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chapter 41
A week had already passed since my plan to sneak out by hiding in a basket fell apart.
And after a week-long cold war…
‘Whoa, where is this?’
…I actually went out.
The problem was, I wasn’t going out alone.
This situation happened because of the conditions Louise set for allowing me outside. She gave permission under two conditions:
First, since I had succeeded in transforming into a human, I had to learn how to throw a dagger from her.
Second, I had to go out with her.
And so, I ended up going out.
“Sir Ian, shouldn’t I have taken a day off today?”
“That’s nonsense.”
“Hm, Allen. If you’re bored, how about sparring with my aide?”
“Ah, I would love to spar, but unfortunately I don’t have a sword—”
“There’s one right here.”
“Sir Ris Demont, do you not see how delicate my wrists are? How could someone like me possibly face someone as strong as you?”
“If you want to strengthen those delicate wrists, then—”
“Sir Ian, my delicate wrists are my charm point. Could you please let it slide…?”
“No.”
…With those tigers.
‘Wow…’
The large lake beside us shimmered under the sunlight. Its clear blue color sparkled like tiny jewels gently rippling across the surface.
‘Is it a similar color to Ian’s eyes?’
I looked at the lake, then at Ian’s eyes. The shades of blue were different, but the lake was beautiful in its own way.
“Ariel, Maze Lake is considered one of the most beautiful lakes on the continent.”
Louise carried me down from the carriage.
Sadly, starting today my human transformation had worn off, so I was back to being a kitten.
‘But in a couple of days, this adjustment period will finally be over!’
Wow. It had been so hard.
‘I can’t see!’
‘Where is everyone?’
“Sir Ian, when smart dogs are trained, don’t they sometimes practice getting out from under a cloth?”
“Ariel… are you trying to become a dog?”
“That would be a problem. Tigers don’t really like dogs.”
There was even a time when I struggled inside a dress, unable to escape while treats were right in front of me, and Ian had to rescue me—earning me the humiliating nickname of “a cat that wants to be a puppy.”
Thud.
“Meow!!”
“It’s okay, Ariel. Calm down.”
Once, I tried to throw a dagger while in human form, but right before releasing it, I turned back into a kitten. The dagger stuck right in front of my paw, and I jumped in shock.
I had trembled on the spot until Louise pulled it out for me—more than once.
And when I was eating dessert with a fork, the moment I turned into a cat…
That was genuinely terrifying.
“Meow… huh?”
“Sir Ian, wouldn’t it be wise to remove that terrifying weapon next to Lady Ariel?”
“Ah, of course. We can’t let such a dangerous weapon harm even a single hair on our precious cat.”
That tiny fork became a deadly weapon to me. And the nonsense from Allen and Ian that followed was just a bonus.
The idea that the fork I was using could kill me… honestly, it wasn’t just scary—it was humiliating.
With a bag slung over my back, I stared at the shining lake, sinking into memories of my hardships.
I almost teared up thinking about it.
I opened my backpack, spread out a map, and plopped down onto the grass.
‘How am I supposed to prepare retirement funds without getting caught by those tigers?’
Even after recalling the original story region by region, my future plans hadn’t progressed at all.
‘I need to live comfortably even after leaving the Cadellion family.’
I needed at least one escape route, no matter what.
After experiencing such a luxurious life, I didn’t think I could ever give it up.
‘How do I become rich?’
Whether in this world or the other, becoming rich was equally difficult.
I stared at the map for a long time.
Then, a carrot rolled toward me.
Obviously, it was those tigers again.
I kicked it away with all my strength and ignored it, sinking back into thought.
‘Huh…?’
That mountain… looked familiar.
As I kept staring at the map, the eastern mountain area caught my eye.
It just looked like an ordinary, useless rocky mountain.
‘Where have I seen this before?’
It nagged at my mind like the buzzing of a mosquito.
I wandered around restlessly, digging through my scattered memories.
If I couldn’t remember, it felt like I’d go the whole day feeling uncomfortable—like being soaked in rain and unable to wash.
I grabbed my fur with my paws, thinking hard.
Then Ian walked over, took my paw, and freed my hair.
