An undeniable emotion coiled deep within his chest.
“Isn’t it quite the coincidence? The mansion that veterinarian tried to sneak into… just happened to be yours. Almost as if he believed something precious was hidden inside.”
It was a sharp, vivid sense of dread.
Ries’s pupils trembled as he stared at the Crown Prince. That probing tone, the subtle pressure in his gaze—it all scraped at his nerves like a splinter under the nail.
No way…
A disturbing possibility brushed past his mind.
No… that can’t be. Not two in a row? Ries forcefully shook the horrific theory from his head.
But even as his thoughts resisted, his body moved with careful precision. He slowly backed away and crept behind Justyn, seeking refuge in his shadow.
“You’re not asking me anything. Surely you must be curious about something…”
“……”
“Fine. I’ll answer on my own. Since it’s you, I can afford that much generosity.”
A meaningful smile spread across the Crown Prince’s lips.
“That veterinarian ran around shouting the same thing all day long: ‘I possess precious information—information about the Beastkin! They really exist!’”
His voice took on a theatrical lilt.
The words were exactly what the other party had feared to hear, shattering even the faintest remnants of Ries’s hope.
“Can you guess how people reacted? Everyone who heard him sincerely worried for his mental health. Meaning—they all thought he was completely mad!”
There was a faint smile at the corners of his lips, but no one responded. A cold silence had long since settled over the room.
Not that the Crown Prince seemed to mind. He rested his chin on his hand and smiled more deeply, as if savoring the moment.
“But as I said before, I took great interest in his words and actions. Which is why I came to see you in person.”
…Even while hidden behind Justyn, Ries felt the man’s eyes on him.
At this point, there was no mistaking it. That oddly phrased speech, that subtle yet persistent pressure—this Crown Prince had definitely come to the Duke’s estate knowing everything.
His head spun.
Not even a day had passed since being discovered by the High Priest—and now this?
Twice in a row. And not just anyone, either. Both were people powerful enough to crush empires in their palms if they so wished.
At least the High Priest respected us…
Would that kind of luck come around twice?
Just then, Justyn finally spoke.
“What are you trying to say?”
A short sentence, but it dripped with wariness.
The bridge of Harrison’s nose twitched. Unfortunately for Ries, he had been peeking out at that exact moment—meaning he caught the look head-on.
…Did I strike a nerve?
His tail bristled.
It looked exactly like someone displeased by Justyn’s words.
That was enough to send Ries’s tiny brain into full-blown crisis mode. He imagined the Prince pointing and shouting, “So you’re the Beastkin!” and dragging him away while Justyn drew his sword to stop him—
No. No no no.
The worst part was… it felt way too plausible.
This was the Empire—a rigid, hierarchical society. If Justyn drew his blade on the Crown Prince, it would be outright treason. Even someone unfamiliar with Imperial politics could see where that would lead.
And still, time marched on.
The Crown Prince, smiling faintly, finally continued in a calm voice.
“Seems my intuition wasn’t wrong. Duke, I’m not the type to start unnecessary conflicts. Especially not when the outcome is already clear.”
…The worst-case scenario he had feared was beginning to unfold.
Ries’s ears rang. His breath caught.
“So, Duke, hand him over—”
His heart dropped—
“—Hahahahahaha!”
—only to be yanked violently back up.
The man who had been sitting there so arrogantly suddenly burst into uncontrollable laughter, slapping the armrest of the sofa, clutching his stomach, and even tearing up from the fit.
Ries could only stare, stunned.
What… just happened?
“……”
“……”
Regardless of the silent stares from the cat and man across from him, Harrison continued laughing until he was breathless.
“Okay, okay, you can stop glaring at me like that. Seriously, if I’d pushed it one more time, I think that duel you’re imagining would’ve become real.”
“……It’s nothing.”
“Was that pause you thinking it over?”
Harrison’s face paled slightly as he wiped away a tear and waved his hand dismissively.
“I promise, I won’t pull that again. My knees are still weak from the tension.”
And so, Ries—still struggling to catch up—was left blinking in confusion. His round, silvery-gray eyes darted between the Crown Prince and his master.
Noticing the bewildered look, Harrison offered a sheepish smile.
“Oh dear. Did I scare you?”
The tense atmosphere had long since evaporated. As Ries slowly regained his composure, his narrowed eyes sharpened with suspicion.
Wait a second… Did he just mess with me?
Feeling betrayed, Ries curled his paw into a tiny fist. Sensing it as a threat of some sort, the Crown Prince quickly began making excuses.
