The Arranged Suitor Was the Kidnapper

Her heart started to beat as if it was going to burst out.

Laria, who had been standing still without even breathing, finally opened her mouth.

“Your Excellency.”

The light in Zenox’s eyes, which shone clearly even in the rain, slowly faded. It was a look of missing someone he had been waiting for so long.

After a long silence, Zenox called out to Laria.

“…Lady Rohan.”

The fox ears sticking out between her fingers perked up.

Zenox’s gaze fixed on the fox ears.

Laria, who couldn’t hide her ears, picked up the fallen umbrella.

“Are you hurt?”

Zenox answered Laria’s question with silence.

She would have pretended not to know, but there was enough blood on the ground…

After a brief hesitation, Laria tilted the umbrella to cover Zenox.

“How can you not care when you’re bleeding like this?”

“It’s not my blood.”

Only then did Zenox speak.

Laria carefully observed Zenox’s condition. His wet shirt clung tightly, revealing his body’s contours. The broad shoulders and muscle movements were clear.

But no matter how closely she looked, she couldn’t see any wounds.

For someone who had lost so much blood, his complexion looked fine.

The armor on one hand was also clean without any sign of defense.

‘Is this all someone else’s blood?’

That in itself was surprising.

Feeling awkward, Laria hesitated for a moment.

Seeing Zenox covered in blood was something she couldn’t ignore.

Maybe it reminded her of when Zenox would make a fuss as if he was dying even when she, who used to be a fox, got a minor injury.

Laria opened her bag and took out a handkerchief.

“Wipe your blood with this.”

Seeing his wild animal-like refusal in his eyes, Laria added:

“If you accept, I’ll go right away.”

Zenox’s gaze moved from the handkerchief to the white fox ears.

Mesmerized by the twitching ears, he reached out.

The moment their hands touched…

“…!”

A sharp pain shot through her wrist.

Zenox suddenly grasped Laria’s wrist.

She looked up in surprise to find his large golden eyes fully fixed on her. His predator-like eyes seemed to pierce deep into Laria.

Startled by his sudden action, Laria stammered.

“Why are you doing this?”

Zenox, who was examining Laria from head to toe as if he were going to eat her, only let go of her wrist after a while.

“…Nothing.”

Phew, that was a shock.

From his actions, it seemed like he might have hurt his head.

While Zenox stared at his own palm, Laria struggled to hide her fox ears. It was still challenging to hide her ears or tail.

Once she managed to hide her ears, she realized Zenox had been watching intently.

Embarrassed by her struggle, her cheeks turned red.

“Then I’ll go.”

As she tried to leave quickly, Zenox slowly stood up. Like a crouching beast stretching, his height changed in an instant.

He calmly looked at Laria.

Whenever Zenox’s gaze met hers, she felt strange.

After examining her closely for a long time, he faintly smiled.

“Lady Rohan.”

With just one smile, his demeanor changed as if someone had taken off a mask.

His already handsome face seemed to glow.

Lost in his gaze, Laria was reminded of the time she spent in the Krassium mansion.

He always smiled at her back then.

Of course… the smile was quite different from now.

“Thank you for your help.”

His voice, which had been cold as winter, now became soft like a spring breeze.

“But I’d like you to help me one more time.”

…Zenox, were you always this brazen?

Seeing her incredulous look, Zenox whispered.=:

“Help me find Whitie.”

For a moment, her mind went blank.

Soon, all sorts of thoughts crowded in, tangled like seaweed, ‘Did I seem suspicious? Why is he asking me for help?’

Laria managed to calm her racing heart. She needed to stay calm; a slip of the tongue could be disastrous. Tilting her head, Laria’s face showed her confusion.

“Why are you asking me…?”

Zenox replied with an even broader smile.

“Since the lady is a member of the White Fox tribe, so you must know about their instincts, right?”

As he said, many beastmen inherited the instincts of their animal counterparts.

Carnivorous beastmen loved meat, and bird tribes decorated their rooms like nests.

“If you help me, I promise to reward you.”

Zenox smiled slyly.

“Anything to your satisfaction.”

His words made Laria’s heart race.

Images of the gemstones she had wanted to buy recently flashed before her eyes.

With his power and wealth, Zenox could genuinely give her anything.

The reason he was looking for her so desperately was…

‘It’s probably because of the heirloom, right?’

Even though Zenox had thrown it to her to play with earlier, the butler of the Krassium family said it was a treasure passed down for generations

Laria also had no intention of bringing the Krassium family heirloom with her.

If it weren’t for the intruders targeting the heirloom…

She wanted to give it back to him like a chimney, but it was impossible.

When Laria didn’t answer, Zenox lowered his eyes. The long eyelashes created a sad look.

“Recently, there have been false reports that Whitie was found.”

