It felt so good to be embraced in Dimitri’s broad and firm arms that I didn’t know when I ended up sitting on his lap. Everything just flowed naturally. As he tried to delve deeper and get closer, I started to push back until I eventually lost strength and fell onto the sofa.

Facing down, his shadow cast over me.

I couldn’t move freely. Dimitri, who was on top of me, was bigger and heavier than I had imagined, making it impossible for me to push him off even if I wanted to. Furthermore, at some point, both of my hands were held and firmly pressed against the side of my face.

Dimitri distracted me with kisses, and while I was catching my breath, he placed small kisses on my cheek and neck.

Kiss, kiss.

Each time his lips came down, a soft sound escaped. That sound somehow made my stomach flutter.

“Hht.”

When he bared his teeth and nibbled lightly on my earlobe, my body shuddered, and I let out a small moan without realizing it. Despite the fact that my nose and mouth were free, I couldn’t understand why I still felt short of breath.

My thoughts were dazed.

‘Hand… She’s not avoiding it anymore.’

I used to find it uncomfortable when he held my hand before.

‘Is it okay if I hold her?’

When Dimitri lifted his head slightly and looked down at me, I blinked as I gazed up at him as if entranced.

“Rowaine.”

He lowered his head before brushing his cheek against mine as if marking me with his pheromones, much like how a cat might rub against someone it liked.

“You’re mine.”

I thought to myself with a smile that his actions and words were unmistakably like a cat.

“Like a cat…”

Did I just think about it? Or did you say it out loud? It was hard to tell.

Feeling Dimitri smirking near my neck, the sensation of his lips tickling near my collarbone caused me to tense up and flinch instinctively.

“Ah, Dimitri… it’s ticklish…”

My mind was foggy. I wished I could just let go of everything and let this moment never end. Every touch, every movement of his made my heart tingle.

However, I was suddenly jolted awake by memories flooding into my head.

“I don’t do anything like love.”

“All love is a lie. It’s just a hormonal reaction with a validity period of two years.”

“I won’t be foolishly deceived by such meaningless emotions.”

“When love ends, all that remains is misery, an obligatory relationship, and the other person will become a shackle.”

The resolutions I always repeated floated around in my head. Then, as if clearing up from the haze of alcohol and atmosphere, my mind sharpened, and my body recoiled.

“D-Dimitri. Wait, wait a moment.”

Dimitri raised his head at the change in my voice and glanced down at me.

I pushed against his chest.

“We shouldn’t do this.”

“Rowaine…?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t think we should do this.”

He looked puzzled and stepped away from me. Seeing I struggled to get up, he easily helped me to my feet, but I pushed his hand away, not daring to look him in the face.

“I’m sorry.”

As I got up from the sofa and tried to walk away, he stood in front of me, gently taking my hand.

“I won’t do anything you don’t like, so please don’t run away like this.”

Even as I looked at him with a tearful face, he tried to hold onto me with words, though he made way for me to leave.

“If you leave like this now, it’ll be awkward seeing each other tomorrow.”

His words were right.

However, in the end, I left him and walked out of the parlor.

…Otherwise, it felt like all my resolutions would have faded away, and I might have confessed my feelings for him.

Dimitri watched Rowaine’s retreating figure from the parlor with a sense of bewilderment before he suddenly lowered his gaze and stared at her shadow.

“….”

His eyes narrowed.

‘That demon b*stard…’

At the sight of Agaliaept smirking mischievously while peeking his head out from Rowaine’s shadow, it didn’t take Dimitri long to realize that he had come between them.

‘…The demon intervened? Why?’

Agaliaept was a demon with no physical attack abilities but was adept at mental manipulation. Demons were inherently evil, and no matter how they might act as contractors, their role wasn’t to make their contractors happy. They merely waited to consume the souls and carry out the orders in return.

‘In Rowaine’s case, she isn’t Agaliaept’s true contractor.’

In other words, her soul wasn’t bound, so it must’ve been a great temptation for Agaliaept.

Until now, he had never thought that she harbored any dark thoughts that the demons could dig into, so he believed that she would be able to remain unaffected without being swayed by the demon.

But then again, there couldn’t be someone without a shadow.

‘It looks like he’s trying to delve into Rowaine’s desires, which might have something to do with her rejecting me…’

It seemed like she didn’t just push him away out of shyness.

Dimitri collapsed on the sofa in disarray.

Even though he didn’t know, he had a bad feeling that the despicable demon would have a significant impact on his relationship in the future.

Aside from the conflict between Dimitri and Rowaine, word of mouth was spreading about the Cool Cat Mercenaries after the dinner party.

