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Chapter 2
In the blink of an eye, I struggled desperately to escape from Artipe’s grasp.
“Let go of me!”
“Meow! Meooow!”
But instead of moving freely, my strangely elongated lower body just dangled and flailed around.
Artipe lifted me up to his eye level. After snatching me in a flash only moments ago, he now just stood there silently staring.
“Why are you grabbing someone’s neck without permission—!”
“You resemble her.”
Unlike me, who kept meowing frantically, Artipe murmured indifferently and then pulled me into his chest.
“Resemble who…?”
I faltered, still pushing against him.
“Y-you crazy duke! Take your hand off my butt!”
His large hand was supporting both my back and bottom at once.
“Yowl! Hiss!”
“Why are you acting up?”
As I thrashed about wildly, Artipe adjusted his hold and tilted his head.
“Kyaaak!”
To make matters worse, I wasn’t even wearing a single piece of clothing right now.
“Your Grace, it’s time we depart,” a man who looked like his aide peeked out of the carriage. Artipe began walking.
“No! Don’t!”
My desperate cry didn’t matter. The black carriage swallowed me up, and the door shut tight with a snap.
“This can’t be happening…”
As I blankly stared out at the changing scenery, Artipe—who had been clutching me firmly—set me down on his thigh.
I immediately leapt away, hopping to the opposite seat.
“You dared to wound a duke’s hand.”
He muttered in a low, dangerous tone. Seeing the scratch on his hand, I quickly averted my gaze.
Seriously, who told him to snatch me up and grope me? He should be thankful it ended with just a scratch.
“Even if you’re a duke, kidnapping a lady and molesting her isn’t something you can excuse.”
Of course, I knew Artipe wasn’t that kind of shameless man, but that didn’t make him a good one either.
Artipe Redmond.
A young duke from the family that defeated the Demon King. A man constantly at the center of attention.
Young, handsome, tall, strong, rich, powerful, and—worst of all—still unmarried.
I stole a glance at him.
“Well… he is handsome.”
His sharp, masculine features and cold eyes gave off a dangerous allure—like a devil’s temptation you knew you shouldn’t fall for but couldn’t resist.
Even in uniform, his massive frame was impossible to hide. The overwhelming aura radiating from him was like that of a wolf.
“That aura… that’s it.”
We hadn’t crossed paths often, but even those few encounters were terrifying. No matter how frail a lady I appeared, he had always glared at me with deadly eyes.
Unconsciously, my tail thumped against the chair.
“Your Grace, allow me to wipe the blood.”
His aide, seated beside him, offered a handkerchief. Artipe glanced at it, then turned his gaze toward the aide and finally toward me.
“Come here.”
He ordered casually, but the natural authority in his voice was undeniable.
“M-me?”
The aide rose awkwardly.
“D-do you want me to wipe it for you?”
He nervously perched beside Artipe, inching closer, but—
“Eek!”
Artipe’s red eyes locked onto him, radiating such disgust it was as if he would rip him apart for daring to draw near. The aide scurried back to his original seat beside me.
Honestly, even his own aide couldn’t stand him.
“Allen.”
At his icy call, the aide flinched dramatically.
“Y-yes, Your Grace!”
“Get out.”
“…Pardon?”
“I said get out.”
“M-me? Where to…?”
“That’s for you to figure out. Run alongside if you must.”
“….”
Thankfully, Allen didn’t chase the carriage on foot.
“Unbelievable. You don’t value me at all, Your Grace. I quit! You’ll regret this. You’ll see when I’m gone!”
“Hyah!”
The coachman ignored the aide’s whining and focused on driving.
Meanwhile, I sat stiffly across from Artipe, staring him down.
He had even thrown out his aide, and yet… I still despised him.
Whenever our eyes met, his already fierce face only hardened more.
“Still… he does seem a little less harsh toward me as a cat.”
Finally, Artipe spoke.
“Your temperament is foul.”
I scowled.
Who was he calling foul-tempered?
Of course, all that came out of my mouth was a “meow.” Not that I was scared—I simply knew attacking a duke again would be suicide.
“Bad habits, cunning personality…”
“Hah.”
“Meow.”
Please. Unlike you, I actually have a good reputation. None of this would’ve happened if you hadn’t kidnapped me.
“One saving grace—you look decent.”
What a garbage comment.
“Come here.”
He extended a hand. I turned my head away.
“Even if you refuse, it won’t matter. I picked you up, so you belong to me now.”
“What nonsense. Since when are you my master?”
“Meow. Meooow?”
But he kept his hand outstretched. Seeing the blood still dripping from his scratch pricked at my conscience.
“You’re just a stray cat. You have nowhere else to go. So why are you resisting me?”
“….”
He struck home.
He was right. Right now, I was nothing but a stray cat with no home.
This tiny body couldn’t withstand hunger, cold, or predators.
“I know that, you damned duke.”
Overwhelmed by reality, I lowered my head.
Artipe withdrew his hand.
“I’ll give you a name. That way, maybe you’ll start seeing me as your master.”
Artipe left me with Allen and went off to attend some business.
Now, sitting on his bed, I looked around his room.
Since his carriage had been pitch black, I half-expected his chambers to be gloomy too. Surprisingly, it wasn’t.
Though sparsely decorated for a duke’s room, the sunlight streaming through the large windows was warm and bright.
“It even smells nice…”
The scent that had clung to Artipe when he held me now filled the room.
I flopped onto the bed.
After such an exhausting day, my eyelids grew heavy. Sleep tugged me under.
“What are you doing, standing around? Find that cat immediately! Bring it back at once!”
I jolted upright, gasping.
As soon as I closed my eyes, my father’s furious voice and cold gaze resurfaced.
Tears pricked at my eyes, but I forced a deep breath, steadying myself. This wasn’t the time to cry.
“I have to find a way to turn back into a human.”
I traced back my memories.
I had been bedridden with a terrible fever for the past week.
“Could that have been an early sign before turning into a cat…?”
But nothing suspicious came to mind. I hadn’t eaten anything strange, only home-cooked meals. I only took medicine prescribed by the family physician. I had never had dealings with a magician.
And really—magic that turned people into animals? I had never even heard of such a thing.
“Sigh…”
If I kept searching like this, I would never find the answer.
I hopped down from the bed.
Even the smallest clue would do. I had to start searching for information.
“Maybe there’s a library here.”
I prayed no one would be there as I padded toward the door—just as it swung open.
