‘…Right, it couldn’t have been courtship.’

Marian’s explanation was fully understood. That it wasn’t courtship, but an act of rescue.

She herself had said it. Though her past life was human, she’s now closer to a ferret.

How could a ferret harbor romantic feelings for a human and kiss them? So it was truly artificial respiration to save his life.

‘In the end, I’m the problem.’

Hadel rubbed his face dry. While the other had no romantic feelings, he kept thinking about it, so he was the problem after all.

But it wasn’t easy to cut off his interest so abruptly. He had realized how beautiful a woman this cute and lovable ferret was.

Her white belly rose and fell evenly. Overlapping the sight of her sleeping soundly, completely unaware of Hadel, was a sharp voice.

This ferret, named Kyu Kyu because she cried “kyu kyu”, actually had a pretty name – Marian.

However, Hadel couldn’t bring himself to call her by that name.

‘If I call her by name too, I won’t be able to hold back.’

Even now, that tiny ball of fur was perceived as a beautiful woman, and if he called her by that name, his feelings would surely flow out fiercely like a river with broken banks.

Even now, a fierce storm was raging in Hadel’s chest. He wanted to kiss those small lips right away, to make her transform into a beautiful woman.

“Damn it…”

In the end, all Hadel could do was swallow an unfitting curse.

Hadel is acting strange.

Hadel always wakes up earlier than me and leaves for sword training, so waking up alone in an empty bed in the morning wasn’t unusual at all.

But Hadel entering with the butler is strange. Usually, Hadel would come into the room first and start washing up, then the butler would enter.

‘Moreover, he looks oddly tired.’

After comforting me when I was crying yesterday, Hadel and I went to bed early. If he had slept since then, there’s no way such dark circles could have formed under his eyes.

‘But he looks just like someone who’s been up all night. That can’t be.’

If Hadel had been tossing and turning unable to sleep, I surely would have woken up.

‘Then why?’

I tilted my head, not understanding. The butler, meeting my eyes, greeted me with a still disgruntled expression.

“You woke up early today.”

“Kyu kyu.”

It was as he said. Usually, I would be sprawled out sleeping in bed, only waking up to the sound of the cart or Hadel’s shower.

‘But since Hadel protected me, I should work harder to earn my keep.’

After receiving help yesterday, and being told I was like family, I decided to become a ferret who repays kindness.

‘Yes, if it weren’t for Hadel, I would be in the forest, contemplating which bug would be least repulsive to eat, testing my patience and stomach.’

I had momentarily forgotten due to the recent comfortable and well-fed life, but originally, insects are the main diet of ferrets.

So today, I woke up early, put on an apron, and diligently swept Hadel’s room with a broom. Since Hadel doesn’t make much mess, cleaning wasn’t difficult.

‘Phew, how’s that? The room’s clean, right?’

As I looked at the butler with a satisfied expression, for once, he praised me.

“…With the apron on, you look a bit cute.”

“Kyu.”

Oh my. You finally realized it, my charm.

I nodded, praising the butler who had at last recognized my cuteness. Of course, the butler wouldn’t have understood my words.

‘This is how we get used to each other.’

Hadel told me I was like family to him, and I had no intention of leaving Hadel’s side.

‘So, butler, you should get used to me too.’

As the butler and I were nodding with contented smiles for our own reasons, it happened.

The one who acted unexpectedly was none other than Hadel. Hadel, who had walked in with the butler, saw me in my apron and stopped, flinching.

“Your Highness?”

The butler called out to Hadel in a puzzled tone, seeing him not entering his own room.

But Hadel’s gaze was fixed on me. Wondering if something was on me, I looked myself over. Nothing was wrong.

‘It’s just the same apron I usually wear?’

Then why is he looking so serious, as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t?

Feeling the strangeness just like me, the butler asked Hadel with a serious expression.

“What’s wrong, Your Highness?”

“I’ll prepare and leave on my own today, so withdraw.”

“Pardon? That’s…”

Hadel waved his hand and turned his body abruptly. The butler followed him as he walked towards the bathroom, asking.

“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

“No. I’m not. Hurry.”

Even then, I didn’t think much of it.

‘Hadel’s an adult too, so he might want to be alone sometimes. There might be times when the butler is bothersome.’

But right then, as if reading my mind, Hadel pointed directly at me and said.

“Take that ferret out too.”

‘Huh?’

The butler and I looked at each other in surprise.

