Episode 5
Her heart began to pound like it might jump out of her chest.
Laria, who had been frozen in place and couldn’t breathe, finally managed to speak.
“Your Grace, the Duke…”
Even in the rain, Zenox’s eyes sparkled, but that light slowly faded.
He looked like someone who had just missed the person he’d been waiting for.
After a long silence, Zenox called her name.
“…Lady Rohan.”
The fox ears sticking out between her fingers perked up.
Zenox’s eyes locked on to the ears.
Laria, unable to hide them, bent to pick up her fallen umbrella.
“Are you hurt?”
Zenox didn’t answer her question.
She tried to pretend not to notice, but the blood on the ground made that impossible.
After a short hesitation, Laria tilted the umbrella to cover Zenox.
“You’re bleeding this much—how can I just ignore it?”
“It’s not my blood.”
Zenox finally responded.
Laria carefully examined him.
His wet shirt clung tightly to his body, showing the shape of his muscles and shoulders clearly.
But no matter how closely she looked, there were no visible wounds.
He didn’t look pale either, not like someone who had lost a lot of blood.
Even the armor on his hand was spotless.
‘That’s really someone else’s blood?’
That was shocking in its own way.
Laria, feeling awkward, hesitated.
Even though he said he wasn’t hurt, seeing him covered in blood made her uneasy.
Maybe it was because she remembered how Zenox used to panic even if the fox version of her got a tiny scratch.
Laria opened her bag and pulled out a handkerchief.
“Please use this to wipe the blood.”
Zenox looked like a wild animal refusing food, so Laria added quickly:
“If you take it, I’ll leave right away.”
Zenox stared at the handkerchief, then slowly looked up to her fox ears again.
As if mesmerized, he reached out his hand.
The moment their hands touched—
“…!”
A sharp pain shot through her wrist.
Zenox had suddenly grabbed her wrist tightly.
Surprised, she looked at him—his golden eyes wide open, staring at her intensely.
His predatory gaze felt like it pierced right through her.
Startled by his strange behavior, Laria stammered,
“Wh-what are you doing?”
Zenox slowly released her wrist after a long moment.
“…Nothing.”
Phew. That was scary.
Maybe he hit his head or something.
While Zenox silently looked down at his hand, Laria struggled to hide her fox ears.
It was still difficult to hide her ears and tail properly.
After finally managing to tuck away her ears, she blushed when she realized Zenox had watched the whole process.
She was embarrassed to have shown such a struggle over something so small.
“I’ll be going now.”
She tried to leave quickly, but Zenox slowly stood up.
Like a crouched beast stretching out, his height suddenly loomed over her.
He calmly studied Laria.
Every time his gaze moved, she felt strange.
After a long moment of silent observation, Zenox suddenly gave a faint smile.
“Lady Rohan.”
It was just a smile, but it completely changed the atmosphere—as if he’d taken off a mask.
His already-handsome face seemed to glow.
Laria, caught staring, suddenly remembered the time she stayed at the Crassium estate.
Back then, he used to smile at her too… although that smile was quite different from this one.
“Thank you for helping me.”
His voice, once cold as ice, now sounded as gentle as a spring breeze.
“But I’d like to ask one more favor.”
…Zenox, since when were you so shameless?
Laria looked at him like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Zenox lowered his voice to a soft whisper.
“Please help me find Hayang.”
Like waves crashing onto a white beach, Laria’s mind went blank for a second.
Then her thoughts rushed in like tangled seaweed.
Did I seem suspicious? Why ask me, of all people?
She tried to calm her pounding heart.
She had to stay composed—one slip could be dangerous.
With a confused expression, she tilted her head.
“Why ask me…?”
Zenox smiled even deeper.
“Because you’re from the white fox tribe. You must understand their habits well.”
He had a point. Beastkin often inherited the instincts of their animal side.
Carnivore beastkin liked meat, bird beastkin built nests to sleep in…
“If you help me, I’ll make sure to repay you.”
Zenox smiled.
“With whatever it takes to satisfy you.”
Laria’s heart skipped a beat.
Jewels she had recently dreamed of buying flashed before her eyes.
Zenox had the power and wealth to give her anything.
Was he really looking for her because of…?
‘It must be because of the family heirloom.’
Zenox had told her to keep it, but the Crassium family’s butler had said it was a treasured heirloom passed down for generations.
