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Chapter 37
‘Riana always lost her appetite when she was uncomfortable.’
Killian felt sorry, realizing he had made her uncomfortable. He felt so guilty that he didn’t even ask about the Memory Potion.
He didn’t care that the marriage he had wanted fell through.
Just as he had confessed to her—he had never planned to force her into marriage in the first place.
He had no intention of breaking someone’s will just to lift a curse. In fact, he had long lost any real will—whether it came to curses or even life itself.
Maybe things would’ve been different… about eight years ago.
After the previous Duke passed away, the real power in the Veloci estate went to the butler, Morgan.
Morgan had managed the estate while the former Duke was cursed and living as a beast, and when the curse was finally broken and the Duke returned, Morgan willingly stepped aside. He had been a loyal servant.
He had vowed to do the same for the Duke’s son. So, when Noel Veloci turned into a cat due to the same curse, Morgan hid his frail body to protect him.
“Did you sleep well, my lord?”
“…Mm.”
A dark underground room, untouched by sunlight or prying eyes.
A tiny kitten with soft fur tried to rise from his cradle—but lost balance and flopped over.
The young Duke, Noel Veloci, hadn’t yet adjusted to his smaller body and weaker limbs.
Morgan watched him with sympathy and gently asked,
“I planned to prepare turkey for your meal. Is that alright?”
Noel mumbled weakly,
“I don’t want it… I had it yesterday…”
“You should say, ‘No. I had that yesterday.’” Morgan corrected him.
Noel sighed and repeated,
“I’m starting to forget how to speak, Morgan.”
He copied Morgan’s tone the best he could. The voice of his father in his memories was already starting to fade.
“Shall I bring you a book?”
“I probably can’t even turn the pages… I’ll just end up scratching it with my claws before I even get to read.”
“You must speak informally to me, my lord.”
Noel had forgotten how to speak like a noble. Half the words he used to know were already gone from his head.
Could anyone even understand him now with this tiny animal mouth? His tongue felt rough, his teeth sharp—he couldn’t pronounce things properly anymore.
Noel barely managed to whisper,
“I don’t know…”
Morgan corrected again,
“Say, ‘I don’t know.’”
“…I don’t know.”
“From now on, repeat what I say. I’ll help you not forget how to speak, my lord.”
To help Noel one day return as the head of the family, Morgan began mimicking the former Duke’s tone when speaking in front of him.
But there was one problem—Morgan’s deep loyalty.
Even in front of a tiny kitten, he couldn’t bring himself to speak completely casually. So, the speech he taught Noel was less like a commanding Duke and more like a polite old man.
Still, Noel was happy. Because he loved Morgan, everything Morgan taught him was precious.
One day, when Noel was spending his days waiting for Morgan and forgetting what daytime or nighttime even looked like…
“Would you like to see the outside world?”
Morgan asked. Noel, now a bit older, perked up his ears.
“Can I go out?”
“Only if you promise to be careful.”
To outsiders, Morgan’s tone might’ve sounded arrogant for a butler, but his wrinkled face showed nothing but loyalty.
“I promise.”
Morgan hid his worries and took Noel out.
At first, they went together. Then, Noel started going alone for about thirty minutes.
Eventually, he began sneaking out through the sewer system on his own every day.
That’s when he met Riana.
“Morgan, I think I’ve found the girl from the prophecy.”
“You met someone? I’ve told you many times to avoid people during your outings…”
Startled, Morgan dropped to one knee and bowed deeply. His wide, shocked pupils locked on Noel.
Noel slowly turned his head away from the intense gaze, stepping lightly and gracefully, like he was used to this body now.
“You told me once, didn’t you? Riana Effindor. The only girl in Veloci territory who matched both conditions.”
“I didn’t tell you so you’d go meet her!”
“I saw her use light.”
Morgan was so shocked by Noel’s calm words that he collapsed to the floor. His lips moved, but no sound came out.
Noel walked around him, upright and poised, and said,
“Riana Effindor is the destined Duchess.”
