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Chapter 61
What on earth was going on?
Kali’s mind went completely blank. She couldn’t think at all.
“She doesn’t know Levi? Is this some kind of joke?”
Kali stared at Leonhardt’s face in disbelief. As their eyes met, Leonhardt cupped Kali’s left cheek.
In an instant, he leaned in and kissed her cherry-like lips. Before she could pull away, he gently bit her lower lip.
“Talking about another man… it makes me jealous.”
“Le-Leon…!”
“You belong to me, Kali. Don’t even mention another man’s name from now on.”
Only then did Kali realize he wasn’t joking. Leonhardt truly didn’t know Levi.
“How could he not remember?”
This time, Leonhardt’s thumb brushed against her lips. Even with such teasing, Kali couldn’t organize her chaotic thoughts.
“Leon doesn’t remember Levi… then what about everyone else?”
She jumped up and decided to find Jane.
“Kali, where are you going?”
“J-Just a moment… it’s urgent!”
“Come with me.”
“Leon…”
“What’s the matter?”
“I-I need to find Jane right now.”
“Jane? Your personal maid?”
“Yes, yes. It’s urgent. Right now!”
Seeing Kali’s panicked expression, Leonhardt stopped teasing and hurried back to the mansion with her.
Jane happened to be tidying up Kali’s room. Out of breath from rushing over, Kali grabbed both of Jane’s hands.
“Jane!”
“Milady? What’s the matter? You look pale…”
“I have to ask you something!”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Levi… you remember Levi, right?”
“Levi?”
Again. Jane’s reaction mirrored Leonhardt’s. She tilted her head, puzzled. After thinking seriously for a moment, she shook her head slightly.
“I’m sorry, Milady. I don’t recall a servant by that name.”
“Really… you really don’t know? A boy around ten… with the same red hair as mine…”
“I’m sorry.”
Jane seemed at a loss.
Kali, stunned, closed her mouth. She had assumed Levi was just absent because he was busy.
But he had disappeared from the mansion completely. And on top of that, no one remembered him.
“Kali. Wait a moment, come here.”
Leonhardt guided Kali, who was still reeling from confusion, to their shared bedroom.
“Are you okay, Kali? What’s wrong?”
“Really… really, you don’t know Levi?”
“I’m sorry. I really don’t know who you mean.”
Kali sat on the edge of the bed. Leonhardt, watching her, reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist. Unaware of this, Kali bowed her head, lost in thought.
“Levi erased everyone’s memory before disappearing… that means he’s no ordinary person.”
Judging by this, Michaela could have disguised herself as Levi. He didn’t just disappear; everyone else in the mansion forgot him completely.
“It’s obvious they’re connected somehow.”
Kali pressed her eyebrows together. Her thoughts were tangled and unmanageable.
She had no idea what to do next or what might come. It was pure chaos.
“How many things can you be thinking with that little head of yours?”
Leonhardt shook Kali gently, letting her rest her head on his shoulder. Feeling his solid shoulder, Kali regained her composure.
“I don’t know how to say this…”
“What kind of guy is this Levi you’re looking for?”
“…A few years ago, Leon brought him from the back alleys.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“I, me?”
“Yes…”
Seeing Kali frown in disbelief, Leonhardt couldn’t help but smile bitterly.
“He looked like a ten-year-old boy, with the same red hair and black eyes as me. So I naturally thought he was of the same lineage.”
“…I see.”
“He was timid and didn’t know what to do, so I asked to make him my attendant.”
“An attendant? Instead of a maid?”
“Yes. Back when I was a little squirrel.”
Ah, he understood. Levi wasn’t a servant initially. He was being trained to become an attendant once he grew older.
Kali had asked for him to be her little personal attendant.
“I had my little personal servant…”
It was a shame, but she also wanted to know why he disappeared and why everyone else’s memory of him was erased.
“At least I still remember him.”
Perhaps memories couldn’t reach those outside the Asteri lineage.
