So the next day, I followed Hadel as he set out to inspect the city walls for any areas in need of repair. It was an outing filled with my own grand determination.

‘I’ll definitely find a business that suits the North well!’

But such ambition didn’t last long. As soon as we left the castle, I had to scream and crawl inside Hadel’s shirt.

‘Ah, but why is it so cold!’

With the chilly wind grazing my nose, I couldn’t even poke my head out of the shirt. It felt like my tears were freezing between my eyelashes, making crackling sounds.

People who saw me startled and diving in burst into laughter.

“Haha, looks like the ferret got scared by the cold.”

Is that funny? Is it?

‘You’re all too much. Laughing at me who’s bare-skinned while you’re all bundled up in thick clothes.’

I squirmed inside the shirt. That’s when one of the subordinates who was curiously glancing at me stroked his chin and said,

“The more I look, the more unusual it seems. Normally they don’t mind the cold.”

At this ferret characteristic that seemed completely unrelated to me, Hadel tilted his head.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Their whole body is covered in thick fur, isn’t it? It’s natural for them to be strong against cold. The white fur means it’s a ferret that originally lives in snowy fields.”

“Hmm.”

Hadel tapped my back with his index finger as if asking if I heard that. I shook my head and burrowed deeper into the shirt like a mole.

‘It’s no use poking me. I’m weak to cold.’

Whether it was because I was moving around and tickling him, Hadel’s chest rumbled. I could feel warm mana bubbling up from his chest. I pointlessly patted Hadel’s chest with my palm. It reminded me of my broken heart.

‘Sob, it’s so unfair. I used to live without knowing what cold was when my heart was strong.’

What’s cold? I always wore light clothes even in winter because it was too hot. Just like how Hadel can’t contain his heat now.

‘But Hadel is too much.’

Can it be this burdensome even though it’s his own heart? I’d never seen a case like this before.

‘Is there no way to solve this?’

While I was thinking that and staring intently at Hadel’s chest, it happened.

Perhaps thinking I had crawled near his heart because I was cold, Hadel asked me.

“Want a kiss?”

“Kyu?”

A kiss, how embarrassing. The funny thing is that my heart wavered for a moment.

‘Gasp, it’s the devil’s temptation.’

Hadel probably didn’t mean he’d give me such an intense kiss that I’d turn human, just that he’d infuse me with mana enough to make my body feel warm… but even that made my heart beat wildly.

‘It would be so warm if we really kissed. So hot.’

Even while dwelling on these lingering thoughts, I didn’t poke my head out. There was no other reason, just that there were too many people around. No matter how strong my ferret self-awareness was becoming, I wasn’t shameless enough to kiss Hadel in front of more than a dozen onlookers.

When I slipped into Hadel’s body like a snake, Hadel sighed through his nose. One of the subordinates who had been eavesdropping on our conversation approached Hadel with a beaming face.

“You seem to be very fond of the ferret.”

As he spoke, the other subordinates chimed in one after another.

“When Your Highness first said you were going to keep an animal, I was very surprised, but now I’m so used to it that it feels empty when I don’t see it.”

“That ferret, it looks ordinary but it’s very clever, isn’t it?”

“I heard the maids find it cute too.”

At the mention of being clever, I preened inside Hadel’s arms. Hadel nodded, not particularly denying their words.

“I didn’t expect I’d be taking care of it for this long either.”

It seems like just yesterday when he said he’d raise me until I was fat enough to make into a scarf!

I teared up at this great progress. Our relationship, now it’s like this. A relationship where he can proudly introduce me as a pet in front of others.

Although Hadel didn’t speak very affectionately, for someone with his personality, saying that much meant he cared for me tremendously. A subordinate who had been looking at Hadel as if surprised, nodded and replied,

“The future Grand Duchess should like animals too then.”

‘Grand Duchess.’

That was an existence I had never thought about before.

‘Come to think of it, even though I vowed to live by Hadel’s side for thousands of years, I never considered that Hadel could get married.’

Of course Hadel would marry too. It’s the duty of royalty after all.

‘I think I heard something like this briefly before. He said he didn’t have a fiancée yet, right?’

As I was rummaging through my memories, the subordinates added to this topic as if they had been waiting.

“Your Highness should get married now. You’re already late.”

“I want to see children running around the Grand Duke’s castle soon.”

