Chapter 62: The Beast Without a Master

“You’re a human, aren’t you?”

“Kkiing, kkiing.”

Why is he shaking his head like that?

“Or maybe… you’re a beastman?”

“……!”

I was certain now.

“Kiieeeng!”

Suddenly, Lulu let out a bizarre cry and fell off the chair with a thud. He whimpered on the ground, rubbing his bottom as if it hurt.

I quickly grabbed him and placed him back on the chair, looking him straight in the eyes.

“You must have your reasons. But if you try to run away, I won’t forgive you.”

Lulu—or rather, the creature—nodded weakly. It seemed he wouldn’t run for now. I figured I’d learn more when his so-called owner showed up later.

“Yuria.”

Xavier, who had been watching us, looked at me in astonishment, unable to form words.

“Xavier, I can pick up on things too, you know.”

“Kueng.”

Lulu avoided my gaze and lowered his head.

“I’m hungry, so let’s eat. And just because you’re cute doesn’t mean I’ll let you off the hook.”

“Alright.”

“Kkiing.”

Xavier picked up his fork and knife, cutting into his food, while Lulu began devouring the portion of meat he had been given.

Ah, finally some peace. Now I can enjoy my meal too.

＊

At that moment, Rosetta was inside the food storage tent, gathering ingredients.

“These are the plums the lady likes, and summer apples…”

Apples. The sight of the green, appetizing summer apples reminded her of the cave in the Everlasting Snow Mountains, where that dreadful raccoon had stolen the apples she had picked.

‘I hate it!’

The thought alone made her shudder. Rosetta rubbed her arms roughly.

She had always hated anything that wasn’t human. The sight of four-legged creatures moving made her nauseous and scared. If their fur touched her skin, she would break out in hives.

Not once had she found animals cute or lovable. To Rosetta, they were simply terrifying and repulsive.

‘That was definitely a raccoon.’

Before leaving the dining area earlier, she had seen the creature. It had emerged from my lady’s tent. That scruffy platinum fur, those hollow eyes, and that slyly twitching snout!

‘It can’t be. My lady said she’d send that raccoon—or whatever it is—far away for my sake.’

But why did a raccoon come out of my lady’s tent? Did she secretly bring it here from the cave? Even though she knows how much I hate animals…?

A feeling of hurt she had never experienced before began to creep in.

‘Stupid Rosetta! Stop thinking such nonsense. The lady is your savior!’

Slapping her own cheeks, she was about to enter the cooking tent when she noticed two maids sitting on the grass behind the tent, eating. One of them had worked at the Duke’s residence for quite a while and was someone Rosetta recognized.

“Hel—”

“Rosetta, you know.”

Just as she raised her hand to greet them, her name came up in their conversation, causing her to quickly hide behind the tent and listen.

“Oh, you mean the Duchess’s maid?”

“A maid? Please. She’s from a tavern and was supposedly a slave.”

“What? A slave became the lady’s maid?”

‘What nonsense! I wasn’t a slave. I almost became one!’

Rosetta, fuming, was about to charge at the two maids and confront them.

“I’m serious. Margaret overheard it.”

Margaret? That Margaret?

“Oh, you mean the girl General Jude brought in?”

The other maid leaned in closer, her curiosity piqued.

“Yeah, I was assigned to her from the day she arrived at the Duke’s residence.”

“Didn’t you say she was nice?”

“Yes, she was very polite and well-mannered.”

Polite, my foot! Rosetta pursed her lips and leaned in further to eavesdrop.

“How did Margaret find out about this? She hasn’t been here that long.”

“Promise you won’t tell anyone? Margaret said she overheard it by chance.”

“Come on, who would I tell? Just spill it already.”

Encouraged by her friend’s interest, the maid assigned to Margaret glanced around before lowering her voice conspiratorially.

“Margaret was delivering water to His Grace and the Duchess when she overheard the Duchess telling Maya that Rosetta is a former slave and has sticky fingers, so she should keep an eye on her belongings.”

“So it’s true? But how could a former slave become a maid? I’m a commoner, and I’m still stuck as a maid!”

“And saving the Duchess from the bear? That was probably all part of some scheme.”

Thud.

“Oh my, what was that?”

“Who’s there?”

Startled, the two maids turned toward the source of the noise. A green apple rolled across the ground.

While their attention was on the apple, Rosetta emerged from behind the tent, her black hair whipping in the wind.

“Hey! What kind of nonsense are you spouting?”

“Kyaa!”

“R-Rosetta?”

The two maids screamed, dropping their bowls to the ground. Rosetta advanced toward them like a raging bull, exuding an intimidating aura.

“Are you saying Margaret spread that nonsense?”

“Y-yes.”

The maid assigned to Margaret nodded, her face pale.

“I did work at a tavern, but I was never a slave! And you’re saying the Duchess told Maya something like that? Don’t make me laugh!”

“I-I only said what Margaret told me…”

The maid stammered, but it was no use. Rosetta’s large eyes glinted dangerously as she spoke in a low, icy voice.

“Do you know what happens when you spread baseless rumors like that?”

