Chapter 15
As always, everyone except me seemed to live their days busily, with time passing quickly.
As dusk settled and darkness crept in, lights throughout the city flickered on one by one, like fireflies illuminating the night. The glow that once came from sunlight gradually shifted into a dazzling array of artificial lights.
Wow… it’s beautiful.
Even after spending days inside the carriage, this was the first time I was properly seeing the outside scenery—and it was breathtaking.
I pressed my nose against the window, staring intently at the view beyond the carriage.
Colorful lanterns continuously floated up into the sky, looking as if the stars themselves were rising in reverse. It felt like watching countless shooting stars ascending instead of falling.
The people outside were lively and free. If I could, I would have run out immediately and blended into the crowd.
“Dangerous.”
Ian grabbed the back of my neck and pulled me away from the window.
I had been glued to the glass, but now I was forced back, staring longingly at it. The spot where my nose had touched was clear, while the rest of the window had fogged up from my breath.
Lowering my head, I saw my short legs covered in jet-black fur.
For no reason, I compared them to the bright world outside.
Unlike the night outside, which embraced all light, my fur was pitch black—as if it swallowed every bit of light and reflected none.
It felt like my body could naturally melt into shadows.
No wonder people called me a harbinger of misfortune.
The bright, colorful lanterns rising outside were in stark contrast to me.
Why am I thinking like this again…
I imagined myself walking down that street like an ordinary person.
It didn’t suit me.
Even if I go there, the beastfolk would hate me anyway.
The realization that I could never be one of those lively people enjoying the night market left a bitter taste in my mouth.
The excitement in my eyes had long since faded.
Put me down.
I tapped Ian’s palm twice. But the hand holding me didn’t budge.
Put me down.
I tapped again.
“Do you want to go there?”
Ignoring my tapping, Ian smirked slightly and gestured toward the window with his chin.
No. It’s fine.
I shook my head. I wanted to enjoy the festival, but going there alone meant a higher chance of something bad happening than something good.
Ever since that injection entered my body, despite being in the adaptation period for human transformation, I had failed every attempt to turn human again.
I looked down at my ink-black fur.
It doesn’t suit me anyway.
A symbol of misfortune.
That’s what people called me.
The servants of the Cadellion household were unusual—most people would look at me with disgust.
I’ve lived with those looks for over a decade anyway.
Maybe living comfortably in the tiger’s house had made me greedy for things I shouldn’t want.
The excitement I felt for the New Year’s celebration quickly cooled.
I hit his hand harder.
I said, put me down.
My nose stung, and it felt like tears would spill at any moment. They were probably already pooling in my eyes.
I tapped his hand again, wanting to bury my face in the cushion inside the basket.
But Ian didn’t let me go.
Tap. Tap.
I struck his hand again.
My vision blurred, and my chest felt tight.
Ian quietly looked down at Ariel, who lay sprawled across his palm.
Perhaps she had given up on returning to the basket—she buried her face into his hand instead. Before long, cold droplets began falling onto his palm one by one.
Tears.
Yet there was no sobbing sound.
If you didn’t look closely, you might not even realize she was crying. The small cat wept silently, suppressing every sound.
Ian watched the trembling black fluff in his hand as he caught each falling tear.
Since when…?
Today, Ariel had been more excited than usual. Even after getting into the carriage, she couldn’t take her eyes off the outside, watching the people with a flushed, eager expression.
As if it were her first time outside.
Was it after I pulled her away from the window?
At some point, her expression suddenly fell.
Then she stared down at her legs without moving.
Those eyes…
They were more sunken than ever before.
Ariel had always been expressive, but he had never seen that kind of look.
It was heavy, yet empty—impossible to describe.
If he had to compare it to something, it felt like she was rejecting the world itself.
Even the faint pheromones she emitted had sunk low—so subtle that one wouldn’t notice unless paying close attention.
Even without seeing inside her heart, it was obvious she had dug herself into a pit of thoughts.
Her expression—and her scent—said it all.
He wanted to pull her out of whatever was consuming her.
So, while gently petting her, Ian did something he had never done before.
He pretended to shoot an arrow.
“Ting.”
Allen stared at him like he was watching a dancing sea anemone, but when Ian gestured toward the gloomy kitten with his chin, he quickly understood.
