Chapter 12
The days passed by in the blink of an eye.
The entire continent buzzed with excitement and anticipation for the coming New Year and the Festival Day.
Noble ladies gathered together, chattering as they headed to boutiques to have dresses and accessories tailored for the occasion.
Famous boutiques were already fully booked for two to three months after the festival, and the employees working there were busier than ever—grinning widely as they imagined the generous paychecks coming their way.
Of course, cozy cafés and restaurants with good atmospheres had also been completely reserved by young nobles—either for future lovers or potential new friends—so it was nearly impossible to find an available spot.
Meanwhile, the girls who had already prepared their outfits hosted tea parties, subtly competing and sizing each other up over what they would wear. Since it wasn’t customary to hold banquets or balls around the Festival Day, curiosity about each other’s attire only grew stronger.
In particular, the central free city—jointly governed by four great families and bustling with merchants—was even more lively than usual as it prepared for the upcoming festival.
Even the Crystal Palace, a place rarely opened and filled entirely with white crystals, was busy preparing to open its tightly shut gates for the Festival Day party.
The servants there were practically dying from exhaustion, cleaning the enormous banquet hall that seemed to stretch endlessly.
Outside, children ran around despite their cheeks reddened by the cold, excitedly watching the preparations for the festival.
Adults gently scolded them for wandering around, but the fond smiles on their faces as they pulled hats over their children’s heads gave them away.
It was a busy day, with the Festival Day just around the corner.
‘Wow, it’s snowing. It’s going to be really cold today too.’
And I was one of the few beastfolk spending these days leisurely.
I sat by the fireplace, gazing out the window at the falling snow.
Large flakes drifted down, blanketing the world in a soft, warm white cover.
After the former head of the Cadellion family left the entire Festival Day party in Ian’s hands, he seemed to have vanished completely.
At first, he came by a few times to see me.
“Ian, Ari—”
“Ian, the Crystal Palace has—”
“Ari—”
“Ian, the Crystal Palace urgently needs the list—”
“…I’m going.”
After that kind of exchange repeated a few times, his visits gradually became less frequent. These days, he didn’t show up at all.
He must be incredibly busy. I had been a bit bored lately, so I was planning to give him a very enthusiastic welcome if he came.
‘Ah, what a shame.’
I leisurely nibbled on roasted sweet potatoes with warm milk.
The taste of the milk was different from what I remembered in my previous life, but I had stopped caring.
Of course it would be different—this wasn’t even the same world as Korea.
‘They probably added all sorts of things to it again.’
Like medicinal herbs.
Ever since I had collapsed several times after eating, Ian, Marie, and the others who knew me started treating me like I was incredibly fragile.
Because of that, many of the foods I ate had strange flavors—most of them due to rare medicinal ingredients.
Still, snow meant roasted sweet potatoes.
And roasted sweet potatoes meant milk.
‘I wonder what that tiger is doing right now.’
The fact that I thought of him while eating something delicious meant he had become quite important to me.
At first, he was just my kidnapper.
‘When he said he’d take me, I really thought he was insane.’
Ariel, meanwhile, had completely forgotten that she herself had placed flowers on his tiger shoes.
‘But yeah… he’s definitely important. He’s my provider, after all.’
Recently, the kindness he had shown me was no joke.
Just looking at the bizarre tower-like structure reaching the ceiling nearby made that obvious.
Thinking about it, I suddenly felt sorry for that white tiger who didn’t even know the joy of roasted sweet potatoes on a snowy day.
‘What’s the point of being rich if you miss out on simple happiness like this?’
‘…Ah, I shouldn’t pity beastfolk.’
I turned to Marie.
‘Marie.’
She replied with a faintly amused tone.
“Yes. Do you need more sweet potatoes?”
‘Yeah.’
Even without me explaining, Marie understood perfectly and brought more.
Soon, my fancy plate was piled high—not just with my portion, but also with sweet potatoes for the white tiger and the brown-haired tiger who was always with him.
‘But… how do I deliver these?’
I pondered seriously.
‘I don’t even know where Ian is.’
Just then—
“Ariel.”
Speak of the tiger, and he appears.
He stood right in front of me, with his brown-haired aide behind him.
He looked exhausted—his eyes slightly shadowed.
His cravat was a bit loose, and he was looking at me with one corner of his lips raised.
‘Hmm…’
There was something dangerously decadent about that look.
‘That face really suits anything.’
Turning dark circles into allure—what an absurd face.
Meanwhile, his aide looked like he was on the verge of death.
If Ian looked languid like drifting dust, the aide looked like a student barely surviving under a pile of assignments.
‘Hi.’
Determined to give him a warm welcome, I awkwardly approached and wrapped my tail around his ankle.
Well… tried to.
My tail was too short, so it just brushed against him.
‘This is a great welcome, right?’
I looked up proudly.
‘Praise me. I did well, didn’t I?’
But Ian was holding back laughter.
Behind him, the aide was staring at me seriously.
“Oh my… Lady Ariel, it seems you’ve grown new whiskers.”
‘Huh?’
“Is that… cat whiskers?”
Ian said, barely containing his laughter.
Hey. Just laugh already.
I wiped my mouth with my paw.
White milk smeared onto it.
‘Marie. You should’ve told me earlier.’
Marie avoided my gaze.
“You were too adorable.”
“Ariel, wait.”
Ian took out a handkerchief, sat down, and carefully wiped my mouth.
The fact that he didn’t lift me but instead sat down himself… was strangely touching.
“Done.”
He stood up.
“Marie, I’ll give you a bonus.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
“Thank you.”
Marie bowed immediately.
Did she sell me out for a bonus…?
…Well, for a bonus, I’d allow it.
After that, Ian brushed my fur, and we went down to the first-floor reception room.
I looked at myself in the mirror.
My fur was sticking out wildly—like an angry hedgehog.
He had brushed it… but clearly not well.
‘…I knew it.’
Marie said calmly,
“…It suits you.”
“…Really?”
She avoided my gaze.
“You look cute. Like a chestnut burr.”
The aide added,
“You’ve become a lazy southern lion.”
‘Hmm… more like a pineapple.’
Still, better a pineapple than a lazy lion.
I didn’t forget the sweet potatoes.
I nudged Ian and led them to my plate.
They started eating.
The aide seemed touched that I had prepared some for him too.
Ian… not so much.
Still, they both enjoyed it.
Mission successful.
Snowy day = roasted sweet potatoes.
They now understood.
I glanced around the reception room.
It was more luxurious than Ian’s room—clearly meant to impress guests.
But not overly flashy.
Just enough to amaze… and then reveal elegance upon closer look.
The sofa, though—
‘Unshakable comfort…’
I pressed into it, enjoying the soft, sinking feeling.
‘Why are we here?’
Then the door opened.
“Hello, Ian, Allen… and the young cat.”
A stranger’s voice entered.
