IJEBPSCLB 36

chapter 36

The white tiger, lying in a horrific, blood-soaked state, struggled to lift his eyelids.

He slowly blinked several times before staring at me with a wary expression.

That guarded look on his face felt unfamiliar.

Blood kept gushing out in thick, choking spurts, dyeing his snow-white fur even redder than camellia blossoms.

Spring had already passed and summer was approaching, yet the scent of spring still drifted in from outside.

As if searching for a stream to endure the coming heat, the outside was noisy with the sounds of animals and insects.

In contrast, the room was silent.

Unlike the bright outdoors where birds chirped peacefully, his deep, ocean-blue eyes grew murky and sank into darkness.

Only his groans of pain filled the room.

Under the soft sunlight falling on him, his torn wounds were even more clearly visible.

“Hey… are you oka—”

He was obviously not okay.

Was it even right to ask that?

I stopped mid-thought and looked at him. He frowned.

As if he didn’t recognize me.

His gaze, colder than usual, turned toward me. There was even a hint of contempt in his eyes.

‘He doesn’t recognize me…?’

Or had he always disliked me?

My eyes trembled violently.

If someone saw my face right now, they’d probably hand me magnesium.

‘First I almost got sliced by a sword, then almost killed by assassins, then nearly died from illness, and now I’m about to get eaten…?’

Wow… amazing.

What a beautifully dramatic life.

I realized just how many ways one could face death.

My fur stood on end.

I had barely escaped death, only to face it again.

It’s not like I’m some world-saving hero—why am I constantly on the brink of dying?

‘Hey, it’s me! Me!’

I pounded my chest with my front paw.

Please recognize me.

‘It’s me!’

Recognize me!

If he didn’t, I’d definitely be boarding the express train to the afterlife.

I stared at him anxiously.

It felt like my life was in danger every other day.

What a dynamic cat life.

So great.

I nervously waited for his reaction.

My heart pounded quickly.

His unfocused pupils slowly locked onto me.

My light green eyes met his blue ones directly in midair.

After confirming it was me, Ian collapsed back weakly, as if relieved.

His cold, sharp gaze softened into something gentle.

I could feel the tension leaving him.

‘Thank goodness.’

Relief washed over me when he recognized me.

Seeing him so weak felt strange.

They say it’s more worrying when someone who’s usually fine suddenly gets sick—this tiger, who was always composed, now looked gravely ill, and it felt like a heavy stone pressed on my chest.

In my mind, he was someone who could be thrown into the northern snow mountains filled with monsters and return unharmed, dragging their heads behind him.

‘What should I do… no, what can I do?’

Well, he recognized me, so he probably won’t kill me.

Acting brave like a feline predator, I squinted slightly and approached him while avoiding eye contact.

Even for a predator, walking straight toward a tiger while making eye contact was terrifying.

There are things even predators can’t do.

What I was doing now already required plenty of courage.

His eyes quietly followed my movements.

Up close, his eyes looked like murky gemstones.

Whether it was the sunlight or natural, multiple shades of blue shimmered within them—light sky blue, and deep navy that seemed to devour even darkness.

They were mysterious.

Almost mesmerizing.

It felt like I could be pulled into them.

After staring for a while and seeing nothing happen, I cautiously stretched back and placed my paw on his nose.

Honestly, I wanted to go toward his belly where I’d be less likely to die, but his wounds were too severe—there wasn’t a single uninjured spot.

‘If I go near his belly, will his tail smack me to death?’

Even though it lay limp now, I had a strong feeling that one hit from that tail would send me flying.

Goosebumps spread across my body.

My fur stood straight up, as if insisting on pointing toward the ceiling.

Maybe this spot was safer.

With nothing else I could do, I sat in front of him.

He looked at me as if asking what I was doing.

Then suddenly, a passage from a book about compatibility pheromones came to mind.

“…When the heat of pheromones matches, it is called compatibility pheromones… For beastmen without pheromone overexposure, it simply feels pleasant…”

However, for those suffering from pheromone overload, receiving a compatible pheromone was the only cure.

Thinking back, when Ian treated me, his pheromones had felt especially warm.

Only when I was with him did everything feel warm.

‘It wasn’t like this with other beastmen.’

It felt like frost around my heart melting away.

“When experiencing compatibility pheromones, one may suddenly feel warm or cool.”

According to the book, that was proof.

‘To transfer pheromones… do I need physical contact?’

I remembered Louise saying that during my recent practice—touch was the easiest way to transfer pheromones.

Doing it without contact was difficult, and I wasn’t at that level yet.

I sighed deeply.

‘If things go wrong, I’ll just climb onto his nose or head and hold on.’

After thorough preparation, I gently stroked his nose, drawing out the cold energy inside me.

I deliberately turned my head away, avoiding his gaze.

“Cat’s touch heals…”

The meaningless humming was just a bonus.

As I rubbed his nose, I could feel his baffled stare without even looking.

His tail swishing in disbelief said it all.

‘…Don’t you know “mom’s touch heals”?’

I glanced back at his face.

His expression said everything.

Are you insane?

‘Hmm. Guess not.’

I looked away again and continued.

‘Is this even working?’

Well, they’re compatibility pheromones—it should mean something.

I pushed aside my doubts.

There was nothing else I could do anyway.

First aid for small injuries—that’s all I knew.

In Korea, emergencies meant calling 119 and going to the ER, not treating wounds like this.

‘…It’s better to distract him than let him focus on the pain.’

But his condition wasn’t improving.

Should I lick the blood like he did?

I froze at the thought.

‘…They say licking wounds helps.’

And this was a world of beastmen.

When he licked my wound, warm pheromones flowed into me.

My injuries had healed.

Maybe if I did the same, my pheromones would transfer better.

There was a chance.

‘Better to try than regret it.’

He had saved my life multiple times.

I could at least do this.

Taking a deep breath, I made my decision.

I shut my eyes tightly and licked the smallest wound I could find.

Peeking slightly, I looked again—

The cut was gone.

‘…Did it work?’

Before I could figure it out, I heard rustling.

The white tiger moved.

‘How is he even moving in that state…?’

When I turned, he had lifted his head and moved closer.

The blood on the sheets had dried into a dark brown.

Like a giant, withered autumn leaf.

He sniffed me.

Then leaned in—

And bit my nape.

‘…Huh?’

What.

A backstab?

Ah. I’m dead.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

‘After all that effort to save you… you’re killing me?’

But—

It didn’t hurt.

‘…Am I not dying?’

I carefully opened my eyes.

‘Why doesn’t it hurt?’

Checking if I’m edible?

Grooming me…?

I glanced sideways.

‘Am I your food…?’

Heh.

A mocking sound came from above.

Hey—are you laughing?

I was ready to sacrifice myself for you!

His tail swayed smugly.

Ungrateful tiger.

I felt offended.

‘…Can you let me go now?’

Just as I considered kicking his face—

He released me.

I landed safely on the bed and quickly backed away.

Though the bed was so large, it didn’t feel like I moved far at all.

Then—

‘Huh…?’

‘Was the pillow always this small…?’

No—it used to look huge.

Everything looked smaller.

Before, the pillow looked like a bed.

Now, it looked like a normal pillow.

‘Did my perspective get higher…?’

I looked at my body.

‘Huh…?’

‘Huh?!’

‘…No way.’

My front paw—

Wasn’t a paw.

It was a smooth human hand.