Such Floria was a heretical existence in high society, and at the same time, an unbreakable flower. Young gentlemen courted her regardless of their academic faction, but received cold rejections. The young ladies envied her for being from the magic academic faction while holding a high position, and for her beauty that didn’t feel human at all.
‘That’s why it’s uncomfortable.’
I let out a deep sigh. The situation Floria was in was soon to be my reality. Siena Edbel was the instigator of the group that disliked me. With her queen-like personality, she had a tendency to extremely dislike other young ladies receiving attention besides herself.
Siena tried to crush me in high society. She had people spill wine on me, or spread rumors to the young gentlemen that I was a witch who drank blood, using all sorts of methods. Of course, she avoided doing anything directly, and I didn’t pay attention to such nonsense rumors.
‘If she dislikes me that much, then why did she send me an invitation?’
I discontentedly pulled the blanket. Siena had brought in a rare breed, she said. How special a thing did she pick up that she’s so eager to show off even to me.
‘It’ll probably be nothing.’
Siena herself wasn’t scary. Her jealousy felt like a child’s tantrum. What bothered me was what would happen there. Since I’m not the protagonist of this novel, I couldn’t know the detailed inside the story in advance.
‘But even now, I don’t know a step ahead.’
Since I decided to change the future, I naturally couldn’t know about the events that would happen from now on. I rolled over once while lying on the bed.
[Why don’t you just fall asleep like that.]
A grumpy voice rang in my ear. When I turned my gaze to the cave ceiling, my eyes immediately met Cartel’s. His pupils were mixed with dissatisfaction.
I was lying on the bed inside the cave at that time. It was one of the habits I often did when I had worries. But it seems I was too absorbed in my thoughts with a person, no, a beast, in front of me.
“Sorry.”
I lightly apologized and got up. It had already been two days since I received Rikael’s order. I asked him to withdraw it because it was too sudden, but Rikael didn’t even pretend to listen. Thanks to that, my schedule was inevitably set to go to the Duke’s family. Even though it was brief, leaving Cartel and leaving the castle kept bothering me.
‘I was relieved because father wasn’t in the castle.’
Since father wasn’t there, I could go out with peace of mind, but Rikael was the problem. I shook my head to chase away the stray thoughts.
“I probably won’t be able to come tomorrow. So wait obediently.”
I muttered as if talking to myself and approached him. To escape, I had to unlock the seal on his neck. I had been researching for a long time to find that method.
“Come here and lower your head a bit.”
Before I knew it, I had entered our space. The black leopard slowly moved and came to my side. He was still huge, but the fear had definitely lessened. And a little… he seemed like a cat. But I didn’t have the courage to say that out loud.
[……]
At my words, he narrowed his eyes and lowered his head. I inwardly praised the cooperative cat and placed my hand on the seal.
‘As expected.’
I discovered a very small gap on the smooth surface. A gap in the seal that should be sturdy. It was definitely damaged. I weakly flowed magic into that gap. It was very faint, but the seal was reacting to my magic.
“I’ll give you magic, so try transforming into a human.”
I needed to check if the gap remained the same after he transformed into a human. It was the moment I was about to concentrate my mind on the hand touching the seal.
[Isn’t it a bit early to spend the first night?]
“…What?”
I choked on my breath and had to cough for a while. First night? What nonsense is that. I clutched my stinging throat and glared at Cartel intensely.
[You said we’d mix bodies if I turned into a human.]
He acted extremely leisurely. The voice ringing in my head even had a seductive coquetry mixed in. Only then did I remember what I said in front of Rikael a few days ago. He had asked if I planned to even mix bodies with the monster.
‘Yes, if he just transforms into a human.’
That was my answer. Of course, it was nonsense blurted out in a moment of bravado.
“No! Why are you remembering that and making a fuss!”
Because I shouted, the cave walls echoed with a hum. I could feel the heat rising to my face without looking. Teasing should have its limits. I roughly grabbed and pulled the fur within reach.
[Ouch]
“So just transform into a human!”
He frowned around his eyes as if it hurt a little. But it seemed he wouldn’t continue the joke further. I concentrated once more and infused magic.
“……”
Time passed like that for a while. More than twice the usual time flowed, and in the end, my magic was all squeezed out. Strange. By now, he should have transformed already. My body had no strength, and anxiety was building up.
[It doesn’t work.]
“What?”
An absurdly apathetic voice settled in my ear. I asked back as if it were natural, but the response was the same.
[I can’t transform.]
Time passes, and magic naturally fills up. I repeated filling and releasing magic. I did that several times.
“I can’t do more.”
My vision spun around. I lay down using his huge body as a bed. Fortunately or not, the black leopard’s body was softer than the highest-grade bed.
[There, there.]
A voice came from above, soothing me as if pitying me. With an attitude as if it had absolutely nothing to do with him.
‘…How detestable!’
I cursed him out. But with no strength in my voice, I could barely utter it inwardly.
‘Why on earth isn’t it working…’
Just a few days ago, he had sucked up my magic greedily and transformed into a human just fine. I couldn’t understand why he suddenly wasn’t transforming.
“You, you’re not tricking me, are you?”
He must have been up to some strange trick. I glared at Cartel with suspicious eyes. And no sooner had the words ended than I felt pangs of conscience.
[I want to escape this damned body more than anyone.]
Leaning against Cartel’s body, I could feel him growling throughout my entire body. Right. It must definitely be like that. Hearing his words, I had no choice but to agree.
‘What went wrong.’
The seal couldn’t possibly have a will of its own. All sorts of suspicions flooded my mind, making my head dizzy. I tried to think about it, but I had long since run out of the stamina to do so. My vision kept darkening repeatedly.
“I… wait a moment…”
My body leaning against his chest kept crumbling. I couldn’t hold my body up at all. Was the sound of teeth grinding my imagination? In the end, I buried my face in the black fur.
*** *** *** *** ***
Even breathing sounds were resonating below the chest. Cartel let out a hollow laugh in disbelief.
[No sense of caution at all.]
Not enough to fall asleep in our space, but to lean into his embrace and sleep. If he just opened his mouth a little, he could easily crunch that slender neck.
The black leopard quietly looked down at the woman with closed eyes. However, he did not bare his fangs. He slowly released the magic accumulated in the seal.
“And moreover… she’s innocently naive in a strange way.”
His huge frame gradually shrank. In an instant, Cartel, who had become a human body, adjusted the woman in his arms.
“Mmm…”
She wriggled and murmured, but showed no sign of waking. She seemed to be sleeping quite deeply. He propped his chin and stroked her clear face. His languidly narrowed eyes scanned the woman in his arms. He felt no boredom at all.
To him, Floria was an existence beyond mere interest. Cartel recalled the time he first met her. He first saw Floria in the underground of the imperial city. His first impression of her was…
‘I thought she was a damn woman.’
It was natural. He had been forcibly put to sleep by the fragrance she handled. When he came to his senses, he was already inside a running carriage.
‘It was strange from the beginning.’
Even in his hazy mind, he noticed the peculiar sensation. It was something that happened in the seal that had constricted him his whole life. The seal reacted to the flower’s fragrance. It was only the size of a needle, but a gap had clearly formed. It was unbelievable. Until now, the seal had never shown any reaction. And that meant it could be undone. As soon as he realized that, he tried to use Floria. But…
‘Cartel, make a deal with me.’
The flower jumped into the beast’s maw of its own accord. Without knowing what results it would bring.
Cartel brushed her red hair behind her nape. The skin touching his fingertips wrapped around as if it would melt away softly.
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