One day I picked up a beast
w. charcoal briquette rice
*Do not copy*
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#01
A soft, animal howl echoed from somewhere. It was a truly heartbreaking howl. My dress was a mess as I stepped on the dirt road, but I paid no attention to it. I hurried towards the sound, and a cat with a large wound on its leg caught my eye. The sight of the cat licking its wound, bleeding profusely, was truly heartbreaking. All of this had happened while I was strolling through the dense forest behind my house.
Perhaps sensing a sense of alarm, the cat's gaze grew sharper as it spotted the female protagonist. It stood completely wary of the female protagonist, its tail and fur raised as if being yanked from above, its sharp claws exposed.
"Garrung..."
"Come here, I'll treat you so you don't get hurt."
I lowered my posture as low as possible, maintaining a non-threatening stance. A gentle smile spread across my face, and I cautiously extended my hand. Perhaps it was the kind-hearted impression of the heroine, but the hairs that had been standing up gently settled down.
"Right, baby. Come here."
Withered and tangled, the leaves scattered in all directions on the dirt floor. As if oblivious to the matter, the woman sat down with a thud and lifted the now-defunct cat into her arms, trapping it in her arms.
The only one in the world. This dress, made solely for the heroine, was sacrificed to a mere wounded cat. The sleeves of the dress, made of high-quality white silk, were ripped open and wrapped around the wound.
"Let's go to my room, I'll be home in a minute."
The cat must have really liked the heroine, because it didn't put up any resistance and just snuggled into her arms.
"Greung..."
"Ahaha, I guess you like being petted -"
The heroine's intention was to reassure him, to not tremble in fear. After stroking his head a few times, he rubbed his face as if satisfied.
Still holding the cat in her arms, she came down from the forest. "Wait, but what do I look like right now..." The female protagonist, reflected in the front window, wasn't a noblewoman just entering high society, but a young girl, unmistakable. Her dress was covered in dirt, her hair was a mess, and there was even a dry leaf stuck in her ear. If Lucia saw this, she'd be shocked and upset. Hehe.
"Lucia, I'm here..."
"Miss!!! Where on earth have you been, and what a sight you're in... If the madam finds out about this, she'll definitely be furious -!!"
Lucia is also quite consistent. Just think of her as a minor aberration for a poor young lady, suffocated by the suffocating stifling of high society. The bond between the heroine and Lucia is particularly special compared to that of other maids. Lucia, a maid who has been watching over the heroine since childhood, is the same age as her and has been her only confidant, like a friend. So, their bond is bound to be strong.
"But Miss, what is that cat?"
"That's right, Lucia. Apply some ointment to this cat. It looks like it's badly injured its leg."
"Wow, that's so cool - is this your first time seeing a black cat?"
"For now, I've wrapped the wound with this. Apply some medicine and give it some food."
"Miss... did you tear your sleeve...?"
"...Tell the other maids to prepare a bath."
"Miss - !!!!!!!"
Before I could hear any more nagging, I stormed into my room. Lucia's nagging lasted for more than half a day. Ugh, I'm sick of it.
"Miss, I'm going to prepare your bath - "
Several maids undressed the woman in preparation for her bath. They wrapped a large, soft, pure white cloth around her body. She then placed her feet in the bathtub, slowly sat down, and the maids then wiped her body with a soaking-drenched towel.
Squeak-
The sound of the door opening was heard, and the startled maids ran towards the door. As expected, the guest who entered the room was the black cat whose wounds had just been treated.
"Everyone, go out and give the cat here."
"Miss, staying in the water too long is bad for your health-"
"I'll take care of it when the time comes. Come here, Kitty. Right—"
I dismissed all the maids nearby and lured the cat into the bathtub in the corner of the room, waving my hand gently. The cat limped toward me, and I couldn't bear to watch it any longer, so I snatched it up and embraced it.
"It'll get better with time. Even if it hurts, just bear with it for a little longer."
"Grrrr..."
"I want to see your face, why are you avoiding my gaze?"
It was truly ticklish when its fur touched my bare body. The heroine tried to meet the gaze of the black cat, which kept avoiding eye contact, by bringing her face closer, but it was in vain. The cat refused to show its face, so the heroine, as if she had no choice, hugged it and gave it a quick kiss.
pop-
I lost all feeling in my hands. Where had the feeling of hair touching my bare body gone? The feeling of human skin...
"Gyaaaa ...
Why does he have such a strong man's body!!!
"....Why do you keep trying to meet my eyes? And in that way..."
It was a black cat that I was holding in my arms, but now how is it that it is being held in the arms of a strong man..!
"Everyone, every one of you... Who the heck are you...? Why are you in my bathtub..."
"I was holding on well, but the young lady provoked me... and I was transformed into a human body against my will-"
"A human body... So you're saying you're that cat..?"
"Yes, Miss. When my body temperature rises, I transform into a human form -"
So close. The man's voice whispering in my ear was so soft. What would have happened if it weren't for this white cloth? The heroine was still in his arms, her vital parts covered.
Examining his legs to see if he was really the cat, he found a bandage, seemingly wrapped by Lucia, wrapped around his beefy ankle. So... it wasn't a lie... but what exactly is this person...?
"Looking at the wound on your leg, it doesn't seem like you're lying. Then what is your true identity?"
"He is the divine beast that rules over the bourgeois empire. He is half human, half beast."
"I only heard it through rumors, but it seems there really is a spirit that rules this country."
"But, Miss..."
"huh?"
"...the bathtub..It's too narrow."
"....!"
With those words, I pushed past his broad chest, jumped up, and climbed out of the bathtub. I quickly threw on a silk gown, tucked the front flap in, and tied the string around my waist.
"...."
"What are you staring at, miss?"
I was momentarily captivated by his physique as he walked out of the bathtub. His upper body, with its well-defined muscles, and his lower body dripping with water. Seeing him half-naked made me blush for no reason.
"Oh, get dressed. Quick!"
"I don't have any clothes... Should I wear them with you?"
"This... this guy... how dare he...!"
He came closer, wrapping one hand around the woman's waist and using the other, trying to remove the collar from her shoulder. This exposed her bare shoulder, and when she hurriedly shook his hand away, he chuckled, lowering his head, as if finding the situation amusing.
"You were the one who called me to the bathtub first. You held me in your arms and kissed me too."
"That, that was when I didn't know your true identity, but now... isn't it different..!"
"It felt good. How about trying it again, Miss?"
"Is this guy crazy...!"
He slowly pulled the hand still supporting her waist toward him, then slowly brought his face closer to hers. Just as she was about to pull her head back in refusal, she realized something she had overlooked in this situation.
"Miss, what's wrong? I heard a loud noise..."
It was the maids outside the door who knocked and asked about the female protagonist's well-being.
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This is my first serial work :) Please take good care of me!
- Dreamer's Charcoal Rice -