were full of anticipation. It was an atmosphere where I thought, ¡°I am sure that was why the Master has a crush on his wife.¡± ¡°It-it¡¯s nothing like that so stop it, everyone.¡± When I covered my mouth in embarrassment, the employees grinned and said, ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you two get along well.¡± Even some employees, who had been wary of me even now because of the notoriety of being a ¡®shapeshifter abuser,¡¯ were nodding their heads with a face expressing, ¡°The Madam could not have done that when she is so good at handling the shapeshifters!¡± In the end, I have no choice but to escape from where I was and take refuge in my room instead. What would Dimitri think if he found this sight¡­? ¡°Everyone, please go and work!¡± Although I tried to pretend to be casual, without realizing it, honorifics came out. At that, the employees, who noticed my distress, smiled mischievously and dispersed. ¡®The superior should protect their dignity.¡¯ As I went into my room with a sneaky look on my face, Sasha was already dozing off in my arms before I knew it. Although I wanted her to sleep, Sasha had something she had to do. ¡°Sasha, wake up.¡± ?? ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± ¡°Not now. Get up and get dressed first.¡± I dressed Sasha in a human form and headed to Liddell. She was receiving light treatment from the other maid. ¡°Sasha, apologize for hurting her.¡± This was caused by the lack of communication between Liddell and Sasha, so no one was at fault. Still, I wanted to let Sasha learn the principles of human society. Regardless, she has to live with humans in the future. Sasha gazed up at me, wrinkling her face with resentment and pride. I put on a stern look. ?? ¡°Come on.¡± Sasha wiggled and pouted her lips before murmuring reluctantly. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m doing this because she told me to apologize, okay? Be careful from now on, mwiss.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Knowing that I should not laugh, it was so cat-like that I thought I would burst into laughter. I bit my lip firmly and tried to keep my eyes open. ¡°That¡¯s not how you should say sorry for hurting her, Sasha.¡± ¡°It¡¯s roughly like that, isn¡¯t it?¡± Oh, she is shameless. When I placed my hand on my forehead, Liddell, who was watching us, stopped me. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Madam. I didn¡¯t get hurt too much.¡± Come and read on our website wuxia worldsite. Thanks ¡°That¡¯s right, Rowaine!¡± ¡°Liddell, don¡¯t forgive Sasha until she apologizes properly.¡± As Sasha poked out her lips at my words, I gazed at her and widened my eyes again while Liddell answered. ¡°Oh, yes. I got it.¡± Eventually, Sasha mumbled softly as she put on a haughty expression. ¡°Sorry for hurting you.¡± ¡­Before raising her chin proudly and glancing at me. ?? ¡°This is okay, right?¡± I looked at Sasha¡¯s back as she ran away and shook my head. As Dimitri advised, there was an urgent need for a teacher to socialize with Sasha and Coco. ¡®By the way, I¡¯ll have to apologize to Dimitri for Sasha coming all the way to the main building.¡¯ At the time when Rowaine was taking Sasha to apologize to Liddell, Dimitri faced Coco as he was wandering around the main building. Coco, who should have been in the annex, was casually sauntering around the first floor of the main building as if it were his own home in a human form. It was a very leisure and languid walk. The shoulder straps of the suspenders he was wearing were both off the elbows. His fluffy, cloud-like, wheat-colored hair was thick and feathery, so no matter how he styled it and combed it, it always loosened into its original shape. Walking with an atmosphere like a young master who had no interest in studying, he paused when he found Dimitri. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Their gazes intertwined quietly. Coco slowly took a step back, thinking would turn into a cat and run away. The moment when the pupils of the two cats dilate greatly with tight tension¡­ ¡°Huu.¡± Dimitri sighed. It meant he had no intention of attacking. Seeing that, Coco¡¯s back, which had been stiffened by tension, was relaxed when he understood his intention. Dimitri then lifted his finger towards Coco. ¡°Come closer.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Curious, Coco slowly walked and stood in front of Dimitri. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± ¡°What is it, brother?¡± ¡°Duke.¡± ¡°Yeah, Duke.¡± Coco changed his name quickly. Contrary to how he acted towards Rowaine, he looked quite disciplined. While he knew that Rowaine was soft and would not attack him, he knew that Dimitri would raise his fist whenever he was offended. ¡°Do you notice the smell of grass coming from Rowaine?¡± When Rowaine¡¯s name was mentioned, Coco¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that good smell?¡± Seeing Coco¡¯s reaction, Dimitri nodded as if he thought so too. ¡®It¡¯s a scent that only shapeshifters can smell.¡¯ He did expect that. When Rowaine and Sasha first met, he could guess when he saw Sasha sniffing her, saying Rowaine smells good. Unlike Coco, who was amiable and carefree, Sasha was alert and belligerent. Even the food she first ate or the first toy she saw, she would be vigilant about touching it and observed it for a long time. However, when she first met Rowaine, Sasha completely broke her boundaries and approached her first. ¡®She must have felt the same way I did.¡¯ From Rowaine, the special scent must have calmed their forged nerves and softened their vigilance. Dimitri knew it was strange and tried to force himself to be wary of the scent. Nevertheless, Sasha was a young cat. No matter how wary he was, she was still more faithful to instinct than reason ¡ª meaning that she would have reached out to Rowaine before if she felt something was strange. ¡°Have you ever seen Rowaine spray something like perfume?¡± At his question, Coco tilted his head. ¡°Rowaine doesn¡¯t like perfume. The maids also said, ¡®Madam doesn¡¯t even put perfume in the bath water.¡¯ When she gave out all the expensive spices to the maids, everyone was so excited.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes! And, Rowaine¡¯s scent gets stronger when she sleeps at night!¡± That means it was just the smell of Rowaine. ¡®I¡¯ve heard that there are races that use strong pheromones to communicate, but¡­¡¯ He had never heard of pheromones among humans with a dull sense of smell and developed language. ¡®Anyway, it seems like it¡¯s just her natural body odor.¡¯ Although he does not know, it must have been a special odor. Dimitri licked his lips involuntarily, thinking about how comfortable he had felt as if he had melted all the way through the carriage with Rowaine. ¡®¡­She has a scent that entices cats.¡¯ Read latest Chapters at Wuxia World . Site Only He sighed inwardly. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. ?? ©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤©¤ Chapter 44 Chapter 44 When he sees Rowaine, he would get drunk with her scent and feel good. Because of that, he wondered if there was a perception that Rowaine herself was willing. When it came to her, any critical thinking of his was paralyzed. Dimitri was increasingly confused as to whether he liked her scent or if he liked her. ¡®¡­It¡¯s not like I can tell her to get rid of her body scent.¡¯ For a moment, he thought then about the perfume that Rowaine had accidentally got. He wondered what if it had been the magical perfume that also affected cat shapeshifters, too¡­ ¡®Well, even so, it would have been meaningless.¡¯ Besides, it would be too much of a waste to have to cover up that good scent with magic perfume. Even if she thought about it, he wondered what he should do. While he liked her body scent, he was confused as to whether it actually made him happy with her or if it was just an illusion¡­ Nonetheless, he could not tell her to get rid of the body scent, and he does like it even if there¡¯s actually a way because he wants to enjoy it¡­ Dimitri quickly organized his thoughts. It was simple. ¡®I can keep her by my side until I get tired of it.¡¯ Having gotten a clear answer, he hummed and recalled the forgotten Coco. As he continued to hum, Dimitri smacked Coco¡¯s wheat-brown head with his fist. ¡°Aaak¡­!¡± Coco, who was beaten out of nowhere, up at him in bewilderment. Meanwhile, Dimitri spoke nonchalantly without a change in expression. ¡°From next time on, don¡¯t hang around when Rowine sleeps. If you sneak into a sleeping person¡¯s room without permission, I¡¯ll break your neck and bury you in the mountains behind here.¡± ¡°Ueunng¡ª!¡± ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? After dealing with Sasha¡¯s problems, I changed out of my sweaty clothes from the horse riding and went to see Dimitri. The butler said that he was already waiting for me in the dining room. ¡®¡­What if he¡¯s very angry about Sasha?¡¯ I went down worriedly, I could see Dimitri was sitting with Coco in the dining room. ¡®Ah, Coco!¡¯ Sasha alone was not enough, Coco was now also in the main building. When I glanced at Dimitri in embarrassment, he had a surprisingly calm face. ¡°Why are you standing like that, Rowaine? Please come and sit down.¡± At his words, Sasha suddenly appeared from behind me and sat down at the table. ¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡± Why is she so bold¡­ ¡®¡­Why is everyone so indifferent?¡¯ Was it a dream that Dimitri said he would draw a line between the main building and the annex to separate Coco and Sasha¡¯s territory? I was confused. ¡°Are you uncomfortable anywhere?¡± ¡°¡­Oh, no.¡± ¡°It looks like the employees were struggling to take care of these guys while you were away.¡± ¡®Heuk. There was no way he could just let this slide¡­¡¯ My shoulder shook slightly as I was wondering if Dimitri was angry while still wearing a calm face. This was even more frightening if he was blatantly angry. Thinking that, I decided to open my mouth to apologize before he got any more upset. ¡°I¡¯m s¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to find someone to take care of these guys quickly. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡­Yes? ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± As I stared at Dimitri to observe his intentions, he was just enjoying the appetizers leisurely. With his chin, he then gestured to Coco and Sasha, who were fighting head-to-head over a large plate of meat. ¡°We can¡¯t just let them act like savages with no manners like that.¡± ¡°Well, yes¡­¡± ¡°Or, are you going to teach them one by one? I¡¯ll follow the way the Madam wants them to be educated.¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t know how to teach shapeshifters, so it¡¯d be better to leave it to professionals.¡± ¡°Is that so? I saw earlier that you had some tricks.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Dimitri was also there when Sasha was agitated? ¡®He didn¡¯t hear what they said¡­ did he?¡¯ It was that the employees were saying that I must handle Dimitri well since I was good at dealing with cat shapeshifters¡­ Looking at his expression, the moment I thought he had not heard it, he chuckled. ¡°Oh¡­ Come to think of it, the maids of Rowaine were excited, saying that you drained my soul* every night.¡± [ T/N: drain someone¡¯s spirit/soul (??? ? ??? ???? ???.) means ¡®to fascinate someone and make him/her feel dizzy.¡¯ ] ¡®Arrghh¡­!¡¯ I screamed inwardly. Even though I wanted to keep Dimitri¡¯s mouth shut, I could not, so I put my hand here and there, thinking of what to say. ¡°Oh, uh¡­ I¡¯ll make sure, ah¡­ the maids wouldn¡¯t do that again. I¡¯m sorry to make you hear something strange. Don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡± Dimitri smiled softly and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Well, if it was not something he cared about¡ª ¡°I¡¯m just curious. Can you really drain my soul?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± What is he talking about now¡­! When I stared at him blankly in amazement, he slightly lowered his head in the same way he was slicing meat. ¡®Is he¡­ smiling?¡¯ He seemed to think it was a funny joke. Somehow, seeing his playful reaction like that made my heart flutter. ¡°I can see you laughing.¡± ¡°Oh, excuse me.¡± ¡°I can still see it!¡± I glared at Dimitri before pulling away Coco and Sasha, who were holding each other¡¯s hair and fighting. ¡®I guess it¡¯s okay for these guys to come to the main building?¡¯ I thought so because Dimitri was throwing a joke like this while having a meal together casually. Even though I was puzzled, what was good was good. The next moment, I paid attention to taking care of the little cats¡¯ meals. ¡°How much water did you guys drink today?¡± ¡°Water¡­?¡± ¡°I told you to drink five times a day.¡± Coco and Sasha shrugged slyly. ¡°I said that if you don¡¯t drink water often, you will get sick, didn¡¯t I?¡± It was the same no matter where, if your cat does not drink water. When caring for a cat, water is the most important and intensive thing that you have to pay attention to. If they did not drink enough water, they would often have bladder problems. And, if they have kidney disease, their condition would worsen quickly and die. Since those were the most serious diseases for cats, I was teaching Coco and Sasha to pay special attention to the amount of water they drink. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s drink one cup at a time.¡± I have known from my experience that they would drink better if I poured warm water because of cats¡¯ preference for warm food. When I filled Coco and Sasha with warm water just enough to drink, I then glanced at Dimitri. ¡°How about Dimitri?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Water. Have you drank enough yet?¡± ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Seeing Dimitri covering his cup with his hand and hiding it under the table, I poured water into my cup and kindly handed it to him. ¡°Dimitri, make sure to drink at least five cups a day from now on.¡± Dimitri¡¯s eyes, staring at the glass of water in front of me, became a triangle*. [ T/N¡¯: ¡®Eyes turned into a triangle/triangle-like shape¡¯ is an expression that means ¡®became angry or mad.¡¯ ] It was a peaceful meal. Satisfied, I picked up the freshly baked, steaming bread and cut it in half. The bread baked in the oven made a very delicious cracked, crispy sound. The inside was surprisingly moist. Then, I spread butter and jam on the fluffy stuffed bread. As I took a bite, I could see the young cats staring at me and gulping their saliva. It was then I noticed that the bread was placed only in front of me. I whispered softly to Dimitri, who was still staring at the glass of water. ¡°¡­Do cat shapeshifters also like bread, too?¡± If it was a normal cat, it would never have been given bread because it could not digest carbohydrates well due to the nature of carnivores. However, I thought it would be all right to give Coco and Sasha because they were shapeshifters. Dimitri answered, looking away from the glass of water. ¡°According to their preferences.¡± Taste and whether it was okay to eat were a different matter. ¡°Then, can I feed them?¡± Dimitri nodded his head. ¡°It¡¯s like junk food to us. So, even though it makes us bloated, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± As he said that, his eyes greedily turned towards the basket of bread. Nonetheless, he soon managed to take his eyes off the bread with difficulty and continued, ¡°Instead, it only accumulates on the body and becomes belly fat. Belly fat is terrible.¡± Saying so, his hand was somehow stroking his stomach. After all, cats tend to gain belly fat easily. ¡®Even a person with such a good body takes care of their body¡­¡¯ ¡­No, was it not because he was in good shape because he took care of his body? In the end, I quietly called the servant to remove the bread basket from the table. ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? The next day, I asked Dimitri if I could take care of the hounds he had caught yesterday. ¡°What do you mean, Rowaine? You¡¯ll take care of the hounds?¡± ¡°Literally what it meant. I want to take care of them until they return to the Palace.¡± Dimitri shook his head as if that was not a good idea. ¡°You¡¯ve no idea how dangerous hounds are. You might think of them as just cute shapeshifters like Coco and Sasha, though they are different from Coco and Sasha.¡± ¡°How can I not know that? I¡¯ve been trapped in their barriers twice. That alone was enough to give me a sense of how terrifying they are.¡± ¡°Then, why do you want to take care of those who attacked you?¡± ?? ¡­Because it would be a chance to be nice to the original male lead, Cadis! Then, at least I would not be treated like a villain and be punished in this world. ¡®Also, wouldn¡¯t it be good if you could look good to the main characters?¡¯ Since Dimitri and I were both destined to be villains, if we want to get away from that vicious fate as far as possible, should you not be able to make an effort like this? ¡®As long as they are hostages, I can¡¯t let them live a luxurious life while thinking of other people¡¯s opinions, but I can make their life here to the extent that it isn¡¯t too painful.¡¯ Still, I have already made a good deal with Dimitri. ¡°It happened because of me, and you brought the hounds at my suggestion. So, I don¡¯t want to let it go and leave it all to Dimitri.¡± ¡°Regardless, keeping an eye on the hounds is a matter of the knights.¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural. I just want to be in charge.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I have decided to take 70% of the damage compensation to the Emperor, so I¡¯ve got to do something.¡± ¡°It¡¯s 60%.¡± Sheesh. He would not let this pass. As I was about to grumble inside, Dimitri saw my expression and smiled, ¡°If you try to cheat just because the negotiation is difficult, you would be in trouble, Madam.¡± I raised my head, pretending that I did not hear his words. ¡°Anyway, now that you know. I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll get going first.¡± At that, I hurriedly left his office. ¡®Good, that was natural.¡¯ __ Chapter 45 Chapter 45 I headed straight to Cadis, who was locked up in a dungeon. Even though it was close to noon and the sun was warm, the dungeon had a cool breeze flowing through the cold stone walls. Descending down, I could feel the humid, damp air smelling of rust unpleasantly clinging to my body. It seemed that the hounds were each kept in solitary confinement. I glanced through a small window in the cell to see where Cadis was locked up. The hounds, who heard my presence, barked wildly in the solitary cell, regardless of who was first. Woof! Woof, woof! Woof, woof! The structure was already resounding, so it was very noisy as if ten dogs were barking together. ¡°Can¡¯t you shut your mouth?¡± The knights pounded menacingly on the iron door of the cell, trying to silence them. ¡®¡­I think that would be more counterproductive.¡¯ As I expected, the stimulated hounds raised their voices more severely. The sound of large, distracted dogs barking through large reverberating barrels was truly terrifying. They must have been so ferocious that they had been trained to defeat the enemy as much as possible without surrendering if caught by the enemy. I stopped the knights, feeling nervous. ¡°Stop it. Everyone, don¡¯t provoke them and be quiet.¡± After that order, I finally found Cadis in the second cell. I was going to ask to take him out first. However, his reaction to seeing my face through the small window was strange. Cadis, who had been barking fiercely in the form of a dog, stopped barking as soon as he saw me. Then, he groaned and turned around in place before going into the corner of the narrow cell and glancing in my direction with his body curled up. His body, looking at the other side and glancing sideways, was unnaturally rigid. ¡®Why is he doing that?¡¯ Curious, I asked the knights guarding the cell. ¡°Do you know why he¡¯s like that all of a sudden?¡± ¡°No, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen that. I¡¯ve seen him bark nonstop every time he hears someone, but he¡¯s so quiet¡­¡± ¡°Really?¡± I went a little closer to the small iron cage. But, as I stood on the fence, Cadis stared at me, making a sound that I did not know if it was growling or sobbing. It was as if you instinctively wanted to growl, although you have been trained not to do that, and you were barely holding it in. I could feel a confused expression from him as though he did not know what to do. As I watched him silently, I realized something. ¡®Has he already been abused by Rowaine¡­?¡¯ I did not think of that, but there was a possibility. After becoming the emperor¡¯s lover, Rowaine enjoyed abusing Cadis with the Emperor¡¯s permission as a hobby. The reason why she chose Cadis was because she knew that the female lead, the princess, loved him. Rowaine hated the heroine for some reason, and after she mistreated the two main characters, she was later executed by Cadis, who received the heroine¡¯s orders. ¡®¡­Obviously, I thought that Rowaine would have abused Cadis after she became the Emperor¡¯s concubine, though has she been abusing him since before?¡¯ Rowaine spent time with the Emperor, going in and out of her palace, even before she became his mistress. Because of that, she may have already had contact with Cadis. The plot of her novel begins from the point of view of the heroine, and it was only when the story progressed to some extent that Rowaine appeared properly. So, I misunderstood that her misdeeds against Cadis were a future thing. ¡®Come to think of it, I remember that Cadis was already very wary of Rowaine when they met for the first time.¡¯ How did I forget that? I felt dizzy at the thought that I had forgotten something important and touched my forehead. ¡®It was a pity that I was buried in the thoughts that I should not be taken to be Emperor¡¯s mistress immediately.¡¯ It would have been a big mess. Cadis, the male lead, already had a grudge against Rowaine, and without knowing it, I was living peacefully with Dimitri, who later resented the heroine. ¡®It was God¡¯s will to bring Cadis here.¡¯ If I correct it now, I can truly escape the fate of the villain. Oh, how fortunate I was to still have the opportunity! I felt relieved and complicated at the same time. It was because how would I like to treat him, who must have been helplessly abused by Rowaine without being able to speak under the command of his master, the Emperor¡­? ¡®It would be better to soften his vigilance for now.¡¯ It was best to eat either a human or an animal to alleviate the vigilance. Believing that it would be the same for the prisoners, I spoke out loud to the guards so that Cadis could hear me. ¡°From now on, I will take care of these dogs¡¯ meals myself.¡± I have to feed him a lot of good stuff. The guards were puzzled, but they nodded their heads to understand. Since then, my routine has changed a bit. For breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, I personally took the kitchen servants directly to the dungeon where Cadis was located and fed them with nutritious and delicious food. At first, Cadis did not seem to be sure if he could eat the food I gave him. He endured several times without food. Nevertheless, it did not last long. As far as I know, the Emperor¡¯s hounds were restricted in their diet in order to be put into battle at any time. Hounds were always forbidden to eat till their stomach was full because their movement slowed down when they became heavy. In the original story, Cadis, who had the keywords of a ¡®younger man¡¯ and a ¡®large dog man,¡¯ was currently eighteen years old and was in the midst of growing up. Filled with vigor and hunger, he quickly succumbed to flamboyant, greasy food. He was treated as a combat weapon, and since he had never eaten good food properly, it would not have been easy to resist the temptation of fragrant food. At first, I lowered his environmental vigilance a bit by letting him eat and drink for a few days. Then, when I felt that I could go a little further, I gave an unconventional order. ¡°Open the cell door.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± The guards shuddered. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too dangerous? Shouldn¡¯t the Madam go in with the knights¡­¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they bound by shackles anyway?¡± ¡°As the Duchess will know, the Emperor¡¯s hounds can wield very powerful magic.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the shackles that control the white magic of the dog shapeshifters? No matter how much they¡¯re the Emperor¡¯s hounds, they can¡¯t break the enchanted shackles.¡± I pointed out that the guards were too afraid of the prestige attached to the Emperor¡¯s hounds. Considering the background of this world, there has been a long history when people began to treat dog shapeshifters as slaves. It was not that difficult from the beginning for humans to be attracted to the dog shapeshifters, who were very loyal to their master, though the dog shapeshifters were much stronger physically than humans. Suspicious humans did not really trust the invisible abstract feeling of loyalty. Therefore, a physical device had to be devised in order to reliably control the dog shapeshifters and make them enslaved with peace of mind. Humans were able to easily research and manufacture devices that could completely control them through the cooperation of the dogs. Consequently, the magic supplies to control the dogs were quite reliable. No matter how much flying and crawling they were on the battlefield, even the Emperor¡¯s hunting dog would not be able to destroy it. ¡®¡­Unlike the cat shackles.¡¯ The reason Dimitri was able to simply destroy Coco¡¯s shackles last time was probably because¡ªunlike the dog shackles¡ªthe cat shackles were not well developed. Cat shapeshifters were not very cooperative with humans and were criticized for being difficult to deal with in many ways. In addition, the cat shapeshifters use the devil as a medium to use black magic. Not everyone was like that, but only a strong cat shapeshifter like Dimitri could do it. In any case, the cat shapeshifters were still relatively unfamiliar to humans compared to dog shapeshifters, and the demons the cat shapeshifters wield were unknown beings. Of course, the black magic used by the cat shapeshifters was also an unknown area. So, guessing, even if the magical supplies used for the dog shapeshifters and the cat shapeshifters had similar uses, there would be a huge difference in the quantity and quality of the research underlying their existence. ¡®In short, even if you don¡¯t believe in the shackles of a cat shapeshifter, you can trust the shackles of a dog shapeshifter.¡¯ I reassured the guards and forced them to open the cell door. ¡®Even if it was not because of the shackles, Cadis won¡¯t attack me. The Emperor¡¯s hounds are trained not to attack anyone unless ordered to do so.¡¯ After several days of watching, it seems that he has been specially trained not to be a threat to me. ¡­I decided to believe it. When the guards rushed out, they opened the door to the cell, ready to fetch Dimitri. ¡®I hope the magic perfume works properly.¡¯ I happened to have two perfumes that I bought at Avila¡¯s shapeshifters Supplies Store. One was a magical perfume for disturbing the sense of smell of dog shapeshifters that I used a few days ago, and the other was a magic scent that lowered the alertness of a dog shapeshifter. ¡®I wanted to be friends with a dog that I recently adopted, so I bought anything including it in a reasonable amount¡­ But, how did I buy it so well?¡¯ I admire my past self very much. __ Translator¡¯s Note: Hello, it¡¯s Nabi! I¡¯m the translator of this novel ?( ????? )?? I recently opened a kofi, so if you like the novel and would like to support me, please feel free to click the button below to go to my kofi~! Chapter 46 Having sprayed the perfume on my body in advance, I did not immediately approach him. Instead, I stood a little further away and glanced at Cadis. ¡°Grrrr¡­ nngg.¡± Seeing me, he growled involuntarily for fear of me before whimpering when he noticed his own voice. Then, he soon sniffed into the air, and confusion was displayed in his eyes. I spoke loudly so that Cadis could hear it. ¡°The dungeon will be stuffy, so I¡¯ll give you enough time to go up to the ground one by one and take a walk to see the sunlight.¡± I knew that magic scent was the simplest kind of magic, so it did not have a very powerful effect on its own. Rather, it was just a temporary and auxiliary effect, so I must tell him what I wanted to say before the effect went away. ¡°I intend to return you and your companions to your master, His Majesty the Emperor. I¡¯ve no intention of fighting your majesty, so I¡¯m going to treat you with the respect you deserve.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m responsible for convincing my husband, the Duke of Blois, so please don¡¯t cause trouble. I¡¯m going to try to provide you with the best possible environment, though I can¡¯t help you if you don¡¯t cooperate.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± He looked up at me with suspicious eyes. It seemed that he was curious why I was so nice to him. ¡°Is there anything you want to say? I¡¯m also willing to listen to simple requests.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Cadis did not open his mouth as if he did not believe me. ¡®If I loosen his guard a little more, he might open his mouth.¡¯ It was a pure look in his eyes, revealing everything he was thinking. Still, I stood quietly like a doll so as not to approach him prematurely or to make any gestures that could provoke him, trying hard to show that I had no intention of attacking him. ¡°You know you could have died in the battle with the Duke of Blois. It was me who stopped him and suggested that we bring you and your companions here.¡± It was all true. Dimitri tried to kill the hounds as if it were natural. In order to save Cadis, I had brought the hounds alive by proposing to threaten the Emperor while diamond mines were secondary. ¡®Regardless, he¡¯s the male protagonist, so no matter what Dimitri did, he would have survived and escaped dramatically.¡¯ The main character never dies. It was the villain¡¯s fate to miss the main character again and again. And, in the end, is it not the main character, who barely survives and punishes the villain while sharpening the blade of revenge instead¡­? I wanted to stop that. ¡°After I ask the servants later to confirm that you¡¯ve been obedient, I¡¯ll gradually increase your walking time.¡± Finishing my words, I then ordered the servants to take him on a walk before leaving the place. This was so that Cadis could enjoy the walk with a piece of mind. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s anything else dogs might like other than food and a walk.¡¯ Even if I did not think of him as a shapeshifter, there was not much I could do for a hostage, even a slave who used force against me. ¡®I wonder if this is the best thing to do? I can¡¯t treat him notability, too, because then, Dimitri wouldn¡¯t let him go¡­¡¯ Sitting on the terrace of the mansion, I watched Cadis from afar, who was wearing his leash, as he enjoyed a walk with the servants. ¡®He¡¯s obedient.¡¯ Although he seemed nervous, he remained calm. I do not know if it was because he was aware that the other subordinates were functioning as hostages or because he believed that I was trying to be nice to them. ¡®¡­Perhaps the former.¡¯ As long as I treat them well during his stay, he will be able to go back with the memories that were not painful. ¡®Even though he won¡¯t be able to forgive Rowaine for the rest of his life, at least, he might still remember that there was a time when it was not distressing, and there was a good time.¡¯ Well, that was somewhere. ¡®If the person who abused you suddenly apologized, saying that they were reflecting on their past, it would only have the opposite effect¡­ This is the best I can do.¡¯ With that thought, I breathed in the smell of soil and grass. I observed with pride while Cadis¡¯ tail fluttered as he wandered around the garden without knowing that Sasha was aiming for him in the grass near him. I found her just before Sasha, who was hiding her body in the grass, bravely ran towards Cadis. ¡®Huuk! Why is Sasha over there?!¡¯ As soon as I found the kitten¡¯s body covered in cream fur, I jumped up and ran towards her. ¡®I¡¯m sure I left her to the maids¡­!¡¯ It was expected that if Coco or Sasha ran into any dog shapeshifters roaming in the patronage, they would feel threatened or consider them to be an intruder, stressing them out. Because of that, I made sure to tell the maids to keep an eye on the cats, but what happened? ¡°Haak!¡± ¡°Mrruh¡ª!¡± Naturally, Sasha¡¯s front paws touched Cadis on the nose faster than I could reach for her. Astonished, he growled and identified his opponent, Sasha puffed up her body and raised her hair to a bristle. ¡°Wh-what¡­!¡± The moment the bewildered servant shouted, the tension exploded at once, and the two shapeshifters were about to face each other again. ¡°Sasha!¡± I threw myself and grabbed Sasha in the air. ¡°Mmrrrrrr!¡± Agitated Sasha did not recognize me and scratched me, churning all four of her paws. I could feel the eerie sting on the skin though I held her tightly in my arms, turned my back from Cadis, and curled up. So, even if he lost his mind and rushed in, he would not reach Sasha. I shut my eyes tightly in preparation for an attack from behind. However, suddenly, a short scream from Cadis was heard from behind. ¡°Eanng!¡± What followed was the voice that was now familiar. ¡°This bastard.¡± As I raised my crouched body to Dimitri¡¯s voice, Sasha quickly pulled away from me, valiantly poised and landed on the floor. Looking back, I found a black mist emanating from Dimitri¡¯s shadow, curling around Cadis¡¯s body. Meanwhile, Cadis was lying on the floor, struggling with his body tied up. Dimitri gazed down at him coldly and kicked his tail with his shoes. ¡°Where do you dare rush towards? Do you think you¡¯re a real beast just because you¡¯re in shapeshifter form?¡± Then, he came up to me and glanced around me. ¡°Rowaine, dog shapeshifters are crazy. If they lose their sanity, all they can do is run until they end their opponent¡¯s life.¡± It was a word that contained his extremely subjective feelings. He then kicked his tongue and lifted my chin gently. ¡°Look at this. Are there any wounds under the chin? That¡¯s why I said they¡¯re dangerous. What would have happened if I hadn¡¯t come?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a scratch from Sasha¡¯s claws, so I¡¯m okay¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s that dog who¡¯s the culprit anyway.¡± He just did not like Cadis. Meanwhile, Sasha, who stood bravely, gazed at the red scars on my body and Cadis alternately before surging fiercely, ¡°Why?! Why did you stop me? I was trying to beat that stinky bastard, mwiss! Hey, where are you from¡­!¡± I quietly touched my forehead. When I saw Sasha rushing to Cadis, I was so startled that my heart was still pounding. Sure enough, Sasha was in the form of a kitten and Cadis was a large dog. Even if he did not attack with all his might, Cadis could have broken or torn any part of Sasha¡¯s body if he was surprised and accidentally bitten her by mistake. It was good that she was valiant, though she needed to be able to keep an eye on situations and opponents. In addition, Sasha was still too young. ¡°I¡¯ll explain it to you later.¡± Dimitri understood my concerns and whispered. ¡°Please.¡± ¡°I think taking care of your wounds is more important than that.¡± I do know how bad it was because I did not look in the mirror, but I could feel tingling all over my body. However, the cat claws¡¯ scratches were not a serious injury. For me, who took care of a local cat, it was tolerable and insignificant. Even domestic cats sometimes scratch their guardians, so how about dealing with stray cats that are not as familiar with human touch as house cats? There was a time when a sick cat was caught, and I put him in a cage to take him to the hospital. The frightened cat struggled and scratched sixteen parts of my body in the blink of an eye. This was nothing compared to that. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± I said nothing and squatted in front of Sasha, glancing around her body. ¡°Sasha, are you okay? Are there any injuries?¡± Nonetheless, Sasha, who did not answer my question, widened her eyes before muttering something quietly back. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Rowaine¡­ I-I didn¡¯t mean to hurt Rowaine¡­¡± Hesitantly, she then glanced at Cadis and swung her round paws in the air threateningly before raising her voice, ¡°He broke into our house! We¡¯ve to chase him away! I¡¯m going to make him surrender!¡± I hurriedly stopped Sasha, fearing that Cadis would attack again. ¡°Sasha, that beast is my guest.¡± ¡°Huh¡­? Guest?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sorry for not telling you in advance. They aren¡¯t going to be staying for a while, so I didn¡¯t think it was necessary to introduce Coco and Sasha.¡± In the first place, Cadis was a hostage, and he would only go out for a walk from time to time from the dungeon. I have ordered my employees to keep Coco and Sasha in their annex during the dog shapeshifters¡¯ walks, in case the kittens feel threatened or something unexpected like today might occur. ¡®It happens as soon as I do this.¡¯ Seeing me at a loss, Dimitri opened his mouth disapprovingly. ¡°Rowaine is too gentle.¡± Then, he grabbed Sasha¡¯s back and brought her to eye level before whispering something I could not understand. After he was done, he lowered her as if throwing her, and Sasha walked back towards her annex without saying anything else. ¡°What did you say¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect my territory, so don¡¯t overdo it and just stay locked up.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Was that what he said to a little girl¡­! As I opened my mouth, Dimitri shrugged indifferently. ¡°You seem to be forgetting, but shapeshifters are half beasts. The shapeshifter¡¯s world is like the weak becoming prey to the strong.¡± ¡®Still, they are still half human, so you have to act like a human being, too!¡¯ Even though his words were not wrong, I knew well the saying, it was an earring if it was hung on the ear, and a nose ring if it was hung on the nose*. [ T/N: An idiom which means ¡®Different people call it different things; For something or an object to become this or that depending on how it is explained or described.¡¯ ] Anyway, Sasha aside, I glanced sadly at Cadis, who was still tied up. ¡°Still, can¡¯t you just let that hound go¡­¡± Cadis lay with his body drooping as if resigning, slowly breathing. He seemed to have given up, knowing that there was no way to escape from Dimitri¡¯s demons as long as he was wearing the shackles that restrict his magic. ¡®¡­I was trying to relieve his grudge, though I only increased the bad memories.¡¯ In my heart, I lamented and gave Dimitri a look that said, ¡®Can¡¯t you just let him go?¡¯ However, Dimitri, who stared down at Cadis, was enveloped with cold air. ¡°You want me to release that guy who tried to attack Rowaine? This ungrateful guy who almost hurt you and trampled your head.¡± ¡­It was Sasha who hurt me in the first place. ¡°Cadis wasn¡¯t trying to attack me, he was just trying to respond to Sasha¡¯s sudden attack.¡± ¡°He was trying to cause trouble in my territory even though he¡¯s a hostage.¡± Dimitri¡¯s demeanor was firm. I watched Cadis¡¯ eyes darken. He must have thought there was no hope. ¡®Ah, things are getting worse.¡¯ ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? However, contrary to Rowaine¡¯s expectations, Cadis did not lose hope. Rather, he was only listening to her voice. ¡®¡­What¡¯s her plan?¡¯ It was a constant thought that lingered in his mind for days since he had been caught by the Blois. It had been said that Rowaine Larscel was suddenly married to the Duke of Blois. It was Rowaine, who enjoyed playing with his master, His Majesty the Emperor, as she would insult him from time to time and even made him fight with his comrades. Because of that, he thought she would become His Majesty¡¯s mistress and come to the Imperial Palace. Instead, she unexpectedly went to Blois, and Cadis honestly liked this. He thought he would not be able to see her anymore. Nonetheless, His Majesty missed her and ordered her to be captured. Cadis was born a slave and never learned to act of free will or reflect on his feelings¡ªobedience to orders¡ªthat was his life, and that was why he exists. And so, he headed to Count Larscel to pick up Rowaine, who had abused him, to carry out the orders. However, the devilish Rowaine refused to go to His Majesty, and even brought him to Blois. ¡®I thought he was going to kill me.¡¯ The Duke of Blois hated and despised hounds, as anyone who has ever seen him would know. While dog shapeshifters were very good at grasping other people¡¯s feelings, cat shapeshifters never tried to hide their feelings. The Duke of Blois had always lived against the hunting dogs. When fighting the Duke, Cadis could tell that he sincerely intended to kill him and his comrades. There was a pungent murderous intent in the Duke¡¯s eyes, and he even seemed to enjoy waiting for the moment he would take their lives. ¡®¡­But why did Rowaine Larscel stop him? And, why is she so nice to us?¡¯ Things were going strangely. Cadis thought she only brought him and his comrades as leisurely entertainment and made them fight to the death. ¡­He had killed two of his comrades with his own hands in that way. He could not help it. It was because he had to obey His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s order as Rowiane told him to do so. Cadis¡¯ heart was engraved with a curse spell that would cost his life if he did not follow the Emperor¡¯s orders. All the Emperor¡¯s hounds could not avoid it. Cadis, who had never learned anything other than obeying orders, and had cursed magic, had no choice but to do so. Even now, he could not forget his misery and sorrow when he bit and killed his comrade with his own teeth. He could never forgive Rowaine for enjoying such a cruel order. There was always a faint smell of blood from her. Even after wearing her thick perfume and changing to new clothes, there was always an unpleasant, fishy smell on her¡­ that was her body odor. So, Cadis would always be aware of her presence even if she was very far away. ¡®Though strangely, she does not smell like that.¡¯ For days, whenever she came to her dungeon, even when she fed him, he did not recognize her until he heard her voice or saw her face. ¡®¡­Is it because of the magic perfume?¡¯ He knew that the unfamiliar smell was artificially manipulating his emotions. Although he could not resist, he could recognize it. So, he thought that was why she felt different. What was she planning to do after using magic perfume to distract him¡­? Cadis was afraid. However, he saw Rowaine throwing herself to protect the young cat shapeshifter. ¡®Nonsense.¡¯ She was even wounded by the cat shapeshifter. Cadis truly thought that Rowaine would twist the cat¡¯s head on the spot. One day, after completing training for the hounds, a newcomer who was first put into the army accidentally stepped on Rowaine¡¯s foot. How upset was she that day? She screamed in anger as she saw her red, stained feet. To appease her, His Majesty made him run a few laps through the vacant lot, tying that newcomer to a horse. Tied up and dragged by his horse, he lost consciousness and collapsed that night, writhing in agony before dying. ¡­And, it all happened because of a single indentation that would disappear after just a few minutes. The young cat shapeshifter caused a lot of wounds on Rowaine¡¯s neck and arm, so he thought it was going to have a big problem. However, contrary to his expectations, she asked the little cat shapeshifter, ¡°Are you okay?¡±, ¡°Aren¡¯t you hurt?¡± as she looked around it. ¡®¡­What happened?¡¯ She even went so far as to defend him against the Duke of Blois. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Cadis was confused. It was so bizarre. He could not believe it. At that time, the magical scent that had emanated from Rowaine¡¯s body lost its effectiveness and disappeared. ¡®¡­.?¡¯ Cadis woke up and glanced at her, who was talking to the Duke of Blois. It was definitely Rowaine. But, why is it¡­ ¡®She smells different? Like¡­ like a completely different person.¡¯ It was the smell he had smelled when he searched for and pursued Rowaine at Count Larscel¡¯s house. On that day, from the moment she got out of the carriage, Cadis noticed that Rowaine smelled of an unfamiliar grass scent. He thought it was some kind of magic perfume that had a strange effect. He had no doubt that she used several types of magic incense, as she had even fled with a magical perfume that disturbed his sense of smell. But now, she had covered the body scent with another magical perfume, although the effect disappeared and her original body scent appeared. ¡®Is this grassy scent that I thought was a magical scent really her body scent? It doesn¡¯t even smell like regular perfume¡­¡¯ There was no way he was confused. After all, the dog¡¯s sense of smell is surprisingly sensitive and precise. He could trust his sense of smell more than his sight. Even though Cadis did not see Rowaine with his eyes, he focused on his sense of smell. It was obvious that she had lost the magical perfume scent and revealed her natural body scent. ¡®¡­It¡¯s a different person.¡¯ The stranger, who was in front of him, had a refreshing and pleasant scent. It warmed his heart even more than the magic perfume. ?¡¤ : * ? * :¡¤ ? The day after Sasha and Cadis had contact, I had to try very hard to convince Dimitri, who disapproved of Cadis. As I walked out of his office, I grumbled to myself. ¡®Does he think I¡¯m just doing this for me? He doesn¡¯t even know anything.¡¯ Was he also destined to be executed by Cadis? If I treat him well now, Dimitri¡¯s fate could change with me. ¡®Maybe.¡¯ Anyway, as a result of an exhausting argument with him, I was allowed to walk the hounds with the knights. ¡®I didn¡¯t want to be accompanied by the knights in case they would feel intimidated.¡¯ However, there was nothing I could do to provide them with this convenience like this. ¡®I made him go through something like that yesterday, so everything that I have done so far has become stale. I have to start over. Ha¡­¡¯ Difficult. This is difficult. But, what can I do? The main character was the boss. As I packed up some tasty treats, I then headed to the dungeon to cheer Cadis¡¯s mood. ¡®I don¡¯t know if this will work.¡¯ Still, this was the best I could do. I had the guards deliver hot food that was still steaming to him. Then, I was surprised to see what was going on with Cadis through the grate. He was sitting at the door and gazing up at me. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Suddenly, I exchanged glances with him. Cats did not like to make eye contact for long periods of time. So, I habitually tried to avert my eyes without making eye contact with him for a long time, but Cadis¡¯s moist eyes kept attracting my attention. It seemed that there was no fear in his dark brown eyes that I had seen before. While he was the one whose body stiffened from tension when he looked at me, he seemed to be comfortable in his sitting posture now. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ As something caught my eyes, I rubbed my eyes and stared closely through the window. ¡­Cadis¡¯ tail was waving a little. [ T/N: (¨i¨s©V¨t¨i)?? WHY IS THIS SO CUTE AAAA. ] ¡®What?¡¯ My body jolted. ¡®That can¡¯t be¡­!¡¯ Did he open his heart to me? Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Unlike cats, dogs wagged their tails whenever they were in a good mood, right? ¡®As expected, the person who gives food is the best, right? Isn¡¯t that so? Did I build trust by giving him a lot of delicious food?¡¯ I was smiling with the relief and joy that I had gained trust with him when suddenly he spoke to me. This was the first time. ¡°I¡­¡± An attractive, low-pitched voice rang out. ¡°Tell me. I will listen.¡± ¡°I have¡­ a favor to ask of you.¡± I replied in an honest tone to show my sincerity and to increase my credibility. Cadis gazed at me over and over again as if it felt unfamiliar and burdensome to ask someone for something. The thought of ¡®Is it okay?¡¯ was clearly read in those clear eyes. Seeing that, I had the guards open the iron door. Even with me standing in front of him, Cadis was no longer as afraid of me as before. ¡°What¡¯s your request?¡± ¡°Can I live in human form¡­?¡± Shapeshifters could move faster and attack more easily when in their original form. In an unfamiliar place, even with their weapons being taken away, the appearance of a dog must have been comfortable and stable to physically protect himself. That was why I did not force them to turn into humans but let them do what they wanted. Cadis glanced at me and said shyly as he could see the surprise in my eyes. ¡°¡­It¡¯s more convenient to use tableware when eating.¡± Hearing the unexpected reason, I was a little dazed. He then added the reason why he felt that and explained when he saw me like that. ¡°If I eat like this, the surroundings will be dirty.¡± ¡®Is he giving up on his sense of security because he wants to eat cleanly¡­?¡¯ Even though it was bewildering, it was not bad because if he turned into a human, it would be easier to surveillance would be easier. I called the servant and ordered. ¡°Bring him clothes.¡± Cadis, who read the permission, nodded at me. ¡°Thank you.¡± His tail was bouncing. ¡®I really don¡¯t know what dogs do.¡¯ Cats and dogs are animals that people can easily access at first glance, and even if they look similar, they are significantly different¡ªfor example, the difference between cats and dogs is as big as the difference between elephants and whales. That meant that even I, who was a walking encyclopedia about cats, knew nothing about dogs. ¡®¡­Why is he doing this?¡¯ Feeling a little burdened, I stood a little farther down the terrace and glanced at Cadis, who was staring at me. He was a handsome man with deep brown eyes and dark hair that helped to create a reliable and calm atmosphere. In human form, he was as tall as Dimitri. ¡®I thought Dimitri was the tallest person I¡¯ve ever seen.¡¯ However, he looked much bigger than Dimitri, and while Dimitri had a slender and well-balanced physique, Cadis had a thick and muscular body. Moreover, unlike Dimitri with white skin, he had dark skin. Contrary to Dimitri, who had a sharp impression with sharp eyes, Cadis gave an honest impression with round eyes. In addition, while Dimitri gave off a delicate and elegant feeling, Cadis gave off an ample and relaxed atmosphere. ¡®They¡¯re so opposite that I keep comparing Dimitri and Cadis.¡¯ I was surprised by my own standards, as I kept using Dimitri as a measurement. When did he become so familiar to me¡­? Conversely, it also meant that I found Cadis extremely unfamiliar and foreign. And, it was because it was awkward for a person to keep recognizing someone¡¯s unfamiliarity. ¡­Yes. I have been having a very awkward time because of Cads, who had been staring at me since a while ago. ¡®I persuaded Dimitri to let him go for a walk, but why is he just looking at me?¡¯ In the first place, was he not the person who, until a few days ago, was uncomfortable and growled just by seeing me? However, today¡¯s Cadis was utterly different. Does he just continue to wander around me and look at me with curious eyes? If the knights had not stopped him, he would have even sat down at the table where I was drinking tea. ¡®Do dogs normally open their hearts so quickly and express their interest in others¡­?¡¯ It was a good sign that he had loosened his guard around me. Although I have no idea what made him forgive me, does it mean that he no longer feels any fear or resentment towards me? As I could not stand Cadis¡¯ gaze, I eventually decided to speak to him. ¡°¡­Excuse me.¡± ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± I was a little surprised to see his expression brighten dramatically. Even though he was in a human form, somehow, it felt as if I could still see his tail wagging behind him. ¡®Why does he like it so much? And, how does he show his emotions like that?¡¯ As I had been dealing with the coy and arrogant cats, when I dealt with Cadis, it was too stimulating for me. It was like the sweetness of the fruits that seemed to give me a taste of soda mixed with sugar. I tend to be shy and passive, but Cadis has a lot of extroverted aura. As he was coming so close, I sat down and pulled my upper body back a little without realizing it, and the knights quickly stopped him. Cadis, who seemed to have no will to attack, apologized and quietly stepped back. He seemed depressed, with his shoulders drooping. ¡®¡­How can a person be so transparent?¡¯ Feeling pity, I had no choice but to speak to the knights. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Let him go.¡± At that, his expression brightened again. ¡°Why did you call me? Is there anything you want me to do?¡± I smiled awkwardly at the question with the will to do anything if I asked for it before opening my mouth, ¡°Just in case there¡¯s¡­ is there something you want to say to me?¡± ¡°Is that what you want to say? Can I do it if I have one?¡± Muttering so, Cadis rolled his eyes and pondered what to say. ¡®Don¡¯t squeeze your head¡­¡¯* [ T/N: It¡¯s an idiom which means ¡®To make a great effort in thinking through.¡¯ ] ¡­Why did he look at me like that if he did not have anything to say, then? Cadis uttered brightly as though he had come up with what he wanted to say after having been in trouble for a while. ¡°Can we go for a walk together?¡± Then, he held out the chains that bound him. The knight who was holding the end of the chain stared at him ferociously, but his gaze was only on me. The next moment, Cadis cautiously suggested as he read my hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll never get close to you.¡± I was a little surprised and amazed, so I could not immediately refuse. ¡®Why does he want to go for a walk with me?¡¯ I was going to ease his resentment a little bit by providing him with convenience though I never imagined that I would be able to get such a liking from him. ¡®Why all of a sudden¡­?¡¯ I looked back on yesterday to see if I had anything that would suddenly change his attitude, but I could not figure it out. Rather, I thought that Dimitri would have made him hate me even more because of his tyrannical attitude. ¡®¡­He couldn¡¯t have forgotten that Rowaine had abused him already.¡¯ In the end, although I was puzzled, I could not say no to Cadis, who wagged an invisible imaginary tail in anticipation, and nodded my head. ¡°Yes, we can. We can walk a little.¡± The knights were agitated as if they did not think I would allow it. Still, I was planning to score points for Cadis when I had the chance. ¡®It¡¯s not difficult to walk together.¡¯ So, we walked together at a reasonable distance. He seemed to want me to hold his chain, but it was difficult for me, so I had no choice but to entrust it to the knight. ¡®No matter how hard I try, it¡¯s against the ethical consciousness of modern people to hold and drag people around¡­¡¯ Cadis walked at the same pace as me. While it was awkward to walk alongside him, somehow, I felt reassured. He then asked me cautiously. ¡°May I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Ask me.¡± ¡°I want to know your name.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± He is asking for my name¡­? I stared at him, wondering if I heard something wrong or if there was any hidden meaning in the question. However, Cadis was waiting for my answer with his clear, innocent eyes. I was stunned as I tried to mumble Rowaine¡¯s name, stammering unsurely. ¡°Ro¡­waine Lars¡­cel? Now, I guess it¡¯s the Duchess of Blois¡­?¡± Nevertheless, Cadis looked at me with his straight eyes and said. ¡°Your real name.¡± For a moment, I stopped breathing. ¡­What does he mean, my real name? Unsure of his intentions, I stared into his dark brown eyes. But, there was no intention in his eyes. He was purely asking me. ¡°I want to know who you are.¡± Little by little, I carefully exhaled the breath I had held in as if I was secretly breathing. A certain shiver seemed to unfurl from my stomach. My eyes fluttered wildly, and many thoughts ran through my head. Even though I could have pretended not to care about what he was saying, I did not do that. It was as though a certain powerful will in my mind had taken over. ¡°¡­Eunsoo. Seo Eunsoo.¡± ¡°Seo Eunsoo.¡± Cadis smiled and repeated my name out loud. ¡°You can call me Eunsoo.¡± ¡°Yes, Eunsoo.¡± His straight lips parted, revealing his straight teeth. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 I could not believe such a grown man could smile so pure and bright. With that smile, I let go of my worries about whether it would be okay to tell me my name. Anyone who had seen his smiling face would have done so. Without any doubts, calculations, or intentions, he just asked out of curiosity. Because of that, it seemed that his innocence was enough to overshadow all my vigilance and made me answer. In addition, It was the first time I told others my real name after possessing this body. Even though I was called Rowaine all the time, when someone called me by my name after a really long time, it felt rather strange. I smiled and asked him his name. Of course, I knew his name, but I just did it as a courtesy. ¡°Can you tell me your name, too?