chapter 88
Clatter, clatter.
“Uuugh…?”
When I barely managed to lift my eyelids, I found myself inside a carriage.
A carriage?
But I definitely fell asleep as usual next to Kenig…
I snapped my eyes open and looked around—only pitch-black darkness surrounded me.
“Krr…”
I tried to call out Kenig’s name, but my mouth wouldn’t move, as if blocked by something.
It felt like I had tape stuck over my mouth to keep me from making a sound.
But that wasn’t the most important part.
I… can talk?
Startled, I hurriedly looked over myself.
The first thing I noticed was the silver hair cascading down past my shoulders.
Not the usual messy, wild bedhead—my hair was neatly arranged, just like a noble lady’s.
Did I ever style my hair like this?
I searched my memories, but as expected, the last thing I remembered was falling asleep beside Kenig.
I vividly remembered how chilly I felt that dawn.
Tilting my head, I next saw my legs tightly bound with rope.
“…!”
What the heck is this?!
I tried to move my arms, but my body wouldn’t budge.
Obviously. If my legs were tied like this, there was no way my arms were free.
Above the crystal bracelet Kenig had gifted me, I saw three more bracelets—ruby, emerald, opal—sparkling heavily on my arm.
What in the world… happened to me?
I couldn’t make sense of any of it.
Still… they say even when dragged off by a tiger, if you stay conscious, you can survive…
I took slow, deep breaths again and again.
My hazy mind gradually cleared—and then I heard whispering voices.
The voices came from the front of the carriage, near the cargo section I was trapped in.
“Damn it, there are knights everywhere! The lunatics closed the gates—they’re tearing apart every single wagon trying to find someone!”
The man’s voice trembled with panic.
“What are you so worked up about? It’s not like this is our first time. Think how many gates we’ve slipped through already.”
Another man responded confidently.
And that confidence was probably because of this suspiciously modified carriage.
“Even if they search the wagon, all they’ll see is the pile of rotten fish. Just act like every other time—‘Our buyer rejected the goods last minute’—and boo-hoo until they let us through. They’ll be too busy holding their noses to look closer.”
Now the cramped space made sense.
It was a carriage modified for smuggling.
A double-layer structure with hidden compartments, prepared for inspections.
Judging by the rehearsed excuses, these guys are definitely repeat offenders…
But soon the first man’s panicked voice rose again.
“This isn’t the time to be optimistic!”
“Damn it—don’t yell like that! What’s your problem?!”
“The knights are going insane looking for someone! Do you not get it?! They’re tearing apart every wagon, local or foreign, plank by plank!”
The man shouted in hysteria, and the carriage shook.
“Fine, fine! Then what do you want us to do?!”
“What do you think? We need to get rid of it. Now.”
“Get rid of it? Do you know how much that thing is worth?!”
“Our lives are on the line—who cares about money?!”
“It’s not just money, that’s why it matters!”
Listening to their conversation, I blinked rapidly.
Get rid of… what? Surely not me?
Panic surged through me as I struggled desperately to loosen the ropes.
I twisted my arms, scraped the rope against the floor—useless.
At that moment—thump—the carriage stopped. Someone got out. The whole thing tilted slightly.
No. No, no.
Footsteps approached.
One step. Another.
They stopped right in front of me.
Then—slam!
The wooden panel beside me suddenly flipped open.
Pale moonlight streamed in through the opening.
A man—his face shadowed—lifted a blade toward me.
“…!”
My vision went completely black.
* * *
“…!”
Without even a scream, I opened my eyes to find myself in Kenig’s familiar bedroom.
I—it was a dream?
I clutched my pounding chest and let out a shaky sigh of relief.
It was so vivid, so horribly real that it felt like something that had truly happened.
Even now, the men’s voices seemed to echo in my ears, and goosebumps ran over my arms.
I was drenched in cold sweat—my back fur was soaked.
Uncomfortable…
I kicked off the heavy blanket covering me.
No wonder it felt warm—blankets were piled around the bed like a bird’s nest.
Even the room felt hotter than usual.
Isn’t Kenig warm like this?
I pushed myself up from bed—
Or tried to.
But not even a second later, my vision tilted and I collapsed sideways.
My legs gave out completely.
My whole body ached as if someone had beaten me while I slept.
Did Kenig…?
I lay face-down like a stranded seal, quietly staring at him.
For some reason, he was fast asleep at the edge of the bed, curled up uncomfortably, with a hand stretched toward my side.
Why was he sleeping like that when there was so much empty space?
“……”
I clenched my lips and shook my head.
I grabbed the blanket with my teeth to cover him—when—
Ba-dump.
My heart thudded hard.
Already?
A feeling I had grown used to by now.
The sign that he was about to transform back into a human.
Sorry, Kenig, but just for today, I don’t think you need the blanket.
Sorry!
I dropped the blanket and awkwardly scrambled—more like crawled—to the edge of the bed.
Normally, I would’ve leapt down gracefully, but right now my legs felt like they were weighed down with sandbags.
I slid down the bed frame like a sloth.
My destination, of course, was my own room—my little hideout beside his.
I’d already prepared secret passages with Sebi and the squirrels, so I slipped through the wall.
My vision blurred more and more.
One step. Another. Somehow, I crossed the space—
And then my memory became hazy.
“Ah.”
When I opened my eyes again, I was in the inner part of my wardrobe.
All these clothes I thought I’d never get to wear… and now look at me.
Grateful for E’loise, who’d prepared outfits in advance, I chose one.
“This one seems… comfortable.”
A soft, pale-pink dress—far simpler than the gem-studded gowns.
“I-Is this how you wear it…?”
My legs shook like a newborn foal as I slid my arms into the sleeves.
It felt strange. I hadn’t worn clothes like this in years.
Once the dress was on…
What now?
Should I go find E’loise?
But her residence—the annex—was far from the main mansion.
It had taken me 10 minutes just to put on a dress—no telling how long it’d take to get there.
If dawn broke while I was wandering…
Someone might mistake me for an intruder and put a sword to my throat again.
“Mm-mm, that would be bad.”
I shook my head.
At that moment—
BANG—!
A door slammed open.
It was from right next door—Kenig’s room.
D-did he wake up…?
I really should’ve sung his lullaby properly—its effects were fading.
Frantically, I looked around, then quietly closed the wardrobe door behind me.
I shoved myself into the thick row of long dresses, hiding among the fabric.
Please don’t come here, Kenig…
But of course—
His steps moved steadily toward my room.
My bedroom door opened.
His angry, urgent footsteps headed straight for the wardrobe.
And then—clack—
The door swung open.
