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chapter 29
Leah, who had chosen the perfectly reasonable approach of simply opening the door instead of smashing it like I had almost done, pushed it.
“Really, I think Ian would forgive even if we broke it a little,” she said.
The grand door slid open smoothly without a sound.
“Reasonable enough, isn’t it?”
Reasonable? How is this reasonable? Smashing the door just because a cat can’t open it—that’s not exactly logical.
Lately, perhaps stressed from too many things, Mari had repeatedly tried to persuade me to break the door and come in, but I kept refusing. There was a perfectly sensible, elegant way to open it; there was no need to go as far as smashing it.
The massive door opened silently.
As it did, the spacious interior revealed itself at a glance.
“…Is this really a library?”
Warm sunlight streamed through the dome-shaped glass ceiling, filling the library—which was about two stories high—with light. Tiny particles of dust floated in the sunbeams, giving the space a sleepy, languid atmosphere.
“Wow… it’s huge.”
The books filled the enormous library completely. Even counting them all night for a week wouldn’t be enough. Surely, all knowledge in the world could be contained in the Kadelion library.
And this was a public library that anyone in the Kadelion household—guests or staff—could visit.
“How can a library of this scale exist in just one place?”
Indeed, the head of this family was on a whole different level when it came to the scale of their library. I had neither seen nor been told about the other mansion libraries, but none seemed likely to be as vast as this one.
During the mansion tour, I had only been told where the library was and moved on, thinking I would never visit it again—but seeing it in person was astonishing.
Now I understood why the head butler was so genuinely devoted to the Kadelion mansion.
“If I had a library like this at home, I’d take pride in it, even if I never actually read the books.”
It was an impressive display piece in its own right.
I stood there, jaw agape, staring at the sheer scale of it.
“Looking for a particular book?”
A librarian, carrying a few books in one hand, asked Leah.
“Oh, I’m not looking for anything,” she said with a gentle smile.
“Then who will be reading? I can recommend an appropriate book.”
Leah beamed.
“Our cat,” she said.
“Pardon?”
“Our cat,” she repeated.
“Haha, a cat reading a book? What an amusing joke,” the librarian said, raising his glasses with a faint, lifeless laugh, giving her a subtle look as if to urge her to explain.
Leah answered firmly.
“I’m not joking.”
The librarian stared at me incredulously, scanning me up and down.
“So the cat actually reads?”
“…That cat?”
His voice trembled slightly. Well, of course—it made no sense that a cat could read.
‘Then let’s just say it came here for the smell of paper,’ I thought, shrugging as if it couldn’t be helped, and began to walk lightly between the bookshelves.
Leah passed by my side as we followed, speaking quietly.
“The librarian must be slow on the uptake. That cat is said to be so adorable that anyone who sees it can’t help but fall in love. It’s a well-known rumor throughout the mansion.”
“…?”
The librarian sank into deep worry. That cat deserved a front-page feature in “Events in the Beastmen Continent.”
Why on earth was such a cat in the Kadelion mansion? This cat didn’t belong here.
And why did the staff in front of him address the cat with such respect?
In his 15 years as a librarian—35 years of life altogether—this was the most bewildering day he’d ever had. The world was full of things impossible to understand.
The librarian gained a new, peculiar kind of insight that day.
I darted quickly between the shelves, searching for books on pheromones.
‘Pheromones, pheromones… where are the books on pheromones?’
Since pheromones exist in all beastmen, the topic should be fairly obvious, much like biology in my past life.
I hurried along the shelves, scanning titles until one in particular caught my eye.
A red-covered book stood out.
“Hmm… what’s this? A Secret Night Between Master and Maid…?”
Was this the kind of book that existed even in a library?
‘This library is more open-minded than I thought.’
I stopped in my tracks, and Leah, who had been quietly following, approached.
“What is it, Cat?” she asked.
She followed my gaze to the book and, as naturally as if it were her own, pulled it out and slipped it into her pocket.
She casually lifted the corner of her eye in a sly expression.
“Oh my, Cat, it seems this book was misplaced. I’ll make sure it’s returned properly.”
‘Why does a misplaced book end up in your pocket? You said you’d put it back,’ I thought incredulously.
