Chapter 26
“Kyah!” (Aaaah!)
Breathless, I fell off his body and glanced back at the place I had been dangling from.
From the copper-toned skin, the cat claw marks were clearly etched, and drops of blood were falling, drip by drip.
Shuleiman, with an indifferent expression, wiped the blood from his chest with his fingers and murmured,
“I’ve heard that putting saliva on a wound helps it heal.”
…What exactly are you implying with that?
Pretending not to notice, I feigned ignorance. Shuleiman smiled faintly in my direction.
‘No wonder he looks like he’s enjoying this.’
I gave him a skeptical look, thinking there’s no way he meant for me to lick it, when suddenly Shuleiman brought his blood-stained finger to his mouth and sucked it.
The way he lazily licked the red liquid off his lips looked—quite erotic.
His pink ears flared red as he cooled them with his front paws, then he spoke.
“Are the lessons with Aziz going well?”
I nodded, meaning they were manageable.
“How is life in the palace? Is anyone bothering you or causing you trouble?”
I couldn’t answer immediately and instead fiddled with my front paws.
Ever since I gained the ability to transform into a human with Shuleiman’s help, I had gained a little freedom.
Of course, I still had to wear a veil and stick to designated areas, but it was a vastly different daily life compared to being confined to a corner.
Arin took extremely good care of me, sometimes excessively so, but it wasn’t uncomfortable.
I could tolerate palace people bothering me or whispering behind my back.
But being cooped up like a bird in a cage—that I couldn’t stand.
Still, I knew it was too soon to ask to go outside.
As I hesitated, unable to say a word, he gently brushed my forehead.
“…If you have something to say, shall I let you transform into human form?”
I shook my head quickly.
If I received Shuleiman’s kiss, I could remain human for at least half a day.
That would mean being human in the middle of the night, alone with Shuleiman.
Compared to Shuleiman, who looked like he had no ulterior thoughts, my mind would be filled with all sorts of naughty imaginations, leaving me restless all night.
“If something’s troubling you, you can tell me anytime. Morning, a letter, whatever. Otherwise, you can tell Arin.”
I wrinkled my nose slightly and smiled.
I had no intention of whining to Arin that I wanted to leave the palace—he could be put in danger because of me.
I could write a letter, but I was still clumsy with writing.
If I wrote with childish, crooked letters, Shuleiman would probably laugh at me.
‘Maybe I should really try telling him later.’
I didn’t know if it would be rude to tell the capital’s governor or a prince that I wanted to go outside, but I could at least bring it up.
“I feel sorry for you. I’m sorry that, because of my circumstances, it’s like I’ve kept you confined.”
Surprised that he had revealed his true feelings, I stiffened my tail.
‘…He’s more considerate than I thought.’
Because of the not-so-great first impression, I had assumed Shuleiman was a rude and arrogant prince, but the more I got to know him, the more I realized there were many good qualities.
He had no interest in luxury or indulgence, and unlike most royals, he took only minimal attendants.
Living in the same bedroom all this time, I had never seen him blame or look down on others.
He could have exploited my weakness—my dependence on him—but he never did.
After all, both of us used each other in our own ways.
‘What I want to hear isn’t an apology, it’s a thank you.’
If he apologizes, I’d feel like I should apologize too.
I have no intention of feeling sorry when I plan to fully use both him and Aziz later.
Hmph. I pretended to clear my throat with my paw, then started drawing letters on the sheet with exaggerated movements.
“What are you doing…?”
He tilted his head briefly, then realized my intention and focused on the letters my paws traced.
After a few more letters were drawn on the sheet, Shuleiman understood what I wanted to convey, and a soft smile appeared on his lips.
“Th…ank… you?”
I raised my paws and nodded vigorously.
Puffed up with pride that we had communicated through writing, he seemed charmed and pulled me into a tight hug.
“…You’re so cute, I could go crazy.”
I’m the one going crazy right now!
Suddenly buried against the prince’s sexy neck, I struggled desperately.
With a soft sigh, he pressed his forehead against mine.
“Thank you.”
Shuleiman muttered the words softly, as if confirming them.
“Thank you, Ishtar.”
The next morning, when I woke up, he had already disappeared from the room.
Covered meticulously by the blanket up to my chin, I had already transformed into my human form.
“Did he kiss me before leaving…?”
I had slept through it without noticing the transformation.
I must have been extremely exhausted.
It wasn’t unreasonable that Shuleiman left without waking me.
Wrapping the blanket around myself as usual, I went to my room to wash up and change clothes.
A little later, when Arin came, we had breakfast as usual and went to where Aziz was.
The place for lessons with him was a small temple connected closely to the prince’s palace.
With a modest altar, a prayer room, and his private library, it was a comfortable place for studying.
I walked through a small trail lined with chirping birds, breathing in the fresh air.
Near the temple, Aziz had come out to greet me.
“Good morning, Lady Ishtar.”
I nodded politely in response, then followed him inside the building.
Arin excused himself to prepare tea, and Aziz smiled.
“I heard there was a bit of an incident yesterday. You showed your face to others, right?”
“It was hardly an incident, just a minor fuss. Are you blaming me?”
“No, on the contrary, it was good. Since you revealed your face, the whispering behind your back has decreased. I think people were speechless at your beauty.”
He seemed pleased, but honestly, I didn’t feel very comfortable.
Even in a kingdom where Hirem sat as sultan, veils were considered exclusively for women.
Even if it’s unavoidable for now, I have no intention of continuing to hide my face behind such an outdated relic.
“I’ll remove the veil when the time is right, but can we do something about what’s around my neck? It feels suspicious.”
The choker Aziz had given me was definitely strange.
It couldn’t be cut with scissors or knives, and it adjusted its size when I transformed.
“The choker will be useful later, so it’s best to keep wearing it. Are you feeling strangled or uncomfortable?”
“No, not exactly, but it’s uncomfortable. The bell makes a sound whenever I walk, which is distracting.”
When I fiddled with the bell on the choker, it jingled clearly.
It was a cute fashion accessory, but very cat-like for a human.
“I’ll remove the bell. Now that you can transform into a human, there’s no need for proof that you belong to the sultan’s cat.”
Aziz closed his eyes and whispered a small incantation.
As soon as it ended, the bell fell off my neck.
“That’s better. Please keep wearing the choker for a while, even if it’s slightly uncomfortable.”
“Understood.”
Relieved, I focused on studying with much more comfort.
When break time came, Arin brought warm tea.
“Today, a special tea arrived. It’s good for focusing while studying!”
“That sounds nice. What’s it called?”
“Chamomile from the maritime trade route. It smells wonderful. I’ll pour it for you.”
As Arin poured the tea into a cup, a sweet floral aroma, reminiscent of chrysanthemum tea, spread.
The pale yellow liquid in the glass reminded me of how I used to enjoy this tea in my previous life.
I drank it while studying and during sleepless nights before exams.
Now, in a different world and dimension, I was drinking the same tea while reading—a strange feeling.
“Is something wrong, Lady Ishtar? Don’t you like the aroma?”
“Oh, no. Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”
Taking a sip, the sweet and fragrant flavor I once loved spread in my mouth.
“It’s delicious.”
“I’m glad it suits your taste. I’ll prepare it again next time!”
Arin hopped excitedly in place.
After the short tea break, lessons resumed, and I immersed myself in my books.
