Chapter 12
“A ribbon with a bell?”
“Yes. Make sure you get a pink one.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
Levy went out to carry out the duke’s order.
Carly, uneasy about the order, bit down on Leonhardt’s palm, which was pressing heavily against her head.
Of course, it only left faint tooth marks.
“Now that I’ve prepared the proper gift, you’ll accept it, won’t you?”
“H-how on earth is that a gift! And a bell, of all things…!”
“It’s a gift for my squirrel. The moment you take it off…”
“If I take it off… then what happens?”
Carrying Carly on his shoulder, he turned toward the garden. Perched there, she asked nervously.
Leonhardt’s hand dropped to the side. Carly wavered.
Should she jump down? Or just stay quietly on his shoulder?
“I’ll make sure you can never be apart from me.”
“Ugh… that’s horrifying…”
“Carly. Struggle more.”
He let out a lazy laugh and turned his head, meeting her eyes.
“Because you’re cute.”
Ugh. I regret it, I regret it.
I shouldn’t have agreed to be his pet. Ever since then, he’d been tormenting me for fun, delighting in my reactions.
Whatever he meant by it, Leonhardt clearly liked Carly.
‘Is this a good thing? Or a bad thing? I can’t tell anymore!’
His attention was both welcome and unwelcome—two sides of the same coin.
If that interest blossomed into affection, that would be wonderful. If it grew into the “sincere love” the witch had hoped for, then surely the curse would break, and Carly could be human again.
‘Yes! This is all just part of breaking the curse. Enjoy it, enjoy it,’
If you can’t avoid it, enjoy it.
There must’ve been a reason that saying existed.
“Your attendant carried you on his head. Do you like that sort of thing?”
“Yes, I do. I like the fresh air up high.”
“Hm… really?”
He seemed to consider something, then suddenly reached out his hand. Like a claw machine, he grabbed Carly and placed her on top of his head.
Blinking, Carly shifted, trying to get comfortable like she had on Levy’s head.
But his round head wasn’t as accommodating as Levy’s flat one.
“From now on, use my head instead of his.”
“Uh… why?”
“Because I’m your master, not him.”
A blunt answer. Still, Carly couldn’t help but wonder why?
It didn’t matter whose head she rode on, as long as she could enjoy the garden. But if she had to choose, she preferred Levy’s—flatter and not so tall.
Leonhardt’s head was round and too high.
“I like Levy better.”
“It’s your master’s command. You have to obey. Good girl, Carly.”
This was pure pet treatment.
Narrowing her eyes, Carly grabbed a fistful of his black hair and yanked.
“Would you quit calling me like I’m a dog?”
“Then what should I call you? My squirrel?”
“Ugh… I hate it…”
Making a disgusted face, she patted his head repeatedly. Leonhardt laughed, amused, then lifted her down and placed her back on his shoulder.
“On the head isn’t good.”
“What the heck. You’re so fickle.”
“I told you. I’m very fickle.”
“…”
Leonhardt strolled leisurely.
“When you’re on my head, I can’t see you well.”
“Um… did you always like animals?”
“No. Not at all.”
Not even an animal lover. Then why did this man pay her such strange attention?
Carly decided to stop overthinking.
‘This man is definitely a sadist.’
He simply liked tormenting others. That was all. Nothing more.
No matter what form his attention took, it didn’t matter. As long as it eventually turned into love, the curse would break.
‘This is a good process. Better than I thought.’
She didn’t have to worry about the curse anymore.
“Carly. What are you thinking about when you’re with me?”
“The curse.”
“…The curse?”
For a moment, his expression chilled before returning to normal. That’s how sensitive the subject was for him.
Carly noticed every flicker of his expression. Surely he wanted the curse broken too.
“What about the curse?”
“I just want to become human again soon.”
“What do you really look like?”
“Me? I…”
What was Carly’s true form?
Finally, the question came. She’d worried about this moment. Leonhardt was asking what Carly originally was.
If she lied, she could get away with it for now. But when she returned to human form later, she’d be caught.
‘Then here I should…’
Carly thought quickly.
“Actually, I don’t remember anything before I became a squirrel. I can’t recall it.”
“You don’t remember?”
Surprised, Leonhardt stopped walking. Carly nodded. His gaze carried a hint of pity.