A faint bitterness crossed his lips.

“But they were all traps trying to pull me in.”

“…”

“They threatened me earlier that they were holding Whitie as a hostage, but it wasn’t Whitie, either.”

Laria was almost shaken by his expression of pity, but she held on tight.

The reason Zenox was looking for her was because of the family heirloom.

If her identity is revealed, will suffer not only herself but also her family.

Laria pretended to be worried, then shook her head.

“Sorry, but I think it will be difficult.”

Zenox, with his lowered eyelashes raised, quietly stared at Laria.

“Since we’re of marriageable age, we need to prepare for marriage… I just can’t afford to be lazy.”

Of course, it was a heartless lie.

But there wasn’t a more definite way to reject.

Because if rumors spread that the man and woman were sticking together, other marriage proposals would completely cease.

“Lazy…”

Zenox muttered to himself, nodding.

“I’ll ask you again when there’s time.”

Promises made verbally can be broken easily.

She can always stay busy and refuse.

When Laria acknowledged this, he smiled as if he had drawn it.

Though his smile felt oddly unpleasant, Laria ignored her uneasy premonition, unable to imagine that soon she would be forced into leisure.

* * *

In the heart of the capital of the Frandel Empire stood a palace that the citizens were proud of.

The exterior walls of the palace changed color over time, pale blue at dawn and tinged with pink at sunset.

Built by renowned artists, the palace epitomized grandeur, but the main palace, built over a lake, was unquestionably the most beautiful.

It was only accessible through four arch-shaped bridges.

In summer, the lake was filled with blooming lotus flowers, creating a breathtaking view.

The Crown Prince who lived in such a palace was currently running away from his personal physician.

“Has Herdin left?”

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

The servant nodded with a nervous expression.

The Crown Prince of the Frandel Empire, Ishel, forgot his composure and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

A few days ago, Ishel introduced his cousin, Duke Krassium, to the young lady of the Rohan family.

After the Grand Duke’s parents died, the cousin, a childhood friend, started wandering around the battlefield without socializing with people.

Zenox always seemed to be on edge at that time.

As sharp and jagged as a piece of broken glass, it was difficult for even those around him to get close to him.

Then one day, he brought home a white fox.

He stopped warring and, holed up in his capital’s mansion with the white fox, began to stabilize.

It was his first time seeing Zenox look so peaceful.

But the peace was short-lived.

He lost the fox in a fire at the mansion three years ago.

Since then, Zenox neither slept nor ate properly, always searching for the fox.

Fearing he might die, he decided to take action. Ishel introduced him to Laria Rohan, a white fox tribe member, hoping it would help. He hoped that through this new encounter, Zenox would be able to shake off the past and wake up…

But he hadn’t heard good news from their meeting.

Instead, his personal physician and eldest son of the Rohan family, Herdin, was troubling him day by day.

“Love for a younger sibling can be terrible.”

Ishel stuck out his tongue as if he was about to die.

But he couldn’t help it.

He couldn’t just let Zenox die.

Zenox was not only Ishel’s cherished cousin but also an important talent who would serve and help lead the Empire in the future.

After much running around, a drained Ishel collapsed onto the sofa.

“Bring me some cold water.”

Not long after giving the order, the servant returned.

“Your Highness… Duke Krassium has entered the palace.”

Ishel jumped up from his seat.

“Zenox?!”

His cousin, who only showed his face when needed, had only come a few times since losing the fox to ask for cooperation. Mostly, Ishel visited him.

Taken aback by the unexpected visit, Ishel gasped.

“He didn’t come because of the arranged meeting, did he?”

Did he come in anger like Herdin?

Just imagining an angry Zenox gave him the shivers.

“Can’t I just run away?”

As he sneaked a glance at his servant, the door opened.

Zenox, stepping into the room, almost made Ishel faint.

“Your Highness.”

“What happened to you?!”

He looked like a walking corpse.

He was so covered in blood, it was a wonder the knights at the main gate didn’t stop him.

Seeing Zenox in such a state, Ishel stammered out an excuse.

“I really am sorry, but I had good intentions. She’s from the white fox tribe, so I thought… maybe she could help with finding the, uh, white fox…!”

“She can.”

“…She can?”

Ishel looked at Zenox doubtfully.

Despite his ragged appearance, his face seemed better than the last time they met.

The wild gleam in his eyes had disappeared.

But there was a different twinkle now.

Zenox, who had approached Ishel, spoke.

“I felt fate.”

It was a phrase not typical of Zenox, almost romantic. He used to speak like this only when he had that white fox…

“Will you help?”

“…With what?”

As Ishel asked in a shaky voice, Zenox smiled.

It was the first genuine smile Ishel had seen from him in three years.

“I want to marry Lady Rohan.”