Chapter 10
He crossed his legs and folded his arms. Looking down at Calli, Leonhardt didn’t answer, as if telling her to keep talking.
“Don’t you want to break the curse?”
At the word curse, Leonhardt’s expression finally shifted. The smile faded, and his face hardened coldly.
At last, he threw away the ever-present mask of laughter.
“…What are you playing at?”
That expression should have been frightening, but Calli continued speaking undaunted.
“The curse. The one both you and I are under.”
Leonhardt kept his mouth firmly shut. He looked as though he was deep in thought. Calli waited patiently for him to speak next.
It was only after a long silence that he finally opened his mouth.
“And how could a wretch like you possibly break a curse to say something so arrogant?”
“There’s only one way to break a witch’s curse.”
“Yes. Love.”
Ridiculous as it was—it was love.
That filthy, petty, and useless emotion.
For just a fleeting moment, a bitter smile crossed Leonhardt’s face.
“If I truly fall in love with you, it’ll break.”
He muttered in a dry tone.
And he was right. The cursed Grand Duke could break the curse if he truly loved his cursed bride.
But who in the world could sincerely love the cursed bride?
“No. It’s simple.”
“Easy for you to say, since it’s not your problem.”
“Just hear me out. That thing called love—it’s not only romantic love.”
Calli rose from her seat. She stared into Leonhardt’s eyes as if demanding he listen carefully.
“There’s love between family. There’s love between friends. Love also exists between close companions. There are many types of love.”
“……”
“The witch didn’t specify the type of love.”
“……”
Leonhardt’s gaze gradually shifted into one of interest.
Noticing this, Calli pressed on confidently.
“Well, considering she forced a marriage, she probably meant romantic love… but she never said it outright, did she? Am I wrong?”
“Hm… now that you mention it, that’s true.”
“So what exactly have you been told? About breaking the curse?”
“Exactly as I said. The cursed Grand Duke must truly love his cursed bride.”
“Thought so…”
Leonhardt seemed to grasp what Calli was suggesting. Somewhat moved, he finally curved his lips into a smile again.
“The witch never said I had to love you as a lover.”
“Exactly!”
Excited, Calli slapped the table with her palm. Tok tok! The sound echoed through the study.
“So, let’s cooperate, Your Grace.”
Surprisingly, the conversation progressed smoothly.
See? I told you it would work out.
“Let’s be friends.”
“Friends?”
“Yes. Other kinds of relationships might be too much, but friendship—we can manage that, right?”
Reclining comfortably against the chair, Leonhardt tilted his head.
“Do you want the curse broken?”
“Of course! Who would want to stay stuck in a squirrel’s body forever?”
Her arms and legs were short, and her body no more than 15 cm long. One wrong step and she could be crushed to death without a sound.
In this tiny body, she couldn’t even open a single door. She could do nothing at all.
“Why? If you stayed like this, I was planning to spoil you.”
“…Absolutely not. No way. That’s the last thing I want.”
“I’d like it, though.”
He reached out. Before Calli could dodge, Leonhardt already had her in his grasp.
Pinned in his left hand, Calli was forced to look straight at his handsome face.
“Things I like, I can cherish forever.”
“That’s… terrifying.”
Glancing at his approaching right index finger, Calli tensed—poke! The finger jabbed her cheek.
“How scary.”
“I like you, Calli.”
His golden eyes flashed with a gleam. At that instant, warning bells rang inside Calli’s head.
Wait. Did I just get caught by a dangerous man?
His right hand now squeezed her cheek.
“Let go, let me go.”
“Why?”
“Argh! What exactly do you like about me?!”
She had done nothing “cute.” All she ever did was complain and talk back.
No coquettish behavior, no sweet acts—just her unfiltered words and actions, raw and honest.
It’s not one of those clichéd lines like, “You’re the first to ever treat me this way,” right?
She shook her head wildly, rejecting the very thought.
“You’re like a squeaky toy.”
Ah, of course.
A normal answer was too much to hope for. It was like a child who had just gotten a fun new toy.
In annoyance, Calli bit the finger approaching her again.
But Leonhardt simply withdrew it without flinching, staring at the bite mark.
“Fine. I’ll cooperate.”
He was still smiling.
“But not as friends.”