Anyway, it was Hadel’s order, so the butler who took me out held me in his arms in the corridor, and slowly opened his mouth.

“…Do you want to have breakfast first?”

“Kyu.”

What’s the point of standing here like this.

I nodded my head vigorously.

After going to the kitchen with the butler and bringing back bread on a plate, Hadel continued to act strangely even after returning.

When the shower was over and he was fully dressed and seated, he seemed to deliberately turn his body away, as if not to look in my direction.

‘Why is he acting like that, really?’

But when I took a bite of bread while sitting on the cart, I felt Hadel’s gaze on my side.

‘Huh?’

Feeling the gaze, I turned my head, but Hadel quickly turned away. After this happened three or four times, I was sure.

‘Hadel is acting weird.’

Is he hungry and looking at my bread?

‘That can’t be.’

If it were someone else, maybe, but Hadel wasn’t that kind of person. I snorted in disbelief.

Then if it’s not the bread he’s looking at, it must be me.

‘I’m going to choke while eating.’

The food brought for me was, of course, all things I liked. But isn’t food supposed to be eaten comfortably to be delicious?

‘Should I just take the bread and go eat in the study?’

I seriously contemplated while looking down at the bread. As I was doing so, I suddenly felt annoyed.

‘No, why should I be having these thoughts!’

I glared at Hadel, the culprit making me contemplate like this. But there was a strange sense of discomfort about Hadel. After narrowing my eyes and looking at Hadel for a moment, I was able to find what was different from usual, like in a hidden picture puzzle.

‘He’s dressed unusually tightly today.’

Usually, he would wear a loose shirt that looked like it might reveal skin if pulled slightly, but today he was very neat. All the buttons were fastened tightly without a single one undone.

Isn’t this a very strange situation?

‘Is it just my imagination? The timing is too perfect.’

Kicking me out during the shower, maintaining distance during meals, dressing neatly instead of roughly.

All of these pointed in one direction. I opened my eyes wide and raised my head.

‘Could it be that he’s conscious of me!’

After thinking that for a moment, I burst out laughing.

How could that be? With all this fluffy fur. I know from when I was once human, no matter how cute, an animal is an animal.

‘He’s just being sensitive, I guess. It would be harder not to be sensitive in this situation.’

The castle was full of Prince Saedel and his entourage. They were all desperate to find fault with Hadel.

‘Let’s just eat the bread quickly. Don’t mind it.’

He’ll stop acting like this soon.

I buried my head in the bread again. As I was nibbling at the corner of the bread, suddenly there was a knock at Hadel’s door. The butler, who went out instead of Hadel, listened to the servant and came back in, saying.

“Ah, this is troublesome. I should bring Your Highness’s meal here as well.”

“What’s the matter?”

Hadel frowned. The butler gave a helpless smile.

“It seems Prince Saedel has left the castle early this morning.”

“That’s good news.”

No matter how much Saedel ruined the atmosphere, Hadel had to invite Saedel to join him for breakfast. That was the duty of the castle owner.

‘Wow! We’ll eat together today!’

I was happy when Hadel ate together. It’s lonely eating alone, you know.

Intending to eat together when Hadel’s meal arrived, I put the bread I was holding back on the plate. The butler, who keenly noticed this, said with squinting eyes.

“This ferret seems to think it’s human now. Wouldn’t it be better to give it a separate food bowl?”

“Kyu!”

Do you think I’m a dog?

‘Instead of praising the admirable behavior of wanting to dine with the master.’

This is really unbearable. Annoyed, I tapped the plate with my hind legs. Hadel muttered in a strangely blank tone.

“Food bowl…”

The butler, sensing an opportunity, quickly spilled out information about me.

“Yes. And the chef says chocolate cookies and caramels keep disappearing from the kitchen, and he thinks this creature is the culprit.”

“Kyu, kyu?”

Ugh, do you have evidence?

‘I did sneak a few… but calling me a culprit is too much. How much could I possibly eat?’

Honestly, maybe I did eat quite a bit?

Hadel frowned in disbelief at the butler’s words.

“Kyu Kyu did?”

“So the chef suggests putting a leash on the ferret.”

“A leash…”

Hadel repeated those words blankly again. I could tolerate the suspicion, but when a leash was mentioned, I finally had to protest loudly.

“Kyu kyu!”

A leash! Isn’t this too much?

‘I’m not a dog! I’m not a cat either! Hadel said I was family! Who puts a leash on family!’