¡± At that, he widened his eyes. After that, a smile was painted all over his face, and he was overcome with emotion. ¡°Are you asking for my name? My name is Cadis. Cadis.¡± ¡°Cadis.¡± ¡°Eunsoo is the second person to ask for my name.¡± I thought I knew who the first was. It would be the Princess, who was the female protagonist. As I asked back with excitement, I stopped myself because I might be in trouble if I suddenly asked him too much. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Eunsoo is the first person to say that I can say whatever you want to say.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I got to eat delicious food like these days.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He kept smiling over and over again. He was so bright and funny that we laughed out loud together. It was when we were walking, feeling a strange intimacy with each other more than before that I suddenly felt something black creeping between the two of us. However, before I could feel it, Cadis shuddered as if he had already seen something and tried to back away when that thing flew towards me. As it wrapped around me as if protecting me, something black raced towards me. ¡°Euk¡­!¡± At the same time, I was pulled back by a hand wrapped around my waist. ¡°¡­.!¡± My body was buried in someone¡¯s arms. The next moment, Dimitri¡¯s sharp-tempered voice was heard. ¡°How dare you expose your smelly teeth in front of someone?¡± Dimitri had been standing in front of the window of the third-floor office for a long time, watching the whole scene. From the moment the Emperor¡¯s hound sneaked closer to Rowaine, who was sitting on the terrace, he was ready to break the hound¡¯s neck at any moment. ¡®What¡¯s that bastard up to?¡¯ In his opinion, dog shapeshifters were a very incomprehensible race, and they were beings who acted according to their feelings without being polite or cautious. ¡®He even turned into a human and just smiled at Rowaine.¡¯ Dimitri¡¯s eyes narrowed. Soon, Rowaine suddenly got up and started walking with the hound. ¡®¡­What are they talking about?¡¯ No matter how advanced his hearing was, he could not hear a whisper so far away. At that moment, Rowaine abruptly laughed with the hound. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Dimitri widened his eyes. ¡®She¡¯s laughing with the enemy! What kind of trick did he use to bewitch her?¡¯ ¡­Treacherous hound. He did not know why he was getting so upset. Dimitri ignited his emotional energy before eventually jumping through the window because he could not stand it. The moment his body hit the floor, a demon leaped out of his shadow and caught him. He then used the demon to reach Rowaine with just a few jumps and sent the demon away with the aim of separating the hound and her. Was it not that hound¡¯s fault for getting closer to Rowiane? ¡®Where¡­!¡¯ As his eyes flashed, he grabbed Rowaine¡¯s waist and pulled her closer. ¡°How dare you expose your smelly teeth in front of someone?¡± ¡°Dimitri¡­?¡± ¡°Rowaine, that man is perilous and ferocious. You never know when he¡¯s going to rush in and kill you, so stay away from him.¡± ¡°Put, put me down.¡± When Rowaine grunted and tried to get out of his arms, the hound became wary of Dimitri as if he would attack him if he bothered her. It was a scene that would look like a loyal dog standing up against the enemy to protect his master. Dimitri burst out laughing and hugged Rowaine tighter and tighter to his body. ¡°It seems like you don¡¯t know your place. Have you lost your intelligence to become a puppet, living as someone else¡¯s puppet that you can¡¯t understand the situation?¡± ¡°Dimitri! Don¡¯t say that.¡± At Rowaine¡¯s insistence, he stared at her, trembling as if he had been beaten in the chest. ¡°Are you on his side now?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t taking sides with anyone, I was just walking quietly. We were just walking and talking. There was nothing to make Dimitri angry.¡± Her reaction was not what he expected. No, he was not expecting any reaction from her, but at least Dimitri never imagined she would be on the side of the hound. Because of that, he just gazed at Rowaine with her mouth shut, not knowing if it was disappointment or something else. ¡°There must have been some misunderstanding.¡± He did not even like that she was trying to mediate in a good way. Dimitri gritted his teeth and held a clue* for nothing. [ T/N: It¡¯s an idiom which means ¡®For something to become a pretext for someone to provoke a quarrel.¡¯ ] ¡°You must be free, Madam.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Rowiane, who had promised to take care of the hounds, was doing her job properly. However, Dimitri was stubborn. ¡°Your husband was busy reviewing the reports by himself, so he couldn¡¯t even get a meal. Nonetheless, the wife is spending her free time with the prisoner.¡± Even thinking about it himself, it was rather foolish. He never even skipped a meal. Dimitri turned his head to block Rowaine¡¯s gaze, who had lunch with him. It was a very shameless look. Meanwhile, inside, he felt like he wanted to rip his hair out. ¡®Shut your mouth, Dimitri.¡¯ But, contrary to his heart, his displeased protruding mouth did not stop fluttering. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the wife also have a job, too? You wouldn¡¯t have time to spend with someone like this. You¡¯ll soon have to take care of the mansion finances and take care of the welfare work from the outside.¡± ¡°All of a sudden?¡± ¡°Actually, you should have started the day you came to Blois. It¡¯s not all of a sudden, it¡¯s late.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything¡­¡± ¡°You just heard it now. Come on, come with me.¡± At that, Dimitri pushed her on the back and headed towards the mansion. At the same time, Cadis, who remained with the knights behind them, stood vainly looking at Rowaine¡¯s back. Rowaine was really puzzled. It was because Dimitri brought him to the office, suddenly talking nonsense. After he had taken her, they were cleaning up with the butler Derek and the assistant Viscount Hyle Bilph. ¡°A desk? Sharing the office¡­?¡± At Dimitri¡¯s sudden order to add another desk to his office, Hyle asked with a face as bewildered as I was. Derek also seemed puzzled. ¡°I have arranged the Madam¡¯s office in advance, but¡­¡± Hyle then nodded his head before adding his words, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a separate office that the Duchess used for generations?¡± At those words, Dimitri stared at Derek and Hyle. ¡°Is that stipulated by law?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is the law stipulating that I have to use the office separately from the wife?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, but¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not like that, then why are you all talking so much? Since when did I say it¡¯s okay to rebuke my orders like that?¡± ¡°We, we will correct it.¡± ¡°Then, why are you still right in front of me? Why don¡¯t you move?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Derek was the first to leave to call the servants, while Hyle, who had been scolded for nothing, left the office as if he was running away. Being left alone with just Dimitri and I, who were left in this situation, I just smiled awkwardly. ¡°Does¡­ does the Duchess have a separate office?¡± ¡°As I said, it is not stipulated by law for a married couple to use a separate office space.¡± However, considering that they must be used together, it was not stipulated by law. I did not know why he would bring me a desk to sit with him in his office. ¡°¡­Wouldn¡¯t it be uncomfortable if I was with you?¡± Was it not more comfortable to be alone than to work with other people all day¡­? ¡®In the first place, don¡¯t dukes like to be alone?¡¯ Still, Dimitri shook his head resolutely. ¡°Rowaine needs to heal me from time to time. And, now that the enemies are running around the mansion, it makes sense to keep you by my side, even for your safety.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± There was nothing I could say when he insisted so strongly. There was no need to disagree with each other as if I did not like it, so I just nodded my head. Then, Dimitri sat with his legs crossed in an arrogant and crooked position. As he leaned his chin forward, he then squinted his eyes and questioned me as I stood. ¡°By the way, what did you talk about with the hound? I didn¡¯t think there was anything for Rowaine to talk to each other about.¡± I could feel a great sense of hostility exuding from Dimitri. ¡°It was just a general statement. We got to know each other¡¯s names.¡± ¡°Name?¡± At my words, he smirked and asked back. ¡°Hounds are just hounds. What name would they have? Forget it.¡± ¡°Are you mad?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You look angry.¡± ¡°Why would I be angry?¡± Dimitri¡¯s slanted posture suddenly became straighter. He was pretending to be relaxed, unlike before. the most relaxed he had been before. Far from being angry, he claimed that he was in a very good mood before suddenly leaving the office, stating that he was busy. ¡°What is this¡­¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 From the day Dimitri set up a separate desk for Rowaine on one side of the office, every second was a battle against patience for Hael. It was because of the ruthless boss, who was being heedless. ¡®He doesn¡¯t focus on his work at all.¡¯ As he had been working hard on the report, he glanced at Dimitri with a strange feeling and wept. The reason was because his master was staring intently at the Madam as she was learning her job from Baron Seville Placen, whom Dimitri had assigned as her aide. Hael then saw him knock something on the desk and drop it to the floor for the third time today alone. Thud, thud. The closed ink bottle rolled with a sound onto the floor. When Rowaine and Baron Placen both looked up at the sound, Dimitri mumbled, ¡°My mistake, it slipped,¡± with a brazen face as he shrugged his shoulders before turning towards Hael. ¡°What are you standing still for? Continue working.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± With his straightforward heart, Hael wanted to verify what his master had said to him. Speechless, he could not even say anything because it was actually Dimitri, not him, who had been neglecting the work. Not long after, Dimitri smirked as he glanced at Rowaine, who resumed her job again. His hand was also slithering towards another target on the desk. However, at that moment, she rose up from her seat and said, ¡°Shall we get here?¡± Raising his head sharply, he then asked. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Cadis¡­ No, I¡¯m going to check out what the hostages are doing. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Dimitri, who had been staring at Rowaine¡¯s back as she greeted him brightly, turned his head with a quick glance and stared at Hael. He asked, tensed at the fearsome gaze. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s wrong, Your Excellency?¡± ¡°Did you even contact the Imperial Palace?¡± ¡°I contacted them the same day you caught the hounds.¡± ¡°Then, why hasn¡¯t the Emperor sent anyone yet?¡± ¡­How would he know? He was not the Emperor. ¡°Perhaps, they need time¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s their concern? Threaten them to act quickly before I kill all the hostages, hang their heads behind the carriages, and display them in front of the capital city gates.¡± At his master¡¯s words, Hael counted the dates for a moment. ¡®Shall I take a vacation?¡¯ It was a little over a week after the hounds were taken hostage that the carriage sent from the Palace came to Blois. I was looking out the window for a long time when I heard from the butler that the Emperor¡¯s messenger had come to the drawing room. It had been cloudy since the day before, and the wind was severe. The metasequoia trees that grew tall in the distance were swaying as if they were dancing. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Rowaine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of unsettling weather.¡± Eventually, I got up and left the office with Dimitri. Due to the overcast weather, we had a chattering conversation as we went down the stairs through the dark corridor as though it was at night. The damp air just before the rain was flowing faintly in the hallway. ¡°Are you afraid of storms?¡± I nodded my head frankly and added. ¡°The loud sound of the wind makes me nervous.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to tell the employees to make sure that under the bed is clean.¡± Dimitri joked with a slight chuckle in his throat, perhaps thinking that one day I would crawl under the bed if I had nightmares on a thundering day. Although the joke was funny, the uncomfortable feeling did not go away at all. But somehow, when I reached the drawing room, my anxiety deepened. I opened the door with a hesitant hand and entered the drawing room. At that moment, I realized that my uneasy premonition was not just the weather. ¡°Rowaine.¡± Count Herman Heres greeted me with a smile. He was sitting in the middle of a sofa with his elbows on the backrest. When I entered the drawing room, he turned his upper body halfway as if seducing as he put his face on his hand that was on the backrest before greeting me. Dimitri, who was standing behind me, noticed him and clicked his tongue. ¡°It¡¯s either he doesn¡¯t want to negotiate or because he doesn¡¯t have a trustworthy subordinate.¡± There was no doubt that he was talking about the Emperor. Even thuogh he seemed to have said that with sarcastic intent, the answer was right. Herman did not seem to have any intention of negotiating in the slightest. Herman waved the papers to us with a bright smile on his gorgeous face. ¡°Do you know what this is, Duke of Blois?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Dimitri lightly ignored his light-hearted attitude as if it was hurting his pride to answer. Seeing that, Herman smiled and continued cheerfully, like he was not embarrassed. ¡°Haha. I¡¯m surprised to think you¡¯re picking apart His Majesty. The Duke gets what Count Larscel painstakingly tried to seize for free. Are you resourceful? Oh, was it Rowaine¡¯s intelligence?¡± Dimitri smiled with a sharp look in his eyes. He spoke slowly. ¡°It certainly wouldn¡¯t be free. That would be the price of finding and returning lost dogs.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you kidnap the dogs on their walk?¡± ¡°I guess you call it a walk when dogs without leashes were threatening an innocent person?¡± Herman shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I came on an errand for His Majesty, but I have no intention of fighting the Duke. I have no intention of bargaining with someone else¡¯s love affairs.¡± As he leaned back on the sofa with a languid face as if nothing was bothering him, he continued, ¡°It may mean that His Majesty did not expect any achievements or expectations from sending me.¡± His mischievous gaze was then directed at me. ¡°After reaching the right assortment, I¡¯ll take the hounds and leave. So, what about a glass of wine with friends?¡± Then, he smiled beautifully. Having read the relationship between Rowaine and Herman in the novel before, I felt like he knew very well that with his attitude, she would never reject him. Certainly, Rowaine, who loved him, would not have rejected him. ¡®Even though Rowaine is a villain, seeing Herman¡¯s behavior like that makes me feel sorry for her.¡¯ It was clear from his attitude that he would have always played with her in such a playful and light manner while he knew her heart, though he had no intention of accepting it. I smiled softly at him but spoke firmly. ¡°I wonder what kind of relationship I, who abandoned the past and started a new life, have to share with the people of the past, Count Heres? Since we didn¡¯t get together for fun, it¡¯s better to go back to achieving the purpose of coming back.¡± His purple eyes twinkled with interest as he smiled and stared at me as though he had heard a funny joke. Though soon, after he could not find any sign of a joke on my face, he seemed a little embarrassed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Rowaine?¡± His voice flattered as he asked, but I shrugged my shoulders and answered calmly. ¡°Tell His Majesty this¡­ With a very happy marriage, the past is fading day by day and the memories are overwritten with precious memories. Therefore, Your Majesty, please stop and forget about the past, and be happy.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°And Count Heres, please be courteous to me from now on. Now, I¡¯m no longer a girl from Count Larscel but rather the Duchess of Blois.¡± Only then did Herman seem to believe that I was really determined to settle for life here, not to put on a show. Numbers of questions appeared in his eyes. However, since Dimitri was here, he bit his mouth as if he could not ask. The next moment, Dimitri called the butler. ¡°Bring the hounds and prepare to see Count Heres off.¡± Herman, who had maintained a playful attitude while fluttering through the papers on the transfer of ownership of the diamond mine, handed me the letter with a slightly serious attitude. ¡°I meant to give it to you when we were alone. It¡¯s a letter from His Majesty the Emperor. Please read it, Duchess.¡± Seeing that Dimitri and I leaned our heads closer to each other and were about to open the envelope, Herman stopped us. ¡°Still, it¡¯s a letter from an ex-lover. Reading it together is a bit¡­ the Duchess should take a look first.¡± After a quick glance through the letter, I quickly understood why he had separated Dimitri. ¡®¡­Oh, my God.¡¯ The letter, which began with a dazzling modifier of all kinds of love and longing, gradually filled with anger, then became cold before it was sealed with fury and ended with longing again. In summary, ¡®I could not understand why you are avoiding me even though I am trying so hard and looking for you. I will give you this diamond mine. When you come back to me, I will give you bigger things.¡¯ It was a letter that felt more like obsession and madness rather than love. ¡®He must think he¡¯s showing his love this way.¡¯ For some reason, it was strange that he sent the useless Herman without sending an aide or others with him. Nonetheless, when I read the letter, I seemed to understand why. ¡®¡­He wasn¡¯t trying to negotiate or anything like Dimitri¡¯s guess. He was trying to take an emotional approach.¡¯ Still, as I hit the wall without falling for his friendly attitude, Herman had no choice but to do so. With that thought, I snorted and folded the letter finely before handing it back to Herman. ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I haven¡¯t seen this, Count Heres.¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 ¡°No, if I take it back, my position will be¡­¡± ¡°All I need is the paperwork. I don¡¯t need anything else.¡± Herman was seemingly in tears. Still, he could not hang on any longer and had no choice but to present the papers. The document already had the Emperor¡¯s signature on it. As I signed next to it, the signature illuminated for a moment presumably, there was some magical device on the paper. It must have been a magical contract that could not be forged. ¡®¡­Did I really have a diamond mine in front of me?¡¯ Even though I was very confused on the inside, I felt like I wanted to jump up and down as if I had hit the lottery. I struggled to keep my dignity and manage my facial expressions. However, the hand holding the skirt trembled as I was trying to control my emotions. It was a thrill of joy. ¡®I should have a toast with Dimitri. I¡¯ll need to call Sasha and Coco, too. I¡¯m rich now.¡¯ Finally, Herman put one of the two papers back in his pocket and got up as though he was being kicked out. When I rose up with him, Dimitri, who had no intention of seeing Herman off, whispered to me, puzzled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to go.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to see Count Heres off. I just wanted to check on the hounds for the last time.¡± I was going to say bye to Cadis. For a few days after I exchanged names with him, we were still close enough to chat, at least a little. ¡®It¡¯d be better to see him off at least for the last time.¡¯ Besides, it seemed to be a person-to-person courtesy. As I left, Dimitri followed, dragging his feet as though he had no choice. At the entrance, three hounds were already waiting for Herman, bound in shackles. ¡°If you miss me, feel free to contact me anytime, Ro¡­ No, Duchess. Because my heart will always think of you as a good friend.¡± Perhaps, he remembered my words to be polite. He greeted me with courtesy¡ªeven at the last greeting. I nodded my head to greet him and turned towards Cadis. Cadis, who had turned into a dog, was gazing up at me. As always, especially today, his brown eyes were filled with grief. He reflexively wagged his tail when our eyes met and then whined as if it was a pity that we were parting. I glanced at Herman, who was getting into the carriage, and whispered softly to him. ¡°I wish you good health.¡± ¡°Again¡­ Will we see each other again?¡± His voice was sad, which surprised me a little. Since Herman was looking this way, I glanced away from Cadis for a moment so as not to create any strange suspicion for him. Then, while he was not looking at us, I smiled softly at Cadis. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again someday.¡± Although the relationship with the Emperor was broken off because of me, Dimitri was still a servant of the Emperor, and one day, we would have to go to the Imperial Palace. Therefore, there would be times when I would pass by him again. I watched as Herman¡¯s knights steered the hounds wildly and led them into the carriage of dog cages. ¡®It makes me sad to see him being dragged like that.¡¯ I did not realize that I had become so close with Cadis. Without realizing it, I blankly looked at him before shifting my gaze to Herman. Since he was already staring at me with a strange gaze, I met eyes with him. I flinched and trembled as if I had committed a sin. His eyes narrowed. ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡± He suddenly looked up at the sky. At that moment, thin raindrops unexpectedly fell. ¡°I heard that a storm is coming. However, if I leave like this, I¡¯ll be tied up in an unfamiliar city before I even get to the Imperial Palace.¡± He smiled brightly. ¡°Besides, it seems that the Duchess also regrets parting ways with the hounds. Could we tie them up for just one day until the rain stops?¡± I swallowed dry saliva. It was because he had seen Rowaine, who had been helping and enjoying mistreating shapeshifters, friendly greeting with Cadis¡­ Dimitri could not refuse because Herman had formally requested that he wanted to escape the storm for a while at the Blois mansion. Still, it was against etiquette to kick out guests who came as the Emperor¡¯s representative in inclement weather. The dignity of the nobility came from splendor and complicated manners. The nobles¡¯ adherence to etiquettes that were too cumbersome for commoners to follow and did not understand at first glance was a sophisticated ploy aimed at differentiating between classes. In other words, they were people who made an implicit promise to justify their superior status by observing nonsensical etiquette. However, it raised the dignity of the nobility and, at the same time, became a fetter that bound themselves. ¡®¡­Just as even Duke Dimitri couldn¡¯t be ignored when it comes to communicating etiquette.¡¯ Even though Dimitri was very annoyed, Herman excitedly looked around the guest room and unpacked. ¡°Dimitri, are you okay?¡± I asked as I peered into his eyes like a sinner. This was because Dimitri, who usually sent all guests to the annex, had to give Erman a guest room in the main building because of Coco and Sasha, who were now living in the annex. Having walked back and forth in front of the window in exasperation, he turned to me and spoke firmly. ¡°You can¡¯t put that brazen bastard and those brats in one place. I don¡¯t know what kind of adverse impact it might have.¡± Those words made me feel grateful, and it was reasonable. ¡®Besides, the fact we wouldn¡¯t know where Coco and Sasha are going to go also contributes to the reason we can¡¯t send him there.¡¯ If they get caught up in a quarrel, it could give Herman a reason to stay here for a long time. Dimitri ground his teeth. ¡°If we can¡¯t send him to the stables, we can¡¯t help it.¡± I just smiled awkwardly as I actually watched him with my own eyes, making the butler ask Herman if he could stay in the stable¡­ The butler, who went to Herman and politely delivered Dimitri¡¯s words, was now helping Herman as he calmly unpacked his belongings in the guest room after saying that he could not sleep there because he was sensitive and had trouble sleeping. ¡­Well, perhaps the most daring was Dimitri, who empowered the stable to guests. Dimitri, who had a dissatisfied look, called the commander of the knights and ordered him. ¡°Place knights on every floor to ensure that Count Heres¡¯ every move is carefully monitored. If he ever shows any signs of doing some foolish tricks on the Duchess or any other cat brats, break his wrist and call me¡­ No, just beheaded him.¡± I glanced at Viscount Hyle Bilph at the tremendous command. The Viscount only closed his eyes as if he understood it and nodded his head. It was as if he was saying, ¡®The commander of the knights will act wisely, so please do not worry.¡¯ Judging by the look on the commander¡¯s face, he had a calm expression as though he was familiar with such a command. Seeing that, I cautiously left the office in order to let Dimitri calm down a little and be comfortable. Viscount Hyle Bilph, who followed me, smiled broadly and opened his mouth. ¡°His Excellency isn¡¯t always like that.¡± He seemed to want to defend Dimitri to me. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. Even if he was sensitive at times, it wasn¡¯t to this extent. Perhaps, it¡¯s because he has something to protect.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Madam Rowaine, Coco, and Sasha¡­ His Grace is very sensitive to matters directly related to the safety of the three of you.¡± ¡­Is that so? ¡®I have the healing powers he needs, so even that, hearing that it was Coco and Sasha too, was surprising.¡¯ Did he not patiently endure and accept those children because of me? However, if you think about it, he was quite generous in being patient. Coco and Sasha, who were initially kicked out of the annex, were now enjoying the main building to their heart¡¯s content. They were even having dinner with Dimitri. ¡®¡­Sometimes he seems very unfriendly, and at other times, he seems like a person with a lot of affection.¡¯ I was grateful for the kindness of Viscount t for taking care of me and telling me this. So, in return, I gave him a story he might like. ¡°It seems that Dimitri is unable to concentrate on his work these days because of me. I know Viscount Hyle Bilph is struggling. If Count Heres leaves with the hounds, Dimitri will also have some peace of mind, so I¡¯ll also take this opportunity and tell him to separate the office.¡± The Viscount, who had sharp eyes and a fierce impression, now seemed to have sparkles shining brightly from his eyes. It really did not match his image at all. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes. So, until then, please endure even if it is difficult.¡± We exchanged favors and kind words like that before coming down the stairs in a friendly way. At that moment, I ran into Herman who was coming up the stairs. ¡°Ah, Duchess.¡± Herman, who held two wine glasses in one of his hands and a bottle of wine in the other, rejoiced. He smiled brightly as he brushed his hair and swept the dazzling blonde hair that ran down his forehead. ¡°I was just looking for someone to drink with. This is good.¡± Of course, I was going to reject him. However, before I could utter a word of refusal, he opened his mouth with a sorrowful face. ¡°You don¡¯t know how depressed I am to have been rejected by everyone I met on the way. The sweet and gentle Duchess wouldn¡¯t turn me down, would she?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m going to have to say no, too.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 ¡°No. I¡¯d have to refuse, too.¡± In order to catch Rowaine, Herman had to pester her in various ways because it was not enough for him to engulf her with the sweet talk. Still, it was not in vain as he managed to succeed in holding her. ¡®Still, that look¡­ it isn¡¯t my expectation.¡¯ Smiling to himself, he shook his head slightly. He could not believe he was rejected by Rowaine. After all, she was always the one who was insisting on him to go play with him first because she was always bored. As he thought so, Herman glanced at Rowaine, who was standing in front of a large window in the drawing room with languid eyes. He could not smell her perfume, which usually stung his nose whenever he saw her, like usual, and that somehow made her feel even more unfamiliar. ¡®She¡¯s different.¡¯ Rowaine was such a fickle person, so he thought that she was just pretending to be changed because of some tide this time because she liked to show him a new side ¡ª one day, she would act like a shy girl, and another day, she would act like a bewitching woman. Even after, she would act like a virtuous lady. ¡­So, what is it this time? What was her plan of going to Blois? Had she gotten tired of playing around with the Emperor? Although Herman was curious, he did not care much since he thought Rowaine would soon get bored and come back to beg him to play with her. However, that was a mistake¡­ It was because this time, Rowaine has not shown her face to him for quite some time. ¡®What could it be?¡¯ As he was lost in his thoughts about Rowaine, the wine glass in his hand quivered a little. The blood-colored liquid was very fragrant though Herman¡¯s mind was all directed at the person in front of him. She was the one who liked his smiling face. But now, no matter how determined and smiling he was, it was difficult to attract Rowaine¡¯s attention. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Somehow, he did not like it. It felt like he was looking for something that you normally don¡¯t even know existed when you have already lost it. Watching her, who kept staring out the window, made his nerves a little sensitive. Erman whispered softly, hiding his sharp feelings behind his smile. ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Duchess¡ªlike someone else wearing Rowaine¡¯s shell.¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m married.¡± Rowaine had an awkward expression stained on her face. Even that expression was unfamiliar to Herman. It was the first time he knew she could make that kind of look¡­. Or, perhaps, it was because she was using honorifics? Even the way she spoke was unfamiliar. ¡°People change when they find true love, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡®¡­Lies.¡¯ Herman¡¯s eyes narrowed. At that moment, Duke Blois entered the drawing room. ¡®He must¡¯ve come here after hearing that she was alone with me like a demon*.¡¯ [ T/N: Here, it meant specifically, ¡®In a manner of being amazingly precise and accurate in action or guess.¡¯ ] Rowiane rejoiced to see the Duke of Blois, who was staring at Herman with pleased eyes, emitting wariness against him as if protecting a treasure in front of him that no one was allowed to touch. Was he not like a stranger to Rowaine? The Duke of Blois would not even know her true self. ¡°Dimitri.¡± When Rowaine reached out her hand, Duke of Bloise wrapped his hand around her waist as if he had been waiting. Even though she seemed a little surprised at first, she soon gazed up at Duke of Blois with a face like she was falling in love. As though he was concerned, the Duke whispered to her ears softly the next moment. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t feeling well?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to rest early because you¡¯re ill.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I did. That¡¯d be nice.¡± Herman laughed to himself. ¡®Is that what you call acting now?¡¯ He knew that Rowaine would try to provoke his jealousy by flirting with the Emperor. At the time, he did not think much of it¡­ but why was his stomach feeling so twisted now? With an unpleasant feeling crept into him, he suddenly opened his mouth and spoke of Rowaine¡¯s preference that he knew. ¡°The Duchess, Rowaine, has always loved stormy days. I guess the Duke doesn¡¯t seem to know that yet.¡± At his arrogant tone, the Duke of Blois narrowed his brow. ¡°You say you¡¯ve been friends for a long time though you don¡¯t know much about my wife, do you? She doesn¡¯t like days like this.¡± ¡°Is that possible? On days like this, we would all gather together and enjoy scary stories until late at night. If you listen to the story I¡¯ve prepared, you¡¯ll forget about being sick and enjoy it.¡± Saying so, Herman reached out his hand towards Rowiane. ¡®Hold it, Rowaine. As you always do.¡¯ Even when she was playing around with the Emperor, she never wavered at his outstretched hand. Because of that, he was confident. However¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But, I¡¯m tired today, so I need to rest early.¡± ¡­He was rejected. This time, it was a real refusal that would not work, even if he pestered or squeezed her. Herman stared blankly at the back of Rowaine, who was leaving the drawing room with the Duke of Blois. At the same time, his mask, which had been smiling tenderly the whole time, was crumpled. ¡®¡­Is she really Rowaine?¡¯ At this moment, he thought back to how the dog shapeshifter and Rowaine were looking at each other earlier. As night fell, the wind grew stronger, and the rain streamed down like a torrential downpour. I was in the room chatting a little bit with Agwen about the employees, and at some point, the rain got so loud that her voice was barely audible. By the time I realized that I was speaking with a loud voice, the wind rumbled and shook the window. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Startled, I muttered quietly and glanced out the window. At that moment, lightning flashed behind the curtains, and a loud bang was heard as if something exploded somewhere. ¡°The thunder is loud.¡± ¡°¡­I know. It wouldn¡¯t break the windows, would it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sturdy window that survived last year¡¯s typhoon without any ambivalence, so it¡¯ll be fine. If you¡¯re worried, should I have your servants hang up the shutters?¡± ¡°Oh, my God. Do you want to kill someone?¡± The wooden shutters were used to increase the thermal effect by hanging outside the window. Because of my anxiety, I could not help but imagine people hanging from windows in this weather, trying to install the wooden shutters. ¡°I¡¯m okay. Just¡­ can you bring me some of the lights that decorated the bathroom back then?¡± I thought that if I slept with a small light on, I might be less afraid. On a thundering night like this, I was not confident if I could sleep alone in this spacious bedroom. ¡®It¡¯s really scary.¡¯ However, to ask Agwen to sleep with me¡­ ¡®It¡¯s a job that requires overtime pay. How much does she want to get off work?¡¯ I wanted to keep the time off to the employees. ¡®I¡¯m not young enough to cause trouble to others just because I¡¯m afraid of thunder.¡¯ After Agwen turned on the lights and left the room, I laid down on the bed before pulling the blanket up to my neck. ¡®Come to think of it, what are Coco and Sasha doing now¡­?¡¯ At dinner, the two of them seemed excited about playing the new card game they had learned from Liddell in the evening as if they couldn¡¯t care less about the weather. ¡®If Sasha came to see me because she was afraid, she would hug her and sleep with her.¡¯ Nonetheless, it seemed like Sasha¡¯s valiant personality would not make her afraid of thunder and lightning. Swwoooosh¡ª At the terrifying sound of the wind, I hurriedly pulled out the blanket more and covered my face up half way. ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± I mumbled without realizing it, then shook my head and alluded to myself in a slightly louder voice. ¡°I¡¯m not scared! I¡¯m not afraid of anything! Haha! It¡¯s just wind and thunder! No, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± ¡­It seemed like it was going to be a long night. Before falling asleep, Dimitri, who had transformed into a cat, was lying curled up in a box while hugging the cat cushion he had taken from Rowaine previously. No matter how much he sniffed, the cushion no longer smelled of grass from her. As he was smacking his lips*, he could suddenly hear a voice from the secret door that connected to Rowaine¡¯s room. [ T/N: It¡¯s an idiom which means, ¡®To be dissatisfied or embarrassed because something does not go as one wishes.¡¯ ] ¡°I¡¯m not scared! I¡¯m not afraid of anything! Haha! It¡¯s just wind and thunder! No, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Resting his face with a languid expression, he glanced at the door. ¡®She¡¯s more scared than I thought.¡¯ He could hear the occasional murmurs of ¡®not scary¡¯ or ¡®scary¡¯ coming and going. When the thunder rumbled, a small groan was heard, and Dimitri ran to the secret door. However, he could not open the door and just stand in front of it. ¡®If I go, she¡¯d feel burdened.¡¯ Rather than put her to sleep, he would make her wake up completely. ¡®Should I bring Sasha?¡¯ As he was thinking about it, Dimitri suddenly saw his reflection in the mirror. He then stroked his chin with his round paw. [ T/N: OMG- THE IMAGERY! SO CUTE I CAN¡¯TTT (?) ] Even though it was absolutely unacceptable¡ªto quote Rowaine, he was now ¡®Blue, the cute little gray cat.¡¯ Additionally, she also did not know that Blue was Dimitri¡­ and he wanted to fall asleep smelling Rowaine. ¡®Good.¡¯ After telling the devil to open the door, he went out proudly and scratched the door of Rowaine¡¯s room next door with his paws. There was a rustling sound from inside before the overly cautious footsteps got closer and closer. As the doorknob crept open, it seemed as if he could feel the inner feelings of Rowaine, who was not sure. When the door was opened just a little, she then peered into the thin crevice with fearful eyes. Seeing him sitting at the door, she opened the door wide with joy. ¡°Blue! It was you! Oh, I thought something was coming.¡± Rowaine, rubbing her chest, sat down in front of Dimitri and held out her hand. ¡°Were you in the mansion? What kind of person opened the door for you? And, how did you get to the fourth floor? How do you know my room? Oh, did you smell me? This is so amazing.¡± At her questions, Dimitri approached the delighted Rowaine and rubbed his body against her, lighting abruptly flashed. Because of that, Rowaine flinched before hugging him without realizing it. ¡®¡­.!¡¯ Dimitri, being embraced in her arms wide, widened his eyes. Not only that she was not even wearing a shawl, but her nightgown was also relatively thin with a deep chest cut. Dimitri¡¯s body stiffened as he could feel his cheek pressed against her bare chest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Blue. I was so surprised that I didn¡¯t even realize.¡± Rowaine, who quickly calmed down, put down Dimitri with a sigh. It was a strange feeling. Obviously, he tended to avoid physical contact with others, but what was this disappointment¡­? While he was distracted by his thoughts, all of a sudden, Rowaine whispered to him in a subtly voiced voice. ¡°Would you like to sleep with me?¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sleep together in my bed together, okay?¡± As she gently gestured to him to lead him to the bed enchantedly, Dimitri moved his legs as if possessed. Rowaine¡¯s bed smelled of her. It was a dreamy feeling. Before he knew it, he was lying next to Rowaine, who was lying on the duvet, and he curled up. At the same time, her hand gently stroked his fur as a very sweet scent that calmed his nerves intertwined in the air. Not to mention the fluffy pillows. Even though he had come here to soothe Rowaine, who was trembling with fear, on the contrary, he felt that it was his own heart instead that was being soothed. ¡®Happy.¡¯ Oh, yes. This was happiness. Rubbing his face against Rowaine¡¯s hair, he clasped her wrists tightly like he would never let her go. . ¡®I feel better now.¡¯ The round head that touched the back of my hand, the tickling feeling of the whiskers, and the round, soft front paws that hugged my wrist were so overwhelmingly cute ¡ª All my nerves turned to Blue, and I no longer cared about the storm outside. I laid down on my arm pillow and tickled Blue¡¯s chin with my finger. Then, I suddenly realized that a lot of the chest part of my pajamas had been exposed, so I glanced at Blue in surprise. ¡®No matter how much I care about cats.¡¯ I sneakily grabbed my clothes and gazed into Blue¡¯s eyes for no reason. Blue, who was holding my wrist, raised his head in wonder. ¡°By the way, you, Blue.¡± As I whispered, he tilted his head as if he understood what I was saying. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Cats have similar fur colors or similar looks depending on the species, so it might be a silly thought. However¡­¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°You look alike¡­¡± I stroked the soft blue-gray fur as I paused my words before peering intently into the emerald-colored eyes. ¡°With Dimitri.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was even worse when those words came out of my mouth. Come to think of it, you can see that when Coco and Sasha were in a human form, some of the characteristics from when they were in a cat form were similar, like hair color or eye color. In that sense, the blue-gray hair that sparkled blue when exposed to light and the green jewel-like eyes closely resemble Dimitri¡¯s. ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s possible.¡¯ Blue came to me first when Dimitri was cold. In addition, unlike the elegant and sharp Dimitri, Blue was mischievous and laid-back. Still, what if all of that was just me mistaken because of his cute looks? At the thought, I narrowed my eyes and uttered with a little nervous mind. ¡°Dimitri.¡± Blue stared at me without blinking an eye. ¡°Dimitri, stop. Reveal yourself.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed everything. I won¡¯t say anything, so let¡¯s be honest.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Dimitri.¡± At that moment, Blue jumped up to his feet. I swallowed my dry saliva and imagined Blue turning into Dimitri. However¡­ ¡°Nyaan?¡± As I got up halfway, Blue cried in a very lovely voice and rubbed his head. ¡°Nyaan!¡± It was a pretty voice full of cuteness as if he were a kitten. Then, groaning as if in a very good mood, he sat down and started kneading on the pillow I was sleeping on. ¡®Blue is kneading!¡¯ As Blue was always reliable and dignified, I often forgot that a cat is still a cat. It was an act of childishness whenever cats wanted to meow or whenever they were in a good mood. I laughed awkwardly at myself for questioning the cat to reveal its identity. ¡°What was I thinking? To think that Dimitri would have turned into a cat and come to my bedroom like this.¡± It was absolutely ridiculous. Why would he do that? Besides, Dimitri never showed his cat form to anyone. Nevertheless, did Blue not appear in front of me very often? ¡°Dimitri would be stern even in the form of a cat. Our Blue looks like such a cute baby. Right, Blue? Oh, my¡­ So cute! Blue is pretty, too! That¡¯s right, there you go.¡± ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Dimitri grabbed his pounding heart and took a deep breath, turning his back from Rowaine. ¡®¡­I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going through such a disgrace.¡¯ He would rather bite his tongue. Embarrassed by Rowaine suddenly calling his name, Dimitri did something he would not do the most to avoid the situation. ¡®Even when I was young, I didn¡¯t cry out loud with such a voice like this.¡¯ He was so ashamed that he wanted to die. Although it avoided Rowaine¡¯s suspicions, he was so embarrassed that he wondered if he had to do this to avoid being caught. As he struggled inwardly, he could hear Rowaine¡¯s peaceful breathing behind his back. Dimitri lifted his head slightly and gazed at the sleeping Rowaine. He could not take his gaze away from her. As if possessed, he turned his body and sat down towards her. A serene face. ¡­Why? Why does his chest feel so tight? ¡®Is it because of the good scent?¡¯ With a small sigh, he rolled up next to Rowaine and laid down. As he watched her, his mind calmed and he felt warm. ¡®As long as I didn¡¯t get caught¡­¡¯ Yes. That was all. Rowaine¡¯s bed was very comfortable and pleasant, as if floating on the clouds. I took a small breath as I watched Blue¡¯s stomach go up and down before falling asleep. ¡®Blue.¡¯ From some point on, I have been hugging Blue without me even realizing it. ¡®Nyaa!¡¯ Blue gently held me in my arms as it made a grumbling sound. It was so cute and adorable that I grabbed its little head and gave a kiss on its nose so that I could hear it make the sound again from its small mouth. Then, I opened my eyes. ¡®Dimitri¡­?¡¯ All of a sudden, I was in Dimitri¡¯s wide arms instead. ¡®Rowaine.¡¯ Calling me in a low, heart-rending voice, he gazed at me mellowly. Even though I tried to get out of his arms, it was so warm and cozy. In addition, before I could even try to escape, he grabbed my waist before pulling me closer and closer to him, as if our bodies were attached to a magnet. ¡®You smell good, Rowaine.¡¯ As he moved his nose to my neck and smelled it, the tip of Dimitri¡¯s nose and lips brushed against my skin lightly. ¡®You smell like I want to just consume¡­ What kind of scent is this?¡¯ An alluring voice. I swallowed my saliva in a hot breath. And¡­ ¡°Yelp, anng!¡± ¡°Huuk!¡± Somewhere, I woke up to a scream. It was dawn before I knew it. ¡®¡­It was a dream.¡¯ It was a really strange dream. When I glanced around, I could see Blue sitting by the window. ¡°Blue? Why are you there?¡± Then, the scream I thought I had heard in my dream erupted again. ¡°Aenngg!¡± ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± As I approached the place where Blue was sitting, opened the curtains and looked out, my eyes widened. While the Emperor¡¯s hounds were tied to a tree in the garden, the servants that Herman had brought were aimed at the hounds with slingshots. Each time they hit the hounds with their slingshots from afar, they giggled as they wrote down the numbers on the dirt floor to see if they were scoring according to the part they hit. ¡°Such craziness¡­!¡± Astonished, I put on my shawl and ran outside as soon as I could. The scene I saw as soon as I opened my eyes was such an unbelievable sight. My body reacted first to the thought that I had to stop them right away without time to even think about it. ¡°Can¡¯t you quit right now?¡± As I sprinted out the front door and shouted, the servants of Herman who heard my voice glanced at me. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Ah, Duchess.¡± ¡°We were just having fun. We apologize if it was too loud.¡± Although they said that, there was no sign of guilt on their faces in the slightest as they scratched their heads and apologized calmly. I was at a loss for words when I saw the countless stones that fell around the hounds. ¡®¡­Having fun? They¡¯re animals that cannot speak¡­ no, they¡¯re shapeshifters who can speak.¡¯ Even though it was already terrible to torment animals, I was amazed at how they casually abused beings with similar intelligence. Was it not instinctively a little more reluctant to bully people who speak the same language as them and have a similar thinking level? ¡°Release them now.¡± At my command, the servants widened their eyes. ¡°That would be dangerous.¡± ¡°Trust me, and let them go. I will take them with me.¡± ¡°Still, we have to leave soon¡­¡± ¡°Is departing now the problem? They¡¯re bleeding! We need to treat them!¡± I lost my temper and shouted. Then, the servants glanced behind me. I followed their gaze and turned around. Herman was looking at this from the third-floor window. Only then did I realize¡­ if these servants were not crazy, they would not have been making a fuss in the garden since the early morning when even the servants of this mansion had not yet woken up. I stood by the window and stared at Herman, who was glancing at me with interest. ¡®He tested me¡­?¡¯ __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Did he do this because he wanted to know what I would do? If he was not testing me, why did he do this? Even though it was complicated in my head, I decided to bring Cadis, who was bleeding, into the mansion first. This was what Herman wanted, and I could not help but feel that I was playing right into the palm of his hand. ¡®There is a life bleeding right before my eyes like this, I can¡¯t just let it go.¡¯ I could not be that cold, and I did not have the temper to be calm at the sight of blood. ¡°Derek, bring me some medicine and bandages.¡± The butler, who came running late, promptly brought me a treatment tool at my order before I closed the drawing room door. I pretended to treat him with medicine while I was secretly using my healing powers. I was planning to treat Cadis only a little bit so that no one would suspect it. ¡®They¡¯d think I used good medicine.¡¯ I hoped that they would think so. However, when I used my powers, Cadis suddenly shuddered and glanced at me. ¡°Just now¡­ It felt uncomfortable, Eunsoo.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Are you using black magic?¡± I did not know if what I possessed was black magic. Still, I was trying to do something like he said regardless so I could not answer him, flustered. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Did my power not work against Cadis? ¡®I¡¯ve only used it on humans and cat shapeshifters.¡¯ When I couldn¡¯t say anything, Cadis uttered with kind eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll hold it in no matter what Eunsoo does. So, do whatever you please.¡± It felt as if I had been hit in the back of the head by those words. ¡°You said it was uncomfortable, but you¡¯re going to hold on without knowing what I¡¯m doing?¡± ¡°Because Eunsoo is a good person.¡± Somehow, I could not help but feel strange at the blind trust. Were dog shapeshifters like this in the first place¡­? ¡°Did you hold back those thoughts when they threw stones at you earlier?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not true. We¡¯re trained to persevere in any situation unless we¡¯re ordered to attack someone.¡± It meant that no matter what they did to him, he would just have to endure it. I know that the Emperor¡¯s hounds were engraved with a curse that would lead to death if they did not obey their master¡¯s orders because the main plot of the novel was that the original female protagonist got rid of it and saved Cadiz. Nonetheless¡­ I was still upset even though I knew it. ¡°There¡¯s no such stupid training. If someone harasses you, you have to resist.¡± ¡°We¡¯re strong.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Humans are weak. If we resist and attack, they could be hurt or killed.¡± ¡°Then, what if you get hurt.¡± ¡°I can stand it. In order to live in harmony with the master in the human world, we have to endure the things we hate.¡± ¡®¡­Oh, I¡¯m going to die of anger.¡¯ Why is he so inflexible? It was difficult to understand when I saw the dog shapeshifter, who was so inflexible and blindly loyal, after only seeing the unruly cat shapeshifters. ¡®Dogs and cats are so different.¡¯ Again, feeling the difference, I asked him. ¡°If your owner makes you suffer and hurt, why do you have to live together?¡± Cadis could not answer. At first, it seemed as though he did not have any concept of living without the existence of a ¡®master¡¯ in his head. I asked once again. ¡°Even if you could choose freedom, would you go back to His Majesty?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Cadis silently gazed into my eyes. I thought I understood the meaning of that silence. I once saw a broadcast about a dog left alone in a country house whose guardian had passed away. The dog, not understanding why the guardian suddenly disappeared, waited for them in the same place for years and years without following anyone. The veterinarian who analyzed the dog¡¯s behavior said, ¡°For dogs, the owner is the world and everything. I think dogs are happy when they are with their owners in any adverse conditions.¡± As the contents of the broadcast crossed my mind, I was very sad and furious. The Emperor did not trust the dog shapeshifters, so he put a curse on their hearts. However, were the dog shapeshifters not blindly loyal to their owners as they were their owners¡­? ¡®Later, the heroine will change Cadis¡¯ mind and become his new owner and lover.¡¯ I do not know how much it comforts me at this moment that I know the future. How frustrating and heartbreaking it would have been if I did not know Cadis¡¯ future. ¡®If I do anything more here, it¡¯s simply nosy¡­ I can¡¯t save Cadis.¡¯ In the end, I sighed briefly and opened my mouth again. ¡°Please keep it a secret that I tried to use unknown powers on you.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It only makes you feel uncomfortable even though there¡¯s nothing wrong with your body, right?¡± ¡°It was a little awkward because it collided with the mana I had, but¡­¡± He showed me his wounds. ¡°Fascinatingly, I¡¯m no longer in pain. Did you heal me?¡± Hearing these words, I noticed that his wound had stopped bleeding, and new flesh had sprouted from it. ¡®It¡¯s working.¡¯ Even if the mana of each kind of shapeshifter were different, the effect seemed to be applied as it was. ¡°If anyone asks, don¡¯t say anything and just say that I used very expensive and good medicine.¡± ¡°Yes. I will.¡± Then, I applied a plaster to his wound and carefully wrapped him with bandages. I had to send him back to Herman. As I was about to get up, Cadis spoke to me one last time. ¡°Thank you, Eunsoo.¡± I could see the infinite trust and gratitude in his eyes. There was a resounding sincerity that took my breath away. It was too straight and strong for me to bear, and I was rather tormented by the regret that I could not get him out of the pain. In the end, I could not bear it anymore and turned my head away. As I went out to the front door with Cadis, Herman, who had already packed up and was preparing to return to the Imperial Palace, welcomed me. ¡°Good morning, Duchess.¡± I felt like punching at the grinning face, but I preserved and handed Cadis over to his servant. ¡°As you must have heard from the servants, it was noisy outside, and when I went out, your servants were harassing this shapeshifter.¡± ¡°Oh, dear. My people have been behaving rudely and disrespecting the Duchess. I don¡¯t know how to apologize. Please forgive me. I¡¯ll also make sure to keep them under control.¡± After he shamelessly apologized, Herman shuddered at the sight of the badges on Cadis. ¡°Did you treat that hound yourself?¡± While I did not know why he was testing me, I was equally brazen in his face. ¡°Since we had a very satisfactory deal with His Majesty, we¡¯re only doing our due diligence to the Emperor¡¯s hounds ??in consideration of our trust. It¡¯s not a big deal, so there¡¯s nothing to be thankful for.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Herman smiled softly before uttering meaningfully. ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot.¡± I did not panic and responded with a smile, pretending to be pleasant. ¡°Let¡¯s take that as a compliment.¡± ¡°Of course. As the Duchess said, it must be thanks to a happy marriage.¡± I nodded as I watched Dimitri gracefully descending the stairs in perfect shape just in time. ¡°My husband has changed me a lot. Thanks to that, I deeply realized how wrong I was in the past and reflected deeply. In the past, I used to be such a shameful person.¡± It meant that Dimitri had changed my perception of the shapeshifters considerably. ¡®If you say this, he wouldn¡¯t think of me as weird.¡¯ If he perhaps thought that I was acting strange after seeing me being nice to Cadis, this would nip off the seeds of doubt. ¡°Aha¡­ I see.¡± Herman nodded his head with a peculiar face. As Dimitri approached with an expressionless expression and asked, ¡°Have you not gone yet? How long are you going to be crushing me?¡± and threatened him, our conversation ended just like that. Herman had no choice but to leave as if he had been kicked out of the mansion. Staring at the carriage for a while, he then looked back at me and coughed. ¡°Good morning, Rowaine.¡± His complexion looked so bright that I could not help but ask about his sleep last night. ¡°You must¡¯ve had a good night¡¯s sleep, Dimitri. Your complexion looks good. Did you have a good dream?¡± However, he suddenly blushed in surprise. ¡°It, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Soon, he disappeared as if he was running away. Looking at his back as he was heading up the stairs, I tilted my head. ¡°Is Blue still in the room? Should I take him to the annex and have a morning hunting game together?¡± I felt at peace after a long time. The problem with the Emperor was resolved very satisfactorily, and all the hounds he had taken hostage were sent back. Although I had a sad feeling about Cadis¡¯ situation, I was about to establish a good relationship with him anyway, so I thought I might have escaped the fate of being executed as a villain. Now, all I have left to do is enjoy a peaceful time with my lovely cats. ¡­But after a few hours, I realized that I had been mistaken. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 When I went back to the room, Blue had already disappeared. ¡®He¡¯s quite elusive.¡¯ After I called Agwen to wash up and change my clothes leisurely, I went down to the first floor. However, for some reason, the mansion was in a commotion when I went down the stairs. ¡°Where is the Master?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to tell the head maid, too.¡± ¡°I heard there were several carriages?¡± ¡°Should I clean the guest room?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the Master?¡± ¡®¡­What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Lucy, the maid who saw me coming down the stairs, ran and explained the situation to me. ¡°Madam Elbas is waiting at the front door with several people. What should we do?¡± ¡°Madam Elbas?¡± It seemed like my mother-in-law decided to come since the morning without any notice. ¡®Ah, last night¡¯s storm was like a foreshadowing of this?¡¯ This storm was a storm that broke our daily lives. Needless to say, there was tension in the air. ¡®Why is she here? To repay me for the disgrace I did to her last time? Or, because I got rid of all her limbs that were left in the mansion?¡¯ I did not even have to think about what to do. ¡°I¡¯ll look for Dimitri.¡± As I uttered, I ran back and forth with the employees to find him. Dimitri, who sometimes disappears for hours in the mansion, was nowhere to be seen. I ran towards the annex just in case, but he was still nowhere to be seen. There were only Coco and Sasha, who were in a chase with Blue. ¡°Blue! Long time no see.¡± I greeted Blue warmly. Blue proudly passed me and headed somewhere. It was the place where there was a box containing cat toys. ¡°I want to play with you, but I can¡¯t today. My mother-in-law is here, and I need to find Dimitri¡­¡± The moment I finished my words, Blue suddenly jumped and sprinted somewhere. ¡®Did it see a bird¡­?¡¯ Turning to Coco and Sasha, I firmly told them to stay still and hide in the annex today before heading back to the main building again. In the meantime, it seems that someone found Dimitri and delivered the news. He was coming down the stairs with his hardened face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rowaine. I couldn¡¯t leave her at the door so I told them to let the previous Duchess in. Just deal with them in moderation and ignore them.¡± A look of annoyance was evident. ¡°I understand.¡± We went out to the front door and waited for Madam Elbas¡¯ carriage. Soon, four carriages arrived one after another. Among them, Madame Elbas got off the splendid carriage with the seal of the Elbas family on it. Subsequently, people in modest clothes rushed down from the three carriages that followed. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been here.¡± Madame Elbas glanced around the mansion once before turning towards Dimitri and me with sharp eyes. ¡°I came here because the incidents at the Blois¡¯ mansion never stop. Oh, I heard that someone came from the Imperial Palace yesterday?¡± Her stinging gaze swept over my whole body. It was the look that thought that the Emperor sent someone because of me. ¡°I want to hear more details.¡± Dimitri and I did not panic. It was expected that there would be rumors that the Royal Palace had sent someone to Blois since there were many eyes there. So, I had already agreed with the Emperor that one of the options when deciding on this year¡¯s vacation destination was the territory of Blois, so that was why they sent people for a preliminary survey. ¡®I didn¡¯t know that I would use that excuse so soon.¡¯ It seemed that Madam Elbas was not alone. The maids helped someone out of the carriage that the Madam had disembarked and brought her down carefully. She was an old woman with white hair. Seeing the old woman made Dimitri¡¯s complexion even worse. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, grandmother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Dimitri. I came to see you personally because I thought you wouldn¡¯t show your face even once until I died.¡± The old lady glanced disapprovingly at Dimitri, then slowly scanned me up and down. Dimitri whispered to me. ¡°She¡¯s Madam Elbas¡¯ mother, my paternal grandmother.¡± The previous Duke and Duchess, who passed on their titles to their children, were stipulated by law to leave Blois and move to the Elbas estate. That was why Cayetana was called Madame Elbas in the sense that she was the previous Duchess who went to the Elbas estate. However, when Cayetana went to the Elbas estate, Dimitri¡¯s grandmother was still there. So, she became the predecessor of Madam Elbas and the title by which she was called¡­ ¡°You can call me grandmother Rosanne.¡± After reading my worried expression over her title, grandmother clicked her tongue and told me her own name. ¡°Of course, someone who doesn¡¯t care if I¡¯m alive or dead didn¡¯t tell his wife the name of his grandmother.¡± She then glanced at me once and grumbled. ¡°When a new person joins the family, you have to greet the elders of the family. If the husband didn¡¯t know that, the wife should¡¯ve taken care of it. Why do both of you behave like this? Tsk, tsk.¡± ¡®Well, I thought Madam Elbas was the final boss of this family though there was a stronger boss¡­¡¯ Dimitri spoke discontentedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t go because I thought that seeing my face would only upset your heart. It¡¯s for grandmother¡¯s sake since you don¡¯t like me.¡± I opened my mouth wide. ¡­Was it okay to say something like that to your grandmother? It was a very unconventional remark for me, who was born in Korea and values ??respect for adults above all else and ranked people according to age rather than ability. ¡°Have you finished talking? This mannerless boy. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t like you even if I want to.¡± Dimitri pursed his lips as if to protest something more, but I hurriedly tugged his sleeve to stop it. This was not a matter of turning on an old lady with your face red with anger. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, grandmother. I didn¡¯t have time beforehand.¡± Even though I became the Duchess, albeit by contract, I should have asked about his family relationship and memorized their name at least once since it was a matter of basic interest. Still, this might sound like an excuse, but¡­ ¡®I didn¡¯t think there would be any more adults in Blois because the novel only focused on Mrs. Elbas.¡¯ Dimitri frowned and glanced at me, not understanding why I was apologizing. Meanwhile, Madam. Elbas, who had a face that seemed like no blood would come out even if I stabbed her, grabbed one of grandmother¡¯s arms, which was supported by a maid. ¡°Let¡¯s go in, mother. It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve ridden a carriage, so you¡¯d better get some rest.¡± ¡°Yes. My back hurts.¡± Grandmother Rosanne, who took a deep breath as if it was difficult, spoke as if notifying Dimitri. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay for a few days, just so you know.¡± ¡°In this way without saying a word¡­!¡± ¡°Do I have to ask for permission when I come here? You haven¡¯t seen my face for a long time, but you must have already forgotten that my name has ¡®Blois¡¯ after it!¡± At the shrill voice of grandmother Rosanne, who spoke frightfully like a tiger, Dimitri tensed his body as he exposed his fangs. He seemed surprised. Although cats were naturally startled animals, it seemed to me that Dimitri was more irritated by grandmother than by Madam Elbas. ¡°I¡¯ve lived here longer than you and contributed to raising Blois this much. And now, you¡¯re frowning at the fact that I¡¯m only staying here for a few days? This wicked man ¡°¡­.¡± Grandmother swung her cane as if she was going to hit Dimitri¡¯s shin before clicking her tongue out and entering the mansion. When grandmother Rosanne and Madame Elbas entered, the people who had come with them glanced at us and followed them in as well. Dimitri, who was looking at their backs, sighed and told me an unexpected fact. ¡°It was my grandmother who hated me more than anyone, but she stopped the vassals and Madam Elbas from opposing me to receive the title of the Duke.¡± I didn¡¯t even know about such a story. Hearing that, I understand a little why Dimitri is more nervous about Rosanne than with Madam Elbas. ¡®She¡¯s still in the forefront of power.¡¯ Despite that, was the reason why there was not much weight in the novel because it was an issue with Madam Elbas? It was a matter that I had to wait to see. Regardless, I nodded my head back firmly to his words and replied. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°You have no idea what she¡¯s thinking. Grandmother is unpredictable. Be careful, Madam.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Even though I said so, to be honest, I was not very confident. Still, we could not keep grandmother Rosanne and Madam Elbas waiting, so I took a deep breath and headed to the drawing room with him. ¡°Prepare some refreshments, Lucy.¡± As we entered the drawing room after asking the maid, grandmother Rosanne, who was sitting at the head of the table, offered the seats to us as if she was the master. ¡°Sit down, all of you.¡± When we sat down, Madam Elbas spoke her words with a harsh voice while grandmother Rosanne was beside us like she was overseeing the conversation. ¡°Is it Lady Ramer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Rowaine.¡± ¡°Yes, Lady Rena. I¡¯ll speak comfortably from now on.¡± Dimitri, who was next to me, did not hide his displeasure with his arms crossed as if he had something to say. Madam Elbas started scolding me without giving him a glance. ¡°I heard that you¡¯ve changed a large number of Blois¡¯s employees.¡± I thought she was going to bring up the last time I sat on her lap at Elbas¡¯ mansion and played pranks on her, but she did not. Perhaps, Dimitri had made a good excuse for that. I told the truth as it was. ¡°Yes, we have been dealing with some of the negligent employees for embezzlement.¡± ¡°Are you saying that because you can¡¯t crack down on one of your employees, you¡¯re replacing them as if you were going to change accessories?¡± Although it was Madam Elbas herself who deliberately tamed the employees without cracking down on them, she shamelessly blamed me instead. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 I answered, preventing Dimitri from sitting crookedly and uttering any sharp venomous words at any moment. ¡°We¡¯ve been hiring sincere people again and managing them well from the beginning, so there won¡¯t be any problems in the future.¡± ¡°No matter how good the people you recruited are, it¡¯s difficult to find good employees. I¡¯ve brought in a few good people, so I¡¯ll leave them in Blois and make sure they can do well.¡± It seems that those people who came in earlier and were standing in the hallway weren¡¯t Madam Elbas¡¯ personal maids, but her limbs to be replanted in Blois. I was taken aback. How many of her people did I take out and leave only the good ones? Holding back my anger a little, I declined with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The new employees have already stabilized and are working without problems.¡± Grandma Rosanne cut off my words. ¡°It¡¯s not that I reject human kindness like that. Madam Elbas is experienced and has good eyes, so give it a try with the people she brings. And¡­¡± She spoke quickly so that we couldn¡¯t intercept nor have any objections. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you having a wedding?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­¡± ¡°While we¡¯re here, start preparing for the wedding. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re being lazy or need some help. Anyway, Madam Elbas is here so she¡¯ll teach you a lot in many ways. That¡¯s why she came here.¡± It¡¯d have been known anyway that Dimitri and I weren¡¯t married for love, but that there would have been some kind of story going on between the two of us. It wasn¡¯t marriage with love, and according to Dimitri, many aristocratic couples who got married by arrangement skipped the wedding and took care of the matter on their own. Of course, I wasn¡¯t married by arrangement, but I knew anyway that a wedding wasn¡¯t necessary in my case either. ¡°Still, there will be no one who doesn¡¯t know about our marriage, and they wouldn¡¯t be unhappy about it, so why¡ª¡± Grandma Rosanne interrupted me and said, ¡°I heard rumors that Rowaine had been in the annex for a long time, even after taking the wedding vows, so why on earth was that? Shouldn¡¯t you be doing well so that people don¡¯t gossip about your relationship for no reason? You have to prepare a ceremony and show a smiling face in front of people to be able to close their mouths. By the way, you¡¯re sleeping together now, right?¡± If it went like this, I wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything as everything seemed to go according to the wishes of Grandma Rosanne and Madame Elbas. ¡®¡­I can¡¯t be swayed.¡¯ That thought struck me strongly. The two were testing us. No, it would be me whom they were testing. They must have already figured out Dimitri. ¡®Are they trying to find out what a docile daughter-in-law I am?¡¯ I was somehow used to this atmosphere. It was because this was often seen in the morning dramas that my maternal grandmother enjoyed. Over the past ten years, I have watched morning and evening dramas with her, and have seen many conflicts between father and mother. ¡®As the first daughter-in-law, who¡¯s kind and gentle, shed tears of blood¡­ The second daughter-in-law, who was cold and capable, was treated with care.¡¯ Even if it isn¡¯t necessarily the composition of the first and second daughter-in-law, the mother-in-law couldn¡¯t cope with the spoiled lover in the composition of the grandmother-in-law vs. the lover. I made up my mind. ¡®I don¡¯t want to bring back the limbs of Madam Elbas that I¡¯ve been trying to get rid of until now, I don¡¯t want to force a wedding with no friends to celebrate, and I don¡¯t want to hear nagging about the marital relationship.¡¯ There¡¯s one thing I always keep in my mind. That was the saying, ¡®Let¡¯s just go all out with these kinds of people.¡¯ There was no need to be careful with humans who aren¡¯t even cats. ¡°Don¡¯t you hear grandmother asking? Did you sleep together already?¡± At Madame Elbas¡¯ urging, I smiled. Then, in front of anyone, especially Dimitri, I spat out words that I wouldn¡¯t have said even if I had died. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m already pregnant.¡± For a moment, silence fell in the drawing room as the eyes of the three people were focused on me. Among them, Dimitri¡¯s eyes grew especially large. Madam Elbas asked suspiciously. ¡°How long have you been married?¡± I replied with a calm face. ¡°I know. It¡¯s fast.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Same room¡­¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°One shot, one kill.¡± I¡¯m an introverted and timid person. I¡¯m also very shy¡­ I mean, that was usually the case. However, in a tense situation like now, the words that came out of my mouth were different. ¡°How skillful Dimitri is and how well he uses his strength. There was no time for us to enjoy the newlyweds, but a child had already stumbled in. How much every night¡­¡± As I praised Dimitri till my mouth became dry for the night I had never had with him, Madam Elbas coughed and stopped me. ¡°Stop. You¡¯re not even embarrassed but also talkative.¡± ¡°What do you mean, ashamed! Since the Madam asked the question first, I thought you¡¯d be curious, so I¡¯m telling you in detail as a daughter-in-law. If pregnancy and childbirth are sacred things that deserve to be blessed, I think the sexual intercourse that causes them should also be blessed. Please, continue to take great interest in our married life.¡± Dimitri started coughing next to me. Even though he hadn¡¯t drunk anything, he seemed to have choked. Although I heard him cough, I couldn¡¯t stop. Right now, I was a runaway locomotive that operated rampantly burning coals full of fuel tanks. ¡°I can explain how many times I do it a day, how long it takes to do it, and in what posture I do it in like I¡¯m painting it out for you. If you have any questions, ask anytime, anywhere. Don¡¯t imagine yourself, Madam. That¡¯d be a bit of a stretch.¡± Madam Elbas shook her body as if she was stunned. ¡°Who¡¯d think of such a thing!¡± ¡°So consequently, grandmother Rosanne and Madam Elbas. The doctor told me to get enough rest for the time being for the child. It seems that I¡¯ve no choice but to omit the wedding. I was waiting to tell you when the baby in my stomach is a little more stable.¡± Speechless, Madam Elbas shut her mouth and stared at me. Meanwhile, grandmother Rosanne pondered for a moment before nodding her head as she stared into the air while holding her armrests. ¡°If the doctor said so, then you should rest. Is there anything else?¡± I thought I might be pushed about it more forcefully, but it seemed that it wouldn¡¯t be as difficult to persuade grandmother than I thought. I decided to attack grandmother Rosanne and added excuses. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m worried that I¡¯m getting very sensitive and my body¡¯s exhausted, so suddenly managing and supervising the new hires might become overwhelming, grandmother. In order to increase the number of employees and establish order at this time, there are probably more than one or two things to be concerned about¡­¡± ¡°Well.¡± At those words, grandmother frowned. I gazed at her eagerly, waiting for the answer I wanted to hear. However, it seemed like that wasn¡¯t enough. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. That much would be solved if there was a competent maid.¡± If I pushed further here, the ability of Lucy, the maid I¡¯ve built, would be devalued. In the end, I¡¯d have no choice but to nod my head, as it might backfire that even the head maid position would be filled with Mrs. Elbas¡¯ people. ¡°It seems that I was too greedy and tried to do everything on my own. I¡¯ll obey grandmother¡¯s words.¡± Just in time, the butler came and informed me that the rooms for grandmother Rosanne and Madame Elbas had been cleaned up. ¡°I need to rest a little.¡± Grandmother stood up from her seat. Before Madam Elbas could even step out, I hurriedly supported grandmother. Even though the Madam¡¯s gaze made my skin sting, I smiled brightly. At the same time, grandma didn¡¯t push me away. ¡°Anyway, congratulations on your pregnancy. I¡¯ll see the grandchild soon.¡± As expected, grandmothers are soft when it comes to grandchildren. ¡®She shouldn¡¯t expect too much from my imaginary pregnancy.¡¯ ¡­A silent tribute to grandmother¡¯s expectations. I¡¯m already a well-known villain in this world anyway, and the villain did just a little bit of evil. ¡®I¡¯m going to have to pay for a doctor.¡¯ Dimitri paced through the hallway, waiting for Rowaine, who took grandmother into a room on the first floor in consideration of her as she had difficulty moving. ¡°See you at dinner!¡± Before long, Rowaine walked out of grandmother¡¯s room with a friendly greeting. Dimitri, leaning obliquely in the hallway, stood with his arms crossed and stared at her. Soon, the corner of one of his lips twitched up. ¡°Why is your smile so mean?¡± Rowaine¡¯s eyes widened. He stood firm with a sullen expression on the words he uttered. ¡°Pregnant?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°Same room?¡± ¡°Di-Dimitri, that¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s, it¡¯s an improvisation¡­ haha¡ª¡± Rowaine¡¯s face burned as if she was about to explode, unlike someone who had just spoken those things to grandma Rosanne and Madame Elbas with a brazen face. This shyness was the real image of her he had always seen. He laughed mischievously and made fun of her. ¡°What are you ashamed of now? I thought sexual intercourse deserves a blessing as well?¡± Dimitri¡¯s sense of playfulness, which had never been seen, crept up at the sight of Rowaine at a loss for what to do. He repeated what she had said. ¡°I can explain to Madam Elbas how many times a day I do it a day, how long it takes to do it, and in what posture I do it in like I¡¯m painting it out for you. If that¡¯s the case, I can keep my mouth shut, but it¡¯s totally up to Rowaine¡¯s taste, so just tell me.¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Rowaine, who shook her head from side to side quickly with a painful sound, apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I was wrong! Dimitri must have been shocked, too¡­¡± Seeing her reaction, Dimitri uttered mercifully with a look of no concern at all. ¡°No. You did a great job. Madam Elbas¡¯s expression was really worth looking at. I was very satisfied.¡± Rowaine couldn¡¯t raise her head and tried to run past him. However, Dimitri, with his long legs, easily caught up to her with his stride and persisted with tenacity. ¡°When are you planning to give birth? What¡¯s the child¡¯s name? Is it okay if I name it for you?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°How about herbal medicine? That¡¯d be useful.¡± ¡°Are you punishing me? I¡¯ll apologize. I¡¯m very sorry for the bombshell remarks without consultation, Dimitri.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I just want to respect Rowaine¡¯s will. Still, from now on, I want to hear about my family plans in advance.¡± Narrowing her eyes, Rowaine¡¯s gaze was focused on him to try to figure out his intentions. ¡°¡­For what?¡± ¡°My fun?¡± ¡°I knew it!¡± She stared at Dimitri with a burning red face. Seeing Rowaine like that, he chuckled and shrugged. ¡°What are you going to do if you look at me so passionately you have frivolity in your stomach? Our child seems to be created just by the wife¡¯s imagination, so you have to be careful.¡± ¡°Ah, really!¡± In the end, Rowaine sped up her pace and ran away. The smell of the fresh grass left in the air pleasantly stimulated the tip of Dimitri¡¯s nose. It was the first time he knew that making fun of people was so much fun. He continued to laugh out loud. ¡®I can¡¯t even imagine how limitless her brain would be.¡¯ It was so exhilarating that the words of Madam Elbas, who was being completely unreasonable, were completely blocked. Dimitri was really excited. Whenever he was fighting with Madam Elbas, countless sharp words came and went, and his voice would rise. Because of the bloody tension, he always felt terrible after talking to her. However, when Rowaine was caught between the two, the situation was completely different. This was already the second time she crushed Madame Elbas with words and actions. ¡®An interesting person.¡¯ As he thought so, Dimitri gazed at Rowaine¡¯s back as she ran away and grinned. He actually didn¡¯t realize how happy his face was. ¡°¡­.¡± Cayetana¡¯s eyes grew sharper as she saw Dimitri smiling with a very happy face in the distance in the hallway. Her clenched fists were expressing her feelings. ¡®¡­How dare you smile like that?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t tolerate it. Cayetana inevitably ground her teeth. ¡®I can¡¯t let that filthy bastard make a face like that.¡¯ She didn¡¯t come here to play. In fact, she had been concerned that Dimitri might be happy after the marriage and that he might have overcome the loneliness and sadness she had planted. ¡®I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s smiling shamelessly while sitting on the duke¡¯s seat that was supposed to be my children¡¯s even after killing them.¡¯ I won¡¯t let it go. With a flash of hatred in her eyes, Cayetana gave a sharp smile. She then called her own private maid. ¡°Betty.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°Go and find out if the Duchess¡¯s pregnancy is real. In addition, find out if there are any flaws in the Duchess.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Betty, taking her orders, quietly retreated. Even so, Cayetana stood still for a long while in the same spot, staring at Dimitri until he disappeared. ¡®I¡¯ll take revenge for my children¡­ I¡¯ll trample all his happiness and uproot it so that it doesn¡¯t sprout. That mouth will surely make him confess his sins.¡¯ Dimitri shouldn¡¯t be happy. It should¡¯ve been her children, not Dimitri, who were enjoying everything and laughing happily. ¡®¡­It should have been you who should have died on the battlefield, Dimitri.¡¯ Hatred and anger filled her eyes. At the same time, her hand trembled as she gripped her chest. When Cayetana turned her head, her children were everywhere in the Blois mansion. The children who crawled, walked and ran around, became the joy of this place¡­ Her precious children who wouldn¡¯t get hurt because they were always in her gaze. Even though she always had an upright face and didn¡¯t show it, Cayetana was still trapped at the time she heard the news of her children¡¯s death. Her irreplaceable despair turned to Dimitri with an arrow of victimization and delusion. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t be happy.¡¯ Cayetana¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°I wish the Duchess was really pregnant.¡± Then, she could present him with even greater despair. The next morning. Even though Madam Elbas and grandmother Rosanne were visiting, my daily life went on as usual. I was reviewing documents with Baron Seville Placen, who had recently been appointed my aide. From budgets and greetings to the estate¡¯s welfare issues, there were a lot of things that I needed to know more than I thought. Originally, these were all things Dimitri was handling, but from the moment he gave me his office, he was handing over his work little by little. ¡®If you divide these budgets by 2, it¡¯s roughly the same as the Korean exchange rate¡­ This is a reasonable amount.¡¯ Looking at the ledger, my eyes widened. ¡®Even if I divide it by 2, the amount is so huge that I¡¯m exhausted¡­¡¯ Although I didn¡¯t even have a calculator, I was glad that it wasn¡¯t a number like dividing by seven or eleven. If it had been, it¡¯d have been much more difficult than it is now. Then, I read the documents slowly, step by step, so as not to make a mistake. It was a huge amount just for the labor cost that went out to the employees of the mansion for a month. In addition to the estate budget, things like the head of each Duchy¡¯s department were added to it as well. Numbers were spinning in front of my eyes. When I was nervous at the thought that if I made a mistake, I would cause a lot of damage, Baron Placen opened his mouth sternly. ¡°As I said before, these are documents that administrators meticulously check and submit. They are talented people.¡± It seemed that he misunderstood that I was trying to pick a hole in something. He was the one who was against Dimitri leaving me to do these things. In particular, he didn¡¯t want to show me the documents showing the flow of funds in relation to the Duchess¡¯s budget, saying that it should be handled secretly. Rather than being angry with him, I understood him. Rather, his boundaries felt like loyalty. ¡®He must be worried about Rowaine¡¯s notoriety because she can force it to be spent on the wrong budget.¡¯ Just as Count Larscel and his wife were blinded by money and could sell their daughters away, Rowaine was a person who could sell her parents for money, too. That was how much she loved money and jewelry, and lusted for a lot of luxury. People who like to gossip were talking about her misdeeds, and there was no way they could have left that out. Almost all nobles knew that ¡®Rowaine¡¯ was a person of extravagance in addition to cruelty, and that would have even reached the ears of Baron Placen of Blois. ¡®¡­When he was appointed as my assistant, the expression on his face was amazing.¡¯ Baron Placen was a man who couldn¡¯t hide his expression well. He greeted me reluctantly with a face almost like an ox being dragged to the slaughter. Either way, I just had to do my job. It was a little bumpy, but it didn¡¯t stop him from doing his job. ¡®Dimitri must have figured it out and given me the right person.¡¯ Perhaps Dimitri didn¡¯t want me to fight Baron Placen and divide us into winners and losers, but rather, he wanted the Baron to be on my side¡­ That was what I assumed. ¡®Because Baron Placen is a capable and loyal servant.¡¯ I comforted him, who looked nervous. ¡°It must be frustrating because I¡¯m slow, but I don¡¯t want to be sloppy since it¡¯s my first time learning about this kind of work. Please understand.¡± It was an expression saying not to rush. Baron Placen opened his eyes slightly wide as if he was surprised by my words. ¡°¡­It¡¯s all right. Take your time.¡± The next moment, I checked the items without taking my eyes off the papers before I saw something. I ordered the Baron. ¡°Give me the embezzlement ledgers I gave you earlier.¡± ¡°Here it is.¡± ¡°This part, the regular purchase budget for magic lights hasn¡¯t been revised. So, if it weren¡¯t being embezzled, the number of purchases would¡¯ve been lower than before.¡± ¡°You mean it hasn¡¯t been corrected? Could it be?¡± He frowned as if he didn¡¯t want to believe that his administrators had made a mistake and that I had pointed it out. However, as I said, the number of purchases of magic lights hadn¡¯t been corrected before or after the embezzlement. In the end, Baron Placen took turns looking at the documents, me, and the books, and soon admitted his mistake. ¡°I¡¯ll correct it.¡± I comforted him because he looked so sullen. ¡°It¡¯s a small part, and the amount of embezzlement in the first place isn¡¯t that big compared to other items, so it could happen. This time, there were so many places to take care of. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± I knew that the administrators were very busy with personnel transfers this month and a full-scale investigation into embezzlement. For several weeks, I saw the lights in the office building constantly lit up like a ¡®fire that would never go out.¡¯ However, he was even more startled by my consolation and answered in a slightly louder voice. ¡°No¡­!¡± His voice was so loud that I gazed at him puzzledly. Baron Placen lowered his voice a little before continuing his words. ¡°When mistakes are made in these little things, errors are bound to snowball at some point. We¡¯ll make sure this never happens again. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I was a little angry at the way he was skeptical about what I was going to do with the paperwork. I asked while pretending not to notice his eyes staring at me. ¡°Do you have anything to say? Tell me.¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re staring at me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just thinking you¡¯re more meticulous than I thought¡­ a lot more.¡± Since he¡¯d been brusque with me the whole time, I couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed when he complimented me. ¡®I¡¯ve got to be meticulous. I¡¯m getting tens of millions of won a month in Korean money, so I¡¯m going to waste it.¡¯ I acted calmly on the outside as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal, even though I was delighted on the inside. ¡°I¡¯ve looked through it all, so you can leave now. Let¡¯s stop here for today.¡± Leaning on the backrest, I sent Baron Placen away. Seville Placen left the office after saying his greetings to Rowaine, recalling a conversation he had had with Hyle while drinking at a tavern not long ago. It was shortly after Dimitri ordered him to assist Rowaine in the future. At that time, he was utterly discouraged by that order that came like thunder. To be the closest confidante to her duchess, who only had all kinds of bad rumors about her, and help her¡­ When Hyle saw Seville sighing heavily, he called and took him to the tavern. ¡°Do you hate it that much?¡± ¡°Tell me honestly, Viscount. Did I make a big mistake to His Excellency? Is that why he demoted me?¡± ¡°What do you mean, demotion? His Excellency is well aware of how well the Baron commands the administrators.¡± ¡°Then, why¡­¡± As he had been watching Seville silently, who was speechless as if he was dying of frustration, Hyle suddenly brought up a different story. ¡°Isn¡¯t Blois strangely peaceful these days?¡± Seville, sullen at the thought of working with Rowaine, listened and nodded. ¡°I heard it, and it seems that way.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Blois always on thin ice? It was suffocating.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Isn¡¯t it because there¡¯s nothing unusual going on these days?¡± ¡°Nothing much happened?¡± Hyle jumped up. ¡°What are you talking about? Think carefully. Only recently, the corruption of the employees of the mansion was revealed, and there was a massive change of employees, and His Excellency added new family members. Because of that, he had to also deal with the slave trader. Didn¡¯t he even take the emperor¡¯s hound hostage? Besides, Madam Elbas is at the mansion right now as well.¡± Seville came to his senses at the heated voice and thought it over before agreeing. ¡°Come to think of it, there was a lot of trouble. I don¡¯t know why I thought it was all right.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t His Excellency still quiet?¡± Smiling meaningfully, Hyle lowered his voice. ¡°If it were like before, there would have been a storm of blood. Every day must have been on thin ice.¡± With the atmosphere surrounding Blois, which was frozen like the middle of winter all year round, Seville always shrugged his shoulders, so he felt that Hyle¡¯s analogy was very appropriate. Come to think of it, from a certain moment, the air in Blois was not harsh anymore. Even from Hyle, he could see that he was more relaxed than before, too. ¡°It¡¯s spring. Spring¡­ No matter what happens, Blois won¡¯t freeze like before.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that all of this is thanks to Madam Rowaine?¡± Saying so, Hyle patted Seville on the shoulder. ¡°You will find out soon that you weren¡¯t demoted.¡± At that time, Seville thought that Hyle didn¡¯t want to rub salt in his wound, and he gulped down his drink without saying anything. But now, after leaving the office, he glanced back at the door he came out of and thought¡­ ¡­Perhaps, what Hyle said might have been sincere. After Baron Placen left, I took a moment to relax by tidying up my desk. ¡®Shall we go to Coco and Sasha?¡¯ As I thought so to myself, Madam Elbas suddenly opened the door to the office and appeared. ¡°Uh¡­ Madam Elbas?¡± I was gaping at my mouth for a while with a bewildered face. ¡®¡­To come in without a word or knock like this.¡¯ It was time for Dimitri to go to the training ground. Even though I knew he wasn¡¯t there, I reflexively glanced at his empty seat. ¡®My ally¡­¡¯ I looked at Madam Elbas with a tearful face inside. Wasn¡¯t she really bold? Did she know when Dimitri would come and see me for a moment without him? ¡°Rowaine, I came to talk to you.¡± ¡®Ha¡­ I¡¯m already tired.¡¯ Contrary to my thoughts, I smiled and moved away from the desk to the sofa. ¡°Yes, have a seat.¡± As I sat on the sofa, I gently covered the scratches on the armrests of the luxurious leather sofa with my hand. It was a scratch the other day that Coco and Sasha couldn¡¯t stand the boredom and ran around and scratched it with their claws. In fact, since I entered this office, all the furniture here has had such minor scratches. They were made by Coco and Sasha, who had been following me. ¡®Every time I see it, my heart hurts.¡¯ Furniture made of leather and cats were opposites. This is why, if possible, leather products shouldn¡¯t be used in houses with cats¡­ ¡®But, I didn¡¯t decorate this place.¡¯ Following me as she sat down on the sofa, Madam Elbas glanced over at my outfit with her very disapproving face and nagged. ¡°No matter what kind of house it is, your outfit should always be perfect. That way, the lower ones wouldn¡¯t look down at you. Dignity comes from some extent of splendor.¡± I didn¡¯t want to see myself in a shirt and pants. Wearing a dress on a daily basis was too difficult for modern people who normally wore pants every day. ¡®It¡¯s heavy and cumbersome.¡¯ She continued her nagging. ¡°When I was living, I always wore a corset made of elephant ivory like underwear. These days, it¡¯s been simplified a lot, but even that¡¯s uncomfortable, though you¡¯re dressed like a man like that. Tsk, tsk.¡± At the words ¡®dressing like a man,¡¯ Seo Eun-soo¡¯s bloated ego burst out without me even being able to stop it. ¡°Because in the days of Madam Elbas¡¯, women¡¯s beauty was treated as a trophy for men in power.¡± Oh, my. Saying this means fighting. I couldn¡¯t control myself, and the words came out before I even realized it. ¡°These days, women have the same power and title as men, so pants are no longer a privilege only for men.¡± Besides, using elephant ivory like that was serious animal abuse. Madam Elbas glared at me. ¡°I¡¯ve felt this before, but don¡¯t talk back at the adults¡¯ words. You¡¯re really uneducated.¡± It seemed like she wanted to curse my parents, but I also had many complaints about ¡®Rowaine¡¯s¡¯ parents, so there was no significant impact towards me. Far from being hurt, I couldn¡¯t stop the smile on my face, so I kept on smiling like an innocent child and just said whatever came to mind. ¡°Would you like to try it on, too, Madam? Here, I designed it so that it can be worn very comfortably by putting a rubber band in the waist part.¡± As I stretched out the banded waist and showed it, I then let go of the banded waist, and it hit my waist as I went on. ¡°It reduces the pressure on the stomach, and it¡¯s more active than a skirt, so it¡¯s said to be good for pregnant women.¡± Madam Elbas didn¡¯t listen to me and looked at me as if he was getting tired of me smiling. However, without raising her voice, she coldly laughed at me once and then spat out shocking words in a low voice. ¡°Is that why you chase after something that¡¯s so comfortable? If you find something you covet, you feel free to steal it?¡± ¡°¡­Stealing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s vulgar, tsk. My face was burning after hearing the story.¡± The next moment, she took out several bills from her handbag and scattered them in front of me. ¡°No matter how powerless and poor a person is from a family, how can a person be so bad?¡± Stunned, I couldn¡¯t even refute her remarks. ¡°From now on, do your best to avoid receiving such embarrassing news. Do you know how shocked grandmother was to hear that Dimitri had been greatly humiliated in front of the elders because of his wife¡¯s theft?¡± I stared blankly at the bill that had fallen and rolled at my feet. ¡°¡­Dimitri was humiliated in front of the elders because of me?¡± Madam Elbas clicked her tongue and got up without answering my question. ¡°And now, that dirty thing met a vulgar woman like you.¡± As she left, a muttering voice that seemed to be talking to herself pierced my chest sharply. Immediately after Madam Elbas¡¯ visit, the air in the office seemed to be freezing cold. I eventually came to my senses and picked up the bills one by one before putting them in the drawer of my desk and opening all the windows. As the warm sunlight of early summer shone on the office, the frozen air quickly melted warmly. However, Madam Elbas¡¯s ice awl, which she had driven into my heart, didn¡¯t melt and blew out more and more cold air. In the end, I couldn¡¯t stand it and immediately ran to Dimitri. As if he had been swinging his sword to his heart¡¯s content, Dimitri had undone three buttons on his shirt as he was resting in a chair on one side of the training ground. ¡°¡­Rowaine?¡± I came to my senses when Dimitri suddenly got up from his seat. ¡°Excuse me.¡± He turned around, hurriedly looked at his dressing, and then spun around again. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not busy, would you like to walk with me?¡± Glancing at the knight commander, who was standing far away, he nodded his head at me. ¡°Sure thing.¡± Then, I walked with Dimitri to a secluded place where no one was around¡­ No, I dragged him and asked. ¡°Dimitri, did you hear bad things about me at the council of elders?¡± He paused. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 ¡°Who told you what?¡± As he asked that, his pupils widened and shrank like he didn¡¯t like what I found out. ¡°That¡¯s not important. Tell me in detail what happened on the day of the last council of elders.¡± ¡°It was just like usual.¡± ¡°There are many other ways to find out if you won¡¯t tell me.¡± After all, there were still many people in Blois who didn¡¯t believe me and still didn¡¯t like me. If I asked them, they would surely explain in great detail how much damage I¡¯ve caused to Blois. Frankly, I could also just ask Baron Placen without going too far and hurting my feelings, and that would be more than enough. Even though I knew that, I came to Dimitri because he seemed to have a reason for keeping it a secret from me. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on. If it has anything to do with me, shouldn¡¯t I know?¡± ¡°The elders just hate me, so they¡¯re just trying to pick on me in some way.¡± Dimitri crossed his arms and took a defensive stance as he went on. ¡°It happens all the time, and it¡¯s something that can be resolved on my own, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much about it, wife.¡± ¡°However¡­!¡± I was choked up. In the first place, I could guess that Madam Elbas had purposely come to my office at a time when Dimitri was absent to upset me. I knew rationally that if her ulterior motive were to piss me off, it would be my loss if I played in the palm of her hand. To win over Madam Elbas, I needed to act calmly and pretend nothing was wrong. I know, I know¡­ ¡°And now, that dirty thing met a vulgar woman like you.¡± She couldn¡¯t stand it because I was angry that I¡¯d given her an excuse to talk like that. ¡®How dare she¡­¡¯ I grinded my teeth. ¡®How dare she say that cats are dirty?¡¯ My stomach was burning. ¡°I heard that they treated me as a thief at the council of elders. That¡¯s an insult to me, and I don¡¯t want to let it settle on Dimitri¡¯s shoulder. So tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡± Having said that, he didn¡¯t insist anymore and confided in me obediently. ¡°It¡¯s because of Coco¡¯s issue. Do you remember the slave traders who followed him?¡± ¡°¡­Are they saying I stole Coco?¡± Regardless, Coco was a slave with an owner.¡± ¡°Still, he was seriously injured and was dying on the road. He would have died on the spot if I hadn¡¯t found him. Besides, the scars were caused by severe abuse.¡± At my words, Dimitri opened his mouth as if he was very curious to hear those words come out of my mouth. ¡°The owner who bought the ownership of the slave is free to abuse the slave, and if Coco died as he was running away, it would have been their personal loss. However, the moment Rowaine intervened, you violated private property rights. As you know, slaves are like that.¡± I was at a loss for words. ¡®Right¡­ This was such a world.¡¯ The shock that I had come to another world suddenly penetrated my skin and seeped into my body. I thought of Coco, who had fluffy hair like a sheep, smiling with sky-blue eyes wide open and teeth exposed. At the same time, words such as abuse, death, ownership, slavery, and private property overlapped his face. I knew what a slave was, but knowing it with your head and feeling it with your skin like this was completely different. It took me a long time to think before I could acknowledge Coco¡¯s position in the world and my fault. ¡°Okay, if I were to comply with the system, it¡¯s my fault for recklessly saving Coco and bringing him here.¡± Dimitri, who waited until I accepted the fact, continued his explanation. ¡°The slave traders who had ownership of Coco were being invested in by a man called the Count of Bilbao.¡± Come to think of it, it occurred to me that the day the slave traders invaded Blois, they threatened Dimitri, saying that they were getting investment from someone. ¡°Because of me, he suffered great damage. The Count of Bilbao requested that this matter be dealt with at the council of elders, and the elders concluded that I must pay him damages.¡± I understood what the situation was now. First, I apologized to Dimitri. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Dimitri. I had no idea things would turn out like this.¡± At my words, he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Even if you knew, wouldn¡¯t the result be the same?¡± He was right. I couldn¡¯t have let Coco die, or I couldn¡¯t have saved him and handed him back to the slave traders. I just apologized again because I had nothing to say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Staring at me, Dimitri turned to the other side and uttered softly. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I think Rowaine was right.¡± His gaze, which had been lowered for a moment, turned back to me. Brilliant emerald eyes stared straight at me as he gave a little more strength to his voice. ¡°Good job.¡± I stared blankly at the unexpected compliment and only blinked my eyes. What I thought was right became a nuisance to him. Still, he was praising me. While everyone concluded that I was wrong, Dimitri, who would have been accused of covering me, said I was right¡­ Until now, I felt like I had just fallen into another world and was alone. I was depressed and out of breath. I also felt a bit queasy. However, Dimitri supported me when I was about to lose my balance and get swept away by depression. I felt like bursting into tears. ¡®¡­I¡¯m thankful and reassured. Still, I¡¯m sorry.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s really¡­ Thank you.¡± It was just one person¡¯s support though I felt like I had the whole world. At the moment of relief, a memory that I had forgotten about one thing suddenly flashed in my head. ¡®Wait a minute. The Count of Bilbao is a vassal of Blois¡­¡¯ I remembered seeing them on a list brought by my aide, Baron Placen, who said it would be a good idea to familiarize myself with the names of the vassals. ¡®He¡¯s showing hostility by bringing issues that can be resolved amicably with Dimitri to the council of elders¡­ Although it¡¯s just an internal matter, and from the outside, he¡¯s also tied to Blois.¡¯ Blois, slave trader, and shapeshifters¡­ Once the words were connected in my head, I could easily recall an episode from the original story that I had read before. ¡®I can¡¯t believe the Count of Bilbao¡­¡¯ I quickly got up from my seat. ¡°Dimitri, I have to go now.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Just trust me.¡± Smiling at the man, who looked puzzled in front of me, I clenched my fists and went out. When I started, I felt like I could see the end¡­ Me and Dimitri, the end that only we can be happy. ¡°Coco.¡± At my call, Coco, who was lying in the front yard of the annex in the cat form with his belly exposed and his limbs hanging down, opened his eyes narrowly. ¡°Hi, angel.¡± After greeting me in a drowsy manner, Coco closed his eyes again. The sun was moderately warm, so it must¡¯ve felt comfortable. ¡°Have you been here all day?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still morning.¡± What about Sasha?¡± ¡°She ran after the bees.¡± As if telling me not to talk to him because it was annoying, Coco slightly twisted his body. He was showing mild irritation. The grass crunched under Coco¡¯s thick, wheat-colored fur. It was a sight that made me drowsy just by looking at it. A languid cat had the magical power of bringing sleep. However, I was now impatient. I wanted to enjoy this peaceful time with him, but I made up my mind and gently shook Coco, who was dozing off. ¡°Coco, can I talk to you for a minute?¡± ¡°Haam~ What is it?¡± Coco yawned and stretched out his arms and legs as much as he could, then turned around and threw himself on his stomach. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to hear about your time at the slave trader.¡± At my words, he sighed and sat upright. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about that.¡± Fear flickered in his sky-blue eyes as his pupils slightly dilated and ears pricked up. I could feel Coco¡¯s body hardening with tension even without touching it. From his attitude, I was convinced that the ¡®something¡¯ I had guessed was right. But even so, I needed to be a little more certain. In the future, I plan to do something pretty big. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother you, Coco, although I hope you can help me.¡± ¡°Help you? Do you need my help?¡± Coco opened his eyes wide and tilted his head. Seeing that reaction, I knew how to get him to help me. ¡°I really need your help. It¡¯s something only Coco can do, not anyone else. I thought the two of us would carry out a secret operation without anyone knowing.¡± ¡°You mean the secret operation between angel and me?¡± As he asked back, Coco¡¯s tail wiggled pleasantly. He placed his soft front paws on my lap and spoke excitedly, holding his face as close as possible. ¡°What shall I tell you? The story of my birth? The story I was almost sold on? Or, or¡­¡± ¡®He¡¯s so cute.¡¯ Coco, in a human form, and I sat across the table. Even though he was a little nervous at first, Coco gradually calmed down as the conversation progressed¡­ No, it would be more accurate to say that he felt downcast. I asked, feeling the conflict between the half of my heart that wanted the words I wanted to come out and the other half that didn¡¯t want them to come out. ¡°So, you mean the slave traders took the shapeshifters and bred them randomly?¡± It would be of great help to Dimitri if a story related to a certain episode, seen in the original work, came from Coco, but it was such a terrible story that I wished it hadn¡¯t happened yet. Nonetheless, from Coco¡¯s mouth, the story flowed just as I expected the next moment. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ¡°It used to happen all the time in the cages. It seemed that they put medicine on our rice. We wouldn¡¯t even recognize our parents and siblings, and we¡¯d just do it.¡± ¡°Inbreeding¡­ does that mean that also happens?¡± With a small sigh, I checked again. I hoped that the phrase ¡®I didn¡¯t even recognize my parents and siblings¡¯ was just a radical idiomatic expression. However, Coco nodded in affirmation this time. ¡°Everyone did it when they came into heat.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but be astonished by Coco¡¯s following words. It was said that the shapeshifters who couldn¡¯t be sold at the ripest time were used for breeding until they died, regardless of whether they were parents, children, or siblings. Female shapeshifters gave birth to children and were used for breeding until their bodies were broken or killed while giving birth, while the male shapeshifters were killed before reaching adulthood or sold in large quantities somewhere at bargain prices. ¡°Cat shapeshifters aren¡¯t very popular with the customers, so the number is small and similar things like that didn¡¯t happen very often. However, the dog shapeshifters¡­¡± Coco let out a deep sigh as if he was tired of the thought and shook his head. ¡°Were the other shapeshifters aware of that? The ones who were with you, Coco?¡± ¡°The slave traders didn¡¯t want us to know such detail.¡± Surely that must¡¯ve been the case since it¡¯d be difficult for the customers to find out that the shapeshifters bought at a high price were, in fact, born through inbreeding. ¡°Come to think of it now, I think I was classified there as an object to be ¡®disposed of¡¯ soon because I haven¡¯t been sold for as long as this. Besides, I¡¯m a useless male, so that made us all the more unaware of what was going on outside.¡± So, how did he know all that¡­? Noticing my question, Coco spoke meaningfully. ¡°If you open your eyes and ears wide, and memorize every trivial word well, the puzzle of truth will come together one day.¡± ¡®Well. Coco is always up to date with information, even here.¡¯ The information Coco revealed was always amazingly accurate and detailed. If he had used that ability even when he was at the slave trader, it would¡¯ve been possible to grasp the true nature of the slave traders. Coco asked belatedly. ¡°But, why are you asking this? Did the slave traders give you a hard time again after the last time?¡± ¡°Well, I thought that was over then though things got a little complicated.¡± At my words, his pupils shook slightly. Coco hurriedly clung to my arm and opened his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone. Even the slave traders don¡¯t know that I knew this, and I was going to take it to the grave. I¡¯m only telling you this because it¡¯s angel. It¡¯s a secret, okay?¡± I was puzzled by Coco, who emphasized that it was a secret. Come to think of it, from the beginning, didn¡¯t he try to avoid talking about his time at the slave trader? Still, for what reason¡­? I asked cautiously. ¡°You don¡¯t want other people to know this secret?¡± His eyes darkened. Soon, the sky-blue eyes gazed up at me pitifully as if saying yes. Coco, who had been silent for a while, suddenly grabbed my hand with both hands. ¡°It¡¯s fine if it¡¯s angel¡­ Only the angel is okay. Noth the others.¡± As he said so, his hands were trembling. Leaving Coco at the annex, I crossed the back garden and returned to the main building. The image of Coco¡¯s uneasy gaze, who had told me the story related to the slave trader, which was a secret, continued to linger in my head. ¡®¡­It¡¯s unexpected.¡¯ The fact that the slave traders of Blois indiscriminately mass-produced shapeshifters through inbreeding was the same as in the original story. Using that information, I intended to show the Count of Bilbao a lesson. However, if Coco didn¡¯t want the slave trader to be exposed, I couldn¡¯t go ahead with the plan. I didn¡¯t want to ignore his opinion, which seemed to have some circumstances. ¡®If I knew the reason, I would have tried persuading him though he kept his mouth shut and didn¡¯t say anything¡­¡¯ It was when I entered the main building through the back door, thinking about how to convince Coco¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°Wh-what happened!¡± ¡°Come on, miss¡­!¡± I could see employees huddled around the front door, scurrying around. Nevertheless, I couldn¡¯t see what was there because it was obscured by squatting people. Feeling ominous, I hurriedly ran toward them. Lucy, the maid who happened to spot me, approached me hurriedly. ¡°Madam, Sasha suddenly collapsed!¡± I thought I had misheard her words. I was told that Sasha disappeared after going after the bees¡­ I couldn¡¯t believe it. However, from the look on Lucy¡¯s face, it seemed I hadn¡¯t misunderstood. At the same time, it felt as if all the blood in my body was draining away. ¡°Did she fall down? Did she fall from somewhere?¡± As a young cat with a lot of curiosity, I wondered if she might have jumped out of a second-floor window while chasing a bird. Even though I tried to stay calm and approached Sasha, my heart was beating like crazy. The servants, who found me, hurriedly got up and cleared the way. ¡°¡­.!¡± Contrary to my expectations, Sasha didn¡¯t have any wounds. When I saw Sasha, in the form of a kitten, slumped over a floor stone as she was convulsing with foam in her mouth, I hardened like a stone. At the same time, my heart sank. ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡± At first glance, her condition seemed serious. It was as though she had been poisoned. As I was watching her, I instantly forgot that I had the ability to heal and fell into a state of panic. Over the figure of Sasha, who was foaming from her mouth and drooping, the images of local cats dying from eating pesticide-infused feed were superimposed. My mind went blank as trauma took over my mind. ¡°Oh, no¡­ no¡­¡± It was when I didn¡¯t know what to do¡­ ¡°Calm down, Madam.¡± A calm voice settled in my ears, and Sasha¡¯s body was lifted up. ¡°Derek, call the doctor right away!¡± Dimitri appeared out of nowhere and held Sasha in one arm. He then took my hand in the other and led me somewhere. ¡°Can you cure her?¡± As he quietly whispered in my ear, it was only then did I recall my healing ability. ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± A cracking sound like crying came from my throat. ¡®It¡¯s okay, I can heal her. It¡¯s okay¡­¡¯ While I was trying to make up my mind and was being led by Dimitri, Madam Elbas¡¯s employees suddenly caught my eye. They were whispering and giggling among themselves as if they were making a fuss over a cat that had fallen. But, what caught my eye more than their attitude was the object they were holding. ¡®That¡­¡¯ As soon as I saw that, I knew why Sasha had suddenly collapsed and was foaming from her mouth. Looking back on the path that I had walked through, I recalled the ¡®things¡¯ that were swaying and stretched out in front of the front door. It was something that I didn¡¯t notice earlier since I¡¯d been in a hurry. When I realized what it was, the hair all over my body stood on end in anger. What Madam Elbas¡¯ employees were carrying were countless lilies¡­ My teeth gnashed when I saw hundreds of colorful lilies. ¡­Lily poisoning. It was a disease that caused fatal symptoms that were directly related to life in cats. It occurred when a cat inhaled pollen from a lily or ate lily petals by mistake. It increases the number of white blood cells and could cause symptoms such as diabetes, acute renal failure, pyelonephritis, many other kidney diseases, and paralysis of the whole body within a few hours. Not only lilies, but all bulbous plants belonging to the Liliaceae family, such as tulips, were deadly poisons to cats. ¡®I¡¯ve told everyone never to bring flowers into the mansion.