Chapter 38
She could have carefully shifted her position, but the problem was the sound it might make.
Christina had covered for her so well already—she couldn’t risk drawing attention with a pointless noise.
So all Rosé could do was pray, over and over again, that Melissa would leave quickly.
“May I wait here with you until His Majesty arrives?”
“Do you need my permission for that? Please, have a seat, Lady Melissa.”
Melissa went ahead and settled firmly into her seat.
Save me, Noah…
All Rosé could do was desperately hope Noah would return soon, wetting her nose with spit to keep enduring.
While Rosé was struggling under the desk, Noah was riding with the nobles toward the capital’s borders.
“So we truly must go all the way there.”
It was for an inspection of the hunting festival grounds.
It wasn’t even a national event—just a gathering meant for socializing—yet the emperor himself had to go check the site. It was absurd, but unavoidable.
Because of Melissa’s promise to actively reflect the nobles’ opinions, everything had turned into a mess.
“So we truly must go all the way there.”
Repeating Jonathan’s complaint with annoyance, Noah glanced sideways at the nobles riding behind him.
The Marquess of Dwellie and the Marquess of Percy had fiercely competed, yet no final decision had been reached about the hunting grounds.
Even after a secret ballot vote, the result had been a tie—neither would yield.
And in the middle of it all, not a single noble dared suggest they just return to Barun Mountain, the usual place, because it was closer.
It had clearly become a matter of pride between the two men, with dealings behind the scenes.
And to be precise, it wasn’t just words being exchanged behind the scenes.
They wasted money to protect their egos, yet when it came to funding the military, they pounced with bloodshot eyes. It was enough to make Noah sigh.
Even now, the nobles were watching him closely, waiting for a chance to bring up military spending.
He had ignored their petitions and refused every meeting request, yet they still wouldn’t give up.
If anyone brought it up again here, perhaps he ought to kill one of them as an example.
That was how irritated Noah was, having left Rosé behind and come all this way.
There were mountains of things he wanted to talk about with her once she had taken human form…
“Still, it’s nice and quiet once we leave the capital.”
After half an hour on horseback beyond the palace, they reached the city’s border.
Immediately past it stretched a landscape quite different from the tightly packed mansions and shops of the capital.
Wide fields stretched endlessly, farmers plowing the soil in preparation for spring.
The work was surely grueling for them, but from afar, the sight was serene and peaceful.
Noah thought that while he wished Rosé were here to see it, she probably would never have much chance to witness such scenery.
“Did Christina come back on time?”
“She entered the palace earlier with the duke. By now, she should be with Lady Rosé.”
Because Rosé would spend the rest of her life in the palace.
“Gently! That hurts!”
“Just endure it a bit. When you get a cramp, you have to pull it hard like this to release it.”
“Evelyn, I’ll count—you pull with me. One, two, three!”
“Aaah!”
When Noah still hadn’t returned long past lunchtime, Rosé had found it strange.
Noah would never neglect the first day of her human life. What could possibly be keeping him?
—Father said he was going far away today. So he must’ve gone with His Majesty!
It turned out Noah had left the palace altogether to help decide the hunting grounds.
“It hurts too much! Amelia, be gentler!”
“Bear with it. But really, why were you sitting like that?”
If Evelyn hadn’t informed her midway, Melissa might have discovered Rosé’s true identity—her legs had cramped so badly they began to spasm.
Thankfully, Christina had picked up on the situation and, with excuse after excuse, rose from her seat. Melissa, perhaps finding it awkward to linger alone, had followed her out of the study.
“Thank you. You saved me.”
“See? You’re feeling a bit better now, right?”
“If you ever get cramps again, just let me know.”
If Evelyn had been even a little later, Rosé might have died of embarrassment—and pain.
After both Evelyn and Amelia massaged her cramped legs, she could finally think straight again.
So the hunting festival preparations are already underway?
Lying on the floor with her legs still numb, she recalled what she had overheard.
Rosé herself had already transformed, and the story seemed to be moving along faster than in the original novel.
“Are all these dresses from Lady Christina?”
“Yes.”
“They’re all winter dresses, though. Spring is just around the corner—she brought too many.”
“Huh? Spring?”
Amelia, while looking through the clothes, brought up the seasons.
But snow was still piled outside, and they’d had to use the fireplace last night—spring already?
Wasn’t it too early? Rosé asked.
“You didn’t know? The Empire’s seasons change in an instant, like flipping a hand over. Before you know it, spring will be here.”
At that, Rosé’s heart sank.
Yes—that exact line had appeared in the original novel.
Just because the snow seemed solid now, it didn’t mean she had time to relax.
Sure enough, when she rushed to open the window, the sunlight already felt different from the day before.
Come to think of it…
Remembering the story, Rosé bit her lip hard.
The place where Aria had first suggested they return to the capital—because the snow was melting—hadn’t even been nearby.
How could I miss that?!
Before their return, they had been hiding out in the southern region of Sauns.
The snow there would have already melted!
It was further south than here, where spring came much earlier.
Back in her bedroom, Rosé ate lunch alone and flipped through books about beastkin, but nothing would sink in.
What if Aria is already inside the palace as a maid?
Her thoughts kept wandering there.
No wonder everything felt like it was rushing forward—Zion appeared suddenly, she transformed… everything was happening so fast.
I was careless, thinking the frozen snow meant there was still time!
Anxiety threatened to overwhelm her, but she forced herself to calm down.
No. It’s fine. I’ve been doing well. You’re doing great, Rosé!
Even if Aria had already entered as a maid, what she could say about Noah would differ from the original.
Back then, the servants had only feared Noah blindly—but now, the atmosphere had changed.
Plus, she had even pulled Christina to her side. There was no need to panic—her odds were still good.
“Unbelievable… why now, of all times…”
The bigger problem was that her movements were restricted.
Aria might really already be in the palace, and yet Rosé couldn’t even check for herself.
Frustrated, she put the book down and paced the room. Then, quietly:
“Oliver?”
She called his name.
Would Oliver know anything? Or could they even still communicate?
[You called, Lady Rosé?]
To her relief, Oliver popped his head out from behind the dresser.
Even though she had changed forms, they could still communicate just as when she was a cat.
So I really am a beastkin.
She hadn’t simply turned from a cat into a person—Rosé was definitely a feline beastkin.
That meant even while confined, she could still keep track of palace events through Oliver. That was a relief.
Author, if you bothered to set this up, you should’ve used it!
She couldn’t help but grumble.
If there had even been a passing mention of this in the original, I wouldn’t have been so shocked.
Anyway.
“Why aren’t you surprised?”
She wondered how Oliver had recognized her as herself right away.
[Surprised?]
Tilting his head, Oliver’s eyes soon lit up as he remembered something.
[I was in the bedroom when Lady Rosé transformed!]
“In the bedroom?”
[Yes!]
At his answer, Rosé instinctively wrapped her arms around her upper body.
Even Noah hadn’t seen her bare body, but Oliver had seen everything—her face burned red.
“What did you see?! You perverted little field rat!”
[What does perverted mean?]
But his innocent response only made her feel silly for being embarrassed.
Well, I guess a mouse wouldn’t care about a human body. It’s like how humans don’t find shaved cats erotic.
Maybe that was why no one found it strange that she and Noah shared a bedroom.
Anyway, setting that aside.
“Then why were you in the bedroom yesterday?”
