The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

Laria opened her tightly shut eyes.

The temple corridor was gone, replaced by a familiar scene.

This place, decorated like a hunter’s cabin, was Solike’s room in the intelligence building.

The crackling of burning wood softly filled the air.

As she listened to that sound, a sigh from Solike above her echoed.

“Phew, I thought we were dead.”

Solike placed Laria on a plush chair, wiping away his cold sweat. He sat across from her, brushing his hair back, and asked:

“Are you okay?”

Laria silently nodded.

“I felt like I used up two of my nine lives today.”

Though he said it lightly, he looked genuinely pale.

If they had been a little later, they might have lost their lives to Zenox.

“It’s a good thing I brought the elixir you gave me.”

The potion they just used was a one-time spatial movement magic. Upon sprinkling the potion, they could immediately teleport to the information store.

It was difficult to make and required rare ingredients, so he had only made one bottle for emergencies.

He never thought they’d have to use it like this.

“So… “

Solike continued to ramble, but Laria wasn’t listening.

All she could think about was Zenox’s face.

After returning to her human form, she sometimes imagined reuniting with Zenox.

What was he like in her imaginations?

Was he angry, demanding the fox orb? Or did he just stare at her emotionlessly?

Indeed, imagination was just imagination.

Reality was so different.

‘I’ve never seen such a face before.’

Zenox, who was staring blankly, lingered in her mind.

-…Whitie.

The moment her name was called, indescribable emotions surged.

Too nostalgic to blame her…

When Laria’s face darkened, Solike became quiet for a moment.

Then he checked the clock and asked:

“When are you coming back in human form?”

Laria, who had barely escaped from her thoughts, just lowered her head in silence.

She couldn’t remember much from when she transformed from a fox to a human.

After being seriously injured in a fire and losing consciousness, she returned as a human.

Surely she doesn’t have to stay as a fox for over half a year this time?

‘Ah, what should I do?’

She had secretly left after asking her servant to wake her up for dinner.

It would be chaos if they found out she disappeared.

Laria grabbed her ears with her front paws in distress.

“What do foxes eat? Can you eat anything? Should I start with water?”

“Kyuun.”

She let out a small cry, causing Solike to close his mouth in surprise.

He mumbled to himself that he sort of understands why the Grand Duke was so obsessed with the fox, as he brought her some water.

After quenching her thirst with cold water, she began to regain her senses.

Slowly, she began to regain her lost energy.

She took a deep breath, and felt a strange energy bubbling inside. It was similar to the feeling when she first swallowed the fox orb.

‘Huh?’

Laria tilted her head.

There’s an intuition that naturally makes you realize something you’ve never experienced before.

‘I feel like I’m going to transform back into a human?’

Suddenly, Laria jumped to her feet.

“Laria?”

Ignoring Solike’s call, she looked for a place to hide.

As soon as she hid behind a stone pillar, Laria transformed back into her human form.

“Give me some clothes.”

Only reaching out her hand from behind the pillar, Solike, realizing the situation, handed her clothes.

She quickly got dressed and came out from behind the pillar.

Solike, with his arms crossed, gestured for her to sit.

“So, tell me what happened.”

“…I don’t know. I just transformed into a fox out of the blue.”

“There’s no elixir that transforms you into a beast… so there must have been some issue.”

Solike tilted his head, saying it was the first time he’d seen a complete transformation into a beast.

And then he threw a sharp question.

“Laria, are you the fox that the Grand Duke is looking for?”

Solike was certain, given that he had caught her in her fox form and Zenox had called her Whitie.

‘Should I tell him the truth?’

Laria hesitated for a moment.

However, needing Solike’s help, she briefly explained what had happened up to now.

“Yes, what happened was…”

She unintentionally transformed partially and then became a fox, was kidnapped by Zenox, and lived in the Grand Duke’s mansion.

She decided not to mention swallowing the fox orb.

Still, after shedding light on the general situation, she felt relieved. Perhaps she had wanted to share this story that she’d kept to herself with someone.

“Indeed. No wonder you were investigating the fire incident at the Duke’s residence.”

Solike nodded as if he understood everything.

“You escaped well. How did you even live with someone so terrifying?”

“…He was kind to me.”

“Do you still feel that way?”

Solike scoffed.

“But how can you live being treated like a pet beast?”

Having lived as a fox for so long, she didn’t find living as an animal particularly bothersome.

Not just Zenox, but the servants of the Grand Duke’s residence were also very kind to her.

However… she missed and worried about her family.

Every night, she’d bury her face in her pillow and shed tears.

“Anyway, you don’t intend to reveal the truth to the Grand Duke, right?”

The reason for her escape were the intruders, but she couldn’t reveal the truth to Zenox because she had swallowed the fox orb.

Of course, there were countless other reasons she couldn’t reveal she was Whitie.

She didn’t want to disappoint Zenox.

Laria firmly said:

“Don’t tell anyone.”

“A crow’s mouth is heavier than gold.”

Isn’t it lighter than a feather?

Solike was the kind of person who’d sell any information for a single coin.

She trusted Solike, but when money was involved, he wasn’t entirely trustworthy. Although he was a man who strictly kept his own promises…

Laria spotted a leaflet on Solike’s desk behind him.

It was a leaflet searching for Whitie.

‘He wouldn’t secretly sell me out for the reward, would he?’

As she cast a suspicious glance, Solike’s gaze also turned to the desk.

“You’re not thinking I’d sell you out, are you?”

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Laria said nothing.

With a raised voice, as if aggrieved, Solike said:

“I’m going crazy with these being delivered every morning. Ask the Grand Duke to stop sending them.”

Complaining that he used them as kindling because it was such a waste of paper.

“And why would I sell you?”

He seemed to value friendship over money, which was touching…

“Who would be foolish enough to cut open the goose that lays golden eggs!”

Her admiration was shattered by his comment comparing her to a goose.

‘Ah, right. That’s the kind of person he is.’

He was a man who meticulously calculated what was more beneficial. Fortunately, it seemed Laria’s worth was greater than the reward money.

Suddenly, Laria remembered the place where she met Solike was an illegal auction.

“Come to think of it, why were you there?”

“I’m here to gather information. You never know what unexpected treasures might be found in a dump.”

Crow beastmen were renowned for their exceptional tracking and searching abilities.

Given that the majority of those operating as informants were crows, it was clear they had a talent in that domain.

“I got a lot of information thanks to you… but it’s useless.”

Sollike seemed disappointed as he licked his lips.

If it hadn’t been for Laria, the Grand Duke’s fox would have been nicely wrapped up and presented immediately.

‘Gathering information…’

Laria remembered an opponent who wielded a crimson magic.

“Would you be able to get a list of the people who visited the auction house today?”

“It won’t be hard, but I can’t guarantee a complete list. Why?”

“I have someone to find.”

Upon briefly explaining what had happened earlier, Sollike’s face hardened.

“He used forbidden magic?”

“It seems the one who cast the forbidden spell on the Krassium mansion and this person either use the same magic or something very similar.”

The magical method was almost identical, but there were slight differences. They might share the same method.

After a brief silence, the green eyes of Sollike burned with hatred.

He, who hated forbidden magic more than anyone due to his past, said:

“I’ll do my best to find out the list.”