Calli blinked slowly. Was this just another whim of his? She pondered seriously.
“Wait. What?”
“I said I don’t like the idea of friends. Didn’t you understand?”
“Don’t treat me like an idiot. I understood just fine.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
He shrugged innocently, as though he truly didn’t get it.
Calli wanted to punch him. But where would a squirrel’s cotton-ball fists land to actually hurt him?
If I use these tiny fists, where should I hit for it to hurt?
She eyed his groin. But no—that would be way too perverted, even if it was guaranteed to work.
Maybe she could just yank his nice-looking hair instead.
“Let’s go with pet and master. Otherwise, no deal.”
“…You were serious? Really?”
“I don’t lie.”
His tone was firm. Flustered, Calli grabbed at her fur with both paws.
“Aaagh! Ugh, ugh!”
“Think it over till your head bursts, Calli. I never agree to anything that puts me at a disadvantage.”
“H-how is this a disadvantage? I’m saying let’s be friends!”
“Friends are boring.”
“You…!”
No, calm down. Stay calm.
Calli took a deep breath.
I never imagined this man would be such an expert at provoking people.
In the original novel, he was simply sharp-tempered, irritable, and enjoyed tormenting others.
Was this twist happening because she, unlike the original bride, was struggling to survive?
No, that’s not the point right now. What should I do?!
The squirrel groaned miserably, clutching her head and lowering it, her moans echoing through the study.
“What if I refuse?”
“Then it’s over.”
“…And if I accept? Do I have to call you Master?”
That would be truly unbearable.
Leonhardt smirked, lips curving as though he had been waiting for that line.
“I like the sound of that too. What? Don’t like it?”
“Of course I don’t.”
“I’ll spare you the title then. Out of the boundless generosity of my heart.”
Boundless generosity, my foot.
She wasn’t about to just accept this. Flaring with indignation, Calli shot back:
“Then I should get something too! This whole thing is about breaking the curse so both of us can live freely!”
“Fine. Name what you want. We’re negotiating, aren’t we?”
Ugh… She groaned again, thinking hard.
Honestly, she could just accept. Pet and master—it wasn’t ideal, but manageable.
At least he wasn’t forcing her to call him “Master.” That would’ve been a fatal blow to her pride.
This isn’t negotiation. It’s a decree.
She drummed her feet against the table and finally lifted her head.
“Alright, fine. But in return, you have to love me with all your heart—as a master loves his pet. Enough that it satisfies the witch’s condition.”
“I’ll try.”
“And I want one more thing.”
“What is it?”
“A form of address.”
“Address?”
Leonhardt tilted his head. Calli raised one finger and pointed straight at him.
“I’ll call you by your name. Your Grace’s name.”
“…Fine.”
The answer came far too easily, and Calli’s eyes widened.
He was a Grand Duke. A man of the highest rank. Yet he didn’t mind her calling him by his name?
“R-really?”
“I don’t care. Calli, you’re terrible at negotiating.”
“Ugh…”
“You do know my name, right?”
“Of course. Obviously.”
How could she forget the pitiable supporting character who eventually went mad with betrayal and died?
“Leonhardt. Leonhardt Spencer. Too long. I’ll just say Leon.”
“As arrogant as ever.”
Thump.
His finger pressed down on Calli’s head. She smacked it away with her tiny fists.
“Suit yourself.”
“No take-backs!”
“Shall we draw up a contract, then?”
Rising from his seat, Leonhardt fetched paper and a pen from his desk.
Calli eyed the blank sheet.
“You need two copies. A contract comes in pairs.”
“Impressive.”
“You were about to scam me, weren’t you? Huh? Just because I’m a squirrel, you think I’m easy prey?”
Leonhardt only chuckled and brought another sheet. Sitting back down, he lifted the pen.
“I’ll write it for you. No way those tiny paws could manage it.”
“…I’ll bite you again. Watch your hands.”
“Didn’t even hurt last time.”
He wiggled the finger she had bitten. Calli glared at it.
“Alright. What shall I write? Tell me the terms. I’ll graciously include them.”
“Oh, how generous of you. Hmph!”
Turning her head away with a huff, she then slowly shifted her gaze back to the paper. She climbed up, planting her foot at the top of the sheet.
“To break the curse, we’ll become pet and master and do our utmost to cooperate.”
