Chapter 12: EBPLB

The days passed in the blink of an eye.

With the excitement and anticipation of the new year and the upcoming Pyeonggi Day, the entire continent was in an uproar.

Noble girls gathered together, chattering away as they headed to boutiques to choose dresses and accessories to wear for the occasion.

By now, famous boutiques were already fully booked for two to three months after Pyeonggi Day, and the staff working there were frantically busy, their lips stretched into bright smiles as they imagined the lovely paychecks soon to come.

Of course, atmospheric cafés and restaurants were also fully reserved by young lords and ladies—for future lovers or newly forming friendships—so most places were already completely booked.

Girls who had already chosen their outfits and accessories even held tea parties of their own, subtly sizing each other up over what they would wear on Pyeonggi Day. Since it was not customary to hold banquets or balls around that time, curiosity about each other’s attire had grown especially strong.

In particular, the central free city—governed jointly by the four great families and bustling with merchants—was far livelier than usual, overflowing with energy in preparation for the upcoming festival.

Even the Crystal Palace, made of white crystal and only occasionally opened for events like the Pyeonggi Day party, was busy preparing to open its long-sealed gates.

The servants and maids there were especially suffering, cleaning the endlessly vast banquet hall that was so enormous it was enough to make one’s jaw drop.

Children running outside, despite their reddened cheeks from the cold, darted around everywhere, watching the preparations for the festival with bright eyes.

Adults gently scolded them for wandering too far, but their affectionate expressions were impossible to hide as they placed hats on their children’s heads.

It was a busy day, not long before Pyeonggi Day.

“Wow, it’s snowing. It’s going to be really cold again today.”

And I was one of the few beastkin who were leisurely spending time right before the festival.

I sat by the fireplace, watching the snow fall outside the window.

Like a warm white blanket gently covering the entire world, heavy snowflakes drifted down and piled up softly outside.

Ever since the previous head of the Cadelion family declared that Ian would be entirely in charge of hosting this year’s Pyeonggi Day party, he had practically vanished—there wasn’t even a trace of him.

Of course, at first he did come by a few times to see me.

“Ariael, are you well—”

“Ian-nim, the Crystal Palace side—”

“Aria—”

“Ian-nim, the Crystal Palace side urgently needs the list—”

“I’ll go.”

After repeating that kind of pattern a few times, his visits gradually became rare, and these days, not even a strand of his hair could be seen.

Judging by that, he must be extremely busy. I had been bored lately, so I had planned to give him a very enthusiastic welcome if he ever showed up.

What a pity.

I was leisurely nibbling on warm roasted sweet potatoes and drinking milk. The taste was slightly different from what I remembered in my past life, but I had long since stopped worrying about it.

Korea and this world were completely different to begin with—how could the taste be the same?

It was only natural that things were different.

“He probably added something again.”

Like various medicinal herbs.

Not only on the first day, but even after I occasionally fainted or gagged from eating food, Ian, Mari, and the others who knew me looked at me like I was some fragile creature.

Because of that, many of the foods I ate had strange flavors, most of them due to rare medicinal ingredients.

On snowy days, roasted sweet potatoes were the best. And their partner was milk.

“But I wonder what that tiger is doing right now.”

Thinking of a tiger while eating something delicious meant that the tiger had become quite important to me. At first, he had just been a kidnapper.

He really was crazy when he said he’d take me away.

That was what I thought back then.

And yet, somehow, he had become an important tiger. My “patron,” even.

Recently, the kindness he had shown me was undeniable. One only had to glance at the strange tower that reached all the way up to the ceiling to understand that.

Thinking about it, I almost felt sorry for the white tiger who couldn’t enjoy the simple pleasure of roasted sweet potatoes on snowy days, even though he had money.

Ah, I was told not to pity beastkin…

I looked at Mari and silently asked her to bring Ian and Allen’s sweet potatoes as well.

“Mari.”

“Yes. Do you need more sweet potatoes?”

“Yes.”

