Then the servant walked over to a dresser and opened the top drawer.

Mirabelle saw something glimmer, and the light reflected in her eyes.

She had always been a sucker for jewelry. Anything that sparkled, shone, or carried intricate patterns stirred desire within her.

That came from a time when she could not afford such things. And once she finally had the means, she no longer held herself back.

For a brief moment, she thought wistfully of the jewelry in her apartment.

’I wonder who will get it now?’

She did not know when her disappearance — or her death — would be noticed.

There were no relatives left, and only a few friends she saw irregularly.

’Will they miss me?’

She still did not know what circumstances had brought her here. Was her body lying dead in her bed? Or had she simply vanished from one world and appeared in another?

"How about this?" Tara pulled her from her thoughts once more.

In front of Mirabelle, a short, wide gold necklace dangled, an oval stone set into it.

’A tiger’s eye.’ But she had never seen one this beautiful. It almost seemed to glow from within.

She nodded, and Tara fastened the necklace around her neck. Since the servant was smaller than her, Mirabelle had to sit down on a soft stool.

The necklace lay warm and snug against her skin. When she swallowed, she felt the stone shift slightly.

But it was not uncomfortable or tight.

What an attentive servant Tara was.

The stone vibrated softly against her skin, as if a pleasant energy flowed into her.

With the necklace, Tara somehow managed to cover her neckline as much as possible.

’Attentive and cunning’, Mirabelle mused.

She added two wide bracelets, also adorned with small tiger’s eye stones and interwoven patterns. They almost looked like luxurious sleeves.

It felt strange to be fussed over by someone else. She would have preferred to send Tara away, but the older woman seemed so happy to be there for her that Mirabelle could not bring herself to say it.

A knock sounded at the door of the main room.

Tara hurried off at once. Mirabelle followed, curious.

A soldier stood outside.

He wore light armor made of leather and iron that did not restrict his movements. From the two large tusks curving upward from his mouth, she recognized him as a boar beast.

His eyes flicked toward her only briefly, otherwise remaining fixed on Tara. The soldiers of Luchsenstein truly seemed disciplined.

"Duchess of Luchsenstein requests your presence for dinner."

Tara turned to Mirabelle, and she nodded.

The soldier and Tara stepped back behind her. It seemed she had to find her way on her own.

’Good thing I have the memories of the former Mirabelle. Otherwise, I would be completely lost.’

As she walked through the corridors, Mirabelle once again noticed how beautiful the castle was.

Intricate stone ornaments and lush green plants gave everything an almost enchanted feeling. The evening sun streamed through the tall, pointed windows and bathed everything in a warm glow.

Bees drifted through the air, drawn to small white blossoms whose scent filled the space.

One buzzed past Mirabelle, settled briefly on her shoulder, then moved on to the next flower.

Living here must have been a dream.

’Like a princess’s castle from a story.’

Then she remembered that she was something like a princess now.

They passed only a few servants and soldiers, but those who saw her stepped aside and bowed slightly.

Through lowered gazes, they watched Mirabelle, and a longing filled them — one they knew would never be fulfilled.

She was beyond the reach of ordinary beastmen.

Perhaps a strong soldier of high rank might once have been fortunate enough to earn her attention and become one of her future beast husbands.

But now, with the peace treaty with Zasar and all the high-ranking beastmen from there, that possibility was gone.

In the wide steppes and dense jungles of Zasar, there were more and stronger beasts than in Berghain. Beastmen from there had far greater chances to grow strong quickly and far surpassed them — especially the nobles, with their endless resources.

That was why the war had lasted so long, why Berghain’s male population had been heavily reduced, and why the overall level of its warriors had declined.

They could afford to play the long game, wearing them down slowly — especially mentally.

That was the only reason the treaty had turned out so unfavorable for Berghain.

Everyone knew that a female’s first beast mate held a special position.

He often had greater influence over the female and was usually the father of the first children she bore.

No society would have willingly allowed all unmated noble females to be bound to the enemy.

But they had no other choice.

Many did not want to admit it, but in truth, they were now little more than a vassal state under the rule of Zasar — completely at their mercy.

The peace treaty was nothing more than Zasar’s goodwill to preserve the dignity of the Berghain royals.

They had not just lost the war — they had lost the right to decide their own future.

That was exactly why they admired their lady and her resistance, even though they knew it would not change anything in the long run.

Her defiance meant little in practice — but to them, it still mattered.

A/N: I know you’re here for the spice, but please bear with me. I want to build tension before things truly unfold.

Also, I find it pretty unrealistic when something like this happens and people jump straight into it ¯\(ツ)/¯