SOP l CH 4

Posted by Eleanor, Released on November 3, 2025

Episode 4 – Revealed Identity

“Ruby-red eyes,” huh.

The novel really didn’t describe him well enough.

In real life, Kassirian’s eyes were even more stunning — like the purplish glow of the sunset or the red-hot molten metal inside a furnace. The color shifted beautifully depending on the light streaming through the window.

For a moment, I forgot that the man in front of me was the main villain of the story and just stared, my mouth slightly open.

Then—

“Why is this thing in my bedroom….”

Kassirian frowned deeply and turned away from me.

“Piiik? (This thing?)”

Wait, did he just call me that?!

“Piiik! Pik piik! (Hey! I didn’t want to be here either, you know?!)”

“Quiet.”

He covered his ears with a pillow and grumbled.

Yeah, fine. Judging by the situation, someone must’ve picked me up when I fainted and left me here. So, it probably wasn’t Kassirian’s doing.

I glared at his back, but then noticed his body — his shoulders and back were covered with bandages.

The memory from the original novel hit me.

“At eight years old, Kassirian Devon lost his father due to his own mana rampage.
Since then, he fought monsters and pushed himself to the brink — it was both his atonement and his only reason to live.”

How pathetic.

I clicked my tongue inwardly, staring at the blood-stained bandages.

It wasn’t even his fault. Hurting himself won’t make his father happy in the afterlife.

With a small sigh, I gently pressed one of the loose bandages back down with my paw.

There, you idiot. You’re lucky I’m nice.

After making sure it stuck, I turned my gaze around the room.

Old wooden furniture, cracked wallpaper, a door with a long handle.

So this was the bedroom of a Grand Duke? Pretty shabby. Guess it’s true he spent all his wealth improving his territory instead of himself.

And yet, in the story, he ends up turning all his people into undead….

Of course, that wasn’t his fault either.

When his divine beast (the “Shinsu”) died, his mana went berserk and destroyed the barrier protecting the north. Monsters flooded in, killing all the townspeople in their sleep.

Devastated, Kassirian lost his sanity and turned their corpses—and even his Shinsu—into undead soldiers to take revenge on the Empire.

Then, the author randomly introduced a secret prince who just chopped his head off.

“Pii, piiik. (What a tragic guy.)”

I sighed and shook my fluffy head.

But this wasn’t the time to pity him.

The real problem was me — because once I become the Shinsu, I’ll eventually be captured and killed by those same nobles.

‘Sorry, but I’m not dying like that.’

I leapt down from the bed, determined to escape.

As I headed for the door, something white and fluffy followed me.

I jumped back—then realized it was just… my own reflection.

“Pii…? (That’s… me?)”

In the mirror stood a tiny white marten, covered in soft fur like a dandelion puff, with lilac-colored round eyes, a black nose, a long body, and a puffy tail.

I pressed my paw to the glass and wagged my tail experimentally.

Yup. A marten. 100%.

Still, I accepted it surprisingly fast. Not because I liked it, but because after struggling so much in my last life, I’d already learned how to give up quickly.

You live, you adapt. That’s life.

‘Alright. First step — avoid a stupid death.’

I jumped, grabbed the doorknob, and hung on until it turned with a click. The door creaked open.

“Pii, piiik– pii! (Bye, Kassirian. Not nice meeting you, and let’s never see each other again!)”

After confirming he was still asleep, I slipped out of the room without hesitation.

***

Meanwhile, downstairs…

Three knights of the Devon Order entered the grand hall in their black uniforms.

“Can you imagine how glorious it’ll be?!” one of them, Martin, said excitedly. “The eastern lion, the western eagle, the southern bear—and now our northern snow leopard! What a sight!”

He was still hyped up from the previous night, when the crystal orb had glowed for the first time in 500 years—signaling the birth of a Shinsu.

All Devon Shinsus were snow leopards. Just thinking of seeing one again made their hearts race.

“I always envied the lion crest on the eastern knights’ cloaks,” the youngest, Ethan, said shyly, rubbing the detection crystal in his hands.

“Well,” Martin laughed, slapping his back, “we’ll have a roaring snow leopard on ours soon enough!”

Their deputy commander, Althea, frowned and hissed, “Quiet! The Duke said to keep it secret. No one outside this hall can know yet.”

“Oh, come on,” Martin said with a grin. “Once His Grace walks into the royal meeting hall with the Shinsu beside him, the whole Empire will find out anyway.”

Althea sighed and kept walking.

Ethan, however, looked nervous. “But, uh, how do we know which leopard it is? What if we grab the wrong one?”

Martin smirked. “That’s what the crystal’s for, kid. It glows when it’s near the real Shinsu—or when it touches one.”

Ethan nodded, impressed—just as a sudden scream echoed from the stairway.

“There! Catch it!”

They turned. Maids were shrieking as something white darted across the hall.

“What’s going on?” Althea reached for her sword.

A maid came running down, pale-faced. “Sir Althea! Please help! The marten His Grace rescued last night—it escaped!”

Martin chuckled. “All this fuss over a little marten?”

“It’s… it’s the one with rabies!” the maid stammered.

Martin froze. “What?!”

He rolled up his sleeves. “Forget the Shinsu—we’re catching that furball now.”

Althea barked orders. “Ethan, stay here and guard the crystal!” Then she dashed up the stairs, Martin right behind her.

Ethan was left alone, scratching his head nervously.

***

Back to me…

“Piik! Piiik! (Move it! Out of the way!)”

I darted through a maid’s legs, just barely dodging her frying pan swing. From the other end of the corridor, a huge knight was charging straight at me.

“Deputy! I’ll corner it from this side!”

“I’ll meet you halfway!”

Now the female knight was running toward me too. Every doorway had servants standing guard with brooms, and both staircases were blocked by knights.

I froze, panting, eyes darting everywhere.

Where do I go?!

Then I saw it — the chandelier hanging from the ceiling.

That’s it! I’ll swing down from there!

Without thinking, I jumped onto the railing and leapt toward the chandelier. I caught it—success!

But I hadn’t accounted for all the dust and cobwebs.

“Piiik! (Ugh! Ptoo! Ptoo!)”

While I was sneezing, a huge spider crawled right in front of my face.

Nope! NOPE!