I slept late again.
Drowsiness weighed heavily on me like a winter cloak. After waiting for Callius all night—only to have Karl appear instead, bringing both reassurance and fresh worries—I'd barely closed my eyes before the cold drove sleep away entirely.
Granada had shooed me out of the breakfast hall when she caught me dozing over my porridge, my head nodding dangerously close to my plate.
Now I found myself in the castle's backyard, basking in unexpected sunlight while feeding hay to the goat the Uttar boy had gifted me. The clothes the merchant had tailored for me fit perfectly—warm and comfortable, a stark contrast to the biting cold of the previous night.
It's strange. The nights are so cold that snow falls, yet during the day, the sun feels almost warm.
I absentmindedly handed the goat another twist of hay, my thoughts drifting to Karl.
The goat suddenly butted me with its forehead, clearly dissatisfied with the slow trickle of hay.
"Ah!"
Despite being young, the creature was surprisingly strong. I tumbled backward, landing unceremoniously on my rear.
"Do you have any idea how precious these clothes are?"
I grumbled as I brushed myself off and stood, but the goat paid me no attention. Instead, it lunged forward and forcefully yanked the entire bundle of hay from my hands.
"You naughty creature!"
I tried hiding my hands behind my back, then to the side, attempting to keep the hay out of reach. The goat, thoroughly annoyed, lowered its head and prepared to charge again.
"No—wait—!"
I fled in a panic, but the animal was far too quick. It rammed straight into my backside as I ran.
"You little—!"
The goat merely snorted at my outrage, then triumphantly snatched the remaining hay from my loosened grip.
I was being thoroughly bullied by livestock.
It was then that I heard it.
Wooooo...
A strong wind seemed to blow from somewhere nearby, carrying an eerie, whistling sound.
What?
Curiosity prickled along my spine. The wind hadn't been particularly strong moments ago. Why was there such a rough, unsettling noise now?
Wooooooo...
As I listened more closely, the sound sent chills down my back. It was the kind of noise I imagined ghosts would make—if such things truly existed.
I glanced around nervously, then froze.
Oh...!
Three massive shapes materialized before my eyes, moving with silent, predatory grace.
Tigers. Pure white tigers—exactly like the ones I'd seen illustrated in picture books as a child. Each beast possessed a long, luxuriously furred tail and moved with thick, powerful strides that seemed to shake the very ground.
I couldn't even scream. Terror locked my throat, froze my limbs.
Why... why are there tigers here?
The lead snow cat fixed its piercing blue eyes on me. Every hair on my body stood on end. My heart thundered against my ribs.
Behind me, even the ornery goat had gone silent—cowardly pressing against my back as if I could offer protection.
I swallowed hard, my mouth dry as parchment.
The moment my throat moved—
"Ahhh!"
The white tiger lunged forward with terrifying speed and clamped its jaws around my struggling arm.
"No—please—!"
"AHHH!"
My scream of terror echoed throughout the castle grounds.
"Chloe!"
Callius recognized my voice instantly. He ran toward the sound, his heart pounding with an urgency he didn't fully understand.
He'd just heard from a servant that she was in the backyard and had been making his way there when her scream split the air. It took only moments to find her.
The sight before him made his blood run cold.
Chloe stood surrounded by the three snow cats—white, spotted, and brindle—sobbing quietly while clutching the baby goat protectively against her chest. The beasts circled her, their massive forms threatening despite their playful intent.
Those idiots!
These were the snow cats he'd raised from cubs. His companions. And they were terrifying his wife.
"Stop it!"
His voice cracked like a whip across the yard. The snow cats jumped in surprise, their ears flattening as they turned to face him with guilty expressions.
"Go. Away. Now."
Callius waved them off with an authoritative gesture. The snow cats retreated immediately, their mouths still watering at the scent of the goat but unwilling to disobey their master.
He strode between the massive felines and approached Chloe, his expression softening the moment he reached her.
Chloe had been crying silently—only tears streaming down her pale face, no sound escaping her lips. Now she blinked at him with wide, shocked eyes.
"How... how did you...?"
"Don't worry. These beasts don't attack people. They're mine—I raised them."
But Chloe's expression remained sorrowful, her voice trembling.
"But it bit me!"
Callius's heart lurched. He immediately examined her from head to toe, searching for injuries. If an adult snow cat had truly bitten her, she would have lost a limb—or worse.
But aside from some hay and dirt clinging to her fine new clothes, she appeared unharmed.
Chloe pointed to her arm, still sobbing pitifully.
"It bit me and then... and then it spit me out!"
"Ah."
