Then I probably wouldn’t be panicking like this. But the damage was already done.
He gathered up the tendrils of anxiety branching out in all directions. No point dwelling on what happened just minutes ago.
…Now it was time to worry about what came next.
“……”
He squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t know how far the rumors would spread, but they would spread. It was only a matter of time before they reached Justyn’s ears.
Please, let the spirit beasts in this world know how to read books.
***
That day, after returning from his walk, Ries spent the entire day rattled with nerves. His pupils were blown so wide they wouldn’t return to normal—enough to make Justyn concerned.
His ears flattened, his body curled up, and every little noise had him jumping out of his skin.
Even then, his eyes stayed glued to the door. He didn’t know when Ketir might show up to spill the news to Justyn.
And sure enough, it happened the very next day.
Ketir stepped in after a polite knock, but his brows were more furrowed than usual. The moment Ries saw that face, he knew: This is it.
Damn it. Already?
It was a rumor passed by word of mouth—so how did it spread like it had wings?
He threw himself into Justyn’s arms. Burying his face into the Duke’s chest with Ketir behind him, he felt a hand stroke his back, reassuring and warm.
“Your Grace.”
He felt Ketir’s gaze settle on him from behind. Then came the deliberate sigh before the inevitable words. Ries braced himself and listened.
“I heard an interesting rumor. Apparently, Ries was spotted reading a book alone in the library.”
Knew it. Ketir hit the mark exactly. The only mercy was that he hadn’t added anything else. Yet.
Ries didn’t even have time to think further. The hand on his back paused. His tiny heart plummeted.
His breath hitched. Is he… uncomfortable?
“I see.”
“…That’s all?”
“Yes. Do I need to say more?”
“…Just one more question. Are you doing this on purpose?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
But the moment passed in a flash. Justyn’s voice was calm as ever, and the gentle strokes resumed. Only then did Ries finally exhale.
“Myaooong.”
He affectionately rubbed his face against Justyn’s chest. As expected, his master was the best. Only now did his frozen brain start working again.
So he hasn’t seen me in human form yet.
That was a rare bit of good news. Thinking that, he cautiously turned to peek at Ketir—who was looking at him like he was some kind of bizarre mystery.
That bastard.
Ries’ eyes blazed with betrayal. He’d risked life and limb proving there were no ghosts, and this was the thanks he got? Suspicion?
Sure, the ghost was still around—just not bothering Ketir lately—but hadn’t he at least stopped the guy from crawling around the halls in fear?
Completely forgetting that he was the one who’d dragged Ketir into the haunted area in the first place, Ries sulked in bitter injustice.
Then his eyes met Ketir’s narrowed stare, and he quickly turned away. A sigh followed behind him.
“There’s quite a buzz among the estate staff. They’re saying Ries is a spirit beast. If this spreads further, it won’t be good for you either, Your Grace.”
“…A spirit beast, huh.”
Justyn’s voice trailed off in thought. He didn’t respond right away this time. Ries cautiously looked up. He couldn’t see Justyn’s expression from this angle, but he could tell the man was thinking.
“…Fine. Make sure this doesn’t leave the mansion. Tell everyone to keep it quiet.”
“…Understood.”
“Oh, and one more thing,” Justyn added. “Bring me a book.”
“A book? …Sigh. Yes, I’ll fetch one. Any particular genre?”
“Anything will do.”
He’s… getting a bit demanding, isn’t he? They were having this whole conversation without him. Ries just blinked in silence until Justyn slowly lowered his head.
“A spirit beast is far too noble for a cursed Duke like me. But I… I just wanted you to stay by my side.”
He explained it carefully, step by step—completely convinced that Ries would understand. The way he gently brushed under Ries’s eyes and softly played with his ears carried undeniable affection.
“And the book…”
Their eyes met, and Justyn’s gaze curved into a faint smile.
“I’d like you to read it. In front of me.”
Ries went completely limp. He had no idea what twisted logic had brought Justyn to that conclusion—but one thing was painfully clear: the man was utterly smitten. His paws were damp with sweat, so he wiped them off on Justyn’s pant leg.
“Nyaa.”
He bumped his forehead into Justyn’s chest again. As he rubbed against the dark fabric, yellow fur clung to the surface—something about it felt oddly satisfying.
That evening, Ries curled up and read through a children’s picture book that Ketir had fetched for him. All things considered, it was a surprisingly peaceful way to end a day where his secret had nearly come to light.
***
—Ahem. See? What did I tell you? From now on, no matter what you do, people will just chalk it up to ‘spirit beast stuff’ and move on.
That was Sefiut’s assessment when he heard the news. Pretty much what Ries had expected.
Still… something about it doesn’t sit right.
Especially that smirk—only one corner of his mouth curling up. Ries found himself picturing Sefiut’s semi-transparent face in a messy mental sketch… but his thoughts were interrupted.
Someone was approaching from a distance.
“Ries-nim…!”
Ugh. Ries wrinkled his face in irritation. No matter how many times he heard it, that title always made his fur bristle.
The man—completely unaware—rushed up to him with a flushed face. He knelt down right in front of Ries and held out a bowl filled with neatly chopped apple slices.
“Hehe, I asked the head chef to prepare this just for you. Hope you like it!”
“Myaang.”
Just one meow, and the man’s face lit up like the sun.
Ries dipped his nose into the dish and started munching. For a cat, it was the perfect bite-sized treat. He licked the juice off his lips, then looked up at the man again.
Finally, the guy began to ramble. His hands were clasped in front of his chest like he was praying. His name was Theo, if Ries remembered right. Since he brought a decent snack offering, Ries decided to humor him for now.
“There’s this girl I’ve started liking lately. Ahem, she’s gorgeous. And really sweet. She runs a flower shop nearby. The other day—get this—she had a flower already picked out for me when I showed up, like she knew I was coming…”
The chatter went on and on. Slowly, the light faded from Ries’s eyes. His tail, impatient, began thumping the floor with annoyance.
“Waeaaang!”
Thwack!
He smacked Theo in the thigh with his paw. Theo quickly caught on and shut his mouth.
“S-So what I actually wanted to ask was…!”
Finally, the real question came out. From the moment he started gushing about the girl, Ries already knew what this was about.
“Do you think I’ll succeed… if I confess to her?!”
Will I? Will I? Will I?! His booming voice echoed down the empty hallway.
“Nyaaaang.”
Ries gave a lazy meow and nodded vaguely. That was all it took—the man’s face brightened like it was the best news he’d ever received.
Well, probably. I mean, she had a flower ready and everything. That’s basically flirting.
It was just a guess—nothing anyone else couldn’t have said. But to Theo, it clearly meant the world.
“Thank you! Thank you so much! I think I finally have the courage to go for it—all thanks to you, Ries-nim!”
He bowed deeply, then ran off so fast Ries worried he might faceplant.
Ries shook his head with a sigh.
How did I end up like this…?
It had been two weeks since the spirit beast rumor had started. Now, somehow, Ries had become the household’s all-knowing, wish-granting forest cat.
How had things gotten to this point? To understand that, you’d have to go back.
A “spirit beast.” Traditionally considered a sacred creature. In simpler terms, an animal of exceptional intelligence, capable of wielding mysterious powers.
After skimming a few books, Ries was relieved to find there was no rule saying spirit beasts couldn’t read. That, at least, was a relief.
Still, it seemed no one really knew what spirit beasts were actually capable of. They were so rare, most of the information out there was vague at best.
“Do they… like, grant wishes or something?”
In other words, no one actually knew what a spirit beast could or couldn’t do. The guy who came to him today clearly had no idea either.
Must’ve heard the rumors.
