Chapter 125
“Hm?” Nina looked puzzled. “What is it p>
Then, all of a sudden, something occurred to her.
She seemed to remember that one of her former fiancés had been the lord of White Tiger City.
Back when the original Nina had still been very young, Drago had long since stopped caring about her. He had barely told her anything about those supposed fiancés. The original Nina had neither the ability nor the means to investigate on her own, and most of what she knew about them had been pieced together slowly from bits of gossip among other beastfolk.
She knew almost nothing about them.
Not even their names.
Nina’s beautiful eyes widened as she stared blankly at Kith.
It couldn’t be that coincidental… could it?
Had she really ended up having cubs with her former fiancé—and even taken him in as one of her guardian beasts?
Since Kith had said this now… did that mean he already knew who she truly was?
From what she remembered, those former fiancés of hers had all disliked her intensely—just like Mino and Yanai had in the beginning.
To be honest, ever since the broken engagement, she hadn’t particularly wanted anything more to do with them.
“Oh dear… can I return the goods?” Nina blurted out before she could stop herself.
Kith froze.
So Nina really was angry. She didn’t want him anymore.
“Nina, please don’t return me,” Kith said hurriedly. “I know I was wrong. Back then I shouldn’t have p>
He couldn’t bring himself to say the words break off the engagement.
His voice softened into a plea.
“I’m willing to kneel on durians. As many as you want. I’ll kneel as long as it takes—just please forgive me once p>
Nina felt a swirl of complicated emotions rising in her chest.
For a moment, she didn’t know whether she should continue developing their relationship.
“You know my identity?” she asked quietly.
“Yes.” Kith nodded. “Lang told me. He was the one who went in my place back then p>
There was a desperate, pleading look in his eyes.
“Nina… at the time, I believed the rumors they spread about you—that you were that kind of female. And I didn’t want to marry someone I didn’t love. That’s why I p>
He lowered his head.
“But no matter the reason, I was wrong. Could you forgive me this once p>
Nina’s thoughts were in disarray.
On some level, she could understand their perspective.
But she had been the one forced into the broken engagement—at the very moment when she had needed support the most. To say she held no resentment at all would be impossible.
She knew she wasn’t that generous.
Yet Kith had also done so much for her and the cubs.
Then another thought struck her.
Finch.
And when she thought about Finch, she suddenly thought of Mino and Yanai as well.
Friends of a crown prince tended to be crown princes themselves.
Among her former fiancés… there had also been someone from the fox clan.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
“Yes,” Kith admitted.
Nina pressed a hand to her forehead.
Of course.
Her luck was truly unbelievable.
Not only had she somehow had cubs with one former fiancé—she had done it with two.
She had only casually slept with someone… so how had she ended up sleeping with her ex-fiancés?
“Go back for now,” Nina said finally. “Let me think about it p>
Kith tried to hide the panic in his eyes.
“Nina… please don’t return me. Whatever you ask of me, I’ll do it p>
As long as she hadn’t said the words outright, he still had hope.
Kith stepped outside, took out all the durians he had brought, and placed them beside the door.
Then he picked one at random—and knelt down on it.
The males outside stared in confusion.
What was going on with Kith? Had he angered Lady Nina?
And what exactly was he kneeling on?
It looked… extremely painful.
Sal watched with undisguised delight.
Serves that damned tiger right.
Finch had just returned from outside. When he saw Kith kneeling in front of Nina’s door, he frowned slightly.
Kith had always been meticulous and composed. How had he ended up being punished like this?
“Kith, what’s wrong?” Finch asked.
Kith glanced at him, hesitating for a moment.
Should he tell this bastard who was in the same boat as him?
No.
He could barely save himself right now.
Besides, when it came to love rivals, the fewer the better.
Every male had his own durian to kneel on.
Kith shook his head.
“It’s nothing. Go do your own things p>
Finch looked at him suspiciously.
Something about Kith felt strange today… and that look he had just given him was oddly unsettling.
