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Chapter 38
“Happy now?”
“Leon?”
His mouth hung open mid-speech. Callie instinctively held her breath.
Leonhardt covered his mouth with one hand and turned his head slightly aside—almost like a bashful bride.
Callie’s lips quivered. There was something she wanted to say, but it felt like if she spoke it aloud, she’d cross a line she shouldn’t.
“Just once more…”
At last, he chuckled softly. It was as if spring itself had arrived.
“Say it again.”
“Um…”
“Hurry. Right now.”
For some reason, at this moment he looked just like a child who absolutely had to have what he wanted. The eager anticipation in his eyes was impossible to ignore.
What is this? Why am I the one blushing now? What the heck is going on?
After rolling her eyes back and forth, Callie finally opened her mouth.
“L-Leon… I like you better than Levi. Th-there. Happy now? Satisfied?”
She whipped her head to the side. For some reason, she couldn’t bring herself to meet his eyes.
The air between them grew oddly charged. No matter how hard she tried to think of something else, only one thought kept flashing across her mind—a thought she felt she must never put into words.
No way. Don’t tell me… does he actually… like me?
No, no. That’s impossible. It can’t be.
Callie shook her head quickly. Ridiculous. Just my imagination.
There’s no way. If it were real, I’d have to turn back into a human…
But I’m still human, aren’t I?
So it’s impossible. Definitely just a misunderstanding.
“Callie. Say it again next time. But leave Levi out of it.”
When Leonhardt beamed at her so brightly, she couldn’t help but think—maybe it wasn’t a mistake after all.
Leon couldn’t possibly like me.
Right. No way.
“Anyway… Leon. There’s something I need to tell you.”
“Mm? What is it? That you like me?”
“W-what are you even saying? You keep—”
“What did you want to tell me?”
Callie desperately wanted to break the strange mood. It felt like a rosy, romantic haze was filling the air.
Not knowing how to handle it, she changed the subject.
“The Moira Forest. I think we should go back there.”
“Hm. Moira Forest?”
“Yes. I… didn’t mention this before. I saw it in a dream… It wasn’t clear, so I didn’t say anything.”
“A dream? You never told me that. Callie, I told you—don’t hide things from me.”
“That’s why I’m telling you now.”
They had wandered deep into the vast garden. Leonhardt stopped beneath a large tree and sat down. He placed Callie on his lap and peeked into the basket.
Bread and a flask of tea. He tore a small piece of bread and put it into Callie’s tiny hands.
“Go on.”
“There’s an old mansion that might’ve belonged to the Asteri tribe.”
“In Moira Forest?”
“Probably. I’m not certain, though…”
“Then let’s go back and see.”
Leaning against the tree, Leonhardt tilted his head back and studied Callie, who was quietly nibbling at her bread.
“Though… the forest seems different now. It wasn’t like that before.”
He brushed her back gently with his hand.
“It might be dangerous, so we should prepare before going.”
“There’s definitely something in that mansion. Rita, Callie, and Michaela all lived there.”
“……”
“What is it?”
She blinked at him, puzzled by his steady gaze.
“It’s nothing.”
He shook his head as if to dismiss it.
“It’s just—you sounded like you weren’t Callie yourself for a moment.”
Oops. That was close.
“Well, since I don’t have memories, it feels that way.”
“When you return to being human, do you think your memories will come back too?”
“Hmm… not sure.”
Callie bit off another piece of bread. Maybe because of her squirrel body, she filled up quickly.
“Callie.”
“Yes?”
“When you turn back to normal, what’s the first thing you want to do?”
“Will you grant it?”
“Depends on what it is.”
She had no idea why he suddenly asked. Still, if he was offering, why not think about it? She smiled mischievously.
“Then… freedom—”
“Not that.”
“Hey, but I wrote that in the contract!”
“You don’t really want to leave the mansion for good, do you?”
His golden eyes chilled ever so slightly. It felt dangerous to say any more.
Callie stopped chewing. The way his hand stroked her fur carried too much feeling, a touch she could not escape.
“No, Callie.”
She clamped her mouth shut.
“You can’t leave the mansion.”
“But…”
“I told you already.”
His long fingers brushed under her chin, light and teasing, yet tinged with something more.
“I promised to love you with everything I have.”
Leonhardt smiled languidly as he caressed her softly.
“So hurry up, Callie—fall for my temptations.”
“Wh-what…”
Callie reached out and smacked his arm lightly.
“Your jokes are too much.”
“Did that sound like a joke to you?”
