The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

After giving her a name, the man changed quite a bit.

People around him noticed how much attention he started paying to Laria.

“How is Whitie’s meal?”

He would set aside his own meal and take care of Laria’s.

“The corners look sharp.”

He would comment randomly upon seeing furniture.

“It seems like dark-colored rugs would be better.”

“…Huh?”

“Because you might step on it.”

Since he didn’t specify the subject, Verdo hesitated for a while before nodding.

“Indeed, Whitie’s small and white, so I almost made several mistakes.”

“…?”

“But why haven’t you replaced them yet?”

His tone became somewhat sharp, making Verdo flinch.

Instead of making excuses, Verdo just lowered his head.

“I’m sorry. I’ll replace them right away.”

Such incidents happened several times.

At first, even the employees who followed orders without thinking began to wonder about the man’s attitude.

Ironically, they were the only ones who didn’t realize that he had changed himself.

‘Well, it’s more comfortable for me this way.’

Since it didn’t hurt to look good in front of the landlord, Laria enthusiastically responded.

With positive reactions coming back, the man started taking even more care of Laria.

“I bought some toys.”

When he went out, he came back with a bunch of toys…

“I’ve learned how to comb.”

He even snatched the brush from Verdo, who was responsible for grooming.

Even though Verdo looked at him with sad eyes, he didn’t give back the brush.

Of course, his gestures were awkward and clumsy at first. But as the days passed, his skills improved, and eventually, Laria was eagerly awaiting the brushing time.

As the long summer days went by, the time spent with the man increased day by day.

He didn’t confine himself to the bedroom and office anymore; he roamed the mansion with Laria.

He was always expressionless, but occasionally, a faint smile passed by.

The employees, who used to be afraid of him, no longer avoided him.

‘Maybe living as a fox isn’t so bad.’

To be honest, it seemed like she was living even better than when she lived as a noblewoman.

Of course, life as a fox simplified her thinking.

It was a life with no flaws, but… there was one thing that bothered Laria.

‘My family must be looking for me, right?’

Suddenly disappearing, how worried must they be?

Every night, Laria felt melancholy at the thought.

‘I miss them…’

Even Herdin’s nagging felt nostalgic.

Honestly, she thought that with time, she would return to his human form on his own.

But it had already been a month and a half.

She felt uneasy that if she continued to be complacent, she might have to live like this forever.

“You seem to lack energy.”

“Kyuu…”

The man picked up Laria.

She lay limply in his arms, unable to move.

“Is it because of the heat?”

Laria just shook her head.

When a concerned gaze was cast upon her, she felt strangely uncomfortable. Certainly, until just a while ago, she had acted indifferently like always…

At least now, she thought there might be someone to worry about her.

‘I still don’t know his name.’

Despite becoming quite close, Laria still didn’t know his name.

Of course, even if she knew the name, she couldn’t call it out.

‘If I were to return to being human, would he treat me the same way?’

Laria shook her head hesitantly.

The reason he treated her well now was that she was a fragile and small creature.

If Laria’s pet, which she raised, turned out to be a giant, she would have been shocked and even repelled.

“I heard foxes have a habit of entering burrows, is that why you’re low on energy?”

The man, who had heard information somewhere, immediately had a burrow dug by the gardener.

Even Laria, who had been skeptically watching, felt pleased after entering the burrow.

It felt good in the cozy space.

“Should I make a fox burrow at home too?”

“Kyu?”

Wouldn’t it get dirty?

Of course, the house was so big that it didn’t matter if a room or two were messed up.

The man plucked flowers from the garden and made a burrow.

After playing for a while, they returned to the mansion as the sun began to set.

However, there was a strange carriage waiting at the entrance. Someone who noticed the man called out to him.

“Your Excellency.”

Your Excellency…?

Laria’s fur, which was sprawled out in the man’s arms, stood on end.

There was only one person who would be called Your Excellency in the Empire.

‘Zenox Krassium!’

Could it be… that this man is Zenox Krassium?

Laria couldn’t move and just stared at him with wide eyes.