¡¯ I had already asked the employees of Blois several times not to decorate the mansion with flowers. In fact, with the exception of lilies, all plants were banned because an endless number of flowers could be poisonous to cats. ¡®I also made them change the plants in the garden and backyard to something safe for the cats, too!¡¯ Even though I made such an effort, why was the lily here? The lily, the deadliest of many plants, appeared before my eyes¡­! Although I was in a fit of rage, what was urgent right now was Sasha¡¯s treatment. I managed to control my emotions and headed to the nearest drawing room with Dimitri. As he put Sasha on the couch and shut the door to the drawing room, Dimitri mentioned to the butler not to let anyone in except the doctor. Meanwhile, I held Sasha¡¯s hand and focused. ¡®Don¡¯t be sick, Sasha. Don¡¯t be hurt, don¡¯t be hurt¡­¡¯ The next moment, I could feel warm energy rising from my fingertips, and it soon permeated through Sasha¡¯s hands. I was nervous, but it took time for the energy to cover her body fully. Sasha opened her bloodshot eyes slightly before she suddenly vomited. Holding her hand tightly, I focused my mind on her with a prayerful heart. ¡°What do you think, Rowaine?¡± Staring at Sasha¡¯s face, I let out a short sign and nodded my head. ¡°I think I can do it.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± At my answer, Dimitri collapsed onto another sofa. He seemed quite surprised, too. Then, I turned my gaze back to Sasha¡¯s increasingly calm face. I felt an indescribable, strange sensation that my energy was healing Sasha¡¯s body. The feeling that the energy I sent cooly seeped in and stayed blocked in between. Soon after, the blocked part was cleared, and the feeling of branching out further inward took over. I could tell instinctively that Sasha was being healed. As proof of that, Sasha¡¯s bloodshot eyes gradually subsided, and the gagging stopped. Her eyes came alive as she stared blankly into the air. ¡°Rowaine¡­¡± Sasha, who had come to her senses, rubbed her face in my hand and acted childish. I felt like crying. ¡®I saved her¡­¡¯ I closed my eyes tightly. ¡­I saved them this time. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 I collapsed in my seat. If I didn¡¯t take a deep breath, I felt like I was going to cry at any moment. The images of the children I couldn¡¯t save passed through my mind one by one. The warmth of Sasha¡¯s soft paws not only felt like a relief to me but also seemed to ease the bitterness in my heart. At the same time, a complex sense of sadness overtook me about how great it would have been if I had been able to use this ability before. ¡°Rowaine¡­?¡± Sasha¡¯s thin voice was mixed with worry. Her soft fur touched my cheek as I closed my eyes tightly. I bit her lip and suppressed the sobs. After taking a deep breath twice, I opened my eyes with a smile. ¡°Sasha, does it hurt anymore¡­¡± My voice cracked. Sasha was looking up at me with her blue eyes and mouth wide open. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Is Rowaine okay?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re fine, I¡¯m fine too.¡± I didn¡¯t know how Dimitri was looking at me. It was because when I looked back at him, he had already looked the other way. It was only when I finished my treatment that the doctor knocked on the drawing-room door. Dimitri stood up and whispered to me before opening the parlor door. ¡°It¡¯d be better to deceive Madam Elbas into believing that the doctor treated Sasha. Of all the things you have, you have to hide the most valuable cards. I¡¯ll take care of things for now.¡± Then, he told the doctor that Sasha had been rushed here in a hurry and told him to prescribe medication. As soon as the doctor left, I lightly placed my hand on top of Dimitri¡¯s, who was sitting on the couch. ¡°¡­.?¡± Dimitri reflexively pulled out his hand and placed it on top of mine. Cats wouldn¡¯t normally give the back of their hand to others. Concerned that he might not be a cat, I laughed at his behavior, which showed the habits of a cat even in trivial things. I uttered, putting my hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll treat Dimitri as well, just in case.¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m still feeling fine because Rowaine already treated me last night.¡± ¡°You passed through a hall where lilies were piled up like mountains. Lilies are poisonous to cats.¡± At my words, Dimitri made a surprised face as if he had no idea. ¡®This world has no development in veterinary medicine, so it¡¯s understandable that he wouldn¡¯t know.¡¯ As I silently grabbed Dimitri¡¯s shoulders and gave him my energy, just like I did with Sasha, he quietly leaned over to me and asked. ¡°Are you saying that Sasha is like that because of the lilies?¡± ¡°Yes. So I definitely asked not to let any flowers, including lilies, be brought into the mansion yet this happened.¡± Dimitri suddenly grabbed my hand tightly. It was a warm, calloused hand. It felt a little hot to me, perhaps because he had a higher body temperature than humans. He was holding my hand as if he were holding a rope before asking me a question. It seemed that he was so taken aback by what I said that he didn¡¯t seem to realize that he had caught me. Dimitri kept asking me what was going on. ¡°Are you saying lilies are lethal? To the cat shapeshifters?¡± ¡°To be precise, I knew that it was bad for cats though I didn¡¯t know how much it would affect shapeshifters. However, looking at it today, it seems to be quite lethal even for a shapeshifter.¡± Perhaps, it might have been more dangerous to Sasha because she was still young. As Dimitri¡¯s eyes sank deeply, an unexpected story suddenly came out of his mouth. ¡°Madam Elbas loves lilies.¡± So, it seemed that it was her servants that were moving the lilies. Meanwhile, Dimitri repeatedly murmured with a slightly absent-minded look. ¡°¡­Madam Elbas has always loved lilies.¡± His hands seemed to tremble a little. As his grip was too strong as he was clasping my hand, I had no choice but to remove it. ¡°It hurts, Dimitri.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Dimitri let go of his hand, startled, before he put my hand on top of his head with a bitter smile. ¡°Then, please do it again. Because Rowaine¡¯s energy makes me feel good.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t do it with his hands, so his head is fine.¡¯ To an ordinary person, the feeling of being held by their head would be more unfamiliar than their hand, but he was a cat. That was what they said about cats. I did as I was told and focused, placing my hand on top of Dimitri¡¯s head. Fortunately, he was fine with no signs of poisoning. Coming out of the drawing room, I immediately ordered the servants to burn all the lilies. Had it not been for my healing powers, Sasha would have been on her way to death by now. That fact made me very angry. ¡®How dare she bring something poisonous to my children?¡¯ No matter how much I thought about it, I was filled with anger. ¡°Why are you doing this, Duchess! These are the flowers the Madam ordered to decorate the room¡­!¡± Madam Elbas¡¯s maids protested against me, complaining that my order was too unreasonable. Though instead of talking to them, I summoned Lucy and Agwen and asked them sternly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you explain to the guests that flowers aren¡¯t allowed in this mansion?¡± ¡°I told them clearly, Madam.¡± Only then did I look back at Madam Elbas¡¯s maids. ¡°Then, didn¡¯t your mistress break the rules of this place?¡± ¡°The Madam likes flowers very much. Flowers don¡¯t do any harm, but isn¡¯t that a very strict rule¡­¡± ¡°Did Madam Elbas say that, so she was allowed to break my rules?¡± At that moment, the tiger came when I called for it. Madam Elbas answered instead as she ascended the stairs. ¡°Dimitri knows that I love flowers. I really thought you wouldn¡¯t be narrow-minded about me by giving me that sleazy rule.¡± I glared at her sharply. ¡°It¡¯s not about being narrow-minded, it¡¯s about exercising my authority. The guest, Madam Elbas, is now overstepping her authority.¡± ¡°What?¡± Madam Elbas, who had stopped halfway down the stairs, looked down at me in a mocking way. Nevertheless, I confronted those eyes head-on as anger was boiling inside me like lava. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to realize it yet, but the mistress of Blois is no longer the Madam, but me. I have the right to set up any number of small rules and the right to abide by them.¡± I continued sharply, glancing at her. ¡°Since I sat in the seat of the Duchess of Blois, it¡¯s understandable that you¡¯re too greedy to give it up to your daughter-in-law and come down here like this. However, even the sun humbly steps down when the time comes.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± She bursted out laughing as if she was in high spirits. At the same time, the eyes of Madam Elbas and mine collided fiercely. ¡°You insult me out of nowhere, Rowaine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only telling you to abide by my rules in my house, Madam Elbas.¡± With every word I uttered, my head was spinning tighter. It was because she could be referred to the Conduct Guidance Committee, which managed and supervised the conduct of nobles, if Madame Elbas pushed too much. The Conduct Guidance Committee is an aristocratic life guidance organization made up of senior nobles with good reputations and integrity, regardless of title. To put it simply, it¡¯s an organization in charge of aristocratic trials and disciplinary action. The aristocrats fear, above all, the reprimand from the Conduct Guidance Committee. This was because if you were disciplined for your conduct, you would be shunned by the aristocratic society. ¡®It¡¯s not just bullying¡­ It¡¯s the level of burial, both economically and socially.¡¯ I wasn¡¯t very interested in aristocratic society, but it was a different story if it was to fulfill the marriage contract with Dimitri faithfully. ¡®I can¡¯t harm Dimitri.¡¯ The elders who were already trying to kick out Dimitri already had lights in their eyes, but they couldn¡¯t make a justification. ¡®Besides, I played a prank on Madam Elbas in front of many noble ladies last time, so she won¡¯t let me off a second time.¡¯ At that time, Madam Elbas first threw an apron at me and started a fight, and even her employees were watching it. So, even if I had acted a little out of manners in confrontation, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to appeal to her behavior guidance committee. Most of all, she couldn¡¯t have said, ¡®my daughter-in-law enjoyed sitting on my lap!¡¯ because that was actually all I did. ¡®Back then, it was a light joke to recognize the opponent, but now it¡¯s a real fight.¡¯ In my mind, I wanted to rush in and fight without being seen as an adult, although the Conduct Guidance Committee was on my mind. ¡°Conduct¡± refers to moral qualities. In other words, how well one abides by moral principles and norms becomes the criterion for judgment by the Conduct Guidance Committee. That was why the Conduct Guidance Committee was terrifying. As the scope of morality was too broad, and it was a philosophical realm that could be interpreted differently depending on the person. ¡®¡­Sasha almost died.¡¯ Sasha would have died after all had I not had the ability to heal her, fortunately. Thinking of that made my mind have a thousand fathoms*. [ T/N: It¡¯s an idiom which means, ¡®It¡¯s very difficult to know what a person has in mind. ] But here, Sasha was ¡®only¡¯ a pet slave. Didn¡¯t I already realize something while talking to Dimitri about Coco¡¯s business? ¡®To these people, slaves are nothing more than objects, and if I get angry right now, I¡¯ll be the only one sensitive¡­¡¯ A daughter-in-law, who ran into her mother-in-law because of a mere slave, would surely be the object of rebuke from the nobles. As I thought so, I tried hard to suppress my anger. While I was thinking about how I could give Madam Elbas a stern warning, she first sarcastically sneered at me in a soft voice. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 ¡°There must be a good reason for establishing rules. Blindly and forcefully establishing ridiculous rules is nothing but bullying others.¡± Saying so, Madam Elbas clicked her tongue as she began to force herself to cross the line under the guise of advice and went on. ¡°Oh, maybe it was on purpose? I didn¡¯t notice. Did you rush it to establish authority over me by deliberately making me uncomfortable?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s being pushy, Madam. If you ask the employees, they¡¯ll quickly tell you that I have a severe allergy to pollen and have banned flowers.¡± Actually, it was because of the cat, but it was right that the employees knew it like that. ¡°Employees tend to side with their employers. Rebuking me, Madam Elbas held out her arm as if to look around the mansion. ¡°Look at this place. Blois was always beautiful, with fresh flowers and decorations. I was taught to take care of this place like that. But what about now? How desolate and empty is this place? It¡¯s like a prison.¡± ¡­Prison. How could a prison be so magnificent and splendid? Even without flowers, the main hall of Blois was resplendent with beautifully embossed carvings and gold ornaments. ¡°Besides, you look pretty well, Rowaine, considering that you have a severe allergy to pollen.¡± After glancing me up and down, she touched her head before continuing her words. ¡°I can¡¯t believe my daughter-in-law is looking down on me like this. I can¡¯t even lift my head because I¡¯m embarrassed to see the employees because of the condescending treatment.¡± Then, with her miserable face, she let out a deep sigh, and the maids next to her rushed over to comfort her. ¡°Madam, don¡¯t say that.¡± ¡°The Madam didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so what do you mean by that?¡± Weren¡¯t they also just glancing at me with resentful eyes? I clenched my fists tightly and let out a quick, hot breath. ¡®This is how it turns out.¡¯ Dimitri had been watching from the beginning as Rowaine stormed out of the drawing room and clashed with Cayetana. He was watching the scene without saying anything, but he couldn¡¯t stay still because it seemed that Rowaine was being pushed around. ¡®This is ridiculous.¡¯ His teeth trembled at Cayetana¡¯s disgusting insistence. Eventually, he got impatient and walked out of the corner. ¡°Don¡¯t interfere.¡± Rosanne¡¯s stern voice tied his ankles. ¡°Grandmother.¡± As he gazed at Rosanne without hiding his displeasure, she clicked her tongue. ¡°You¡¯re still not wise. If you intervene, it¡¯ll only make matters worse.¡± Then, she glanced at Rowaine and Cayetana and narrowed her eyes. It looked as if she was judging something. As he glanced at her, Dimitri thought that the look in Rosanne¡¯s eyes, which he occasionally saw, was as if she was looking at a test subject. Looking into her eyes, he somehow was seized with the feeling that he was being evaluated piece by piece. The gaze that made people nervous wasn¡¯t very pleasant. Judging by her demeanor, Dimitri was convinced that he was always being evaluated below her level. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to create conflict and build up your grounds anyway?¡± Uttering the cold words, he turned his back on Rosanne before moving towards Rowaine. He wanted to go and rescue her from that wicked Cayetana. Meanwhile, Rosanne let out a sigh of disapproval at his actions and scolded Rowaine and Cayetana faster than Dimitri could reach them. ¡°What¡¯s the fuss, all of you!¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Rosanne, not Dimitri. Stamping on the floor with her cane, she pushed Dimitri away and yelled at Rowaine and Cayetana. ¡°What are you doing in front of the people below you! Culture seems to have been thrown into a pig pen. Even if it ruins the family, it¡¯s an oil fountain.¡± As Rosanne stared at the two women in front of her alternately with eyes like a ferocious beast and pressed them, Both of them lowered their eyes in front of her gaze, but no one was able to open their mouths. Still glancing at Cayetana, she scolded Rowaine. ¡°It¡¯s definitely wrong for Madam Elbas to break the rules. However, I¡¯m very disappointed with you, Rowaine, who made such a fuss when you could¡¯ve communicated to understand each other, even though she didn¡¯t do it on purpose because she knew the situation.¡± Rosanne clicked her tongue and muttered like a sigh. ¡°You¡¯re young. Too young.¡± Strange emotions that no one noticed passed through her eyes as she shook her head and gazed at the young girl. To Rosanne, she looked as soft as Dimitri. On Rowaine¡¯s face, who was speechless, her anger, resentment, and regret that she couldn¡¯t hide could all be read clearly. ¡®There¡¯s such a lingering feeling in her eyes. Dimitri certainly got a wife like me.¡¯ Rowaine Larscel. Rosanne had heard rumors that she was a wicked woman with no mercy or compassion. However, she was not much different from the puppy she raised at home, not even having her teeth fully grown, let alone a ruthless evil woman. ¡®It seems she¡¯s just a foolish woman who was taken advantage of by people¡¯s wickedness.¡¯ ?? Most of the women who were notorious for being villains were actually just ordinary women¡­ Women who had been unfairly framed, foolishly used, and become the subject of gossip. Since the beginning of history, the world has been chewing, ripping off, and ruining weak women as victims of gossip, transcending time and borders. The existence of the words ¡®witch¡¯ and ¡®witch hunt¡¯ was proof of that. Rosanne was well aware of how cleverly the ¡®real¡¯ bad people wore good masks. Perfect evil requires thoroughness and tenacity. Humans who had it were smart enough to protect themselves. ¡­Like Cayetana, who was standing over there. Rosanne looked expressionlessly at Cayetana, who lowered her eyes. She looked like she wouldn¡¯t bleed even if she stabbed her. She then swallowed her sigh and scolded Rowaine even louder. ¡°Madam Elbas is older than you, Rowiane. If you embarrass her like that, how would she feel about her position? Just because you inherited the title, you shouldn¡¯t treat others in such ways. Apologize to Madam Elbas right away.¡± She urged Rowaine, who bit her lip, with her glance. ¡®Don¡¯t make a cause for Cayetana, Rowaine.¡¯ She hoped that the young girl in front of her would not be sacrificed to Cayetana. ¡®Even without you, Dimitri has already lost a lot to Cayetana.¡¯ A look of pity passed in Rosanne¡¯s eyes as she looked back at Rowaine and Dimitri. However, she didn¡¯t know that Rowaine, no Eunsoo, who was inside her body, was raising a fierce beast in her heart, sharpened by wickedness rooted in deep wounds. Returning to her room, Cayetana smiled contentedly as she remembered Rowaine bowing her head in front of her. ¡°Rather than abusing the shapeshifters, she seems to really care about them. It¡¯s humorous.¡± Even though Rowaine made an excuse for being allergic, Cayetana didn¡¯t believe it. It was because she had heard from her maid that she and Dimitri were getting serious about the shapeshifter, the cat who had fallen on the porch. She knew that the cat shapeshifters couldn¡¯t stand lily flowers¡­ because she had already experimented on Dimitri¡¯s biological mother. Cayetana smiled slyly as she recalled the past before picking up a lily from a vase on the table in her room. A few hours ago, the maid, who had come to announce the arrival of the lilies she had ordered in advance, had brought some of the most coveted lilies and had put them in a vase in her room. As the lily was mercilessly crushed in her hands, yellow pollen scattered in the air. ¡°It would¡¯ve been more fun if that filthy kitten had died, like that mistress at that time.¡± Clicking her tongue, Cayetana casually tossed the mangled flowers away and sat down on the sofa. She then opened a book, humming as if to celebrate the day¡¯s victory, but had to take her eyes off her book before she could even turn over a few pages. It was because the maid had rushed into her room. ¡°Madam! There¡¯s trouble!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°No, the Duchess¡­!¡± Because of grandmother Rosanne¡¯s intervention, the fight between Madam Elbas and I ended and I went straight back to the drawing room. The doctor was still checking Sasha¡¯s condition. Knowing better than anyone that Sasha was fine, I told Agwen to take Sasha to the annex. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± I called the doctor, who was about to leave. ¡°Could we talk for a moment?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Sit down first.¡± Since grandmother Rosanne stepped up, I hadn¡¯t been able to say a single word to Madam Elbas. If things went on like this, I wouldn¡¯t know when this could happen again. Anger, worry, and anxiety were seething in my heart. ¡®¡­I have to protect my cats.¡¯ Determined, I asked the doctor. ¡°Do you know of a way to artificially cause an allergic reaction?¡± ¡°An artificial allergic reaction?¡± Since Doctor Tyra was the one who proved my pregnancy to grandmother Rosanne, I knew that she was definitely on Dimitri¡¯s side. ?? ¡°I hope the reaction looks real, and I hope it shows symptoms that look pretty severe.¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°I have a few, but what is the Duchess going to use them for? I need to know that so I can recommend the right one for you.¡± Judging by the look on her face, she seemed to think that I was secretly drugging Madam Elbas¡¯ food. ¡®If we get caught then, it¡¯s the end.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t do such a dangerous thing. So, I explained to her calmly. ¡°I¡¯m going to take it.¡± ¡°The Madam?¡± Her eyes widened as she asked back. ¡°It has to look painful no matter who sees it. It doesn¡¯t matter if it actually hurts.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± To the hesitant Tyra, I emphasized firmly. ¡°It needs to be effective and as quickly as possible.¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 ¡®Aagh, it¡¯s painful.¡¯ After persisting Tyra and eventually getting the medicine¡ªor more precisely¡ªthe poison, I put it into my mouth, trusting in my own healing power. I then went up to my room and waited for a few minutes before my body started to respond. Soon, my skin became red and red, and despite Tyra¡¯s dissuasion, who couldn¡¯t leave me because of anxiety, I deliberately scratched the itchy parts a little bit more. The scratches made the condition worse, and blisters began to form. ¡°Oh, my! Madam¡­¡± Even though I told Agwen that I took the medicine on purpose, she turned towards Tyra, modified, as if she didn¡¯t know my skin condition would reach this level. ¡°Are you really going to be okay? Isn¡¯t that too harsh? You would get better, right? Madam, stop scratching!¡± Agwen couldn¡¯t help but grab my arm to stop me, but I didn¡¯t stop my hand. No, at first, I intentionally scratched it to spread it faster, but at some point, I really couldn¡¯t stop it now. ¡°It¡¯s so itchy!¡± ¡°There is nothing wrong, right? Miss Tyra, is the Madam okay?¡± At the question, Tyra sighed with a pitiful face. ¡°Madam, do you really have to do this? It¡¯s better to take the medicine as soon as possible now¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can stand it. Do I look very sick?¡± ¡°Very much.¡± Agwen stamped her foot as she replied. ¡°Does it just look like it¡¯s painful? Does it really look tolerable?¡± Tyra answered as if she couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°Of course, it hurts as much as it looks. The Madam must be in pain as if you were burned all over your body¡­¡± ¡°No, what should we do if you give the Madam such severe medicine!¡± Agwen opened her mouth in amazement. Just like Tyra said, my whole body was burning and sore. I was in so much pain that I broke into a cold sweat. ¡®I¡¯m going to go crazy.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t lie that I regretted the fact that I told Tyra that it was okay for me to be in pain, so the worse it was, the better. However, when I looked in the mirror, it was exactly the way I wanted it to be. My entire face and all exposed skin were red as if they had been burned, and large blisters were coming up in places that were scary enough to look at. It was indescribably painful. As I subconsciously scratched my body, the blisters burst, leaving blood and ooze on my fingernails. The top of my head was also prickly and sore. Even though I felt the urge to pour my healing power from head to toe right now, I gritted my teeth and held it in. In the meantime, I smiled with satisfaction. If I could protect my cat, this was nothing. ¡®We¡¯ll see, Madam Elbas.¡¯ ¡°Now, go and gather people as if something big happened.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± I lay down on the bed wearing a pajama dress with short sleeves and skirt to expose as much of my body as possible. Of course, I didn¡¯t cover myself with a blanket, either. Agwen soon spoke urgently, ¡°Oh, what am I going to do?! I¡¯m in trouble!¡± and left the room. I smirked to myself. ¡®Her acting has become quite skillful.¡¯ The next moment, a loud voice was heard as she commanded the maids as they passed by to bring clean clothes, blankets and buckets. It was such an urgent and exasperated voice that anyone who heard it could tell that something serious had happened. ¡°Tyra, it hurts so much so could you wrap my hands?¡± Persuaded by me, Tyra tied my hands tightly with a cloth so I couldn¡¯t scratch myself. ¡°Madam, even if you take the antidote quickly now, it¡¯ll subside tomorrow. You¡¯d better eat it in advance.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± I flatly refused. If I got better too quickly, it wouldn¡¯t seem like a big deal. ¡®I can bear it. I have to show Madam Elbas that I wasn¡¯t being unreasonable.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t acting, it was really painful so I was about to lie down moaning, but soon, Agwen opened the door and came in. Behind her, I could see the maids bringing clean clothes and buckets. When I peered with my eyes around, I could see Madam Elbas¡¯s maids snooping in front of my door, wondering what was going on. Just in time, it seemed that grandmother Rosanne had also come up after hearing Agwen¡¯s raucous noise. I had deliberately instructed Agwen to make more noise in front of grandmother Rosanne so that she could come sooner than anyone else. It was because I had seen that when I quarreled with Madam Elbas, the moment grandmother appeared, she had kept her mouth shut. ¡®Madam Elbas seemed to have difficulty with grandmother Rosanne. It¡¯d be much easier for me to use grandmother Rosanne¡¯s influence than to confront Madam Elbas directly.¡¯ I used my brain in my own way. Even if grandmother Rosanne wasn¡¯t on my side, it didn¡¯t seem to me that she was the kind of person who would lie and take the side of Madam Elbas. Moreover, she thought it would be nice to have someone to explain the current situation in the future too. After all, Madam Elbas might be unreasonable, saying things like, ¡°she could be forced to say things like, ¡°I¡¯ve been wronged,¡± or ¡°Rowaine made a fuss when it was nothing.¡± ¡®I have to make sure I have a witness.¡¯ Grandmother Rosanne, who had entered my room almost supported by her servant, hurriedly stomped on her cane and approached my bed. ¡°What is it, Rowaine? I¡¯m asking this because there was a lot of noise outside. What happened to you¡­ Oh, no!¡± Before I could answer, grandmother Rosanne looked at me and opened her mouth wide. ¡°What, what is all this? What¡¯s all this about?!¡± Agwen answered at once. ¡°Even though I told Madam Elbas that the Madam has a severe allergy to pollen, she took the flowers¡­¡± Agwen, who had frowning eyebrows (), slammed her chest with her fist and let out a lamentable sigh. [ T/N: The raws even included an emote to show Agwen¡¯s eyebrows haha ( ? ?? ?? ) ] I cheered her hard on the inside. Actually, my body hurt so much that I couldn¡¯t afford to order anything else because I had to endure this. Meanwhile, grandmother Rosanne sat by my bed and yelled at Agwen. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me earlier if her allergy was this bad!¡± ¡°I made it clear, but Madam Elbas said that it was ¡®just an allergy¡¯ and ordered the flowers.¡± After glancing at grandmother Rosanne¡¯s reaction to estimating how far she could go, Agwen began to sob as if she judged that it was okay to add to grandmother¡¯s stunned face. ¡°As the Madam* saw earlier, even though my mistress told Madam Elbas, she was saying that the Duchess was trying to annoy her by making up her own wild rules¡­¡± [ T/N: Agwen referred to grandmother Rosanne as ¡®Madam¡¯ since you don¡¯t really say ¡®dowager/former duchess.¡¯ ] It was like that for my madam, but what about maids like us? After she added, Agwen knelt down at the foot of my bed as she went on. ¡°But even so, I should¡¯ve stopped her somehow¡­! It¡¯s all my fault. I should have stopped her¡­¡± ¡®Good job. She¡¯s so good at this.¡¯ ?? She truly had an outstanding acting talent. Eventually, Grandmother Rosanne sighed as she thought Agwen¡¯s words were reasonable. ¡°Never mind. Don¡¯t make a fuss in front of someone who¡¯s sick and get up.¡± Recognizing Tyra with her doctor¡¯s bag, grandmother then asked. ¡°Can you cure her?¡± Tyra muffled her words. ¡°That¡­ It¡¯s difficult because the Madam is pregnant. Allergy medications are usually only strong ones, which could harm her unborn child¡­ What should I do?¡± On the contrary, when Tyra asked grandmother Rosanne what she should do, grandmother seemed to feel stressed and almost panicked. Rosanne¡¯s voice became sharper. ¡°You mean there is no way?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got no choice but to wait for the Duchess to overcome it with her immunity.¡± ¡°When is that?¡± ¡°It depends on the condition of the Madam, so I can¡¯t give a definite answer.¡± ¡°No, but with those symptoms, can¡¯t you at least predict when she¡¯ll get better?¡± ¡°Her condition is so severe and allergies are an immune problem, so the relief of symptoms is very different¡­¡± ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t get better?¡± As if Tyra had been waiting for that question, her words came out like thunder from the blue sky. ¡°As you can see, it¡¯ll be incredibly painful. The Duchess can¡¯t even drink water right now though she wouldn¡¯t be able to eat properly in the future, and her body isn¡¯t hers alone.¡± ¡°¡­Does it affect the baby as well?¡± ¡°When a pregnant woman suffers, of course, it affects the fetus as well. What¡¯s more, if she can¡¯t eat, nutritional problems will arise¡­ As you know, the early stages of pregnancy are the most dangerous.¡± At those words, grandmother Rosanne touched her forehead. ¡°No¡­ what kind of pollen allergy is so bad? I¡¯d never heard of such a case.¡± Tyra replied calmly. ¡°Allergies are an immune response, so there¡¯s a big difference between individuals. Besides, the Duchess has a severe allergy to lily flowers, and a large amount of lilies came into the mansion like this.¡± ¡®Goob job, good job.¡¯ If my body hadn¡¯t been in pain, I would¡¯ve had a hard time holding back a laugh in exhilaration. But, fortunately or unfortunately, only a painful groan came out of my mouth. ¡°What should we do¡­¡± Grandmother Rosanne, who had been breathing in and out her sighs, suddenly shouted in a voice filled with anger. ¡°Rowaine is lying down like this right now because of someone, but what¡¯s Cayetana doing that she hasn¡¯t even come yet? You, go and get Madam Elbas!¡± The next moment, I could hear the footsteps of someone running in a rush. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 In the meantime, my maid, Liddell, soon approached cautiously. ¡°¡­The-the Duke is waiting at the door, what should I do?¡± While groaning, I opened my eyes. I hadn¡¯t said anything to Dimitri/Dimitri about this because he would think it was reckless and opposed. Besides, if he saw me now, he would tell me to stop doing useless things and recover my body with my healing ability immediately. Also, I didn¡¯t want to worry him by showing him my blistered body. Even though I had instructed in advance through Agwen to stop Dimitri, I was still uneasy. ¡°Grandmother¡­¡± As I thought so, I grabbed grandmother Rosanne¡¯s hand, and she lifted her body and bowed close to me. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Rowaine?¡± ¡°Not Dimitri, he can¡¯t¡­¡± ?? ¡°He can¡¯t?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to show him this¡­ It¡¯s going to be pretty ugly, and I would worry a lot¡­¡± When I spoke pitifully, grandmother let out a deep sigh and nodded her head. ¡°All right. I won¡¯t let him in.¡± Then, grandmother Rosanne turned to the door and said, ¡°Stay there, Dimitri. Rowaine is naked, so you¡¯d better not come.¡± Dimitri¡¯s protesting voice was heard outside, but he couldn¡¯t come in. Instead, Madam. Elbas, who had been called by grandmother Rosanne, came in with a displeased voice. ¡°You make mother walk because of allergies, you have a knack for making a fuss in the house over trivial matters, Rowaine.¡± Grandmother Rosanne, who had been covering my body until then, turned around and yelled at her in that high-pitched voice. ¡°What do you mean, little thing? There¡¯s nothing trivial about a person being sick? It¡¯s only natural for family members to look for each other when they¡¯re sick, so what kind of words is this? And, come and see with your own eyes, Cayetana. How is this trivial?¡± Madam Elbas uttered in a slightly surprised voice at the sudden angry behavior of grandmother Rosanne. ¡°Mother, why are you raising your voice¡­¡± Then, her voice was cut off as if she had found me lying behind grandmother. I opened her eyes thinly and looked at Madam Elbas, who lost her words, wondering what kind of face she was making. Frowning at me, she had a half-disgusted and half-exasperated expression. It seemed that she was slightly puzzled. It was a face that, if thought in a vulgar language, would be ¡®Sh*t.¡¯ ¡°Mother, do you think it makes sense for her to be like this just because of a pollen allergy?¡± She spoke as if defending herself. However, those words seemed to turn grandmother Rosanne¡¯s stomach upside down. ¡°Is that what you mean when you see a child lying down like that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Tell me. Is it true that even after knowing that Rowaine was severely allergic to lilies, you acted on your own like that?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If I lose even my great-grandson because of your noble taste, how will you take responsibility for this?!¡± ¡°Mother, would she have a miscarriage because of pollen allergy¡ª¡± ¡°Look at the state of this child! Do you think the child in her stomach is going to grow up properly?!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already her first pregnancy, but what about Rowaine¡¯s condition? You need to know how to change your mindset. Don¡¯t you know that even a drop of drinking water during pregnancy is bad for the child?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Grandmother Rosanne stopped yelling for a moment before glancing around at the surroundings. ¡°What are you looking at? I¡¯d be affronted if there are people out there who are skeptical about today¡¯s incident. Let everyone leave except for the person involved.¡± When all of my maids, Madam Elbas¡¯ people, and even Tyra went outside, grandmother lowered her voice and scolded Madam Elbas in earnest. ¡°Cayetana. As an adult in Blois, be wise and admit your faults. You were careless this time.¡± ¡°But, mother¡­!¡± ¡°¡­But? What do you mean, but? Go ahead and apologize to Rowaine.¡± At that moment, I seemed to know what I should do to further upset Madam Elbas. ¡°Uung¡­ grandmother¡­¡± As I let out a groan and called for grandmother Rosanne, grandmother glanced at me with a pitiful face. I spoke in the softest voice I could. ¡°Don¡¯t criticize Madam Elbas too much. It was because there were too many lilies. I didn¡¯t know it would end like this, but Madam Elbas couldn¡¯t have imagined it any more than me. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine. As long as my child is okay, I¡­¡± What I said was an angel version of the saying that Madam Elbas was the culprit, and if anything happened to the child, it was all her fault. It was not even a matter of shedding a tear because her body was already in so much pain that it flowed down itself. Meanwhile, in response to my tearful kindness, grandmother Rosanne sighed and said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Rowaine.¡± ¡®She¡¯s not someone who¡¯s swayed by emotions.¡¯ Pushed by grandmother Rosanne¡¯s charisma, I quietly shut my mouth. Compared to me, who immediately lowered my tail, grandmother glared at Madam Elbas more fearfully, probably because she still seemed quite dismissive. ¡°What are you doing? Apologize.¡± Despite grandmother Rosanne¡¯s urging, Madam Elbas stood still and glanced down at me like a statue. Her irritation and anger could be seen in her eyes. It was a look that clearly thought I was putting on a show. With her eyes opened slightly, she carefully examined my skin closely as if trying to gauge whether this was like makeup or not. ¡®Even if she dies, she wouldn¡¯t want to apologize to me.¡¯ In the first place, she was the one who regarded Dimitri as filth. She was delusional with the thought that her children had died at the hands of Dimitri. So, she must have hated me for being Dimitri¡¯s wife, and that was why she continued to quarrel with me. Nevertheless, she had dug her own grave. ¡®Dimitri¡¯s birth mother and Dimitri are weak people who only fell into her hands, so it would be unacceptable for the strong to bow to me, who¡¯s Dimitri¡¯s person.¡¯ Served her right. The pain seemed to go away as the coolness inside easily suppressed the pain in my body. Was it because of catharsis? It felt like my endorphins were running wild. Because of that, I could open my eyes a little more clearly and look at Madam Elbas. ¡®Why are you still standing stiff without apologizing?¡¯ Unbeknownst to grandmother Rosanne, I gazed at her with that look and smiled, and Madam Elbas widened her eyes. ¡°I need to call a doctor I can trust. Could it really be because of a pollen allergy? She may have gotten sick after eating something foolish on her own.¡± Saying so, her breathing became a little rough. It must have been stimulated by me. Meanwhile, grandmother Rosanne glared at Madam Elbas like a ferocious beast. ¡°You couldn¡¯t apologize right away?¡± ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°I thought you were wise. Don¡¯t let me down, Cayetana.¡± Grandmother Rosanne approached Madam Elbas menacingly. ¡°You know that I pressed Rowaine without saying anything despite your insistence earlier in order to stand on your side. The rules of a house are decided by the owner, it¡¯s not a matter for others to discuss. Still, you broke the rules by being pushy, which resulted in this trouble.¡± ?? Then, she turned towards me. ¡°Rowaine, if Madam Elbas doesn¡¯t apologize, tell the conduct guidance committee to hold a trial. You can request mediation in this matter under the pretext of ignoring the authority of her daughter-in-law, who inherited the title of Duchess by preceding her mother-in-law¡¯s authority.¡± At those words, a scream-like voice flowed from Madam Elbas¡¯ mouth, who had been calm without ever raising her voice. ¡°Mother! Why are you doing this with such trivial things?¡± As if she hadn¡¯t expected grandmother to bring up such things, Madam Elbas stared at her with a resentful face. Still, grandmother Rosanne turned her head away from her. So, in the end, Madam Elbas, who read her willingness not to let go of grandmother¡¯s attitude, said to me as if she had made a big decision in the end. ¡°Please forgive me for my careless mistake, Rowaine. I¡¯m so sorry. I went too far.¡± I could see her jaw muscles contracting as she clenched her teeth tightly. Her pride seemed very wounded. ¡®She must feel like she wants to die to bow her head to the wife of the child born by a concubine.¡¯ Still, I didn¡¯t feel any sympathy for her. Because this was the price she paid for abusing and taking out her resentment by scapegoating the weaklings. Dimitri¡¯s mother was a slave. She was raped by the former Duke and made his concubine, where she had no will of her own. At the same time, Dimitri, who inherited hatred for his biological mother, was a child when he was abused by Madam Elbas¡­ A child who wasn¡¯t even born in his own right. And today, Sasha, who almost fell victim to the hatred for Dimitri, was also an innocent child¡­ ?? In other words, the anger, resentment, and vengeance that Madam now felt towards Dimitri and Dimitri¡¯s people were actually feelings that should have been directed at the predecessor Duke. Regardless, as long as she turned her eyes away from the assailants and decided to harass other weaklings as venting, she ignored others¡¯ feelings and became the same villain as the duke who cheated on her. ¡®It¡¯s a matter that should have been put to an end by confronting the previous Duke. So, if Dimitri¡¯s real mother had been sent away from Blois, Dimitri would have lived as an ordinary prisoner without knowing Blois. I guess Madam Elbas couldn¡¯t dissuade her husband until he obtained the right to succeed the title.¡¯ It was a pity, but that didn¡¯t mean she should take that anger out on Dimitri instead. So now, to me, she was just an assailant who could never be understood or forgiven. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡± ?? Because of prior reasons, I chose not to accept her apology, which she struggled with. I didn¡¯t do all of this to accept her apology, I did it because I wanted to get revenge for Sasha by crushing her pride. ¡°Everyone, please leave now. I want to rest.¡± I¡¯ve achieved my purpose. Realizing my intentions, Madam Elbas trembled. Her face was as if she had been made a mockery of. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Even after Madam Elbas left, grandmother Rosanne stayed a little longer. She sat down on the chair beside the bed after everyone went outside. While she was holding herself upright, she seemed exhausted because of her decrepit body. ¡°You¡¯ve gone through such hardship. Now, stop and take the cure.¡± I thought grandmother had forgotten what Tyra had said of her and told her again. ¡°Tyra said I couldn¡¯t take the medicine during pregnancy¡­¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re not pregnant, so that means you can take medication.¡± ?? ¡°¡­.!¡± I swallowed my dry saliva quietly, trying not to show my surprised expression. However, the silence was prolonged as I didn¡¯t know what to say. Grandmother Rosanne eventually clicked her tongue. Tsk, tsk. ¡°I knew it from the beginning. Don¡¯t try to fool my eyes.¡± I couldn¡¯t even keep my mouth shut. ¡­She knew from the start? Embarrassment ran through his whole body. In addition, lying down like this and looking at my grandmother made me terribly uncomfortable. I tried to stand up while whimpering with a guilty look, but Grandma Roseanne stopped me. ¡°Don¡¯t try. I¡¯ve been through it myself, so I know how great the pain is. I couldn¡¯t stand it at all, so I grabbed the doctor and begged him to save me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve taken the medicine I took¡­?¡± ?? Grandmother Rosanne suddenly burst into laughter. ¡°I didn¡¯t take medicine, but I was playing in the field. After consuming poisonous weed by mistake, I got sick. The medicine you took must have been made from that poisonous plant.¡± ¡­What on earth was she doing, running around in the fields and swallowing poisonous weed by mistake? I didn¡¯t know if such a question was buried on my face, but grandmother smiled as she looked at me as if she thought it was funny. ¡°I was a naughty child who couldn¡¯t even talk properly yet. When I was a child, I was a little eccentric. Anyway, as soon as I saw you, I knew right away that it was the same thing I¡¯d been through.¡± She looked down at my skin with a pitiful face. ¡°How painful is this, yet you¡¯re trying to put up with it? Has your anger at Cayetana not been alleviated yet? I think you¡¯re the only one who would suffer if you dragged this on any longer. Does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± I nodded meekly. It wasn¡¯t that it wasn¡¯t hurting, but it felt like I was going to wither in front of her. Not only that grandmother Rosanne, who knew I wasn¡¯t pregnant but didn¡¯t say anything, she also didn¡¯t tell Madam Elbas when I put on such a show like this. Eventually, I took out the medicine I had hidden under my pillow, and she held out a glass of water. ¡®If grandmother leaves, I¡¯ll finish treating myself with my own power.¡¯ If I healed too much all at once, it would be strange so it would be better to adjust the strength in moderation. As I thought so, I took the medicine and laid down again before asking grandmother. ¡°Why did you take my side when you knew everything? Just earlier, you yelled at me to apologize to Madam Elbas.¡± ¡°Is there anything you can do to lie down and endure this now? I didn¡¯t know then that you have such big guts. There are times when it¡¯s better to bend than to be swayed around clumsily.¡± ¡®It was for me.¡¯ At that time, she thought I was being swayed by Madam Elbas so grandmother scolded me, but when I raised my head without being bent now, the target was now changed. ¡®On the contrary, I beat Madam Elbas this time.¡¯ That meant that while grandmother Rosanne was on my side now, she might not always be. ¡®Was that why Dimitri said he doesn¡¯t know much about grandmother?¡¯ The next moment, she let out a small sigh. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re soft, but you don¡¯t want to lose at all¡­ pregnancy lies and allergy lies.¡± It felt a little unfair because I felt like a liar when she said that. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t do it because I wanted to lie.¡± ¡°You really can¡¯t lose once.¡± She then shook her head and looked at me with a strange gaze. It seemed like she wanted to say, ¡®a strong-willed one came in.¡¯ ¡°You must learn to take care of yourself above all else first.¡± Grandmother Rosanne gazed at me disapprovingly, saying, ¡®You shouldn¡¯t use your body recklessly because you¡¯re the Duchess responsible for Blois with Dimitri.¡¯ ¡®Still, I¡¯m glad grandmother knows I¡¯m not pregnant.¡¯ ?? Even though I had no scruples at first, as I talked to grandmother Rosanne, I was greatly relieved that I didn¡¯t have to tell her another lie. Her words continued in a stern voice. ¡°You¡¯re now a member of the family who has inherited the name of Blois. The same goes for Cayetana.¡± As Dimitri¡¯s contract marriage partner, hearing this pricked my conscience a little. I couldn¡¯t answer out of my mouth and just nodded my head. Grandmother went on. ¡°Is the conflict between mother and daughter-in-law a problem that no family could avoid? While I think it can¡¯t be helped, remember that, in the end, both of you are members of Blois to the people outside.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°You may not know, but when Cayetana invited you to Elbas the other day, she called only friends she could trust since she was trying to keep what happened there from leaking out.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± It was a really surprising fact. ¡®I was somehow curious that the matter hadn¡¯t grown and quieted down. That¡¯s what it was.¡¯ In addition, Madam Elbas was obviously trying to pick flaws in Dimitri or me with the elders, but it was strange. ¡®She thought that trying to provoke me was going to work, but it failed because I did something ridiculous.¡¯ You never know. It could be that grandmother Rosanne was glorifying her, or Madam Elbas may have other plans in mind. Seeing how Madam Elbas rolled her head in the original novel, it would never have been simple harassment, but no matter how much I thought about it, I still didn¡¯t know why she covered it up. ¡®Maybe, she¡¯s deceiving grandmother Rosanne.¡¯ To be honest, if I hadn¡¯t read the original novel, I would¡¯ve listened to what grandmother was saying trustingly right now, though considering what Madam Elbas was like in the original, it would be better not to let my guard down. While I was pondering hard, grandmother Rosanne¡¯s words continued. ¡°I know what she did to you, and I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good thing. Still, she knows how to keep her line. I wanted to say that.¡± Through her words, I knew at once what value grandmother was pursuing. She was the one who acted for Blois. Because of that, she wanted to protect the honor and dignity of her family. ¡®Grandmother Rosanne is the guardian of Blois¡­ She¡¯s on nobody¡¯s side but also on everyone¡¯s side.¡¯ Then, why did she disapprove of Dimitri when she let him receive the title of the Duke? ¡®When in fact, she anxiously hopes that Dimitri will do well more than anyone else.¡¯ Dimitri, who came to know all the circumstances belatedly, showed a calmer reaction than expected. What he said was¡­ ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Please take a rest.¡± ¡­That was all. ¡®Since I have the ability to heal, it would be a natural reaction that he didn¡¯t take the skin disease too seriously.¡¯ ?? Even though I thought so, I was a little saddened by Dimitri¡¯s back as he walked out of my room as if he had more important things to do. ¡®¡­I thought he¡¯d be a little worried.¡¯ It was embarrassing that I had kept it a secret, fearing that he would ruin the plan out of concern for me. ¡®If I knew he¡¯d be like that, I wouldn¡¯t have to keep it a secret.¡¯ As I took one look at myself in the mirror, the areas covered by clothes were completely treated while blisters and redness still remained on the exposed hands, neck, and face. It was intended to heal gradually over several days so as not to arouse suspicion. ¡®Still, it looks quite painful.¡¯ ?? Such an indifferent reaction¡­ I thought it would be because he knew that I could get better if I decided to heal, nonetheless, I couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. ¡®¡­It¡¯s sad that he didn¡¯t really worry, even though I hoped he wouldn¡¯t worry.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know why people¡¯s hearts were like this. Dimitri¡¯s nonchalant reaction calmed me down a little after I received an apology from Madam Elbas. I waited until late at night when the mansion was still sleeping and went out to the patronage to change my mood. However, in the backyard, cats were unexpectedly running wild. ¡°You guys!¡± When I found Sasha and Coco hopping around in cat forms to catch birds, I put my hands on my hips and called out to them. The frightened cats opened their eyes wide and gazed at me. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping yet and playing here?¡± As I strode closer, Coco and Sasha scrambled hurriedly and made excuses. ¡°I slept during the day!¡± ¡°We¡¯re nocturnal!¡± ¡°I told you to sleep when it is very dark and wake up early when the sun rises!¡± It was true that cats were nocturnal, but in fact, their main activity time was around dawn. Even so, domestic cats knew that they could sleep at night and be active during the day, matching their lifestyle. Even if it wasn¡¯t for that, I decided that since Coco and Sasha would live in human society from now on, it¡¯d be better for them to match the rhythm of life with humans, and I was educating them that way. ¡®Dimitri is also doing that, too.¡¯ The little cats saw my face belatedly and came closer in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face, angel?¡± ¡°Is Rowaine sick?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just a little itchy. What were you guys doing here anyway?¡± Still placing my hand on my waist, I asked again as if urging and Coco and Sasha pointed at one place with their blunt paws. ?? ¡°I was learning from watching Blue hunt, angel.¡± __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 ¡°Blue is good at hunting!¡± The eyes of the two cats were bright. Looking at the place they pointed, there was Blue, who was sitting on a branch holding a bird that was still alive and fluttering. ¡°Blue!¡± ?? I approached Blue and greeted him warmly, but suddenly, Blue cried for a long time in a voice I hadn¡¯t heard before. ¡°Mrrrraawrr!¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± It was an unusual cry. Even though I was confident in being able to understand cats¡¯ behaviors to some extent, I had no idea why Blue was behaving this way. ¡°Wh-why?¡± As he glanced at me in bewilderment, this time, Blue cried with a slightly sharper voice, ¡°Mrrrraawrr!¡± for a long time. ¡°Did I do something wrong? Did I make a mistake?¡± Did I unwittingly make the cat feel uncomfortable? Watching my tearful face, Blue quickly whipped his tail. It meant he was angry. ¡°Why?¡± As the nice, good-natured Blue was mad at me yet I didn¡¯t know why, I was desperate. And after giving me a sense of despair, he jumped off the tree branch and ran haughtily. ¡°Why is he like that?¡± When I asked Coco and Sasha if they could get a hint, Coco tilted his head. ¡°Angel, did you have a fight with Blue?¡± ¡°¡­Did I? ¡± ¡°I think Blue is very upset. It was a very hurtful sound.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Shrugging at my words, Coco gazed at my face worriedly. ¡°But seeing Angel¡¯s face, I¡¯m also upset as well. How did this happen? Why didn¡¯t you treat it with your ability?¡± ¡°Oh, um, this is¡­¡± I evaded the answer before glancing in the direction where Blue had disappeared. ¡®What was wrong¡­¡¯ Dimitri spat out the bird he had caught to teach the young cats to hunt and walked aimlessly. The bird luckily survived, lost its energy, and couldn¡¯t fly so it ran away and disappeared into the grass. ¡°¡­.¡± He held a fallen branch and laid down on his back, clutching it tightly with his front paws and hitting it with his hind foot. It was a temperamental bunny kick. [ T/N: OMG please google cat bunny kick! The best thing I¡¯ve seen today~! ( T T) ] ¡®D*mn it.¡¯ Lying on the grass, he rolled his body around and let go of his anger. Even though it bothered him that he shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t come!¡± to Rowaine a while ago, still, when he saw her sick face, he was angry and couldn¡¯t help it. ¡®She did such a thing without discussing a word with me while talking to her employees and others.¡¯ When he was told later that Cayetana even bowed her head and apologized to Rowaine, he couldn¡¯t believe such a person would lower her head like that. It was a huge incident. As he heard that, he felt like having a party and drinking wine that he didn¡¯t usually drink because it was so exhilarating. ¡®But¡­¡¯ After seeing Rowaine in person, his joy faded, and he wondered why she was so angry. Dimitri¡¯s tail thumped the floor. It was an expression of anger. Just as a human¡¯s mood was revealed in their facial expressions, a cat¡¯s mood was revealed from its tail. Still, he was unaware that his tail was moving with involuntary displeasure without realizing it. His teeth still shuddered when he thought of his memories of being abused by Cayetana as a child and of his mother, who was sadly being beaten by her. He had such a boiling rage that even if he tore her apart, his anger wouldn¡¯t go away. He wanted to trample her by all means. Nonetheless, he couldn¡¯t understand why he wasn¡¯t so happy when Rowaine did that. Why. Why¡­ Dimitri couldn¡¯t find an answer and circled around in place before coming to a conclusion. ¡®As much as Rowaine was sick, Cayetana should be worse so it could be better.¡¯ An apology alone wasn¡¯t enough. ¡®I can¡¯t just let it end with words.¡¯ As he thought so, Dimitri narrowed his eyes and searched for a way. His green eyes suddenly flashed, and a wicked smirk painted on his face. ¡°You know what will happen if you don¡¯t do as you¡¯re told, right?¡± Dimitri, perched on a tall branch in the form of a cat, threatened the rat shapeshifters he had just caught. Even though they were called shapeshifters, even when they were in human form, they were as big as only two spans of hand as they knelt in front of him and nodded their heads wildly. ¡°Squeak, squeeak!¡± ¡°Ppeek¡± ¡°Squeak, ppeek!¡± The rat spoke in their own language, trying hard to explain something to him, even though Dimitri couldn¡¯t understand it. They probably understood what he was asking them to do and would do anything if he would spare them. ¡°Dig deep inside and give the most agonizing nightmares. You¡¯ll also need to be careful not to wake her up in the middle.¡± The rat shapeshifters nodded their heads. Nevertheless, Dimitri still looked incredulous while staring at them and opened his mouth. ¡°I know how to crush the bodies of the cubs if you play any tricks.¡± Saying so, he pointed with his chin to the branch on the other side. There, Shedim, the servant of Dimitri¡¯s demon Samael, was coiled with a long forked tongue with cracked ends. In the middle of the coil, the baby rats were asleep. ¡°Go.