Chapter 21
I’m the Real Powerhouse of the Villain’s District
Since it was the first day, I’d thought I’d just place my hand on him and sing next time.
But no—that wouldn’t do.
Now was the time for me to be brave.
“Then… I’ll start.”
I placed my hand over Tionis’s heart.
Was it because he sensed my resolve? For a moment, Tionis’s pupils dilated before returning to normal.
Or maybe it was because I—who had always been so timid—placed my hand on him without hesitation.
For no reason at all, I felt proud.
How often would he ever be startled like this?
“Please.”
Soon, his voice brushed lightly past my ear.
It almost felt like his whisper echoed several times inside my ear.
As if he trusted me completely… his voice was that gentle.
I grew embarrassed and shut my eyes tightly, though my eyelids fluttered. After taking a deep breath, I opened my mouth.
“Blue bird, please don’t fly too far away.
Stay always on a tree where I can see you.”
My voice trembled slightly from nerves, but reciting the lullaby that had been circling in my head wasn’t difficult.
I felt a faint light seep through my tightly closed eyelids.
Ah—it seemed the melody of mana was beginning to rise.
I slowly opened my eyes and caught hold of it as it moved over Tionis’s heart.
As expected, since I hadn’t used my ability in a while, the mana was tangled again.
Following the song, I gently guided the slowly floating mana back to its original place.
Focusing far more than usual on the steady breathing I felt right in front of me.
Honestly, it was less about concentration and more about fear—if our eyes met, I might panic and cut the song short, so I poured all my attention into the mana alone.
It grew more and more exhausting, but I couldn’t stop.
Just a little more… just a little more……
Only after pouring in all my strength did I finally finish the song and let out an exclamation.
“…Phew, it’s done!”
I felt sweat beading on my forehead.
It was my first time paying this much attention to my ability, and also the first time someone had trusted me like this—so I felt a strange sense of camaraderie toward Tionis.
Feeling confident, I lifted my head and lightly tapped his chest a few times for no reason.
I meant to make some light conversation.
“Tionis, how do you feel—huh?”
But at my touch, Tionis slowly slumped back against the sofa.
Completely limp, eyes closed—like he’d fainted.
What?
…I didn’t push him that hard, did I?
My panicked gaze moved to my clenched little fist, my eyes darting back and forth.
My unfocused eyes alternated between my fist and Tionis lying there without moving an inch.
‘Am I… actually super strong?’
Did I have some hidden power I didn’t know about…?
No, no way. Let’s not imagine ridiculous things.
Embarrassed, I unclenched my fist.
Even if—just if—that were true,
there was no way I could knock out Tionis Cavellug with one punch.
Then could it be…?
Are you asleep?
His face looked so peaceful that a different possibility came to mind.
I carefully leaned my ear toward his face, and I heard the soft, even sound of his breathing.
He was sleeping—very comfortably.
There was even a smile on his lips.
“Tionis. Are you asleep?”
I asked even though I already knew.
With a pounding heart, I brushed his long eyelashes, then touched the black hair I’d been wanting to touch.
His soft black hair slid smoothly between my fingers.
Still, he didn’t move at all. If anything, he seemed to like my touch, letting out a contented smile.
“…….”
He really is like a puppy.
A huge puppy.
He looks cold at first glance, but at times like this, he’s honestly just a puppy.
After playing with Tionis’s face a bit longer, I carefully slipped away.
“Tionis, sleep well.”
I murmured quietly just before closing the door.
Anyway, it seemed like we wouldn’t be awkward around each other anymore.
That was my misunderstanding.
Something was wrong—very wrong.
Tionis had already been so busy that I could only see him at night at best, but lately, I couldn’t even see him then.
It was as if he were avoiding me.
And that wasn’t all. There were too many strange things to count……
‘Why on earth?’
For several days, I seriously agonized over why Tionis was avoiding me—so much that I groaned in bed every night where no one could hear me.
‘Did the healing go wrong?’
No… that couldn’t be it.
But still… what if?
In the end, I concluded that I couldn’t solve anything on my own.
I didn’t like it, but there was no other option.
‘Let’s ask Hyden.’
Honestly, he was the person I wanted to reach out to the least—but I had no choice.
In this place, the only people who knew I was human were Tionis and Hyden.
And even after making that decision, it wasn’t like I could immediately ask Hyden for a favor.
