The walk back to the castle felt like a perp walk.
Seraphina clutched me so tightly against her chest that I could barely breathe, her fingers digging into my fluffy fur with every step. She was trembling again, but this time it wasn't just from sadness; it was pure adrenaline.
"You saved me," she whispered into my ear, her voice cracking. "I don't know how you knew, Mochi, but you saved me."
*I didn't just know,* I thought, trying to wiggle into a more comfortable position. *I read the script.*
In the original novel, this scene played out differently. Seraphina drank the tea, collapsed within minutes, and was rushed to the infirmary. The Duke, thinking she was faking illness to gain sympathy, ignored her for three days. During those three days, the poison spread, nearly killing her and leaving her with a permanent weakness that made her dependent on the Villainess's "cures" later in the story.
By knocking over that vase, I hadn't just spilled tea; I had shattered the entire trajectory of the first arc.
But as we entered the cool, dim hallway of the estate, the reality of my situation hit me. I was a dog. A tiny, vulnerable dog who had just declared war on the most powerful woman in the kingdom besides the Empress.
**[System Notification]**
**[Mission Complete: Prevent Poisoning]**
**[Reward Distributed: 50 Treat Points]**
**[Current Balance: 50 Points]**
**[Shop Unlocked: Basic Items]**
**[New Passive Skill Acquired: 'Puppy Dog Eyes' (Level 1)]**
**[Effect: Increases chance of forgiveness by 30% when caught doing something bad.]**
"A shop?" I perked up internally. "Let me see!"
A translucent blue menu popped up in my vision, hovering right over Seraphina's tear-stained face. It looked suspiciously like a mobile game interface.
**--- [THE GOOD BOY SHOP] ---**
* **Premium Kibble (Restores Energy):** 10 Points
* **Squeaky Toy (Distraction):** 20 Points
* **Temporary Human Voice (5 mins):** 500 Points *(Locked - Need Level 5)*
* **Truth Serum Drops (For Humans):** 200 Points
* **Shadow Step (Teleport 5 meters):** 150 Points
* **Enhanced Smell Upgrade:** 75 Points
"Five hundred points for five minutes of speech?" I groaned internally. "That's a grind. I'll be barking at squirrels for weeks before I can explain anything to anyone."
"Mochi?" Seraphina stopped in front of a heavy oak door. "We're here. My room."
She pushed the door open and carried me inside, kicking it shut behind us with her heel before collapsing onto a plush chaise lounge. She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking.
"I can't do this," she sobbed. "Viviane hates me. The Duke thinks I'm incompetent. And now I've ruined her dress and broken a family heirloom. They'll send me back to my father's estate. They'll say I'm unfit to be a noblewoman."
I hopped off her lap and trotted over to her knee, nudging her hand with my wet nose. *Pull yourself together, Heroine!* I wanted to say. *You have a whole harem of suitors waiting in later chapters! You just need to survive the prologue!*
But all I could do was let out a soft, encouraging whine and lick her fingers.
Seraphina looked down at me, her eyes red and puffy. Then, she smiled—a genuine, watery smile that transformed her face. "You're such a good boy, Mochi. You don't care about politics or dresses. You just want me to be happy."
She reached out and scratched that perfect spot behind my ears that made my leg twitch involuntarily.
*Okay, maybe being a dog isn't so bad,* I admitted, leaning into her touch. *At least the benefits are immediate.*
**[System Alert: Affection Level with Lady Seraphina increased! +10 Loyalty Points.]**
**[Bonus Reward: 'Comforting Warmth' activated. Your body temperature is now slightly higher than average, providing soothing relief to stressed owners.]**
Suddenly, Seraphina sighed, her tension melting away as she hugged me closer. "You're so warm," she murmured. "It feels... magical."
*That's the system, baby,* I thought smugly. *Eat your heart out, magic potions.*
We sat in silence for a while, the only sound being the ticking of a grandfather clock in the corner and Seraphina's slowing breaths. But my mind was racing.
Viviane wouldn't let this go. In the book, when her initial plan failed, she escalated quickly. She would try to frame Seraphina for theft next, or perhaps accuse me of being a familiar sent by a dark mage to spy on the Duke.
I needed to prepare. I needed info.
"Mochi," Seraphina said softly, stroking my head. "Do you think... do you think the Duke was angry? He didn't yell, but his face was so cold."
I pulled back and looked at her. This was my chance to gather intel without raising suspicion. If I acted curious, maybe she'd talk more.
I tilted my head to the side, ears perked, and let out a questioning *"Woof?"*
Seraphina interpreted it perfectly. "You want to know about him? Well..." She hesitated, glancing at the door as if afraid the walls had ears. "Duke Valerius is... complicated. Everyone says he has no heart. That he made a pact with ice spirits to gain his power, and it froze his emotions."
*Ice spirits?* I frowned internally. *The book never mentioned that. It just said he was naturally cold-hearted. Is this a plot hole, or did the author hide lore for later?*
"But," Seraphina continued, her voice dropping to a whisper, "I saw him looking at you. When you knocked over the vase. He wasn't angry. He looked... intrigued. No one ever surprises the Duke. Not even the Emperor."
She leaned in close, conspiratorially. "Between us, Mochi? I think he's lonely. He pushes everyone away because he's afraid of hurting them with his magic. That's why he lives in this huge empty castle with only servants and guards."