“I think Prince Saedel said he was bringing information about potential Grand Duchess candidates this time…”

Hearing that, I remembered. I had thought Saedel’s sudden visit might be related to the Grand Duchess.

An existence I had never even considered was now at hand. I shuddered imagining this woman whose face I didn’t even know.

‘What if the real Grand Duchess hates animals?’

Even if she likes animals, at best it would be cats or dogs, there’s no eccentric noble lady who likes ferrets.

Suddenly, Hadel’s bride who came from the capital points at me with her fan and shouts.

[What is this smelly wild animal? Throw it out immediately. Keeping such a beast doesn’t suit Your Highness’s dignity!]

If she says something like that, even Hadel would have no choice but to send me out of the castle.

No, even if I somehow avoid being thrown out.

[I can’t allow a beast to roam freely in the castle! If you really want to keep it, keep it outside the castle!]

It was a very natural request. Even the butler had argued that I should be kept in a dog bowl with a leash, hadn’t he?

‘Just imagining it makes me sad.’

After living like the owner in Hadel’s room, suddenly imagining living outside the castle made me want to cry.

As I hung my head dejectedly, Hadel spoke in a gruff tone.

“I have no intention of marrying a woman chosen by the royal family.”

At Hadel’s words, the subordinates showed dismay.

“But in this North, there are no families of suitable status to become Grand Duchess…”

Of course there wouldn’t be a lady of high enough status to be Hadel’s wife in the North, where even common people were few in number. Shattering their concerns, Hadel calmly dropped a bombshell declaration.

“And I’m planning to marry soon.”

“I-Is that so!”

Marriage!

This was news to me too. I could hear the subordinates’ agitated whispers even from where I was.

“Who?”

“I don’t know.”

“Does the butler know?”

They wouldn’t have such a conversation in front of Hadel if they were being mindful of him, but their shock was palpable.

And I was just as shocked. Forgetting the cold, I poked my face out of the shirt.

‘No, who are you marrying? You’ve only been with me, when did you have time to date?’

I hadn’t seen even a shadow of a woman who looked like she might marry around Hadel.

Meeting my gaze, Hadel just smiled instead of answering.

‘Don’t smile, answer me!’

Normally I would have been wide-eyed at Hadel’s rare smile, but today my chest just felt tight. As I was glaring at Hadel with narrowed eyes, it happened.

‘Ugh, cold.’

A cold chill brushed my nose from somewhere. Even though the weather was cold, I shouldn’t have felt any cold air while nestled in Hadel’s arms.

‘What’s this? Is it snowing?’

Thinking that, I turned my head, and something ominous caught my eye.

Woooooo.

What kind of howl should I call this?

It clearly looked like a beast like a wolf or tiger, but its eyes were blue, and its body was unnaturally white as if frozen solid. White mist-like cold air leaked from its mouth.

‘This must be the monster Hadel mentioned!’

It was a monster I’d never seen before. When I used to fight monsters, there were no monsters in this form!

“Monster!”

“Where on earth did it appear from?”

“Defensive formation!”

Those who noticed the monster’s appearance all drew their swords. I tensely gripped Hadel’s shirt.

‘This is inside the city walls. How did a monster get in?’

The cold air felt threatening, but the monster walking leisurely showed no sign of ferocity. It meant it wasn’t the type to attack quickly or nimbly enough to be a threat.

‘It doesn’t seem like it could jump over the city walls.’

Did someone open the city gates for it?

All sorts of imaginings were swirling in my head when it happened. Hadel grabbed me and pulled me out of his shirt.

‘Ah, cold!’

Even when I was clinging tightly to Hadel I felt the cold air, but coming out of Hadel like this made my body shiver involuntarily. After setting me on the ground, Hadel pushed my back.

“Marian, run this way. If you keep running you’ll reach the castle.”

“Kyu kyu!”

Hadel, what about you?

Hadel, who surprisingly understood my cries accurately, smiled faintly again. I could read Hadel’s mind without him saying anything. It meant he would stay here.

‘This fool.’

I think I’m going to start hating when Hadel smiles.

Worried that I might get stepped on if I lingered around, small as I am, and make Hadel more nervous, I backed away. Thinking I was fleeing completely, Hadel also drew his sword and stared straight at the monsters.

“Drive the monsters towards me!”

At that order, I turned pale.

‘Drive the monsters towards you?’