Chapter 1
“Lorelia Leon.”
As her name was called, thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd.
“I hereby appoint you as the first Guardian of Divine Beasts.”
A woman stood on the platform with a rather awkward expression. Her thick, wavy reddish-orange hair trembled slightly.
“This is a glorious moment that will remain in the Empire’s history forever.”
A golden insignia was pinned to her chest.
Even the tassel decoration was made of luxurious red silk.
“…Thank you?”
Her tone strangely rose at the end, making the emperor’s eyebrow twitch.
Even while receiving such an honorable title and precious insignia, the woman did not look happy at all.
“Lorelia Leon, continue to serve the Empire faithfully as a Guardian of Divine Beasts.”
“…I will do so?”
Again, her voice rose uncertainly at the end.
“Lorelia Leon!”
“The great Guardian of Divine Beasts!”
People below the platform threw flowers toward her.
Beautiful petals drifted through the air like a painting.
“Now, we will take a commemorative crystal orb photograph.”
One, two, three.
Inside the crystal orb, Lorelia Leon forced the corners of her mouth up into a smile, her face captured prominently.
And so, the Empire’s first and only Guardian of Divine Beasts was born.
Not by her own will, but by force.
* * *
Fragrant coffee steamed softly.
Warm sunlight poured in through the large windows.
A peaceful view stretched outside.
The bedding smelled clean.
“Mmm, the coffee tastes good.”
This really was the happiest moment of the day, leisurely enjoying a cup of morning coffee.
A thin curtain danced in the spring breeze. Just watching it naturally brought a smile to her lips.
“Kyyaaaah!”
A black ball of fur cut across the peaceful scene, followed by a high-pitched scream that shattered the calm.
“Lord Kallian is at it again!”
“Catch him! Quickly!”
“Ahhh! He pulled my hair!”
I calmly took another sip of coffee.
The beans here were truly exceptional. I had never had coffee this good in my life.
“Lord Kallian! Don’t jump over the wall!”
“Call Lorelia! Hurry!”
As expected.
Coffee before the noisy morning chaos begins…
really tastes the best.
It didn’t take long for me to get used to these loud, chaotic days.
* * *
I wanted to work as a nurse at an animal hospital.
I knew treating and caring for animals that couldn’t speak was difficult, but I loved spending time with animals.
Unconditional love.
Blind love.
Love that would never abandon me.
I had been abandoned by my parents and raised in an orphanage.
That love animals gave me meant everything.
I chose an animal hospital because I wanted to return the love I had received from them.
But in an era of brutal unemployment, no animal hospital would hire someone who only had a high school diploma.
Experience applicants only.
I angrily threw my mouse after seeing yet another copy-pasted job listing.
“If everyone only hires experienced people, where are beginners supposed to get experience?!”
Then I found one posting that had been up for quite a while.
No deadline.
No experience required.
No education requirements.
“Here!”
Without hesitation, I submitted my resume.
An hour later, I got a text saying I had passed the document screening.
The interview was the very next day.
I hurriedly prepared and went, only to find the animal hospital strangely… empty.
Empty in the truest sense.
There didn’t seem to be even a fly inside.
When I entered, a man in a blue suit greeted me with an awkward smile.
“Welcome. Interview. Congratulations.”
The sentence structure was strangely weird.
And why was he congratulating me when the interview hadn’t even started?
The interview began, and after asking me a bunch of pointless questions, the man in the blue suit sent me a text before I had even opened the door to leave.
♨ Passed. Congratulations on your interview. ☎ Start work immediately. ♥ Great. Thank you.♡ ▶↖^0^↗
A very… very strange man.
But it was the animal hospital I had dreamed of.
A small, warm place filled with loving animals I could care for with my own hands.
Even after getting that bizarre acceptance text, I happily laid out clothes for my first day of work and went to sleep.
It’s so bright…
Did I fall asleep with the light on?
Since I lived in a semi-basement studio, sunlight barely existed. Unless I left the lights on, I’d never wake from brightness.
When I rubbed my stiff eyes and got up—
“…”
I was speechless.
A bedroom straight out of a medieval fantasy romance webtoon filled my vision.
I pinched my cheeks several times.
Hit my head several times.
If it was a dream, I needed to wake up.
Today was my very important first day at work.
“Ah!”
But of course I didn’t wake up.
Because this was already reality.
Suddenly, titles of web novels I used to read flashed through my mind.
How to Live as a Duke’s Daughter After Regressing.
I Possessed a Count’s Daughter.
Stories like those.
Maybe some god from another world pitied my miserable unemployed life and sent me here.
Wearing jewel-covered dresses.
