Beastmen. They were called “humans cursed by the beast,” but in truth no one knew exactly why beastmen were born.
A beastman was not necessarily born from two humans, nor from two beastmen. It was entirely random.
Most discovered they were beastmen around the age of eighteen, when they first transformed upon reaching adulthood.
However, beastmen rarely lived long.
The moment they transformed, someone would report it to the authorities, and they would be killed on the spot.
Long ago, beastmen had once lived as humans.
In fact, there had even been a time when being a beastman was considered a talent, and they were treated with the same respect as magicians.
But several centuries ago, the Holy Kingdom declared beastmen to be “children of the devil” and launched a war of extermination against them.
After that, the image of beastmen became fixed in people’s minds as either “children of the devil” or “humans cursed by the beast.”
Beastmen were not merely discriminated against.
They were not even given the chance to live.
The ironic truth that Kayvrant of the Green family, which was protected by the Holy Kingdom itself, was a beastman was known only to Kay’s family.
Until now.
Kay looked down at the small, pale woman frozen before him with an amused expression.
Lisi, who had seemed like the type who would not even blink no matter what happened, was standing there with her eyes wide in shock, completely stiff.
It was entertaining.
Soon, Lisi’s pale cheeks slowly turned pink.
As if unwilling to reveal that she had been startled, she squeezed her eyes shut and then opened them again.
Lisi returned to her usual noble expression, though her face remained bright red.
“…This is rather embarrassing.”
Lisi murmured.
Kay slowly lowered his head and looked down at his own body.
“What is?”
“This… situation.”
“Yes, it tends to be. Do you like it?”
“Am I supposed to?”
“You will be seeing this body every day from now on.”
“Every day…”
Lisi swallowed.
Now even the back of her neck had turned red.
Did this woman realize how red she had become?
Probably not.
Otherwise she would not still be wearing that composed, aristocratic expression.
Kay found himself liking Lisi more and more.
“You really are like a beast.”
“Not like one…”
Kay stepped forward.
Startled, Lisi quickly stepped back.
A moment later she seemed to regain her composure and raised her chin again with an arrogant expression.
But Kay could tell that she was not even breathing.
“I am a beast, Lisi.”
“Ah… I see. First, perhaps you should put on some clothes…”
“Is that necessary, Lisi? I was planning to get into bed with you just like this.”
Lisi’s amethyst colored eyes wavered uncertainly.
Seeing that, Kay felt an even stronger urge to tease her.
“If you do not like the bed, we could do it right here.”
As Kay bent toward the back of Lisi’s neck, he noticed her small hand gripping her skirt tightly.
‘Perhaps I should stop teasing her now.’
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
Bang!
The door burst open without a knock.
“Boss! Boss! The lady who will become our sister in law— GAAAH! What what are you doing?! Are you crazy?!”
Wallace’s voice rang out.
Kay suppressed a sigh and straightened his posture.
“Knock.”
“Oh right.”
Wallace backed up to the doorway and knocked on the door with his hand.
“I am coming in, Boss. AAAAAH! Boss, why are you like that?!”
“Why is the boss—”
Nathan entered along with a deep voice.
“Whoa… Boss… why… whoa…”
Eugene pushed past the retreating Nathan, walked silently to the wardrobe, took out a black robe, and handed it to Kay.
As Kay put on the robe, Eugene spoke.
“The task you ordered has been completed successfully. And Boss. It is improper to behave like this in front of the lady on the very first day. Please exercise restraint.”
Eugene turned toward Lisi.
“Lady Iris. I apologize on behalf of our boss for his rude behavior.”
“Understood.”
The redness had already vanished from Lisi’s face.
Kay felt slightly disappointed.
The coldly noble Lisi was appealing, but the flustered, red faced Lisi had been quite appealing as well.
“Um, sister in law. You really are our sister in law starting today, right?”
Wallace asked Lisi carefully.
Lisi looked up fearlessly at Wallace, who had a rough face and a massive build, and nodded.
“You may call me Lisi.”
“No, no. How could I dare call the boss’s wife by her name so casually? I never thought our boss would actually get married… sniff. Sister in law. Please take good care of him. Our boss has mountains of shortcomings, but please do not abandon him. Please cherish him for a long, long time.”
Wallace was busy wiping tears and enthusiastically shaking Lisi’s hand with both of his.
“Hey! How can you grab the lady’s hand like that? Honestly, you have no manners whatsoever… move aside.”
Nathan pushed Wallace away and stood before Lisi.
Nathan straightened himself and bowed politely.
“Please take good care of me, sister in law! My name is Nathan.”
“Please take care of me as well.”
“Sister in law, if you ever need anything while staying here, just tell me. Even if you are resting and suddenly need something, simply ring that bell over there.”
Lisi was slightly surprised.
She had forced this political marriage by threatening Kay with the secret that he was a beastman.
