CSTB Chapter 33

Chapter 33

The sight of Noah’s unexpected smile left Roze a little… no, truthfully, very surprised.

From the very first impression, he had been like a biting cold wind, a man whose icy demeanor clung even to the tips of his eyebrows. And yet, here he was—smiling like that.

So Noah really is someone who knows how to smile like this.

It wasn’t so hard to imagine him being called a “gentle man” after all.

That feeling she always had when looking into Noah’s eyes—that it was as if sunlight were pouring down—Roze could now feel radiating from his whole smiling face.

How cruel…

That a man capable of smiling like this was fated to be misunderstood by everyone and turn into a tyrant… what a merciless setting that was. For his smile was so complete, so genuine, without a trace of darkness.

Maybe that was why…

Noah never turns away from me, no matter what.

The thought she’d had before surfaced again, and Roze felt she could believe in it now more than ever.

So she gathered her courage and reached for his hand, and Noah, as if he had been waiting for it, grasped hers firmly in return.

This isn’t the time for this…

She knew she should stay sharp if she was to adapt to this bizarre situation—that she couldn’t afford to let her heart soften just because of Noah’s actions. And yet…

Tears welled up in Roze’s eyes as she looked at him.

“You don’t need to be afraid. It’s all right, Roze.”

It wasn’t just relief that she was alive.

Of course, it was true she had felt that relief. She couldn’t bear the thought of the maids suffering because of her, and so she had raised her voice even knowing it might cost her life.

Even if Noah had always cherished and loved her, that love had only been for a cat. It was true that his kindness had moved even Roze—a woman not easily swayed by anyone’s actions—but that was only because she had been a cat.

So she had wondered—would he believe her when she said she was Roze? Perhaps this was the beginning of his path toward becoming a tyrant. She had resigned herself to die.

But Noah had recognized her at a glance. He hadn’t turned away. More than that—he had tried to reassure her, terrified as she was.

Being prepared to die didn’t mean she wasn’t afraid of death. So yes, she had felt relief at surviving. But…

What touched her heart so deeply she couldn’t stop her tears was something else.

“…You must have been terribly frightened.”

It was because of Noah’s eyes, looking solely at her. They seemed to say he was ready to love her no matter what she looked like.

Roze had never seen such eyes before. Eyes that said your very existence is precious, eyes that said there is nothing in this world more important than you. Not in this life, nor in her past one.

She had always thought only a mother could look at someone like that. And so she believed no one would ever look at her that way. Some things were unattainable, no matter how much you wanted them. She had long since forgotten even the act of yearning.

But Noah’s eyes held that very look. He gazed at her with such tenderness, as if it were a waste to even let his eyes rest upon her.

“Hhic.”

And so, tears spilled over.

How could he? Once again, Noah had soothed a wound even she herself had forgotten.

“You’re safe now…”

As the tears streamed down her cheeks, Noah’s face darkened. Agonized by her pain, he said nothing—only brushed away her tears, silently waiting for her to calm down.

That quiet patience only made Roze burst into fresh sobs.

The truth was… she had been terrified.

Not of dying itself, but of dying at Noah’s hands. That was what had horrified her most.

Even though he always tried to hide his feelings, his affection for her had always been so clear whenever he looked at her.

She had been terrified of the idea that the hands that once stroked her back with comfort would one day wrap around her throat, that those loving eyes would one day glare at her with hatred.

“It’s okay. It’s all right, Roze. I’m here. I’m right here, Roze.”

That she had ever imagined this Noah could kill her—what a ridiculous thought.

Noticing how his expression darkened more and more as her crying dragged on, Roze gradually quieted. She wiped away the remaining tears herself, then pulled his hand close and nuzzled her face against it like she used to when she was a cat.

Yes… that’s right. Noah is here.

Repeating his words inside that hand, she quickly regained her composure.

Only then did the furrow between Noah’s brows soften.

With his hand as support, Roze sat up and gave him a bright, determined smile.

“I want to go out now. Help me, Noah.”

She had only hidden here because it was the only place to hide—hardly because it was comfortable.

As she held Noah’s hand and tried to move, the drawer creaked, tilting forward as if it would collapse.

She grabbed at Noah’s arm to steady herself—but strangely, the moment she did, Noah froze completely stiff.

“Why…? …Ah!”

Tilting her head at his reaction, Roze suddenly realized—she wasn’t wearing a single thread of clothing.

“Ahhh! Noah! Turn around!”

Letting go of his hand, Roze frantically tried to cover herself.

Even as he quickly stepped away, Noah moved awkwardly, like someone whose joints wouldn’t bend properly. He seemed to be searching instinctively for something—but without any idea of what exactly he was looking for.

“Clothes… but there’s no way there’d be anything for Roze to wear here. Then maybe a robe…”

Just as flustered as Noah, Roze blanked out, not knowing what to do.

“Your Majesty! Christina is here!”

Suddenly, Christina’s voice rang from outside.

Ah—that’s right. Today was the day Christina was coming.

Yes, today was the day Christina was supposed to bring the necklace Roze had left behind.

“My lady, how did you make it in here?”
“I just said my name and everyone let me pass! Your Majesty! I’m here—it’s Christina!”
“You shouldn’t go in there…”

Then Jonathan and Evelyn’s voices joined in, followed by the rattling of the doorknob.

Oh no! What do I do?!

Just as Roze panicked at the thought of them barging in, a blanket fluttered down over her head.

Turning her eyes to it, she saw Noah had wrapped her snugly, covering every inch of her body before lifting her out of the drawer.

Noah…

Bundled tightly in the blanket, Roze looked up at him.

His gaze was steady, calm, utterly free of hesitation as he looked at her.

But Roze had no time to marvel or feel grateful.

For at that moment, the door swung open.

“Your Majesty! Pardon the intrusion!”

And in came the voices’ owners—Christina, Jonathan, Evelyn, and even Amelia—all four entering the chamber at once.

It’s over…

She had planned for this to be just the beginning—she’d been trying to find some way for Christina to come into the palace more often.

But now—it was all ruined!

Before she could even try anything, it was already over.

Instead of getting emotional over Noah, I should’ve been figuring out where to hide!

Wrapped in the blanket, perched on the bed, Roze braced herself for everyone to treat her like a monster.

A cat suddenly turning into a human—no matter how you argued it, especially a cat with red eyes, there was no talking your way out of that.

“You’re all shocked, right? Ahaha… I was shocked too.”

She tried to force a laugh, but there was no way to lighten the heavy mood.

But then…

“I thought beastkin only existed in storybooks, but they’re real! Every time I read, I always thought it would be so cute if beastkin really existed. And Roze—you’re one of those legendary beastkin! That’s amazing!”

Christina, after staring at her in silence for a while, suddenly spoke with excitement, saying she had always wished such beings were real.

“So that’s why you could unlock latches so easily!”

And just like that, the situation took an unexpected turn.