TSBTTDI – 1

“Hah, hah!”

Every ragged breath felt like it was tearing his throat apart.

His fists clenched so tightly his nails dug into his palms, spasms running up his arms. His knees kept buckling beneath him.

But he couldn’t stop.

Otherwise…

“They’ll eat me alive…!”

The man gritted his teeth and cursed himself.

He shouldn’t have ignored the rumors about the beast. He shouldn’t have set foot in this dangerous forest. If it hadn’t been for Geppetto’s talk of gold overflowing…!

But it was too late to regret it now.

He was already being hunted.

‘How far have they chased me?’

The man felt a flicker of both dread and curiosity.

Eventually, defying the instinct to keep running, he turned around and saw it.

An unidentifiable beast rushing towards him at high speed.

Sharp fangs glinting in the dark shadows.

“Aaaagh!!“

His legs gave way and he tumbled forward, rolling to the ground before scrambling frantically toward the nearest tree.

‘Damn it, damn it!’

He pressed his back to the trunk in a fit of desperation, yanking out his dagger.

His hands, clutching the dagger, shook like there was an earthquake under his skin.

‘I’m going to be torn to pieces and die soon. Eaten by a beast, leaving not even a corpse behind!’

Facing death, blind courage overcame fear.

“Get out of here! You monster!”

He heard the beast saying something, but the man, already terrified, couldn’t hear anything.

A beast talking? Clearly his fear had driven him insane.

The man squeezed his eyes shut and wildly swung the dagger.

And finally,

Thunk.

The blade lodged into something solid.

“Ah…”

A sigh mixed with terror escaped his trembling lips.

When he dared open his eyes, he saw the dagger embedded in the beast’s hand.

This is bad. I really… provoked a wild beast.

Only then did the man prostrate himself on the ground and begged.

“P-p-please, I’m sorry. Spare me! I have a wife and a gaggle of children at home. I’m the only one supporting them. If you spare me, I will never forget this kindness.”

He sobbed and begged, his hands and feet becoming like pleading hands. He passionately explained why he had to live.

Even though he knew the beast couldn’t understand human words, he couldn’t stop pleading.

But no matter how long he waited, no rending claws came. No unbearable pain tore through his flesh.

Sensing something was wrong, the man very slowly raised his head.

“Huh…?”

There was no one in front of him.

Only his dagger… and a trail of the beast’s blood.

* * *

“This inhuman healing ability.”

When the blade pierced my hand, I was dizzy. It hurt so much because it cut through the weakest part of the pad.

But that was only for a moment. As time passed, the wound slowly healed.

The real ache wasn’t in my hand—it was in my chest. The memory of the man’s frantic, kill-or-be-killed swings made my mood sink.

“This is too cruel.”

With a sigh, I pushed open the iron door and stepped inside.

Apparently the noise had carried—an entire family of snow-white rabbits came hopping toward me in a perfect little line.

With their forepaws waving and noses twitching, they seemed to be demanding I report the results at once.

Unable to resist their cuteness, I tapped each of the rabbits in turn.

The last baby bunny in line toppled over sideways from the gentle poke.

“This time was really the worst. Even though I told him I wouldn’t hurt him, he just couldn’t understand.”

Maybe it was my fault—getting too excited at seeing another human after so long.

I wanted to clear up the misunderstanding and have a conversation, but things didn’t go as planned.

It wasn’t until blood was shed that I was reminded again—

—of what a hideous beast I am.

‘Well, if a beast walking on two legs appeared in a deserted forest, it would be scary.’

I touched the face reflected in the fountain’s water, watching ripples distort the image.

No one would believe it if they saw this, but I was an ordinary college student from South Korea.

I didn’t get into a traffic accident while walking down the street, didn’t die of a rare disease, and didn’t fall from a high place and die a sudden death.

Like most people, I went to bed, closed my eyes, and woke up to the morning sunlight tapping on my eyelids.

I really just slept! I was in a completely different world from where I lived.

When I faced the luxurious ceiling, clearly different from my apartment, I just blinked like an idiot.

‘What, is this a dream?’

I sat up and looked around, an odd sense of wrongness creeping over me.

The air entering my nostrils was fresher than usual, and the chirping of birds outside the window was so loud that it was even noisy.

Above all…

‘Have I always had such good eyesight?’

I could see every grain in the wooden door. Weird. Did I wake up Mongolian or something?

“Aaaagh!“

Looking around with ridiculous thoughts, I was shocked and jumped up from my seat.

At the end of my trembling gaze was a huge sigil drawn on the blanket.

A sigil drawn with a dark red liquid, like blood.

‘That aside… why is my view so high? Did I grow taller?’

It was a series of surprises, but this was nothing. I shook my head like a madman and found a mirror.

Without any mental preparation, I made eye contact with an unknown black beast.

“………Aaaaargh!!!“

When I screamed, the beast in the mirror opened its mouth and screamed as well.

‘Those ferocious fangs. I’m going to get torn apart!’

Forgetting that it was mimicking my every move, I bolted for the door.

Running with all my might, the surrounding scenery quickly passed by.

