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Chapter 36
Leonhardt, who had been silently listening to the conversation between the two, wore a dissatisfied look. He clearly wanted to chase Kendrick away right then.
“He’s your friend, Leon.”
“Lady Callie… you’re too kind.”
Leonhardt clicked his tongue, looking fed-up. As if resigning himself, he strode past Kendrick toward the gondola.
“Come on. Since it’s what Callie wants. But next time, at least send word first. If you just show up again, I’ll throw you out.”
“Sure, sure! Honestly, I was going to contact you today, but it was already too late. Ha-ha!”
Callie lowered her head a little, watching Leonhardt carefully. He obviously disliked Kendrick’s sudden appearance.
She reached out and gently brushed and patted his forehead.
“Leon, why the angry face?”
“That guy is noisy whenever he’s around. And Kendrick likes you way too much.”
Perhaps soothed by her touch, a smile soon returned to Leonhardt’s face.
“Callie, I want to keep that cute side of you all to myself.”
Such words were…
He keeps making me conscious of him.
Callie barely swallowed a sigh.
“Oh—Leon. Maybe ask Kendrick too, about the Asteri tribe.”
At that, the corners of Leonhardt’s mouth lifted.
“Good idea. Kendrick does know a lot of random things.”
He turned toward Kendrick, who was following behind.
“Hey, Kendrick. Ever heard of the Asteri?”
“Asteri?”
Kendrick tilted his head, clearly unsure.
“I’ve heard it somewhere… uh… ah.”
After digging through his memory, Kendrick finally nodded.
“I thought so,” Leonhardt said, glancing at Callie.
“See? Told you.”
By then, they had reached the gondola. The boatman bowed to Leonhardt. He stepped aboard first, fixing a steady gaze on the slower-boarding Kendrick.
“Tell us what you know.”
“Asteri?”
“Yeah. Callie’s curious.”
Kendrick turned to Callie, and when she nodded he smiled.
“I’m not sure why Lady Callie wants to know, but… the Asteri were said to be a mysterious people.”
Leaning back comfortably, Kendrick gave a little shrug.
“Whether they really existed, who can say?”
Callie glanced at Leonhardt, uncertain how much she should reveal.
He simply smiled knowingly, silently telling her to speak as she wished.
What’s that supposed to mean? I’m not sure myself how far to go.
She thought hard.
But Kendrick is Leon’s friend—and he already knows about the curse.
The Spencer family curse was guarded in strict secrecy. Any loose-tongued servant who gossiped would be killed on the spot.
Yet this outsider Kendrick knew quite a bit about it. Most likely Leonhardt himself had told him.
Then I can trust him too.
Callie made up her mind: Kendrick was someone she could confide in.
“The Asteri do exist.”
“Eh… really? But how do you know, Lady Callie…?”
“Well…”
Callie remembered the past she had glimpsed—the young girl called Callie who appeared in that vision was clearly her own childhood self, when she’d been a squirrel.
There was no mistake. The Asteri and the Spencer family were connected.
“Because I’m Asteri.”
“…What?”
“…Well, that’s my guess, at least.”
“What do you—”
“Callie, aren’t you saying too much? I trusted you to decide.”
“I thought you meant you’d leave it to my judgment.”
Before she knew it, Callie had slid down to Leonhardt’s shoulder height.
She looked straight into Kendrick’s startled brown eyes.
“Well, since Callie’s said that much, can’t help it.”
Leonhardt lifted Callie onto his lap.
“Kendrick, Callie says she turned into a squirrel and lost her memory. Recently she caught fragments of her past.”
“Whoa… so that’s the Asteri?”
“Yeah. How much do you know about them?”
Kendrick rubbed his chin, eyes fixed on Callie.
“Not much. Only that they were said to predict the future. That’s why the imperial family hunted for them.”
“The imperial family?”
“Not just them—everyone wanted to find the Asteri. Of course they would. A people who can see the future? Who wouldn’t covet that?”
“…”
“So the Asteri supposedly lived in hiding. But it’s all legend—I don’t know if any of it’s true.”
Still, Kendrick’s gaze lingered on Callie, as if asking whether it really was.