Laria never intended to keep it forever.
She would have given it back if not for the people who attacked her trying to steal it.
She wanted to return it, but it wasn’t safe to do so now.
As Laria stayed silent, Zenox lowered his gaze.
His long lashes made him look sorrowful.
“Lately, I’ve received false tips saying someone saw Hayang.”
A bitter smile crossed his face.
“But they were all traps to lure me in.”
“…”
“Earlier too—they said they had Hayang and tried to use her as a hostage. But it wasn’t her.”
He looked so sad, it nearly made her waver.
But she reminded herself why he wanted to find her—it was for the heirloom.
If he found out her secret, not only she but her whole family would be in danger.
Laria pretended to think, then shook her head.
“Sorry, but I don’t think I can help.”
Zenox looked up, quietly staring at her.
“I’m at the age to marry, so I have to prepare for my wedding… I don’t have time.”
Of course, it was a complete lie.
But it was the most solid excuse.
If people started gossiping about a man and woman of marrying age spending time together, all her marriage proposals would dry up.
“Busy, I see…”
Zenox repeated, nodding slowly.
“Then… I hope when you have more free time, you’ll consider it.”
A verbal promise was easy to make.
She could just keep saying she was too busy later on.
Laria agreed, and Zenox smiled like he had planned it all.
That smile made her uneasy—but she ignored the bad feeling.
She didn’t yet know that she’d soon be forced to have plenty of free time…
Meanwhile, in the Capital
In the center of the Frandel Empire’s capital stood the grand imperial palace, a source of national pride.
Its outer walls changed color with the time of day: blue at dawn, reddish-orange at sunset.
Famous artists had helped design it, and the main palace, built over a lake, was especially breathtaking.
A long bridge connected it to land, and in summer, the lake filled with lotus blossoms.
Right now, however, the Crown Prince was busy running away from his royal physician.
“He’s gone now, right?”
“…Yes, Your Highness,” his attendant replied, looking annoyed.
Prince Ishuel wiped sweat from his forehead, forgetting all about royal dignity.
A few days ago, he had introduced Zenox to Lady Rohan of the white fox tribe.
His cousin Zenox had stopped socializing after his parents died and spent all his time on the battlefield.
He was sharp and dangerous—hard for anyone to get close to.
Then one day, he brought home a white fox.
He stopped fighting and stayed in the capital with it, finally seeming at peace.
But that peace didn’t last.
Three years ago, a fire broke out at his estate—and the fox was lost.
Since then, Zenox hadn’t slept or eaten properly, obsessed with finding her.
Worried that Zenox might die from this, Ishuel had set up the meeting with Laria, hoping a new relationship would help him move on.
But it didn’t go as planned.
Instead of love blooming, Zenox’s physician—Laria’s older brother—kept pestering him.
“He really dotes on his sister,” Ishuel muttered.
Still, he couldn’t just watch his cousin die.
Zenox wasn’t just family—he was someone who would help lead the empire in the future.
Tired from running, Ishuel dropped onto a sofa.
“Bring me some cold water.”
Soon after, his attendant returned.
“Your Highness… the Duke of Crassium has arrived.”
Ishuel jumped up.
“Zenox?!”
His cousin only showed up when absolutely necessary.
Most of the time, he was the one visiting Zenox, not the other way around.
As Ishuel stood in shock, a terrible thought hit him.
“Wait… is he here because of the matchmaking?!”
Is he here to yell at me like his sister did?
Just imagining Zenox angry made his blood run cold.
“Can I hide?”
He glanced at his servant, but it was too late.
The door opened.
Zenox walked in, covered in blood.
“Your Highness.”
“W-what happened to you?!”
He looked like a corpse walking out of a grave.
It was a miracle the guards hadn’t stopped him at the gate.
Panicked, Ishuel blurted out excuses.
“I swear I meant well! I thought maybe she could help since she’s a white fox—just trying to help you find Hayang!”
“It helped.”
“…It did?”
Ishuel gave him a suspicious look.
He was covered in blood, but his eyes were clear.
Not crazed like before—just intense in a different way.
Zenox calmly walked up to him and said:
“I felt fate.”
It was strangely romantic, not like Zenox at all.
He only talked like that when Hayang was around.
“Will you help me?”
“…Help with what?”
Ishuel asked nervously.
Zenox smiled—the first real smile in three years.
“I want to marry Lady Rohan.”