¡± Dimitri, with a villainous face, pointed the window of Cayetana¡¯s room to the rat shapeshifters. The rat shapeshifters climbed tree branches and approached the window, calling out their nightmares to come next to them before opening the locked window. The rat shapeshifters lived in the gutter, carried disease, and used dream magic to steal the energy of humans. If others knew that he had let them loose in his own house, they might call him crazy. However, Dimitri hoped that Cayetana would suffer at least a little tonight after carrying out such a crazy matter. Only then would it seem like the irritation that was seething inside him would be relieved a little. Early that morning, Cayetana, whose self-esteem had been hurt by the incident with Rowaine and was irritated by her useless maids, drank four glasses of wine and finally fell asleep. She dreamed. The first dream was that of her children. The sight of the children playing in the garden of the beautiful Blois mansion was lovely¡­ However, such peaceful scenery was shattered in a short time. It was because Dimitri strangled her children with a demonic face and swung his sword. ¡°No! No, my children! No¡­!¡± Cayetana could only shed tears of blood as she watched the terrible sight of her children slaughtered by Dimitri¡¯s sword. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you. I¡¯m going to kill that cat!¡± While wailing, time in her dreams ebbed and flowed. Before she knew it, she now took on the appearance of an old woman with gray hair. Her majestic figure, commanding Blois, was nowhere to be seen. Her body was now frail and skinny as she curled up on an old chair while being abused by a maid. ¡°Do you still think you¡¯re the Duchess? You look like a senile hag!¡± She trembled at the maid¡¯s insult. How did she become like this? What happened¡­ At that moment, light entered the shabby space like a hut. It seemed that someone had opened the door and entered. ¡°You can¡¯t die. You won¡¯t be able to die and will live in this hell for the rest of your life.¡± It was Dimitri¡¯s voice. Cayetana struggled with her body. She wanted to grab Dimitri and beat him. However, her doddery body didn¡¯t budge, and she only curled up like a statue. ¡°Take her out and show her to those who come. Shall we let them see how she¡¯s prolonging her life?¡± At his command, someone lifted Cayetana¡¯s body. The next moment, she was locked in a cage. It was the same cage that she once imprisoned young Dimitri. Surrounding her, many people were watching her crouching in the cage. ¡°What a good sight. Cayetana Lerida.¡± Lerida? That was the last name before marriage. Cayetana opened her bulging eyes wide. ¡°Cayetana Lerida!¡± As he repeated her name again, Dimitri was now laughing. Not only that he had taken her children from her, but also the Blois¡¯ name. ¡°I¡¯m Cayetana Blois! It¡¯s Blois!¡± She writhed, but her voice dissipated in the back of her throat and faded away. ¡°Blois is mine. Blois is mine¡­!¡± Grabbing the cage, she shook it wildly and screamed as loud as she could. ¡­She used to be a presence in Blois. In despair and pain, Cayetana struggled and sobbed. The voices of taunters pierced sharply and haunted her. Still, her cruel dreams continued. In her third dream, she eventually collapsed. Dimitri stood where she had just been, smiling happily with Rowaine and their lovely child. Love overflowed in the eyes of the two, and they looked like a happy young lover. At the same time, Dimitri was smiling as he embraced all the things that belonged to her in the past. Cayetana had never seen him smile so happily. He was a child who always trembled in fear in front of her. His smile felt like a hideous demon laughing at her. It seemed as though he was making a mockery of her. ¡°Unggh¡­ It can¡¯t be like this. Why¡­ why are you laughing¡­!¡± She was frustrated¡­ no, she felt fear beyond her dejection. She lost everything, and her sense of defeat created emptiness. The three dreams were Cayetana¡¯s worst past, future, and present¡ªthe thing she couldn¡¯t tolerate the most. Looking at them, her body shivered from the extreme stress. As she slept, cold sweat ran down her body. It was a relentless nightmare that she couldn¡¯t wake up from, even if she wanted to. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 It wasn¡¯t until dawn that she barely managed to shake off her nightmare, waking up drenched in sweat. However, barely waking up, she soon fell back to bed soon after. ¡°Ugh¡­ heuk¡­¡± For some reason, she had no energy. A feeling of extreme helplessness swept over her. It was because her energy was stolen by the devil, but there was no way for Cayetana to know now. As she sweated profusely and was very thirsty, she couldn¡¯t come to her senses and was seized again. The fear of the dream demon was that it could lead to the death of humans due to the mental shock caused by nightmares. Even if they safely endured the nightmare and woke up, a human who had been deprived of their spirit could die from sleep if there were no one to take care of them. Cayetana had many employees to take care of her so she wouldn¡¯t die, but for a few days, to regain her energy, she would have to fight the demon without even knowing. ¡°Sleeping in late¡­ As far as I know, Madam Elbas never overslept. I¡¯m sure her pride was hurt, so she¡¯s shutting herself in because of what happened yesterday.¡± Agwen spoke sharply, knowing that Madam Elbas hadn¡¯t woken up and didn¡¯t show up for breakfast. Nonetheless, my thoughts were a bit different. ¡®I thought you¡¯d show up with a casual face. It¡¯s surprising.¡¯ As far as I know, Madam Elbas was a shameless person. Still, it was so trivial that such a person skipped breakfast though I didn¡¯t want to bother with that. I changed the topic and asked Agwen. ¡°But, why did Dimitri close off the east corridor on the fourth floor?¡± ¡°Well, the rat shapeshifters appeared overnight!¡± ¡°A rat shapeshifter?¡± ¡°Since it turns into a rat and passes through the drainage channel, it¡¯s said that the Imperial Palace went into a frenzy before as well. It could be anywhere. However, after the Duke returned from the battlefield, all the rats, let alone the rat shapeshifters, disappeared from this mansion¡­¡± I heard something similar when I went to hunt the rat shapeshifter¡¯s nightmare demon with Coco before. That was why we had to go all the way there to find the rat shapeshifters. ¡°Looks like they haven¡¯t heard rumors that cats are holding out in Blois.¡± ¡°I hear rumors travel fast among rat shapeshifters, but it doesn¡¯t seem like that. Anyway, they said the eastern hallway was closed for disinfection, but Madam Elbas got caught.¡± In the eastern hallway on the fourth floor, Madam Elbas was currently staying. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t feel uncomfortable, she could continue to use it, but if she feels uncomfortable, she¡¯ll move.¡± There were many rooms in the mansion, so if she wanted to move, she could move anytime. It wasn¡¯t a big deal, either. ¡®It¡¯s a waste of attention.¡¯ After time and energy were wasted, I decided to put aside thoughts about Madam Elbas and sat down in front of the mirror. ¡°My skin is much better than yesterday, don¡¯t you think so?¡± ¡°It still looks painful¡­¡± Agwen smiled awkwardly as if she couldn¡¯t agree. Still, her agreement wasn¡¯t that important, so I shrugged and got up before leaving the room. ¡°I¡¯m curious about what Coco and Sasha are doing, so I¡¯m going to go to the annex.¡± For me, who suffered from ¡®cat separation anxiety,¡¯ as I would become anxious when separated from cats, seeing Coco and Sasha was a must for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was a mental problem, a chronic disease that couldn¡¯t be cured even with my healing ability. ¡®Anyway, that¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go, I need mental healing through cats.¡¯ However, in the front yard of the annex, there was someone who came before me. ¡°Dimitri?¡± ¡°Rowaine.¡± Dimitri glanced at me while saying something serious in front of Coco and Sasha. ¡°What are you doing?¡± As I approached with a question, Dimitri¡¯s expression when he saw me was strange. For some reason, he twitched his face with the corners of her mouth raised unnaturally¡­ ¡®Does my face still look bad?¡¯ He had an expression of seeing something he couldn¡¯t see. Yes, that expression was certain. ¡®¡­Still, the blisters have subsided a lot, and the spots have improved.¡¯ The effect of the treatment was quite good even though my face wasn¡¯t treated with my healing ability but was left to heal naturally with the treatment given by Tyra. ¡°Is it very bad?¡± When asked sullenly, Dimitri shook his head with a cold face. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­Your expression can¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°I¡¯m smiling.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± It was because while he was smiling as he said, he was still avoiding his eyes and keeping a stiff face. ¡°I¡¯ll get better soon. In four days or so, it won¡¯t even show.¡± ¡°What if you just treat it?¡± ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t people think it¡¯s strange?¡± ¡°The rate of recovery varies from person to person. Tell them that you have a constitution that heals quickly.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a degree, though.¡± At my words, Dimitri stared at me. As the glass-like eyes stared at me as if they were going to pierce me, I became nervous. Originally, it was scary when a cat stared at you like that. Then, he suddenly frowned as if he was scornful after staring at me for a while. ¡®No, is this person frowning at someone else¡¯s face?¡¯ His mouth poked out in disappointment. ¡°Is it that terrible?¡± Dimitri, who was staring at me as if he didn¡¯t want to answer the same question, sighed and spoke in a high-pitched voice. ¡°You look sick, Rowaine, sick¡­ Can¡¯t you just heal it faster? After doing that, even if it¡¯s a four-day vacation away from the public eye¡­!¡± Unable to finish his words, he stared at me with a teary face. I opened my mouth and looked at him like that. ¡®A face that looks like he¡¯s about to cry¡­¡¯ Even though there were no tears, his big, sad eyes and pursed lips looked like a child holding back tears. I was embarrassed and couldn¡¯t think of what to say after seeing that face. However, Dimitri bit his lips and apologized as if he thought I was angry after not knowing what to say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to get angry.¡± He was angry? ¡®He doesn¡¯t know what kind of expression he¡¯s making right now?¡¯ The muscles in my face started to twitch, and soon, the corners of my lips twitched wildly. Somehow, the sadness that had accumulated overnight had melted away like spring snow. ¡°Although I was sick yesterday, today, it doesn¡¯t hurt that much. Only my face was like this, but all other areas were treated. So, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Then, why are you smiling?¡± ¡°Smiling? I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t your face smiling?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± At that time, the audience, whose existences were forgotten, expressed their dissatisfaction and stuck their nails into the trunk of a tree. ¡°What are you two doing together?! Can¡¯t you see us?¡± ¡°Look at me. Look at me¡­!¡± It was a rebellion of domesticated cats whose patience was at its limit. ¡°So, what were you doing?¡± Dimitri, who seemed to be in a better mood, explained with a haughty face. ¡°I was thinking about teaching these guys how to make a contract with the devils. They need to know how to protect themselves, so there won¡¯t be any trouble like this time again.¡± There was a glimpse of hatred towards someone on his face. He must have been thinking of Madam Elbas. He seemed to suspect that Madam Elbas had deliberately brought in the lilies to harm Sasha. Meanwhile, Coco and Sasha¡¯s ears perked up at the words that they would teach them how to make a contract with the devil. So did my ears. ¡°Any cat can do that?¡± If Coco and Sasha could make a pact with the devils to become as strong as Dimitri, then I was all for it. When I asked with sparkling eyes, Sasha raised her hand and interrupted. ¡°Sasha can do it! I¡¯m a strong cat! But he can¡¯t since he¡¯s weak.¡± When she pointed at Coco as if to tease him, I quickly stopped her from doing that. ¡°You can¡¯t do that to Coco. He¡¯s also strong when it comes to strength.¡± ¡°Right! There¡¯s something I¡¯m good at, too. I was the one who helped Rowaine a lot!¡± Coco immediately shouted with a face that felt unfair and climbed up on top of my head. His eyes were droopy for a cat, so it seemed as if he was pouting slightly. Nevertheless, his expression of resentment was more prominent. ¡®Aw, he¡¯s upset. Aigoo~¡¯ He looked just as cute to me. I glanced at Dimitri, trying hard not to show affection for the upset Coco. It was meant for him to severely intervene between them. However, he scoffed at Coco and Sasha because of how he interpreted the look in my eyes. ¡°Kids.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Even if you make a contract with the devil, a kid is just a kid.¡± The next moment, he arrogantly looked down at the cats, which was really astounding. I glared at him with the intention of not discouraging the children, but he proudly ignored my gaze. ¡°Of course, a child who made a contract with the devil can become a little stronger¡­ if only you could make a contract.¡± Coco, who sat with my head in her arms, surprisingly didn¡¯t say anything. Only Sasha asked excitedly. ¡°I can do it! What should I do?¡± Dimitri answered calmly. ¡°You can risk your life.¡± I knew that in this world, feline shapeshifters made contracts with demons with their lives as collateral. Still, I couldn¡¯t quite imagine how that would actually work. I asked lightheartedly, feeling the trust in Dimitri¡¯s calm expression. ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous, right?: ¡°Don¡¯t you know what it means to risk your life?¡± He tilted his head, asking back. ¡°¡­You mean literally?¡± ¡­The trust has been broken. __ Thank you so much for always supporting the novels I work on, even if you don¡¯t buy me a coffee, I really do appreciate it a lot. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 I asked, trying to stay calm. ¡°I heard that a cat shapeshifter has nine lives. Does that mean giving one of them to the devil when you die or something like that?¡± So when the eight lives ran out, the last one would disappear along with the eighth. If that was the case, it wasn¡¯t bad. After all, other creatures started with one life, and eight was still a lot compared to one. However, to my naive question, Dimitri replied with a look of disbelief. ¡°Demons can¡¯t be so kind. They¡¯re demons, aren¡¯t they? Hedonistic, selfish, manipulative, cruel and vicious.¡± ¡®¡­Didn¡¯t he kindly sign a contract in exchange for his life and for them to obey his orders?¡¯ Realizing that I might set off Dimitri¡¯s tantrum if I said this, I decided to keep my mouth shut instead. But at the moment when I kept my mouth shut, Dimitri seemed to have roughly read my naive thoughts. He asked, narrowing his eyes. ¡°You probably don¡¯t think that saying that we have nine lives means that we get a new body every time we die and be fully resurrected.¡± If not that, then what could it be? As I blinked my eyes quietly, Dimitri let out a blank laugh as if he was in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered why you were so worried about their health when they have a healing ability, but now I¡¯m really curious. If you thought we were such immortals, why did you try so hard to keep Sasha alive yesterday?¡± ¡°You never know what¡¯s going to happen in life. Whether it¡¯s one life or nine lives, each one is precious. You can¡¯t waste a single one.¡± ¡°Should I say that you¡¯re frugal¡­¡± What I knew from reading the original story was actually information acquired through the perspective of the heroine of this world. Since the original male lead, Cadis, was a dog shapeshifter, the female lead was more familiar with dogs than cats. In other words, I wasn¡¯t very bright when it came to information related to cat shapeshifters so the story related to the cat shapeshifters, which I heard directly from Dimitri¡¯s mouth, was quite unfamiliar. ¡°When they say a cat has nine lives, they¡¯re talking about cats surviving a crisis tenaciously.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t actually have nine lives?¡± Since the genre was fantasy, I thought they¡¯d be magically resurrected nine times, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. It was a bit disappointing as it felt as if the strong insurance I had put in place for the children had disappeared in an instant. ¡°Moreover, cats and shapeshifters have a higher chance of surviving contracts with demons than other races because we can see the true nature of demons and easily see through their weaknesses.¡± ¡°Does that mean you have to fight the demon and win to make a contract?¡± ¡°The fight isn¡¯t just hand-to-hand combat. Depending on the nature of the summoned demon, you may have to guess a riddle or win a bet. They are pretty belligerent, so there are many cases where it often gets into fights.¡± Risking one¡¯s life must have meant that one had to win a life-and-death fight. Meanwhile, Coco, who had been listening quietly until then, interrupted. ¡°All we have to do is win the fight with the demon and we¡¯ll get the contract, brother?¡± ¡°Most of the time, yes. If your heart can handle it.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Neither Dimitri nor Sasha seemed to notice, but I saw Coco¡¯s eyes glaze over at that moment. ¡®Why is he like that¡­?¡¯ Soon enough, Coco showed a resolute attitude as if nothing had happened, so I pretended not to know and probed for more details instead of questioning Coco. ¡°What do you mean, if your heart holds out?¡± ¡°When you sign a contract with the demon, you imprison it in your heart. The heart acts as a shackle.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± ¡°Even after signing a contract, the demons always try to escape. If the heart is weak, it¡¯ll gnaw at it and run away. Only those with healthy bodies can control demons without being consumed by them.¡± Since making a contract with the devil was really not an ordinary thing, perhaps that was why they said that only ¡®strong cats¡¯ could make contracts with the demons. Dimitri, who went through all of this, looked amazing. ¡°Dimitri did that hard thing. You¡¯re really amazing.¡± ¡°It¡¯s basic.¡± As he shrugged with a smug look on his face at my words, I gave him a round of applause and smiled. ¡°But¡­ are you going to make Coco and Sasha do that difficult thing, too?¡± ¡°They will be able to save their own lives.¡± I clenched my fists. This wasn¡¯t a laughing matter¡ª! ¡°Your belly button is bigger than your stomach!*¡± [ T/N: It¡¯s an idiom which means, ¡®For something secondary to take more money or effort than something primary.¡¯ ] How many times would they risk their lives to make a contract with the devil to protect their life from external threats day and night? ¡°Besides, if Coco or Sasha make a pact with the devil, they might be able to protect Rowaine.¡± ¡°My cats don¡¯t need to protect me, they just need to be cute! And they¡¯ve fulfilled their calling by being cute!¡± All of a sudden, Sasha stopped me with a face like the world was about to collapse. ¡°No! Sasha isn¡¯t satisfied with being cute, I want to be a strong cat!¡± ¡°Sasha, let¡¯s talk about it again when you¡¯re a little older.¡± Dimitri protested as if he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°I also made a pact with the devil when I was that age. Sasha has qualities¡­¡± I leaned my face close to his ear and whispered softly. ¡°Don¡¯t encourage the child. If something goes wrong, I¡¯m not going to let you get away with it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to let the demons play with my cat¡¯s life. ¡®¡­This is ridiculous.¡¯ At my adamant objections, Sasha let out an annoyed scream before turning around and running off. Nonetheless, I turned away from Sasha and narrowed my eyes to Dimitri with the thought, ¡®What can¡¯t be done, can¡¯t be done.¡¯ It was an expression of strong disapproval. While Sasha got angry and ran away, Coco disappeared quietly at some point. Since I was bothered by Coco¡¯s reaction earlier, I decided to search for him. Though contrary to what I expected for him to be running around indiscriminately somewhere, Coco was sitting on the wall in a human form. ¡°Coco, I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while.¡± Coco, who had been staring blankly into space and lost in thought, glanced at me and asked slowly. ¡°Why?¡± Even though his face was calm, the tension was definitely off. ¡°Are you mad at me for not letting you make a deal with the demons?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sasha who¡¯s upset.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Rowaine is worried about us. I¡¯m grateful.¡± It was definitely weird. Coco was so polite and mature, which wasn¡¯t his usual behavior. Thinking that, I asked again. ¡°I appreciate your understanding of my feelings, but what about yours?¡± Coco paused. Although I tried to approach him with kind words, his response was caught again so I decided to repeat my question again. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± After hesitating for a while, Coco smiled awkwardly. ¡°I can¡¯t do that anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do it anyway?¡± He let out a deep sigh. A look of disappointment came out as if he couldn¡¯t smile any longer. ¡°Because my heart won¡¯t be able to stand it.¡± Wasn¡¯t that something you wouldn¡¯t know unless you tried it? I climbed the wall and sat down next to him, looking at his side. His curly wheat-colored hair fluttered in the wind, and his clear sky-blue eyes, half-hidden by long lashes, stared helplessly at the floor. Coco, who had a short mouth and was a picky eater, was very skinny though today he felt smaller. The boy¡¯s profile looked unusually lonely. After choosing his words for a long time, Coco confessed. ¡°When I was a slave trader, my brothers were with me. There were four of them, including me.¡± ¡°Where are they?¡± ¡°They all died before I was ten years old. I¡¯m the only one who survived.¡± I berated myself for my carelessness and wondered what comforting words I could offer to Coco. However, he smiled bitterly as if he understood and continued the story. ¡°The young cats and dogs there die easily¡­ that¡¯s to be expected because there are not many children who were born normally.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°I know. I was born there, too, and my siblings died of a genetic disease that caused their hearts to grow abnormally large. It was a very common disease there.¡± Coco dropped his head. ¡°I found out later that it was due to reckless inbreeding.¡± The boy chewed his lip as his shoulders slumped. ¡°I knew because the shapeshifters caught outside told me about it. I couldn¡¯t make a contract with a demon. Even if I survived this long, my heart would never be strong enough to contain a demon.¡± ¡°Coco.¡± When I reached out my hand to him, Coco, who usually enjoyed my touch, pushed my hand ferociously for the first time. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed¡­ I¡¯m so ashamed of myself. I¡¯m disgusted that I was born that way.¡± It was only then that I realized why Coco had asked me to keep what was happening at the slave trader a secret. Inbreeding frequently occurred at the slave trader he was born and raised in, so he probably didn¡¯t want to reveal that he was born that way, too. There was a big difference between what others assumed and what turned out to be true. Many thoughts floated through my head. I wondered what I should say to Coco, but what could I say that would comfort him? __ Chapter 69 Chapter 69 In the end, I couldn¡¯t find any words of comfort and I just honestly expressed how I felt. ¡°I¡¯m so sad. It¡¯s so horrible, and I don¡¯t even know what to say to you. I¡¯m angry with this world and with such people¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Coco. Sometimes, humans are bad.¡± ¡°Why should Rowaine apologize for that? It¡¯s those people who are bad, not you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re the bad ones and the ones to be ashamed of themselves. Still, Coco feels ashamed of what they did, and that makes me sad as well. I feel sorry for what they did to you.¡± ¡°Rowaine is my angel! If it weren¡¯t for you, I¡¯d be dead. You¡¯re my savior, so don¡¯t be sorry.¡± I smiled sadly and stroked Coco¡¯s fluffy hair. ¡°Coco is also my lovely cat. Without you, I would be less happy than I am now.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Coco¡¯s eyes widened. I started sharing my story that Coco wouldn¡¯t know, wanting him to know how precious he was to me. ¡°Before I met Coco, I had cats that I took care of.¡± Soon, I told him about the cats I had been taking care of for ten years. How well I knew each one of them, their personalities, habits, voices, likes and dislikes¡­ and how much I loved and cared for them. ¡°When I lost all of the children in an accident, I just wanted to die¡­ they were everything to me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°But then I met Coco. Do you know how much I depended on you? I became happy again after meeting you.¡± As his eyes widened as he gazed at me, I gave him a big hug and continued my words. ¡°I¡¯m happy because of you. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re an embarrassment or shameful. No matter what, you¡¯re my sweet cat.¡± ¡°Rowaine¡­¡± His tears, which had formed large pools, soaked into my clothes. Coco cried quietly for a long time as I patted him on the back until her cries subsided. And finally, when his trembling stopped, I whispered. ¡°Coco, I¡¯m so angry.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± He sniffed and quietly listened to my voice. ¡°I mean those people¡­ they are doing horrible things, and I¡¯m sure there are lives being born in pain and dying in pain even now because of those slave traders.¡± Perhaps sensing the unusual anger in my voice, Coco lifted his wet face and glanced at me. I said through gritted teeth. ¡°Shall I get rid of them?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± His face went blank. ¡°Who? Those slave traders?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you want me to get rid of them?¡± Coco¡¯s eyes fluttered slightly. ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very serious.¡± At my affirmation, his eyes widened a little more. ¡°Ca-can you do it?¡± ¡°I can do it. Do you want to do it?¡± Coco¡¯s big eyes widened at my confident face, and he moved away from me a little to straighten his posture. ¡°You should get Dimitri¡¯s help instead. Dimitri has a high status even among humans, so destroying slave traders is a piece of cake.¡± Since I knew the advanced information I already knew from reading the novel, I knew a way to use Dimitri¡¯s power to crush the slave traders and perhaps even give the senior a big blow. The only reason I didn¡¯t use that method was because Coco had asked me to keep what was happening at the slave trader a secret. I said, hoping Coco would be brave enough to do it. ¡°¡­Then, this will be known to the world.¡± Even though I knew how to get revenge and had the means, it wasn¡¯t going to be easy for Coco. It was because everyone he knew would know the secret of his birth, a secret he painstakingly confided in me. No matter how much he was the victim, I understood the feeling of covering up for the perpetrator for fear of revealing the terrible secret that happened to him. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t have a deep hatred for the perpetrator but because he was so afraid of how others would look at him if the incident were known. It took courage and determination to face the stares that would follow you in order to settle a score. Even after repaying the grudge, the victim¡¯s life continues. I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine the weight of the courage and resolution that wouldn¡¯t collapse for the rest of my life, so I couldn¡¯t force Coco to do it. ¡®¡­I hope I wasn¡¯t being pushy since I was just making a cautious suggestion.¡¯ ¡°If you want, let¡¯s destroy those bastards together. Still, I won¡¯t do anything for you if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Nervously, Coco grabbed my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know, I just want to¡­ pretend it didn¡¯t happen. Like it never happened. This may happen frequently in the world, but if I kept my mouth shut as if I hadn¡¯t been harmed¡­¡± With his brow narrowed, he wiped a tear from his eye with the back of his hand. ¡°¡­But, like Rowaine just said. Even now, many lives are being born into pain and suffering right now.¡± Painful tears kept soaking the back of Coco¡¯s hands. ¡°If only I had the courage¡­ there would be no children born in the future who would be as unfortunate as me and my brothers, right?¡± ¡­Oh, my. It was only then did I realize I had made a mistake. In expressing my anger, I made him responsible for the other victims. Even if I didn¡¯t mean to do that, in the end, I ended up burdening him, and if so, it was my fault. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Coco. Those were words that only the person concerned could have said, but I made a mistake. You don¡¯t have to force your courage because of my words.¡± ¡°Nonetheless, I can¡¯t bring myself to feel guilty that I didn¡¯t have the courage to stop it when I knew there would be another victim.¡± I closed my eyes tightly. How nice it would be if I could pick the right words and say them to him. It felt like I was asking someone who was struggling with their own pain to take responsibility for the pain of others as well. How wise it was to know how to comfort others properly. I couldn¡¯t believe I¡¯d created this situation because of my lack of wisdom. Instead, it was Coco who comforted me as I was feeling devastated. ¡°Rowaine is right. I¡¯ll pluck up the courage.¡± The boy raised his wonderfully beautiful and clear eyes. ¡°Rowaine told me that you love me even though you know my secret, and that you¡¯re not ashamed of me.¡± At that moment, I could tell what he needed to say from the way he was gazing, and it wasn¡¯t a hard thing for me to say either. ¡°It always will be. Once my cat, always my cat. I¡¯ll always love you the same way I always have.¡± The joy in Coco¡¯s eyes was surprisingly clear. ¡°That¡¯s all I need! You¡¯re also my eternal angel. Rowaine is all I need.¡± He put strength into the two hands that were holding mine. ¡°I want revenge, Rowaine. I want them to be very, very scared. Don¡¯t let them do it again.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not going to let them get away with it, trust me.¡± ¡°Ung!¡± Coco¡¯s breathing quickened a little with excitement. When I went to Dimitri¡¯s office with Coco, he was doing his job with Sasha dangling around his ankles. Even with Sasha, in the form of a kitten, was clawing at his ankles while screaming, ¡°I want to make a deal with the devil, let me make a deal with the devil!¡± Dimitri didn¡¯t take his eyes off the papers and just replied, ¡°You have to get Rowaine¡¯s permission,¡± as he ignored the attacks. ¡°Waak! Aaak! I hate you all! I hate you¡­!¡± Sasha rolled around on the floor and grumbled. Then, after belatedly discovering me watching me, she shouted, ¡°I hate you!¡± and sprinted out between my legs like a dart. Coco clicked his tongue. ¡°When will she ever grow up?¡± When I asked to speak to Dimitri, he got off his desk and sat down on the sofa. ¡°Have you changed your mind, Rowaine?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s about a devil¡¯s contract, absolutely not.¡± Dimitri, who nodded as if he knew what I was talking about, muttered, ¡°We¡¯ll just have to give them a personal escort.¡± Crossing his long legs and sitting back comfortably on the sofa, he had a languid expression. ¡°Then, what is it?¡± ¡°Dimitri, do you remember the last time I told you to trust me about the damages claimed by the Count of Bilbao?¡± ¡°What other crazy plans have you come up with?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called an ingenious plan.¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to hear your ingenious plans.¡± I smiled in satisfaction at the quick change of words. ¡°The slave traders of the Count of Bilbao are inbreeding the shapeshifters.¡± Dimitri¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much. ¡°It¡¯s outrageous that a slave trader of that magnitude would do something like that, but it¡¯s not something that would overturn Count Bilbao¡¯s claim. It would be socially condemned if it became public knowledge. However, after all, it¡¯s the owner¡¯s right to decide how to use his slaves, who are private property, to increase the number of people.¡± Coco glanced back and forth between Dimitri and me with anxious eyes. It was unexpected that Dimitri would show such a nonchalant reaction. Nevertheless, he was someone who knew more about the dirty things that happened in the shadows of society than most. His life hadn¡¯t been easy, and he had been through a lot of things that other people didn¡¯t have to. The sentences in the novel that outlined why he was forced to become a villain were very succinct in describing his struggles. Still, I was able to read the hidden content between the lines of how he had been living with dirt and how he survived, so his dry reaction was not too surprising. There was something really important I wanted to say in the first place. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not the end of it.¡± ¡°Please continue.¡± ¡°What if Count Bilbao was selling the dog breeds produced by inbreeding to the Emperor by manipulating with the pedigrees?¡± ¡°Ho?¡± Dimitri laughed in disbelief. It wasn¡¯t because he couldn¡¯t believe what I was saying, but it was a laugh that would be very funny if it were true. __ Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Originally, the episode involving the slave traders was the first incident in which the novel¡¯s heroine encountered Dimitri, the head of the Blois. The female protagonist, a princess who had been living without a presence, discovered Count Bilbao¡¯s fraudulent scheme and asked the Emperor to present her with Cadis as a reward. The incident was the beginning of a romance in which the heroine, who happened to accidentally meet Cadis, freed him from his painful training and gained his trust. The Emperor not only punished Count Bilbao for his actions but also demanded huge damages from Blois, who was responsible for the management and oversight of the Count¡¯s slave trade and allowed it to operate. It was a blow to Dimitri, who had just succeeded the dukedom and hadn¡¯t had time to pay attention to such trivialities. As he recognized the existence of a female protagonist and the male slave, Cadis, Dimitri¡¯s position was naturally matched to the villain, who stood opposite the protagonists. ¡®I¡¯ve really changed the flow of the original story¡­¡¯ Nonetheless, I wasn¡¯t in a position to worry about the flow of the original story now. Because I, who should¡¯ve become the mistress of the Emperor and abused the male protagonist, twisted the flow and came to Blois. ¡®The heroine will try to save Cadis no matter what, so she will find another way.¡¯ Since she was smart, she would be able to uncover another corruption. Even though I felt sorry for her for stealing the hard-earned information and using it to help Dimitri, what could I do? ¡®I have to take care of my own people first, regardless of means and methods.¡¯ Once I entered the novel and started my new life, the heroine I didn¡¯t even know was just a stranger. ¡®I have two cats, no, four cats, Dimitri and Blue, that I want to protect.¡¯ Dimitri seemed to be quite curious to know how I had learned of the Count of Bilbao¡¯s corruption. ¡°When did you investigate something like that, and so quickly?¡± I blurted it out, hoping to throw a bait to divert his attention in a different direction. ¡°Well¡­ coincidence and luck and all that. Still, let¡¯s start with the evidence because we¡¯re not going to catch the Count of Bilbao with just this alone.¡± ¡°Is there any way to do that?¡± I smiled confidently. ¡°There¡¯s a ledger. It¡¯s a secret ledger, where slave traders record the expenses spent on manipulating the pedigree..¡± Dimitri let out a blank scoff in disbelief. ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that important. I know that the original is being kept by Count Bilbao in an unknown place, but there¡¯s one copy that even the Count doesn¡¯t know about¡­ That¡¯s what I¡¯m aiming for.¡± ¡°A copy that even the Count didn¡¯t know about¡­¡± He gave me a look that asked, ¡°How the hell do you know that?¡± but didn¡¯t probe further, probably sensing that I didn¡¯t want to tell him the source of information. Instead, he switched courses and asked me a question. ¡°Do you even know where that copy is?¡± He seemed to think that it was better to cover up the source and let more information come out than to make me keep my mouth shut while trying to figure it out. It was a smart choice. ¡°The accountant, who had secretly made a copy of it, must have taken it with him when he left the slave trader.¡± ¡°Why did he make a copy?¡± In the original, the heroine met the accountant while investigating the people who had left the slave trader. The accountant revealed that he had a copy, and when the heroine asked him why he made it, he confessed that he was tormented by a guilty conscience after seeing the atrocities committed by the slave traders. As he thought that the day might come when he needed a secret ledger, he secretly copied it and wrote everything down. Recalling the contents, I shrugged my shoulders and said calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe he was feeling remorse and thought about blowing the whistle*.¡± [ T/N: (Idiom) If you blow the whistle on someone, you report them to the authorities about illegal or immoral things that they may have done. ] Dimitri smirked as if he didn¡¯t find that very credible. ¡°You¡¯re naive, Madam. I¡¯ll bet you fifty million pennies that the accountant was thinking of blackmailing Count Bilbao with that.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± He just told me he owed me fifty million pennies¡­ I wanted to write this down. My mouth itched and I felt like going crazy, but I managed to hold it in and smiled sadly. ¡°In the future, don¡¯t ever joke around with such a large amount of money on the line.¡± Fifty million pennies. In Korean money, that was twenty-five million won¡­ I felt like the twenty-five million won that I could have gotten for free flew away with wings. Meanwhile, unaware of my feelings, Dimitri was laughing, enjoying the situation. He already seemed to relish the thought of beating Count Bilbao. ¡°All right. If what Rowaine is saying is true, we need to find that accountant quickly.¡± Just then, Coco raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Coco glanced at the two of us alternately and pestered. ¡°If it¡¯s someone who worked in the slave trade, it must be someone I¡¯ve seen. I¡¯ve been there for a while, so I can find them.¡± Swallowing a grunt, I shut my mouth. ¡®¡­What if it¡¯s dangerous? What if my baby gets in danger? What if he goes outside and gets hurt? What if he gets caught by slave traders trying to find an accountant?¡¯ Dimitri glanced at me, perhaps reading my expression before shrewdly withdrawing his foot. ¡°If Rowaine allows it.¡± I glared at Dimitri resentfully and pursed my lips to dissuade him, but Coco was faster. ¡°You said you needed my help, Rowaine. Let¡¯s destroy the slave traders together. Let me be a part of it¡­ I don¡¯t want to sit on the sidelines and just watch.¡± I bit my lip hard at the conflict in my heart. All I wanted to do was keep Coco safe, snuggled up in my shadow, protected, but¡­ After seeing Coco¡¯s determination firsthand, who was I to dissuade him? I nodded reluctantly. ¡°You have to be careful, Coco.¡± Coco said he would personally pick the knights who would find the accountant in question with him. It was his specialty to pick people who were trustworthy and good at their jobs. I was anxiously gazing at Coco¡¯s back, who went out to select knights with Dimitri¡¯s permission, as I heard Dimitri chuckle softly behind me. ¡°I thought you would never allow it, but I¡¯m surprised.¡± I quietly turned my head and looked at him. ¡°¡­.!¡± Only then did his eyes widen when he saw my expression. ¡°¡­What if it¡¯s dangerous? Hnng.¡± Dimitri, who stared at me for a long time as I was making a crying sound, called his demon Shedim in a low voice. Black smoke soon wandered around me, picking up the cushions on the couch one by one and bringing them to me. One on my lap, one on each side, and one at my feet¡­ As I hugged one of them and buried my face in it, I could feel more cushions being piled on top of my body. Dimitri, who had built a mountain of cushions over my body, sat next to me without making a sound and waited until my anxiety subsided. With a small, elite pursuit party, Coco set out that very day to find the accountant hiding somewhere. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine. Those chosen by Coco are loyal and skilled among the knights of Blois.¡± Perhaps it was awkward to comfort me, Dimitri just stood by my side while clearing his throat. All the while, he kept yawning or occasionally walking past me and gently brushing my shoulder or collar. If anyone else had seen it, they might have thought that instead of comforting my anxiety, he was openly yawning, expressing boredom and annoying me. Nevertheless, I took great comfort in knowing that it was the behavioral language of cats to say, ¡®It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re safe. There¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s sweet.¡¯ Dimitri¡¯s reputation in the novel was truly villainous. An arrogant, selfish, capricious and unpredictable person who was sensitive and sharp¡­ that was his description. However, that was just from the perspective of people who didn¡¯t know cats well. ¡®Dimitri must have looked incredibly nervous and sharp, especially in the eyes of the heroine, who was more dog-friendly.¡¯ The behavioral language of cats was less well understood than that of dogs, and there were many things that were difficult to understand by human standards, which was why people often misunderstand cats. Since they didn¡¯t know and didn¡¯t understand them, they had no choice but to misinterpret them. For a cat that was usually wary and cautious, laid-back and lazy behavior was a sign of trust and affection, as if saying, ¡®I¡¯m not nervous around you because I trust you.¡¯ Nonetheless, people misunderstand it as indifference or go further and judge it as disrespectful. ¡®Cats don¡¯t ignore people, they just don¡¯t show that they¡¯re paying attention.¡¯ So, the fact that Dimitri didn¡¯t even look at me like he was doing now was just pretending. I laughed a little inside. ¡®He¡¯s comforting me, saying it¡¯s okay with his whole body.¡¯ Seeing him working hard for me made me feel like I shouldn¡¯t be more sluggish. I brushed off my anxiety about Coco and spoke cheerfully on purpose. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave it to Coco to find the secret ledger, and we¡¯ll discuss other things. First of all, the punishment of the slave traders.¡± At my words, Dimitri looked up from fiddling with the hem of his shirt with his fingertips. ¡°I see you have something in mind.¡± I clenched my fists, my eyes flashing with glee. ¡°I¡¯m going to beat up those slave traders, enough to cripple them in a place or two.¡± __ Chapter 71 Chapter 71 There was so much madness in my eyes that Dimitri paused for a moment. Oh, my. It seemed that I got too excited. Thinking that, I softened my gaze a little but still asked firmly. ¡°As the Duchess, I suppose that kind of punishment would be possible, right?¡± He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°You have that much authority. Slave traders are commoners, and deceiving the Emperor is a serious crime.¡± Long live the power¡­! ¡°If you leave it in the hands of the Emperor, they will be hanged outside the gates anyway. I can lend them the gates of Blois if you wish.¡± ¡­Unng? ¡°No, I¡¯m too timid and weak to do that. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if we quietly killed them?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Dimitri¡¯s brow narrowed slightly. He seemed to be pondering my standards of timidity and weakness. [ T/N: LOL SAME THOUGH (¡ä ?) ] ¡°Anyway, it seems like we can punish them as much as I want. I¡¯ll get Coco¡¯s opinion on that when he gets back, and as for the shapeshifters the slave traders have, can I take ownership of them?¡± ¡°That should be possible, too.¡± Dimitri frowned before he added. ¡°Dogs are not allowed in my house. Never.¡± I smiled and reassured him. ¡°I know someone who can take care of the dogs.¡± Avila Teruel, formerly the youngest titled imperial mage and now the owner of a small shapeshifter supply store, fingered the letter bearing the seal of House Blois. ¡®¡­What the hell are they up to?¡¯ When the Duchess of Blois came to visit the other day, Avila thought she was just lucky to have a wealthy patron. The coy Duchess, who had promised to sponsor her research, saying that she liked the perfume that disturbed the dog¡¯s sense of smell, which was the result of her research, seemed quite vigilant and reserved. At first, Avila thought she was just another one of those pampered women who came to her looking for gossip like everyone else since she became an imperial mage, her dream job at a young age, but soon gave up that title, so she was a fairly famous eccentric wizard. However, she realized that the woman who had chosen to sponsor her, Rowaine Larscel, was even more infamous for being eccentric than she was. ¡®She¡¯s notorious for abusing a number of shapeshifters with that face.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t talking about a beautiful appearance. The Duchess was, of course, as beautiful as rumored though that wasn¡¯t why Avila was attracted to her. The woman she saw had a determined look in her eyes that didn¡¯t make her seem fierce, but there was kindness in her expression. The woman whom she met for the first time was strangely aggressive while showing a peculiar defensive attitude. Far from being rude, she could feel consideration in her words, so Avila just thought that she was a good person. But it turned out that she was the infamous Rowaine Larscel. ¡®As expected, people shouldn¡¯t be judged by their appearance.¡¯ Avila¡¯s eyes narrowed. It was a creepy discovery she made when she bragged to a friend about being sponsored by the Duchess of Blois. ¡®¡­She would gather the nobles, drug the shapeshifter slaves before playing with him, and torture them for fun.¡¯ It was horrifying to hear and made her body tremble. Why on earth would someone whose hobby was abusing shapeshifters sponsor someone whose main focus was researching shapeshifters¡¯ abilities? ¡®I don¡¯t know why, but this has a bad taste. Is she looking for a new way to play? What did she think of my research?¡¯ That wasn¡¯t the only thing she didn¡¯t understand. ¡®I heard that the Duke of Blois is a cat shapeshifter.¡¯ If she was the Duchess and agreed to marry the Duke because she coveted his wealth and power, wouldn¡¯t that mean he didn¡¯t care if his wife was a woman who took pleasure in abusing his own people? ¡®Aristocrats¡­¡¯ ¡­A suspicious duchess and an unknown duke. Avila felt uncomfortable. ¡®I don¡¯t want to associate with her.¡¯ With no income, she was desperate for sponsors. So when the Duchess offered to sponsor her, Avila regretted that she had accepted the offer without knowing anything. Because of that, she was going to visit the Duchess once about that matter. Though yesterday, out of the blue, a letter arrived from the Duchess, asking her to come to Blois as soon as possible. ¡®I don¡¯t know what she¡¯s calling it for, but it¡¯s good. I have to say I won¡¯t accept the sponsorship.¡¯ Avila stood in front of the Blois mansion, her posture resolute and stiff. It was said to be a historic family, and it was an old house that looked as old as the family¡¯s history itself¡ªvery ornate and magnificent. ¡®This place looks more like a castle than a mansion¡­¡¯ Swallowing dry saliva, she glanced at the butler who came out to the front door. ¡°The Duchess had called for me.¡± ¡°Are you Avila Teruell? Welcome. She¡¯s been waiting for you.¡± After showing the letter to the butler, he escorted her into the drawing room. Avila walked along nervously, stumbling over a threshold, and almost buried her nose in the butler¡¯s back as she walked too fast. Just as she was about to sit down and try to put down the bag she was carrying on the sofa in the drawing room, the bag suddenly opened and the contents spilled out. As she hastily floundered the items into her bag, before she knew it, the Duke of Blois suddenly appeared in front of her. She had heard of the Duke of Blois as being violent and unruly, and running rampant on the battlefield like a grim reaper. That was why she imagined a man with a formidable impression and horns on his head with a rough body. However, the Duke of Blois, who faced her in person, was completely different from what she had imagined. The first thing Avila noticed about him was his tall, slender body and sleek, handsome appearance like a theater actor. In addition, he had an aristocratic demeanor that was both elegant and intimidating. Having seen many nobles in the imperial palace, Avila thought that they were no different from the commoners, except that they wore jewelry¡­ yet the Duke of Blois was different from other nobles. ¡®He looks like someone from another world¡­ His movements keep catching my eye.¡¯ As she gazed at the Duke idly, Avila suddenly met his gaze as he crossed his arms and looked down at her. ¡®Cat.¡¯ Long, vertically slit eyes were staring at her. His eyes, full of strength and confidence, somehow had an aggressive glow. The moment the Duke¡¯s pupils opened and closed once, Avila instinctively felt fear and lowered her eyes. At the same time, the Duchess slipped between the Duke and her. ¡°Is there anything on my husband¡¯s face? You¡¯ve been staring at him so closely.¡± ¡®¡­Oh my.¡¯ It seemed that she had made a mistake. It was the first time she had seen an aristocratic shapeshifter, so she must have stared at him too much because she was curious. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t even realize¡­¡± Avila swallowed dryly. She had heard from a friend that the Duchess of Blois had a very violent temper. Not only did she do all kinds of evil to the shapeshifters, but she also used her hand against the people below her. Because of that, Avila was nervous that the Duchess would catch on to her rude behavior. However, the Duchess didn¡¯t even criticize her and just invited her to sit down with a soft voice. ¡°Have a seat. I want to talk to you about something.¡± ¡®Phew¡­¡¯ Avila, who sweated alone, signed inwardly. Even after that, she still kept her guard down. The couple was very quiet and graceful in their movements, with both of them barely making a sound. Meanwhile, every time she made a move, the couple would glance at her swiftly. Really, it was a bed of nails. [ T/N: (figurative) The state in which one has to deal with a very uncomfortable person or situation. ] ¡®They are very vigilant and sensitive. Besides, it¡¯s difficult¡­¡¯ It was true that the Duke was a cat shapeshifter, but even the Duchess had very similar behavior to the Duke. When she first saw her, she thought she was just a little shy, but when she was with the Duke, the resemblance became more prominent. ¡°Well, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to tell the Duchess first before I hear your story.¡± Avila spoke with difficulty to the duchess, who had a stern impression. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your last offer of sponsorship, but after careful consideration, I¡¯m sorry that I won¡¯t be able to accept it.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡®¡­Why? Because I don¡¯t want to be sponsored by people like you.¡¯ Despite what she meant, Avila chose her words as best as she could. ¡°That¡¯s because my capabilities aren¡¯t enough to achieve results that would satisfy the Duchess¡­¡± However, the Duchess didn¡¯t seem to be listening to her. She interrupted Avila and immediately brought up a surprising story. ¡°If sponsorship is burdensome for you, that¡¯s fine, but would you mind taking care of the dog shapeshifters who have nowhere to go?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I know Avila has a special place in your heart for dog shapeshifters. We¡¯re planning to soon destroy the bad slave traders and rescue the captive slaves, and we need your help.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll support you in everything. Would you mind helping the dog shapeshifters until they are socialized and able to live independently?¡± Avila blinked in confusion. ¡®¡­Is this a trap?¡¯ __ Chapter 72 Chapter 72 She had heard stories from her seniors about the strange people they met when they graduated from the Magic Academy and went out into the world. They said that if she didn¡¯t stay alert, her nose would be cut off even with your eyes open*. [ T/N: It¡¯s an expression used to describe an atmosphere of a society which is very coldhearted and inhuman. ] Avila, now twenty-two, tried to keep her eyes as clear as possible as she carefully considered whether if there were any pitfalls in the Duchess¡¯s words. ¡®¡­Aristocrats have a way of talking like clear water running through a green mountain* before draining your soul.¡¯ [ T/N: ¡ª an idiom which means ¡®to be eloquent.¡¯ ] She wasn¡¯t quick to dismiss her suspicions. ¡®Is she trying to use them as test subjects and have them participate in abusing them, like creating a dog with eight arms¡­?¡¯ ¡­No, but was this still too much? When Avila didn¡¯t answer, the Duke, who had been sitting some distance away from her while observing the situation, spoke up. ¡°My wife likes you.¡± He then attempted to negotiate with much more familiarity and grace than the Duchess. ¡°If you take care of the dogs, first, all expenses and manpower will be supported by us. Second, I¡¯ll support your research regardless of the results. All required research personnel, facilities, and costs. It¡¯s a small price to pay for what we¡¯re asking you for, so you won¡¯t be burdened. And third, the deadline is in three years.¡± Avila¡¯s mouth dropped open a little. ¡®So, they are basically asking for a three-year nanny¡­ with staffing and unlimited research support in return¡­?¡¯ The Duke crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair with a haughty gesture, like a fisherman with a tantalizing lure, waiting patiently for a bite. ¡°It would be quite an unconventional proposition at this point.¡± The Duchess, with her coy, haughty face, intervened with a twinkle in her eye. ¡°Let¡¯s save the abused shapeshifters together!¡± At the same time, she even made a small fist in the air for emphasis. ¡°Smash the bad guys.¡± The Duchess, a shapeshifter abuser who talked about smashing people, didn¡¯t seem as scary as Avila had thought. Rather, she found the twinkle in her eyes a little cute, like a child¡¯s. To someone unaware of the conversation, the Duchess would have appeared to be enjoying herself as if suggesting a new card game. Just then, the Duke muttered, a little disgruntled. ¡°It¡¯s enough just to throw all the dogs away.¡± The Duchess, who was a notorious misanthrope of shapeshifters, glared at the Duke who had said that and whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that. We need to prepare a place for them to live properly and teach them to socialize. You promised me.¡± The appearance of two people was never what Avila had imagined. ¡®Did I learn something wrong¡­?¡¯ The Duchess spoke generously with a soft face. ¡°It¡¯s a job that requires a sense of responsibility, so I don¡¯t want to force you. Let¡¯s think about it a little more while eating together. Coincidentally, the chef prepared a special dish with great skill today, and our chef¡¯s special dishes are unquestionably the best.¡± The next moment, as she led Avila to the dining room, out of nowhere, a young kitten suddenly trotted up to them. ¡°Rowaine! Rowaine!¡± ¡®¡­Cat shapeshifter?¡¯ The cat shapeshifter, who had the appearance of a small cat, fearlessly plunged her claws into the Duchess¡¯s trousers and began to cling to them. ¡°Give me permission, give me permission!¡± Avila swallowed dryly, afraid that the Duchess was going to kick the cat shapeshifter at any moment. However, the Duchess only spoke warmly but firmly, like parents disciplining their child. ¡°Sasha. You can¡¯t be rude in front of our guests.¡± ¡°Aah! Let me¡­!¡± ¡°I told you we¡¯d talk when you¡¯re a little older.¡± ¡°Aaahhh! I hate you! I hate Rowaine!¡± The Duchess let out a small sigh and looked back at Avila. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed. Even though I¡¯m teaching her, she¡¯s still spoiled. Please understand.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ yes¡­¡± ¡°Goodness. What should I do with that personality?¡± Avila thought. She wondered if she should¡¯ve put an end to her friend who was making a fuss about the Duchess that she was notorious for being a shapeshifter hater. ¡®¡­Isn¡¯t that b*stard just jealous that I¡¯m being sponsored?¡¯ ¡®Avila is the right candidate.¡¯ On my way to the dining room, I checked Avila¡¯s expression. ¡®She must¡¯ve heard something somewhere.¡¯ I could hear the wariness in her voice, the way she looked at me, the way she said she was going to decline the sponsorship. ¡®I was too complacent. I forgot that she could hear about Rowaine¡¯s notoriety.