Chapter 37
After that, I completely lost consciousness.
How much time had passed?
When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on a bed in a room I had never seen before.
A sigh of relief escaped me as I realized I was freed from the excruciating pain that had made me feel like I might die.
“…But where exactly am I…?”
The peaceful, unfamiliar place was filled with the warm daylight streaming through a large window.
The room, subtly scented with flowers, was clean yet luxuriously decorated.
As I tried to lift my aching body, still sore as if from a severe illness, I discovered something astonishing.
My hands had changed—not cat paws, but human hands!
“W-what… is this?”
In a panic, I hurriedly touched my face. My eyes, nose, and mouth felt distinct, and even pinching my cheeks felt real. This was definitely not a dream—it was reality.
“Could it be… because I kissed Theron?!”
Even kissing someone other than Suleiman could change my form?
The shocking realization made it hard for me to close my mouth.
“What on earth is going on?”
I anxiously pressed my forehead and recalled what had happened before I lost consciousness.
While Arin had gone to fetch a book, I had met Theron in the library. Suddenly, he kissed me, and a tremendous pain surged through me.
When I first kissed Suleiman, my body had felt somewhat strange, but it was nothing like what I had just experienced.
I couldn’t remember the details clearly because of the pain, but I did feel something strange during the transformation process.
“Wait… the transformation process?”
I suddenly remembered something important and gasped, quickly checking under the covers.
Worried I might be completely naked as usual, I was relieved to find I was fully dressed.
“Phew… that’s a relief.”
But another worry immediately followed—who had put these clothes on me?
“Theron? Or someone else?”
Both possibilities had problems.
Even if the transformation occurred because of Theron’s kiss, if anyone else found out, it could be a serious issue.
“If word gets out that I change by kissing someone other than Suleiman, it could turn into a political problem.”
Only a select few knew this secret, and if it spread, it could significantly damage Suleiman’s position.
The prophetic cat was proof of his qualification as Sultan.
The fact that Theron could make me transform with a kiss meant he too might be destined to become Sultan.
“…I have to make sure this is kept secret.”
But how?
I didn’t have the ability to erase memories, and it wouldn’t be easy to undo what had already happened.
While I was fretting, the door opened, and Theron—the source of my anxiety—entered the room.
“You’re awake,” he said.
Tense, I swallowed nervously and looked at him.
With his usual inscrutable expression, he walked toward the bed.
He studied me carefully, noticing I was clutching the blanket defensively, then smiled faintly.
“So it really is you, Cat. Or should I call you Ishtar?”
“…Just calling me by my name is fine.”
“I never imagined the Cat would be this woman. Truly surprising,” Theron said with a broad grin as he pulled over a small chair and sat down.
“I don’t even know where to begin; it’s been a series of shocking events for me,” he added.
“First, you should probably apologize for kissing me without my permission,” I said.
“You’re right. Your cat form is so adorable, I acted without thinking. Please forgive my rudeness,” he replied, though his apology seemed somewhat cheeky.
I sighed deeply, and he quickly returned to a serious expression.
“By the way, if it’s true you transform because of my kiss… does that mean you need to kiss someone to return to human form normally?” he asked.
“I suppose I don’t really have a reason to answer that,” I replied.
“You must stay in the same room as Suleiman for a reason, too. And from what I’ve seen of you in cat form, there may be a limit to how long you can stay transformed,” he noted.
I said nothing, simply meeting his gaze.
‘Is he planning to use this as leverage to blackmail me?’
I focused intently, but he just brushed his lips with a finger and muttered softly to himself:
“You transform even with my kiss… somehow, that makes me happy. It’s an honor.”
Theron looked at me with eyes that carried a strange heat.
For a moment, I felt a chill, as if my body were tied with ropes—but it passed quickly.
He soon returned to his normal composure, smiled gently, and spoke.
“How is your body? Are you able to move comfortably?”
“…Yes, I think I’m fine. But where is this? Your palace?”
“Yes. You lost consciousness, so we brought you here urgently. I never imagined you would transform into human form,” he said.
“Then who put clothes on me?”
I wanted to ask how much of the transformation he had seen, but I lacked the courage.
I lowered my head in embarrassment, and he answered reassuringly:
“I had a maid dress you. I chose someone discreet, so no rumors will spread.”
After that, Theron didn’t press me about me being the prophetic cat.
He seemed to accept it naturally, without fuss. For an ordinary person, this would have caused a commotion, but he remained remarkably calm.
‘I thought he might try to use me… but it seems he has no such intention.’
I would need to probe further to know the truth, but for now, he didn’t appear to intend any harm.
‘I should at least ask him to keep my secret.’
By observing Theron’s reaction, I could decide how to act next.
I lifted my head and spoke.
“Um, I have a favor to ask.”
“Go ahead,” he replied.
Just as I was about to speak, someone knocked on the door and spoke hesitantly:
“Your Highness, Roxelana is here to see you. Shall I bring her in?”
Roxelana?!
I covered my mouth in shock.
‘Of all times, she had to show up now!’
With Suleiman away from the palace, if she saw me lying in Theron’s bed, it would be a disaster.
“Wait a moment; I’m changing clothes,” Theron said.
After a brief pause, the hallway quieted, and he rose from his chair.
“Come this way. There’s a place where you can hide.”
I followed cautiously as he opened a large wardrobe used for storing bedding and pushed me inside.
“Stay here for a while. It will be over soon. Try not to make any noise, okay?”
“…Yes,” I whispered, and he smiled faintly before closing the door.
‘…It’s dark.’
Alone in the pitch-black wardrobe, it felt a little eerie.
Soon, faint voices began to carry through the slightly open door.
“It’s been a while, Theron. How could you make me come all this way?”
“I apologize, Mother. It has been some time,” he replied.
“Your bedding is a mess. You didn’t just wake from a nap, did you? Did you bring a woman into your room during the day?”
Uh-oh… I felt a pang of guilt.
I swallowed nervously and held my breath, while Theron laughed heartily.
“Mother, didn’t you promise not to interfere with my private life?”
“I worry about you. You need guidance. How long will you continue to live as you please?”
Roxelana’s deep sigh even reached the wardrobe.
Perhaps annoyed by the topic, Theron quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, what brings you here? Some important matter, I assume?”
“Yes. The issue we discussed before,” she replied.
The rest of their conversation became hard to hear, as if they were speaking quietly about confidential matters.
“If it’s that matter, we’re doing our best. The goods will reach the capital in ten days without issue,” Theron said.
“That reassures me. But don’t make them wait too long. You understand, don’t you?”
A moment of cold silence filled the room, signaling that Theron did not fully agree with her.
“Let’s end the discussion here. I’m concerned there are too many ears around,” he said.
“You worry too much. There are only your people here. Did you not remove the ones I secretly placed?”
“Haha, as expected of Mother. Next time, I will visit first to prevent worry. It pains me to see you come this far yourself,” Theron said.
“You always choose pleasant words,” she replied brightly.
After a while, their footsteps faded, and the sound of the door closing reached me.
