Chapter 49
Mrs. Femming, with her stern face, held the textbook in one hand.
“Madam, you have quite a good memory.”
“Ahaha… yes, that’s right.”
Kali had entered the top university in South Korea, S University, as the top student in her previous life. She had also ranked first in her high school for three consecutive years.
She was confident in memorizing things. Feeling a bit proud, Kali shrugged her shoulders.
“How is it? Perfect, right?”
“Hmm… excellent.”
“Uhuhu…”
Kali’s delighted laughter stopped abruptly as she met Mrs. Femming’s gaze.
“You are the most studious student I’ve ever taught.”
“I do like studying.”
In her previous life, she had grown up in an orphanage. With no parents and no friends, the only companion she had was books.
Textbooks and workbooks were no different to her than any other book. Naturally, she couldn’t help but develop a love for studying.
“Learning is fun, after all.”
“That’s fascinating.”
“Why?”
“Because the nobles I’ve seen didn’t care about learning.”
For some reason, the usually haughty Mrs. Femming spoke honestly today. Kali smiled faintly, feeling acknowledged.
But only briefly. Mrs. Femming soon returned to her strict, tiger-like demeanor.
“Since you don’t know Credensian script, you’ll have to pay special attention.”
“Ugh…”
Foreign languages were difficult, indeed.
Mrs. Femming had brought a textbook for children and taught in a strict, Spartan style. Kali focused intently to not miss a single thing.
If it had been another foreign language, she might have found it easier, having at least seen it once in her life. But the Credensian script was completely new to her.
‘It looks like some kind of ancient writing.’
After the lesson ended, Kali grabbed her head and groaned.
“Are you okay, Madam?”
“Ah, Levi!”
Levi had finally appeared. Waving his hand cheerfully, he then flopped over the desk.
“Ugh… foreign scripts are so hard.”
“But it’s fascinating. You can speak the language well, Madam.”
“Ah… well…”
Oddly enough, while conversation was possible, she couldn’t read a single letter.
‘Perhaps my body’s original owner simply never learned to read.’
Kali smiled awkwardly. For now, she had only told Leonhart that she had lost her memory.
Levi sat in Mrs. Femming’s seat.
“Shall I teach you a bit more?”
“Huh? Really? That’d be great!”
Levi was extremely clever.
While learning other things from Mrs. Femming was better, for the script, Levi could explain in a way that matched Kali’s ability.
“You learn quickly, Madam. Your understanding is fast too.”
“Th-thank you. Ah, while you’re at it, could you also teach me a bit about this country… or rather, the Empire’s culture?”
“Yes! Ah, although I’m not too knowledgeable myself…”
“That’s fine. I barely know anything, so anything helps.”
To learn about the culture of a country, one needed to go out. Since she had only recently become human and had much to learn, she hadn’t yet ventured into the streets.
Soon, she planned to go out with Leonhart.
‘Should I ask him on a date? He’d probably like that.’
Even just walking through a beautiful garden with the man she liked made her happy. Just holding hands under the clear sky was enough.
She had studied relentlessly to survive on her own, never having experienced love or a single romantic relationship.
‘Everything is new to me. But for Leon… it probably isn’t.’
He was an accomplished man, mesmerizing just to look at. Surely, there must have been women around him.
Suddenly, she felt a pang of jealousy toward an unknown rival.
‘W-what am I saying… I’m jealous?’
Kali awkwardly covered her cheek, unsure what to do. Levi tilted his head in curiosity.
“Madam? Should we take a break? Your head might hurt if you continue studying right after Mrs. Femming leaves.”
“Shall we? I guess a break would be good.”
Kali slowly got up, and Levi followed her quietly, smiling.
They then made eye contact with Leonhart, who was leaving the mansion.
“Oh? Leon, where are you going?”
“Taking a walk.”
“I’m going out to clear my head.”
“Perfect timing.”
With his arms open, Leonhart hugged Kali. Startled, she blinked and slowly lifted her arms. She could hear him chuckling softly.
“You can do this now. You’ve become cute.”
“Of course, I should return the favor.”
“Were you thinking of me?”
Leonhart’s eyes curved into crescent moons, beautiful and soft.
“When you do something cute, it should be rewarded. But we’ll save that for later.”
“That’s fine. But where are we going?”
Leonhart lowered his head and gently pressed his cheek against Kali’s soft face. Lightly brushing it, he then touched his lips to her forehead.
“The monsters have invaded.”
