CHAPTER 04
The place Lady Aria headed to was a tea table in a greenhouse garden filled with colorful flowers and plants.
An older maid, who looked quite experienced, placed the cushion I had sat on earlier in the dining hall onto the chair across from Lady Aria.
As if inviting me to sit, she stepped back.
I swallowed nervously and climbed onto the cushion.
Watching me quietly, Lady Aria asked in a warm, amused voice,
“Your name is Poblyan Fenec, correct?”
I nodded obediently.
Looking satisfied, she continued casually,
“To be honest, when Hardiun told me that the guest from Fenec was a young beastkin who wasn’t good at transforming, I was quite worried. But I didn’t expect you to be this clever.”
At her words, which felt like recognition, my tail started wagging on its own.
I looked at her with sparkling eyes.
Perhaps she liked how I stayed in place despite being shy, because a smile formed on her face.
Seeing her like that, I finally understood why both the Grand Duke and Esteban listened to her so completely.
With her rich silver hair that seemed to hold moonlight, and her clear blue eyes like the sky, she looked like a nymph from a story.
Seeing me stare at her in a daze, she spoke gently,
“Oh, you may have already heard, but my name is Aria Winchester. As the lady of this house, I apologize for what happened in the dining hall earlier, Poblyan.”
“Kyap!”
‘No, it’s fine! Thanks to you, I don’t have to see that man again!’
“I’ll make sure something like that doesn’t happen again. So please don’t feel too upset.”
“Kyap!”
‘Of course! I’m the one who should thank you for understanding everything and resolving it so perfectly!’
I responded with all my effort.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if she could understand me.
‘Still, she’s the real power here. I have to get on her good side!’
Maybe my efforts worked, because her smile widened.
“I thought it would be hard to communicate while you’re in animal form, but somehow… it feels like we understand each other quite well.”
“Kyap!”
‘I’m doing my best to make it feel that way, Lady Aria!’
Watching me eagerly, she suddenly said,
“Oh, come to think of it, with what happened earlier, you haven’t eaten yet, have you?”
I nodded quickly.
Resting her chin in thought for a moment, she said,
“Actually, I did some research before meeting you.”
Research?
“If we prepare the previous menu properly and make it fresh, would you be able to eat it? Or would it be better to prepare insects or small animals, like desert foxes eat?”
“Kyap! Kyap!”
I immediately shook my head.
If it had been before I regained my past-life memories, maybe—but now? There was no way I was eating insects, snakes, or mice.
Startled by my strong reaction, she blinked, then asked playfully,
“Then… do you eat what humans eat?”
‘Hmm… eating human food in this form isn’t great for my body…’
But to prevent situations like earlier, it was better to at least show what I could eat.
After thinking for a moment, I drew a circle with my paw and looked at her.
“A ball?”
“Kyap!”
I quickly looked around, then noticed the red cushion I was sitting on.
I tapped it with my paw and drew another circle.
“A red ball?”
“Kyap!”
I drew the circle again, tapped the cushion, and then pretended to bite something.
Realizing what I meant, Lady Aria clapped her hands.
“Do you mean an apple?”
“Kyap!”
I nodded vigorously.
She let out a small laugh and instructed Rani to bring some apples.
Not long after, Rani returned with a plate of neatly sliced apples and placed it on the table.
As I used my sharp claws like a fork to eat, Lady Aria laughed softly, clearly amused.
“Eat as much as you like. There’s plenty.”
While she even asked for other fruits for me, I suddenly perked up my ears at a familiar sound.
I stopped eating and looked around.
Seeing this, Lady Aria also noticed the approaching footsteps and smiled brightly.
“Esteban, how did you know I was here?”
At her warm voice, Esteban approached with a smile.
“You can see the greenhouse from the training grounds. I saw a maid carrying apples this way, so I came. Were you having tea?”
“That’s right. It seems you were practicing swordsmanship.”
As she said, Esteban was holding a wooden sword.
“I thought it would be good to move my body before my mana lesson.”
‘He’s exercising before mana training?’
Managing mana was already exhausting—so why tire himself beforehand?
Looking at him, drenched in sweat, Lady Aria spoke more softly.
“Esteban, always remember that you are more important to me than anything else.”
At that moment, I understood why she said that.
‘If his stamina is low, even if he goes berserk, the damage will be smaller… That’s why he’s pushing himself like this. Even though he’s only thirteen.’
Realizing that made my chest feel heavy.
‘I need to transform into a human as soon as possible… so I can help stop his rampage.’
Clenching my tiny paw in determination—
I met Esteban’s eyes.
He looked at the apple and then at me, his lips curling.
“So, there’s a guest enjoying tea with Mother.”
“That’s right. Oh, have you greeted Poblyan yet? As you know, she’ll be helping you along with Ellen from now on.”
“Well… I’m not sure how much help a beastkin who can’t even properly transform can be.”
At his mocking tone, Lady Aria said firmly,
“That’s rude, Esteban.”
Then she added gently,
“If you spend some time with her, you’ll understand.”
“……”
“That Poblyan is a very clever child. I believe the two of you will get along well.”
Esteban frowned slightly and looked at me again—
with a clear ‘You?’ in his eyes.
Annoyed, I slammed my tail against the cushion.
‘What?! What’s that supposed to mean?!’
Seeing that, he smirked.
“Well, if she’s not useful, I can always make her useful. I hear fox fur scarves are quite warm.”
…What kind of personality do you need to casually say that in front of a fox?
As I stared at him in shock, Lady Aria called his name sharply.
“Esteban.”
‘Lady Aria!’
I immediately jumped down and stood beside her.
Then I hid behind the hem of her dress—just like I had earlier with Cooker.
“Whine…”
I even made myself look pitiful on purpose.
Her expression hardened.
“Poblyan came all this way to help you. She is someone precious. So please treat her with more care.”
Did you hear that?! She said take care of me!
From behind her dress, I looked at him triumphantly.
Esteban stared in disbelief.
“Mother, you’re being fooled by that—!”
“Esteban.”
“……”
“It’s not ‘that.’ It’s Poblyan. Poblyan Fenec.”
At her firm words, his face flushed red.
And as I savored the sweetness of having real power on my side—
I made a firm decision.
No matter what happens,
I must never lose Lady Aria’s favor.
