Chapter 13
Sure enough, it seemed others felt the same way I did—people here and there were snickering as they looked at Ludwig and me.
At this rate, I really feel like some kind of clown.
“Here, try some cake too.”
Clueless about how I felt, the Crown Prince and the Prince were busily bringing what looked like delicious cake to their mouths from who knows where.
‘I can eat tasty things like that too, you know.’
It’s not that I don’t know the taste—I just don’t need to eat it!
For some reason, my outfit felt irritatingly scratchy.
“Squeak!”
Ludwig, completely unaware of my feelings, kept nibbling at my head.
I could tell he was whining, asking me to play, but I just crossed my arms and kept shaking my head.
I’m not in the mood to play right now.
I need to sneak into the Princess’s palace—what am I even doing here?
“It looks like Ludwig really likes Ruby.”
Yeah. Sure.
“It seems that anything cute, whether human or animal, feels the same way.”
He just thinks I’m some kind of moving toy, you know?
“I hope the two of you become close.”
Mikhail acted like a bratty five-year-old in front of me, but like a gentle lamb in front of the Crown Prince.
Does he really like his older brother that much?
From what I’ve heard, they weren’t even that close before.
“Once the weather gets warmer, we’re going to play in the water garden with Ludwig! Will you come with Ruby then too?”
Mikhail said, his cheeks flushed with excitement.
“Playing in the water…”
Why is he pretending to think about it? He could just say yes.
I found myself slightly curious about these brothers.
Could it be some kind of imperial family conflict or something?
“Do weasels like water?”
After all that thinking, that was the reason?
I’m already enduring being soaked in drool—what’s a little water?
“Ludwig does, and so does the canary my mother raises. I’m sure a weasel would too!”
At Mikhail’s words, a brief silence fell between them.
Then the Crown Prince leisurely lifted his teacup and said,
“I see Her Majesty the Empress is doing well.”
Hmm. What’s this atmosphere?
It definitely seemed like Mikhail had brought up an uncomfortable topic.
I have a knack for noticing these things.
“I… I hope we can spend time like this again.”
Whether he noticed or not, Mikhail spoke with the same flushed face.
Listening to their conversation always made me feel strangely suffocated.
But…
‘It’s none of my business.’
Whether their family was a mess or not, it had nothing to do with me.
I just wanted this time to end quickly.
“Yes. It would be nice to have moments like this again.”
As if nothing had happened, Crown Prince Shabelian was already wearing a kind smile again.
To most people, the change would’ve been too subtle to notice.
Mikhail nodded vigorously.
“Woof! Woof!”
At that moment, Ludwig—who had been glued to my head—suddenly stood up.
Just when I thought I was finally free from my damp scalp, something fluffy smacked my head again.
Thump. Thump.
Ludwig was wagging his tail furiously.
‘Ah, seriously.’
Is this treatment really okay?
But for the sake of ending this gathering smoothly, I endured it. Endured. Endured… Ah, move your tail!
I flailed my arms, trying to grab Ludwig’s tail.
As I struggled and failed to catch it, laughter came from the table.
“The weasel is really gentle!”
“Indeed. Seeing it with the dog makes me feel like it’s only cold toward me.”
The two humans talked about me, while Ludwig shoved his backside toward me.
Hmm… should I just leave the imperial palace?
“I’d like to get closer to you as well.”
Leaning slightly against the table, resting his chin on his hand, Crown Prince Shabelian looked at me intently as he spoke.
Our eyes met for a moment, but I quickly turned my head away.
Getting close? I’m not sure about that.
Nothing good comes from getting involved with the imperial family.
Besides…
‘He’s someone who will eventually become hostile toward beastfolk.’
A question suddenly arose.
I don’t know him well yet, but he doesn’t seem like a bad person…
Will the story from the novel really unfold someday?
If it does, will something terrible happen in the imperial family?
Then what about Mikhail?
These two—Shabelian and Mikhail—who are smiling so warmly now, will someday come to hate beastfolk and animals?
It had been a long time since I so vividly felt that I was living inside a world with a predetermined story.
Not since the day my brother died.
Will something so dreadful really happen again…?
‘Stop thinking about it. Don’t get attached. Don’t get curious about this world’s story.’
I absolutely refuse to get swept up in it and lose my precious life.
My only goal is to live happily in this body.
I forced those stray thoughts away.
Every time I saw the brothers chatting peacefully, an inexplicable anxiety stirred in my chest.
‘I need to find Cleia’s jewel and leave this place as soon as possible.’
Yes. That’s the only answer!
That was an exhausting experience.
Well, maybe someone enjoyed it!
Just not me!
Still, the time the Crown Prince and the Prince spent together wasn’t very long, so I managed to endure it.
It seemed Crown Prince Shabelian had a busy schedule.
Lucky for me.
But I couldn’t forget Mikhail’s disappointed expression as he left, nor Ludwig’s lingering gaze.
However, I was far too busy to dwell on that.
I was placed back into a basket and carried to my room by Rowen.
Rowen stared at me for quite a while with a displeased expression. I wanted to bite him, but I held back.
‘Rowen or whatever—he’s someone I need to be careful of.’
I almost got caught earlier, after all.
Anyway, once he left, I immediately resumed my original plan.
Of course, transforming back into a human required another jewel.
I felt uneasy about wasting jewels, but since I had transformed earlier because of the Crown Prince, I decided not to feel guilty about using his jewel this time.
‘So this is Princess Terea’s palace.’
After asking the maids, I was able to find the Princess’s palace without much trouble.
‘Madness, huh.’
Just like Head Maid Agnes had said—was she consumed by the power of the jewel and expressing madness because of it?
When I asked about the Princess’s palace, the maids hadn’t reacted well.
As if just thinking about it made their teeth chatter, they avoided my gaze.
“All the more reason to be curious.”
Whether it was because of the jewel or not, Princess Terea had piqued my interest.
When I finally arrived, the palace was strangely quiet—unlike what I had expected.
So quiet it felt like everyone had gone out.
‘This makes it awkward to wander around freely.’
But that thought didn’t last long.
As I carefully walked through the silent halls—
“Aaah!!!”
A sudden scream echoed out, like a desperate shriek.
“What was that?”
My body flinched in surprise, and soon I heard footsteps approaching.
“Hurry! Bring the restraints!”
“Did you bring the sedatives?”
“I have them! What about the first aid kit?”
“Got it!”
Two maids and a male attendant came running down the corridor.
One of the women made eye contact with me, but immediately looked away as if she had no time to care.
Why are they so frantic?
“Notify the imperial physician, just in case!”
“Yes!”
They rushed past me like arrows, their speed making my hair and skirt flutter.
‘Is it an emergency?’
Curious about what was happening, I quietly followed them.
“Don’t come in!”
When we arrived, the maids were pacing anxiously in front of a massive door.
“Your Highness! Please open the door so we can check on your condition—!”
“Do my words mean nothing? I said no one is to come in! Aaah!”
Another furious scream followed, along with the sound of something shattering.
The people’s faces grew increasingly pale.
“Your Highness! Please open the door!”
“Get out!”
No matter how much they pleaded, the door didn’t budge.
“What should we do? Should we force it open?”
“But how will we deal with Her Highness’s anger if we do…?”
“Should we report this to Her Majesty the Empress?”
Dark worry spread across their faces.
One attendant even looked on the verge of tears.
“What on earth is happening here?”
