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Chapter: 02
Bariya Bell
This year, she had turned ten—a proud and mighty lynx beastman.
She had always lived boldly, never cowed by anyone, yet before hunger, she could do nothing but lower her head.
For the past three years, she had been chased by hyenas and hadn’t had a proper meal.
Eventually, blinded by the sight of jerky, she was caught by Sirka and dragged into a magnificent mansion.
And in the office, she came face to face with a man of tremendous size.
“A kitten fought with hyenas?”
Golden hair so dazzling it hurt the eyes, and transparent, beautiful golden eyes.
Unlike the delicate and pretty Sirka, this man had strong, defined features—a handsome man.
He was Bayden, the head of the Caliph family and leader of all tiger beastmen.
He found Bariya, brought by his son Sirka, fascinating.
“Certainly, not an ordinary cat.”
He couldn’t tell lynxes from cats, but Bariya didn’t have the mental space to mock him.
‘What kind of beastman family is this?’
Sirka was fierce, but Bayden’s intense gaze alone was terrifying.
Even for a great lynx like her, who had survived countless dangers, the pheromones he exuded were formidable enough to make her hesitate.
‘I’m even feared by hyenas!’
Somehow, her pride was stung.
“That’s why I brought her, Father.”
The word Father made Bariya’s ears perk up.
Unlike Sirka, who had silver hair and blue eyes, Bayden’s golden hair and golden eyes made it hard to believe they were father and son.
Could they be of different species?
When parents are different species, the child only inherits one bloodline—like Bariya.
“Since she can understand words, it’s highly likely she’s a beastman.”
Bariya braced herself, swinging her front paws fiercely.
If you even try to harm me a little, I won’t forgive you!
“Normally, she would’ve lost her nerve and wet herself by now. Quite spirited.”
Bariya snorted at Bayden’s words.
Was he looking at her as a mere child who couldn’t even control her bodily functions?
A great lynx never cowers in the face of hardship.
“Is that the only reason you brought her? That’s not like you.”
Bariya nodded vigorously at his words.
Why exactly did they bring her here?
She’d have been grateful just to be left alone, even though he didn’t kill her.
“I was curious. The hyenas wouldn’t dare cross the Caliph territory just to eat this tiny cat. Maybe there’s something special about her?”
Bariya almost swallowed her breath.
‘This is why I hate clever ones.’
She swiped her front paws irritably.
“Was it because she supposedly slapped you with her paws and hind legs?”
Sirka’s cheek still bore the proud paw prints Bariya had left.
Hmph.
Bariya smiled proudly at the mark.
“Look, even the kitten’s mocking me.”
Sirka chuckled, sharp fangs glinting.
“I’ll take good care of her.”
At that moment, Bariya realized why she had been brought here.
‘They want to eat me for slapping them!’
“Let’s get along.”
Get along? She’d only been dragged here because of jerky. Otherwise, she would’ve escaped immediately.
This mansion? She could flee in an instant!
When she thought of escaping through the kitchen, her plan was set.
But contrary to her expectations, Sirka brought her to a bedroom.
She had never seen a place so luxurious and dazzling. Even the hyena households didn’t have bedrooms this fancy.
“Stay still now.”
The moment Bariya stepped onto the bed while surveying the room, it felt as if lightning had struck her from head to tail.
“Meow. (What is this?)”
A bed this soft?
Aren’t beds supposed to be hard? She always slept on hard beds with her mother!
“Meow.”
The feeling of sinking slightly with every step was indescribably pleasant.
Bariya collapsed onto the bed, rubbing her entire body against it.
“Do you like the bed?”
Her eyes met Sirka’s, who had been watching her.
Hmph.
Bariya got up awkwardly, pretending nothing had happened, and meticulously licked her fur.
“Perhaps younger than I thought.”
No. At ten, she was fully grown.
“You’re a beastman, right?”
Yes, she was, but she had no intention of answering a fool who couldn’t even tell cats from lynxes.
“You smell.”
“…Hmph?”
Bariya, grooming her fur, was shocked.
‘I… smell? Sure, there’s the scent of those annoying hyenas, but… to say I smell!’
“Kyah!”
She leapt, swinging her front paws fiercely, but Sirka caught her immediately—both paws.
“Why, do you want to play?”
Sirka held each of her front paws in his hands, shaking them.
Forcing her to “dance,” Bariya felt an immense humiliation.
“For a beastman, the smell is weak, but for an ordinary kitten, it’s strange.”
No! I bathe regularly!
“Especially the scent hitting the nose…”
Sirka frowned.
Bariya attempted a hind-leg kick again.
“I won’t fall for it three times.”
Sirka jerked his face back.
“Anyway, start talking. Why were you being chased by hyenas? And how did someone so small survive them? There’s more than one suspicious thing.”
And what if there is? Bariya snorted.
“You won’t leave here unless you talk. You’ll live here forever.”
Forever?
Bariya’s specialty was escape. For three years, she had evaded the persistent hyenas.
“You want to live forever, huh? Fine, understood.”
Pretending not to hear, she flicked her tail, making Sirka smile wickedly.
“Tailin!”
A maid with brown hair entered the bedroom at his call.
“Keep a close eye on her. Make sure she can’t escape. She seems to want to live in this mansion forever.”
“Yes, Master.”
They wanted to lock her up? Fine. She was used to such treatment.
She had even escaped from prison before.
In fact, prisons were easier to escape from—exactly what she wanted.
But Bariya’s expectations missed the mark again.
“How about now, little one? Feels refreshing to wash off the dust, right?”
Tailin had filled a large basin and carefully bathed her.
Her touch was so gentle that Bariya’s guard melted naturally.
“Oh, our little one bathes so well. How polite for a cat.”
Of course. Bariya was no ordinary cat.
“Her fur is so soft and brown, just like the little one herself. There’s no other cat with such beautiful fur.”
Naturally. She was a mighty lynx.
Bariya stretched out her wet chest, and Tailin swooned.
“Ah, so cute. The Caliph family is fine, but they weren’t this adorable. Thanks to our little kitten, we’re spoiled.”
Caliph family?
Tailin’s words snapped Bariya fully awake.
One of the few beastman families she knew.
The Caliph family—leaders of the tiger species.
‘I didn’t expect to cross into tiger territory while fleeing.’
No wonder there were no hyena beastmen around, just animals chasing her.
“Since the young master likes her, let’s make sure she stays well here.”
“….”
“Of course, the lady of the house must also permit it, but she’s currently traveling. Until she returns, let’s make sure she stays here well.”
Bariya, however, probably wouldn’t still be here by then.
She had just met them; there was no way the tigers genuinely liked her.
She had even slapped Sirka, the heir, multiple times with her paw.
Reluctantly admitting it, they were only bathing her because she smelled; once clean, they might try to kill her.
But the real problem lay elsewhere.
‘What if they find out why the hyenas were chasing me?’
They’d likely send her away immediately, not protect her.
Or lock her up.
A beastman shouldn’t trust anyone!
‘I must escape.’
She hadn’t spent over three years fleeing to die now.
Bariya had to survive.
She had work to do while alive.
‘Bariya, baby. You must survive. Don’t get caught…! Never get caught, live till the end!’
Her promise to her mother, who risked her life to get her out of the hyena household.
