Failed to Train the Beast Male Lead

“…Duke?”

Norman’s gaze wavered. Seeing the Duke not moving despite being called, Norman felt a sudden fear and called out for Carol.

“Carol?”

There was no trace of Carol. No response came from her either.

Norman jumped through the window into the room. After quickly confirming that the Duke was breathing, he swiftly surveyed the interior of the garden house.

No one was there.

There was no one to explain what had happened.

Rather than thinking about figuring out what had occurred, the Duke was the priority.

“…My goodness. He’s burning with fever.”

The Duke’s entire body was hot.

It was not a good sign. He had to hurry and take the Duke back to his room.

There was still some time before the servants would arrive at the main castle. Even so, just in case, Norman wrapped the Duke in a tablecloth and carried him on his back.

With their size difference not being too great, Norman had to exert a lot of strength.

Norman was later than expected.

In the meantime, a messenger had come early in the morning, and Mrs. Wells had even gone to the reception room, but Norman was still not back.

She was anxious. There was no time to worry about the contents of the letter. Clutching the letter so tightly it was almost crumpled, she paced anxiously in front of the Duke’s room. When Norman finally appeared, Mrs. Wells’ face lit up.

“Norman, is there something wro-”

“Open the door. Now!”

Norman urgently cut off Mrs. Wells’ words. Seeing behind Norman, Mrs. Wells hurriedly opened the door.

Norman immediately laid the Duke down. His waist felt like it was about to break, and his legs were trembling. Despite the cold weather, sweat was pouring down like rain.

Mrs. Wells, who had followed, confirmed that it was the Duke on Norman’s back and her face hardened.

“What on earth… happened?”

“I have no idea either. But more importantly, the Duke seems to be in bad condition.”

At Norman’s words, Mrs. Wells nodded gravely.

“First, let’s get some fever medicine since his fever is severe.”

“Phew…..yes. Then I’ll keep watch.”

The two, who were initially flustered, quickly regained their composure. The Duke’s attacks were usually largely due to emotional factors. Something must have happened.

And it was obvious who the other party was. Mrs. Wells, who belatedly thought of Carol while checking the Duke’s condition, said with a stern face.

“We need to get an explanation from Teacher Carol about what happened.”

“About that…”

“Where is the teacher?”

“She wasn’t there.”

“What do you mean she wasn’t there?”

“Only the Duke was in the garden house.”

At Norman’s words, Mrs. Wells’ face flushed with anger.

“How irresponsible!”

Norman tried to calm Mrs. Wells down as she criticized.

“But we don’t know what might have happened.”

“What could have been so urgent to make her walk down that cold dawn road?”

She could only think that Carol had run away, fearing to take responsibility for the Duke’s collapse.

It was rare for Mrs. Wells to be this angry.

“There must be circumstances. If she was well enough to return, she should have at least left a message…!”

As Norman listened to Mrs. Wells’ indignant words, his gaze shifted to the letter she was holding. Then, in an awkward voice, he pointed out the name written on the outside of the letter.

“…The letter you’re holding seems to be from Carol.”

“…Cough.”

Mrs. Wells opened the half-crumpled letter.

Inside was written an apology for having to leave suddenly.

“Still, no reason is given.”

The sense of betrayal was as great as her trust had been. Mrs. Wells spoke scathingly.

Thud.

The Duke, who they thought was unconscious, firmly grasped Norman’s arm.

“Duke?”

As Norman turned around, fiery red eyes were looking at the two of them.

“If the teacher gives any reason for not being able to come, don’t question it and let her rest for a few days.”

“What?”

“What on earth happened?”

“…I made a mistake.”

While the two were taken aback by the unexpected answer, the Duke added:

“Don’t tell her I’m ill either.”

Before they could ask more, the Duke closed his eyes again.

His consciousness, which had briefly returned at the mention of Carol’s name, sank back into a deep abyss.

Mrs. Wells quietly closed the door and furrowed her brow.

“I’m very disappointed in Teacher Carol. I thought she was a responsible person!”

Mrs. Wells sighed, unable to hide her disappointment. Doesn’t her absence mean she ran away alone?

“What could have happened?”

“For a while, it will be a secret known only to the Duke and Teacher Carol.”

