Chapter 1
Prologue
What comes to mind when you hear “Northern Grand Duke”?
A stern expression devoid of emotion?
The strength to slice through a giant monster in one breath?
Or perhaps the strictness of keeping one’s word until death, or an obsession with one’s domain?
If so, then the master of this castle, Grand Duke Dietrich Reinke, could be said to embody the very concept of “Northern Grand Duke.”
The young black-haired Grand Duke is so taciturn that no one dares to approach him easily, shows unpredictably aggressive behavior, and at the same time, is an inflexible lord who doesn’t tolerate any deviation from plans.
The people of his domain both respected and greatly feared such a Grand Duke. To the extent that no one dared to think of approaching him.
Now, let’s imagine.
While walking down the wide corridor of the Grand Duke’s castle, you encounter this object of reverence, the “Northern Grand Duke.” But instead of using the ample space available, he deliberately, purposefully comes close and bumps his weapon-like shoulder against a civil official’s fragile shoulder as he passes by.
What would be the appropriate reaction of said official?
“Eek! A shoulder bump?”
Ruan suppressed a sigh as he looked at Stefan, who had turned pale as if he had actually been shoulder-bumped by the terrifying Northern Grand Duke.
Yes, that would be the typical reaction.
In that brief moment, Stefan, glancing fearfully at the Grand Duke’s retreating figure now far away, whispered in a low voice.
“Ruan… Did you do something wrong to His Grace? No. What kind of guts… What were you trying to do…”
Already convinced that “Assistant Ruan Daen had angered the Grand Duke,” Stefan began to fret, pondering what “mistake” Ruan might have made.
But Ruan Daen, the actual “victim” of the “shoulder bump” from “that Northern Grand Duke,” can be certain.
The Grand Duke is definitely not angry with Ruan. It wasn’t even a shoulder bump. What just happened was certainly not what Stefan thinks it was.
‘But the problem is…’
Only he knows this fact.
“Ruan… You were a good friend… I’ll never forget you. Thank you for everything…”
Stefan was now almost whimpering, his thoughts having apparently drifted to whatever fate might befall Assistant Ruan Daen.
Although it was pitiful to see his friend mourning as if he had already held Ruan’s funeral… Ruan couldn’t tell the truth here.
Leaving Stefan, who finally shed tears at Ruan’s statement that he would now go to the Grand Duke’s office, Ruan heaved a deep sigh.
How on earth could he explain it?
That stern, solemn, and serious-faced “terrifying” Grand Duke…
It wasn’t a shoulder bump just now. It was an expression of affection.
…In other words, it was like a cat brushing against the legs of someone it likes, expressing friendliness as it passes by.
Ruan knew.
How insane his statement would sound. How he would appear to be moe-fying—though no one here would know that term—the intimidating Grand Duke who was more than just normal. He would look like a madman making a perverse interpretation about a Grand Duke who could snap his neck with one hand at any moment.
But this is neither moe-fication nor a perverse interpretation.
Because the famous Grand Duke Dietrich Reinke is…
Actually a cat.
As he opened the door to the Grand Duke’s office with a deep sigh.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
A long, fluffy tail tapping the floor in a steady rhythm greeted Ruan.
Ruan, watching the fur flying with each movement of the tail through clouded eyes, said,
“Your Grace. I understand you’re displeased, but please communicate with words when conversing.”
The pointed ears visible through the short black hair laid back, though he didn’t even turn around.
“Your Grace. That’s also body language.”
As Ruan spoke.
Tap.Tap.Tap.Tap.Tap.Tap.
The speed of the tail tapping the floor increased.
Ruan, glaring at the giant furball that seemed to generate infinite fur, quickly added.
“And since you’re shedding fur, I’d appreciate it if you could keep your tail in while in the office.”
At the firm voice, the Grand Duke, who had been fixing his gaze out the window, finally turned around.
Short, luxuriant black hair. A manly, handsome face with assertive features arranged in surprising harmony. A stern, solemn, and serious expression that seemed impenetrable. Sharp eyes reminiscent of a beast of prey.