Questions kept gnawing at her mind.
“You really cherished him, didn’t you? That’s why you’re so desperate to find him now.”
A low voice reached her, and she met Leonhardt’s golden eyes. A mischievous expression curled on his lips. It was clear what he was feeling.
“Kali. Aren’t you looking for another man too much in front of your husband?”
His deep eyes slowly approached her. Startled, Kali instinctively tried to lean back.
“You’re too close!”
Leonhardt slid his fingers into the back of her head, tilting it slightly.
“Close your eyes.”
His playful voice rang in her ears. Kali squeezed her eyes shut.
Warm lips touched hers. Instantly, all her tangled thoughts vanished.
“I don’t even care anymore. Ugh!”
Perhaps tonight, if the stars shone brightly, she would try speaking to them.
“Are you cold?”
Jane had draped a shawl over Kali’s shoulders, but Leonhardt still seemed worried.
His teasing sometimes came with intense concern. Kali felt her heart flutter at the affection in his gaze.
“I’m fine. It’s the North, so it’s chilly, but it’s not too bad.”
“That’s good.”
Taking her hand, Leonhardt quietly left the mansion with her.
Kali said she wanted to ask the stars about something, and Leonhardt agreed to go with her. Luckily, the night sky was exceptionally clear.
“There’s no problem with me being here?”
“We’ve been together here before, when you were young.”
“Right… sorry. I don’t remember that.”
“That could be because Michaela intervened.”
Leonhardt couldn’t recall their childhood encounters.
“Michaela must have made the first move.”
Estella and Rita had tried to prevent Michaela’s schemes but failed. Kali stepped in last. Michaela had occasionally been wary of Kali’s power, so it was likely she manipulated Leonhardt.
“That’s why I can’t lift Leonhardt’s curse.”
That was the most frustrating thing.
She had wanted to lift his curse.
“Ah, the stars are shining especially bright tonight.”
“They are, aren’t they? The sky’s clear.”
“Night walks are nice, too.”
“If you like it, we can come often.”
“Hmm… I’d like to if it’s not cold.”
As they chatted, they arrived at a bench where the stars were most visible.
“If you get cold, let me know.”
“I’ll stay. You’ll keep me warm, right?”
Leonhardt’s sly smile made her feel uneasy. Kali squinted suspiciously.
“How?”
Sitting first, Kali let Leonhardt sit right beside her. They were so close there was no space between them.
“Curious?”
He whispered softly, though no one was around. His voice sounded unusually loud, especially near her ear.
Her ears and heart tingled.
“No, I’m not.”
His soft lips brushed her forehead. She closed her eyes, then slowly opened them.
“Why not? I’ll tell you.”
“Ah, I’m not curious. Step back a little.”
“If you step back, you’ll be cold.”
“I’m fine.”
She tried to scoot sideways but was at the edge. There was nowhere else to go.
Kali swallowed nervously, staring at her toes. Leonhardt giggled above her head.
“I just wanted to hold you tight.”
He naturally wrapped his firm arm around her waist. Even though his hand had touched her many times before, why did it feel so different today?
Kali lifted her head instead of replying. Perhaps he was the one thinking naughty thoughts.
“The stars… there are so many of them.”
“Don’t change the subject. You’re cute.”
“Really… you enjoy teasing me, don’t you?”
“Yes, it’s fun.”
Leonhardt rested his head on Kali’s shoulder.
“Even these small gestures make my heart race!”
Having studied obsessively in her past life, Kali had never experienced romance. Everything was new, and she was sharing it with such a confident man.
“Even though he teases me, I can feel his affection, so it’s hard to resist.”
Blushing and shy, Kali’s heart once again fluttered for him. She held his hand tightly. She sensed him looking at her, but she stared at the sky instead.
“Hmm… how was I supposed to speak…”
As she remembered talking to the stars alone, in dreams and waking memories, she took a deep breath and prepared to speak.
Suddenly—
“Long time no see!”
A clear voice pierced her ears.