My tail gave a traitorous wag. *Lonely billionaire trope? Classic. But effective.*
"So," Seraphina sighed, leaning back again. "If we can just get through tomorrow, maybe things will settle down. Viviane won't dare try anything else with the Duke watching."
*Famous last words,* I thought dryly.
Just then, a sharp knock echoed through the door.
Seraphina jumped, nearly dropping me. "Who is it?"
"It is Marcus, My Lady," a deep, gravelly voice called from the other side. "The Duke requests your presence in the library. Immediately."
Seraphina's face went pale. "The library? But... it's evening. And he never invites guests to the library. That's his private sanctum."
She looked down at me, panic rising in her eyes again. "What does he want? Did Viviane complain to him? Is he going to banish me?"
I stood up on her lap, planting my front paws firmly. *Calm down!* I barked sharply, then used my newly acquired **[Puppy Dog Eyes]** skill directly on her.
Her breathing slowed instantly. "Right. Right. Panicking won't help. Mochi is right. I have to face him."
She stood up, smoothing her dress. "Should I bring you?"
*Absolutely not,* I thought. *If the Duke suspects I'm special, bringing me into his private lair might be risky. But if I stay here, I can't protect her if Viviane intercepts her on the way.*
I made a split-second decision. I jumped down and trotted toward the door, looking back at her expectantly.
*"Woof!"* (Translation: I'm coming with you. Obviously.)
Seraphina smiled weakly. "Alright. Come on, boy. Let's go meet the Ice Duke."
As she opened the door, the hallway seemed darker than before. The floating magical orbs flickered slightly, casting long, dancing shadows.
**[System Warning!]**
**[Danger Detected: Ambush Ahead]**
**[Location: Corridor outside Library]**
**[Threat Level: Moderate]**
**[Objective: Protect Heroine from Physical Harm]**
My ears swiveled forward. I smelled it before I saw it. Beneath the scent of old books and polish, there was a faint, oily smell. Slippery oil.
Someone had greased the floor tiles right outside the library doors.
If Seraphina walked out there in her silk slippers, she would slip, fall, and likely hit her head on the marble statue standing guard nearby. In the book, this was how she got the scar on her forehead that Viviane later claimed was a sign of "dark magic corruption."
Not on my watch.
I stopped dead in my tracks, blocking Seraphina's path.
"Mochi? What's wrong?" she asked, trying to step around me.
I barked loudly, snapping my jaws at her feet, forcing her to stop. Then, I darted forward, scratching frantically at the floor tiles just ahead of us. *Scritch-scratch-scritch.*
"What are you doing?" Seraphina confusedly watched me dig at the pristine marble. "Stop it, you'll break your claws!"
I ignored her, digging harder until I hit something slick. My paw slid, confirming my suspicion. *Oil.*
I looked up at her, barking urgently, then pointed my nose at the patch of floor, then at her shoes.
"It's... slippery?" she guessed, tilting her head. "Mochi, the floor is fine. See?"
She took a step forward.
*No!*
I launched myself at her ankle, not biting, but wrapping my body around her leg like a fuzzy brake pad, dragging her back just as her foot touched the oiled tile.
Her slipper hit the spot. Instead of flying forward, her weight shifted onto me, and she stumbled backward, catching herself on the doorframe.
"Oh!" she gasped, looking down. "You... you stopped me?"
She looked at the floor where her foot had been. In the dim light, she could finally see the faint, glistening sheen of oil.
"There's oil," she whispered, horror dawning on her face. "Someone put oil on the floor. If I had fallen..."
She looked at the statue next to the door, its base jagged and hard. "I would have cracked my skull."
Her hands flew to her mouth. "Someone tried to hurt me. Again."
Anger, rare and fierce, flashed in her gentle eyes. "This wasn't an accident. This was deliberate."
**[Mission Update: Survive the Ambush]**
**[Success!]**
**[Reward: 30 Treat Points]**
**[Heroine Confidence Increased]**
**[New Quest: Expose the Saboteur (Optional)]**
From the shadows at the end of the hall, a servant slipped away silently, unnoticed by Seraphina but caught by my enhanced night vision.
I growled low in my throat, my eyes locking onto the retreating figure. *Gotcha.*
"Mochi," Seraphina said, her voice steely now. She picked me up, holding me high like a trophy. "Thank you. You really are my guardian angel."
She marched toward the library doors, no longer trembling. "Let's see what the Duke wants. And if Viviane thinks she can push me around anymore, she has another thing coming."
As she pushed open the massive library doors, the air inside changed. It smelled of leather, firewood, and something electric—like the air before a thunderstorm.
Sitting behind a massive desk piled with scrolls was Duke Valerius. He wasn't reading. He was watching the door, his ice-blue eyes sharp and alert.
"You took your time, Lady Seraphina," he said, his voice smooth as velvet but cold as steel. His gaze dropped to the oil stain visible on the threshold, then snapped to me.
"And it seems," he added, a ghost of a smirk touching his lips, "your dog is more observant than my entire security detail."
He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "Tell me, Lady Seraphina. Where did you acquire such a... unique creature?"
My heart stopped.
*Here it comes,* I thought. *The interrogation begins.*
I tucked my tail, activated **[Puppy Dog Eyes]** to maximum power, and prepared to play the dumbest dog in history.
*"Yip?"* I asked innocently.
The Duke's eyes narrowed. He didn't look convinced.
"We shall see," he murmured, almost to himself. "We shall see indeed."