It was Ian’s small way of telling her to stop digging herself deeper and come back out.
What are you doing…?
I lifted my head from his hand and looked at him in disbelief.
My vision was still blurry from tears.
Thump.
Ian mimed shooting another arrow with his fingers.
I turned to Allen.
What’s wrong with him?
Play dead.
Allen silently mouthed the words.
What kind of nonsense is that?
I frowned.
That was completely unrelated.
I looked back at him for clarification, but he just repeated the same thing:
Play dead.
…Play dead?
Since Allen kept repeating it like a parrot, I decided—for once—to follow the advice of Ian’s longest-serving subordinate.
Even though it didn’t seem reliable at all.
A beat too late, I flopped onto Ian’s palm and played dead.
Is this enough?
I peeked at him through half-lidded eyes.
Ian looked down at Ariel, who was secretly watching him with slightly open eyes.
It seemed she had pushed aside some of her earlier thoughts, now gazing at him lazily.
Her expression resembled Allen’s.
Like someone watching a sea cucumber running around.
Ian ignored it and gently stroked her head.
“Smart. As expected of a genius cat.”
“Indeed. Where else would you find a cat that plays dead when you pretend to shoot an arrow?”
Ariel’s pupils widened in disbelief. When she met his gaze, she quickly shut her eyes again, remembering she was supposed to be “dead.”
“She’s even good at acting.”
“Exactly. Not even an eyelid twitching.”
At that moment, Ariel’s eyelid twitched.
Ian pretended not to notice and added with a suppressed smile,
“Maybe she has talent as an actress. Should I hire someone to teach her singing and make her perform?”
At that, Ariel pressed harder against his palm in protest.
“Here, Ariel.”
Ian offered her the jelly he had prepared.
The moment she saw it, her expression brightened instantly.
Jelly…!
“Lie down.”
Ariel immediately obeyed.
After everything she had already endured, this much was nothing.
At least I get jelly out of it.
But when he didn’t tell her to lift her head, she looked at him with wide eyes.
You’re not giving it to me…?
Ian placed another jelly into her mouth.
“Left paw.”
“Right paw.”
“Sit.”
“Stand.”
“Clap.”
…These tigers were getting carried away, making her do all sorts of ridiculous things. Did they think she was some kind of dog?
Her pride took a hit—but the jelly entering her mouth made resistance impossible.
Ah… so this is what being trained feels like.
“Sparkle.”
This time, it was Allen’s voice.
You don’t even have jelly.
Ariel ignored him.
I’m a dignified cat.
…Though she had temporarily abandoned that dignity for jelly.
Seeing this, Ian smiled quietly in triumph.
“She only listens to me.”
There was a hint of pride in his voice.
It was the smile of someone who had received applause from the black fluff—directed at someone who hadn’t.
“Is this the Cadellion family?”
After playing around for a while, a guard’s voice rang out from the Crystal Palace gate.
Ian slightly lifted the carriage curtain and looked out.
The guard, upon recognizing him, bowed so deeply it seemed like he might collapse.
His cheeks flushed red after greeting.
“Y-Yes! Identity confirmed! Please proceed! Lord Ian Cadellion!”
Their carriage bypassed the long line waiting to enter and took a separate path.
There were a few more inspections, but every soldier who saw Ian simply bowed and let them pass—though when they spoke, their voices were stiff with tension.
Wow… is this what power feels like?
Power was incredible.
They entered without any waiting at all.
Meanwhile, countless carriages stood in line, barely moving.
In contrast, theirs sped past effortlessly.
I jumped down from Ian’s hand and into a small white basket.
Since it was my first time attending the New Year’s celebration, my heart pounded with excitement.
After adjusting his neatly styled bangs and checking his glasses, Ian opened the basket lid and looked at me.
Our eyes met.
He lifted the small white basket.
…Was he checking if I was properly inside?
A white suit and a white basket—it was an odd combination by any standard.
Then again, bringing a basket into a banquet hall was strange to begin with.
At least it was unique.
We’re about to go in.
Ian whispered.
As soon as he finished speaking, a servant loudly announced:
“Guardian of Ice, Lord Ian Cadellion, enters!”
The massive doors opened.
The host of the party had arrived.
Silence instantly fell over the hall—
and the New Year’s celebration officially began.
