To Escape the Obsessive Grand Duke’s Arms
Volume 1

※ The content of this work is entirely fictional and bears no relation to real historical events, places, people, incidents, or organizations.

Chapter 1. The Direwolf and the Canary

It was a forest unknown to anyone.
A place where only a small yellow bird could find rest.

But in that one and only sanctuary, strange groans had begun to echo recently.

Today again, at the sound of those groans, the small yellow bird trembled.

“Ugh… uh…”

It was a sound full of torment.

‘It’s so annoyingly loud. Where is it even coming from?’

A little further ahead, the source of the groaning was discovered.

“Hey, who’s there? Don’t come any closer!”

“I don’t want to come closer either. But you’re just too noisy.”

“I said don’t come near.”

Unable to suppress its curiosity, the little bird went toward the beast.

The large beast was entirely black, but its eyes gleamed with a piercing light.

Normally, the bird would have avoided it—but this place was precious to the little bird.

“Don’t come any closer. Ever again.”

The small bird tensed at the fierce growl and the claws slashing through the air.

“Are you hurt?”

“Get lost!”

The desperate cry struck deep within the bird’s heart.

“You are hurt, right? Let me take a look. I’ll sing for you.”

“A song?”

“If you hear my song, the pain might ease a little.”

“What kind of nonsense is that…”

But the black beast soon fell silent.
Because when the little bird began to chirp, the pain faded.

“…What the hell just happened?”
“What do you mean? Now show me your wounds. I’ll give you a healing potion.”

“…You have that too?”

“Of course I do.”

The little bird came right up to the black beast.

Dark crimson blood flowed around him.

His body was so brutally wounded it was painful to even look at.

“…Stop just staring and hand over the potion.”

“Promise me. If I give you this, you have to leave this place.”

“You dare try to bargain with me?”

“It’s not like that—this is my hideout. It’s really precious to me.”

“If you heal me, I’ll think about it.”

‘There must be a source of the wound somewhere…’

As the little bird flitted busily around, the black beast shivered.

‘Damn, he’s huge.’

Flying around to inspect the beast’s wounds, the little bird finally found the root of it.

A golden arrow lodged just beneath the heart.
By instinct, the bird knew this was the cause.

“I’ll pull the arrow out first.”

“You can see that?”

“Of course I can. It’s an arrow made with Thananos’ feathers. Amazing you didn’t die and managed to endure.”

If the black beast had died, its corpse would’ve desecrated this precious sanctuary.

That would’ve been horrifying.

“Here goes.”

The little bird clamped its beak tightly on the end of the feather and began to pull with all its might.

“Ugh, it hurts! What the hell are you doing?”

“Hold still! I’m trying my best here.”

“You think that’ll pull it out? Get away from me!”

Even with all its strength, it wasn’t easy.
But even as the beast thrashed, the bird never let go of the arrow’s shaft.

One, two, pull. One, two, pull. One, two, pull.

“I said back off! What the hell can you even do!”

The beast’s words fired up the bird’s stubbornness.

With one final burst, it dug its tiny feet in and poured every ounce of strength from its core into yanking the arrow.

With a slick pop, the arrow came free—
And the little bird was flung far away.

Because the beast’s massive paw had struck it.
The plump, delicate body hit the ground, spurting blood as it crumpled into the dirt.

* * *

Her whole body was drenched in cold sweat.

‘I’m… alive, right?’

Raina slowly moved her fingers.
In the dream, it had felt like she was dead, but seeing her hand move proved it was indeed just a dream.

‘This was a prophetic dream.’

Since childhood, Raina had occasionally experienced prophetic dreams.

Especially when she appeared as a bird in the dream — those dreams always came true.

Like the first time her father had an affair.
Or when her mother passed away. Both times, it had happened.

‘What’s going to happen this time?’

A dream where she died, covered in blood — this wasn’t any ordinary dream.

‘Please… let nothing happen.’

But the image of the small bird, bloodied from the claws of the giant beast, lingered in her heart.

Because that bird… had been Raina herself.

Raina belonged to the Rosebird family, a beastkin lineage descended from birds.

Their ancestors were born of birds, and though they now took human form, they still carried the instincts of beasts.
Beastkin had pheromones and mating seasons, and those who could control these instincts freely were considered dominants.

Dominant beastkin were praised for their looks, strength, and abilities, earning recognition from the world.
However, those who couldn’t control their instincts — the recessives — were often scorned, seen as no better than animals.

Recessive beastkin were rarely treated well, and unfortunately, Raina was one of them.
However, in her case, she managed to suppress her instincts using healing potions of her own making.

Despite being recessive, Raina was talented.
In particular, she was born of a rare canary bloodline, inheriting its gifts — namely, a beautiful singing voice.
Her voice enchanted not only people but also plants. Even Yucho, a plant vital to making healing potions but notoriously difficult to grow, thrived thanks to her songs.

Having started her day with a nightmare, Raina knew she had to be extra cautious today.

It was still before dawn, but Raina got out of bed and changed clothes.

From early morning, there was plenty for her to do in the house.

Aside from the housework, making healing potions was also her responsibility.
The once-prosperous Rosebird family had fallen into hardship due to her father’s gambling and infidelity, and her stepmother’s extravagance.

One by one, the maids had left, and now Raina handled most of the housework herself.

She went down the stairs and into the kitchen.
She had to prepare breakfast before her stepmother woke up.

“Raina! You still haven’t finished making breakfast?”

Charlotte’s shrill voice echoed through the house. She was up early today, of all days.

“I’m almost done.”

“And the living room — you haven’t even cleaned it properly. Tsk, tsk. Hair everywhere.”

Charlotte yawned loudly as she plopped down on the sofa.

“Can’t you wake up earlier and just do these things? Why does it take you so long to make breakfast? Especially with all the chaos today — your sister’s having her debutante ball.”

Raina’s eyes widened at her words.

“Bella’s debuting?”

“Oh? You didn’t know?”

“I didn’t. I thought we weren’t attending this year’s debutante season.”

“Did we say that?”

Charlotte quickly wiped the fluster from her face and added shamelessly,

“Well, what can we do? Bella turned twenty this year.”

“But… what about me?”

Raina swallowed her words.
This year, she was twenty-three.
Ever since she came of age, she’d been longing for the day she’d finally make her debut into society.

‘But Bella’s debuting first?’

Among sisters, it was unheard of for the younger to debut before the elder.
As Raina stared blankly, Charlotte finally gave her a crooked smile.

“You know how much you love raising yucho and doing housework, right? So naturally, it falls to your sister Bella to carry on the family legacy. Poor thing, so young yet already burdened with responsibility—it breaks my heart. Besides, unlike you, Bella’s a dominant. She can land a much better husband.”

Charlotte lightly patted Raina’s shoulder.

“Besides, I heard His Grace, the Grand Duke Kaithan, is attending this year’s debutante ball. Can’t let such an opportunity slip, can we?”

Charlotte’s eyes gleamed with excitement.
The Grand Duke hadn’t even flinched at countless proposals so far.

He ruled over the vast northern lands and bore the powerful blood of the direwolf—he’d never lost a war.

The wealthiest man in the Empire, his influence rivaled the imperial family’s—perhaps even exceeded it. The entire Empire was abuzz with the news that Grand Duke Kaithan was seeking a bride.

He was the most desired suitor in the land.
And that’s precisely why Charlotte was forcing Bella into this year’s debutante ball.

“Mother… I want to debut too. I don’t need anything else—just let me debut.”