Leah caught my look and, with a mischievous eye-smile, said casually:
“No worries. Just keep looking, Cat.”
Reluctantly, I stepped away from that shelf.
Here, the books were about herbs…
Here, diseases…
And here…
‘Ah, found it.’
A few steps further, I quickly spotted the books I was looking for:
- Pheromones Explained for a 3-Year-Old
- The Fun All-Night Reading of Pheromones
- Introduction to Pheromones
I opened several books and began reading simultaneously. Thanks to memories of my past life, I could grasp the main points even with multiple books open.
‘Not just an extra, but a K-origin extra. That explains it.’
Perhaps my experience during exams in Korea—spreading textbooks and worksheets everywhere while taking notes—helped me. Korean extras really are different.
What Are Pheromones?
Pheromones are energies inherent to beastmen, sometimes enhancing abilities in line with their species traits. In rare cases, they can manifest abilities similar to supernatural powers.
‘Hmm, I don’t need this part,’ I skipped the unnecessary explanations.
Compatible Pheromones are those that match each other.
Each pheromone emits a unique heat, and when two pheromones’ heat matches, they are called compatible pheromones. This is different from the scent.
When compatible pheromones meet, the body may suddenly feel warmer or cooler. Rumor has it that overabundant pheromones in compatible pairs can influence thoughts and emotions…
Usually, most pheromones have no compatible counterpart and only rare or unusual pheromones show compatibility. Finding compatible pheromones is harder than finding a needle in a desert.
‘Skip. Skip this too.’
I flipped the pages rapidly.
Pheromone Overload
This occurs when a beastman’s body contains an excessive amount of pheromones. Because this condition is extremely rare, research is limited. Typically, overabundant pheromones tear through the body, causing injuries. Severe cases result in the body being shredded. The only discovered treatment is to find compatible pheromones to dissipate the internal heat…
‘Ugh, why does it only show useless info?’
Almost all the books focused on overabundance rather than humanization.
As I continued sifting through the books, a voice behind me full of exasperation and worry spoke:
“The Cat is so cute it activates the violent tendencies within me,” Leah muttered with a sigh.
“Leah, you’ve always been violent,” Alan appeared quietly, surprising me.
“Do you want a hit, or do you want to give one? I’ll give you a chance to choose,” Leah said with a small smile.
“I cherish my frail body…”
“I recommend option two,” Ian said, leaning against the bookshelf.
“Hmm, a cat that reads books… truly remarkable. Not an ordinary cat, indeed a genius.”
“I brought it here, of course it’s not ordinary,” I thought.
‘Why do you feel proud about that?’
I couldn’t hide my disbelief at such nonsense. What was this, a meeting plaza? Why were they all gathered here, in this one section of a mansion with multiple libraries?
Louise Kadelion or Ian Kadelion could have used a private family library, yet they all converged here.
‘…And when did they arrive?’
“By the way, little sister, do you hold a grudge against him?”
Right, why would you have a grudge against me, male lead?
“Why is your pheromone dripping on that child? Chasing her to the ends of hell?”
She swallowed her next words.
“Treatment,” Ian said matter-of-factly.
“What!? Ian is treating her? Not chasing to kill?”
Alan flinched quietly.
Louise hummed and said gently:
“You’re truly insane. The world is spinning madly.”
“Calling me crazy in front of people? How hurtful.”
“Well, she’s that cute. If she had discovered you later, I would have snatched her away,” Louise added.
“She feels unusual. Look at her eyes. Her reading method… she has the potential to leave a mark on history. Different from everyone else.”
…Could someone please explain why you think I’ll leave a historical mark? I’m just a passing K-origin extra.
Coming to this mansion, all I’ve done is cower before Ian. Ariel doesn’t realize that merely remembering my life in Korea is unusual.
“But just because a shield blocks doesn’t mean the spear can’t pierce it,” Louise said, twirling her chestnut hair.
“Shield feels left out,” Ian teased with a sly eye-smile.
Not at all left out.
She casually ignored Ian’s comment and pointed at me instead.
“Come to me instead. I’ll treat you well. How about it? Want to be my disciple?”
‘You’re a beastman. I’ll teach you how to handle pheromones,’ Louise whispered in my ear.
Her hair cascaded over me.