He caught her little hand and began kneading it absentmindedly. Her gaze dropped to their joined hands.
“So… you mean it, then?”
Leonhardt stared at her silently. Then, holding her with both hands, he lifted her up toward his face.
Only then did Callie meet his eyes.
“Well? What do you think?”
Her lips parted.
Do you… really like me?
She wanted to ask, but the playful glint in his eyes made her snap her head away.
“You’re teasing me again!”
That mischievous grin was undeniable. He was just playing with her. She had nearly fallen for it!
Her heart pounded wildly. If he had been serious, she might’ve blurted out her answer without thinking.
“Ugh, put me down! How dare you toy with a girl’s feelings!”
“Callie.”
“Let go! Let go of me!”
“Calm down, Callie.”
“Do I look calm to you?”
“Your face is red, Callie.”
“It is not red!”
She flailed her limbs furiously. Leonhardt laughed low in his throat and set her down.
“I won’t say more today. It’s not the right time.”
Callie tried to run off, but his hand once again covered her.
“Look forward to it, Callie.”
This is the truth.
She deliberately ignored the words he added. She didn’t want to hear anything more.
Good thing I’m a squirrel right now.
Otherwise, he might’ve noticed how red her face truly was.
This must be a dream.
Callie stood in the middle of a vast field. She looked around, and when her gaze landed on the decrepit mansion behind her, she knew at once.
That’s where the Asteri tribe lived.
Would she remember this dream when she woke? She hoped she would. She had to.
Then, at the edge of her vision, she saw two red-haired figures. One was the freckled girl she now recognized well—Michaela.
The other was an adult woman with hair tied neatly down to her waist.
「Michaela. Have you truly decided?」
「Yes, Teacher. You always told me to follow the future the stars reveal.」
「And I also taught you—there are times to ignore it, to turn away.」
The woman, whom Michaela called teacher, gazed at her with worry. But Michaela held her ground with confidence.
She showed no intention of backing down. It was as if the two stood locked in opposition.
「Haa… Michaela. It’s dangerous.」
「Teacher, you’ve read further ahead than anyone else and protected this land all your life.」
「……」
「But the future can change. I’ll change it.」
「Michaela…」
The teacher called her softly, but the disciple gave no reply.
「You’re the one who resembles me most. That’s why your power is strong. One day, you might even surpass me.」
「Is that the future you saw, Teacher?」
「I won’t answer.」
「……」
「If you truly meet that child you saw in your vision, then you will…」
The teacher lowered her eyes. She couldn’t finish the sentence. How could she voice the death of her dearest pupil?
Michaela, however, smirked knowingly, as though she already understood.
「Teacher, aren’t you simply afraid of me surpassing you?」
「Michaela…」
「I’ll prove it. I’ll surpass you.」
Confidence blazed in her eyes. At that moment, no one in the world could have stopped her.
「Just watch. Even you can be wrong.」
As Callie silently watched, she felt herself drifting backward, her body lifting into the air.
The two figures shrank, then vanished.
What was that? What does it mean?
Someone new had appeared—Michaela’s mysterious teacher, the woman she had never seen before.
Then, in the blink of an eye, a new scene unfolded before Callie.
Someone was running through the forest, breath ragged and heavy.
Wait—that’s…!
To her shock, it was a young Leonhardt. Even without being told, she could see the uncanny resemblance.
This was the first time she had ever dreamt of him.
Her body floated effortlessly, letting her follow his frantic dash.
「Hah… hah… Callie!」
She stiffened.
Her eyes widened. From young Leonhardt’s lips spilled a name she knew well.
It was unmistakably Callie.
「Callie! Are you there?」
Pushing through the bushes, young Leonhardt stumbled into a place like another world.
A field of spring flowers bloomed before him—something that could never exist in the northern lands.
And there, in the middle, sat a red-haired girl with curls, weaving a crown of blossoms.
「Callie!」
Callie stared, stunned, unable to think.
So… Leon and Callie knew each other as children? They’d met before?
The moment young Leonhardt saw her, he rushed forward with open arms, clinging to her and brimming with affection.
And as if used to it, the young Callie smiled and leaned against him, nuzzling back.
「Callie! You’re here again. Thank goodness.」
「Mm. I told you I’d wait, didn’t I? I was just about to leave.」
「Liar. You were making this while waiting for me, weren’t you?」
The young Callie placed the flower crown she had made on young Leonhardt’s head.
He grinned like a fool.
Wow… he looks so silly. Did we really play like that when we were kids?