“If you keep that up, you’ll go bald. Want to be friends with an eagle, Ariel?”
Ignoring him, I circled under a tree.
‘Ah!’
『That insignificant pile of rocks in the east turned out to be a mine.』
A line from the original story flashed through my mind.
I remembered.
A mine.
‘Right. This is it!’
My fur practically stood on end.
Even without looking, my tail was probably trembling.
A cool breeze from the lake brushed my flushed cheeks.
The mysterious mine—hidden in that rocky eastern mountain—was the key factor that helped the heroine’s trading company become the seventh largest on the continent.
**『—Crash!
“Ah, I’m sorry!”
Chloe accidentally dropped the lamp she was holding to light the surroundings.
“Huh…?”
A nearby worker stared blankly.
At that moment, the ordinary rocky mountain began transforming into ore filled with a mysterious glow.』**
As if luck favored the destined, the heroine discovered a new mineral simply by dropping a lamp.
A mineral that changed color depending on the reflection of light.
And that single event completely changed her life.
‘Chloe really is the embodiment of “the lucky always win.”’
Beastmen went crazy over the new type of gemstone.
Naturally, the worthless stones skyrocketed in value.
‘Honestly… was the author just being lazy? This is way too overpowered.’
I kept circling the tree.
The shade somehow felt closer.
Maybe I was just in a good mood.
Right!
‘I’ll just buy that mine!’
The realization hit me like lightning. My heart pounded in my ears.
Then becoming filthy rich would be instant.
‘Wow. Is this what winning the lottery feels like?’
This is insane.
I’ve used up all my luck in this life.
I ran across the grass.
In the original story, that mine made the heroine’s company the seventh largest on the continent.
That’s how powerful it was.
‘…Then couldn’t I make the number one company?’
I stopped in my tracks.
No way. Jackpot.
A surge of exhilaration rushed through me. My whiskers trembled.
The world suddenly looked beautiful.
The refreshing blue lake,
The soft grassy field,
The towering trees scattered around—
Everything was perfect.
And then—
‘And behind me…’
Why are you guys here?
I turned around, stunned.
Behind me stood all the beastmen—except Allen, who had already laid out a mat and was resting.
‘Weren’t we all supposed to relax separately?’
I thought that was the unspoken agreement.
Ian waved the carrot in his hand.
“You left your carrot behind.”
Louise smiled faintly.
“I followed because I’m Ian’s older sister. Siblings are one, after all.”
“With all due respect, I don’t think you’re in a position to say that.”
“I am Lady Louise’s aide, so it’s only natural I stay by her side.”
‘Ian. Then give me the carrot.’
I stared confidently at him.
He handed it over, and I stuffed it into my small bag.
‘There. Done.’
The carrot stuck out of the bag since the zipper wouldn’t fully close.
After struggling with it for a while, I gave up and just carried it like that.
I walked across the grass.
‘But what should I do?’
Even if I started a trading company, finding capable people to run it was another problem.
And keeping it hidden from Ian was also an issue.
Even if Louise helped, that white tiger would definitely find out eventually.
So I needed to grow it to some extent before he noticed.
‘…Wait. What if I use the original story?’
The heroine, the seven major merchants, the information guild master…
Everyone in that story was someone powerful.
‘…Just like the people behind me.’
I glanced back. They pretended to look elsewhere.
‘What are you guys doing?’
Ian smiled.
“We’re worried you’ll pull out all your fur.”
“I’m here for the same reason as before.”
“I’m Lady Louise’s aide, so I must stay with her.”
…Forget it.
I just shook my head and kept walking.
‘Ian… he’s 19 now.’
And the original story hadn’t even started yet.
Which meant…
All the important characters hadn’t appeared yet.
They were still struggling somewhere in the mud.
‘What if I pull them out of that and recruit them first…?’
I glanced at the expensive jewels piled in my room.
They were more than enough to change someone’s life.
Money could do anything.
‘Wait… isn’t the original story basically a talent encyclopedia?’
‘I should squeeze everything I can out of it.’
And so, I made up my mind.
I would destroy the original story.
