CH 4

Startled by the noise outside the door, Thiel rolled her shoulders as if she was crouching.

It was enough to be seen with the naked eye that her shrunken shoulders trembled.

“Hide for a moment. Do you know how to transform?”

Ian grabbed Thiel by the shoulders and asked.

Thiel trembled and nodded. Then, Ian, who lowered his voice so that no one outside the room could hear, whispered in Thiel’s ear.

“Then transform and hide. Get under the bed.”

Trembling and taking a step back, the girl put the blanket she was holding onto the floor.

Then, quickly spinning around in the air, the little girl disappeared, leaving only a frightened snow leopard in place.

“Hurry!”

Ian licked his lips and urged.

The snow leopard dragged the blankets the size of her body into her mouth and hid under the bed.

It was only because she was nervous that her tail was sticking out of the bed.

Ian quickly ran to catch Thiel’s tail that had popped out and put it back inside, then he pulled the blankets down over the bed.

From the outside, it looked as if the blanket had been pushed down due to bad sleeping habits.

Only then did Ian tidy up his crumpled pajamas and open the door.

Kiik-

Ian frowned at the man standing upright in front of the half-open door.

“Cedric Yovino.”

As Ian called out the man’s name, the man bowed his head slightly instead of answering.

“What brings you here at this late hour?”

After quickly scanning the surroundings and confirming that there was no one around, Ian nudged Cedric.

Cedric stood in front of the door looking embarrassed and spoke to Ian in a low voice.

“Please forgive my rudeness, Your Highness.”

Cedric whispered quietly enough for only Ian and Cedric to hear.

The reason Cedric and Ian were being so cautious was that Ian had not visited the Nestian mansion as the Crown Prince.

Iandros Krasion.

He was now on a mission under the Emperor’s command, “Won’t you choose your own bride?” And, as per the Emperor’s command to quietly observe the qualities of the potential brides, he had planned to quietly return.

Until the snow leopard jumped into his room.

“I was hoping to return quietly, but it seems like that’s out of the question now.”

Ian sighed and led Cedric into the room.

The servants of the mansion were all gathered at the entrance of the annex, peering inside. If Cedric were caught calling Ian “your highness,” he would be in trouble.

“Just tell me the matter and leave,” Ian said sharply. Cedric lowered his head and spoke.

“It’s about a maid who escaped from the mansion.”

“A maid?”

“She’s a young maid, apparently. While she was being looked after, she escaped and ran into the annex, as the servants saw it happen.”

Ian let out a bitter laugh. The snow-white hair was undoubtedly a symbol of the snow leopard family, but a young maid?

Although he didn’t know what had happened in the mansion, Ian, who thought it was not a normal situation, hardened his expression and spoke.

“Oh really? I haven’t seen a young maid… If you’re worried, come in and check. But exclude my room and yours.”

Ian spoke firmly.

In the eyes of Cedric, who bowed his head, the wet sleeve of Ian caught his attention.

Feeling suspicious, Cedric raised his head.

Unlike Ian’s usual preference for tidiness, the bedroom was in disarray, as if someone had invaded it.

However, Cedric decided to say nothing and take a step back.

“I will leave now. Please rest well, Your Highness.”

Cedric said, bowing his head with one hand on his chest.

As Ian nodded indifferently, Cedric closed the door and left.

I heard Cedric talking outside, and the outside of the room suddenly became noisy.

Ian locked the doorknob, worried that someone might come in.

***

It was quiet outside the door. It seemed that the servants who had been looking for Thiel for a long time in the outbuilding had finally returned.

Because Cedric nailed that there were no maids in his and the prince’s room, the servants couldn’t even set foot in Ian’s room.

Ian rolled up the blanket and said.

“You can come out now.”

At Ian’s words, Thiel cautiously poked her head out.

Because Nestian’s servants meticulously cleaned every nook and cranny, even though it was hidden under the bed, the dust was not on it.

Thiel looked around and quickly hid back in bed when she heard a loud noise outside.

‘Don’t get caught, whatever you do’

If you get caught, as Zyra said, there might be a big lock on the door.

Then the chance to escape would be lost forever. Because Thiel can’t even use her powers.

The hair all over her body stood up as she thought he had to die in a month while being locked up.

“Why do you want to come out if you’re just going to go back in?” Ian scolded Thiel.

He reached under the bed and carefully lifted Thiel’s small body onto the bed. Thiel’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Now, tell me again. Why are you running away?”

Thiel shook her head, avoiding eye contact.

If I open my mouth now, the servants wandering outside might hear.

