Chapter 1

The chandelier sparkled, and the ceiling was adorned with soft, gentle paintings.

The room was predominantly white, with intricate and luxurious gold decorations from the walls to the ceiling. Between the windows, numerous paintings were displayed, most of which depicted the standing figures of past kings, queens, and princes and princesses renowned for their beauty.

The spacious ballroom was bustling with a variety of people: some chatting near the paintings, others dancing to the music played by the orchestra, some engaged in socializing, some greeting friends and acquaintances, and some searching for potential marriage partners.

In one corner of the ballroom, a beautiful couple stood close together.

One was a petite and delicate young girl with porcelain-like white skin, lustrous honey-blonde hair loosely curled, and large, slightly droopy emerald green eyes. She wore a light blue dress and looked at me with an anxious expression, her youthful appearance evoking a sense of protection.

The other was a slender, elegant young man with long flaxen-blonde hair—tinged with a hint of gold—and slightly narrow, dull blue eyes. He wore a green outfit and stood protectively, holding the young girl's shoulder, his gaze intensely hostile.

Facing them stood a girl with straight platinum blonde hair and long, violet almond-shaped eyes, her face cold and unadorned. Her plain, deep blue dress, though somewhat fashionable, still looked somewhat old-fashioned. She was tall for a woman, slightly shorter than the elegant young man standing opposite her.

There was a reason these three had gathered together.

“Lord Richard, why are you escorting Phyllis instead of your fiancée?”

Yes, the young girl is my half-sister, and the young man is my fiancé.

Richard should have accompanied his fiancée to the ball, but he ignored her and calmly entered the venue with my half-sister.

As a result, I had to endure the humiliation of entering alone, despite having a fiancé.

In response to my question, Richard laughed derisively through his nose.

“Not understanding this shows how childish you are. Choosing a beautiful, charming, and socially adept woman over a dull, unattractive, and ungraceful one is only natural.”

Richard looked at my half-sister, Phyllis, with affection.

Phyllis, her eyes filled with tears, trembled as she spoke to me.

“I’m sorry, sister… I knew Lord Richard was your fiancé. But I couldn’t control my feelings… I fell in love with him…”

Her long lashes were lowered, casting shadows on her face, which looked as if she was enduring pain. Seeing this, Richard patted her shoulder and said, “You did nothing wrong.”

The people around them sensed the tense atmosphere and whispered, watching the scene unfold.

Richard, raising his gaze from Phyllis, who seemed on the verge of tears, glared at me again.

“I will break off our engagement. And I will become engaged to Phyllis Aringham.”

It felt as if I had been hit on the head.

At the same time, I had a sensation as if the world and my vision had suddenly expanded. Memories that were not mine raced through my mind, and the gray world was filled with color. The common sense and feelings I had previously held were replaced, and the world, which had seemed dull, now shone brightly.

Conversely, the man who had just declared the end of our engagement seemed insignificant to me.

The emptiness within me was filled with the memories of a different life I had lived before my birth.

In my previous life, I was loved by my parents, an only child with good friends and colleagues. I openly declared my likes without caring about others' opinions and enjoyed my life as a single person. I didn't have a lover, but I was passionate about characters from manga and anime, collecting goods and attending events without worrying about others' evaluations.

A world without an indifferent father, a malicious stepmother, or a half-sister who tried to take everything from me.

A life filled with kindness, brightness, and a lot of love, despite the occasional hardships.

It was a moment that probably lasted only a breath.

If I had been the me from a few seconds ago, I might have clung to him, but the now fulfilled me found Richard's affection meaningless. I even thought, "I don't need such a thing."

“Is this decision made with the consent of both families? If it was decided only by you and Phyllis, it must be discussed between the families.”

“Both Phyllis’s parents and mine have agreed. Moreover, Phyllis is already carrying my child, so there’s no choice but to break off the engagement, no matter how much you object.”

The people who had been listening to this exchange murmured.

It was common knowledge in noble society that noble daughters should remain chaste until marriage and should not easily give themselves, even to their lovers or fiancés. Occasionally, some would become pregnant just before the wedding, but it was kept secret.

For a viscount’s daughter, who was not even engaged, to have given herself to someone, especially her half-sister’s fiancé, was scandalous.

Those with a sense of propriety frowned or hid their discomfort behind fans. Some tried to hide their reactions, but most were watching the drama unfold with interest.

If my father, stepmother, and Richard’s parents all agreed, I had no right to refuse. Richard’s family, being earls, had a stronger position than our viscount family.

My father and stepmother, who doted on my half-sister, must have been delighted.

When Richard mentioned the child, Phyllis tugged at his clothes, looking flustered.

“Lord Richard, that’s…”

It was too late to stop it now.

Richard, realizing the situation, remained composed.

“It doesn’t matter. You will soon be my wife.”

I had always felt that he was a man who didn’t consider the atmosphere, but he truly seemed oblivious to it.

Phyllis, sensing the disapproving looks from the crowd, looked uncomfortable.

“I understand. I accept the end of our engagement.”

“Hmph, you should have said so from the beginning. You’re a troublesome woman until the end.”

“I’m sorry. I will take my leave.”

I dismissed his complaints with a nod, made a courtesy, and left the scene.

Unfortunately, I was at the far end of the ballroom, so it was a long walk to the exit.

As I walked quickly, a sense of liberation made my lips curve slightly.

I felt refreshed to be free from that fiancé. I had been tired of being engaged to such a man. On the first day we met, he didn’t even try to hide his displeasure. Whenever we visited each other’s homes, he paid more attention to my half-sister and constantly belittled me, which I found annoying.