¡¯ The day I went to see Avila for the first time was when I was summoned to Count Larscel¡¯s mansion, so I was a little overwhelmed. Because Dimitri, who had promised to go with me, couldn¡¯t go, so I had to hurriedly rush to her. ¡®It will be difficult to bring Avila over to my side if she has heard of my notoriety.¡¯ In the original story, Avila was a righteous person. The reason why she left the imperial palace, which was called a dream job among wizards, was because she was shocked to see the Emperor¡¯s hounds subjected to rigorous training, such as abuse. Since then, Avila has been ostensibly researching the powers of the dog shapeshifters, but in reality, she had been working on ways to neutralize them and break their shackles. It was because the shackles in the form of curse magic carved into Cadis¡¯s heart wouldn¡¯t break until he died, forever enslaving him to his master. When it came to dogs, the research that could enslave them was incredibly well-developed. So she was doing the opposite, trying to uncover the weaknesses of the dog shapeshifters in reverse, as having a fatal weakness to the dog shapeshifters would make them even less popular on the slave market. That was the big picture Avila was painting. ¡­So, wouldn¡¯t my notoriety be too fatal for her? ¡®How do I convince Avila¡­¡¯ It was when I was pondering about it¡­ ¡°Looks like Coco has already arrived.¡± Dimitri whispered, looking out the window. Even though I followed his gaze to the front door, I couldn¡¯t see anything. Still, his head snapped up as if he¡¯d seen something, and he glared down the hall before stopping behind me. At the same time, I could hear Coco¡¯s voice from somewhere. ¡°Rowaaaaaiinnee!¡± ¡°Coco!¡± Coco, who suddenly appeared in the middle of the hallway without knowing which hole he entered, came running as swiftly as the wind. It looked as if a long, rich wheat-colored duster was running around. I opened my arms wide, happy to see him, whom I hadn¡¯t seen in a few days. Coco dug through the gap between me and Dimitri and almost¡­ came into my arms though he was caught in the air by Dimitri and tumbled to the ground. ¡°Where.¡± Dimitri looked down at him and smirked. Coco, who had poised himself in the air with catlike agility and landed safely, wagged his tail disapprovingly. ¡°That¡¯s rude!¡± ¡°Did you find him?¡± With a sigh, Coco dropped the bag he was carrying on his back. It was the bag Dimitri had given him, but it was made to fit a cat¡¯s body well since it was very small. He then proudly took out a ledger from the bag, which had been twisted into a shape of a square book instead of the original bag shape, as if the book had been forced into it. As soon as he handed Dimitri the ledger, Coco straightened his back and stood up before stretching both front paws to me. ¡°Hug me, angel!¡± I glanced at Dimitri and quickly scooped him into my arms as Coco purred cutely in my arms. ¡°Coco¡¯s here! I did a good job, right? Aren¡¯t you proud?¡± ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? Nothing happened, right?¡± ¡°I had such a hard time finding him hiding like a rat! Coco¡¯s legs are so sore, I¡¯m hungry, and I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Oh, were you scared?¡± ¡°Mm, mmm!¡± Meanwhile, Dimitri was looking at the two of us as if we were pathetic. ¡°That¡¯s some serious infantile regression. Don¡¯t imitate him, Rowaine, there might be something wrong with his brain.¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s not a problem!¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to find out by opening the head?¡± As Coco screamed and jumped up and down, dodging him, who reached for his head, Dimitri chased after him menacingly. I smiled awkwardly at Avila, who stood there with her mouth agape, and blurted out whatever came to mind. ¡°Um¡­ that¡¯s Coco, and Sasha earlier, he¡¯s a cat shapeshifter I¡¯m protecting. He¡¯s¡­ very friendly with my husband.¡± And then I hastily added, just in case. ¡°That¡¯s not bullying. They¡¯re just playing¡­ catch.¡± [ T/N: LOL imagine Rowaine saying all that and this was what was happening in the background ¦Ò(*¡ä?*) ] ¡°Here, playing catch. Haha.¡± However, it was as if Avila¡¯s gaping mouth didn¡¯t know how to close. Now, people were going to misunderstand that we were a couple who were abusing people in pairs¡­ ¡®It¡¯s ruined¡­ I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ Nonetheless, contrary to Rowaine¡¯s speculation, Avila couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut in surprise. ¡®¡­Is the Duke friendly because he¡¯s a shapeshifter? Is this a shapeshifters¡¯ utopia?¡¯ The image of the Duchess hugging the cat shapeshifters with eyes dripping with honey. And the Duke, who laughed benevolently and played catch with the cat shapeshifter¡­ ¡®Good people¡­ they¡¯re good people¡­¡¯ Avila¡¯s theory was that there was no such thing as bad people who were good to the weak. ¡®I¡¯m not going to let anyone who cursed at the Duchess go.¡¯ __ Chapter 73 Chapter 73 The knights he had taken with him arrived at the ducal residence a little later than Coco, who had turned into a cat and taken a shortcut, along with the accountant, the owner of the secret ledger. Dimitri, who first imprisoned the accountant in the dungeon, called Viscount Villefranc after dinner and gave him his orders. ¡°Hyle, convene the council of elders.¡± ¡°¡­Do you mean now?¡± It was too late to hold the meeting. ¡°Tell them it¡¯s an emergency meeting. If you catch Count Bilbao and tie him up outside the front door, they¡¯ll hear the rumor and come running on their own.¡± When I heard that, I was taken aback. ¡°Tying up Count Bilbao?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to lay out the bait, Rowaine, so that they can smell it and flock to it.¡± At those words, Viscount Villefranc asked Dimitri. ¡°What shall we do with those who insist on not coming?¡± ¡°Could they endure it when they¡¯re being pricked like that? I regard it as meaning that they¡¯re in league with Count Bilbao and¡­¡± Dimitri suddenly glanced at me before lowering his voice to whisper something to the Viscount. Seeing that, I narrowed my eyes and glared at him. ¡°Why are you two talking about this in private after all the confidential information I¡¯ve given you?¡± He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not really a secret.¡± Viscount Villefranc alternately glanced back and forth between me and Dimitri before he confessed. ¡°Those with heavy buttocks* are dead. Since the Duchess is frail, it would be better to deal with it secretly.¡± [ T/N: To ¡®have a heavy buttock¡¯ means ¡®To tend to stay in one place for a long time without thinking about leaving the place at all.¡¯ ] After finishing his words as if they were pouring out of his mouth, he took a big step back at Dimitri¡¯s threatening gaze. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll know when it happens anyway.¡± I gently tugged on Dimitri¡¯s arm so that Viscount Villefranc could escape. ¡°He¡¯s right. I would¡¯ve known the next day.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re thinking of stopping me¡­¡± ¡°Me? Why?¡± Dimitri gazed at me strangely when I replied. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Rowaine value life?¡± I waved my hand in the air. ¡°Innocent animals and shapeshifters are being taken advantage of by bad masters. Humans who aren¡¯t my people are out of my range of defense. They need to take care of themselves, you know?¡± Upon hearing my words, he looked a little confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t it usually the other way around?¡± ¡°That¡¯s my standard. I¡¯m sure Dimitri has his own reasons for doing that, so I¡¯m not going to be bothersome by saying that you¡¯re being cruel.¡± It was probably a coincidence that Dimitri and Viscount Villefranc looked away at the same time when I said my last words. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to be oppressive, so please don¡¯t leave me out at critical moments to be overprotective.¡± I was the one who gave them the information about the secret ledger, but it made me feel bad not knowing the handling of the case related to it. Saying it was for my mental health was overprotective, which I didn¡¯t want. ¡®I have to know how the situation is going so I can make smart moves when needed.¡¯ As he pondered something for a moment, Dimitri made a suggestion. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to go catch some slave traders now. Would you like to come with me? You might see some rough sights.¡± ¡°Of course! Oh, my God. You weren¡¯t going to take me?¡± Needless to say, I wanted to see with my own two eyes what kind of consequences my actions would bring. In addition, I also wanted to help get the shapeshifters out from the slave traders. ¡°Give me three minutes. I¡¯ll come back after I change my clothes.¡± Finishing my words, I quickly ran to my room to change into my riding clothes before coming down again. By then, the knights were already lined up at the front door while servants were bringing Dimitri¡¯s and my horses out of the stables. I made up my mind and mounted my horse. I decided that no matter how brutal it was to see the slave traders being captured, I wasn¡¯t going to let it bother me. That was when someone came running out of the front door with a raised hand in the air, shouting. ¡°Me too! May I come with you?¡± ¡°Miss Avila?¡± ¡°The Duchess¡¯s offer, if it still stands, I¡¯d like to go with you.¡± I smiled broadly, with the feeling of wanting to scream, ¡®Yes!¡¯ Even though I didn¡¯t know why she suddenly changed her mind, on my end, whatever the reason was, it was a welcome change. Then, I quickly put Avila into the carriage before she changed her mind. It was a carriage for transporting shapeshifters from slave traders. ¡°That turned out really well, didn¡¯t it?¡± I followed the departing procession and gave it a thumbs up, but Dimitri gave me a strange look. ¡°Is she such a reliable person? You seem to have an unusual amount of faith in her, even though you don¡¯t seem to have known her very long.¡± He must¡¯ve thought it was strange. Still, I¡¯d seen her inner thoughts throughout the novel. Anyone could see how loyal she was and how loyal she was to anyone she chose to follow. I smiled confidently. ¡°It¡¯s perspective.¡± Suddenly, Dimitri burst out laughing. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you have an inkling, but you do have an eye. ¡°I beg your pardon¡­? Are you serious?¡± ¡°Did you hear what I was thinking?¡± ¡°Almost as loud as thunder.¡± ¡°Did you just pinch and say* it¡¯s yourself?¡± [ T/N: To ¡®Pinch and say¡¯ means ¡®To put one¡¯s finger on something clearly.¡¯ ] ¡°That was a mistake.¡± As I puffed and sped my horse a little faster, Dimitri¡¯s smiling face was full of malicious mischief. We traveled by magic circle to an estate that had recently been reestablished by slave traders who were expelled from Blois. The slave trader, seemingly unaware and going about his daily routine, was caught off guard by the heavily armed elite knights. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± ¡°Oh my! Help me¡­!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?! Let go of me!¡± The knights kept their mouths shut and subdued the slave traders with their swords and shields. Meanwhile, the manager of the slave trader, who hadn¡¯t been able to grasp the situation, shouted in anger as he was grabbed by the knight. ¡°Duke of Blois, this is not your territory! Even though you may be a duke, you can¡¯t be this rude to us!¡± I was amused that he thought that Dimitri was settling old scores. ¡°We¡¯re a business dealing with His Majesty the Emperor! I¡¯m going to bring you to trial, and His Majesty won¡¯t stand idly by!¡± At that, Dimitri chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s right, the Emperor won¡¯t let you get away with it.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± For the briefest of moments, the manager flinched. It seemed that his words must have meant something to him because of the sins he had committed. The manager glanced around, trying not to show his panic. ¡®What is it?¡¯ At first, I thought he was looking around to get a sense of the situation, but I soon realized he was looking for someone. When I turned my head in the direction he was looking, I could see a cramped cage with several shapeshifters in shackles in the form of cats. And there, I spotted one of the slave traders hiding in front of it. The moment the manager winked, he opened the door wide. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± In a stupor, I was stunned and froze. In the blink of an eye, dozens of cat shapeshifters jumped out of their cages and scattered in all directions, creating chaos. ¡®Oh, my God¡­¡¯ Frightened cats lost their senses and retreated into narrow, dark places, where they curled up and hid for days on end. One miss was a big deal, especially for stray cats who weren¡¯t immune to unfamiliar surroundings. Not only would they be unable to hunt and forage for food, but they were also unable to recognize when they were exposed to danger and could die in accidents. Unlike dogs, who seek for guardians on their own, once a cat panicked, it wouldn¡¯t come to show itself no matter how much you called for it. In particular, the slave traders¡¯ cats weren¡¯t wild cats, so they would feel greater fear in the situation and hide wherever they could. Along the way, there could be accidents, or there could be problems such as starving to death because you couldn¡¯t get out of the hiding place. I screamed loudly. ¡°Door! Close the door, don¡¯t let the cats out!¡± The place was like a considerable warehouse, a massive warehouse with tents dividing it into compartments for different purposes. Even though I ordered my knights to close the door to keep the cat shapeshifters inside, by then, more than half the shapeshifters had fled the warehouse in a panic. All of a sudden, Avila shouted. ¡°Be careful, Duchess¡­!¡± ¡°Aaaakk!¡± As fire flashed beside me, one of the slavers flew into the wall with a scream. With the knights distracted by the cat people and me, the slave traders launched a counterattack. ¡°Hhiiinng¡ª¡± Suddenly, with a burst of magic, the startled horse raised its front hooves. As I braced my thighs and held on, the black mist emanated from Dimitri, anchoring me firmly to the back of my horse. Calming my startled horse, I then shouted at him. ¡°I¡¯ll go outside and find as many cat shapeshifters as possible!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll clean up and follow you in a minute, but don¡¯t go too far in case there are more of them.¡± Saying that, Dimitri attached three knights to me. Before I left the warehouse, I pointed to Avila and told her about the tents where the dog shapeshifters were barking loudly. ¡°I need you to take care of the dogs, can you do it?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll guard our door!¡± As if to leave it to her, Avila rode to the tent of the dog shapeshifters with two knights. The next moment, I went out of the warehouse and ordered the knights. ¡°They probably wouldn¡¯t have gotten far since they¡¯re scared. Look in the grass, under obstacles, and in dark, narrow places. Don¡¯t make any loud noises or big movements, and then put them one by one in the bag you brought.¡± Thankfully, in preparation for an unexpected situation, before leaving the mansion, I¡¯d prepared a number of bags for the cats and distributed them out to the knights. ¡®¡­I wonder if we could catch them.¡¯ Even though I calmly ordered it once, I wasn¡¯t confident. Still, since they were shapeshifters who understood people, I just hoped it¡¯d be easier than real cats. At the same time, I got off my horse and began to look around for possible places where the cats might hide. However¡­ ¡°Uh¡­?¡± Before long, I was dumbfounded and widened my eyes. __ Chapter 74 Chapter 74 It was because the cats gathered around me one by one before they surrounded me. ¡°What¡¯s this? It smells good!¡± ¡°Smells good¡­¡± ¡°My nose is refreshed!¡± ¡°Sister. Sister stranger, you smell good!¡± ¡°Sniff, that feels good¡­¡± Kittens, large and small, sneaked up on me, rubbing themselves against my legs and even climbing on me. I sank down to my seat and held as many cat shapeshifters as I could in my arms. ¡®Wow, my God¡­¡¯ ¡­Was this a dream? It was like entering a kitten paradise. I carefully placed the cats in the bag I was carrying, one by one. Then, when I glanced at the knights and waved at them for the extra bags, the knights who had been staring blankly approached and reached out to the cat shapeshifters. It was to help me. However¡­ ¡°Haaak!¡± ¡°Kyaaaaaakk!¡± The cat shapeshifters clung closer to me, alert as if on paroxysm against the knights reaching for our bodies. It was a difficult situation. It was obviously a difficult situation, but¡­ ¡®¡­Ah, why does this feel so good?!¡¯ The corner of my mouth kept twitching. ¡®The cats like me¡­¡¯ Oh, my god. Oh, my god¡­ ¡®The kittens I¡¯ve never seen before like me! I¡¯m the only one whom they like!¡¯ Despite the situation, I was so happy. The cats that came to me and tangled with me were so cute and adorable that they even brought a tear to my eye. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, so just stay still, everyone.¡± After receiving the bag from the knights, I grabbed the baby cat with a full stomach very easily and placed them inside. As soon as the surrounding area was sorted out, cats as big as Coco, who looked a little more wary this time, eventually crept up. These were adolescent cats, even though they were bigger. ¡°Come here. I¡¯m not going to hurt you, I want to save you. Come with me.¡± Enchanted by the smell of me, their eyes widened after they sniffed at me as if they had found something in me. ¡°Oh, you smell like number 13!¡± ¡°What? Number 13?¡± They chatted with each other, exchanging cryptic words before one of them asked me. ¡°Do you know the number 13?¡± ¡°Thirteen? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°He looks just like us. He¡¯s got wheat-colored fur and long hair, and he¡¯s been beaten so badly that he was seriously injured¡­¡± It was only then did I realize that number 13 was referring to Coco. ¡°He lives with me now. Do you want to go meet him?¡± I wondered if they would agree. Could those who would have been trapped while being abused by humans trust humans? It was said that very young kittens didn¡¯t know what was going on in the world, but the ones who were left now were older cats of the same age as Coco. Quietly, I waited for their answer. One by one, they sat there staring at me before they soon nodded in a way that made my worries moot. ¡°I want to go!¡± ¡°I want to see number 13!¡± ¡°The person 13 followed must be a good person.¡± ¡°This person smells good, and number 13 is smart.¡± They followed me on their feet and got into the carriage. Picking them all up, I went back to the warehouse. It was to find the remaining cat shapeshifters. In the meantime, the situation inside the warehouse seemed to be pretty much settled. The slavers were kneeling to one side, bound by ropes, and Avila was busy counting the number of the dog shapeshifters. Meanwhile, as I circled the warehouse, the cats trotted behind me as if I had become ¡®the Pied Piper.¡¯ [ T/N: It pretty much means ¡®one that offers strong but delusive enticement.¡¯ ] When I was done gathering the cats and putting them into the carriage, I turned around and locked eyes with Dimitri, who had been watching me for some time. A meaningful smile hung at the corners of his lips. ¡°It seems everyone is intoxicated by the scent.¡± He said as if he knew what was going on. ¡°That scent¡­ what does it really smell like?¡± Before, I used to think that Dimitri was holding a clue* by mentioning the scent, but at this point, I really thought that there was really a cause. [ T/N: It¡¯s an idiom which means, ¡®To use something as a pretext to provoke a quarrel.¡¯ ] ¡®Come to think of it, Coco and Sasha kept coming up to me from the beginning because they thought I smelled good?¡¯ I thought they were just affectionate cats, but they were both only affectionate in my presence, and they weren¡¯t wary of me in the first place¡­ Dimitri sighed as if I had only just realized that. ¡°I¡¯ve said it over and over again. Rowaine has a scent that attracts cats.¡± ¡°A scent that attracts cats?¡± Muttering the words to myself, I pressed my nose against my body to see if I could smell anything, but I couldn¡¯t smell anything. ¡°I really didn¡¯t know¡­¡± Our conversation ended just there, as Avila had just come out of the warehouse with the cages containing the dog shapeshifters on a carriage. Avila stuck out her tongue. ¡°There are a lot of dog shapeshifters, did you find all the cat shapeshifters?¡± ¡°Thank you, Avila. Things have been sorted out here as well.¡± As we returned to Blois, I took charge of the carriage with cat shapeshifters as Avila went with a carriage loaded with dog shapeshifters, while Dimitri took care of the slave traders, who were chained together like sausages. It was time to face the elders. When we returned to the mansion, I could see a number of carriages parked one after another in a large garden. Viscount Villefranc, who was waiting for us at the entrance, came running with his blue hair flying and reported to Dimitri. ¡°Everyone is waiting in the grand hall. They¡¯re all here except Count Fale, who was said to have passed out drunk at the party, and Viscount Lugo, who was on the brink of death with the flu.¡± ¡°Count Fale has been out of his mind since he brought in a mistress. If he¡¯s going to keep doing this, just let it be the reason for the dismissal of the elder.¡± Dimitri said dryly as he dismounted and handed the reins to the servant. ¡°The elderly Viscount Lugo must be in trouble this time. His children are all getting old, but he refused to give up his position because he is full of greed. If he dies like this, there will be a great fight between his brothers over the title.¡± Everything Dimitri said was about things I didn¡¯t know. While they were talking, I guessed from Hael¡¯s outfit that he hadn¡¯t seen blood yet. ¡®I guess the elders weren¡¯t having heavy buttocks.¡¯* [ T/N: ¡®Have heavy buttocks¡¯ is an idiom which means ¡®To tend to stay in one place for a long time without thinking about leaving the place at all.¡¯ ] Should I say it was a relief that Dimitri¡¯s order to kill them on the spot if they didn¡¯t show up could be dismissed as a bloody joke? Dimitri, who spoke briefly with Viscount Villefranc, glanced back at me as I got off the horse. ¡°Rowaine, would you like to come with me to meet with the elders?¡± ¡°Me too?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Rowaine directly tell me not to leave you out at a critical moment? You can go along if you like, but there are things you need to be aware of¡­¡± He stared straight at me with heavy emotions in his eyes. There was hesitation in his beautiful emerald glass eyes. ¡°At this moment, if Rowaine took the lead instead of hiding behind me and revealed that you contributed greatly to this incident, you would have many enemies.¡± I could read the concern for me in his voice. He seemed to want me to hide behind him. ¡®¡­What should I do?¡¯ A conflict arose in my heart. My goal was to live peacefully and safely with my cats. I had a vague plan to break Dimitri¡¯s curse and, in the meantime, establish my own foundation so that when the contract marriage ended, I could live in the countryside, running a tea shop. However, creating resentment in this way was taking me further and further away from the future I envisioned. ¡®¡­Count of Bilbao will have to pay a heavy price for this, and he will think he has lost everything because of me.¡¯ He may be gnashing his teeth and dreaming of revenge. Living in a country where security was good and possession of weapons was prohibited, everyone took care not to be the target, where security wasn¡¯t good while carrying a blade around their waist. Later, when I moved out of Dimitri¡¯s shadow and lived alone, I wondered if I would be able to stretch my legs and get a good night¡¯s sleep. ¡®At the point of worrying like this, the smart thing to do would be to step back.¡¯ Make no enemies, keep to yourself, and stay out of sight¡­ it was a recipe for longevity. I knew. I was sure I knew¡­ ¡°I¡¯m responsible for bringing Coco in the first place.¡± Contrary to my vigilant and hesitant head, my mouth spoke of its own accord. It was a strange feeling to hear my own voice, cheerfully confident. ¡®¡­I wonder if I¡¯ll be okay?¡¯ Dimitri, sensing my feelings, made a last-ditch effort to dissuade me. ¡°Rowaine, I¡¯m not going to hold you responsible for that¡­¡± ¡°No, Dimitri had to pay a big reparation to Count Bilbao for that, and that¡¯s how things had grown as big as they are.¡± I interrupted him and went through each point. ¡°I¡¯m responsible, too, and it pricks my moral conscience that I¡¯m the cause, and I¡¯m using Dimitri as the shield.¡± At my words, Dimitri made a face as if he were seeing a disciple preaching the divine doctrine of God to the devil. ¡°¡­Why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve actually seen someone choose things based on something like morality and conscience¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m also worried about myself. How can I live with such a good heart in a world tainted by evil?¡± ¡°Did you even know what you were talking about?¡± Dimitri gazed at me with a face that didn¡¯t intend to hide the slightest hint of wonder. I let out a small sigh and mumbled. ¡°Your head may know, but if your heart doesn¡¯t follow, you can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± Sometimes it was better to live with a loss than a pricked conscience. If I ran away now, I¡¯d leave him behind and feel sorry for Dimitri. To me, that would be more painful than making enemies and being stressed out. ¡®I can throw my conscience away with people I don¡¯t know well, but I¡¯ve become attached to Dimitri¡­¡¯ It would be a simple matter if you didn¡¯t feel sorry for someone, no matter how close you were, but the human heart wasn¡¯t as simple as flipping a switch. ¡®He has a weary personality, neither too nice nor too bad.¡¯ ¡­At times like this, what could I actually do? I followed him to the grand hall with a little tearful face. These relationships are always a problem with affection. __ Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Hyle Villefranc and Seville Placen, who were listening to the conversation between Rowaine and Dimitri, were impressed. ¡°Justice¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s justice¡­¡± As Dimitri said, it was surprising to see a person who sincerely cared about things such as morality and conscience. Of course, they were two people who were no strangers to the ¡®scheming of trickery according to interests,¡¯ which can be said to be the core principle of the aristocratic society. For those who value their existence in countering the machinations of others and devising plans to benefit Blois, Rowaine seemed to be nothing more than an auspicious and mysterious imaginary animal from the East. The two muttered again in disbelief. ¡°Wow¡­ conscience.¡± ¡°Righteousness.¡± ¡°Is she serious?¡± Seville gave a surprisingly positive answer to Hyle¡¯s question. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe, but¡­ she might be serious.¡± Hyle¡¯s eyes widened slightly when Seville, who hated Rowaine even more than him, defended her. ¡°Ho-ho? I didn¡¯t expect such words to come from the Baron?¡± ¡°I know from working with her and seeing it firsthand.¡± ¡°Well, you get a good idea of what your master is like when you¡¯re up close and personal. What did the Baron think of Madam Rowaine?¡± ¡°The scandal we¡¯ve heard about Madam Rowaine is questionable.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± At those words, Seville nodded resolutely. ¡°Rumors are just that, rumors.¡± I stood with Dimitri at the door of the grand hall, half a floor below the ground floor. It was a place I had never been to before, even though it had been a long time since I had lived at the Blois mansion. The splendid gates of the grand hall, lavishly decorated with golden borders and gilded carvings, had the power to dampen one¡¯s spirits just by standing in front of them. This grandeur would serve that purpose, a visual representation of Blois¡¯s majesty to humble those who pass through the gates and keep them in line. ¡°His Excellency is entering.¡± As the door opened with a shout, the first thing I saw was an oval table large enough to seat about twenty people. It was a suffocating closed room with no light coming in. The only entrance and exit was a thick, heavy door that only opened when two knights stuck together and pushed hard. ¡®Is the structure secure enough to prevent sound from leaking out?¡¯ I quickly scanned the faces of the elders in the chairs, one by one. ¡®¡­These are the people who are trying to bring Dimitri down.¡¯ My heart fluttered with the tension and the strange excitement of being in the middle of enemy territory. I thought I¡¯d feel timid and intimidated at the sight of them, thinking that the best I could hope for was to sit next to Dimitri. I walked in, determined to look as nonchalant as possible. But unexpectedly, instead of feeling intimidated, when I found myself facing the elders, the fuel inside me was burning brightly and an unknown confidence surrounded me like a shield. On the other hand, the elders seemed a little agitated by my appearance, while most of them composed their expressions. Why did the Duchess come here? Some narrowed their eyes as if trying to gauge me, while others cleared their throats as if they weren¡¯t very happy with my presence. Regardless, Dimitri and I sat side by side at the prepared table, and he gave a short introduction. ¡°As you all have noticed, this is my wife, the new Duchess of Blois, who will take care of Blois¡¯ internal and external affairs with me.¡± The chairman greeted me as a representative. ¡°Nice to see you. I¡¯m the chairman, Count Albert Schdental.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your kind cooperation. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be seeing each other often in the future.¡± At my meaningful words, Count Schdental¡¯s gaze turned to Dimitri. Dimitri calmly explained. ¡°It was the Duchess¡¯s great influence that convened the elders at this late hour.¡± The chairman¡¯s eyes narrowed at those words as he glanced at me before opening his mouth to Dimitri again. ¡°I suppose the first thing I need to hear is why you¡¯ve called an emergency meeting of the elders.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to say much since you¡¯ll know it when you see it. yourself¡± At his beckoning, the knights reopened the closed doorway and ushered our freshly captured piping-hot captives inside. The elders immediately started. They must have smelled the menacing snare Dimitri had cast from the captives. Witnessing that, Dimitri grinned gleefully, like a well-fed cat cornering its prey just for the fun of it. ¡°If anyone¡¯s heart is pierced by the sight of them, I¡¯ll gladly give you a chance to confess, for I¡¯ve recently discovered what conscience and morality are.¡± I glanced over at Dimitri. ¡®He¡¯s making fun of my good intentions¡­!¡¯ Dimitri, who must have felt my stare, smirked as he gazed up at me and explained. ¡°I was marveled at its beauty¡­ so I wonder very much if there¡¯s anyone here who will marvel at mine.¡± The elders looked at Dimitri sharply, as if he were saying something nonsensical before the chairman protested on behalf of the organization. ¡°As this is an urgent call, please treat it with the seriousness it deserves, Duke.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more serious than ever. I want Count Bilbao to know how serious I am.¡± Saying so, he glanced over at the man sitting in the auxiliary chair, which was placed closest to the doorway. ¡®¡­That person is Count Bilbao.¡¯ As he was a man with a very large belly, it caused an optical illusion that made an average-sized chair seem small. Just as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, when everyone¡¯s eyes turned to him, he politely set the handkerchief down with a look that expressed that he had something to say. ¡°Since you called me, who isn¡¯t a member of the council of elders, I expected it to be related to slave traders¡­¡± He rolled his thick-lidded eyes a little. Perhaps it was because of her large eyes, but his pupils could clearly see from a distance that they were wandering and shaking. Seeing how frightened he looked, a twinge of pity crept up in my heart. Nonetheless, I shook my head a little and resolutely dismissed that feeling. ¡®He¡¯s the one who has been behind the slave traders who abused the poor shapeshifters and even boldly deceived them. Besides, he even got a huge reparation from Dimitri for this incident¡­ Let¡¯s not be fooled by what we see.¡¯ I was disgusted at the way he looked at me with such a sullen expression, as if he were a victim. ¡°I don¡¯t know why the Duke is so obsessed with something that¡¯s over when he¡¯s admitted wrongdoing and has gone through the whole issue of reparations¡­¡± Glancing over at Dimitri, his eyes narrowing in frustration. At the same time, he nodded his head while asking for consent from the elders, showing no doubt that the elders would side with him as they had always done. ¡°Even though I showed mercy with good intentions, you act shamelessly, Count Bilbao.¡± Dimitri snorted and asked the slave trader¡¯s manager. ¡°Confess the atrocities of Count Bilbao.¡± In despair, the slave trader pleaded with the Count. ¡°Please save me, Count! Didn¡¯t you order me to do everything?! We just did what the Count told us to do¡­!¡± The elders murmured in disbelief. Count Bilbao¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and his big eyes bulged even wider. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this man is talking about! Do you have a grudge against me because of the reparations issue, Duke?¡± Then, sparks flew toward me, who was standing still. ¡°None of this would have happened if the Duchess hadn¡¯t taken the male slaves and hidden them in the first place¡­¡± He looked at me resentfully. I marveled at his ability to turn the blame on me by making me the perpetrator. ¡®That¡¯s how you instigate them¡­ It seems that I¡¯ve learned an incitement technique I didn¡¯t know.¡¯ To the elders who disapproved of Dimitri, it was like handing the prey to them. The elders nodded their heads in agreement, saying, ¡®Right, that¡¯s right.¡¯ Dimitri chuckled at the sight. ¡°It¡¯s true that the story is over on that matter. I¡¯ve called you here today, not because of what happened in the past. Rather, I have called you here because of a new matter regarding the ongoing fraudulent activities of Count Bilbao.¡± ¡°What do you mean by fraud?! What the hell¡ª¡± Before Count Bilbao¡¯s untimely death from the injustice, the accountant who was mixed in with the slave traders confessed, shivering. He was the man Coco had captured in his search for the secret ledger. The Count fabricated the pedigrees of the dog shapeshifters and had them sell slaves to the Emperor! It¡¯s all over, it¡¯s already over¡­¡± As everyone was looking at Count Bilbao, I saw Count Schdental¡¯s eyes change as he sat near me. ¡®So, the chairman is with Count Bilbao¡­!¡¯ It was just an assumption, but I was almost certain. As far as I know, the family of Count Bilbao wasn¡¯t powerful enough to boldly commit fraudulent acts against the Emperor like this. That meant that he must have had people protecting him. Count Bilbao glanced around at the elders and shook his head as if he begged them not to abandon him. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know what all this is about¡­ The Duke is accusing me without solid evidence!¡± Now seemed like the right time, so I quietly laid the secret ledger out on the table. ¡°I guess this is what you mean by solid evidence.¡± I opened the ledger and flipped through the pages of various numbers, explaining. ¡°My cat was proud to have brought something like this. Here¡¯s a record of the dog shapeshifters appointed as the Emperor¡¯s hounds.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± __ Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ¡°This is a record of the manipulation of pedigree records of dogs at risk of developing genetic diseases due to inbreeding. Are you saying that you manipulated dogs born from inbreeding to appear as if they were produced through rigorous breeding?¡± Just as there were many different races of humans, there were also many different breeds of dogs, and there was a species that was sold as the Emperor¡¯s hunting dogs. In terms of dog breeds in my previous life, they were similar to shepherds in appearance. They were popular as slaves because of their combat prowess and extraordinary loyalty, even among dogs. Therefore, the slave traders would select the strongest and best of them and breed them, creating pedigrees for the shapeshifters to sell at a higher price. The slave traders of Count Bilbao created pedigrees for inbred dogs in order to increase the price of the dogs. Shapeshifters born through inbreeding had many health problems due to genetic diseases, so it was impossible to issue a genealogical certificate. ¡°The price of the bloodline certificate, the organization that manipulated it, and even the impression of each shapeshifter are all recorded, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± ¡°The price of the pedigree book, the organization that manipulated it, and the facial expressions of each recipient are all recorded, so let¡¯s keep each other¡¯s spirits up.¡± At those words, Count Bilbao closed his mouth and looked blankly at the chairman. Meanwhile, Dimitri said cheerfully as if he was enjoying the situation. ¡°I finally learned the secret of the rapid growth of the Bilbao family through this incident.¡± He wiped the smile off his face and glared at the Count. ¡°How did it feel to hide in the hedges of Blois, eating the Emperor¡¯s back and puffing yourself up, Count?¡± The Count of Bilbao trembled, his face flushed red. ¡°I-it¡¯s not like that¡­¡± ¡°When I thought about what would have happened if the emperor had known about this first, it was terrifying. What about the elders?¡± The backbone of the Emperor¡¯s force was the dog shapeshifters, who were trained as combat weapons. Of course, force was not power in an aristocratic society, but it was also true that it accounted for a very large proportion. For generations, the Imperial Family had trained the dog shapeshifters in special ways to create an elite slave army. In short, the unit called the ¡®Emperor¡¯s Hounds¡¯ was an imperial tradition and a source of pride for the Imperial Family. So, if the Emperor were to find out about this, the repercussions for Blois¡¯ vassal family¡¯s dishonor to the Empire would be devastating for Blois and everyone here. In addition, the relationship between Blois and the royal family wasn¡¯t exactly on the best of terms, and they had been secretly fighting over wealth and power throughout their long history. However, the Count of Bilbao has done something reckless enough to break that precarious balance¡­ ¡°You better make a decision. If it¡¯s a tooth that will rot and cause pain to everyone, don¡¯t you think you should pull it out?¡± It meant that he intended to appease the anger of the Emperor, who would later find out about this incident, by striking the ball quickly and punishing Count Bilbao. Of course, after showing the evidence to the witnesses, no one objected to Dimitri¡¯s words. The Count¡¯s face withered as if he was dying. ¡°Why are you all standing still? Wasn¡¯t it Count Schdental who showed me the way?! Count Charlerois, say something!¡± As if he couldn¡¯t die alone, he began to name several people, and Count Schdental clicked his tongue. ¡°The sinner has lost his temper in the sacred council chamber and is making a ruckus, Duke, so I suggest you imprison him and take measures with the senate. He is trying to confuse the minds of the rest of us with his nonsense until the end.¡± ¡°Count Schdental!¡± Count Bilbao screamed at the betrayal of Count Schdental, whom he considered a trusted ally. However, he was soon forced to be dragged away by the knights. Abiding heat lingered for a while, tightening the tension in the room. Dimitri leaned his upper body forward and clenched his jaw. ¡°Then, let¡¯s get down to business.¡± The elders, who a moment ago had been glaring at Dimitri and me while engaging in an invisible battle, lowered their eyes in unison. In the meeting that followed, Dimitri completely drove the elders to a complete cliff. He didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of investigating who was involved in the first place. ¡°I¡¯ll apologize in advance, gentlemen. When I go before the Emperor sooner or later to talk about this matter, I won¡¯t ignore the possibility that I¡¯ll mistakenly suspect and mention the names of innocent people among them. Even if you say it¡¯s unjust later, there will be nothing I can do about it.¡± ¡°I apologize in advance, gentlemen. When I appear before the Emperor to discuss this matter in the near future, it¡¯s not beyond the realm of possibility that I may be mistaken in my suspicions and mention the names of innocent men among you, so I ask you to brace yourselves, for if I am later found to be unjust, I will not be able to help it.¡± Speaking with an air of obligation, he put forward absurd logic. ¡°As you saw earlier, decisive witnesses, Count Bilbao was out of his mind and didn¡¯t mention the names of innocent people. Isn¡¯t that right, Count Schdental, Count Charlerois?¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°He gave false testimony.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. However, depending on the circumstances, I might believe that crazy word.¡± Then, watching him laugh as if it were a funny joke, no one laughed along. Not only did we laugh, but everyone all swallowed dryly, unable to speak. It was because it was a threat. It meant that from now on, no matter who they were, they would be sacrificed and offered to the Emperor. At this point, investigations and evidence were unnecessary. Everyone would admit that when everything was confided to the Emperor, it was necessary that some people needed to take responsibility in order to clearly convey that they were apologetic for not managing their vassals properly. It was impossible to end such a significant incident by apologizing with only words. ¡°Of course, if anyone wants to discuss this with the Emperor directly without using Blois as a shield, I won¡¯t discourage them either. They will walk the same path as the Count of Bilbao as I intend to hand them over so that the Emperor can handle the matter.¡± So, if anyone betrayed him and spoke to the Emperor first, they would be sent away with Count Bilbao. Finally, Dimitri gave all the credit to me. This should have taught the elders that I was no pushover and what happened when they pointed a sword at me. Also, Dimitri¡¯s friendly gesture towards me was an announcement that we were a tight-knit couple, completely hand-in-hand. Therefore, he had established my dignity by making it clear to the elders that if they dared to talk about me as they were doing now, they wouldn¡¯t be seen in a good light. ¡®To defend justice, I made enemies and gained dignity. Haha¡­¡¯ I did the right thing, but for some reason, tears were covering my eyes. ¡®Will I be able to live as the comfortable humble bourgeois I dream of¡­¡¯ While the naive Rowaine was crying inside, unable to let go of the future hope of being a ¡®humble bourgeois,¡¯ Dimitri was thinking a little differently. ¡°Madam Rowaine keeps mumbling something about humble bourgeois. What does that mean?¡± Dimitri, returning to his office after the meeting, chuckled at Hyle¡¯s question. It just happened that he was thinking about it, too. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s been thinking about getting out of Blois all this time. Her wildest dreams are amazing, too.¡¯ In the first place, Dimitri had no intention of letting Rowaine go. While there was a time when he didn¡¯t fully trust her, now that he¡¯d gotten to know her, the thought that he wouldn¡¯t let her go was even stronger. Just imagining her saying goodbye made his stomach turn. ¡°What a dream.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay attention to what she¡¯s muttering to herself.¡± He wasn¡¯t going to let it happen anyway. Nevertheless, even though he was the one who told Hyle not to pay attention, he continued to dwell on Rowaine¡¯s words to himself. ¡®Wasn¡¯t she happy here? I let her raise the cats she wanted to raise, and I even shared all my territories. Not only that, but I also do everything she asks me of¡­ but why does she still dream of leaving Blois?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t understand. Wasn¡¯t the natural tendency of all living things to settle into a comfortable life of contentment? ¡®Is there anything more she wants? Was she not satisfied with her current life?¡¯ Dimitri, narrowing his eyebrows and thinking about it, spoke to Hyle. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever given Rowaine a present, and since we¡¯ve stymied the elders with this, I might as well repay her.¡± ¡°What shall we prepare?¡± ¡°What does Rowaine like?¡± Something that usually made her smile¡­ He¡¯d seen Rowaine¡¯s joy when Coco had done well in a hunting game, when Sasha had been generous to Coco, and when he had turned blue in her arms¡­ ¡®She likes cats¡­ Should I get her another cat?¡¯ [ T/N: ??? ( ??? ?) * OMG DIMITRI IS SO CUTE AAA ] While thinking about that, Dimitri shook his head. It reminded him of the scene earlier when Rowaine was running around the slave trader¡¯s warehouse with a string of kittens behind her. It was like watching the ducklings follow the mother duck as she led the way. ¡®This is enough with the cats.¡¯ After thinking about it, he sighed and made a decision. ¡°Ask her directly and do whatever she asks you to do.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± ¡°Yes. Whatever.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I understand.¡± At the time, Dimitri didn¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t know that in return for letting Rowaine do what she wanted to do, he would have huge ramifications. Meanwhile, the carriages exiting Blois seemed to scatter, only to reconvene secretly at their respective junctions. Some gathered vassals of the family, as Dimitri had done, others gathered people with business connections, and others elders gathered quietly together. In any case, at dawn, not a single one of the elders went home alone to sleep. ¡°I should have abandoned Blois long ago when that shapeshifter said he would become our leader¡­¡± ¡°How easy would it be to break the oath of allegiance to our ancestors?¡± ¡°You clearly saw what happened to the vassals of the Marquis of Valencia who broke the alliance without a perfect justification a decade ago.¡± There was a case when the vassals broke their oath of loyalty by rebelling against the Marquis¡¯s young lady, who had inherited the title by defeating her stupid brother, that was, the current Marquis of Valencia. It was also common these days for women to be titled, but what about those conservative Southern aristocrats who refused to acknowledge it? Those who broke their oaths under duress to join other great noble families with a forcible cause were kicked out of the aristocratic society for not trusting the master-servant relationship. Disorganized and scattered, they were quickly overrun by the forces of the Marquis of Valencia. As a result, only the Marquis of Valencia, who confiscated their lands and property, became more powerful. Breaking an oath of allegiance like this was a tricky thing that required many circumstances to align perfectly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? For now, we¡¯ll have to take what we can get.¡± __ Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Just then, as an underling approached a nobleman and whispered something to him, the man who heard the news became furious and told the others. ¡°It seems that the Count of Charlerois¡¯ hordes are already offering their wealth to the Duke and wagging their tails.¡± ¡°How superficial is that man? Ha.¡± ¡°Such an opportunist*. Tsk, tsk.¡± [ T/N: ¡®; here is used at a person which means someone who changes one¡¯s opinion/character for benefit. ] As an eerie silence descended for a moment between those who let out reproach-filled sighs, the next moment, someone coughed and stood up. ¡°I have an important appointment tomorrow, so I¡¯ll¡­ see you soon.¡± With him leading the way, the rest also rose from their seats, at the same time, with unsolicited excuses piled up on the table. ¡°Hhm, now that I¡¯m older, moving around at dawn is tiring after all.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to leave, too, since we¡¯re in the mood to disperse. We¡¯ll meet again soon.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡± And so the carriages scattered, each with their own excuses, but soon they met again in Blois¡¯s garden, laden with gold and silver treasures that had been raided from the family¡¯s treasury. ¡°H-ha, this guy! Didn¡¯t you say you were going home¡­!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the baron say he had an important appointment, too?!¡± ¡°No, did the Count come as well?¡± ¡°Ha¡­ I recently made an investment in an imperial business¡­. things would get complicated when you¡¯re in the eyes of the Emperor.¡± Lining up in front of Dimitri¡¯s office, they kept accusing each other and making feeble excuses¡ªto apologize for the disrespect of the past, to pledge their allegiance anew, and to beg to see him just once. At the same time, the head of the Council of Elders, Count Schdental, grew nervous when he heard the news that the turncoats were already flocking to Blois precipitously. He summoned some of the most prominent members of his council to devise countermeasures. ¡°Tsk, tsk, the loaches make the whole puddle murky*.¡± [ T/N: It¡¯s an idiom which means, ¡®For the misdeed of a person to have a negative influence on the whole group or many people. ] ¡°Those gathered in Blois right now couldn¡¯t even be called loaches, Count Schdental. They were the ones who would turn their backs on us if things went wrong, anyway.¡± Count Schdental¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he gritted his teeth. ¡°I need to see Madam Elbas. She hasn¡¯t brought me any news since entering Blois¡­¡± The reason Madam Elbas went to Blois was to find a good lead for Count Schdental. However, instead of delivering information that could destroy Dimitri, he hadn¡¯t heard from her for several days already. ¡°Perhaps she was in some kind of bad situation?¡± ¡°I was worried since Madam Rosanne was going with her¡­¡± Contrary to Dimitri¡¯s assumption that Rosanne, Cayetana, and the elders were all one team, Rosanne was a difficult being, even among the elders. The elders knew that she went to Blois, even with her frail body, to monitor Cayetana¡¯s behavior. Count Schdental muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know what that old woman is thinking.¡± The morning after I rescued shapeshifters from the slave traders, I ran to shapeshifters, the cats I had brought to the annex, as soon as I woke up. ¡°It wasn¡¯t a dream!¡± Numerous kittens who followed me were purring and frolicking in the front yard of the annex. As soon as they spotted me, they would come running while chuckling like fairies, or chattering cheerfully in light, clear voices. ¡°Hi! Good smell!¡± ¡°I slept on a fluffy blanket!¡± ¡°I ate a lot!¡± ¡°I played outside!¡± ¡°It¡¯s so spacious here¡­!¡± Everyone was clearly excited. ¡®Since they¡¯re kittens, they don¡¯t have a concept of territory yet, so they seem to be having fun.¡¯ After living in cramped conditions, the kittens were happy to be able to go outside, eat lots of delicious food, and sleep on soft blankets. I counted the cats again. ¡®One, two, three, four¡­ twenty-one.¡¯ Among them, except for seven cats that seemed to be around Coco¡¯s age, they were all kittens. ¡®The situation is better here since the slave traders were mainly dealing with dogs, but Avila¡­¡¯ My tongue trembled when I thought about the number of dogs that seemed to outnumber the cats by more than double. Since Dimitri refused to let the dogs into the mansion, they had to stay outside the mansion in cages overnight. Fortunately, Avila seemed to have found a suitable vacant building near the Blois mansion by walking around all morning, and I heard later in the morning that she was planning to rent the building. ¡®I have to go help Avila later.¡¯ Even though I had attached a lot of people to her, I was curious and worried about how things were going. Would the sharp-barking dog shapeshifters follow Avila well? In addition, since there were so many young puppies there, I wondered if she¡¯d be able to control them. ¡®I¡¯m sure Avila has plenty of magically imbued shapeshifters items, so she¡¯ll be alright¡­¡¯ Anyway, what should I do with all these cats¡­? As I thought so, I glanced around at the cats and noticed the same shackles around their necks that Coco had been wearing before. ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask Dimitri to remove the shackles later.¡¯ The kittens hugged my legs and began to climb up me like climbing a tree, and I sat down on the floor with a scream as I didn¡¯t hate it. Although I needed to plan what to do next, this right now, this was too¡­ this place was so¡­ ¡®Ah, it¡¯s heaven¡­¡¯ Watching the fluffy kittens wriggling and purring with their tiny bellies full made me feel so ecstatic. ¡°Do you guys have any pain anywhere?¡± When I asked, the cats answered in their own way. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a hair monster! Waak!¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s my tail¡­!¡± ¡°Come fight with me!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s compete!¡± Did¡­ they answer? ¡®Distracting and cute¡­¡¯ Suddenly, I remembered Sasha and Coco, who were supposed to be here. As I searched for them with my eyes, I could see them in the middle of the cats not far away. ¡°I¡¯m the captain here! Listen to me carefully in the future, or I¡¯m going to beat all of you up. If you want to know how my fists taste, go for it. I¡¯ll show you the real thing!¡± Sasha was punching the air and vigorously training the newcomer. ¡°I¡¯m about to become a great cat who will make a pact with the devil! Haha! Don¡¯t mess with me, mwiss. Look at me in the eyes!¡± ¡®She still has lingering feelings for the devil.¡¯ Coco, on the other hand, was gnashing his teeth, wary of kittens less than half his size. ¡°Don¡¯t come closer, prrt! Don¡¯t come near me! Get lost!¡± ¡°Number 13, Wow, number 13!¡± ¡°Number 13! Don¡¯t you remember me?¡± Even though the cats who remembered Coco approached him gladly, Coco remained vigilant. ¡°I remember, but get away from me! Remembering and playing together are two different things!¡± [ T/N: I CAN¡¯T STOP LAUGHING THIS CHAPTER, BUT COCO TAKES THE CAKE LOL ( ) ] Coco, one of the more sensitive cats, simply found them annoying. ¡°Leave me alone. If you want to talk to me, come to me individually. Ugh, don¡¯t touch my body¡­!¡± Keeping wary of the cats who kept rubbing against him, Coco eventually took refuge on the wall. Even so, he seemed to be snooping on his new friends on the wall, probably not wanting to leave this place. It was truly such a peaceful moment. I laid on the grass with my cats and enjoyed the sunshine, and as I was doing so, someone cast a shadow over my face. When I opened my eyes halfway, blue hair caught my attention. ¡°Viscount Villefranc?¡± ¡°Madam Rowaine, His Excellency has called for a tutor to help you deal with the cat shapeshifters.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Sprawled haphazardly on the grass, I dusted myself off and stood up, pretending to be as nonchalant and unembarrassed as possible. Then, a man who had been standing behind Viscount Villefranc calmly approached. ¡°Nice to see you. It¡¯s called Esca. Dimit¡­ I came because I was asked by the Duke to take care of the cat shapeshifters.¡± Saying so, he handed me a letter from Dimitri. There was a brief description of rude and violent content. The lack of sincerity was dribbling from the cursive handwriting. While I read the letter with a smile on my face at first, when I saw the contents that were close to threats, I froze before barely lifting my creaking neck and glancing at Esca. ¡°Oh, it looks like Dimitri sent you a letter asking you to take care of the two cats I brought.¡± I was worried about what the man in front of me was thinking when he came here. ¡®I don¡¯t want to force him to be a tutor.¡¯ I checked him closely to see if I could notice any signs of displeasure. He was a pale-skinned man with long, flowing silver hair that draped neatly over his shoulders. With his entire body covered with a long white robe that started from his neck and ended at his ankles, his calm expression and appearance gave off a rather ascetic impression. In addition, the blue eyes that had sunken coldly or the sacred manner of speaking reminiscent of a hermit monk who was reclusive in the mountains had a spell that made the viewer nervous by itself. He must have noticed that I was nervous because his robot-like face soon curved into a slight smile. ¡°I¡¯m an old friend of the Duke.¡± __ Chapter 78 Chapter 78 ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± I was surprised that Dimitri had friends. ¡®In the story, he was a lonely tyrannical cat.