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Chapter 24
Panting, she struck down this time with her palm.
“Ouch.”
Her shoulder was solid enough to hurt her own hand.
Then, a hand rose over Kali’s body. That hand scooped her up like a claw from a prize machine.
“Kali…”
The hoarse mid-low voice sounded surprisingly sexy.
He laid Kali on his chest, and her body stiffened.
“Throw tantrums during the day.”
His grip tightened around her. She wanted to break free, but no matter how much she struggled, escape was impossible.
Eventually, exhausted, Kali went limp. Her strength drained, she slumped against him.
Feeling the man’s skin against her own, Kali squeezed her eyes shut.
“Okay, I get it. Just… let go of my hand.”
“……”
“Um… Leon? Hey? Hello…?”
She called to Leonhardt desperately, but he gave no response, as if he had fallen back asleep.
Kali managed to move just enough to free her hands and patted his chest. Still, he didn’t budge.
“No… this can’t be. Is he really asleep? He’s not pretending, is he?”
She glared at the man’s face, whose black hair looked attractive even when messy. No matter how intensely she stared, he didn’t move.
“Wake up… please wake up…”
I’m sorry. I won’t touch a sleeping lion again. Just… please wake up.
“Hey… Leon. Wake up. Please wake up…”
Unfortunately, Leonhardt was deeply asleep. Kali, unable to move at all, broke out in a cold sweat.
“Huh…”
I’m tired too. I don’t care anymore. I don’t know.
Muttering, Kali closed her eyes. She was exhausted, but more than anything, she was sleepy. Her eyelids felt unbearably heavy.
And so, Kali fell asleep.
Unaware that Leonhardt’s eyes had opened shortly after.
Pok…
Someone poked her stomach. She squirmed as if to tell them not to. Once it stopped, she sank into sleepiness.
This time, someone caressed her stomach. They even scratched it pleasantly. She liked that and offered her belly obediently.
She heard someone laughing softly, joyfully. Not wanting to disturb them, she stayed still.
“Kali. Aren’t you actually awake?”
A familiar voice whispered in her ear.
“I’m not. I’m really sleepy. I’m going back to sleep.”
She waved a hand lazily, telling them to stop bothering her. But someone grabbed her hand.
Frowning at their fiddling with her hand, she tried to pull away. Instead, they touched her even more. This time, they went down her back and reached the start of her tail.
“Ah, stop it…”
Who’s disturbing my sleep? So annoying, stop it.
She muttered in a threatening tone, but it didn’t work. Their laughter grew louder.
Still, it wasn’t completely ineffective, and they stopped touching her. Kali tried to fall asleep again.
Then.
“Stop sleeping. How long do you plan to sleep?”
Suddenly, a hand touched her hips.
“Ah, stop that!”
Annoyed, she jumped up.
In front of her, Leonhardt was leaning against the headboard, reading something.
“You’re small but really grumpy, huh?”
“……”
He was still shirtless.
“Good morning.”
The bright smile on his face irritated her.
Even at home, Kali wanted to run away.
The part about always staying together…
She wanted to erase it from the contract completely. Kali struggled to suppress the urge to open the window and run outside.
“Kali. Bored, aren’t you?”
“My butt hurts. Bring me a top-quality cushion!”
“Consider it done.”
He summoned the house steward to prepare the finest cushion immediately.
“Anything else you need?”
“Well…”
Kali peeked out the window.
“Freedom.”
“Denied.”
“……”
“You mustn’t be apart for even a moment.”
His gentle voice carried a firm tone. Kali looked dissatisfied but said nothing.
After all, she had agreed to this part.
At this rate, she might have to stick to Leonhardt like one body, except when using the bathroom or bathing. Actually, they were already like that.
She had thought “staying together” meant just being in the same space. But it meant actual physical contact.
“Cheater…”
Kali muttered as she climbed onto Leonhardt’s head. He let her stay there with a smile, giving her free rein.
That made her even angrier. Why didn’t it bother him at all?
“I never cheated. I’m just following the contract.”
“Rewrite the contract.”
“Why? Then you’d have to pay me something in return… can you do that?”
“……”
“I never accept anything that gives me no benefit, Kali. You understand that, right?”
