‘A daughter-in-law...? All of a sudden? No, more importantly, such an important position for me?’
I was stunned when the unexpected proposal came my way. I thought for sure I was going to die.
There is a very peculiar tradition in Driblyane. In short:
1. They bring a child into the family to be the spouse of the next head of the household. Essentially, the future lady of the house is preselected.
2. From a young age, this preselected future lady of the house grows up interacting with the so-called 'heirs of Driblyane.'
3. Once they reach adulthood, the preselected lady is matched with one of the heirs who has awakened a dominant pheromone and risen to alpha status. Only an alpha can become the head of the household.
So, while it's uncertain which heir she'll marry, the future duchess is decided first, and then the duke is chosen.
‘But there's usually a problem with this third point.’
Only one alpha is needed to qualify for the head of the household, but... Driblyane always has between two and four who awaken dominant pheromones. And if there are multiple alphas, the decision of who becomes the head of the household lies solely with the lady of the house.
‘Therefore, the future lady of Driblyane grows up surrounded by sweet power.’
If you want to live an ordinary life, this position is a trap. It is said that none of the past duchesses of Driblyane escaped being kidnapped, imprisoned, or threatened in their youth.
‘But I...’
I want it, even if it’s just with my sheer guts. Honestly, that luxurious position is very tempting!
But if I accept it too readily, I might look foolish.
Moreover, I couldn't tell if this was a trap or not, so I asked questions as a child would. I was trembling three times more than before, knowing I was dealing with Kiraxis Driblyane from the original story, but I tried to act calm.
“What’s so good about being a daughter-in-law?”
“You’ll live well and eat well.”
Kiraxis lazily replied, as if amused by my question.
‘Yeah, that’s right. I’ll live well and eat well.’
Honestly, I wouldn't live like the character in the original story. I won't die lonely and unhappy.
Let Raina have the love. In the meantime, I’ll gather wealth and power and live luxuriously.
“Then... why me?”
“I need a good kid without any backing.”
Wait, does that mean they need someone who can be buried without causing trouble?
“I wondered where to find a child of the right age, untouched by the elders' influence... it worked out well. No need to search bothersomely.”
“But I’m a spy...”
“Will you sell the information you learn about Driblyane to the Holy Empire?”
“No way!”
Are you crazy?
I immediately turned serious.
Living as a daughter-in-law here would be much happier than the price of the information I could sell!
Kiraxis chuckled.
“Then that’s settled. Anything else?”
“Umm... am I a contract daughter-in-law?”
Is it just for a few years, as long as I’m useful to Kiraxis? In that case, I should save as much money as possible while I’m here.
In fact, it’s a common setup in novels for powerful people to find kids without backing to control comfortably. As long as there’s no betrayal, spies are the most desired type in a powerful family.
No repercussions if they’re killed, they know nothing, and there’s no troublesome family to cause issues...?
In other words, a ‘clean’ child.
But Kiraxis didn’t answer my question about being a contract daughter-in-law. Instead, he stopped abruptly and handed me over to a maid.
“What’s that round thing, master?”
“A spy.”
“I see.”
The maid immediately drew a pair of knives from behind her back upon hearing the word 'spy.'
Yikes!
‘So he was toying with me! He really is a villain!!!’
I’m definitely going to die!
With my heart about to burst out of my chest, I grabbed onto Kiraxis’s collar, clinging desperately. He laughed mischievously, his voice rumbling as if satisfied.
“But for now, she’s my daughter-in-law. Treat her well. I’ll introduce her formally at the family meeting tomorrow.”
“Understood. Then, what is the lady’s name...?”
“For now, call her Dambi. Clean her up and feed her.”
This crazy guy could have said that from the start!
He gave the simple command and disappeared somewhere.
The maid, carrying me with both hands, looked at me seriously.
“My name is Nina, a cheetah beastkin. I will serve you with all my heart, little Dambi.”
A cheetah?
“Ah, yes...”
“You don’t need to speak formally to me. Feel free to talk casually.”
Nina, who looked to be in her mid-twenties, was quite cute in appearance. She had tawny hair braided on both sides and a small face, befitting a cheetah.