The truth was, she wasn’t really Carly. But of course, she couldn’t say that. Luckily, he seemed willing to believe her.
“Yes. I woke up one day as a squirrel. I only remembered my name. What I used to do, what I looked like—I don’t know.”
“…”
“Maybe becoming a squirrel sealed away my original memories? That’s my guess, anyway.”
A quick excuse—but surprisingly convincing. Leonhardt believed it.
“You must be suffering from the curse too.”
“Of course.”
So stop tormenting me. Leave me alone.
His fingers gently stroked Carly’s back. His words might be sadistic, but his touch was soft, warm, even tender.
A man of contradictions. Carly judged that Leonhardt wasn’t entirely a bad person.
“That’s why I’ll take responsibility and cherish my squirrel.”
“…How does the conversation always twist like this? Huh?”
“Carly. It’ll be easier for you too.”
Since it was lunchtime, he turned back toward the mansion.
“To quietly be loved by your master.”
“I’m a person, you know.”
“But right now, you’re a squirrel.”
Just then, Levy returned with the ribbon. He handed the pink ribbon with a bell to Leonhardt.
“Fortunately, Lady Jane had one, so I brought it.”
“Well done.”
Leonhardt lifted Carly onto Levy’s head, then tied the ribbon around her neck, the bell resting beneath her chin.
“There. It suits you perfectly.”
He tapped the bell lightly. It rang with a cheerful sound.
“Now, whenever you come, I’ll hear a cute sound.”
Looking satisfied, he placed Carly back on his shoulder.
As they returned to the mansion, Carly couldn’t shake the odd feeling of the bell. It made her feel more like a cat than a squirrel.
‘He really does want to keep me as a pet…’
Then a thought struck her.
What if, when I turn human again, I still act like a pet out of habit?
No, forget it. I’ll think about it later.
‘Breaking the curse comes first. Once I’m human again—’
I’ll leave this mansion without a trace!
At that moment, she had no idea.
That she would not be able to leave the mansion.
* * *
After lunch.
Leonhardt offered to take Carly to the secret garden Levy had told her about. Curious about the place, she was excited.
“They said there’s even a gondola. Is that true?”
“There is. Did you want to ride it?”
“Of course! I’ve never traveled abroad, so I’ve always wondered about gondolas…”
“Abroad?”
“Oh. I just mean, another country.”
She had been walking on her own feet when he suddenly scooped her up again. Dusting off the dirt from her paws, he set her back on his shoulder.
She’d wanted to keep walking herself, but now she could only stare longingly at the ground.
“No. Carly, I won’t let even a speck of dirt touch you.”
Where had she heard that line before? Carly thought back.
‘Isn’t this like— “I won’t let a drop of water touch your hands”?’
Wasn’t that something men said when confessing to women they liked?
Confused, her eyes trembled as she glanced at Leonhardt. But he just smiled casually, as if nothing was odd.
She swallowed the question she wanted to ask.
“Do you want to visit other countries?”
“I thought I would someday, if I ever had the chance…”
“If not the North, then I’ll take you there myself.”
“Huh…? You? With me?”
“A master should take care of his pet’s happiness.”
“I’ll pass on that.”
What nonsense. Carly’s face twisted in displeasure. The more she did, the broader Leonhardt’s smile grew.
‘There’s no place for you in my happy future! Stop trying to sneak in.’
Lying belly-down across his shoulder, Carly dangled as he walked slowly. She found the pace strange.
‘Why is he walking so slowly?’
Then she realized—he was going slowly so she wouldn’t be jostled or uncomfortable while dangling.
That was unlike Leonhardt Spencer.
‘Or… maybe he’s always been considerate like this?’
The unexpected side of him intrigued her. She was starting to see aspects of him that weren’t in the novel’s portrayal of him as just a supporting character.
Thanks to his slow stride, dangling there wasn’t tiring. She could even enjoy the scenery.
“Leon… you’re…”
Without realizing, she spoke.
“…surprisingly kind.”
“Surprisingly? How rude. I’m very kind.”
With a low chuckle, Leonhardt reached up to stroke Carly. The fluffy, soft fur felt strangely pleasant to him.
“Come to think of it, I’ve been wondering about something.”