The Grand Duke, who truly seemed to embody the word “Northern Grand Duke,” said:
“How do I express emotions without a tail?”
It seemed he hadn’t been listening to what Ruan was saying.
Ruan repeated what he had said earlier, explaining it kindly enough for even a stray cat to understand.
“Humans have an excellent means of communication called speech. I’m not asking for facial expressions. With words. Human words. I’d like you to express your emotions verbally.”
The Grand Duke, listening to his assistant’s words with a stern, solemn, and serious face, asked,
“But you understand perfectly well with just this. Why should I bother doing that?”
At that question, Ruan reflected on his actions up until now.
Indeed… Had it been a mistake to understand the Grand Duke’s body language perfectly and attend to him so meticulously?
If so, he shouldn’t indulge this childishness any further.
Ruan looked straight into the golden eyes with vertically slit pupils and said in a firm voice,
“Your Grace. Not all humans understand cat body language. That’s why… you keep being misunderstood as scary.”
That’s right.
The picture-perfect Northern Grand Duke Dietrich Reinke is actually just a cat-person.
No expression or words, always seeming aloof?
That’s because he’s a cat.
He’s just using body language rather than human words or expressions, but he’s expressing himself in his own way.
Seeming nonchalant one moment and suddenly showing aggression?
That’s because he’s a cat.
A cat’s emotional lines often seem abrupt to humans.
Pathologically hating when routines and plans are disrupted?
That’s because he’s a cat.
Cats naturally create their own routines and plans and get irritated when they’re not followed.
Obsessed with his own territory?
Of course.
Cats are territorial animals.
So this typical Northern Grand Duke-like gentleman is just… an extremely ordinary cat.
But because his outer shell is that of a Northern Grand Duke, his thoroughly cat-like behaviors were all misunderstood by those who didn’t know as the “ferocity of the terrifying Northern Grand Duke.”
“People have even started fearing when Your Grace stands by the window. They all worry about being caught with some flaw, trembling thinking you’re monitoring them.”
“That’s…”
Ruan picked up a lint roller—an item he had created after extensive research, unable to handle the Grand Duke’s shedding—from within reach and said,
“Yes, of course you enjoy looking out the window since you’re a cat. Birds flying, people passing by… But because of Your Grace’s strange image, even when you just silently observe outside with that stern, solemn, and serious expression, everyone misunderstands. So if you could communicate using human language that others understand, not just cat language that only I understand, to clear up those misunderstandings…”
As he started rolling the lint roller over the fur-covered carpet, he could feel a fierce gaze following him as if ready to pounce.
Ruan could tell, without looking, that the Grand Duke’s pointed pupils would now be dilated into circles.
“Tsk- Even if you want to grab it, you mustn’t interfere. I’m cleaning up the fur you’ve shed, aren’t I?”
At the warning click of the tongue, the persistent gaze finally dropped away.
Ruan turned his attention to the carpet that had turned pitch black in the time he’d been away for lunch, from being clean before.
‘We should change the carpet color… The fur is too noticeable.’
It would be better to have a dark color so the Grand Duke’s black fur wouldn’t stand out. Just as Ruan’s clothing colors had all become gloomy since he started living with the Grand Duke.
The lint roller had already lost its function after just a few rolls. Ruan thought as he peeled off a sheet covered in clumped fur:
‘I… I’m sure I was hired as the assistant to the intimidating Grand Duke. How did I end up also playing housekeeper to a stubborn, disobedient cat…’
However, in this story that might sound like employment fraud at first glance, there aren’t many parts Ruan can complain about.
After all, all these problems started from his own insane misunderstanding.
In the early days after being possessed by an extra character in the fantasy novel “Tales of the Sirah Empire,” Ruan Daen, who had become the Northern Grand Duke’s assistant, was under the mistaken impression that he had turned a perfectly normal Northern Grand Duke… into a cat.