It was definitely the face she had been seeing, but once she learned his name, he seemed like a stranger.

Instantly, various rumors raced through her mind. The first rumor that came to mind was that he ate humans. 

‘If he finds out I’m a human, will he eat me?’

Laria’s fur stood on end at that crazy thought.

As Laria’s fur bristled and she began to tremble, Zenox called her name. 

“Whitie.”

Normally, Laria would respond when her name was called, even if she found it bothersome. But now, she just trembled and didn’t even make a sound.

Zenox, who had hardened his expression, ordered his guest to leave. 

“I’m sorry, but it’s best to leave. My fox seems unwell.” 

Zenox immediately summoned a veterinarian.

The most renowned veterinarian in the capital thoroughly examined Laria and shook his head. 

“There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Zenox crouched down and reached out to Laria, who was lying down with caution. When Laria avoided Zenox’s hand, he stopped. 

“…” 

He pursed his lips several times but eventually withdrew his hand.

Verdo, who had been watching from the side, cautiously offered his opinion. 

“It might be better to leave her alone for a moment since she seems startled by a stranger’s presence.”

“…Fine.” 

Zenox quietly cleared the room.

Now alone, Laria finally raised her head from the pile of blankets. She felt relieved to confirm that no one was around. 

‘So, he’s really Zenox Krassium.’ 

She had found it strange that the employees were avoiding him, but now it all made sense.

It was incredible how she had been wandering around fearlessly and still had her life intact. 

‘It’s a bit different from the rumors…’ 

He seemed eccentric but not to the extent of a madman.

He wasn’t obsessed with blood…

Comparing the rumors one by one with what she had seen, Laria shook her head. 

‘Regardless, I have to get out of here.’ 

She couldn’t live like this forever. Her parents and brother must be desperately searching for her.

Now that she knew the man who had picked her up was Zenox Krassium, she had finally made up her mind. Instead of waiting to return to human form, she would escape now.

She had roughly memorized the layout of the Krassium mansion, so she should be able to succeed this time.

After a while, Zenox returned. To successfully escape, Laria acted as usual, hiding in her burrow.

A faint relief passed over Zenox’s face. His golden eyes, sparkling like sunlight, shone on Laria. 

“Where does it hurt?” 

“Kyu.” 

When she nodded her head, Zenox let out a long sigh of relief.

Zenox cautiously reached out his hand. It was a slow gesture, allowing plenty of time for her to escape, but Laria didn’t avoid it.

Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

His large palm enveloped Laria. As he lifted her with both hands, the sound of her heart beating, thump, thump, thump, could be heard through her chest. It felt like her heart was about to jump out, which was terrifying.

Laria pressed her front paws against his chest. 

“I thought you were scared…”

He muttered softly, and though she felt embarrassed, Laria leaned against him as if nothing had happened. 

“Let’s go to bed early tonight.” 

Zenox placed Laria on the bed and looked down at her.

When Laria yawned, he turned off the lights and left the room.

In an instant, the room fell into silence. After confirming that there were no signs of anyone outside, Laria got up.

When she left the bedroom, she saw a dark hallway stretching out before her. Her goal was to escape from the mansion before dawn.

The garden was vast and intricate, offering plenty of hiding places.

Laria dashed down the corridor. Fortunately, she saw a staircase, so she slowed down. 

However, in the darkness, someone suddenly appeared in front of her. 

“!”

Her heart thudded loudly.

Zenox was standing there as if he knew she was going to escape. She was so surprised that her legs trembled. 

She wondered whether to turn back or break through, but then a soft voice spoke. 

“Whitie.” 

When her name was called, all the thoughts that had filled her mind disappeared. 

Laria stared blankly at Zenox. 

“You want to leave, don’t you?” 

As expected, Zenox already knew. Although she was tensed and her ears were erect, Zenox didn’t take the last two steps. 

He stayed there for a long time before finally opening his mouth. 

“It’s too late now. It’s cold and dark, so in the morning…” 

The end of his calm voice was faintly trembling. 

“Leave in the morning.”