She had assumed that no one in this estate would welcome her.
Yet they were treating her so warmly.
Perhaps this new life would be a little more enjoyable than she had expected.
+++
Brittany could not contain her anger.
“He took her away immediately?”
“Yes. He said he was worried I might change my mind and refuse to send her.”
“That is ridiculous. Count Green really said that?”
“That is what he said. It seems he has fallen completely for Iris.”
“No, that is impossible. Why would Count Green like someone like her… no, no. That cannot be.”
Brittany shook her head irritably.
“Father. Do something about this. I really hate the idea of her marrying Count Green. Do you even know how popular he is? I absolutely cannot bear seeing her appear beside him as Count Green’s wife.”
“Just leave it alone. Even if she has gone to the Green family, she still has ties to the Whitlow family. She will be very useful to us.”
“Useful? I do not need anything like that!”
“What do you mean you do not need it? Do you know what we gained today by selling her off? We obtained the Benote gold mine. That enormous gold mine.”
“What good is a gold mine?”
“You think that is all? That fool Count Green even purchased the Hadun Region.”
“The Hadun Region? Is there not nothing there?”
“Exactly. That wasteland. He paid an enormous amount of money for it. He probably just wanted to show off his wealth in front of Iris. My dear, you were right. We did well raising her carefully and selling her off.”
Globurn turned to his wife, Dennis.
Dennis, who had been staring at her teacup, spoke.
“Still, the position of Count Green’s wife does feel a bit wasted.”
“There is nothing to regret. I have already made connections with someone close to the Crown Prince. Our Brittany will sit in a position higher than a mere countess.”
At the mention of the Crown Prince, Brittany’s eyes lit up.
“Really?”
“That is what I heard. So stop worrying about becoming Count Green’s wife and focus on behaving properly. My dear, now that we have money, should we renovate the estate? You also said you wanted to buy some dresses.”
“I have already seen one I like…”
While Globurn and Dennis discussed what they would buy, Brittany imagined the Crown Prince.
He might not be as handsome as Kay, but the Crown Prince was still very handsome.
And he was the Crown Prince, someone before whom even counts dared not raise their heads.
‘Me becoming the Crown Princess…!’
Brittany already felt as if she had become the Crown Princess.
‘Fine. You can have the title of countess. I will become the Crown Princess and summon you and Count Green before me every single day. And right in front of you, I will take Count Green for myself.’
What kind of expression would Lisi make then?
She would probably look as if she were about to cry again, yet still be unable to say a word, only lowering her head.
That suited Lisi perfectly.
‘The role of being loved belongs to me, Iris. You look best when you are scrubbing floors.’
+++
While eating the dinner the maids had brought to the room, Kay and Lisi had a long conversation about their plans for the future.
Before they realized it, it was time to go to bed.
“I failed to prepare nightclothes. I assumed you would bring some.”
Kay said.
“The only clothing I owned in that house was this dress. I do not mind sleeping in it.”
“That will not do.”
Kay opened the wardrobe and brought out one of his robes.
“Wear this for tonight.”
“Thank you.”
Lisi reached out to take the robe, but Kay did not hand it over.
When she tilted her head slightly as if asking why, Kay said,
“It is our first night. I would like to at least change my wife’s clothes myself.”
“Ah.”
Lisi’s face turned red as she remembered Kay’s naked body from earlier.
She had thought she would not be flustered by something like a man’s body.
Her heart had hardened after enduring countless humiliations in her previous life. She believed nothing would make it race again.
But the moment she saw Kay’s body.
The moment she saw that perfect physique she had never seen before.
Her heart had begun to pound.
Just seeing it with her eyes had stirred such feelings.
Her heart beat so strongly it was almost strange.
“Very well.”
Lisi spoke calmly and brought her hands to her clothes.
She had already decided she would do anything for the sake of a peaceful life.
Taking off her clothes in front of a man was nothing.
She could do far worse than that.
Her fingers slowly loosened the straps and buttons of her dress.
Throughout the entire time she undressed, Kay’s gaze remained fixed on her.
Even though it should have been impossible, it felt as if his eyes were slowly caressing every part of her body.
When she lifted the dress over her head and removed it, her pale skin, almost translucent, was revealed along with her corset.
The cool air touched her bare skin, but only briefly.
Kay immediately covered her body with the robe.
His robe was so large that Lisi looked as though she were wrapped in a blanket.
“You are small.”
“Yes. And you are large.”
Kay’s eyes narrowed.
Seeing the amusement in his smile, Lisi found herself smiling faintly as well.
When Kay saw Lisi’s smile, his eyes widened slightly. Then he gently grasped her small chin between his thumb and forefinger and lifted her face.
Looking into her with his blue gray eyes, Kay whispered,
“You are beautiful when you smile, Iris. Beautiful enough to make me want to swallow you whole.”