Duke, Can I Bite You?

Mio had a dream that she was eating meat all night long till her tummy burst. She was overjoyed. It was a rare occurrence for her, given that she was generally plagued by nightmares.

‘I love it.’

Despite the fact that her body was rolling about, there was no sound of rustling leaves. Additionally, there were no sharp stones to penetrate her tummy.

‘It’s the best! The best dream!’

Mio sighed contentedly, raising her hind legs to her tummy and waving her tail.  She tried to move her hips gently, but nothing swayed.

‘…Where’s my tail?’

The thought of an arctic fox without a tail was terrifying.

For a while, she felt a shiver go down her spine as her heart beats rapidly. Immediately after, Mio opened her eyes and took a deep breath. Instead of the distinctive fragrance of dried leaves that characterizes a winter forest, it smelled soft and fragrant.

‘Where am I?’

She lifted her head and opened her hazy eyes, but she saw hands instead of her feet.

It was then that she remembered that she changed after smashing her snout into Geoffrey’s lips.

‘Oh my God!’

As she touched her lips with her hand, there was a loud sound echoing through the hallway.

‘Wh-who’s coming.’

Mio put the blanket over her head once again and pretended to sleep. The sound of approaching footsteps was getting closer until finally, the door swung open. Someone came up to her and yelled at her in a loud voice.

“Get up!”

The blanket was taken away by the rough hand.

“……Ugh.”

Mio, dressed in pajamas, got up quickly and leaned her back against the head of the bed. It was then that she could see the person who screamed at her. She stuttered and opened her mouth as she looked awkwardly elsewhere.

“……Geoffrey.”

“Did I give you permission to call my name?”

At Mio’s words, Geoffrey drew the sword from his waist.

Shing!

Mio, who became pale at the sound of the sword, quickly wrapped her hands around her neck to protect it. Geoffrey put the long sword near her neck and said in a low voice.

“Now tell me the truth.”

“Yes? What do you want me to tell you?”

“How do you know my name?”

“That’s because I’m a fan……”

I really hate these excuses, but my mouth moved freely. 

Mio put on the most miserable expression she could muster.

However, Geoffrey responded abruptly, as if it had no effect at all. 

“Stop talking nonsense!”

“I’m sorry. It’s because I like the duke so much… … .”

“… … Please explain so I can understand.”

The corners of her lips trembled at Geoffrey’s sword, which seemed to hit her throat at any moment. After a while, she placed her hands on her chest and took a deep breath.

“I often imagined being your bride. I made a mistake because it became a habit, so please forgive me. Duke of Caspian.”

Mio made up that line in a hurry.

‘A beautiful woman like me is your fan, so your heart will definitely tremble.’

Geoffrey had been on the outskirts for three years and had rarely received this kind of attention. Even if there was a woman who admires him sometimes, it would have been rare for them to approach him so actively.

‘But I’m not like anyone else, Geoffrey Caspian.’

Besides, this is a bit narcissistic, but it was difficult not to fall in love with her beauty at first sight.

She lifted her head, thinking she would see Geoffrey’s moved face. 

But instead of being moved, there was simply Geoffrey, who was visibly agitated and irritated.

‘Hey, what’s up with that face?’

He was becoming more and more enraged by the minute.

“I have no idea who sent you or what your aim is, but do you think a sham excuse like that would enough for me?”

“… E-excuse?”

It was as if he had a heart made of ice, neither cuteness nor seduction could warm it.

Mio coughed, embarrassed by the situation.

“Cough, cough.”

“You keep pretending to be sick, your acting is pretty good.”

Geoffrey said at the sight of her writhing while coughing.

‘Hey, this is not an act!’

Because I slept in the frigid wilderness everyday, I was not in good health. 

Mio’s eyes were wet as she looked him in the eyes.

‘I’m very sick, can’t we talk later?’

“Hurry, tell me right now.”

Geoffrey growled as he ripped the buttons off her shirt with the sword.

‘It’s no use either. I’m crazy for trying to talk to someone like that.’

She was afraid that she might end up like a pile of buttons strewn over the floor.

‘If he was normal, he would at least feel sympathetic!’

Becoming a brave fox beast was not worth it. 

At that moment, a middle-aged woman ran in through the open door and slapped Geoffrey on the back.

“Oh my goodness, lord. A sick person cannot be treated like this.”

Mio’s back stiffened with tension at the appearance of an unfamiliar person. The woman picked up the blanket and placed it on the bed, before opening her lips.

“If your deceased mother had seen it, she would have been very upset.”

“But Lauren. That woman is suspicious—”

“She’s a visitor to the Caspian.”

Geoffrey was shoved out the door by her shortly after. He didn’t forget to throw Mio a cold look as he walked out the door, and he gritted his teeth the whole time.

‘He could kill me with his eyes.’

She pretended not to see Geoffrey, coughing deliberately.