He smirked annoyingly, raising his smooth forehead. Kali slapped it with her tiny hands.
Leonhardt blinked.
“Kali.”
He raised his long finger. Seizing the chance, Kali grabbed it with both hands and bit down.
Looking up, she noticed the unusual intensity in his gaze.
“Do you want to stay a squirrel and not lift the curse?”
Was he serious?
It was hard to tell if it was a joke or not, coming from someone who had suffered the curse.
“It’s a joke, right? Please tell me it’s a joke!”
If Kali turned back into a human, it meant the curse would be lifted. But telling her to stay a squirrel meant not lifting the curse.
Kali narrowed her eyes. Leonhardt always smiled, making it impossible to read his true intentions.
“It’s a joke.”
His large hand covered her face, making it impossible to see his expression.
“I’ll be gone tomorrow for a short visit to the palace. It won’t take long.”
“Could you… take your hand off…?”
His shield-like hand still covered her face.
Frustrated, she nudged it with her head. Surprisingly, he immediately removed his hand. Only then could she see his face clearly.
He was still smiling. Kali tilted her head in confusion.
“It’s just a few hours. Bear with the loneliness.”
“I’m not lonely, okay? Hmph! You’re the one who’s lonely.”
“Me? No way.”
Leonhardt pressed his fingers firmly against her back.
“Such a cheeky remark.”
He stood up holding her, placing the squirrel on his shoulder as usual.
He started walking away. Thanks to his slow pace, there was little wobble. Then Kali’s gaze fell on something.
The iron tower standing alone to the left of the mansion annex. Even though she had gone outside to the garden, this was the first time she really noticed it.
“Um… Leon.”
“Huh? Why?”
“That… that…”
“What?”
“Nothing… it’s nothing.”
She wanted to ask about the tower but decided against it. She didn’t want to stir up his wounds.
Besides, Leonhardt knew she wanted to ask but pretended not to.
“Kali, don’t be so bland. If you start saying something and stop, it makes me curious.”
“Nothing. Look where you’re going instead.”
“Why? Worried I might fall?”
“Yes. If you fall, I’ll get hurt.”
That was undoubtedly a topic she shouldn’t ask about. Kali wisely chose not to.
Because it was the tower where her mother died.
“Kali, be a good girl and keep the house in order.”
She felt as if someone had said this in her sleep. Perhaps she had waved back to them too.
‘I don’t remember any of it.’
When she woke, she was alone in bed. That meant Leonhardt had gone out early.
She yawned and stretched. His absence meant freedom—for now.
She jumped to the floor with practiced ease. The landing was perfect. Definitely a 100 out of 100.
“Huh… perfect.”
Satisfied with herself, she suddenly realized something.
Oh no. She was too satisfied with being a squirrel and almost believed she actually was one.
“No…!”
She shook herself. This is a borrowed body. One day, she would become human again.
At the same time, she worried. She had no idea what Kali Herace originally looked like. The girl from her dream might not even have been her.
As she thought this, Kali climbed to draw the curtains—but paused.
“That girl…”
She vaguely remembered the dream. A unique girl talking to an unseen person in a deserted place.
She didn’t remember the exact conversation, but she knew the girl was waiting for someone.
‘Who is that girl? Could she really be Kali’s childhood self?’
Fiddling with the curtain’s edge, she pushed it aside with all her strength. The sunlight streamed in.
After moving it just a little, exhausted, Kali sank down.
“Ugh! I don’t know…”
Really, is it enough just to lift the curse?
Something felt off. When Leonhardt returned, she would ask exactly what had happened in the past.
Kali turned to look outside. The fountain glimmered in the sunlight from afar.
“…Huh?”
A carriage appeared in the distance. At first, she thought Leonhardt had returned and jumped up.
As it got closer, she noticed the emblem on the carriage. It wasn’t the Spencer family crest.
“Where… is that? I’ve never seen it before…”
It wasn’t Leonhardt. Disappointed, she sat back down. Her tail, which had risen, fell back.
Eventually, she lay down completely. The bedroom was quiet, being alone.
Perhaps it was the absence of the usually bothersome Leonhardt. When he was there, it was annoying, but now the emptiness was keenly felt.
‘What… have I really become tamed?’