“A cat shapeshifter mercenary group? What kind of ridiculous organization is that?”

“The Duchess runs it herself? A mercenary group? That’s beyond vulgarity.”

A few days after the banquet at Blois, the story of that day was discussed at a hunting-gathering of young lords.

Those who heard the story of Rowaine’s mercenary group shook their heads and openly criticized it without hesitation. Just the fact that the Duchess had formed a mercenary group was strange enough, but even more so was the fact that the members of the group were shapeshifters slaves.

“The end… the word is coming to the end.”

The criticism of her excessive collection of cats was already a hot topic among the nobility, but with the rumor of her mercenary group, it spread even further, reaching the capital as well.

Nevertheless, forming a shapeshifter mercenary group and paying them salaries couldn’t simply be seen as a hobby. Many people were murmuring about the concern that if such good treatment was given to slaves, it might embolden other slaves.

“Does the Duke of Blois have any ideas at all?”

“Perhaps his wife is out of control? Like the rumors among the central aristocracy that she has a temper?”

“Even so, a cat mercenary group? It’s embarrassing.”

At that moment, Lord Freddy, who had attended the dinner party, hurriedly intervened.

“It’s better not to run your mouth and speak so carelessly. You can’t shorten it like that.”

“What?”

“The Duchess has made a threat. If she catches anyone shortening the name of the mercenary group, she won’t take on any requests from them.”

“Ha! What are you worried about? Who would even entrust a request to a mercenary group like that?”

In response to his friends’ ridicule, Freddy shook his head as if to say that they didn’t know what they were talking about.

“Hey guys, haven’t you heard the story that the dream demons in Blois have disappeared?”

“Is it true that the cat shapeshifters are the ones who control the dream demons? Is that why? Are the cat shapeshifters in Blois so formidable that even the dream demons kneel before them?”

“No, it’s rather the opposite. They say the cat shapeshifters are the natural enemies of dream demons. They say the Cool Cat Mercenaries spent a few days hunting down dream demons. Some lords entrusted requests on a whim, and they said it definitely worked.”

“It must be a coincidence.”

The gathered people waved their hands and laughed as if they had heard something funny. However, the situation with the dream demons was so dire, so even though the lords scoffed, they were secretly perking up their ears.

“Whether it’s a coincidence or not, it seems like requests are coming in from all over the place, saying it’s worth a shot.”

“Is that so?”

Freddy nodded gravely, wearing a toad-like expression*.
[ T/N: The phrase ‘두꺼비 같은 표정을 지으며’ (literally: wearing a toad-like expression) is an idiom. It implies that someone is making a solemn or serious expression, often likened to the appearance of a toad. ]

“I saw it with my own eyes. The cat shapeshifters handling the dream demons.”

“What do you mean…”

“What I’m saying is, don’t run your mouth recklessly. We don’t know what’s going to happen.”

“What do you mean, ‘what’s going to happen’?”

Freddy let out a deep sigh.

“Did you know that Count Tara has earned the disdain of the Duchess of Blois, so he’s unable to send in requests? It seems that at the gathering, he mocked and ridiculed the Cool Cat Mercenaries. But…”

“But?”

“But the nobles, who were previously hesitant due to the dream demons, rushed over and groveled to the Duchess about him, and they received priority for requests in return.”

Upon hearing this, the people gathered rolled their eyes and exchanged glances.

“Is the… Is the Cool Cat Mercenaries… really that impressive?”

“P-Priority? Are there quite a few requests…?”

“Well, if the damages from the dream demons continue to escalate unchecked, even if we take a gamble compared to the losses, the cost of the contracts wouldn’t be that burdensome…”

One of those listening suddenly let out a deep sigh and confessed.

“Ha. Honestly, if the harvest goes south this year, I’m done for. I might have to sell off my estate because of debts. You know, my situation…”

He was someone who had mortgaged all his future taxes to other nobles due to gambling debts.

“Since I’m already on the brink of losing everything due to gambling, it’s all or nothing. So, why don’t I take a gamble on this? I’m going to go to Blois.”

As he stormed out of the place at his words, the remaining lords rolled their eyes and quietly got up from their seats.

“Ahem. I also have urgent matters to attend to.”

“E-Everyone seems busy, so I’ll take my leave as well.”

At first, the man who had mocked the mercenary group by calling them by their shortened name became restless as he watched his friends leave. It was because the story about the prioritization of requests was on his mind.

“Don’t, don’t tell me that you guys are going to sell me out… Hey!”

 
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