Understanding dawned. The snow cats had been rushing at the goat—their intended prey—and Chloe's arm had accidentally ended up in one's mouth. The beast must have released her immediately upon realizing its mistake.
She must have been too lean, too fat-free. Not even appetizing enough to register as food.
Callius gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, his touch tender as he tried to calm her trembling.
"Why didn't you just give them the goat?"
"But... it was a gift. The mountain goat was given to me..."
No matter how precious a gift, is an animal's life worth more than your own?
She had been terrified—trembling with fear—yet she'd desperately protected that stubborn little goat. Her life was the most precious thing in the world, but she'd risked it for a simple animal because it had been given to her with kindness.
Callius sighed softly, feeling both proud and heartbroken.
"It's all right now. Try taking some deep breaths. It will help."
He guided her through several slow, steady breaths. Her tremors gradually subsided.
As her panic eased, his gaze fell on the necklace hanging around her neck—the simple strand with blue pebbles that the Uttar chieftain's wife had given her.
She was still wearing it.
Wanting to distract her further from the fear, Callius touched the necklace lightly.
"You're still wearing this."
"Oh... yes."
Chloe wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and fingered the blue pebble, her expression softening. A small smile emerged on her tear-stained face.
"It's the first time I've received such a thoughtful gift. It makes me happy every time I see it."
Callius's chest tightened painfully.
A goat and a pebble necklace. To a princess of the imperial family, these were objectively trivial things—worth less than a single piece of jewelry from her dowry.
Yet she treasured them as if they were priceless. She'd protected the goat even when faced with deadly predators. She wore the simple necklace every day, drawing comfort from it.
Someone who cherished such small kindnesses so deeply—how had no one ever given her thoughtful gifts before?
I knew something was wrong when she threw away the flowers I sent. I suspected there was more to the story. But to think she's lived her entire life like this...
She and his subordinates had misunderstood each other completely. They'd punished her for what they saw as cruel rejection, never knowing the truth of her circumstances.
Had she continued living surrounded by such misunderstandings? Always alone, always misinterpreted?
A profound loneliness emanated from her—one that made his heart ache.
Without thinking, Callius reached out and stroked her head gently.
"You've worked hard."
"...What?"
Chloe's head snapped up in surprise, her eyes wide with confusion. Then, as if suddenly remembering herself, she jerked backward.
"Oh—no. It wasn't hard. It was fine because you came quickly."
She seemed to think he'd meant she'd struggled with the snow cats—that he was praising her for enduring the ordeal.
"Now that everything's settled, please don't worry about me. You must be busy—go attend to your duties."
Her tone had shifted. Something in her voice felt... distant.
"...?"
"I heard from Mainz that you were looking for me. That's why I came to find you."
"Oh... I see."
She sighed softly—a sound that seemed almost... disappointed. When she spoke again, her voice had turned noticeably colder.
"I was just taking a walk. Having a wonderful time enjoying the fresh air, actually. Let's meet again after I've finished my stroll—assuming you're not too occupied with work."
After he'd calmed her trembling and wiped away her tears, her demeanor had shifted completely. She'd retreated behind a wall of polite formality.
Callius felt inwardly flustered, trying to understand what had changed. Then realization struck.
Last night. I never came to our chambers.
"Chloe, I apologize about last night."
He'd meant to apologize immediately upon seeing her, but the snow cat incident had driven it from his mind. Now he spoke quickly, earnestly.
"I became so absorbed in work that I lost track of time entirely. I didn't intentionally avoid our chambers. I should have sent word to you beforehand. I'm truly sorry for my thoughtlessness."
Chloe looked at him silently for a long moment, her expression unreadable.
Then she turned her head away.
"It's fine. We're only in a contractual relationship, after all. Thanks to your absence, I was able to sleep quite comfortably. There's no need to apologize."
She offered him a smile—but it didn't reach her eyes. It was the practiced, empty smile of someone who'd learned to hide pain behind courtesy.
"I'll see you later."
Chloe turned and walked away, her posture perfectly composed, leaving Callius standing alone in the backyard.
Callius watched her retreating figure, his hand still half-raised from where he'd been about to reach for her.
She was deliberately putting distance between them. Building walls. Protecting herself.
What is this feeling?
His chest ached—a sharp, uncomfortable tightness that made breathing difficult. It was as if something precious was slipping through his fingers, and he didn't know how to hold on.
This sensation of helplessness, of watching someone retreat when he wanted them closer...
It felt almost like grief.
A contractual relationship.
Was that truly all they were?
And if so... why did her words cut so deeply?
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