TCDEVF 13

13

Posted by Zoe, Released on August 11, 2025

Chapter 13

For a moment, I thought the cat had woken up—but that was just my imagination.
The cat was once again limp, doing nothing but breathing.

What if it opened its eyes? Should I just pretend I don’t know anything and raise it as a cat?

But what if, like in the original story, it immediately transformed into a human? How much of this situation should I tell the Duke?

Ugh, what a headache.

Even as I let out deep sighs, I couldn’t stop stroking the cat. It was addictive—once you started, you couldn’t stop unless someone made you.

“Is being cute everything?”

In the original, Richard was a half-human, half-beast who could freely switch between cat and human form.

In fact, he was even stronger in his cat form, and his ability to heal was exceptional. His body might have been petite, but he still retained the full powers of a divine beast.

He would lure people into letting their guard down with his small and adorable appearance, then subdue them with overwhelming force.

That was precisely how Richard defeated his nemesis, Valienor, and ascended to the imperial throne.

…It sounds ridiculous even as I say it. Well, that’s romance fantasy for you.

Despite the flimsy logic, his popularity among readers was sky-high.

With looks, intelligence, strength, courage, personality, and even cuteness, he was the perfect all-rounder male lead—who wouldn’t like that?

And although he acted cold and aloof like a cat to everyone else, he was warm and gentle only toward his woman. A textbook romance fantasy male lead.

Even so, I didn’t particularly like Richard.

Sure, I knew he lacked nothing as a male lead, but none of his charms really appealed to me personally.

“…Maybe it’s because he has black hair.”

My personal taste is arrogant blondes, after all.

The kind born and bred noble to the bone—who fall for a low-born heroine but can’t admit it, torment her because of it, and then end up desperately regretting it, reduced to a doormat.

Since Goguji didn’t have that kind of character, choosing Mikhail as my favorite was more like a second-best option.

I let out a wistful sigh at my unattainable love, thinking about my status. Unfortunately, in this world, I was among the highest of the high—the rarefied air of the uppermost nobility.

Valienor—so powerful that even the royal family dared not touch them. For my love to succeed, the only way would be to hide my identity and sneak off to a noble household on the neighboring continent as a maid.

“…That’s not a bad idea.”

I could raise my younger siblings until they were independent, then infiltrate a duke’s household across the sea as a maid, seduce the duke, and then run away. Then he’d be furious and come chasing after me, right? Perfect.

I was rolling around in bed with such fantasies when someone, with no fear whatsoever, flung open my bedroom door.

“My lady! The sun is high in the sky, and you’re still in bed?”

A loud voice rang through the room. I pushed aside the bed curtains and peered out to see the culprit.

“Baroness Caitlin?”

“How can you still be in your nightclothes at this hour? Aren’t you ashamed in front of your younger siblings?”

I was too startled by the sudden intrusion to react right away. I hadn’t eaten anything since waking, so my brain was taking its sweet time booting up.

I ignored her nagging and grabbed one of the chocolate cookies always stocked on the table, biting into it with a loud crunch.

“I’m not ashamed.”

We’d even gone on a night walk in these clothes just last night.

At my brazen reply, the baroness’s eyebrows shot up. The false, sugary smile she’d worn last night was long gone—since it was just the two of us, she clearly felt no need to hide her true colors.

“Did you just answer me while eating? If you don’t want to look like a half-wit, you need to behave properly—remember my advice?”

“…Advice?”

“As long as you’re not yet an adult, I am still your nanny. That means I have the right to discipline you.”

“…Oh.”

She sure doesn’t hold back just because she has a mouth.

So she still thinks Ariel is just a little girl she can control?

Like a stock villainess in a romance fantasy, the nanny spat out words without a care—digging her own grave enthusiastically.

I chewed and swallowed another cookie, considering the most efficient way to dispose of her.

Instead of feeling Ariel’s remembered anger, my emotions went in the opposite direction.

“Tsk.”

She’s not worth my time. I need to get rid of her as soon as possible.

Time and energy are always limited. I couldn’t afford to waste either on such a petty person—not when I already had a whole truckload of problems to deal with, starting with the sleeping cat.

Still, I had to avenge Ariel properly…

After a moment’s thought, I recalled a method perfectly suited for people with rotten personalities.

I called it “Ni-pal-ni-kkon” — short for Ni palja niga kkon geoda (“You twisted your own fate”). It was a tactic I’d used often in my old workplace.

Step one: Provoke them until they can’t resist lashing out.

Step two: Prepare a trap that will expose their low character as much as possible.

Step three: When they fall for it, gather ironclad evidence and destroy them with it.

Having used it successfully to deal with plenty of troublemakers, I knew it worked.

So I moved to step one—provocation—curling my lips in the smuggest smile I could muster. My expression practically screamed, How dare the likes of you…

Then, in a cold, commanding tone, I struck.

“Baroness, you seem unable to distinguish between what can and cannot be said.”

“…My lady?”

Her words stalled at my sudden use of a condescending tone.

“Do you still see me as the little girl who used to tremble at your every word?”

I clapped my hands sharply. Three maids, who had clearly been waiting, entered the room and bowed.

“The baroness is tired. Please escort her to her room.”

“My lady? What insolence is this! I am your nanny!”

“Baroness, the mistress of this annex is me. I have the authority to control your actions.”

“Our family has served the dukedom for generations! Do you think the duke will sit idly by if he hears of this?!”

Sorry, but the moment I so much as shed a tear, the duke wouldn’t care about family honor—he’d separate your head from your body.

“The baroness seems very tired. Take her quickly.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“My lady?! My lady!!”

Her indignant voice echoed through the annex as she was dragged away.

I turned back toward my bed with a smirk. The cat, undisturbed by the commotion, continued to sleep peacefully.

“Phew, exhausting.”

Her arrogance was really over the top. Was it because there was no mistress of the house?

Suppressing the urge to lie down beside the cat, I stretched. It was really time to get up.

“Is there anyone still outside?”

One of the familiar maids approached cautiously and bowed low—perhaps more respectfully than usual, having witnessed what just happened.

“Where are Davina and Jeremiah right now?”

“M-Master Jeremiah is in heir training, and L-Lady Davina is resting.”

“Good. Go call Davina for me.”

There’s something I need to check.

Davina came running less than ten minutes after I sent for her. With the maids present, her face was icy, but her eyes were bright and alert as she looked at me.

“Leave us.”

“Yes, my lady.”

As soon as the maids left, Davina’s expression lit up completely. She glanced around, then scurried over to me.

“Sis, did you call me?”

“Yeah. Come sit here.”

“I want to see the cat!”

“The cat’s sleeping right now, so just sit for now.”

She sat obediently on the sofa, glancing between me and the table, where the chocolate cookies I’d been eating earlier still lay.

Her blue-gray eyes flickered uncertainly, like she was hesitant. Did she want a cookie?

“Do you want one?”

“Can I?”

I hadn’t expected such a cautious answer to such a casual question.