¡¯ In the original story, there was a backstory that Dimitri was abandoned by Madam Elbas as a child and miraculously survived after meeting a benefactor. While living and training in the mountains, his teacher and benefactor, who had helped him with an incident that occurred in the nearby estate, fell victim to a power struggle between nobles. Through this incident, Dimitri realized the authority of power and how it could render a person powerless. From then on, his lust for power grew, and he wondered how he could attain it, so he returned to Blois and participated in the battlefield as a son of a nobleman and made a contribution. Coincidentally, as his brothers died on the same battlefield, Dimitri, who returned after making a contribution, became a duke. ¡®Seeing that he¡¯s talking about the mountain, he might be the person Dimitri was with when he was saved by his benefactor.¡¯ As I watched Esca closely, making my own guesses, I realized he was a shapeshifter. It was because the shape of his pupils, the tips of the ears, and the shape of his teeth were slightly different from those of ordinary humans. ¡°I set out as soon as I received the letter, but I didn¡¯t like the humans¡¯ magical traveling party, so I walked, although it took me longer than I thought.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Finally, he graciously revealed his identity. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a shapeshifter. I¡¯m a white wolf who lives in snowy mountains in the winter.¡± He then glanced around me and asked curiously. ¡°In the letter, it said you had two cats, but you must have given birth a lot in the meantime?¡± ¡®Throwing the cats to the wolf? No, other than that, giving birth¡­ to about twenty?¡¯ Realizing what he was saying, I shook my head violently in astonishment. ¡°N-no, I didn¡¯t give birth! Yesterday! Yesterday, we wiped out a bad slave trader and saved the shapeshifter people who were there! I didn¡¯t give birth.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He responded calmly, in contrast to my urgent explanation. I asked him cautiously. ¡°By any chance, could you take care of all these children? If you tell me what Dimitri promised in return, I will pay you many times as much.¡± At my question, he lifted his clear, untainted eyes and stared at me. What price would it cost to help an old friend? I just gladly oblige.¡± I was at a loss for words. For some reason, a feeling of shame arose as though I were somehow too worldly. As I stood there frozen, unsure of what to say, he smiled a very compassionate smile that contradicted his very cold face. As if it understood my heart and there was no need to explain anything. ¡®I know this feeling. I¡¯ve felt this way before¡­¡¯ In an instant, a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu ran through me. ¡®This is how I felt when I met the monk at the temple I went to with my grandmother¡­!¡¯ While I was having a strange conversation with Esca, which made me feel uncomfortable yet comforting at the same time, I could see Viscount Villefranc waiting without leaving his place. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± When I asked, he replied right away. ¡°His Excellency would like to thank Madam Rowaine for this.¡± ¡°I just did what I had to do.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t refuse His Excellency¡¯s sincerity and tell him what you want. He told me to grant Madam Rowaine whatever she wishes.¡± ¡°What do I want?¡± ¡°Yes. Say anything.¡± ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Repeatedly asking, I stood dumbfounded for a moment. My mind had already wiped away the shame I¡¯d felt during my conversation with Esca, the shame I¡¯d felt for my worldliness. I stood dumbfounded for a moment. ¡°That¡­ to what extent is that¡­?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Watching Viscount Villefranc tilting his head, I smiled brightly. ¡®Dimitri is rich, and I¡¯ve done a great job! So, wouldn¡¯t it be okay to receive a huge present?¡¯ Even though I wasn¡¯t planning on receiving a gift, it wasn¡¯t something I would turn down. Viscount Villefranc¡¯s eyes reflected the smile on my face. As I rode a horse and went to Avila with excitement, I could see that she was surrounded by dogs in her temporary shelter. ¡°Avila!¡± When I got off the horse, as if they had been waiting, the shapeshifters rushed over and surrounded me, jumping up and down and flapping their tongues. ¡°Huk, Duchess¡­! Hey guys! Hold on!¡± Avila, who saw the dog shapeshifters rushing at me, was frightened for a moment, and soon charismatically commanded them. Surprisingly quickly, the dogs calmed down and they sat on their butts on the floor, breathing heavily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. When they see new people, everyone is so excited that they just can¡¯t help it. It¡¯s difficult to control because the environment has changed, and they¡¯re in a state of excitement.¡± The cats were similar, so I gave her a pat on the shoulder as if understanding. ¡°Still, you¡¯re much better with the shapeshifters than I am, Avila.¡± ¡°Haha, is that so? I learned a few things from watching the hounds in the Imperial Castle.¡± ¡°I was worried about the number of people here, but I¡¯m glad. How many are they in total?¡± ¡°Forty-eight.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a lot of people. Did any of them get sick?¡± Avila¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°No. Most of them had skin diseases and ear infections, and in severe cases, there were prisoners who were bleeding as if they had been beaten.¡± ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± That was to be expected. Most of the cat shapeshifters also had wounds, big and small. It was a terrible feeling to imagine how the slavers treated them. ¡®I¡¯ll treat them with my powers a little bit every day so that no one would notice.¡¯ No one would be suspicious if I had Dr. Tyra treat them with conventional medicine while also using my power to treat them at the same time. Then, I asked Avila to take a moment to leave the dogs with the other employees. ¡°Could you go somewhere with me?¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°Follow me, and you¡¯ll see.¡± I smiled meaningfully and rode her along with my horse. ¡°Hold on tight so you don¡¯t fall off.¡± For Avila¡¯s sake, I rode my horse slowly and moved to the place Viscount Villefranc told me earlier. It was the site of an abandoned school dormitory. ¡°Since you can¡¯t stay in this cramped makeshift place forever, I¡¯m thinking of buying this place and letting the shapeshifters stay here.¡± Avila, who got off the horse, ran about with her mouth wide open. Starting with the main building, she rushed through the men¡¯s and women¡¯s dormitories, dining halls, and annexes. She was very energetic as if she wasn¡¯t tired in the slightest. She came running to me a moment later, breathless. ¡°This place? The Duchess is giving this wonderful place to the shapeshifters?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of setting up a shapeshifter shelter here.¡± ¡°Huuk¡­!¡± Clasping her hands together and bringing them to her mouth, her eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s a very unfamiliar word, but it¡¯s a wonderful word that I can recognize at once! A shapeshifter shelter, I think that¡¯s first!¡± I blinked my eyes hard, thinking for a moment that I saw an invisible tail wagging from Avila. While she wasn¡¯t a shapeshifter, she was a very dog-like person. She had the same facial expressions so similar to Cadis when he was excited. She stood at attention with loyal eyes and listened to what I had to say. ¡°They say that Blois has a welfare budget allocated to me, so I¡¯m planning to use it for the shapeshifter shelter.¡± When I asked Dimitri to buy me a building for a shapeshifter shelter as a gift, he shared this information with me. ¡°How wonderful! Welfare for the shapeshifters¡­ It¡¯s something no one has ever tried before, and the Duchess, you¡¯re a pioneer!¡± I didn¡¯t dislike the sound coming from Avila¡¯s mouth. For a long time, we happily discussed how to redecorate the school dormitory, which buildings should be given over to dog kennels, and which buildings should be given over to cat kennels. Then, out of the blue, I ran into an elderly couple who were managing an empty building. ¡°Excuse me, how can I help you?¡± ¡°This is the Duchess of Blois. I¡¯m part of her entourage.¡± As Avila introduced me to the old couple, we asked them if they had heard anything from Viscount Villefranc. ¡°Ah, welcome, Madam. Someone came before and told me that the ruler would be coming.¡± They said that they have been guarding and maintaining this place since the school was full of students in the past. When we briefly mentioned that we were planning to use it as an aquatic shelter, the manager and his wife were unexpectedly delighted. ¡°What a good deed you do! It¡¯s great if the cat shapeshifters come. We love cat shapeshifters.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± I expected that most people wouldn¡¯t be happy when they heard that shapeshifters who were treated as slaves were gathered in one place to protect them, but it was an unexpected response. The old man was senile and spoke in a shaky voice. ¡°I hear the rat shapeshifters are on the loose these days, and many of my friends also have been victimized by them. When you¡¯re as old as we are, things that are no big deal to young people can be a big deal.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of such a thing.¡± I had heard several times of Blois employees sharing similar stories. The damage in Blois wasn¡¯t great because Dimitri was guarding it, but the other territories were in a panic. Since it wasn¡¯t the content that came out in the original and I was busy in many ways, I didn¡¯t think much of it though I thought it was fortunate that there was no damage done to Blois. The old man went on. ¡°But if there are cat shapeshifters, the rats won¡¯t be able to move, which is a relief, because rumor has it that the cats are good at catching the rat shapeshifters¡¯ demons.¡± I instantly thought of Coco, who had no talent for hunting and smiled awkwardly. ¡°Well¡­ I wouldn¡¯t say that.¡± Still, if there were to be a rat shapeshifter¡¯s infestation here, maybe one of the twenty or so would be able to save the old couple from them? ¡®¡­Not all of them will be like Coco.¡¯ After a short conversation with the elderly couple, Avila and I soon left the place with high hopes of turning this school dormitory into a wonderful shapeshifter shelter in the future. __ Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Around the same time, Cayetana managed to get herself together and got up from the bed. For the first time in a few days, she was even well enough to walk. In the meantime, she had been sleeping strangely as if she was dead and barely eating what the maids brought, though now, she felt more energized and alert. ¡°It seems that you were attacked by rat shapeshifters, Madam.¡± Cayetana¡¯s doctor informed her. He mentioned he had repeatedly been saying the same thing to her, but she didn¡¯t even remember it. ¡°I¡¯ve been bedridden for days?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam. As the dream demon deprives you of your energy, you¡¯ll become lethargic and drowsy, unable to maintain your daily routine. It¡¯s not uncommon.¡± ¡°I see. Since you¡¯ve been taking good care of me, here¡¯s your reward.¡± After honoring the doctor with the gem, Cayetana gritted her teeth. ¡°All of those shapeshifters are a nuisance. I can¡¯t believe I was beaten by a rat shapeshifter. What on earth did the knights who guarded my visit do?¡± She punished the knights, opposite of what she had done to the doctor. Nonetheless, how could the knights have prevented the rat shapeshifters who had turned into rats from breaking into the room? However, the knights were unable to say anything and had to accept a three-month pay cut. Cayetana, who rewarded and punished people, asked Betty, her personal maid. ¡°Has anything happened in the meantime?¡± ¡°The Duke and Duchess attacked the slave traders of the Count of Bilbao and summoned the elders. Somehow, the elders rushed to the Duke¡¯s residence at dawn and presented him with gold and silver treasure.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Shortly thereafter, Count Schdental contacted me to request an audience with the Madam. Things were moving so fast, and the Duchess¡¯s servants were so tight-lipped so I couldn¡¯t dig any deeper. I apologize, Madam. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯d be quicker to ask the Count.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Cayetana wiped her forehead. What the hell happened while she was lying in bed? ¡°Prepare right now. I must see Count Schdental.¡± Soon, she got into the carriage and left the mansion. Cayetana intended to meet Count Schdental in a secret location, away from prying eyes. Entering the commercial district of Blois, she suddenly felt a strange sensation. She ordered Betty, who sat in the driver¡¯s seat instead of the coachman. ¡°I need to change carriages.¡± Betty, who took off her maid¡¯s uniform and drove the carriage with a sword in her leather armor for ease of movement, immediately understood what she meant. She intentionally circled a few busy alleys before hiding Cayetana¡¯s carriage in a corner and hailed a carriage that was passing by. After moving the carriage, Cayetana closed the small window in the door with a curtain, lost in thought. Her eyes were sharp. ¡®It feels like I¡¯m constantly being followed¡­¡¯ It was like that at some point. Even when she attacked knights and asked them to see if anyone was tailing them, they wouldn¡¯t catch anything. ¡®Is it just because my nerves became more sensitive?¡¯ It could have been. She had been feeling like she was being followed for quite some time now, but nothing had happened yet. Who was going to keep chasing after her when she had retired from all that hard work and power after so much effort? ¡®It can¡¯t be Dimitri who has a grudge against me. If it were him, he¡¯d have tried to harm me long ago, and I doubt he¡¯d continue this pointless chase¡­¡¯ It could be that she had done a lot of harm to Dimitri, so Cayetana was suspicious and anxious. If she thought that to herself, she¡¯d be able to stay away from Dimitri, but that wasn¡¯t what she believed. ¡®He¡¯ll have his revenge on me one day¡­ He¡¯ll have his sword sharpened, but I can¡¯t let that happen. I have to trample on him firmly so that he wouldn¡¯t dare to dream of revenge.¡¯ Only then would she be able to rest easily. Only by getting rid of Dimitri would she be able to live out her days in peace. ¡®That b*stard and I have come too far to live and breathe together under the same sky.¡¯ Cayetana remembered all the dirty things she had done to Dimitri. She abused him, kidnapped and abandoned him, and poisoned his biological mother to death. However, as a joke of fate, Dimitri persisted and became a duke. It never occurred to her that he would be able to survive in the first place. ¡®Either I die or he dies, one of the two¡­ Still, I don¡¯t want to be killed by a dirty shapeshifter, so it should be him who dies the most miserable death.¡¯ In the meanwhile, Cayetana changed carriages twice more on the way, unable to shake off the unpleasant feeling of being followed. It was only then that she circled the block and finally arrived at the place where she was supposed to meet Count Schdental. Count Schdental had come first and was waiting for her. ¡°You¡¯re late, Madam Elbas.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been feeling dubious.¡± Hearing that, the Count calmed her familiarly as if he had already heard what she feared. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got eyes on the alley from the entrance, so if someone were to follow you, I¡¯d know right away.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief, then.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because Dimitri has been paying too much attention since he became a duke.¡± ¡°All the unhappiness in my life is because of him. By the way, I heard about it, but what¡¯s been going on lately? I have been bedridden lately because of the rat shapeshifters¡¯ mischief.¡± ¡°Ah, that was the reason. I was worried because I couldn¡¯t reach you.¡± The next moment, as Count Schdental told her the details of what had happened, Cayetana groaned and touched her forehead. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Rowaine was such a wr*tch¡­ I guess I let my guard down too much because I thought she was a foolish child that has a quick temper.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the time to blame yourself. The nobles are crawling under him one by one. We need to take measures.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient, Count. There must be a way out, and who wants to be under that shapeshifter? They¡¯re all just cowering from the threat in front of them.¡± Saying so, Cayetana took a flower from the vase on the table and habitually crushed the petals one by one with her fingertips. Her hands were stained red with flower water. As she had been lost in thought for a while, someone¡¯s name popped out of her mouth. ¡°Rowaine¡­ She is very suspicious indeed. What happened to her relationship with the Emperor, and why is she suddenly clinging to Dimitri?¡± ¡°Even so, I sent someone to Count Larscel to investigate, but it doesn¡¯t seem to be his plan either.¡± ¡°You mean that b*tch is acting on her own?¡± ¡°Even Count Larscel was very angry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s even more suspicious, then.¡± Why? Even though she didn¡¯t know what Rowaine was up to, what was certain was that her bad reputation wasn¡¯t a bad thing for them to use against them. ¡°I hear she¡¯s been acting pretty badly. If we dig into that, wouldn¡¯t that give us a way to hurt Dimitri?¡± At that time, Count Schdental opened his mouth again as though he had a good idea. ¡°They say that woman is setting up a shapeshifter shelter.¡± ¡°A prisoner shelter?¡± Haha. Cayetana laughed sharply as if she was amazed. ¡°Is that b*tch insane? She¡¯s truly a family disgrace.¡± ¡°There will be a lot of people who would dislike the idea.¡± At those words, she nodded her head as though she understood what Count Schdental wanted. ¡°I¡¯ll try to figure out a ploy about it somehow.¡± Rosanne was taking a walk near the annex. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see kittens running and jumping over the walls of the annex and into the backyard. ¡°I heard that Rowaine brought in a lot of shapeshifters with Dimitri, so it must be those kids.¡± She, who usually had a tiger-like expression on her face, had an uncharacteristically cheerful smile on her face. The old maid next to her pulled a shawl tightly around Roseanne¡¯s shoulders and spoke in surprise. ¡°They look rather cute.¡± ¡°I must be old, seeing that I think those little things are cute.¡± Contrary to her blunt voice, her eyes looking at the kittens were warm. At that time, a crow circled high in the sky above her head before swooping down to land on a nearby branch. ¡°I¡¯m back, Rosanne.¡± It was a crow shapeshifter. Unlike human-friendly dog shapeshifters and cat shapeshifters who arbitrarily regard humans as equals even if no one acknowledges them, other species shunned the human world. Therefore, it was difficult to find and tame them, so it wasn¡¯t a subject of much interest, even among humans. However, sometimes there were shapeshifters who lived with humans even though they weren¡¯t dog or cat shapeshifters. Lerida was a crow shapeshifter that Rosanne took care of when she injured her wing in an accident one day. Crow shapeshifters tended to consider repaying favors as their mission. Even though Lerida wasn¡¯t in a master-servant relationship with Rosanne, but rather her secret friend who always appeared whenever she called and did her bidding. ¡°Oh, how was it?¡± ¡°Cayetana is meeting with Count Schdental.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Rosanne had been keeping an eye on Cayetana ever since Dimitri became a duke. ¡°As I sat by the window and listened in, it looked like they were going to do some tricks to Rowaine¡¯s shapeshifters¡¯ shelter.¡± ¡°I see, that¡¯s enough. Thank you again this time.¡± ¡°If you ever need another favor, just ask. If it¡¯s a favor from Rosanne, I¡¯ll be happy to oblige as long as it¡¯s in my power.¡± Lerida, with her beautiful black beak, bowed her head as a greeting and flew away. Seeing that, her maid asked. ¡°Will you wait and see this time again?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. That would bE up to Cayetana.¡± Rosanne watched with a thoughtful face as Lerida flew freely and disappeared into the sky. ¡°I just want to protect Blois.¡± __ Chapter 80 Chapter 80 When Cayetana was the duchess, she, along with the previous Duke, were the masters of Blois. While Rosanne understood her jealousy of the mistress, she turned a blind eye to her misdeeds as long as they didn¡¯t harm Blois. But now, the owner of Blois was Dimitri. Because of that, she had no intention of allowing Cayetana to harm Dimitri any longer. The world of Rosanne was Blois, and her top priority value to be protected was also Blois. Blois wasn¡¯t just a family, but it encompassed the people who made up the family, including the fiefdom and their vassals. ¡®Cayetana, I will protect you as long as Blois¡¯s name is attached to you¡­ but the same goes for Dimitri and Rowaine.¡¯ While judging based on Blois, she was the most fair, but Rosanne was also the most unfair based on other standards. So, in a way, winning her over was very simple. All you had to do was work for Blois. However, for Rosanne, who seemed to have given up all her power, the powerful people in Blois¡ªeven Dimitri¡ªdidn¡¯t place much value on her. To those powerful people in Blois, who had never tried to understand her standards of behavior, she was just a clueless old woman, someone they could see through but didn¡¯t want to bother with. But recently, someone who poured pure sincerity into her without being calculated, appeared. ¡°Grandmother!¡± Rosanne smiled wryly. ¡°Rowaine, how can you maintain your dignity, running like a foal like this?¡± A little while ago. Having quickly completed the Duchess¡¯s duties for the morning, I hastily rose from my seat as I wanted to go to the annex as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Dimitri grumbled when he saw that I had been running in and out of the annex ever since the kittens arrived. ¡°If anyone sees this, they¡¯d think you¡¯ve hidden a lover in the annex.¡± ¡°What do you mean, a lover?! There are only kittens who are a hundred times cuter and lovable than that.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± With a look that was partly displeased and partly relieved, Dimitri shook his head and adjusted his clothes out of habit. I left him with an ¡°I¡¯ll be back!¡± and gracefully descended the stairs after saying goodbye. Originally, there were many visitors in the main building, but recently there have been many more, so it was necessary to keep a check on them. It was because sometimes, I¡¯d run into guests unexpectedly¡­ like now. ¡°You¡¯re back again, Count Charlerois.¡± ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t it the Duchess! You¡¯re still beautiful today¡­¡± ¡°Thank you! The Count looks great, too!¡± After a quick greeting to Count Charlerois, who had been coming to Blois every day since the emergency meeting of the elders, I made my way down the stairs as courteously as possible. However, once I was out the back door, I ran down the aisle without a second glance. ¡®Cat¡ª!¡¯ My heart raced with excitement at the thought of burying my face in the kittens¡¯ fluffy fur and round bellies, and blowing air on them to make a farting sound¡ªPuuu, puuu. As I was running, I could see grandmother Rosanne taking a walk on one side of the back garden. ¡°Grandmother!¡± ¡°Rowaine, how could you maintain your dignity, running like a foal like this?¡± I waved my arms exaggeratedly back and forth. ¡°I-it¡¯s an exercise! In order to fulfill my responsibilities, it¡¯d be helpful to do physical training every now and then.¡± ¡°Anyway, enough talk. Have you visited Madam Elbas? It seems that she¡¯s finally woken up and came to her full senses this morning.¡± It was something I already knew from Agwen. ¡®I¡¯m not sure I want to visit Madam Elbas.¡¯ However, seeing grandmother¡¯s eyes, I felt like I should say hello at least once. ¡°I heard she was out, so I thought I¡¯d visit her later.¡± ¡°Okay, go, and confess and apologize for the lies you¡¯ve told in the past.¡± She was talking about the time I lied about being pregnant because I didn¡¯t want to hear the nagging. When I let out a small sigh, unable to hide my displeasure, grandmother Rosanne chuckled. There was a hint of mischievous feeling in her smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to listen to the nagging, why are you lying? This foal-like child.¡± When I just laughed along with the bashfulness, grandmother patted me on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re going to be a good leader for Blois.¡± I was about to ask, ¡°Me?¡± with a hint of suspicion, but then realized that would sound irresponsible to grandmother Rosanne, who didn¡¯t know my divorce plans, so I rephrased the question. ¡°Do you really think so?¡± ¡°Sure. I was a foal like you.¡± ¡°Grandmother¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At that moment, I remembered grandmother¡¯s story of how she got sick from chewing poisonous plants while playing in the field. ¡°Somehow, I can imagine it.¡± Then, as if she had been waiting for me to say, ¡®I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯ Instead, she gazed at me with a slightly dazed expression before she cleared her voice and spoke with a stern look. ¡°You should probably go do your business now.¡± At her words, I smiled sweetly and walked away. ¡®Once you get to know her, she¡¯s actually a cute person.¡¯ When I arrived at the annex while humming a song, I found Esca sitting in an armchair and kittens sitting in rows in front of him. Seeing that, I walked briskly into the front yard of the annex. ¡®¡­What¡¯s going on?¡¯ The kittens were sitting neatly in order of height, staring at Esca, who was preaching something to them. Couldn¡¯t believe the sight, I rubbed my eyes and looked again. ¡®All those fussing kittens were¡ª!¡¯ Esca, noticing me standing there in stunned silence, calmly greeted me. ¡°Duchess, you¡¯re here.¡± At that moment, the kittens turned around and called out to me in unison. ¡°Welcome, Duchess! ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡­Did they become so polite overnight? When Esca announced to the cats that it was time for them to take a break, the cats, who had been sitting dignifiedly, scurried off in all directions. Only then did this place feel as bustling and familiar as before. Amazed, I turned towards Esca. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± He rose soundlessly from the armchair and replied with a gentle face. Somehow, even my breathing seemed to calm down when I looked at him. I asked again in a slightly calmer tone. ¡°How are you dealing with the cats? Everyone has become very calm.¡± ¡°Is that so? I was just explaining it in a way that made sense to them.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I told them that if they want to live together in human society, it¡¯s wise to observe human manners together.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I couldn¡¯t believe it. It was because of the countless times I said that to Coco and Sasha, they both ignored me with a snort. When I said that, Esca smiled. ¡°Next time, try to have a sincere conversation.¡± ¡°My heart has been truthful enough.¡± ¡°Madam Rowaine¡¯s heart is¡­¡± Esca stared into my eyes before finishing his words. ¡°It seems to be saying that it¡¯s okay no matter what the cats do.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡­How did he know? I was so startled that I instinctively picked up a nearby cloth and wrapped it around myself without knowing. Meanwhile, Esca spoke calmly without even a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t try. The mind isn¡¯t obscured by such things.¡± ¡®¡­He must have been a mind reader.¡¯ Esca gestured to me before he continued his words. ¡°Rather than that, there¡¯s something that Madam Rowaine should see. Please follow me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Sasha is insisting on not eating.¡± ¡°Sasha?¡± What was going on that Sasha, who rushed to eat something, suddenly refused to eat? As I followed Esca to the dining room in the annex, sure enough, Sasha was frowning at the food in front of her like he said. ¡°It¡¯s fine if she doesn¡¯t eat, but I told her to sit until she¡¯s grateful for the food, and you¡¯re still like that.¡± ¡°No, she¡¯s just very stubborn.¡± When I approached Sasha, the child opened her eyes and demanded me out of the blue. ¡°Let me sign a contract with the devil, Rowaine!¡± ¡°What? That discussion is already over.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not done!¡± Sasha shouted, banging her fist on the table. Then, as if following us, Coco appeared in cat form and leaped up onto the table. ¡°She lost a one-on-seven fight with some other guys yesterday, so she¡¯s doing this because she can¡¯t admit she lost, Angel.¡± ¡®¡­That¡¯s pretty impressive for a one-on-seven fight.¡¯ Hearing the number seven, I could roughly guess whom she was fighting with. ¡®Of the number of cats I brought, seven were the same age as Coco.¡¯ So, it seemed that the belligerent Sasha had chosen strong-looking opponents and competed in strength. ¡°Sasha, did you compete with your siblings? That¡¯s really courageous and amazing that you took on seven people at once.¡± Despite my encouragement, she jerked her head to the other side as if she didn¡¯t want to hear it. ¡°I¡¯m going to sign a contract with the devil!¡± Even though I tried to soothe her with all sorts of words, Sasha wouldn¡¯t listen. ¡°I thought you said sincerity works?¡± Eventually, exhausted, I asked Esca, and he stared back at me with a robotic, expressionless face before opening his mouth. ¡°Sasha¡¯s desire is much stronger and more persuasive than Madam Rowaine¡¯s opposition, so there¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to win her over.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Sasha has already made up her mind.¡± Esca¡¯s clear blue eyes seemed to be telling me I had to make a concession. I looked away, hating the look and feeling burdened. At the same time, I was a little offended that he was talking about someone else¡¯s cat. ¡°If she can¡¯t do it, then she can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°You know it well.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± I glared at Esca, who returned my words to me. However, his gaze was so direct and unbearably transparent that I eventually looked away again. __ Chapter 81 Chapter 81 ¡°Are you worried about something?¡± Dimitri asked, sitting languidly in his chair and crossing his legs. I nodded helplessly. ¡°Sasha isn¡¯t eating.¡± ¡°Oh, she seems to want to cut her life short.¡± At the playful tone, I glanced at him. Dimitri cleared his throat before asking in a slightly kinder, gentler voice than he had just used. ¡°Why did she go on a hunger strike? It¡¯s probably because of the devil.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious what¡¯s inside her little head.¡± ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a good way to convince Sasha?¡± Asking that, I gazed at him earnestly, but Dimitri only gave me a blank stare as he smoothed his clothes out of habit. ¡°Well.¡± When I read the atmosphere similar to Esca from him, I uttered bluntly. ¡°Is everyone not worried about Sasha? Making a deal with the devil to risk your life is too risky, am I the only one who thinks so?¡± ¡°Give it a little more time.¡± ¡°To Sasha? She¡¯s so stubborn¡­¡± However, Dimitri was looking at me. It was only then did I realize he was looking at me because he was saying that to me. I stuttered in doubt. ¡°Did you just say that to me, in the sense of¡­ giving myself time?¡± Dimitri shrugged defensively. ¡°It¡¯d be better for you to talk about this with someone else. I don¡¯t want Rowaine to be resentful towards me.¡± That word was the equivalent of an affirmative answer. I stared at him in complete disbelief. ¡°Are you telling me to take my time? Are you implying that I¡¯m being stubborn?¡± Dimitri, who was straightforward and never one to backpedal, quickly brought up something else as if he¡¯d rather get out of this subject of conversation. ¡°I hear the chef is doing a whole-roasted barbecue for dinner tonight. Didn¡¯t Rowaine want to try it the other day? Did you say it¡¯s called samgyeopsal*?¡± [ T/N: Samgyeopsal refers to pork belly¡¯s fat cap and the two leaner layers of meat below it, one light and one dark¡ªgrilled pork belly, which is a type of grilled dish in Korean cuisine. ] ¡°Dimitri.¡± ¡°You said you also wanted to serve it with strong liquor and with different kinds of leaves as garnishes, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be angry.¡± Dimitri squinted his eyes with suspicion as he looked at me. Seeing his reaction like that, I felt like I had been hit in the head. ¡®Was I being too sensitive about this?¡¯ ¡­To the extent that he would avoid the conversation like that? Looking back on my behavior so far, I felt a little embarrassed. ¡®I just said no. Since it sounded too risky to me, I have no choice but to object, right?¡¯ As I thought so, I felt that my attitude was the natural look that a guardian should have. Nonetheless, looking at Dimitri¡¯s expression, I thought it would be a good idea to put aside the stubbornness simmering inside and listen to what he had to say. ¡°Wait a minute, let me take a deep breath.¡± [ T/N: It¡¯s kinda funny that she knows she needs to collect herself before going full Karen-mode LOL (? ?? ?? ) ] I closed my eyes as I took a slow breath, trying to silence the voice in my head that was frantically screaming, ¡®Sasha shouldn¡¯t be making a contract with the devil.¡¯ I then smiled at Dimitri, indicating that I was ready to talk. ¡°Okay. Now, I can tell you that I¡¯m not really trying to be angry. I just need to hear why everyone is saying that I¡¯m being stubborn about this dangerous thing.¡± Dimitri, who had been rolling his eyes, realized that he would no longer be able to avoid it. ¡°Alright, but let¡¯s make sure we have a solid defense in place before we start talking.¡± ¡°Means of defense?¡± Leaving me puzzled behind, he called the butler and the two whispered something in each other¡¯s ear for a moment. Soon after, the butler left the room and returned quickly. Behind the returning butler, the kitchen staff brought plates and two-tiered trays and set them on the sofa table. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Bread sliced ??diagonally was toasted golden brown on a small furnace for toasting, along with butter with a rich and deep taste, pure white whipped cream, and the chef¡¯s special jam was lined up on the table. On top of that, there were sandwiches with a hard-boiled egg mashed up and stuffed with sliced vegetables, and millefeuille, a thin layer of pastry and not-too-sweet custard cream decorated with raspberries, on a two-tiered tray. The top tier of the tray was filled with a variety of crisp sweets, including brandy snaps, a thin ginger cookie rolled into a cylinder and filled neatly with stiff cream, and biscuits sprinkled with sugar. Dimitri looked at me, whose eyes were widened, and lifted his chin triumphantly like a well-prepared general ready for battle. [ T/N: He knows a way to her heart well ?(??? ? ??? ? )???? ] ¡°Let¡¯s talk while eating.¡± ¡°This is amazing.¡± ¡°When there was a shortage of employees, the chef said he wanted to show his gratitude to Rowaine for giving up dessert and reducing the kitchen work.¡± I knew that he was appreciative of that, but I didn¡¯t know that the chef would do this much. Anyway, I topped the toasted bread with butter and blueberry jam. With a crunchy sound, the flavor of butter and the sweetness of homemade blueberry jam enraptured my tongue in ecstasy. Dimitri was really smart. Like this, he figured out how to make my heart warm and fuzzy so quickly. But at the same time, I thought a lot about Sasha, who skipped breakfast. ¡®I can¡¯t believe she refused to eat even though there¡¯s always so much delicious food.¡¯ Dimitri asked, noticing my sudden change in mood. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good?¡± ¡°No. I just remembered that Sasha is starving.¡± ¡°A meal is fine, Rowaine.¡± ¡°Why would she even do that?¡± Dimitri took a sip of his wine and finally spoke seriously. ¡°Cats have an obsession with safety. We prioritize safety within the territory as our top priority.¡± ¡°I know, and that¡¯s why I don¡¯t understand it even more. If making a deal with the devil is so dangerous, why would you want to do something so risky?¡± ¡°We want to be more safe through the devil, because it¡¯s a great source of power.¡± ¡°But if you make a contract with the devil and die, doesn¡¯t that great power become useless?¡± ¡°Being obsessive about such things is painful because it means you are under a lot of pressure.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Do you understand what it feels like to be terrorized in your daily life by the idea that you¡¯re not strong enough to defend yourself?¡± As I shook my head, I suddenly remembered something from the past and stiffened. I had a brother who was four years older than me. He was easily angered and violent. Not only that, but I also had a patriarchal father who ruled over me like a king because I was his daughter. The four-year age difference in childhood was an insurmountable barrier. I had to helplessly submit to my brother¡¯s irrational and capricious commands, or else I was punched. Even when I obeyed, I was often beaten. In the eyes of my older brother, who was four years older, everything I did seemed immature and frustrating. Even after seeing my brother beating me recklessly, my father would turn a blind eye and say, ¡°Young children can fight,¡± so my brother¡¯s domineering behavior, which only got worse as his violence was justified. When my father saw my brother hitting me without permission, he turned a blind eye, saying, ¡°Little kids can fight,¡± and my brother¡¯s domineering behavior became more and more justified. Fear in everyday life¡­ ¡­I knew it well. When I burst into tears and screamed in protest, my mom would scold my brother, and my dad would yell at her for killing their son¡¯s energy. Guilt and anxiety sprouted as my parents fought because I couldn¡¯t stand it. Still, the unbearable anguish and fear¡­ I asked Dimitri. ¡°Are you saying that Sasha is always afraid, even in this peaceful place, because she thinks she¡¯s not strong enough?¡± ¡°All cats have a little bit of that obsession, but there are cats who rely on someone like Coco and naturally enjoy peace, while there are cats who feel particularly obsessive and run amok like Sasha. Because of that, she constantly wants to test her strength and show off, which is why she fights with everyone.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know that. Not at all. ¡°Then¡­ then, will she be okay if she makes a contract with the devil?¡± Dimitri smiled meaningfully. ¡°The worse the fear, the more powerful demons they summon because demons covet someone¡¯s negative emotions and want to burrow into them. Sasha will summon a demon as strong as the magnitude of her fear, and if she fights it and wins, she¡¯ll be able to fill the fear in her heart with demons, and then she¡¯ll be relieved, just like I did.¡± He was beaming with pride, but I felt a little sorry for him. As far as I knew, his demon was the most powerful demon in terms of combat power. How much fear did he feel until he made a contract with such a devil? ¡®It must be the influence of Madam Elbas.¡¯ He grew up under severe abuse. Dimitri comforted me by suggesting dessert to me, who was speechless for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much, Rowaine. Since Sasha is still young, it¡¯s probably better for her to make a contract with the devil.¡± I was surprised to hear that. Isn¡¯t it usually more dangerous when you¡¯re young and inexperienced? ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Young children are less susceptible to demons¡¯ subtle tricks.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it easier for them because they¡¯re naive?¡± At my words, Dimitri laughed low in his throat. ¡°Do you know how great of a weapon a child can be to the devil when they have a limited vocabulary and don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in the world? A child¡¯s desires are limited and pure.¡± As I didn¡¯t quite understand what that was about, he patiently explained it to me. ¡°For demons who use sugar coating as their main weapon to corrupt the soul, there are surprisingly only a few ways to destroy an innocent person with clean desires.¡± ¡°That¡­!¡± ¡°Sasha hasn¡¯t had a proper education yet, and she¡¯s stupid enough that she won¡¯t fall to the devil easily.¡± [ T/N: IS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE A COMPLIMENT?! LOL ( ?? ? ?? ) ] It was true that I didn¡¯t teach Sasha knowledge about human affairs, such as academics or etiquette, but¡­ ¡®Stupid¡­ No, isn¡¯t it too much to say that? Why does he even look so proud of himself as well?¡¯ Dimitri showed unwavering faith that Sasha would survive and fulfill the contract without being attacked by the demon. Seeing that, I couldn¡¯t help but stare at him blankly, not knowing whether to laugh or frown. ¡°Is that a compliment¡­?¡± ¡°Of course. Sasha is one of the strongest cats I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± He continued. ¡°Cat shapeshifters are independent when they¡¯re at Sasha¡¯s age. A cat that can hunt and live on its own deserves to be treated like an adult. Give Sasha her freedom.¡± ¡°An adult¡­ she¡¯s still so small and delicate.¡± When I hesitated, unconvinced, Dimitri said as if he had a good idea. ¡°It would be better to see it yourself than to hear it a hundred times.¡± __ Chapter 82 Chapter 82 After some satisfying refreshments, Dimitri took me to the tourney hall*. There, the knights and Sasha were waiting for us there as if he had contacted them in advance. [ T/N: The word the author used was ¡®¡¯, which literally meant tourney hall, though you could imagine it like a gymnasium! ] I read an unusual atmosphere. Dimitri said, glancing around at the knights with Sasha beside him. ¡°Is there anyone willing to compete with this one in hand-to-hand combat?¡± At those words, Sasha clenched her fists with a dignified face as if she realized what Dimitri was trying to do. ¡°Bring it on! I¡¯m going to give you a very bitter feeling!¡± ¡­Even though she skipped meals, where did she get that energy from? Forgetting that she was hungry, Sasha swung her fist in the air enthusiastically. In the meanwhile, the knights were hesitant to step forward as the little black girl shouted loudly at them. Of course, they weren¡¯t intimidated by Sasha¡­ ¡®Whether they win or lose, it¡¯s something the knights won¡¯t even be able to overcome, so who wants to step up?¡¯ Needless to say, the idea of ¡®competing¡¯ with a child who hadn¡¯t learned martial arts would be unthinkable for a normal adult. In addition, it seemed as though it was serious enough for Dimitri to step forward and judge, but from the point of view of the knights, figuring out what Dimitri intended to do would be the first priority. Indeed, as I looked at the knights¡¯ expressions, I could see the question on their faces as if asking, ¡®Does he mean to tell us to lose to that young shapeshifter?¡¯ He must have noticed their thoughts as well, so he started wielding his words. ¡°I¡¯ll reward the one who fights with all their might and wins. I¡¯ll bet as much as one month¡¯s wages as a reward.¡± Sasha then raised her hand in the air, bravely recognizing the words reward and prize. ¡°Me! What about me? What if I win?¡± Dimitri glanced at Sasha, who was bouncing up and down, and this time he looked at me as if to say, ¡®What would be a good reward for Sasha?¡¯ I rolled my eyes inwardly. ¡®Dimitri¡¯s knights are skilled and experienced in battle. Besides, they followed him because they admire the strong without preconceived notions.¡¯ Could Sasha, who had been playing the role of a children¡¯s alley leader, win against such people? ¡®Besides, since she¡¯s in a human form, her movements would be slower than when she would be in her true form.¡¯ I eventually drew a conclusion in my mind and made a slightly sleazy suggestion. ¡°If Sasha wins, I¡¯ll let her make a contract with the devil.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Sasha¡¯s piercing blue eyes sparkled visibly with life. When I saw that, I felt remorse though I didn¡¯t hesitate to look away. ¡®If this can get Sasha to give up¡­¡¯ If I could get Sasha to give up something dangerous, I could overcome my conscience. And so, blinded by the prize, one knight and Sasha stood in the center of the fighting sand arena. Dressed in thin t-shirts and comfortable pants, the two were given nothing but leather gloves. ¡°There are no rules. You can do whatever you want, as long as you win.¡± Dimitri solemnly declared. ¡°If you lose thinking about trivial chivalry or pride, each of you will either become a laughingstock for your colleagues or you won¡¯t be able to accomplish what you want.¡± He meant fighting properly. The knight and Sasha stood facing each other with their fists clenched. Even if he was pretending, the knight¡¯s fist-clenched posture and standing posture seemed solid and unflinching. Conversely, everything about Sasha was loose and full of gaps. Although she looked excited, her eyes were quite fierce. ¡°Start.¡± When Dimitri waved a small flag the size of his palm, the fight began. While the knight was wary of Sasha without recklessly approaching her, Sasha opened his eyes and charged at the opponent with great vigour. Dashing swiftly, she turned lightly and jumped high, dodging the knight¡¯s outstretched hand as he tried to subdue her before she swung her fist into his head like she was taking out his liver*. [ T/N: It¡¯s an idiom that means ¡®to take advantage of someone in a very difficult situation.¡¯ ] ¡°Hiyap¡­!¡± The knight ducked to avoid Sasha¡¯s mischievous attack and put some distance between them. He then lunged straight down towards Sasha¡¯s waist. ¡°Yaaaaah!¡± ¡°Huk!<¡± Sasha evaded the knight with very agile movements. At that moment, in a very fluid motion, the child stabilized her center of gravity and leaped lightly with one foot on the ground. Her body spun halfway in the air, grabbing the knight by the hair from behind as if in slow motion, and kicked with all her might, aiming for the knight¡¯s throat as though she were about to do a cat ¡®back foot¡¯¡­ ¡°Stop!¡± Just before her ambitious attack, Dimitri waved his flag again in an X-shape. ¡°No! Why?!¡± Instead of kicking, Sasha protested while wrapping her legs around the knight¡¯s neck and clinging to the back of his head. ¡°Why! Why! Whyyy?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. You win.¡± Dimitri calmly declared her victory. On the other hand, the knight stared at him in disbelief, as if he couldn¡¯t understand what was happening behind him because he hadn¡¯t even seen it. ¡°Any more, and Sasha would have broken your neck.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Leaving behind him with his mouth agape, Dimitri lectured the knights as if this was a good opportunity. ¡°You¡¯ve all seen it, right? It¡¯s the way the cat shapeshifters attack, aiming for the throat like that. They don¡¯t have as much jaw strength when they¡¯re in a human form as they do when they¡¯re in a cat form, so instead of just sinking their teeth in like they do when they¡¯re cats, they would go for the neck and try to break the collarbone with their hind legs. Be aware.¡± The knights nodded their heads in bewilderment. ¡°They all have an uncomfortable expression on their faces now.¡± Dimitri asked Sasha, furrowing his brow. ¡°Do you want to fight one more time?¡± ¡°Mm! Yes, I want more! This is so much fun!¡± ¡°Alright. Then, one more person come out.¡± The second round started as planned. The opponent who came out this time was the one who was moved by Sasha¡¯s movements. Judging from the enthusiastic reactions of the knights, it seemed that they had won quite a few victories in hand-to-hand combat of his own. I, too, was a bit relieved since I was thinking that the previous fight had ended so futilely. ¡®¡­I certainly hope Sasha loses this time.¡¯ Clasping my hands together, I watched the fight with a prayerful heart. Sasha moved so effortlessly, like water flowing, even in what looked like a very flimsy position. ¡°She looks really slow, but why can¡¯t he catch her? Surely the knight wasn¡¯t going easy on her?¡± As I whispered to Dimitri while looking at the floundering knight worriedly, Dimitri gave a low laugh. ¡°It¡¯s because she¡¯s not actually slow. She just looks slow because her posture is stable and flexible. Imagine, Rowaine, if you could move like that yourself.¡± Even if I imagined it in my head, it didn¡¯t seem that hard to move like Sasha so I tried to sneak up behind Dimitri and do what Sasha had done, which was to jump up and change positions in midair. ¡®Wow, is that possible?¡¯ My thoughts changed in an instant. It was more difficult than I thought to take a certain posture without panicking in the air. ¡®I can¡¯t even jump that high¡­¡¯ Sasha jumped lightly to my shoulder level, but I couldn¡¯t get that high no matter what I did. ¡®I¡¯ve been training my lower body a lot with horseback riding these days, but it¡¯s not even helping.¡¯ It was like watching an Olympic Games video and realizing that the athletes were making it look so effortless though every single movement was incredibly challenging. ¡®That¡¯s amazing.¡¯ I focused on Sasha¡¯s fighting again. Unlike the previous fight, where I assumed Sasha was going to lose, this time, I watched the fight in earnest. Seeing the look in Sasha¡¯s eyes, my jaw dropped. It was behind those terrifyingly fierce blue eyes that sharpened execution and judgment. She was taking the fight more seriously than I thought. ¡®It¡¯s not the eyes of a child.¡¯ I unknowingly swallowed dry saliva. Certainly, anyone who saw it would have thought the same thing I did. Even I, who wanted Sasha to be defeated, was marveled at how a child could have such a look in her eyes like that. Needless to say, Sasha again won the victory without difficulty. As Dimitri swung his flag a little too late, the knight was unable to avoid Sasha¡¯s neck-breaking attack and was kicked once. He immediately fell to the ground before tumbling with nausea. ¡°Ouch. Like I told you, you need to watch your neck.¡± The voice that came out of Dimitri¡¯s mouth was with little emotion. Perhaps the delay in waving the flag was on purpose. In the previous fight, it seemed that everyone felt that it was worthless if someone didn¡¯t get knocked out, so that was what they did. Dimitri took Sasha¡¯s hand as he left the knight, who hadn¡¯t been able to get up in a while and was coughing with a red face. ¡°You win.¡± ¡°Haha! Now, how do you guys like the taste of my fist?! Don¡¯t mess around with me, mwiss, you¡¯ll all die!¡± As Sasha jumped up and down with excitement, Dimitri came up to me and whispered softly. ¡°Humans have coming-of-age ceremonies based on the number of years they¡¯ve lived, but that¡¯s not the standard for shapeshifters. Sasha isn¡¯t a child.¡± At that moment, Coco, in the form of a cat, appeared from nowhere with his head poking around. And after spotting me, he jumped brightly into my arms. ¡°Hehe, aAngel! Here you are! Let¡¯s play hunting!¡± Dimitri, who was looking down disapprovingly at Coco, who was rubbing his dusty body against me, grabbed him by the back and threw Coco down as if tossing him on the floor. Then, he stomped his foot and threatened Coco to drive her away, annoyed. ¡°You brat! When are you going to class?¡± The words came from Dimitri, who was adamant that Sasha wasn¡¯t a child. ¡®Alas, Coco¡­¡¯ __ Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Throwing away my conscience and using my brain, I promised Sasha that if she won the fight, I¡¯d let her make a contract with the devil. I stood face to face with Sasha. It was time for a conversation. ¡°Sasha, do you really want to make a contract with the devil?¡± ¡°Mm! Of course!¡± ¡°Can you tell me why?¡± I was a little nervous. Even though I had heard something from Dimitri, I wanted to hear it from Sasha¡¯s mouth. ¡®Although it¡¯s quite regrettable since I¡¯ve already made the promise.¡¯ I hoped Sasha didn¡¯t want to make a contract with the devil on a whim. If I could persuade her, I hoped I could. As I thought that, I couldn¡¯t let go of that glimmer of hope. However, something came out of Sasha¡¯s mouth that I hadn¡¯t fully expected. She gazed at me straight with her blue eyes, as if she were tenacious, and made a clear argument. ¡°I¡¯m going to be strong. I¡¯ll be strong and keep the bad guys out of here, and I¡¯m going to protect Rowaine and Coco and the others. The leader is strong, so it¡¯s okay, but the rest of the family are weak, so I have to protect them.¡± By leader, she probably meant Dimitri. I was speechless for a moment as I listened to Sasha¡¯s words. ¡®Family¡­¡¯ That was what she was thinking. She was accepting us as family. My heart ached. Sasha continued excitedly. ¡°I¡¯ll lead the family well, so no one is going to be abandoned.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a terrible feeling to be abandoned. If you¡¯re suddenly abandoned in a strange place one day, you¡¯ll have no idea what to eat or what to avoid. Walking around barefoot in a world you¡¯ve never seen before until dawn¡­ you feel very dirty.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was so sad that she still remembered what happened when she was abandoned. I thought she had forgotten all about everything and was happy because she always seemed so cheerful and active. My heart ached as I listened to Sasha¡¯s courageous voice. ¡°I can never forget the helplessness of that day, Rowaine. I¡¯ll be strong. I¡¯m going to be strong and never feel that helpless again. And I won¡¯t let my family feel that way either.¡± ¡°Sasha¡­¡± I stroked her cream-colored hair as I called her name with a sigh. Who abandoned her like this¡­ Who made her grow up like this¡­ I could have been resentful of them, but instead, I was heartbroken by Sasha¡¯s innocence, which burned with a sense of responsibility to protect her family. I never thought she was thinking this seriously. At the same time, I regretted not listening to Sasha¡¯s story. I wondered what I could say to convince her? I finally understood what Esca¡¯s words meant. ¡°Sasha¡¯s desire is much stronger and more persuasive than Madam Rowaine¡¯s opposition, so there¡¯s no way you¡¯re going to win her over.¡± As it turned out, he was right. Sasha¡¯s desire was much stronger and more convincing than my vague sense of anxiety that ¡®she can¡¯t do it because it¡¯s dangerous.¡¯ Hiding my churning heart, I smiled at her. ¡°Okay. You can do it, right?¡± Sasha nodded without hesitation. ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not going to die, Rowaine!¡± At the same time, Cayetana¡¯s maid, Betty, who had been ordered to keep an eye on Rowaine¡¯s every move, was eavesdropping on the conversation between Rowaine and Sasha. She clearly understood what the two were talking about through Sasha¡¯s clear voice and headed to her master¡¯s room. There, Cayetana was drinking a strong, rose-scented black tea. ¡°Madam.¡± ¡°Did you hear something?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is a story that will help you, Madam, but the Duchess was talking about the devil with the cat shapeshifter.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Cayetana let out a sullen sigh, wondering if it was a trivial story again. ¡®Always surrounded by cats all the time. It seems that there is nothing but shapeshifters in my head.¡¯ So it would have been better to tie Rowaine up with the shapeshifters and send them away, but there wasn¡¯t much to hold a clue*. [ T/N: An idiom which means, ¡®to use something as a pretext to provoke a quarrel. ] Rowaine, who was said to enjoy abusing shapeshifters, was, on the contrary, very kind and gentle with them. It would be nice if she could use her cruel temper to demean her and use that as an excuse to apply pressure on them. ¡°She said she¡¯d let the cat shapeshifter make a contract with the devil.¡± ¡°What? Are they trying to nurture a monster like Dimitri? Ha.¡± When she found out that Dimitri was dealing with demons, Cayetana did a little research about demons in order to figure out his weaknesses. ¡®It¡¯s very rare to succeed in signing a contract with a devil, and it¡¯s even rarer to make a pact with a strong demon¡­¡¯ Her brow narrowed as her thoughts deepened. ¡®Could it be possible that the reason why she brought in so many cat shapeshifters was with the intention of training an army?¡¯ Perhaps. After all, there were cat shapeshifters who make contracts with demons as powerful as Dimitri¡¯s, so if she let a bunch of cat people tried it, maybe some of them would survive. ¡®Still, Rowaine isn¡¯t the first person to make such an attempt.