If it weren’t a political marriage, I would never have chosen such a man.

And he even self-destructed at the end. While I might be seen as a woman who couldn’t hold onto her fiancé, my half-sister would be recognized as an improper and promiscuous woman who stole her sister’s fiancé.

In the social world of noble women, chastity is highly valued, and such behavior would make her an outcast.

Now, I need to think about my future.

Once a noble lady has had an engagement broken off, it becomes difficult to find a new fiancé, regardless of whether she was at fault.

Perhaps I should give up being a noble lady and become a town girl.

Thanks to the memories of my previous life, I had no aversion to working.

That’s not a bad idea, I thought, but my steps stopped as I saw a large figure ahead.

The person standing near the ballroom entrance was much taller than the others, with a robust build that stood out among the slender and delicate nobles. He wore a pure white and gold-trimmed knight’s uniform, allowed only to the royal guard, and a deep red mantle. His appearance and build clearly indicated he was male.

But what caught my eye the most was his head.

Where a human head should have been, there was a lion’s head.

The face, framed by a mane of bright gold, was that of a lion. The closed mouth suggested that if it opened, it would reveal sharp teeth. There were probably whiskers around the mouth, and the mane extended down to the collar of his uniform.

He stood alone, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, drawing a lot of attention.

I wanted to leave quickly, but my feet wouldn’t move.

Suddenly, he noticed my gaze and looked at me.

The moment our eyes met, I was shocked.

…Is he a therianthrope?

In this world, there is magic, but it is called sorcery. Only sorcerers can use it, and only a few members of the royal family and high nobility can, thanks to the sorcerers they employ. Lower nobles and commoners can’t use it.

Unfortunately, this world doesn’t have elves or therianthropes.

There are only humans, magical beasts, and ordinary animals.

Thus, his appearance was heretical.

But to me, it was familiar and endearing.

“…Beautiful…”

In my previous life, I was a severe therianthrope enthusiast, and I particularly loved feline animals.

＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊

Riley Winters was a man who had been granted the title of knight by the king himself.

Born as the third son of a baron’s family, he naturally aimed to become a knight, following a lineage of knights. He showed talent from a young age and joined the royal knight’s order by the time he was in his early twenties. He trained and worked diligently, often being dispatched to slay powerful magical beasts that appeared near the capital.

Slaying magical beasts is dangerous but is only entrusted to the most capable.

Five years ago, an event occurred that changed his life.

A highly aggressive lion magical beast appeared near the capital. A large number of knights were chosen to slay it, and Riley was among them.

However, the lion magical beast was incredibly strong, and several knights who fought alongside him were killed.

In the moment it bit him, he prepared to die and thrust his sword into the lion’s head.

This proved to be a fatal blow, and the lion magical beast died. Riley, though critically injured, survived thanks to a healer specialized in sorcery who was with the group. However, the scars from that battle remained on his body.

But when Riley awoke, he was shocked.

He had transformed into something that resembled the lion magical beast, as if it had possessed him.

His body had grown larger, covered in fur, with sharp black claws on his hands, a lion’s face that could even roar, and a tail at his rear.

He immediately understood that he had been cursed and tried to end his life before he could harm others.

However, his lion form was too strong, and a regular sword couldn’t even wound him. Most injuries healed quickly, and attempts to hang himself only left him gasping for air.

Apart from his robust build and appearance, he was otherwise in perfect health.

The king, recognizing his bravery in slaying the magical beast, granted him the title of knight.

He served in the knight’s order for three years, using his strength to slay magical beasts and earn many accolades. Two years ago, he joined the second prince’s guard, who was a sorcerer and had participated in the lion magical beast’s slaying and understood Riley’s curse.

Since being cursed five years ago, Riley has been feared.

Only his family, his subordinates in the royal guard, and the male members of the royal family treat him without fear.

It was no surprise that Riley, at twenty-seven, was still single.

A large, powerful man with a terrifying lion form was unlikely to be favored by women.

Even the people in the city who knew about magical beasts avoided him, and for noble daughters, his appearance was even more intimidating. When he was introduced to potential brides, they often fainted or cried in fear. Marriage was a distant dream.

Still, the royal family, valuing his excellent bloodline, insisted he attend the ball to find a match.

With two older brothers and a sister, the Winters family’s bloodline would continue.

This time, attending the ball was to accept the reality that he would never find a match.

Without a partner, marriage was impossible.

He stood near the ballroom entrance, alert for any suspicious individuals, leaning against the wall and observing the surroundings.

Since becoming a lion, he had to replace all his clothes, but the lion’s influence made them feel constricting.

He wanted to sigh but refrained, knowing it would sound like a roar.

Living in a world that saw him as an anomaly was painful.

As he waited for the ball to end, he noticed a strong gaze.

Following the gaze, he saw a young lady.

She had lustrous straight platinum blonde hair and beautiful violet almond-shaped eyes, a cold and unadorned face, and her hair was unbound, indicating she was unmarried. She was tall for a woman, with slender, long limbs, and wore a plain, deep blue dress.

Their gazes met, and she stopped moving.

Her expression was neutral, but her eyes were intensely focused on him.

There was no fear, no hesitation, no contempt, no pity—her gaze did not waver.

Her pale pink lips parted slightly.

“…Beautiful…”

He couldn’t understand the words spoken with such admiration.

……What did she say?

Riley, who had remained unshaken through countless battles with magical beasts, was rare to be flustered.