True to his role as the butler of the Cavellug Grand Duke’s residence, he was extremely busy, and our paths rarely crossed.
The time we spent together the longest was when he briefly visited my room at wake-up time to inform me of the day’s schedule.
‘Then that’s my only chance.’
In the early dawn while everyone was asleep, I tore up the paper on my desk.
Once folded, it had to be small enough to hide even if I transformed into a cat.
…Done! After tearing it to a suitable size, I wrote my message.
[Hyden. I urgently need to talk to you. Please come to my room when no one else is around.]
I folded it up messily and tucked it under my pillow.
Before the maids arrived, I’d have to quickly move it beneath my front paw.
After spending the time almost sleepless, I hid the note under my pink jelly-like paw pads just before the maids came.
No one here would dare touch my paws carelessly.
And finally, 7 a.m.
I stared ahead with a tense expression.
Right on time, Hyden entered my room holding a bundle of documents.
He flashed a sly smile at me, surrounded by three maids.
“Good morning, Lady Mari.”
Th-That man… ever since he found out I was human, he’s been doing that on purpose, I swear.
But I was the one who needed help right now. I had to stay on his good side.
“Meow.”
“…!”
Hyden’s eyes widened—he clearly hadn’t expected me to return his greeting.
Well, every time he came in before, I hadn’t even greeted him—I’d completely ignored him.
With him always wearing that sly expression, it couldn’t be helped.
Anyway, unaware of my meticulous plan, he continued reciting the day’s schedule in an emotional voice.
“After breakfast, the chef plans to serve a newly made dessert. Since His Grace is away inspecting monster cores today, if you’d like to go for a walk, you could be held in my arms—”
Something strange reached my ears, but I let it go in one ear and out the other.
It was probably something lewd again.
If you looked closely, it seemed the one with secret tastes wasn’t Tionis—but this man.
“Since I happen to have plenty of time today, it would also be fine for you to enjoy dessert in my arms.”
“…….”
I couldn’t listen any longer.
No matter how casually I tried to brush it off, at this point he was either teasing me or indulging his own desires.
I grabbed the note tightly with my claws and stood up on the bed.
It was time to put my plan into action.
“Ch-ch-ch.”
“Back in my past, I was actually—huh?”
Hyden, who had been happily rambling on, blinked belatedly.
It was because of the strange sound that had come from my mouth.
He wasn’t the only one staring at me with wide eyes.
Even the maids who were setting down the breakfast tray froze mid-motion, and Plan even dropped the cutlery from her hands.
‘Yeah, this must be surprising.’
I grinned widely. Of course, in the form of a cat, it probably just looked like I was excited and opening my mouth.
This was a sound cats made out of hunting instinct when they spotted small prey like insects.
“Why doesn’t Lady Mari chatter? It’d be so cute.”
“Chatter? What’s that?”
“You haven’t read One Hundred Cat Behaviors? It’s the sound cats make when they hunt!”
I’d overheard the maids talking about it once outside the door.
…Why everyone knew about that One Hundred Cat Behaviors book, I had no idea.
“Ch-ch-ch.”
Anyway, I needed to prove that what they’d heard wasn’t a mistake.
After making the sound again, I wiggled my hips.
As my black pupils expanded enough to swallow my blue irises, everyone began watching my actions with tense expressions.
“…But why does it feel like you’re looking at me, Lady Mari?”
Everyone except one person.
Seriously, he’s sharp.
As if sensing danger, Hyden swallowed hard and trembled.
My target was Hyden.
There was no prey to begin with. If anything, he was the prey.
After wiggling my hips dramatically, I leaped toward him as if flying.
“Ch-ch-ch!”
“Aaah! Lady Mari!”
Like there was a bug on his body, I struck him repeatedly with my front paws.
My soft paws couldn’t possibly hurt, but he crouched down as if he were about to die, crying out in exaggeration.
I was clearly hitting his thigh, yet he covered his face.
Hmph. Honestly, he deserved it.
“Ah—ow! B-But… Lady Mari. What is this paper?”
“…Meow?”
While I was enthusiastically beating him, Hyden whispered so softly only I could hear.
‘Ah, right. The note!’
Come to think of it, the whole purpose of this plan was to deliver that note.
When I looked down at my front paw, the note was half-torn and hanging pitifully from my claws.
…….
“Meow.”
Here.