Shiny corridors, dazzling chandeliers, a large hall I had only seen in movies, and a beautiful garden with various flowers in full bloom.

Coming outside and feeling the cool breeze, I finally came to my senses.

“…Where the hell is this?”

Slowly turning around, I didn’t feel the presence of a scary beast chasing me.

Rustle, rustle, rustle.

But suddenly, my nerves were focused on the unknown sound coming from the bushes. What is it this time?

However, unlike my expectations, what jumped out in front of me, looking for a place to run away, was…

“A rabbit.”

It was a snow-white rabbit.

The rabbit, with its ears perked up, stared at me with its black eyes and then ran towards me at full speed.

Its momentum was unusual, so I unintentionally stepped back, but an unidentified letter tied to its plump body caught my attention.

At its gesture of hopping up and down as if telling me to read it quickly, I finally bent my knees and accepted the letter.

Opening the folded paper, I saw unfamiliar letters. But it was okay. I could read it naturally.

To whomever this may concern:

The body you are in now is under a black mage’s curse. If you do not receive true love’s kiss, you will be trapped in this hideous beast’s body forever.

Hopeful, isn’t it?

Unfortunately, I don’t have the strength to face the fate before me. I’m too worn down to change it.

So I’ve exchanged my soul with yours—wherever in the universe you are. I’ll take good care of your body.

Remember, you don’t have much time. If you fail to break the curse before the last leaf falls from the Tree of Life in the tower, you will die. All I can say is… I’m sorry.

One last request—stay far away from the circus. Dying here might actually be the better option.

Lastly, this letter is from Nadan Laphelia Armium.

First of all, the thought I had after reading the short letter was…

“What awful handwriting.”

The crooked shape looked like the writing of a kindergartner who had just learned to write.

“So, the beast I saw earlier is me… and Nadan Laphelia whats-her-name, the original owner of this body, switched souls with me?”

I was speechless at the incredible fantasy.

Nooo, no way.

But unlike my denying head, my body was walking towards the fountain spouting clear water.

At the same time, I tried to shake off the sense of unease I had felt since earlier.

The excessively high field of vision, or the beast’s hand I saw when reading the letter.

But ignoring my efforts, what was reflected on the rippling water was not a person but something huge.

Jet-black fur,

Golden eyes gleaming even in the dark,

Sharp fangs like well-honed blades,

Sharp claws that seemed to tear anything they touched.

There was a huge beast wearing a strangely blue vest.

‘This can’t be.’

I wanted to faint… but my body was too strong for that.

Eventually, I collapsed in despair, and the rabbits hopped around me as if to comfort me.

“Squeak! Squeak!!”

Are you alright? Are you okay?

“To even understand what the rabbits are saying…”

I closed my eyes tightly in despair.

* * *

A week had passed.

I shone the morning sunlight pouring in on my arm, but the beast’s black fur was still there.

“…I have to get up.”

As a result of racking my brains so far, there were good things about being a beast.

That’s right, overflowing power!

Unlike when I was human, I felt refreshed and healthy in the morning, and my life was full of vitality.

The downside is….

Crack! Snap!

The power overflowed and flowed out.

“Ah….”

I looked down at the doorknob that had fallen valiantly today with sympathy. I definitely grabbed it gently.

But I decided not to worry too much.

‘It’ll be restored automatically anyway!’

At first I’d been horrified. I unconsciously swung my arm and crack here, crack there! If it hadn’t been restored by the power of magic, the castle would have already collapsed.

Shaking my head and walking down the hallway, I smelled a delicious smell.

Sniff sniff. My mouth watered on its own.

“Wonder what’s on the menu today.”

I entered the dining hall in good spirits.

Contrary to my worries, this place was the magical castle of my dreams.

Meals came out regularly on time, and the bed was warm and cozy. Moreover, the castle and garden were so beautiful that time slipped away just looking at them.

‘Perfect.’

The second letter left by Nadan Laphelia had a detailed explanation of Laphelia Castle, so it wasn’t difficult to adapt.

I’d even started thinking the beast’s form was… kind of cute.

‘Thanks to you, I had fun for a while.’

But now, I’d reached my limit.

The constant silence and loneliness were eating away at me. I felt like I needed to go outside to breathe.

“So, I’m going to go outside somehow today.”

Before I could finish speaking, the rabbit family gathered around me as if worried. That’s because going out in this body is not an easy choice.

“Don’t stop me. I can’t hide here forever.”

I coaxed the tiny, fluffy rabbits clustered at my feet.

If you want to fall in love, you have to meet people first.

With my mind set, I lifted the concealment magic covering Raphelia Castle right after breakfast.

Worried eyes followed me as I confidently headed outside, but I didn’t care.

My heart was swelling with a glimmer of excitement about going outside and the expectation of meeting people.

‘You never know. Maybe I’ll meet someone who won’t run away even if I talk to them?’

When I stepped out with such confidence, I had no idea just how foolish and impossible that was.

Because I still didn’t truly think of this beast’s body as my own.

By pure luck, I spotted someone passing by right after stepping out.

“Excuse me, just a moment!”

“Aaaagh!! It’s a demonic beast!”

“……”