An hour earlier, Bara had been caught by Meimi, shoving me with his nose.
Meimi muttered, “With Lord Ahin’s scent, you’d think he would be more obedient,” unable to comprehend Bara’s misdeeds.
It’s probably because he sees me as a rival. Unlike Jane, who behaved herself after catching Ahin’s scent, Bara was working hard to push me out, proving his long history of unrequited love.
Quietly fuming, Meimi left the bedroom earlier than usual after finishing her duties to go scold Bara.
Left alone in the bedroom, I stepped out onto the terrace and looked up at the sky. The night was gloomy, with clouds shrouding the crescent moon.
‘Ahin is late.’
For the past few days, Ahin had been taking me with him to his office whenever he worked.
I understood it was to avoid running into his grandfather, but… honestly, going to the office was quite the ordeal.
Whether it was Ahin using my paws to stamp documents, Everine handing me papers as if it were the most natural thing, or the other three aides applauding every time I processed a document—I wanted to bite every single one of them.
As I grumbled, Quinn flapped his wings and, as always, landed on the terrace railing.
‘This spy.’
How long had I been out here before he came?
Glaring at him disdainfully, I suddenly returned to the bedroom and rolled out a strawberry. According to a tip from one of the personal attendants, Quinn occasionally enjoyed strawberries.
Apparently, that was true, as Quinn quickly swooped down, snatched the strawberry, and returned to the railing.
‘…Does he actually like it?’
As I observed her intently, Quinn snapped, “Caw!” ordering me to look elsewhere.
‘Such a playboy.’
Quinn, having devoured the strawberry, began chirping a song. I leaned against the railing, feeling a sense of emptiness.
‘Do the rich always feel this uneasy?’
The Ferrenium had unexpectedly made me feel like a sudden millionaire. Though Ash had helped me hide it well, I couldn’t shake the anxious feeling every time I left the bedroom.
‘It would be nice if I could carry it with me at all times.’
Ahin’s suggestion of getting a personal safe was utterly useless. After all, if it was my personal safe, any ordinary person could pick it up with one hand—it was clearly meant as a joke.
Day after day, that mischievous black panther never ceased to be playful. Deep in thought, I narrowed my eyes.
Speak of the devil and he appears. I spotted Ahin and Everine walking in the distance.
‘But they’re not heading toward the bedroom.’
Under the lamps illuminating the garden, their silhouettes gradually faded.
‘Where are they going?’
Curiosity piqued, I leaned forward, only to hear a scratching noise nearby. Quinn had descended and was scratching the floor with his claws.
‘What… why?’
Startled, I toppled backward. Unfazed, Quinn’s legs brushed against my side as he hopped over.
Why is he rubbing his legs against me so ominously? As I grabbed his legs to push him away, my hind legs lifted off the ground.
Before I even realized what was happening, the terrace was far behind. The people in the garden looked like tiny black dots as I finally understood,
‘Aah!’
I realized Quinn had taken flight, with me dangling from his legs.
Clinging tightly, I squinted my nose. The direction we were headed was none other than where Ahin and Everine were going.
With a shriek,
Never in my life did I imagine flying on a hawk. The wind was so intense that my face felt like it was being mashed into dough.
‘I’m not curious!’
If this is repayment for the strawberry, it’s unnecessary. Please, let’s go back.
‘I’m really not curious!’
My silent screams were drowned out by the hawk’s sense of obligation.
* * *
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