Mrs. Wells sighed deeply, touching her wrinkled forehead.

****

As if nothing had happened, the snow stopped abruptly the next day.

Although Carol had failed to transform into a human on the day she returned from the Duke’s Mansion, she was able to transform successfully the next day.

The only thought in her mind was that she needed to go to the Duke. She was going crazy with worry about shaking off his hand.

She wanted to apologize, to say that she didn’t avoid him because she disliked him, that she had intended to come back but was sorry for being late.

‘I’ll go… Huh?’

But before going to the Duke’s Mansion, Carol transformed back into a sparrow.

The fact that she transformed into a bird at night meant it could happen at the Duke’s mansion too.

For this reason, her siblings hoped Carol would rest for a few days.

[Instead of asking what happened, rest so we can be at ease.]

[But…]

[This is the best compromise we can make.]

[We also sent a separate letter saying you’re sick and can’t go from today.]

[…What?]

It seemed that after Carol’s letter apologizing for having to leave the Duke’s Mansion suddenly, her siblings had secretly sent another letter saying she was sick.

From the Duke’s Mansion came an indifferent reply, saying they wouldn’t ask anything and would send a coachman every few days, so contact them when she got better.

While such a conventional response might be normal, Carol felt uneasy.

It was the 8th day.

Every day, only the coachman came, and when told she was sick, he would say without much comment that he’d come again the next day.

During this time, Carol had been cooped up in her room, doing nothing.

Since both her human and beast transformations were affected by her emotional turmoil, she tried her best to calm her mind.

‘…He… likes me.’

The two of them were most likely to be happiest in their respective places.

Various reasons why they shouldn’t be together kept coming to her mind.

This fact was painful and bitter.

Tears fell steadily. If her siblings saw, they would be worried that all the water in her small body would drain out.

But Carol had to admit that now was the time.

It was time to quit.

Because now, rather than being helpful, she had become a hindrance.

Her siblings, seeing Carol revert to how she was after their parents passed away, were busy watching her condition.

Both had already secured top graduation honors and had fulfilled their attendance requirements, so they could rest until graduation if needed.

So Kevin and Dylan offered to take turns being absent, but Carol adamantly refused.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay? We might be late today.”

“Yes.”

“Rest more if you want to. Don’t go if you don’t want to. We’ll take responsibility.”

The two said with serious faces. Since she returned as a bird, they hadn’t asked anything, but their tendency to be overprotective had intensified.

They probably thought her beastman identity had been discovered.

While Carol knew in her head that she should correct their misunderstanding, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Though she knew she should act mature, she wanted to keep running away.

“…I’m sorry for worrying you. Nothing serious happened. I guess I was just tired.”

“If you say so, we’ll believe you, sister.”

“But whatever happened, don’t forget we’re on your side.”

Kevin kissed Carol’s forehead briefly before stepping back.

“Thank you.”

Despite their words, the two kept looking back with regretful faces as they left, but Carol didn’t hold them back.

After they departed for the academy, Carol flew to her bed.

In fact, Carol had been wondering too.

Although she said she was sick, hadn’t it been 8 days already?

‘What did the Duke say that they haven’t come looking for me even after several days?’

The Duke that Carol knew wouldn’t have said anything. Because what had passed between them was extremely personal.

Even if he knew that Carol hadn’t called for help, he wasn’t someone who would blame her.

Instead, there was no Duke sending flowers when her siblings said she was sick. It was natural that nothing came even when she was ill. She shouldn’t feel disappointed since she was the one who pushed him away. Carol brushed her face with her wing.

‘…Pull yourself together.’

This level of distance was originally correct. Mrs. Wells’ businesslike letter too. It was normal for a master not to send anything to a mere servant.

The Duke’s Mansion had said they needed Carol. Maybe she had believed those words too much.

As the sun set, fortunately, Carol successfully transformed into a human. Although there was anxiety that she might transform back into a bird midway, Carol started to get dressed.

‘I’ll go and apologize…And then…’

Maybe it would be right to say she couldn’t work anymore, come back, start preparing to move without looking suspicious, and leave.

What kind of face would the Duke have? Would she be able to pretend nothing was wrong?

Carol bit her lower lip.