Still, Finch didn’t press further and returned to his room.
When Nina stepped outside later, she saw Kith still kneeling by the door.
“You… why are you kneeling p>
“I made a mistake,” he replied quietly. “I deserve the punishment p>
Nina sighed softly but said nothing.
Instead, she carried the cubs out into the courtyard.
She settled into a reclining chair, though her thoughts kept drifting back to Kith.
Momo coiled comfortably around her wrist while Linny played with him nearby.
For some reason, Linny suddenly felt his little teeth itching.
Without thinking, he leaned over and bit the Illusion Stone bracelet around Nina’s wrist.
Linny’s tiny teeth were surprisingly sharp.
With a crisp snap, the bracelet broke.
The Illusion Stone beads scattered onto the chair—and Nina’s true appearance was instantly revealed.
Lost in thought, Nina didn’t notice.
Later, after lunch was ready, Ridan came to call Nina to eat.
The moment he saw her face, he gasped sharply.
He rubbed his eyes, then looked again, just to make sure he wasn’t imagining things.
That really was Lady Nina standing there… wasn’t it?
Ridan stared in disbelief.
“L–Lady Nina… you… you p>
Nina looked at him in confusion.
“What’s wrong with me p>
“Your face!” Ridan’s eyes widened dramatically. “Your face suddenly became incredibly beautiful p>
His raised voice drew the attention of the other males, who all turned to look.
And when they saw Nina clearly… Every single one of them froze in shock.
Was that really Lady Nina?
She was stunning.
Only then did Nina lift her hand.
The bracelet was gone.
Looking down, she realized it had snapped and fallen onto the chair beside her.
Oh no… my cover just slipped again.
“Ah—this is actually what I normally look like,” Nina explained vaguely. “Before, that was just the effect of the poison p>
“So that’s what it was,” Ridan said.
Facing Nina like this, he suddenly felt a little shy. Scratching the back of his head, he muttered awkwardly, “Lady Nina… you’re really beautiful p>
Their priest had truly stumbled upon an incredible treasure.
Nina laughed softly. “Thank you for the compliment p>
Kith turned his head and caught sight of Nina’s face.
For a moment, he was stunned.
Nina… is this beautiful?
So when people had called her ugly before, it had only been because she was poisoned.
Someone must have harmed her.
That meant she must have suffered greatly in Spirit Stone City.
All those rumors about her… they must have been lies—fabricated by others to frame her.
And yet he and the others had believed those rumors. They had looked down on her because of them. When he had broken off the engagement, he hadn’t even bothered to appear in person—he had simply sent a subordinate.
It had been utterly disrespectful.
The guilt inside Kith deepened even further.
He glanced down at the durian beneath his knees.
Suddenly, he felt that such a punishment was far too light.
Aviel saw Nina clearly as well and froze where he stood.
So Nina is actually this beautiful p>
She was more dazzling than the most brilliant gemstone in the world.
Finch hurried out of his room after hearing the commotion.
The moment he saw Nina, he too went blank.
Th-this is Nina?
How could she be so beautiful—more beautiful even than the fox clan’s females, who were famed for their beauty?
Lex was even more captivated.
He stood there staring, completely spellbound.
So this world really did contain a kind of beauty that could move his heart—one that stirred both the eyes and the soul.
The handsome merfolk perched in the trees were so shocked they nearly fell out of the branches.
Wow… Lady Nina is so beautiful!
Their hearts pounded wildly.
Even the vain merfolk males couldn’t help falling into a daze of admiration.
I want to pursue Lady Nina too p>
Aviel and the others who had already seen Nina’s true appearance before were far less surprised.
Still, during that meal, the males found themselves eating several extra bowls of food—simply because they were too busy admiring Nina’s beauty while they ate.
Yanai watched the reactions of the other males and felt an even deeper sense of unease.
That afternoon, he quietly went somewhere alone.
Finch spoke briefly with Kith before casting one lingering glance at Nina.
Then he left, too.