HRTC 21

Chapter 21

“Kali, you’re my tranquilizer.”

Kali’s lips parted but no sound came out.
For a moment she simply gaped, words lost.

After a long pause she finally managed,
“Shouldn’t we… check whether that’s true?”

Right? I need to know so I can decide what to do next!

How selfish—he always decided everything on his own and only informed her of the conclusion afterward.

I’m not cruel enough to ignore a statement like that.

If she could help this man, of course she had to.
How could I turn away from someone who needs me—someone who might not be okay without me?

Leonhardt Spencer was sly. He knew how to stir a person’s heart until they couldn’t refuse.

“I already checked,” he said.

“That’s just you checking by yourself! I get to check too!”

Frustration bubbled up; she smacked his chest with her tiny paws and shouted.

Of course she would never admit out loud that she’d already seen her presence calm his nightmares.

“You’re small but feisty,” he muttered, clicking his tongue as his warm hand lightly pressed and stroked her.
Heat seeped through his fingertips, easing her without permission.

See? It already works…

Leonhardt’s eyes softened, growing heavy-lidded.
Watching him like that made Kali’s chest tighten oddly, and she turned her head.

“A-anyway, Leon, it doesn’t count if you’re the only one who confirmed it. We agreed to cooperate.”

“Fine. How do you want to test it? I’ll do whatever you like.”

“Then… stay away from me for a bit.”

“Huh? What?”

He clearly hated the idea, pretending he hadn’t heard.
But Kali knew him too well.

Sixty days had passed since she’d been stuck in this squirrel body, living with him.
She’d already learned his habits and thought patterns inside out.

“Exactly. If we stay apart, we’ll see if I’m really the one who calms you.”

“……”

“Right? I’m right, aren’t I? No comeback?”

Kali flicked her tail in triumph.
Leonhardt’s handsome brow furrowed in annoyance, and he poked her forehead with a finger.
She tumbled backward with a squeak.

“Why be mean? You have no argument, so you poke me!”

“Fine. We’ll do that.”

Apparently he hated the idea of being apart.
Kali’s shoulders lifted in a little proud shrug.

What, have you really fallen for me? Completely smitten, huh?

A master doting on his pet wasn’t a bad look.
If Leonhardt kept falling for this little squirrel, maybe a real affection would sprout—
and that would make breaking the curse so much easier.
Embarrassing, sure, but not a bad process.

“But,” he added.

Of course. He was never one to accept a proposal without conditions.

Kali straightened as if ready to agree to anything.

“What is it?”

“If the madness overwhelms me again, I’ll come straight to you.”

“Ah. Fine. Come right away. I need to observe anyway.”

“And one more thing.”

“Another? What?”

“If it turns out you really are the one who soothes my insanity…”

If that’s true…?

He paused, staring into her black squirrel eyes.
She couldn’t look away from those golden irises—
steady, deep, unreadable—
but filled only with her reflection.

This feels… strange. If I were still human…
She might not last ten seconds before turning her head.

Unable to bear the silence, Kali spoke first.

“What is it?”

“…Never mind. I’ll tell you after we confirm it.”

“Ugh, that’s anticlimactic.”

And so he accepted her second condition as well.

That night they slept separately even though Kali’s bedroom had been moved next to his.
She felt relieved.

Yet a small part of her worried.
Would he have nightmares again?

No, no. Why am I worried? There’s no reason for that.
She forced the odd feeling aside.

Chirp, chirp—

Birdsong outside urged her to wake.
Kali blinked groggily, eyes still heavy with sleep.

“Yawn…”

Stretching, she sat up in the vast bed—alone.
The empty space where a certain man usually was felt oddly cold.

…No. What am I thinking?

She slapped her cheeks with both paws.
Clearly she wasn’t fully awake to think something so silly.

The room stayed dark as evening, thanks to the blackout curtains instead of the old pale-lemon ones.

“Humans really do adapt fast,” she murmured.
Just a few nights of sharing a bed with Leonhardt and she was already used to it.
Familiarity was frightening.

Even this furry body now felt like her own.
At first she’d stumbled like a newborn fawn; now she could run and leap with ease.

I can even land perfectly when I jump down.

Kali hopped to her feet and turned toward the door.
Unlike her previous room, there was no side table or stand beside it—
but that wouldn’t stop her.

Maybe some morning exercise?

Her eyes gleamed as she sprinted to the bed’s edge, ready to leap down.

Knock, knock.

A sudden rap on the door made her freeze at the brink, wobbling until—
Whoa, I’m falling…!

She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact.

“Ah, madam!”

But she never hit the floor.

Opening her eyes, she found Levi catching her in both hands.

“Whew…! I got you, madam!”

“O-oh… th-thanks.”

“Thank goodness.”

The boy grinned brightly.
Kali patted his palms as if to say, Good job.

“Good morning, madam!”

“Yes, good morning.”

He set her back on the bed and drew the curtains, light spilling in.

“Ah—the Grand Duke says he’ll be dining separately for a while.”

“Oh. I see.”

So the shared meals were on pause, just like their agreed temporary distance.

She nodded knowingly, and Levi tilted his head.

“Did you have a fight with His Grace?”

“Huh? No, why?”

“It’s just… you two seemed so close lately.”

“Oh? You think so too?”

That was good news—it meant they were another step closer to breaking the curse.

Levi nodded eagerly.
“Yes. I’ve never seen the Grand Duke look better since I’ve been here.”

“We didn’t fight. There’s just a reason for the distance.”

“That’s a relief…”

“Why are you the one worrying?”

“Because I like seeing you happy, madam.”

“Young man, you say the funniest things.”

Flustered, Kali chuckled.
Words like that were unfamiliar.
Back in Korea, before she became a squirrel, no one had ever said such a thing.

No—except Grandma.

‘My little darling, you must be happy.’

Her grandmother’s final words.
She hadn’t expected to hear something like them again—
least of all from a boy with no ties to her.

“For now, I’ll need to take walks with you again, Levi. I’m counting on you.”

“Really? I’m so glad!”

Such simple joy over something so small.

Don’t tell me… he thinks of me as a pet too.

‘The Grand Duke keeps a squirrel,’ she imagined the gossip.
Hopefully not.

Piles of documents loomed before Leonhardt.
He picked up the top sheet, pen in the other hand, but only glared at the paper, irritation simmering.

His aide, Aynes, swallowed nervously.
Would his lord explode?

“Your Grace,” he ventured.

“Be silent,” came the cold reply.

“Yes, sir.”

Aynes could guess the cause of Leonhardt’s foul mood—
most likely that tiny Grand Duchess.

The cursed bride whom Leonhardt had once despised—
even hated.
Those who knew how the previous duchess died all worried the same way.

Could Leonhardt possibly get along with this one?
Would he… kill her?

But this duchess wasn’t even human.

“Ha…” Leonhardt exhaled, giving up after only a second sheet and setting it down.

Leaning back, he closed his eyes.
He had no mind for paperwork now.

“Kali is cleverer than I thought,” he murmured.

Having been ordered to stay silent, Aynes only listened.

Leonhardt continued, not expecting a response.
“That voice that usually nags me endlessly is quiet now.”

“Isn’t that… good?” Aynes offered carefully.

“No. I should be hearing it. The madness should be there too.”

“Is this because of the madam?”

Leonhardt opened his eyes, catching Aynes’s gaze until the aide quickly lowered his head.

“…Seems you like her,” Aynes said softly.