Without needing words, Mari understood me and efficiently brought them over.

Soon, my sparkling plate was filled not only with my sweet potatoes but also those meant for the white tiger and the brown-haired tiger who often stayed near him.

“But I did prepare them… how am I supposed to deliver them?”

I thought deeply.

“I don’t even know where Ian is.”

And then—

“Ariael.”

Like the saying “speak of the devil,” he appeared right in front of me.

Behind him stood the brown-haired aide I had seen before.

Ian looked exhausted—clearly extremely busy. His cravat was slightly loosened, shadows lay under his eyes, and he was giving me a faint, crooked smile from one side of his mouth.

“…Hah.”

There was something strangely decadent about him.

That face really suits anything.

Even dark circles somehow became “aesthetic” on him.

Meanwhile, the brown-haired aide looked half-dead, his eyes dark as night. It was the same dark circles, but a completely different kind of exhaustion.

If Ian looked like he was lazily floating like dust in the air, the aide looked like a student buried under an avalanche of assignments, barely standing.

The handsome aide would probably have protested if he heard this comparison.

I greeted them enthusiastically, fulfilling my intention of welcoming them properly.

Then I gently wrapped my tail around Ian’s ankle. Unfortunately, my tail was too short, so it didn’t fully encircle it—it just rubbed against his leg.

There. That’s a proper welcome.

I looked up proudly.

Praise me.

But Ian only smiled faintly, as if holding back laughter.

The aide behind him looked at me with a serious expression.

“Goodness, Lady Ariael. You’ve grown new whiskers.”

“…Whiskers?”

“Are those cat whiskers?”

Ian finally let out a suppressed laugh.

I wiped my mouth with my paw—and white milk came off.

Mari… you should’ve told me.

I narrowed my eyes at her, but she simply looked away.

“Because you looked so cute.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Ian pulled out a handkerchief and knelt down to gently wipe my mouth himself.

The fact that he sat on the floor instead of lifting me up strangely warmed my heart.

“It’s done.”

He stood up.

“Mari, I’ll give you a bonus.”

I stared at him.

“Thank you very much.”

Mari bowed immediately.

…You didn’t sell me out for a bonus, right?

I narrowed my eyes again.

Well, a bonus is fine. I allow it.

After that, Ian cleaned me properly and even brushed my fur before we went down to the reception room.

A mirror on the table reflected my appearance.

My fur was standing on end like an angry porcupine.

Even though Ian had brushed it, it somehow ended up even worse—like it was trying to defy gravity.

…

I should have known when he smiled like that while putting down the brush.

When I saw myself in the mirror, I had briefly lost the ability to speak.

It looked like someone had rubbed my head on a balloon and let it float into the sky.

“…It suits you well.”

Mari said in her usual calm voice.

“…Really?”

She avoided my gaze slightly.

“You look like a chestnut burr. It’s cute.”

The aide added, “The young cat has become like a lazy lion of the southern region.”

I looked at myself again.

Hm. I look like a pineapple.

A pineapple was definitely better than a lazy lion.

I also didn’t forget my roasted sweet potatoes.

I nudged Ian’s foot and approached my plate.

They began eating the sweet potatoes I had prepared.

The aide was touched, while Ian looked slightly displeased about sharing his portion—but he still ate.

He even fed me pieces himself.

Allen nodded, saying, “You really must eat roasted sweet potatoes on snowy days.”

My campaign had succeeded.

After finishing, I looked away from the mirror and surveyed the reception room.

Why is there even a mirror here?

The room had a different atmosphere from Ian’s office.

More extravagant, but not overwhelming—elegant and refined in a way that impressed guests and then quietly revealed its depth.

The sofa beneath me was especially comfortable.

It felt like Ian’s bright pink cushion had become a sofa.

I pressed down on it, enjoying the addictive softness.

Then—

“Why are we here?”

I looked at Ian.

At that moment, the door opened.

A stranger’s voice spoke.

“Hello, Lord Ian, Lord Allen, and… the cat.”