“Oh… do I have to go too?”
“That was the plan.”
Grabbing a handful of her hair, he played with it and kissed the ends.
“Since your curse has been lifted, mine should be gone as well.”
“Right.”
“I’ll be fine too.”
Leonhart shrugged lightly.
“It’s dangerous if you go yourself, Kali, unless it’s the squirrel.”
“Why is the squirrel okay…?”
“Because I can put it in my pocket?”
“That was really dizzying, you know!”
Pouting and grumbling, Kali was kissed again by Leonhart without hesitation.
“…When will you get used to this?”
“Well, it’s, um…”
Since Kali had returned to human form, Leonhart’s physical affection had been unrestrained. He reached out and kissed her whenever he wanted.
“When will my wife get used to this, I wonder.”
Under the name of a married couple.
“Ugh…!”
“Kali, practice calling me your husband.”
“Y-you want me to…?”
“Of course.”
Leonhart’s voice was sweet in a way she had never heard before, so sweet it made her tongue tingle.
She had never imagined he could be like this. Kali opened her mouth, then froze.
“Then, Kali. I’ll be back.”
“…Good luck.”
As he turned and waved, he lightly tapped her cheek with the back of his hand. Kali watched his figure slowly disappear.
‘My curse is really gone, right? If mine is gone, then Leon’s should be too…’
Holding her hands together, Kali kept her gaze fixed in the direction Leonhart had gone, even when he was out of sight.
After a while, Levi spoke to her.
“Uh, Madam. Your master seems to have left with the knights.”
“….”
“Are you okay, Madam?”
“Huh? Y-yes. Of course. Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
“Ahaha. I’m glad you and your master are getting along.”
“Yes, things are quite different from before.”
Thinking of Leonhart, who was so gentle, her ears flushed red, and she fiddled with her own ear, smiling softly.
“Shall we go inside? I think our walk is done.”
“Eh. Already?”
“Levi, you look disappointed?”
“Yes. The garden… somehow makes me feel at peace.”
“Really?”
Levi nodded enthusiastically.
“I’ve loved grass, trees, and flowers since I was young.”
“Oh… I see.”
“Especially… when looking at the stars at night.”
The night sky.
Kali stopped walking as they headed back into the mansion, turning to glance at Levi.
He seemed happy that she was listening to him and continued excitedly:
“I don’t really know why… but it feels like the stars are whispering. Strange, isn’t it?”
“Um… perhaps…”
“Yes?”
“Ah, never mind. It’s nothing…”
The red hair she had seen in her dreams had always belonged to women—her teacher, Mikael, Rita, and herself.
She had never seen a man. But Levi, with red hair, talked about the stars she had dreamt of.
‘So the Asteri clan isn’t necessarily all female.’
She planned to visit Morai Forest first when Leonhart returned.
“Shall we go for a walk tonight if the stars are visible?”
“Is that okay?”
“Leon isn’t here, so maybe.”
“Yes!”
Kali returned to her room to rest. Though she shared a bedroom with Leonhart when sleeping, she usually stayed in her own room.
Closing the door, she took out the memoirs of Arthur Spencer she had recently found in her drawer.
“Hmm… still can’t read it?”
She tried to carefully read the book but could only manage simple words at a children’s book level.
Arthur Spencer’s memoirs were written in complicated text. She decided to set it aside until she could read fluently.
“Or… maybe I should ask Leon to read it when he returns?”
That seemed like the best option.
Arthur Spencer was the first Duke of the Spencer family and the one directly cursed by a witch.
It was fitting for the first Spencer Duke to read it together.
“I wonder if Leon will be back late…”
He wasn’t gone for good; just a few days. Yet she already felt a sense of emptiness.
Scratching her cheek, she lay on the bed.
‘I always wanted to sleep alone because I couldn’t stand seeing his bare chest…’
Until Leonhart returned, she had to sleep exactly how she wanted, alone.
Though it was her own room, she glanced at the empty side of the bed.
“Hmm… I guess I’ve gotten used to it.”
She felt lonely with no one beside her.
Even though he could tease her or act like a sadist, she needed Leonhart there.
Grabbing her pillow tightly, she hugged it.
‘I really do like Leon, don’t I.’
Just thinking of him made her feel so happy.
‘I hope Leon feels the same way.’
She wished he liked her for who she was, not just as a “squirrel.”
“Hurry back.”
Her feelings grew stronger each day. This was a serious matter.