His golden eyes gleamed with determination.
“My Duchess.”
But Morgan remained cautious. He said they needed to learn more about Riana.
The girl from the prophecy was an orphan, so there were still many things about her birth they needed to confirm.
While Morgan looked into Riana’s true birth date and background, Noel spent time with her.
They grew close quickly. Noel thought Riana was a lot like him.
Lonely, and left alone in the world.
But at least he had Morgan. Noel promised himself he would be someone like Morgan for Riana.
It was a bright spring afternoon, the year Noel turned fifteen.
“What are you doing?”
Riana giggled as a cat’s tongue licked her fingers.
Noel licked her thin fingers again.
“Did you get hurt?”
Riana asked, and Noel rubbed his face into her palm. There was a tiny scratch on her fingertip from a blade of grass.
“It’s not even bleeding. You’re overreacting.”
She gently squeezed the cat’s face in one hand, mumbling things he didn’t understand like, “You feel like mochi” or “like a cotton puff.”
It was springtime in the garden of Effindor Orphanage, with plum blossoms fluttering in the breeze. This beautiful view could only be seen in Veloci, in the southeastern part of the Diarres Kingdom.
“You’re still sweet though. Here. It’s the light you like, kitty.”
Riana gathered light at her fingertip. Just as Noel licked her finger again—
Meow!
Noel let out a real cat’s cry and shivered.
It was sweet. A flavor he had never tasted before—not even before becoming a cat.
“Again.”
“Well, look at you…”
Riana squished his cheeks but did as he asked. More light formed on her hand.
The light disappeared into Noel’s mouth.
“You… eat this?”
“It’s delicious.”
“You’re such a weird cat…”
Riana shook her head but didn’t complain. She never asked too many questions.
That day, Noel felt something strange as he returned to Veloci Castle.
It felt like something was squirming inside him. The light he had eaten from Riana seemed to take root and grow something inside his body.
He slipped in through the back gate of the castle. Even though he felt odd, it was a route he took often, so he managed fine.
But the real problem came after he got inside.
‘What’s that smell…?’
The entire castle reeked. The smell came from everywhere.
It was the scent of blood.
Noel ran toward the source, not to the basement this time.
The trail of blood led him to the Duke’s office.
‘Morgan…!’
Morgan was lying on the carpet, his heart pierced.
“Morgan Proig, the traitor of Veloci, is dead!”
A man with long hair raised a bloody sword and shouted. His armored followers screamed in excitement.
“Silence! Our city has declined because of a curse passed down through our lords. But is that our fault?”
“Of course not!”
Angry cries echoed. The man with long hair banged his sword on a shield to get attention and continued.
“Should we let the weakness of our lord spread to us?”
“No! Never!”
“I, Cesar Delbaton, have killed the weakling Morgan Morphes, servant of House Veloci! Now it’s time to reclaim the city’s honor!”
“Woooooo!”
Hidden in the dark hallway, Noel wanted to run away—but he couldn’t. His legs had no strength.
The man with long brown hair… was his mother’s cousin.
The Delbaton family had been farmers, but after their daughter was chosen to be Duchess, they were brought into the noble house.
But they were greedy people who only wanted money and land.
Noel’s mother had driven them out herself in disgust. That was something Morgan had taught Noel.
Now Morgan was dead.
Delbaton kicked Morgan’s head like it was trash and muttered darkly,
“Now we’ll kill the Duke and everyone who supported Morgan Morphes.”
Just then, someone among the followers cautiously raised a hand and asked,
“Um… what if Noel Veloci has transformed into a giant beast like the former Duke?”
The crowd murmured anxiously.
They all remembered the previous Duke’s appearance before his marriage—an enormous black panther with terrifying yellow eyes. No one could think of that image without fear.
“Puhaha! That coward? Don’t you get it from how Morgan kept him locked up?”
Delbaton laughed, spitting as he shouted,
“Noel Veloci is nothing but a weak little kitten!”
