#30

“You provoked me first.”

If he didn’t have that mouth of his constantly inviting trouble, I wouldn’t have to hit him so often. Though, to be fair, the other half was just because I felt like it.

Zerakiel was inherently irritating!

“So, can I call you by your name or not?”

At my repeated insistence, Zerakiel leaned in and whispered.

“Call me by my name only. Don’t call anyone else by their name.”

“That’s absurd!”

Now he wanted exclusive rights to my name-calling?

It wasn’t like I was only supposed to play with him in this world!

He needed to get over this possessiveness before I could even think about whether or not I could stay with the Jabisi family. I crossed my arms over my chest and declared firmly.

“No.”

“No?”

“No, I won’t.”

Zerakiel looked genuinely shocked at my strong refusal. It was like watching a pet revolt against its owner.

“And what will you do if I say no?”

That shut him up.

As someone who was essentially freeloading, asserting my opinions seemed ridiculous.

But I had the right to my actions. Not wanting to back down, I yelled, frustration etched on my face.

“If you keep pushing, I’ll run away!”

“!!”

The moment the word “run” left my mouth, Zerakiel’s face turned icy.

“What did you say?”

The air around us seemed to freeze, and the eerie voice felt like it was choking me.

“Say that again. What will you do?”

Zerakiel repeated the question with a sweet smile, which somehow seemed terrifying.

His reaction was stronger than I expected. I hadn’t realized my declaration would have such an impact.

I had no intention of running away anytime soon. Tabby said the safest place was within the black lion’s den.

I just blurted it out in anger because Zerakiel was being unreasonable. I lowered my gaze and mumbled.

“Just kidding.”

“Don’t joke about that, even in jest.”

Zerakiel’s lazy smile accompanied his soft declaration. I didn’t want to find out what would happen if I said it again.

His possessiveness seemed to cling to me like an aura.

The Jabisi family was known for their possessiveness, but this was over the top.

I shifted my eyes uneasily, trying to play it cool. Zerakiel’s gaze fell on my wrist, specifically the engraved mark.

I remembered the imprint and showed my wrist.

“Don’t you have anything to say about this?”

“Didn’t the hyena already explain?”

“Because you didn’t tell me.”

I wouldn’t have had to ask the male lead if you had explained it to me.

“And I can’t even run away because of this.”

“Right.”

Zerakiel smiled with satisfaction, looking smug that I understood.

His casual acknowledgment left me speechless. After a moment, Zerakiel spoke.

“Remember, Chichi, you are mine, and I will protect you.”

It was a simple statement, but it carried the weight of his possessiveness and determination. Despite my earlier frustrations, I couldn’t deny that his protection could be beneficial, even if it came with strings attached.

I had to play along, at least for now, to ensure my safety and plan my next steps carefully. I nodded, more to myself than to him, accepting the situation for what it was.

“Actually, I’ve already gotten permission from my father for that matter.”

“Permission for what?”

“To formally register you into the Jabisi family.”

“Me? But I’m just a ferret…”

The Jabisi family, unlike other families, was an exclusive group that did not easily accept other species. Most of the servants were lion beastmen because of the direct line’s picky nature.

The lions always looked at me curiously when I wandered around the Jabisi castle.

Formally registering me into the Jabisi family?

As a pet, I was part of his possessions, but formal registration was a different matter.

“There’s a way to register you even if you’re not a lion.”

“What is it?”

I had never heard of such a thing. Confused, I made a perplexed face. Zerakiel’s calm response was like a bolt from the blue.

“Marriage.”

“…What?”

“My father said to take you as my formal partner.”

What? What did he just say?

* * *

This isn’t right, is it?

I stared blankly out the window. It had been almost a month since I came to Hebel.

Once the final banquet was over, everyone would return to their respective families.

But I wasn’t looking forward to returning to Jabisi, not after my conversation with Zerakiel.

‘When we return to Jabisi, we’ll formally start preparing for the wedding.’

Seriously?

At first, I thought he was just teasing me. But realizing he wasn’t joking made my vision go dark.

Suddenly, I was promoted from a pet to a partner. Should I welcome this, or should I be horrified?

Who in their right mind would elevate a pet to a partner? Ever since the imprinting, I wondered if he was sane.

‘No, he wasn’t sane from the start.’

Yeah, calling a madman mad wouldn’t hurt them. It just made my head hurt being near him.

The problem was the elders of Jabisi. Even if Zerakiel was crazy, could the elders be as mad?

Surely, once the marriage was announced, there would be opposition from all sides. The thought of the ensuing chaos made me anxious.

Just then, I heard a familiar mischievous voice whispering in my ear.

“Little lady.”

“Don’t tease me, Ivan.”

“Hehe. Ahem.”

Ivan pretended to clear his throat, hiding his lips inside. His puffed-up cheeks looked annoyingly ready to burst.

I glared at him and snapped.

“You knew this would happen, didn’t you? That’s why you didn’t tell me about the imprint.”

“As if. I was just as surprised… heh, ahem.”

Heh?

Did you just laugh?

When I glared at him, Ivan glanced sideways, feigning innocence. When I growled, he continued.

“Isn’t this a good thing for you, Lady Chichi?”

“How so?”

“It’s better to be a little mistress than a pet. You’ll have more authority and comfort. It’s quite an upgrade.”

Is that even a valid argument?

I didn’t feel it was worth arguing and just glared at him.

Marriage is no joke!

I hadn’t even had a proper romance, and now I was about to become a married woman!

But in the world of beastmen, finding a partner was natural. Especially for a strong one, having a partner was a privilege.

As long as the strong partner was by my side, no one could treat me lightly.

From Ivan’s perspective, my strong reaction might be hard to understand.

If I only remembered my beastman life, I might not find it too bad. The problem was my memories of living as a human in Korea.

“So, you really don’t like Lord Zerakiel?”

“It’s not about liking or disliking…”

“Our young master might be a bit crazy and sometimes a rogue, but he’s excellent at taking care of his own.”

“Is that a compliment or an insult?”

“Of course it’s an insult.”

Ivan shrugged as if wondering why I asked. A loyal servant with a rebellious heart toward his master.

“Anyway, it’s a great opportunity for you, Lady Chichi. You’re not just on the dining table; you’re standing on the black lion’s head.”

I’ve already done that.

I shivered, recalling my first encounter with Zerakiel. It had been a problem from the start.

If only I hadn’t raided that damned storage…

Just as I was chewing on my handkerchief in frustration, I thought I saw someone outside the window.

Thinking it was a mistake, I rubbed my eyes and looked again. The result was the same. It was indeed Bianco passing by.

“What the…”

Why is he here?

TL/N: Advance Chapters Avalible