¡¯ Inspired by the Emperor¡¯s use of hounds to build a powerful army, there were nobles who tried to do the same with all sorts of animals. However, none of them were successful. The emperor used the ¡®curse¡¯ secretly passed down from the imperial family to completely subjugate the dog shapeshifters without anyone leaving, even at a lower cost than a regular army. The other nobles, however, had no means of keeping the powerful shapeshifters in line. ¡®Especially in the case of cat shapeshifters, who rebel against their owner or run away, unaware of the grace that has been bestowed upon them.¡¯ Very occasionally, someone would force hundreds of cat shapeshifters to make contracts with the devil and gain one or two strong cats. Still, their endings were always the same¡ªeither got revenged by a cat shapeshifter and died or lost without any control over them. ¡®You¡¯re wasting your time, Rowaine.¡¯ Clicking her tongue, Cayetana raised her teacup to her lips but stopped just before putting it to her mouth. Wait¡­¡¯ She set her teacup on the table again. ¡®I don¡¯t need the truth to catch a clue.¡¯ As she thought so, her eyes moved quickly as if calculating something in her head. ¡°Yes, cats with the devil¡­ ¡°¡­.?¡± Tilting her head, Betty glanced at Cayetana, who was talking and chuckling to herself. Her rose-red lips then curled up to one side in a thin arc. ¡°Cats with the devil¡­¡± Her long fingernails grazed against the beautiful teacup rimmed in gold. ¡°The rat shapeshifters¡¯ nightmare is also a demon¡­ all bad things are evil.¡± Haha! The next moment, high-pitched laughter spat out of her mouth as if she was having fun. Taking Sasha to his office, Dimitri began secretly teaching her how to make a contract with the devil. They agreed to set a date once she had a brief knowledge of demons and what to look out for. During those times, I didn¡¯t go anywhere near the office because I knew that if I listened to the two of them talk together in the office, my resolve would be swayed and I would oppose them again. Two days passed by just like that. The other kittens were being educated by Esca, Coco was as cute as usual, and Blue, along with Sasha, were solidly playing the role of the leaders of the annex. In the meanwhile, the school dormitory that would be used as a shelter was undergoing renovations, and we were told it would be ready to accommodate the prisoners within a few days. I also received a report from Avila that the dogs were doing well and that they had started a private study. Baron Seville Placen and I took care of the mansion as usual and inspected the estate once with Dimitri. Dimitri had been carefully selecting the elders and cronies to recruit to our side. Thankfully, things seemed to be going well, seeing as Dimitri was happy that my healing abilities were significantly increasing his efficiency. It was doubtful whether the elders, including Count Schdental, hadn¡¯t been able to fight back yet, whether it was desperation or they were preparing something. In addition, Cayetana¡¯s silence was suspicious, but it was a peaceful day. In the meantime, an unexpected guest suddenly contacted Blois. ¡°The First Princess wants to visit Blois.¡± After lunch, I was drinking tea and relaxing in the study when Dimitri came over and handed me a yellow-dyed letter. ¡°The First Princess?¡± Surprised, I picked up the letter and read it. In the letter, in very old-fashioned handwriting, was a courtesy request for a visit, saying, ¡°I wanted to visit the estate nearby for a change of scenery and was told that the scenery of Blois is excellent and suitable as a tourist destination.¡± I was overcome with a very strange feeling. Because the First Princess Elaine de Astor was¡­ ¡®She¡¯s the original heroine¡­!¡¯ In the original story, it never happened and never would have happened. ¡®The heroine goes sightseeing in the home of the villain?¡¯ I swallowed a gulp and glanced at Dimitri. ¡°Are you going to allow her?¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t see any reason why I should say no, so there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± In the original story, the heroine would¡¯ve turned against Dimitri after he harmed Cadis, whom she had been eyeing, and for his involvement with the Count of Bilbao¡¯s slave trader. However, because I twisted the whole thing, Dimitri and Elaine haven¡¯t had any contact. That said, there was no ill feeling between the two of them yet. ¡®It¡¯s going to be okay¡­ I guess?¡¯ __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 While accepting the Princess¡¯s visit, I was consumed in all sorts of troubles by myself. ¡®¡­What if it¡¯s a trick of this world to somehow turn Dimitri into a villain and kill him?¡¯ Such a tragic development was pictured in my head, in which the god of fate, who tried to somehow move forward according to the predetermined fate, sent the Princess to Blois to conflict with Dimitri. ¡®What if the cat shapeshifters make a big mistake with the Princess? What if the Cayetana or elders drive a wedge between her and Dimitri? Or what if Dimitri is blamed for an unavoidable accident¡­?¡¯ It was evident that I was anxious and engulfed in negative thoughts all day long. Dimitri asked, swirling the wine around. ¡°Do you have any concerns?¡± He looked a little sleepy and languid as he asked that. He seemed very comfortable in his half-reclining position on the couch. ¡°Before we talk about my concerns, may I ask why you¡¯re getting ready to go to sleep in my office like this?¡± I widened my eyes and stared at Dimitri fiercely. Recently, his office has been overrun with aristocrats who have an emergency regarding the slave trader of the Count of Bilbao, so I used that as an excuse to finally share the office. Viscount Villefranc, who was stomping his feet because Dimitri was distracted by me, was the most excited. However, the Viscount wouldn¡¯t have known that he would be stuck in my office like this ever since. Dimitri grinned shamelessly, his face languid and a little bewitching. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else in Blois that¡¯s as quiet as this place these days.¡± ¡°Maybe the reason the mansion is so noisy is because Dimitri keeps disappearing, and the servants are looking for you?¡± People have been desperately looking for Dimitri these past few days, and it made me wonder if cats might enjoy bothering people in some way. ¡°It¡¯s because they bother me so much.¡± Despite his words, it was clear that he was enjoying the situation, not that he was receiving the attention of the elders. ¡®He¡¯s like a mischievous cat.¡¯ Shaking my head, I sneakily brought up the story about the Princess. ¡°Dimitri, what do you think of the First Princess?¡± ¡°Well, a fallen, unstable string?¡± ¡®That¡¯s not what I meant, but he¡¯s right.¡¯ The heroine, Elaine, was the daughter of the late Empress. The Empress was abdicated after being caught for a ridiculous reason, but the real reason was that she had become politically useless. For four generations, the Astor Imperial Family has been at war to conquer Pelsian, located in the far west. Pelsian was a country with a vast territory, a very long history, and a developed culture. The Imperial Family had been fighting the Pelsian for a very long time, and finally, under the current Emperor, they succeeded in conquering most of the region with a stronger military force. ¡®Dimitri had a lot of credit for that.¡¯ However, the Astor family focused only on the goal of ¡®conquest¡¯ for too long and hadn¡¯t thought beyond that. How to govern that huge territory so far away from the empire? As a result, there were constant insurgent movements to rebuild Pelsian in various places. So, what the Emperor finally came up with was the marriage policy. He dethroned the existing empress and appointed the empress of Pelsian as the new empress, saying, ¡°The Pelsian people have become my people, so I¡¯ll treat them equally as equals to the people of my empire.¡± This marriage policy was a classic political maneuver to appease the populace and prevent rebellion. ¡®The ones who became pitiful due to that were the late Empress and her surviving Princess, Elaine.¡¯ The new empress, a foreigner, was struggling to establish herself in a precarious position, and in her eyes, Elaine, a grown woman about her age, was an eyesore. And so, to protect herself, Elaine has been living very quietly in the imperial palace, erasing her presence as if she weren¡¯t there. ¡®But now she¡¯s at a crossroads between marriage and seizing power.¡¯ The Empress, desperate to get rid of Elaine before her eyes, has been whispering to the Emperor to send her away in marriage to a faraway land. The Elaine I knew wasn¡¯t greedy for power, but she hated marriage. Thus, while trying to escape from the Imperial Family, she wandered around the imperial city looking for an opening to escape and stumbled upon a scene of hounds being mistreated. She helped an abused hound, who turned out to be the male protagonist, Cadis. As she tried to convince Cadis to run away, she was stunned by his tearful loyalty. ¡®¡­Just like I did when I met Cadis.¡¯ Loyalty as straight and unwavering as a loyal dog to the point that it felt suffocating. I knew how shocking it was because I¡¯ve been through it. Of course, there was a curse spell that stopped the heart if you weren¡¯t loyal to the Emperor, but the loyalty of the dog shapeshifters didn¡¯t stem from that curse spell. Their loyalty was a racial trait, albeit with some individual variation. Seeing Cadis like that, she made a decision that she would become emperor and free the dog shapeshifters so that they could find for themselves a master who would cherish and love them for who they were and not take violent advantage of that pure loyalty. As the first step to seizing power, she seeks to gain the Emperor¡¯s trust. To do so, it involved her uncovering the corruption of the Count of Bilbao¡¯s slave traders and delivering a significant blow to Blois, whom the Emperor was wary of, and boasting her presence in the political scene. ¡®¡­But I completely ruined it all.¡¯ Although I hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, since I knew everything about Elaine¡¯s situation, I couldn¡¯t bear to look at her. ¡®I had to do it for my cats¡­¡¯ I felt terribly guilty that I asked Dimitri to do it. ¡°You know, I personally like the First Princess very much, so I want to look good for her¡­ very much. So Dimitri, if you don¡¯t particularly dislike her, would you cooperate with me?¡± ¡°Do you know her well?¡± The question made me think about what kind of relationship ¡®Rowaine¡¯ had with Elaine. I hadn¡¯t thought about the relationship between ¡®Rowaine¡¯ and Elaine until now because I was thinking about the relationship between Dimitri and Elaine instead. ¡®Wait a minute. Maybe this is a situation where I need to be careful, not Dimitri?¡¯ In the original story, ¡®Rowaine¡¯ hadn¡¯t yet come face-to-face with Elaine, and it wasn¡¯t until she became the Emperor¡¯s mistress that she did. For some reason, however, not only did she hate Elaine, whom she had never met, but she abused Cadis, whom the heroine loved. ¡®Come to think of it, Elaine probably knows a little bit about Rowaine.¡¯ ¡­To the extent of being a shapeshifters abuser. I swallowed dry saliva. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t she be upset since I stole the slave trader plan?¡¯ That was what I thought, though she couldn¡¯t really argue with me because she wouldn¡¯t think I knew what she was doing. Nonetheless, it seemed unlikely that Elaine, who had been feigning ill health, would come to distant Blois at this time of year for any other purpose. ¡®She¡¯s coming to see me because you want to know what happened.¡¯ I grew timid at the thought as my shoulders grew smaller before I muttered the words like an incantation. ¡°I don¡¯t know her. I¡¯ve never even seen her, but I like her so I hope she¡¯s doing well. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s very, very nice, and I hope everyone in Blois is good to her, for my sake¡­¡± Dimitri tilted his head. ¡°You look scared?¡± I almost nodded my head in agreement. ¡®I don¡¯t want to die being branded as a villain by the main character.¡¯ He then asked me, who was trembling with anxiety. ¡°Why do you like her so much? You said you¡¯ve never even met her.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s¡­ that¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t say that because she was the absolute protagonist in this world, so I decided to cover it up. ¡°Um, because she¡¯s pretty.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Wasn¡¯t appearance the obvious reason why you might be attracted to someone you¡¯ve never met? ¡°I actually like pretty people. I happened to meet her by chance from afar, and her beautiful platinum hair and lovely pink eyes, as if dyed in cherry blossoms, left a deep impression on me. How dazzling was her smile¡­ It was love at first sight.¡± Dimitri stared at me with a strange look in his eyes. ¡°Beautiful? Are you saying that you like people by their appearance?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s just why. She was really dazzling.¡± ¡­I¡¯ve never actually seen her, though. Dimitri, who listened to me, straightened his back and sat up. Then, with a grumpy face, he raised the silver tray in front of him at an angle and reflected the light toward me. I frowned and blocked the light with my hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°This is what blinding actually is. Humans aren¡¯t even luminous, so there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll be blinded.¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± Dimitri stood up with a snort. ¡°I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯m going to leave first.¡± He was truly an enigmatic cat. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ ¡°You were there again, Your Excellency? I¡¯ve been looking for you!¡± Hyle, who spotted Dimitri coming out of Rowaine¡¯s office, hurriedly approached him. ¡°There are people who have come to see Your Excellency gathered in the office, so let¡¯s go see them first.¡± He urged, but Dimitri was too busy trying to look at his reflection in the window. ¡°Hyle.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He turned to face Hyle and smiled. ¡°What do you think, dazzling?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± At those words, Hyle replied, glancing out the window behind Dimitri. ¡°The sunlight is nice, though.¡± ¡°No, look at me.¡± Saying so, Dimitri rested his chin between his forefinger and thumb before smiling again. ¡°Isn¡¯t my smile dazzling?¡± Hyle thought. ¡®¡­The more people there are, the more problems there are.¡¯ He swiftly gave the thumbs up of both hands and praised his boss in a fuss. ¡°Ah, such an obvious statement. Your Excellency is indeed the most handsome man in the Empire!¡± Dimitri patted Hyle¡¯s shoulder as if he was satisfied. ¡°I see. Let¡¯s go to work.¡± __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Not long after Dimitri left, I had to face an unexpected guest. It was Madam Elbas who found me through her butler. ¡°She said she had something to tell me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I glanced briefly at Blois¡¯s financial documents stacked on my desk. ¡®Because financial matters are sensitive.¡¯ ¡°Tell Madam Elbas to meet me in the parlor.¡± After conveying my words to the butler, I tidied up my desk for a few minutes before locking the door to the office and heading downstairs. Madam Elbas was already waiting for me in the small parlor on the second floor. She seemed to have fully regained her energy, sitting upright on the sofa just as she usually did. ¡®The head seat¡­¡¯ Her attitude of sitting in the seat where the owner should naturally be seated as if it were obvious, was a bit vexing. Having learned to speak in a rather aristocratic manner, I smiled and said. ¡°It seems that the maid must have misdirected the Madam to the wrong seat. Ah, but that¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t want to make a big deal out of such things among my family.¡± This was the art of ¡®pretending to show mercy while pointing out the other person¡¯s mistake¡¯! Madam Elbas, who couldn¡¯t possibly be unaware of the subtle hints, couldn¡¯t hide her annoyance, but she forced a smile nonetheless. This was exactly the refined manner of engaging in subtle battles of wits among the nobility¡ªgiving subtle hints with a smile, hinting annoyance through laughter. As if having something to say, she started the conversation first. ¡°I heard from the butler that the First Princess is coming to Blois.¡± ¡°Yes, I received the letter yesterday and accepted.¡± ¡°In that case, should we start preparing for a tea party soon?¡± ¡°A tea party?¡± I recalled the table of contents of the book The Handbook for Noble Ladies that I received as a gift from Dimitri. ¡®It seems like something like that was mentioned in Part 2 of the section on social gatherings¡­¡¯ I remembered that it was written that when someone of higher status than oneself paid a visit, it was customary to gather local nobles of similar age as the guest and host a tea party as a gesture of welcome. Such occasions were particularly important social gatherings for local nobles who may not have frequent opportunities to participate in social gatherings in the capital. ¡®Ah, a social gathering.¡¯ Until now, I have managed to decline various events such as parties, poetry recitals, and flower-arranging gatherings using various excuses. But this time, it seemed that I couldn¡¯t avoid attending a social gathering¡­ ¡®Even as the host.¡¯ I forced a smile, but my mind was racing. ¡®¡­I¡¯m not sure what kind of conversation or activities I should engage in with people of my age.¡¯ In my previous life, I didn¡¯t have many friends. As a child, I wasn¡¯t socializing because of the situation at home, so I spent my school years feeling depressed. And after I started living at my grandmother¡¯s house, I had even fewer encounters with young people. The town I lived in was a very old town, with an average age of 70-year-olds, lived. ¡®Well¡­ since I get along well with maids my age like Agwen and Liddell, I guess I can just follow their lead. I should ask them to teach me about the recent trends among young people.¡¯ I shook my head at the thought. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare that.¡± ¡°Did you create an invitation list?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in the midst of contemplating. As you may know, the current situation requires careful consideration, so I need to be cautious.¡± It was already well-known that the nobles in this region, with Blois at the center, were being cautious and watching their steps to avoid taking responsibility for the slave trader issue. Dimitri sent the Count of Bilbao to the Emperor, informing him that he would soon identify those involved and compile a list to submit. As the Emperor had set a trial date for Count Bilbao, there was no one in the empire who was unaware of this matter. Of course, Madam Elbas couldn¡¯t not know either. She agreed with me. ¡°I suppose so. However, don¡¯t dismiss the child I recommend. My nephew, Dieppe, happens to want to meet me.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Lord Dieppe, he¡¯s the second son of Viscount Leon, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I knew I had no choice but to allow him to visit. ¡®I was wondering when they were going to break into Blois, though it seems like that it¡¯s now.¡¯ Dieppe Leon. The Viscount of Leone was a prominent figure in Blois and the home of Madam Elbas¡¯s sister, the Viscountess. In other words, Dieppe was her nephew and also a distant relative of Dimitri. ¡®¡­And whom Madam Elbas is trying to push as the new duke as she tries to depose Dimitri.¡¯ After all, there was no way that Madam Elbas would just stay quiet. ¡®She¡¯s preparing something.¡¯ Even if I turned her down now, I¡¯d meet him one way or another eventually, so it would be better to deal with him early. It wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to keep an eye on him. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll also send an invitation to Lord. Dieppe.¡± After my conversation with Madam Elvas, I immediately wrote a letter to Princess Elaine. It was because, as a matter of courtesy, I had to ask whether the tea party should be held or not. The response came soon from Elaine that she was fine with it, with the words that she¡¯d depart for Blois as soon as the sun rose tomorrow. I consulted with my aide, Baron Seville Placen, and sent out invitations to nobles and young aristocrats of Elaine¡¯s age. Then, I went to find Esca and repeatedly asked him to take good care of the kittens. The day ended like that, and finally, it was finally time to meet Elaine. The procession of Alain, who was a spoiled child of the imperial family, wasn¡¯t exactly glamorous. There were only two escort knights riding in a small carriage pulled by three horses. It was a small procession, even smaller than Madam Elbas, who had brought with her four carriages and ten knights. The carriage door opened, and a man stepped out of the carriage first. It was a familiar face. ¡®¡­Cadis?¡¯ As my eyes widened at the unexpected reunion, Cadis glanced up at me with excitement. I could tell from his expression that he wanted to say hello to me but was disappointed that he couldn¡¯t. While he held the carriage door and stood respectfully, the platinum-haired maiden lowered her head slightly before stepping out of the carriage. Another escort knight on horseback took her hand. ¡°Nice to meet you, Princess.¡± As Dimitri stepped forward as the representative of Blois and greeted her, Elaine lifted her head and looked up at him. Finally seeing her face, I managed to control my pursing lips. ¡®I¡¯ve seen how she looks through the illustrations in the book, but seeing her in real life is prettier than the picture¡­¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe that the real thing could be prettier than the picture. First of all, the color of her hair was flourishing. She had pristine platinum hair with enchanting pink eyes. ¡®For a Korean who grew up with dark hair and dark eyes, that hair color alone makes you look like a celebrity.¡¯ In fact, not just Elaine but people like Dimitri with ash-gray hair or Viscount Villefranc with blue hair, and others with unique hair colors all looked equally fascinating. Elaine, her cheeks flushed with a little excitement, smiled brightly. ¡°Nice to meet you, Duke of Blois. You¡¯re as tall as I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ I was taken aback by her unexpected remark. It was true that Dimitri was very tall, but suddenly? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think my excitement got the better of me because I saw so many beautiful landscapes on the way here. I couldn¡¯t stop talking even in the carriage.¡± Haha. Laughing ??as if embarrassed, she turned to me. ¡°You must be the Duchess, right?¡± I greeted her politely, bending my knee following the traditional aristocratic manner. ¡°Welcome, Empress.¡± ¡°I heard a lot about you!¡± At her words, I maintained a slightly nervous smile while carefully observing her reactions. ¡®¡­Is it the rumor about me hating shapeshifters?¡¯ But despite that, her smile was very benevolent. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± From her gaze, as she spoke, I could sense that she was assessing me, but my own eyes were likely reflecting a similar expression. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to serve you like this.¡± ¡°Please take care of me. By the way, this was my first time traveling outside the palace, so I was worried and asked my father to provide me with a hound. This is Cadis. I heard that you are acquainted, is that correct?¡± After the clash between Cadis and Dimitri, it would have been reasonable for the Emperor to assign a different hunting dog instead, but shamelessly, he audaciously sent him back to Blois, covering up the incident in secrecy. It was evident that the Emperor had a dastardly intention to provoke us. ¡®Pathetic.¡¯ I glanced back and forth between Cadis, who was wagging his invisible tail, and Elaine, who was smiling sweetly. ¡®Anyway¡­¡¯ I thought back to the moment when I parted ways with Cadis. We had a very regretful farewell. It was a sign that we had grown close to each other. ¡®Did Cadis say something nice about me?!¡¯ I hoped he spoke well of me as I treated him well, though I wonder if it really happened that way? I chuckled with great delight. ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯ve exchanged some greetings before. How have you been, Cadis?¡± ¡°Thank you. I was grateful for various things last time.¡± Cadis, with his prominent features, displayed a kind and sincere smile. Just then, Dimitri stepped between us with a stern look on his face. ¡°Be grateful, but don¡¯t make it too special. My wife is so compassionate and generous that she couldn¡¯t just overlook those in need. Many people have received her kindness like a ray of light.¡± It seemed like he wasn¡¯t necessarily saying that I treated Cadis well because it was him specifically, but rather emphasizing that I treated everyone well. I gazed up at Dimitri with trepidation. ¡®Please don¡¯t act like a villain. We are currently standing at a crossroads between becoming allies of the protagonists or remaining as villains¡ª!¡¯ Whether he knew my feelings or not, Dimitri Dimitri arrogantly stared at Cardis and declared. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess, but I don¡¯t like dog shapeshifters.¡± ¡®Ah¡­!¡¯ It felt like my eyes were spinning. Dimitri didn¡¯t stop there. ¡°The only place in my mansion where dogs are allowed in my mansion is in the dungeon.¡± ¡®What¡¯s this person doing now?!¡¯ I wanted to grab him by the scruff of the neck. __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Fortunately, Elaine seemed to think Dimitri was joking. She laughed brightly like an innocent girl. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Duke of Blois has a taciturn personality, but it¡¯s actually quite amusing to meet you in person!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not kidding¡­¡± Tugging the solemn Dimitri away and sending him to the back, I smiled at Elaine. ¡°He¡¯s a delightful person once you get to know him!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re a devoted couple, and the two of you look really good together.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± I hurriedly clung to Elaine and pushed her into the mansion before Dimitri could intervene. ¡°We¡¯ve got the largest room on the third floor ready for you.¡± ¡°I came here unexpectedly, but thank you for being so welcoming.¡± ¡°Not at all. If you need anything, please talk to the butler. He¡¯ll assist you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± After guiding Elaine to the third floor, I came down to find Dimitri, who was facing off with Cadis while snarling at each other. No, more precisely, he was threatening Cadis, who lowered his gaze as a sign of surrender. ¡°To step into this place twice without fear. Do you want to die?¡± ¡°I¡¯m only following orders.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any pride?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pride to carry out orders¡­¡± I sighed inwardly and grabbed the two of them by the shoulders to spread the distance. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Dimitri.¡± ¡°Are you taking his side again, Rowaine?¡± ¡°What do you mean by taking sides? I greeted the First Princess and thought it would be nice to rest together while having some refreshments since I was tired.¡± It was only then did Dimitri¡¯s momentum subsided. With the intention of taking Dimitri like this, I firmly crossed my arms and spoke briefly to Cadis next. ¡°Go and unpack with the knights who came with you. The butler will guide you the way.¡± ¡°I¡­!¡± Cadis fidgeted and tried to follow me, but I stopped him by holding up my hand as a sign to wait. Later. As I shook my head with that meaning, he stood in place and looked at me sullenly. Until we disappeared up the stairs, he stood still as if rooted to the spot, staring at me endlessly. ¡®¡­Somehow, it feels like I¡¯ve done something terrible.¡¯ In the evening, there was a lavish banquet that showed off Blois¡¯s wealth. It was more of a dinner arranged to showcase Elaine to the influential figures that the imperial couple had invited rather than to entertain her personally. They wouldn¡¯t know how lavishly Blois treated the nobles or how many days they spent preparing meticulously to avoid any mishaps. ¡®Even if she is considered a nuisance within the royal family, it doesn¡¯t mean that the entire royal family would allow outsiders to disregard her.¡¯ Elaine, with a joyful and spirited demeanor, laughed gleefully like a fairy as if all of this was exciting and enjoyable. At the age of twenty, she was still considered young, but she seemed truly naive and innocent, like a child who didn¡¯t understand the ways of the world even for her age. I watched closely as she shyly said, ¡°I¡¯m not good at drinking¡­¡± and declined the expensive wine, opting instead for a low-alcohol peach champagne. While observing this, I called the butler over and whispered a specific instruction. ¡°If after the dinner the princess¡­ then, use the excuse of¡­ to¡­¡± At my words, he caught a glimpse of Elaine, who seemed slightly tipsy from drinking champagne and in a cheerful mood. It was a puzzled look, but he simply nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± I focused again on the sound of Elaine chatting away like a chattering lark about the things she¡¯d seen since coming to Blois. Her innocent pink eyes sparkled with vibrant energy as if they were filled with starlight. Everything she said was so trivial that Dimitri had long since lost interest and was stifling a bored yawn while Madam Elbas listened with a forced laugh once in a while. As for me, I pretended to listen while focusing on the various fancy dishes the chef prepared in the kitchen. The only one truly paying attention to her story was Grandma Rosanne. Such a boring yet splendid dinner ended peacefully. After returning to my room to rest following dinner, it wasn¡¯t long before I received a report from the butler. ¡°As you instructed, it has been done.¡± ¡°You did well.¡± The butler, who bowed and turned to leave, paused for a moment and asked me. ¡°By the way, may I ask how you knew that the Princess wouldn¡¯t fall asleep right away?¡± I shrugged my shoulders and shook off any lingering concerns. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ because she looked so excited.¡± ¡°I see. Well, have a good night.¡± After seeing the butler off, I smiled contentedly and flopped down on the bed. The words I ordered to the butler were, ¡°If the Princess finds it difficult to fall asleep after dinner, bring her a bottle of the finest wine from the cellar on the pretext that it will help her sleep.¡± It was because¡­ ¡®She may have acted like an innocent little girl, but Elaine is actually a great drinker.¡¯ In the original story, she was someone who loved alcohol very much. How thirsty she must have been, sipping champagne while pretending to be innocent, even though there was plenty of alcoholic food on the table. ¡®She¡¯s really good at acting.¡¯ Elaine was the heroine in the original story. In other words, it meant that he was a smart and tough character who overcame all kinds of adversity and made this world her own. Pretending to be innocent was a way of protecting herself when she had no standing. ¡®It must be for the purpose of not becoming a target of suspicion and making people lower their guard.¡¯ It was amazing. To think that a smart, bold and charismatic girl could play such a delicate and naive girl¡­ If I hadn¡¯t known, I would have easily been deceived. And even though I knew, I was still deceived for a little. ¡®Have a good night.¡¯ Since I¡¯ve sent a whole bottle of one of Dimitri¡¯s favorite wines, she must be having a satisfying night. The next day, I quickly finished several documents that needed to be taken care of and then peeked to see what the kittens, Sasha and Coco, were up to. Fortunately, Esca handled the cats remarkably well, and he mentioned that there was no mischief-maker like Dimitri. ¡®Maybe he was more of a nanny than a friend¡­¡¯ ¡­For example, a big brother like a dad with a big age difference? Since I didn¡¯t know what Dimitri was like as a kid, I couldn¡¯t understand why Esca would scowl and make such a comment about Dimitri¡¯s behavior when he was younger with such a straight face. Anyway, I returned to the main building, relieved. I had to prepare a welcome tea party for Elaine next. In the main hall of the main building, I ran into Lucy, the maid, who seemed a little nervous. ¡°Lucy, are the preparations going well?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam. As you ordered, I¡¯ve set up a table in the greenhouse. ¡°Let¡¯s place the seating arrangement in a visible area and keep an eye out for anyone who might get lost because we don¡¯t want to create an embarrassing situation for our guests.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And the chef?¡± Just then, the chef came running up to me with a tray. ¡°Madam!¡± ¡°Are the brandy snaps and mille-feuille ready? They need to be especially perfect. I consider them to be Blois¡¯ pride.¡± As I spoke earnestly, the chef, whose face was flushed red from the heat of the brazier, smiled sheepishly. ¡°Of course! They¡¯re my specialty, haha! Would you like to try one?¡± At his words, I picked up a few neatly arranged pastries from the tray he presented with a proud expression on his face and took a bite. ¡°Hmm! Mmm! Of course. The only person I can trust is the chef.¡± ¡°Aihuu, the Madam always exaggerates like this.¡± The preparation for the tea party was perfect. Even though it was my first time, the staff assisting me were veterans, so thankfully, my shortcomings weren¡¯t noticeable. Soon, guests were arriving. I stood at the entrance, welcoming the guests. Young men and women, who were still unfamiliar with hiding their emotions, gathered in the greenhouse of Blois, as their excited expressions were clearly visible. And among them was Dieppe Leon, Madam Elbas¡¯ nephew. As I welcomed the last guest and took my seat, I discreetly observed Dieppe. He skillfully led the atmosphere with his eloquent speech, attracting the attention of the people around him effortlessly. Perhaps seeing me staring at him, Elaine quietly whispered to me. ¡°He seems like an interesting person.¡± According to the butler, the wine bottle was completely empty in Elaine¡¯s room, but she didn¡¯t show the slightest sign of a hangover. Rather, it was more of a satisfied expression about me providing good wine. Still, she made a small excuse. ¡°Last night, I couldn¡¯t sleep and wandered around the hallway, though somehow there was a misunderstanding. The butler thought it would be helpful and brought me wine. I was really grateful, but I spilled almost all of it by mistake. Even with my limited knowledge, I could tell it was good wine. I must have gotten drunk, and when I opened my eyes, it was already morning.¡± I realized what she wanted and answered like I didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°Oh my, you spilled it all? I¡¯ll tell the butler to bring another bottle tonight. There¡¯s nothing better than wine when you can¡¯t sleep.¡± Perhaps, she was so happy that she momentarily forgot she was supposed to pretend not to be good at drinking. Elaine lightly clapped her hands but then quickly lowered them, realizing her mistake. ¡°Well, that wasn¡¯t my intention, but I can¡¯t refuse your goodwill gesture, can I¡­¡± I thought it would be a good idea to tell the butler to bring her two bottles today. At that moment, Dieppe, who seemed to have about twice as many teeth as others*, noticed us whispering and asked. [ T/N: The phrase ¡° ¡± (literally, ¡°having about twice as many teeth¡±) is often used metaphorically to describe someone who is quick-witted, clever, or sharp-minded. It implies that the person is intellectually astute and capable of understanding things faster than others. The expression highlights the metaphorical idea of having more teeth to signify having a sharper mind or wit. ] ¡°Are you two having an interesting conversation?¡± __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Elaine replied, smiling shyly. ¡°I was talking about how much I enjoyed the trip because, as you all know, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been out of the imperial castle.¡± The cheerful Dieppe laughed, revealing his many teeth. I was so curious that I quickly counted his teeth, and surprisingly, the number itself didn¡¯t seem much different from others. [ T/N: Last chapter, I mentioned that the meaning of ¡®many teeth¡¯ metaphorically describes someone who is quick-witted, clever, or sharp-minded though I think he actually has a lot of teeth literally LOL ] While I was doing so, he spoke. ¡°Considering the timing, I¡¯m concerned that Your Highness the Princess might encounter some unfortunate events.¡± ¡°Unfortunate events?¡± ¡°Have you not heard the rumors about rats infiltrating the area and draining people¡¯s vitality as they roam around?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard of that.¡± ¡°It would be wise for Your Highness to be cautious as well.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± If it had ended there, it would have been a heartwarming conversation with Dieppe showing concern for Elaine. However, he didn¡¯t stop and glanced at me briefly before continuing. ¡°Even Madam Elbas, who is my aunt, was also affected by the recent rat incidents.¡± At that moment, Latina, the daughter of Count Schdental, intervened. ¡°Oh my, is Madam Elbas alright?¡± Even though I didn¡¯t want to invite her to this gathering, as the daughter of a senior council member and even the same age as Elaine, I couldn¡¯t possibly exclude her. ¡®I expected that Dieppe and her would¡¯ve concocted a plan to embarrass me, but as expected¡­¡¯ When he brought up Blois¡¯ vulnerability to rat incidents, it was obvious that remarks questioning how that could be possible when Dimitri, a cat shapeshifter, was present would arise. Soon, the topic would shift to discussions about the shapeshifter Duke, and Dieppe and Latina would join forces to subtly insult Dimitri as people would discreetly exchange glances about it. ¡®Such shallow people.¡¯ ¡°Madam Elbas quickly recovered and is in excellent health, Young Lady Latina.¡± I smiled, hiding my true feelings. ¡°That¡¯s really good to hear. By the way, I¡¯ve always been curious, do rat shapeshifters¡­¡± I anticipated that she would ask, ¡®Aren¡¯t rat therianthropes afraid of cat shapeshifters?¡¯ and I had prepared my response in advance. But unexpectedly, Latina brought up a different topic. ¡°¡­Why do you cooperate with the demons? I thought demons were the ones who stole human vitality, so what do rat shapeshifters gain by being with them?¡± Someone answered that question. ¡°According to what I¡¯ve heard when the demons put people to sleep, rat shapeshifters can easily steal belongings and food.¡± ¡°That¡¯s really horrible!¡± With a frown on her face, Latina turned to me and asked another question. ¡°From what I know, demons have a hierarchy, right? Isn¡¯t the demon of Duke Bluear¡¯s rank not much higher than those demons, Duchess?¡± ¡®¡­What kind of plan is this?¡¯ Even though I was suspicious, unable to discern her intentions, I had no choice but to give a straightforward answer for now. ¡°Yes, the hierarchy of demons corresponds to their abilities.¡± ¡°Then, can¡¯t Duke¡¯s demon, being of a higher rank, easily drive away those lower-ranking demons? Just like how the nobles of the Empire prioritize the orders of the Emperor.¡± ¡°Well, demons are independent beings, so their hierarchy isn¡¯t governed by the same rules as humans¡­¡± At that moment, the conversation was interrupted as Latina accidentally dropped the teacup she was holding. The glass shattered, and the person sitting next to her let out a scream and ran away. While Latina apologized, a maid rushed over to clean up the broken cup, momentarily disrupting the atmosphere. Once the atmosphere settled again, the topic of conversation shifted to something much lighter and mundane, so I couldn¡¯t conclude my previous thoughts. ¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ There was no sign of the shallow and deceitful conversation I had anticipated. But still, I couldn¡¯t shake off the uneasy feeling. ¡®¡­It feels like she purposely interrupted me.¡¯ Latina¡¯s action of dropping the cup seemed unnatural, and it only deepened my suspicion. In the end, the gathering seemed to conclude with a mix of trivial gossip among the nobles and a somewhat pleasant atmosphere. The lavishly prepared refreshments disappeared without a trace, receiving favorable reactions, and there was no unpleasant incident to speak of. I slowly gave the signal to gradually dismiss the guests. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s already this late.¡± Upon hearing my words, one by one, they nodded and rose from their seats. ¡°It¡¯d be best for us to return before it gets too late.¡± ¡°I had a truly enjoyable time today.¡± ¡°Will you invite us again?¡± As everyone exchanged various formal farewells and exited the greenhouse, Dieppe stayed until the end before approaching me with a request. ¡°Thank you once again for inviting me to Blois, Duchess. Blois¡¯ residence is a truly special place to me.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, I have many fond memories from my childhood when I used to come and play here. So, speaking of that, would it be alright for me to stay at Blois for a few days?¡± There were still people remaining who were listening to our conversation, so making such a personal request publicly was undoubtedly a maneuver to make it difficult for me to refuse. Still, I smiled slightly and declined. ¡°Currently, Grandmother Rosanne and Madam Elvas are staying at Blois, not to mention that the Princess is here as well. Though I¡¯ll make sure to extend another invitation to you another time.¡± I wasn¡¯t the type of person who couldn¡¯t refuse other people¡¯s requests. On the other hand, embarrassed, Dieppe stepped back. Seeing him, I secretly instructed a servant to follow him and see where he went. It was because he didn¡¯t seem likely to leave willingly. Before long, the servant returned and informed me that he had unpacked his belongings at an inn somewhere in Blois¡¯ commercial district. ¡®If Dieppe actively participates in social gatherings from now on and leaves a strong impression on the nobles, it would mean that Madam Elbas has completed thorough preparations to deal with Dimitri¡­¡¯ At the thought, I instructed the servant to keep a close watch on Dieppe. After the banquet, Elaine seemed to be enjoying some personal time with Cadis. Since it was my first time hosting a banquet and I was feeling tense, I took a moment to relax in my room. However, I didn¡¯t stay for long and immediately went outside again. ¡®I¡¯ll have to find out what Elaine was thinking when she came here.¡¯ The butler informed me that she was at the equestrian center, so I headed there right away. Lately, the equestrian center in the estate was practically my own domain. I thought it would be easier to talk to Elaine in a place we were familiar with. ¡°Duchess!¡± Elaine, who was sitting on the horse, greeted me with joy. Cadis, who was watching her posture, seemed restless and paced around. He probably wanted to come to me, but he couldn¡¯t leave Elaine alone, so it seemed like he was behaving that way. ¡°Did you come to ride a horse?¡± ¡°Yes, because there are some things that need to be done consistently.¡± As I approached, Cadis¡¯ face lit up with a smile. ¡°Eunsoo!¡± As Elaine looked at me with a puzzled face at the name coming out of his mouth, I made up a quick explanation. ¡°Ah, I told you the name I was called when I was young.¡± ¡°Although I did hear stories about the Duchess from him, I didn¡¯t realize you were so close.¡± Elaine smiled innocently as she said so. Nonetheless, I willingly took the bait after reading her underlying intention behind the smile. ¡°In the past, I did something wrong to Cadis in the palace. So when he was here, I wanted to seek forgiveness. And as you can see¡­¡± Hearing my words, he spoke firmly. ¡°Eunsoo didn¡¯t need to seek forgiveness from me. You¡¯re my benefactor.¡± At those words, Elaine stared at the two of us intently before hesitantly asking me a question. ¡°It seems like you must like the shapeshifters. No, or is it that the shapeshifters follow you? Both the Duke of Blois and Cadis.¡± It was obvious what kind of response she wanted to hear. ¡°As someone infamous for being a shapeshifter hater, it must be surprising to see that I married a shapeshifter husband.¡± ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Then, I brought up a story similar to what I had told Count Herman in the past. ¡°After meeting my husband, I changed a lot. I realized that I had been too arrogant and malicious. My husband accepted me for who I was and loved me¡­ being treated well by him, I became ashamed of my past behavior.¡± If Dimitri were here, he would have applauded me for casually reciting this tear-jerking fake love story. I averted my gaze weakly with a wistful expression. Then, in a fleeting moment, I glanced at Elaine and noticed that she couldn¡¯t hide the expression of ¡®I can¡¯t believe someone can change so completely because of love.¡¯ However, when our eyes met, she was taken aback and quickly turned her head. ¡®This wouldn¡¯t work with her. Well, considering her cynical personality, I shouldn¡¯t be surprised by her dismissive remarks.¡¯ Before appearing more suspicious, I decided to change my strategy and confront her with an honest and nonchalant attitude. ¡°It seems like you can¡¯t believe it, can you?¡± ¡°Ah, no! It¡¯s such a tearful story¡­ it¡¯s truly romantic. The Duke of Blois must have been so devoted. Haha¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Even I wouldn¡¯t have believed it either.¡± As I said that, I took out the wine that I had hidden behind my hand and shook it in front of Elaine. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to show this side to the Princess, but since you¡¯ve occupied my hideout, I had no choice.¡± Saying so, I then bit open the cork I had taken out halfway with my molars before handing it out. It was an action Elaine used to do when she would open the hidden wine bottle from under the bed in the original story. ¡®To get close to someone, mimic their behavior¡¯.¡¯ I remembered seeing this phrase in a psychology book. After that, I took out a single glass from the other pocket of my skirt and filled it with wine, offering it to her. In the meantime, I took a sip directly from the bottle and noticed Elaine biting her lips, trying to hide her smile. ¡®Successful in building rapport.¡¯ __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 As I climbed onto the stack of hay beside the stable and sat down, Elaine hesitated for a moment but eventually sat down beside me and sipped the wine. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to drink. It¡¯s just the two of us here, and I don¡¯t really care about formalities.¡± Upon hearing that, Elaine held the glass tightly with both hands and pretended to be flustered. ¡°No! I, uh, I want to give it a try, too.¡± I tempted her with such words. ¡°It¡¯s a shame. If the Princess liked alcohol, we could have opened a few more bottles of expensive wine. Dimitri really enjoys wine, so I got a few bottles as a gift myself.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Elaine¡¯s eyes flickered. It seemed like she was debating whether or not to keep pretending. I whispered seductively to her. ¡°Does the Princess also know the noble etiquette that it isn¡¯t a lady¡¯s virtue to get her partner drunk by drinking better than him?¡± It was mentioned in the extra edition of the Life of a Lady. ¡°That kind of standard-setting seems despicable and cowardly to me. Aren¡¯t they either reluctant to waste good alcohol on women or too afraid to lose to a woman based on their weak pride?¡± ¡°Duchess!¡± As if I was being too mischievous, Elaine lightly tapped me and burst into laughter. I continued to cynically argue. ¡°If that¡¯s not the case, then why would they restrict ladies from drinking as much as they want? If noble young ladies are supposed to abide by such etiquette, there would surely be a long line of hired guards protecting their virtue!¡± ¡°That¡¯s the first time anyone¡¯s ever said that to me. Ah, don¡¯t take this the wrong way.¡± ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Elaine teasingly pressed her lips together and flashed a seductive smile, skillfully grabbing my bottle and generously pouring its contents into my glass. ¡°Please keep it a secret, Duchess. I believe you understand that the position of a princess is a suffocatingly adorned, melancholic place that requires adhering to archaic etiquette.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t carry what happens in the haystack out of the haystack.¡± ¡­It was a rule I just made up to appear cool. We laughed heartily as we finished off a whole bottle of wine. With each sip, our connection grew stronger, and by the time I savored the last drop, we had comfortably transitioned to using each other¡¯s names. ¡°I never imagined Rowaine would be this kind of person.¡± ¡°Oh, are you going to keep bringing up my embarrassing past?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the past! Just yesterday, when I first met you, you seemed so defiant and defensive.¡± ¡°Do I appear that way? It must be because I showed you to your room as soon as we met with my arms crossed.¡± ¡°But still, there was that atmosphere about you, Rowaine. If I told you that you looked too much like Duke Blois, would you believe me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying I resemble Dimitri? He¡¯s completely¡­ like a cat!¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°It means being domineering, cautious, and defensive of strangers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the impression of Rowaine that I had.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true!¡± We exchanged typical conversations that women our age had when they first became friends. Of course, my actual age was nine years older than Elaine¡¯s, but that really didn¡¯t matter. At that moment, Agwen came looking for me at the stable. ¡°Madam, the Duke is looking for you.¡± ¡°Dimitri? What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°He wanted to borrow the Madam¡¯s office, but he said the door is locked.¡± It seemed like he needed a place to escape and hide in my office again. ¡°Agwen, here¡¯s the key to the office, and will you take it and tell the butler to bring me another bottle of good wine?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± Once Agwen departed, Elaine shed her reserved demeanor and adopted a smirking expression, raising her chin proudly. It seemed like that expression was not a facade but her genuine one. I found myself taken aback by the transformation. The lovely and shy girl had vanished, replaced by a commanding presence that exuded an irresistible charisma, nearly causing the word ¡®Ennoi¡® to slip out of my mouth involuntarily. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s empty words, but you have a very good relationship with Duke Blois, Rowaine.¡± ¡°I told you. He changed me with his devoted love.¡± She silently stared at me with an indifferent gaze before opening her mouth. ¡°Didn¡¯t Rowaine want to be my father¡¯s mistress?¡± It seemed like she still couldn¡¯t completely believe me. Elaine quickly reversed her facade and chuckled innocently as if nothing happened. ¡°I think adult love is too complicated for me.¡± I wanted to somehow get her on my side. Knowing what she was working towards, her remarkable intelligence and abilities, I had no intention of making her an adversary. She would become the emperor. wholeheartedly believed, which is why I made the choice to reveal my true self to her. After all, establishing a solid foundation required a strategic investment in securing a good person by your side. ¡°Follow me, Elaine.¡± I rode in a carriage with Elaine, leaving the mansion behind. In my arms, I held the wine that Agwen had brought for me. ¡°Where are we going? If we don¡¯t bring the imperial knights, they will come looking for me.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t even notice we¡¯re gone since we¡¯ll come back really quickly. Don¡¯t worry, Cardis will protect Elaine in the meantime.¡± Feeling more confident after enjoying a few sips of wine, I offered Elaine reassurance. The destination I had in mind was Avila¡¯s temporary laboratory. She had been staying there, conducting research in the temporary shelter for dog shapeshifters until the dormitory opened. Stepping out of the carriage, I was greeted by Avila, accompanied by a group of dog shapeshifters of various breeds, sizes, and forms, all eagerly welcoming our arrival. ¡°Duchess!¡± ¡°Avila, I¡¯m sorry for not contacting you.¡± I mumbled, feeling a bit dizzy as I stepped out of the carriage. Perhaps due to the effects of the alcohol, my legs felt weak and wobbly. Thankfully, Cardis quickly grabbed hold of me. ¡°Thank you.¡± As I said those words, I realized that my tone sounded awkward. ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the way to talk to Cadis. Thank you, thanks¡­?¡¯ Meeting different people every day and using different ways of speaking depending on their status, sometimes I would get confused, and the alcohol made it even more confusing. ¡®¡­But why does Cardis, who hasn¡¯t even been drinking, seem to be blushing?¡¯ When I looked at him questioningly, Cadis blushed and chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Seeing him like that, I adjusted my posture, stood up straight, and introduced Avila to Elaine. ¡°Elaine, this is Avila. She was a former prodigious royal mage with remarkable skills. Now she conducts independent research with my sponsorship, focusing on the abilities of dog shapeshifters. Avila, this is the Princess.¡± Taken aback, Avila courteously bowed to Elaine in a hurry. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet Your Highness the Princess.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t see you at the imperial castle, so I came to see you in Blois, Avila.¡± I proceeded to introduce each of the dog shapeshifters we had rescued from the clutches of slave traders to Elaine. Among them, she developed a special fondness for the adorable puppies who were still learning to fully transform into human form. They joyfully scampered around, emitting cute sounds with their little tongues. ¡®It seems even the Princess makes cute sounds in front of these adorable creatures.¡¯ With that in mind, I opened the wine I had been carrying in my arms. Upon hearing that Rowaine had taken the princess and left the mansion, Dimitri secretly followed them. It was because of the butler¡¯s words, saying that she seemed to be intoxicated. ¡®Why would she go somewhere after drinking when she rarely even drinks?¡¯ Rowaine¡¯s destination was no secret. Apart from the mansion, she had been frequenting Avila¡¯s research laboratory lately. As expected, the carriage she rode came to a halt in front of the laboratory, conveniently situated close to the Blois mansion. Dimitri¡¯s eyes sparked as Rowaine stumbled and the hound caught her, but he suppressed his emotions. He didn¡¯t want to spoil the cheerful atmosphere and invite resentment. So, he lay on the roof, gazing at the night sky, while the voices of the three women conversing and indulging in strong wine reached his ears. He listened attentively, half-expecting Rowaine to utter something nonsensical in her drunken state. However, all she spoke of was her unwavering determination to establish a sanctuary for the pitiful dog shapeshifters, providing them with care and support to help them flourish. Avila, who agreed reverently, stated, ¡°I will assist the Duchess in continuing her research to the benefit of the dogs,¡± while Elaine applauded continuously in support. Afterwards, more private conversations took place. As Rowaine exclaimed, ¡°I hate old men!¡± it was a statement that anyone who heard it would have thought was an insult to the Emperor from a woman who had almost become his mistress. Dimitri watched Alain¡¯s reaction, and surprisingly, she retorted, ¡°I¡¯d rather die than marry an ugly man!¡± When Avila politely stated, ¡°Just stay single like me, everyone,¡± the remaining two burst into laughter, exclaiming, ¡°We have a winner!¡± ¡®¡­What kind of conversation is this?¡¯ Lost in his thoughts, Dimitri sighed and gently massaged his forehead before swiftly descending from the roof. It was clear that accompanying Rowaine and the Princess back gradually would be the wisest course of action. As he turned into human form, the dogs erupted into a chorus of barks, startling the maid who had been stationed by the door, prompting her to hurriedly emerge. ¡°Tell the Duchess that I have come to pick her up.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Excellency!¡± The maid hurriedly went inside. However, the only one who came out unscathed was Elaine. ¡°What should we do? The Duchess seems quite drunk.¡± Elaine brazenly added, unaware that Dimitri had been listening to the entire conversation from the roof. ¡°I didn¡¯t drink any alcohol.¡± If he hadn¡¯t seen it, he would have believed her words. It was because she truly appeared perfectly fine. ¡®Even though the smell of alcohol is strong.¡¯ __ If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know via our discord so we can fix it as soon as possible.