Prologue
Under the starry night sky, bright lights and noisy chatter filled the grand hall of the Crodelia Imperial Palace. The nobles gathered there were all whispering excitedly about the same topic.
Then a man’s surprised voice rang out loudly.
“What? The Duke of Cadelarot brought someone with him?”
“He brought a partner. A woman!”
“What? Stop joking!”
“I saw it with my own two eyes! Everyone here saw it except you. That’s what you get for going to the toilet. I told you to bring some medicine for constipation on a day like this!”
“Please, speak more quietly. Everyone’s staring at us.”
The bald Count glanced around, embarrassed. But contrary to his worry, no one cared about him — everyone else was too busy gossiping with excitement.
“I’ve never seen that face before. The moment I saw her, I was shocked. How could someone look like that? That must be what it feels like to be bewitched.”
A young lady muttered dreamily, even though her champagne glass was still mostly full.
The Baron’s daughter beside her lowered her voice, hiding her mouth with her fan.
“I think the Duke just brought a beautiful commoner for one time.”
“What? Why do you think so?”
“Because whenever the Duke comes to parties, Her Majesty the Empress tries to match him with noble young ladies. But he never liked that.”
“So… you mean she’s like a shield?”
“Yes, exactly! Otherwise, why would someone like the Duke bring a girl none of us know?”
“That makes sense…”
“Oh my! Look, he’s coming now!”
With that whisper, all eyes turned toward one place.
The chatter died down, leaving only the soft flow of music across the banquet hall.
At the center of those overwhelming gazes stood a woman, glancing nervously around like a frightened rabbit.
Gasps came from every direction.
Hair as white as snow, eyes as blue as the ocean.
A shy manner, yet a bold cobalt-blue dress that stood out brilliantly.
“Is that… really a human?”
No one could answer. The woman was so mysteriously beautiful that everyone was thinking the same thing.
And, of course, beside her was the reason all attention had gathered — the Duke of Cadelarot.
The Duke looked around and sighed.
“Too many eyes are on us.”
“…”
“Are you alright?”
At his quiet question, the woman shook her head hard. The Duke stopped walking at her reaction, but she quickly tugged at his sleeve.
“Wh-when are we going back?”
“That depends on how you behave.”
Why was she so anxious, staring up at him like that? Everyone watching was curious, but the two spoke too softly for anyone to hear.
The Duke sighed again. Then, as if to comfort her, he brushed her hair back and touched her cheek gently with a smile.
The people around them froze in shock.
It was obvious now — the two of them didn’t look like a temporary relationship at all. Rumors spread quickly: If not, then maybe the Duke has gone mad.
‘What are they even talking about?’
The woman, Aril, who had sharp hearing, heard all of it. She bit her tongue in frustration.
Friendly?
“Relax your face. Do you want the guards to take you away for water torture before you calm down?”
This is what they call friendly?
“S-sorry.”
“If you know you did wrong, then smile. Trespasser.”
At his cold whisper, Aril forced a shaky smile onto her tearful face.
I really messed up. How did I get caught by someone like this…? Normally, this man is scared of me when I’m a cat. But now…
The Duke narrowed his eyes at her.
“Your gaze looks like you want to bite me.”
“You… you’re mistaken.”
Looking at her seriously, the Duke spoke in a low voice.
“If you try anything foolish, my cat won’t forgive you. He looks fierce, and his fangs are sharp.”
“…”
What nonsense.
Did he even realize that the “cat” he was talking about was standing right in front of him?
Aril, who was actually his pet cat in human form, could only pretend to be scared.
The Duke, Idilos, seemed proud, as if bragging about his beloved pet, and confidently led Aril into the middle of the hall.
What a strange human…
Aril bit her lip nervously as people stared at her from every side.
What if I suddenly change back into a cat here…?
She quickly searched for a way out, but people were everywhere. Every single eye was on her.
Why are humans so nosy about others’ business…
She sighed, feeling trapped. And then she overheard someone whispering “shield.” That made her feel even more wronged.
Because technically, they were right.
Idilos had caught her in human form and dragged her here, threatening her to come. Of course she was just being used.
Aril thought things couldn’t get any worse… but then Idilos suddenly stopped walking.
“Your Majesty, the Empress.”
As the Emperor’s nephew, he bowed reluctantly.
Aril swallowed nervously. She knew that every time she got involved with the Empress, bad things always followed.
But surely nothing worse can happen now…
She forced a polite smile and kept quiet, avoiding attention as best she could.
But then—
“Allow me to introduce her. This is my fiancée.”
Aril froze and lifted her head. His… fiancée? Who?
This human is mine. Who’s this fiancée he’s talking about?!
Her brows furrowed as she looked around angrily. She was already annoyed that other women were buzzing around him. And now this?
Aril glared at the man beside her, feeling betrayed.
The Empress pointed straight at Aril with a shocked expression.
“Fiancée? Did you say fiancée?”
“…?”
Aril followed the Empress’s finger and realized — she was pointing directly at her.
Her mouth fell open in shock. At last, she understood.
This was exactly the “worse situation” she had feared.
Aril turned to Idilos with wide, panicked eyes, silently begging him to deny it.
But instead, he smiled — a rare, bright smile — and said clearly:
“Yes. She is my fiancée.”
He looked at her like it was all amusing, then leaned close to her ear.
In a voice as cold as ice, he whispered:
“Now your little escapes are over. With all these people as witnesses, you’ve been introduced as my fiancée.”
With a smile as dazzling as his golden hair, Idilos seemed pleased.
Aril went pale.
How did things turn out like this…?
She swallowed hard. Looking back, it had all started that one day.
The day when he, who used to be scared of her kitten form, suddenly showed interest.
To understand why, she had to go back — to the first day she ever entered his house.