Entering high society.
Falling in love with a handsome male lead.
And living happily ever after.
That was my arrogant misunderstanding.
And it didn’t take long to realize it.
“All newcomers, gather in the hall!”
Someone shouted outside the door.
Then I stood before a mirror.
“…What?”
A small, thin body.
Pointlessly long wavy reddish-orange hair.
Pink eyes no Korean could have.
Pale skin that looked like it had never seen sunlight.
That part wasn’t bad.
But why was this ridiculously oversized tacky uniform on me?
“W-Waaah!”
I had been scammed into employment by the man in the blue suit.
* * *
“New recruits, sit in the chairs marked with your names!”
The hall was noisy.
Some looked excited.
Others looked dragged there against their will.
About thirty people, like a whole classroom.
“Please find your seats. Orientation will begin soon!”
I wandered around getting shoved left and right.
Why?
Because…
What is my name?
No matter how much I looked, there was no “Seo Juwon.”
Only names like Regina, Cecilia Orgon, Serna…
After all twenty-nine recruits were seated, I finally spotted an empty seat.
I rushed over.
Lorelia Leon.
The name on my uniform badge.
“Starting today, recruits will live in the dormitories of the Divine Beast Management Office. Though it belongs to the Crown Prince’s Palace, it is separate, so there should be no danger.”
Then came explanations I had never heard in my life.
“Each recruit will be assigned a young divine beast. Questions?”
Hands shot up.
“Can we be assigned dangerous beasts?”
“Not for recruits. Next.”
“W-Will we get cute divine beasts?”
“…Depends on your taste. Next.”
Questions continued endlessly.
“If there are no more questions, I’ll continue.”
I just sat there blankly listening.
There was nothing I could ask.
The Crown Prince’s Palace.
Divine beasts.
This tacky uniform.
I knew so little that asking anything felt embarrassing.
“You’ll be assigned a beast through your senior and follow the guide to care for it. If you don’t know something, ask your senior. They’ll explain kindly. And do not leave the management grounds during work unless you want to be fired.”
The strange administrator started to step down, then stopped.
“Ah, I forgot the most important part.”
She said firmly,
“While working here, you must never, ever go toward the Crown Prince’s Palace. Absolutely never.”
* * *
Name: Kallian
Species: Black Panther Divine Beast
Trait: …Fierce?
The animal assigned to me was a black panther cub covered in fluffy black fur.
When my senior handed me the sleeping furball, my eyes nearly popped out.
A predator?
A wild baby beast straight out of a National Geographic documentary was sleeping in my arms.
How could I not be shocked?
Still…
“So cute…”
Soft fur.
Pitch-black nose.
Tiny triangular mouth.
Plump paws.
I had been dragged into a strange place and forced into a strange job.
But the cuteness of this black panther divine beast melted away my suspicion like cotton candy.
“So what if I weren’t a rich noble girl?”
I get to care for something this adorable.
I had no attachment to my old life of being constantly abandoned.
I had grown up alone after being discarded by my parents.
The only comfort I had in the orphanage was a stray dog.
Hi. Are you alone too?
Woof!
We became inseparable friends.
I named him Cheoli.
He stayed by my side from when I was four until I left the orphanage at eighteen.
Are you… sick?
Even when I had only two million won to survive on alone, I thought nothing was scary as long as I had Cheoli.
But…
…Thank you.
Cheoli left me as suddenly as a lie.
I was alone again.
And I survived desperately.
I wanted to give other animals the same blind love he gave me.
So I decided life here was a chance to return that love.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance to love animals as much as I wanted.
At least…
That’s what I thought.
Until the black panther—
no, Kallian—
opened his eyes.
There’s an old saying.
Don’t judge by appearances.
Or you’ll get stabbed in the back.
Kallian was exactly that.
If you were fooled by his cute, soft appearance…
A terrible hell awaited you.
Kallian, who had been sleeping so deeply someone could have carried him away without him noticing, opened his eyes around sunset.
It’s already this late…
According to the guide, it was time for dinner.
“Did you wake up because it’s feeding time? How cute.”
Kallian’s eyes were clear, sparkling amber.
Every blink made them shine like jewels.
Pretty…
Kallian stared at me, then gave a huge yawn.
It probably wasn’t intentional, but it sounded adorable.
“I’ll get your food. Wait a little.”
That was when…
The gates of hell opened.
[What is this?]
A blunt, irritable, annoyed voice.
Animals… can talk?
Before I could process anything—
[Let go of me.]
It happened in an instant.
Those tiny sharp fangs sank into my head—
“AAAAAH!”
Without mercy, he bit me.