“I suppose I really will earn your hate if I’m not careful. I just wanted to test how much the Duke cares about you—no, that sounds worse when I say it aloud. Please, don’t look at me like that.”
“……”
“I came here because I wanted to help you—both of you. I meant it. But for me, this is a gamble too, so I wanted to confirm the Duke’s sincerity.”
Help them?
Ries’s previously tensed paw slowly relaxed, returning to its natural state. Instead, he began tapping his tail against the sofa with a light thwap, thwap, as if saying: Let’s hear it, then.
Harrison, struck by the sheer novelty of the treatment, felt oddly refreshed.
“…First, don’t worry about the veterinarian. He’s been imprisoned under the authority of the Imperial Family. Officially, he was arrested for trespassing on a noble’s estate. No one finds that suspicious.”
Ah… Ries exhaled silently.
He’d forgotten. The man before him was so overwhelming that the veterinarian’s presence had been pushed from his mind.
According to the Crown Prince’s words, the vet must’ve known his identity too.
…How did he find out?
He rifled through his memories. It had been early on, when he first came to live at Justyn’s estate, so everything was fuzzy.
Then— a faint voice surfaced.
“I heard the sound of waves… I swear it was waves!”
Ries’s eyes flew open.
Another voice overlapped in his mind.
—You Beastkin have always been watched closely by the gods.
—The proof lies in your heart.
—From there, the sound of waves can be heard.
Those were Sefiut’s words—spoken once, long ago.
The messages were nearly identical, even if the speakers were different.
The sound of waves coming from his heart. If that truly was a defining trait of the Beastkin, then identifying him would be a simple matter.
Judging from the Crown Prince’s statements, the vet must’ve spent the time after disappearing digging into the Beastkin—and eventually figured it out.
That I’m one of them.
There was no other reason for him to shout about it, even at the cost of being labeled insane.
Ries stared down at the floor, lips pressed tightly.
Why did I forget that?
He resented his past self—so blissfully unaware. If he’d only reconsidered the vet’s words, he might’ve realized the truth sooner.
…Though even if I had, it wouldn’t have mattered.
At the time, all he wanted was to hide his identity from Justyn at all costs. Nothing would’ve changed.
But in the next moment—
“And I’d like to offer you a new identity.”
The self-reproach eating away at him vanished like a candle in a gale.
His drooping ears perked straight up.
“Aewng…?”
A new identity?
The Crown Prince caught the shift instantly and smiled knowingly.
“Yes. Judging by how you continue to stay in this tiny cat form, you already know—there’s nothing good about being outed as a Beastkin.”
“……”
“If I give you a new identity, it’ll make things much easier. You’ll be free to choose your appearance—whenever and wherever you want.”
Ries flinched.
The Crown Prince had just reached into a part of him he had deliberately buried—the deepest, most desperate desire in his heart.
The day Justyn had asked him to remain in his cat form for the time being…
Ries had agreed, despite knowing it meant waiting indefinitely. Because he didn’t want to trouble the one person who had accepted and embraced him.
…but deep down, he had always known.
If he was ever given a single chance to choose, he’d pick being human without hesitation. And now, that chance had appeared.
Offered by none other than the sole Crown Prince of the Empire.
Someone who could make it happen more easily than anyone else.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity now dangled right in front of him, and his mouth went dry with nervous anticipation.
Then— Justyn’s hand came to rest gently atop his head.
“I’d like to know your reason.”
That calm, dry voice supported his back. That gentle hand tousling his fur unraveled the tangle of chaotic thoughts. The tightening anxiety that had been strangling him loosened like it had never been there at all.
Even though his words were clipped and to the point, the Crown Prince understood Justyn perfectly. His deep blue brows drooped slightly.
“Duke… After all these years, do you really doubt my goodwill?”
“I understand you’re not someone who does anything without gaining something in return.”
“Haha! You really are blunt. But fair. You know me well, as always.”
Despite the words, his face looked downright delighted. Harrison grinned unabashedly and shrugged.
“If I beat around the bush any longer, I’ll regret it, so let me be honest. Since the High Priest already visited, I assume you’ve heard about the Beastkin’s secret?”
“Yes.”
“Then do you also know this? Among the Beastkin, the tribe with the highest value was the Myo tribe.”
“……”
Justyn’s brows knit together.
“They were said to possess the power to bring fortune and ward off disaster. And you know greedy humans wouldn’t leave that alone.”
Chzzzt.
Even Ries froze at the unexpected revelation.
