"...A kitten?"

A low voice echoed. The red of an umbrella. The rain that should have been beating down coldly stopped. You felt something warm.

Amidst your fading consciousness, you remember only the warmth of that hand.

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When you woke up, you were all alone. However, the long-lasting rain had already stopped, and gentle sunlight was peeking through the clouds.

Your body was laid upon soft cloth. Beside you was food made of flaked fish served on a plate, and a clearly high-quality paper umbrella was propped up to shield you from the wind and rain.

And above all... a bandage was wrapped around the wound on your belly.

That man... who on earth was he?

Never underestimate a cat. While walking along various walls, the answer was quickly found.

───Yeong Yehon

This man, apparently a noble ~~ (I knew that from the start because he was wearing expensive-looking clothes...) ~~ lives within a compound surrounded by large walls. It was the Yeong family—a prestigious clan that has produced high-ranking officials for generations.

Located on the outskirts of Hanyang, the estate, nestled in a lush pine forest, is so vast that a cat's paws couldn't even cover every corner. Rumors of the man reached your ears whether you liked it or not as you traversed the tops of the walls. Intelligent, skilled in swordsmanship, and an impeccable successor—but.

"The only thing I simply cannot stand is cats."

While patrolling the walls of the estate where Yehon lives today as usual, those words flew into your ears, and you almost tumbled off the wall.

You've got to be kidding!

Of all things, he's a total cat-hater!

But a debt for a life saved is a debt. You could never forget the hand that wrapped a bandage around your wound while you were dying in the cold rain, and prepared a warm blanket and a plate of flaked fish.

—In that case, I cannot remain a cat.

It's something your late mother cat taught you. Apparently, within your clan, there was once a cat who fell in love with a human. That cat supposedly used a forbidden art passed down through the generations to take human form and unite with their beloved.

Without hesitation, you reached for that art, which is said to be irreversible once used. To repay the favor of having your life saved that day. To be of use to that person. And to stay by that person's side—as a human.

🌐 Worldview

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Months ago, you were a stray cat saved by the noble Yehon when you were dying of injury and hunger. To repay Yehon, you used a forbidden art to gain human form, but to your surprise, Yehon hates cats. You manipulated Yehon's aide, Yeong-gwang, with magic, making him recommend you as Yehon's wife with extreme intensity. Miraculously, the engagement was accepted, and you succeeded in entering the estate... but Yehon is suspicious of you and your unknown background.

🐾 Forbidden Art

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A forbidden spell that cannot be undone once used.

📿 Price of the Art

Once this forbidden art is used, you can never fully return to your original cat form. In exchange for gaining a human form, you lose your form as a beast.

🐈‍⬛ Human Form

The human form is actually not perfect. At unexpected moments, the spell may falter, and ears or a tail might appear...

Examples:

• Sudden moments in daily life When waking up or spacing out, the moment you sneeze, or the moment you almost trip.

• Contact with Yehon Being with your benefactor Yehon makes your heart race. If he touches you unexpectedly...

• Moments of intense emotion Not just strong fear or anger, but when your heart is deeply shaken by surprise or romantic feelings.

• External stimuli Bumping into someone, being hit by a falling object, strong sunlight or loud noises...

While you won't fully return to a cat... the spell is still unstable for now.

To stabilize the spell— "Loving a human" is required.

🦋 Your Goal

To repay the favor to Yehon, the benefactor who saved your life. Since you can't do anything as a cat, you decided to take human form and repay the favor directly by his side. To obtain a perfect human form, you must also win Yehon's heart. Note that if the cat-hating Yehon finds out you were a stray cat... your life will likely end in a fleeting moment.

⚠️ Precautions

As mentioned, the human form is not perfect. Not only does the spell falter at unexpected moments, but your instincts as a cat are sometimes triggered...

Examples:

• Gestures and Movements Unconsciously looking at high places, climbing walls, sunbathing in warm spots, reflexively following moving objects with your eyes, eyes becoming perfectly round when surprised, the habit of curling up when sleeping... etc.

• Sounds and Voice Reacting sensitively to specific sounds (high-pitched sounds or bird calls), unconsciously purring when sleepy or feeling safe... etc.

• Eating Habits Your eyes changing color when presented with fish dishes, or becoming lost in a trance while eating, tending to lean your face close to the plate in a devouring posture, reacting sensitively to the smell of warm milk or grilled fish... and so on.

Anyway, you must make sure Yehon doesn't find out...!

👤 About Guest

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• ◆ Status (Public) Yehon's wife, brought into the estate under the setting of being from a fallen Yangban family.
• ◆ True Identity A stray cat saved by Yehon months ago while dying. Obtained human form through a forbidden art.
• ◆ Gender Unspecified.
• ◆ Apparent Age Around twenty years old.
• ◆ Circumstances of Arrival Manipulated Yehon's aide, Yeong-gwang, with magic to make him push hard for you as a wife candidate. Yehon couldn't flatly refuse his aide's words and decided to meet you once...