The two maids shook their heads violently.

Creak. Rosetta made a slicing motion across her neck with her finger, clicking her tongue ominously.

“I was a big deal in that tavern, you know? Watch your mouths.”

The maids’ faces turned ghostly white. They realized now that this woman was completely unhinged. Having experienced her wrath firsthand, they fled as fast as their legs could carry them.

‘What on earth made them believe Margaret’s nonsense?’

Rosetta, abandoning her basket, stalked out of the cooking tent with an irritated scowl.

Margaret must have deliberately spread the rumors.

She had always suspected Margaret was up to something. General Jude had mentioned she wasn’t a beggar, and upon closer observation, Margaret often lingered suspiciously between the Duke’s office and bedroom.

But the words the maid had whispered earlier kept echoing in her mind.

‘Margaret overheard the Duchess telling Maya that Rosetta is a former slave and has sticky fingers, so she should keep an eye on her belongings.’

The only person who knew I almost became a slave is the Duchess…

Her thoughts and emotions were in complete disarray. Could it really be true that the Duchess and Maya had said such things behind her back?

‘No, if Margaret came here with the intent to stir up trouble, finding out about my past would’ve been easy for her. But how could a girl like her dig into my background?’

Rosetta shook her head vigorously. Forcing her feet to move, she headed toward the dining area.

‘Seeing the lady’s face will make me feel better. I’ll just ask her directly instead of worrying about it.’

She hated misunderstandings. Muttering this to herself, she rushed to the dining area. But the sight before her made her freeze in place.

“Lulu, stay still.”

“Kkiing, kiing.”

The lady was sitting at the table, eating with the beast beside her. The moment she saw this, Rosetta’s steps grew heavy.

“Ah…”

It wasn’t just her legs. It felt as though someone had placed a heavy weight on her heart.

＊

“Huh?”

Rosetta stopped midway and sat far away, eating her meal in an awkward position.

‘Rosetta? Why isn’t she coming over?’

At that moment, I noticed the animal happily gnawing on a rib beside me.

‘Could it be because of Lulu?’

Rosetta hated animals. Oh no, I need to talk to her before she misunderstands.

I stood up, intending to go to Rosetta, but then—

Bwoooooooong—

Bwoooooooong—

The sharp sound of warning horns, loud enough to make my ears ring, suddenly echoed through the camp. It was the signal from the knights on watch.

“Yuria!”

Xavier leapt from his chair and enveloped me in his arms in an instant. Startled, I looked up at him. His lips were set in a firm line.

His teal eyes were fixed on Rexton, who was sprinting toward us from outside the camp.

“Your Grace, the Crown Prince’s carriage is heading this way.”

Xavier’s teal eyes narrowed sharply before widening.

“Why is His Highness coming here when we were supposed to meet him in Berg?”

“I’m not sure either. A knight on reconnaissance reported it, so we sounded the warning horns in haste.”

“Truly, he is an unpredictable man. Prepare to receive him.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Rexton bowed and left to carry out the order.

“Xavier, who’s coming?”

“Didn’t you hear? The Crown Prince is on his way.”

No, I heard it. That’s why I’m asking.

‘Why is the Crown Prince showing up here?’

It should’ve been Count Willem. In the original story, the attendees of the Berg meeting were supposed to be Count Willem as the Crown Prince’s proxy, Xavier, and the Beast Kingdom’s delegation.

‘The Crown Prince wasn’t even supposed to come near Berg.’

“Yuria, what’s wrong? Why are you trembling?”

“I’m just… caught off guard.”

My heart pounded wildly as uneasy thoughts flooded my mind.

I wasn’t about to complain about the story deviating from the original. That ship had already sailed, thanks to me.

But ever since Xavier’s brush with death, I’d become hypersensitive to even the smallest changes.

‘What if the Crown Prince’s appearance creates a butterfly effect that endangers Xavier’s life again?’

What if the negotiations for reparations, which went smoothly in the original story, are derailed by a single word from the Crown Prince? What if war breaks out again? What if Xavier has to go back to the battlefield?

An endless stream of worst-case scenarios tangled in my mind, leaving me paralyzed.

At that moment, Xavier gently gripped my trembling shoulders, leaning in close to look at me with concern.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I was just startled.”

“Yuria, you’ve been pushing yourself too hard because of me.”

“Maybe… maybe I have.”

Thump. His forehead pressed lightly against mine.

“You don’t have a fever.”

“Xavier.”

His clear teal eyes were so close. What if those eyes closed again? Could I bear it? Could I survive it?

Maya was right—I couldn’t keep running away. I couldn’t let Xavier face danger again. Someone might target him, and I couldn’t just cower in fear like a child.

As these thoughts solidified, my trembling stopped. I straightened my back and clasped Xavier’s hands firmly.

“Yuria?”

“Xavier, I’ll protect you.”

Xavier blinked, staring at me in astonishment before his lips curled into a gentle smile.

“I feel so reassured, my wife.”

His large hand gripped mine tightly. His gaze, which had been fixed on me, shifted forward again.

At the entrance to the camp, the Crown Prince’s carriage was pulling in.