When I eavesdropped on the conversation I had with that man earlier, the boy in front of me seemed to be a person of fairly high status. However, I wasn’t sure if he would protect me.

When Thiel didn’t say anything and kept her mouth shut, Ian sighed and spoke.

“First, release the transformation.”

Thiel did as Ian said and unraveled the transformation. A girl in an old nightgown slowly appeared on the bed.

“The servants are gone. Now that it’s just the two of us, tell me everything. What happened? And also, you’re a maid in this mansion, right?”

Ian looked down at Thiel with his arms crossed.

Thiel lowered her head.

Being a maid was an unbelievable statement.

She didn’t have silver hair as beautiful as Rowan’s, but Thiel definitely had white hair that was a symbol of the Nestian family.

‘Besides, this person has seen me in my beast form….’

Snow leopards are born only within the direct line of the Nestian family.

There was no way this boy didn’t know that. Thiel cautiously opened her mouth while lowering her head.

“I, I am the daughter of the Nestian family.”

Ian chuckled and replied, I know that too. I saw you transform into a beast. I’m asking why you’re running away and why they introduced you as a maid.”

Thiel hesitated for a moment. She wasn’t sure what to say or how much to reveal.

‘How much should I tell him? Should I tell him that my grandfather wants to kill me?’ Thiel thought to herself.

She decided to keep that part to herself. She didn’t know if the boy in front of her would treat her as a “crazy maid” if she told him her grandfather was trying to kill her.

So, she decided to leave that part out and said, “My grandfather thinks I’m a disgrace to the family. I’m not talented and my appearance is not pleasing to the eye, so he decided to make me a maid.”

“That’s why they introduced you as a maid,” Ian nodded in understanding.

Upon hearing Thiel’s words, Ian immediately scanned Thiel and spoke. Feeling his gaze, Thiel swallowed nervously and continued.

I’ve been living locked up since birth, so…”

As Thiel said, the boy pulled by her thin nightgown and examined the wounds on her delicate skin.

There were old scars and recent wounds of various shapes and sizes. Thiel’s face turned red when he noticed Ian examining his wounds.

Whether or not he said anything, Ian’s gaze examining her scars became cold.

“So that’s why you were running away because you get overwhelmed when guests come.”

“Yes.”

Thiel nodded his head.

“In the first place, what are you going to do by escaping from the mansion? You can’t do anything alone.”

Thiel paused for a moment.

She had a destination in mind, but she knew that even that place wouldn’t welcome her. She struggled with whether to tell the boy in front of her destination.

“….to the Asterian family…”

“Asterian? Why there?”

“Ah, my father belongs to the Black leopard family…”

Thiel was on the verge of tears.

As Ian listened to her, he looked at her face with wide eyes. Then he let out a hollow laugh and covered his mouth with his hand.

‘What did I do wrong?’ Thiel thought to herself.

Of course, Thiel, who didn’t know why Ian was acting that way, just watched his every move.

“You just noticed it now…” Ian said after studying the child’s face again. He then grabbed a bundle of blankets and asked, “How do you plan on getting to the Asterian household?”

“I’m going to take a carriage. And with this…” Thiel pulled out a few coins and a fountain pen she had stolen from Zender Nastian’s office earlier.

Thiel didn’t know it, but the coins and pen weren’t worth much. Chancellor Nastian wouldn’t leave any valuable items lying around in his office that were always open.

Looking at the coins with a cold gaze, Ian laid Thiel down on the bed and said, “You won’t be able to leave Nastian’s territory with just that. No, I’ll take you there myself.”

“What?”

Thiel’s eyes widened as she asked.

“I’ll take you there, to Asterian.”

“Really…?”

Thiel asked cautiously, her tear-streaked face full of hope.

“Yes, it is. Did you only live in deceit?”

Ian retorted, seeming annoyed. He rubbed his head and then patted Thiel’s forehead before gently laying her down.

“…?”

Thiel lay on Ian’s bed, perplexed. She tried to get up immediately, but was stopped by Ian’s touch.

“So, just rest a bit. If you can’t get up tomorrow, I won’t take you with me,” Ian said in a curt tone as he covered Thiel’s small body with a blanket.

Thiel nodded repeatedly and, sitting next to Ian, cautiously grabbed his waist and said, “Um, thank you so much. I must repay this kindness…”

“What kindness?” Ian interrupted.

“Well, anyway…you’re my savior. Can you tell me your name?” Thiel’s watery golden eyes shone in the moonlight.

Ian looked at Thiel’s face and awkwardly cleared his throat. Then he replied intermittently,

“… Iandros Krasion. Call me Ian.”

Thiel’s eyes widened as he learned the name of his benefactor.