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Chapter 13
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THE nobles and many servants who encountered him in the hallway also discreetly glanced at the strange sight. Just then, Jerus, who had been searching for him, entered the study with a report in hand.

Khalid carefully placed the baby basket on the decorated table in the study. Inside the cute basket adorned with a pink ribbon, a bundle of fluff was constantly yawning. Once inside the study and after locking the door, Jerus finally shifted his gaze to the puppy.

“I wondered where Your Excellency had gone to, but you were fetching the baby, weren’t you? By the way, I don’t see any signs of her transforming into a human.”

“…It is frustrating to me as well, but still, isn’t this sight quite fascinating?”

Seeing his lips twitch, Jerus wondered if he had seen something wrong for a moment. The sight of the harsh executor speaking so softly was unfamiliar to him. Jerus inwardly hold back his laughter, thinking it was truly a peculiar sight.

The baby with her brown fur had none of the characteristics of a lion. It was simply an innocent and adorable puppy.

“She’s truly adorable.”

As Jerus admired the puppy and pricked up his grey ears, the Duke murmured in a low growl as if bothered.

“…Leave the report there and leave.”

“Yes, understood.”

Confirming that Jerus was retreating, the Duke seemed pleased, realizing he could monopolize the puppy.

“Now, I can finally rest a bit.”

The Duke carefully lifted the puppy out of the cushioned basket and gently moved her to the plush sofa. The puppy stretched her four legs comfortably, buried her head in the cushion, and closed her eyes. Other than the occasional twitching of her small ears hidden in the brown fur, there was no change.

“Sleep well, baby.”

He, too, wanted to momentarily forget the troublesome thoughts. He lay back on the sofa and closed his eyes.

Scratch.

Just when he thought the baby was asleep, she moved restlessly and walked with tiny steps until she reached his pillow.

Quietly observing him, she noticed something peculiar. She climbed up to the pillow where she could feel his breath and gently nudged his face.

“Woof!”

“Do you have something to say?”

As the puppy extend her jelly-like pink paw, she put her paws in his lips.

“I can’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

In response to the Duke’s words, the puppy let out a tiny sigh, as if frustrated, and shook her body. Unable to comprehend, the Duke raised an eyebrow and sat up halfway.

“Why are you acting like this?”

“…Woof, woof! (I want to go outside!)”

Then, the small body of the puppy began to spin in place.

“…Ah, could it be!”

The Duke quickly looked around and spotted a flowerpot. It was a precious herb called Estelanium.

“Deal with your business here.”

“…Woof.”

The puppy’s clear black eyes clouded slightly as she stared at him strangely.

“…Are you embarrassed?”

In response to his words, the puppy barked in a manner that seemed to deny it vehemently.

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“HERE is the budget allocated from His Excellency this month.”

Elliot brought the thick envelope containing the allocated budget to the Dandelion Palace after consulting with His Excellency and the financial officer. Sarah and Noelle, who received the envelope containing the budget from Elliot, were surprised. It was a much larger amount than they had imagined.

“With this amount, we can decorate the Dandelion Palace with flowers and more.”

“Wow, is this all for our little princess?”

“His Excellency instructed us to allocate a generous budget since it is more difficult and demanding to create things for dogs.”

“Oh! What should we buy for our little princess?”

“Exactly, let’s give her the best. Anything she wants!”

With the thought of indulging the princess with various cute and lovely items, Sarah and Noelle were filled with excitement. Thanks to the generous budget, their hearts were at ease, but they also had to deal with the increasing responsibility of preparing the Dandelion Palace whenever the Duke visited.

Whenever the Duke visited, something new was added to the room.

Squeak.

“Oops! Be careful.”

“The floor is dangerous. Lay down on a mat for your safety.”

After the puppy slipped on the floor, a soft and cushioned mat appeared in the room.

After a few days, the room had completely transformed. It was adorned with a small bed, a tent, a sofa, a dining table, a staircase-shaped playground, colorful cushions, a mini bathtub, a dedicated toilet, a puppy swing, and a set of squeaky toys. It was truly a cozy and adorable room, like a paradise for dogs.

Pudding, the puppy, watched as the room was being decorated more by the maids for her. And as soon as the room for the puppy was completed, the Duke visited.

“How is it?”

“….”

The Duke, holding the puppy, walked around the room, hoping for a favorable response as he wagged his tail. However, the owner of the room just yawned with her small mouth wide open.

“Is it not good?”

As the Duke tilted his head, he placed Pudding on the cushion. Only then did the puppy notice.

‘Oh, Duke. Are you upset? In that case, I should show my excitement.’

Wagging her tail gently and smiling, the puppy cutely wobbled her front paws.

“Woof! (It’s the best!)”

With that, Sarah and Noelle’s smiles blossomed, matching the grin on the Duke’s face. As the Duke was patting the fluffy head, he showed her a slide he bought. The shiny wooden slide looked expensive at a glance.

“Try riding this.”

“….”

“I got this from the top toy store in Crovache. They say it’s sturdy and fun.”

“….!”

Pudding looked up with a hazy gaze, worried that something big might happen if she didn’t ride it. Slowly, the puppy settled her soft bottom on the slide.

Swoosh, she slid down naturally, and her mouth naturally opened wide.

‘Wow, it’s fun.’

The intense gaze from the Duke and the maids made Pudding feel a bit pressured. It seemed like she should give an enthusiastic response.

“Woof!”

Round and round she went.

“That’s right. You’re doing great.”

The Duke stroked Pudding’s head and raised the corners of his lips. And so, the enjoyable playtime between Pudding and the Duke continued for a good hour.

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SEVERAL days have passed since Pudding arrived at the Crovache Palace. Despite the lack of communication and the constant annoyance of the Duke’s visits, Pudding was enjoying relatively pleasant days.

Everyone treated Pudding like a baby, and the toys were top-notch, even though they were designed for dogs. At first, Pudding wasn’t very interested in the luxurious items and toys that the Duke and the maids bought, but as soon as she started playing with them, she gradually grew fond of them.

‘As someone who has eaten meat, I know that being treated like a rich family’s dog is the best. I wish I was their real daughter. This is such a new experience!’

In the past, even when Pudding followed Theo to the palace, she was always treated lower than the maids. She had never experienced being treated with kindness and generosity before.

Initially, she was given a large crib, but before she knew it, a beautiful cradle that perfectly fit her size had appeared. The pink lace gently fluttered on the crib, and falling asleep in it made her feel incredibly cozy and content.

‘Sleeping here allows me to sleep soundly for several nights. It’s a complete knockout crib!’

One thing she particularly liked was the dog bathtub.

Since the day the duke brought in a petite lilac-colored marble bathtub, she had changed. Pudding used to dislike baths, but now, she had become a dog who enjoyed cleanliness and grooming.

Splash, splash.

Sitting elegantly in the bathtub made of lilac-colored marble with magical spa functions, she was a different puppy. With the warm water gently pouring from the back of the whale-shaped toy floating on the water’s surface, Pudding felt pure bliss. However, she can’t just enjoy leisurely moments like this.

‘I can’t let my guard down. I need to bask in the sunlight, have more dreams, and harness the power of the sun.’

While it was nice to live like a baby, if she just stayed still, there was a risk of losing her heart and facing an unfair death once again.

‘In this life, I have to live independently! The duke and those maids aren’t entirely on my side yet.’

If it were to be revealed that she wasn’t the duke’s child, this luxurious lifestyle would all be in vain.