Episode 9
Clink.
The sound of a teacup gently placed on the table echoed in the room.
Not even a single breath could be heard while the butler poured tea.
This was the most suffocating tea time Laria had ever experienced.
She rolled her eyes nervously, glancing between her mother—sitting beside her—and Zenox, who sat across the table.
At this point, she kind of wanted to pass out like her father had.
‘Is Father okay?’
She thought of the Earl of Rohan, probably lying unconscious in the next room.
As soon as he heard about her supposed marriage at the front door, the poor man had fainted on the spot.
Things had turned into such chaos that Zenox had to step out of the carriage and come in himself.
“My apologies for the sudden visit. I’m Zenox Crassium.”
With Zenox showing up without warning, the household was thrown into an uproar.
And just like that, this tea time turned into an awkward three-way meeting.
Laria secretly glanced at her mother.
To outsiders, the Countess looked calm—but Laria knew better.
Her mother was furious.
‘She didn’t poison the tea, right…?’
Being a serpent beast-woman from the Northern Sea, the Countess was an expert in poisons.
She knew thousands of ways to kill someone silently. The idea of her poisoning Zenox wasn’t impossible.
At last, the suffocating silence was broken—by the Countess.
“Would you kindly explain what’s going on here?”
Her tone was polite, but her voice felt like icy wind.
It sounded less like a question and more like: “Say something I don’t like, and you’ll die.”
‘We should’ve prepared a story in advance…’
Laria glanced at Zenox, and their eyes met briefly.
He gave her a small smile—one that said, “Don’t worry.”
She felt a bit relieved.
“We weren’t aware of His Majesty’s letter either,” Zenox said.
“So… this is all just a misunderstanding?” the Countess asked.
“Yes. We think it’s too soon for marriage.”
The Countess looked relieved—until Zenox added:
“However… I am officially courting Lady Rohan.”
Laria’s jaw dropped.
His lie was so natural, even she nearly believed it.
Unlike the shocked Laria, Zenox continued calmly:
“Since it’s too soon for marriage, we’ve decided to start with an engagement.”
The Countess immediately turned to her daughter.
“Laria. Are you being threatened?”
Even if she was being threatened, how could anyone admit that in front of the person doing it?
Her mother looked calm, but her temper was clearly about to explode.
All eyes were now on Laria.
She felt sorry to shock her mother like this, but avoiding conflict with the imperial family was more important now.
They’d already crossed the point of no return. She had no choice but to go along with Zenox’s story.
“It’s true… just like His Grace said,” she said.
“What?”
“We… love each other.”
Once she made up her mind, the lies flowed way too easily.
And when she pictured that future diamond mine she’d receive after breaking off the engagement, she even smiled.
“You’re saying… you love him?”
Her mother squinted at her suspiciously.
“After barely two weeks of knowing each other?”
This was the moment to act shameless.
“It was love at first sight.”
“What about him could you possibly fall for?”
Her mother was practically cursing Zenox with her eyes.
But surprisingly, Zenox didn’t seem offended. He just blinked quietly, calmly sitting like this was all normal.
‘He seems weirdly humble and okay with this…’
Laria stared at Zenox for a second, then looked away.
It was clear her mother didn’t believe a word she said.
Not that Laria could blame her—Zenox had quite the bad reputation.
Even she thought he was crazy the first time they met.
But after living with him, she’d realized he wasn’t such a bad guy.
Maybe it was time to talk about his good points.
Rank and wealth wouldn’t convince her mother.
She had to speak from experience—like when she had secretly lived with Zenox in her fox form.
“He’s kind,” she began.
She remembered how Zenox always knelt to her eye level when she was a fox.
“He’s thoughtful, too.”
She remembered the time it started raining while they were walking in the garden.
Zenox had shielded her with his entire body, getting soaked while keeping her fur dry.
“And… we understand each other.”
If she lifted her paw, he brought her milk. If she stomped it, he knew she wanted to go for a walk.
The Countess’s face wrinkled more and more, as if Laria were describing a completely different person.
Only Zenox, sitting across from her, listened with quiet, unreadable eyes.
But Laria didn’t notice.
As she reflected on those moments, a strange feeling came over her.
Back then… she really did like him.
She had even wanted to become friends with him after returning to human form.
Before she knew it, she muttered softly:
“That’s why… I started to like him.”
Back in her room, Laria changed clothes and lay on her bed.
Staring at the ceiling, she replayed everything that had happened today.
So much had happened—and it wasn’t even the end of the day.
It all felt like a dream.
That intense three-way meeting ended somewhat vaguely.
After silently watching Laria for a long time, the Countess finally said they’d talk again once the Earl regained consciousness—and left.
Laria had hoped to speak with Zenox again, but her mother kicked him out too quickly.
They’d need to meet later to finalize their story… and the engagement terms.
‘I knew she’d hate it…’
Same with Herdin—why did everyone see Zenox as such a villain?
‘Well, I guess if I hadn’t experienced it myself, I would’ve misunderstood him too…’
People probably assumed the rumors were true.
But Laria knew a side of Zenox no one else did.
As she closed her eyes, she naturally recalled the day they met.
That day, in her fox form, Laria had been kidnapped by a strange man at the lakeside.
She’d kicked and scratched, but he wouldn’t let go.
After several failed escape attempts, she gave up.
Her beast form wouldn’t last forever anyway—maybe another hour or two.
Even regular beast-people couldn’t maintain tails or ears for a whole day.
The man’s body was strangely warm… and she ended up falling asleep.
When she woke up, she was in some mansion.
“Master… what’s with the fox?”
The butler looked at her, confused.
The man—the kidnapper—glanced lazily at the butler and replied in a flat tone:
“I found it.”
Then, like it was nothing, he handed Laria to the butler.
“Throw it somewhere.”
And just like that, he disappeared.
The butler and others blinked in confusion, while Laria silently screamed in her head:
‘Are you crazy?! Then why’d you even bring me?!’
He was a kidnapper—and now, annoyingly shameless.
If he’d at least said she was too cute to leave behind, she wouldn’t have been this mad.
“The master brought home a beast? That’s never happened before…”
The butler held her gently like she was a fragile ornament.
He looked unsure what to do with a baby fox.
Laria hissed and raised her claws, trying to escape.
“Well… I suppose we need to give it a name,” the butler said thoughtfully.
He stared at her and then said,
“Fluffy.”
The shock made Laria lower her paw mid-swipe.
Was that seriously a name?
“Hmm… maybe Pointy, since the ears are sharp.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
But the butler looked completely serious.
After debating between the two names, he finally said,
“Miss Fluffy, shall we get you a bath?”
And just like that, Laria—now “Fluffy”—was taken to the bathroom.
Being washed from head to tail in front of strangers was humiliating.
She howled in protest, but it only came out as soft yips and yowls.
Laria had nearly given up.
Fine, I’ll just wait until I return to my human form.
But even after a whole day passed, she couldn’t change back.