But the pheromone emanating from her was formidable.
‘Even the maid has a higher-class pheromone than me...! Truly a family of villains.’
I wanted to escape if I could, but I honestly couldn’t outrun a cheetah.
‘Alright, forget about running.’
It’s better to think of ways to live happily as a daughter-in-law.
‘But I’m an albino. Does that not matter?’
I can’t even transform properly, and my pheromones are weak.
Why did I suddenly become the daughter-in-law instead of the original character?
“Kya haha! Belly tickles!”
While I was deep in thought, Nina kept rubbing bubbles on my belly.
Unable to withstand the ticklish sensation, I flipped over in the little basin, bursting into laughter. It felt good to finally get a proper bath after a long time.
“...You’re even cuter when you laugh. Like a baby shoe, I want to gobble you up...”
“...!”
“I won’t. Sorry.”
Nina’s face remained expressionless, but her touch was calm and delicate, which felt nice. Plus, she didn’t show any disdain despite my being an albino.
“I’ll dry you off now.”
“Thank you.”
“You need to dry thoroughly to avoid catching a cold.”
Having been scrubbed clean, I shivered as I looked at the basin I had been in.
It was so dirty! But now, I must be somewhat clean, right?
While Nina dried me off with a fluffy cloth, I stared blankly out the window at the darkening outside, then shifted my gaze to my reflection in the glass.
White fur. Cherry-red eyes. Round ears and a cute, twitching nose. A lovable appearance.
But unfortunately, I couldn’t take human form. Even after escaping the cage, I was still just an animal.
To transform from an animal to a human, beastkin need a force called <Equilis>. This <Equilis> is the purest natural power that can manifest as swordsmanship, mana, or spirit magic upon growing up.
But albinos are born with very little <Equilis>, almost none.
If you want to forcibly replenish <Equilis> externally, you have to consume Dice... but how could I possibly obtain such a divine object and eat it?
“Dambi, you speak well even in your ferret form. You must be very clever.”
Did I look a bit down?
Nina suddenly praised me.
Feeling better from that one comment, I perked my ears up.
“Really? Is a talking ferret... rare?”
That would be great. This could be my weapon.
“Probably. I’ve never seen a beastkin who can speak in their animal form. Usually, they can’t because the oral structure is different.”
“Then I already have one useful thing!”
I genuinely rejoiced, smiling brightly. But Nina’s expression as she looked at me seemed a bit strange.
“Babies don’t talk about usefulness.”
“Really...?”
“Yes, really. So don’t think scary thoughts tonight and just sleep well, Dambi.”
“Okay.”
“But if you get scared, pull that string to call me. I’ll be there in one second no matter where I am.”
Of course. She’s a cheetah.
She’d catch me in one second if I tried to run away.
I nodded and sent Nina away.
‘But surely, this isn’t Kiraxis’s bedroom, right?’
The grand interior with a bluish hue was quite suspicious, but fortunately, the villain didn’t come in.
Briefly tense, I soon relaxed and smiled at the fluffy pillow assigned as my bed.
‘This is so nice...!’
The crackling fireplace emitted a warm heat. The milk with honey I drank before bed was sweet and delicious, helping me forget my worries for a while.
Buried under the wool blanket Nina had covered me with, I curled up.
‘Anyway, I survived. So this time, let’s live long.’
Since being transmigrated into the book, I hadn’t felt at ease for even a moment.
Honestly, I wanted to die one day, then wanted to live the next, didn’t want to die unfairly, then didn’t want to live at all.
In the end, I lived to die well. It was too unfair to live just to die.
‘I’m a bit... tired. Transmigration nomad life.’
Can I settle down here?
Can I... become an adult again? Or at least live past three months this time?
‘I should diligently sell the information I have about the Holy Empire from the original story.’
So that Kiraxis wants to keep me alive.
Kiraxis didn’t ask me for information. He probably thought a lowly child like me wouldn’t know anything.
‘So I have to find something useful to sell...’
Having gone through a lot, I soon felt drowsy. It was the first time in a long while that I wasn’t cold at night.