She couldn’t answer with certainty.
“Then, if Lady Callie isn’t sure either… shall I look into it?”
“You’re getting quick on the uptake,” Leonhardt said with a faint smile.
“Do it.”
“Gladly. But I should get something in return for digging around…”
The House of Reyfons was famous for trade; Kendrick, the current Count, was no exception.
Though he always wore a careless grin, like Leonhardt he preferred to move only when there was profit.
Figures. Birds of a feather, Callie thought.
While Leonhardt considered a suitable reward, Callie spoke first.
“You’re welcome to visit the mansion anytime—no need to send word ahead.”
“Callie, that’s…”
Leonhardt frowned. That was hardly proper payment, yet she offered it freely.
But Callie had already said it.
“Oh… Lady Callie, that’s…”
Kendrick rubbed his chin and nodded enthusiastically.
“That’s more than enough.”
“It’s strange to need permission to visit a friend’s house anyway,” Callie added.
“Ha-ha! As expected of Lady Callie—so generous!”
Arms crossed, Leonhardt said nothing. Normally he would have canceled the deal on the spot, but in front of Callie he held back.
He wanted to give her whatever she wished. To let her do as she pleased.
Even if it went against his own principles.
Why? Why am I like this…?
Silently watching, Leonhardt suddenly wrapped both hands around Callie, shielding her from Kendrick’s view.
Caught in the sudden cave of his palms, Callie only blinked.
“Ha-ha! Hey, Leonhardt, what are you doing? Trying to hog Lady Callie—”
“Maybe stop looking at her.”
“Huh…?”
“Because I’m the only one who gets to have her.”
He didn’t like how friendly they seemed. Jealousy and possessiveness welled up from deep inside.
She should look only at him—so why was that guy looking at her? Callie was his.
Leonhardt forced down the rising emotion. What is this feeling?
“Hmm…”
After a moment’s thought, Kendrick finally spoke.
“That’s odd.”
“What is?”
Leonhardt shot him a look that clearly wished he’d leave, but Kendrick went on.
“Lady Callie, by now the curse should be breaking, yet it hasn’t.”
“True,” Callie said, squirming inside Leonhardt’s hands.
“Maybe Leon just doesn’t love me enough yet.”
She tickled and tapped his palms, silently asking him to release her, but Leonhardt didn’t budge. She eventually gave up.
Hidden in his hands, she couldn’t see his expression.
His smile only deepened, sending a chill down Kendrick’s spine.
That guy…
Kendrick hesitated, then said,
“Lady Callie, perhaps… it’ll just take more time. Ha-ha…”
Thud. Leonhardt kicked Kendrick’s leg—an order to shut up. Kendrick caught the hint and said no more.
“Right? Kendrick, you think so too?” Callie asked.
Leonhardt’s brow twitched upward. He disliked their exchange.
Why was he so irritated? Even with Callie beside him, a wild surge threatened to break loose.
The way she said his feelings were lacking—why did that bother him so much? Why did it make him angry?
Why?
Why, when I never cared about anyone before?
He abruptly cut off their friendly chatter.
“Kendrick.”
The moment Leonhardt spoke, Callie fell silent.
“Go home.”
Leonhardt’s eyes curved gently as he quietly issued the dismissal.
“I’m busy… seducing my squirrel.”
Tok, tok—
Leonhardt tapped his fingers on the desk in quick succession, his brows drawing together. Rarely for him, the smile was gone.
He was thinking of a single squirrel. That little creature kept running through his mind and refused to leave.
What have you done to me?
It used to scurry about before his eyes every day; now it scampered endlessly through his thoughts. No matter how he tried not to think of it, the image came unbidden.
Tok, tok, tok—
His tapping quickened, fingertips betraying his restlessness.
He wet his dry lips with his tongue. He felt parched.
The squirrel in his hands always seemed ready to slip away. No matter how tightly he held on, it never felt secure.
Why do I keep seeing you everywhere?
Tok—
His fingers stilled. He laced his hands together and propped his chin.
Without that warm little presence in his grasp, he felt empty. Without the soft, downy fur against his skin, everything felt hollow.
