Chapter 22
“Aziz is on my side?”
“I’ll explain the details later. For now, I have a question for you. How long can you maintain your human form?”
I thought back to my past experiences before answering.
“I’m not really sure. It’s only happened twice. The first time was short, but yesterday it lasted longer. I was still in this form before I fell asleep in the wardrobe.”
“You can’t control it?”
“I wish I could, but unfortunately, not right now.”
“There might be a way. I’ll try to find out through Aziz.”
“That’s kind of you. But now… what do we do?”
I looked down at the cloak I was wearing.
‘It’s awkward to go far dressed like this…’
The party and the prince’s palace were quite a distance apart.
I couldn’t just stand around waiting for help like this, especially since I could turn back into a cat at any moment.
As I was fretting over it, a man emerged into the bushes where we were hiding.
“Pardon me, the two of you.”
The one who appeared before us was none other than Aziz.
He looked between Suleiman and me with a stiff expression.
“I wondered why you were having a secret rendezvous with a lady… but it turns out you’re with quite an unexpected person.”
Startled by his sudden arrival, I clutched my cloak tighter.
‘Why does it have to be now, of all times?’
Even though I had the cloak on, I wasn’t wearing a single thread underneath—it was embarrassing.
“Stay behind me.”
Seeing my panic, Suleiman stepped forward as if to shield me.
But then, Aziz said something unexpected.
“The Lady Cat has regained her true form. I’m relieved.”
“So, you do recognize her.”
Aziz had never seen me in my human form before.
‘Oh, right—he has the ability to see one’s original self.’
Given how unusual he was in other ways, it wasn’t so strange that he realized my transformation.
“I was about to summon you anyway, Aziz.”
“If someone else were to discover Lady Cat’s identity here, it would be disastrous.”
Finishing his words, Aziz walked right up to Suleiman and stopped.
“Would you step aside for a moment, Your Highness?”
“Why?”
“Because I must cast a spell on Lady Cat. We can’t leave her standing around like this forever.”
His tone was polite, but there was an edge to it.
Suleiman frowned, displeased, and reluctantly stepped back.
Left face-to-face with Aziz, I carefully lifted my eyes to him.
“It truly is you, Lady Cat. Would you say my name once, please?”
“…Aziz.”
At the sound of my voice, his gaze flickered.
‘What’s with him…?’
He looked at me with a strange expression—somewhere between joy and sorrow—and then suddenly knelt before me.
“Wh-what are you doing? Get up, quickly.”
“I, Aziz, servant of Ashtar, formally greet you. Incarnation of the Goddess.”
Kneeling on the dirt floor, Aziz lifted the edge of my cloak and pressed his lips to it.
His reverence was so solemn, so sacred, I couldn’t even think of what to say.
“The divine aura around you has grown clearer. Did something happen? How is it you suddenly regained a human form—”
“That’s enough, Aziz. This isn’t the place for a long talk.”
Suleiman cut him off with a displeased tone, and Aziz slowly rose to his feet.
Just then, faintly, we heard Arin calling my name at the top of her lungs.
“People will be here soon. Can you change her back into a cat?”
“I’ll try.”
Aziz placed a hand on my forehead and muttered something. A familiar energy spread out.
‘This is…’
The power of water I had felt before—both in my dream and at the fountain.
The energy of Ashtar.
Fwaaah—
A soft misty light spread around me, and my vision lowered as my body shrank.
Finally, I was completely small, bundled into the cloak.
Suddenly plunged into darkness, I cried out in shock, but what came out was the sound I’d grown used to.
“Meow…?” (Did I just turn back into a cat…?)
As I struggled inside the dark folds of cloth, Arin’s almost sobbing voice rang out.
“Lady Cat! Where are you!!”
Guilt welled up in me for worrying her so much.
Cradled in Suleiman’s arms, I looked up at him anxiously. He stepped out of the bushes and called her.
“This way. Don’t cause a commotion.”
“L-Lord Suleiman…! And Lord Aziz too!”
Arin’s eyes went wide, her face pale.
The moment she spotted me in Suleiman’s arms, she burst into tears and rushed over.
“Lady Cat, where did you go! I was so worried. I’m so, so glad you’re safe.”
“Meow…” (I’m sorry.)
Watching her cry so hard pricked me with guilt.
Suleiman, who had been silently observing us, handed me over to her, cloak and all.
“Return to the palace first. Let her rest early—she must be tired.”
With that, Suleiman left first, and we also returned to the prince’s palace.
That unusually eventful day finally came to an end.
***
That night, I fell into a deep sleep the moment I returned to my room.
I’d dozed off from exhaustion before, but this time felt different.
It was as if something inside me had drained all my strength.
The dizziness was so overwhelming I could hardly stay conscious.
I wondered if Aziz’s magic had something to do with it, my body felt so strange.
“Meooow…” (My head…)
I kneaded my temples with my paws, as if that would ease the throbbing pain. To my surprise, it helped a little.
When I sighed and turned my head, I saw Suleiman sleeping beside me, breathing softly.
‘Did Arin put me on the bed…?’
My last memory was of my little cat bed, but now I was lying next to him. Either Arin or Suleiman must have placed me here.
Settling into a comfortable loaf position, I quietly studied his face.
‘When he’s asleep, he really looks like an angel.’
But once awake, he was like a devil—always radiating that frightening aura.
Seeing him sleep so peacefully, as if nothing had happened, somehow made me annoyed.
‘Why does just looking at him make me so irritated?’
I puffed out my lips and poked his nose with my paw pad.
“…What are you doing?”
“Meow!” (You scared me!)
Without opening his eyes, he murmured:
“I’m tired.”
“…Meow.” (Fair enough.)
The coronation ceremony had been more exhausting than expected. After spending the whole day with him yesterday, I could understand his fatigue.
‘I guess I feel a little sorry for him.’
Seeing him just as drained as I was, I felt bad.
‘You’ve been through a lot too.’
Gathering my courage, I patted his thick forearm.
At that, he chuckled softly with his eyes still closed.
“What’s this? Are you trying to cheer me up?”
…How did he know?
Like Arin, this man seemed sharp in his own way.
Embarrassed, I scratched the back of my head with my paw, unable to keep patting him.
When I didn’t reach out again, he opened his eyes, propped his chin on his hand, and studied me.
“So you’re really that woman. Incredible.”
I silently agreed. A world where a cat turns into a person—it was absurd.
Rising from the bed, Suleiman circled halfway around until he stood by me.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
He lifted the blanket and tucked me inside.
“Meow?!” (W-what’s this?)
Now peeking out with only my head exposed, I tilted my head. He leaned down.
Smooch.
A brief kiss, but the sound was embarrassingly clear.
Maybe faint to human ears, but with my cat’s hearing, it was sharp and distinct.
And his lips—so full, so soft, so moist—
I found myself wanting to linger there just a little longer.
My ears twitched pink and hot as time passed.
When I finally dared to open my eyes, I realized I had turned human again.
“So the kiss really does work.”
“Yeah, I guess shifting forms is getting easier n—ahh!”
As I sat up, I remembered—I was naked under the blanket. With a yelp, I flopped back down.
‘Why am I always ending up like this…!’
Overcome with embarrassment and confusion, I didn’t know what to do.
Then Suleiman set down something beside me—my old white dress.
“If you don’t mind, wear this. I thought it was yours, so I kept it safe.”
