Chapter 41
When she lifted her head, she came face-to-face with a smiling face.
‘His face?’
Leonhardt’s greatest strength.
Kali studied his face closely before smirking.
‘That must be it. I must’ve just been bewitched by that face.’
Why had she agonized so seriously? It must’ve been simply because of that face that made people’s hearts flutter.
Kali laid down her burden of doubt.
“You’re up early.”
“My eyes just opened.”
“You’re leaving today?”
“Yeah.”
Leonhardt picked up the sprawled Kali as if he were working the claw machine in an arcade.
Kali stood on his shoulders, planting both feet firmly while clutching his hair tightly in case she toppled over.
“Let’s go.”
To Morai Forest.
She knew the way well enough; whenever her father scolded her, she would always run to Morai Forest.
“There’s a path behind the iron tower.”
Kali carefully memorized her surroundings so she could recall the path later.
“The iron tower is…”
“Yes.”
A bitter smile flashed across his face, then disappeared.
“That’s where my mother was.”
And where she had ultimately taken her own life, rather than make her son a murderer.
To comfort him even a little, Kali tapped his head with her small hand. Before long, he smiled faintly.
“Of course, that path was one I carved myself.”
“Huh? Wait—what do you mean? You’re saying there wasn’t even a trail, and it just formed after you went back and forth enough times?”
“That’s right.”
He answered playfully as he brushed his hand along Kali’s body.
Kali looked down. Sure enough, it looked like a path that only a child would have run through.
How many times had he come here?
“If I just ran without thinking, I’d end up in Morai Forest. More precisely, on a hill.”
“A hill… oh, right. Didn’t you see a mansion behind it?”
“The old mansion? The one you mentioned last time?”
“Yes, yes. That one.”
“No. I didn’t see it.”
“Then… that means we’ll have to search for the mansion inside Morai Forest itself.”
Kali was convinced that the Asteri clan had likely lived in that mansion. Searching it might yield clues.
Leonhardt nodded in agreement.
“It’s been a long time.”
“You only came here when you were young?”
“Probably. I haven’t been here since my mother passed.”
“Oh… sorry. I keep bringing up unnecessary things.”
Leonhardt’s gaze lowered at an angle. He tapped Kali’s head with his finger.
“Kali. That’s unlike you.”
He chuckled softly, and only then could Kali manage to lift her head.
‘His mother is Leon’s scar.’
Every time they talked about Morai Forest, his mother always came up. It seemed she had chosen the wrong subject.
But even so, Leonhardt’s expression was calm. Bitter, yes, but not like a wound being torn open.
‘Has he come to terms with it now?’
If so, that was a relief.
Still, it wasn’t a topic suited for lighthearted talk, so she switched subjects.
“It definitely feels different than the last time I came. There’s no fog this time.”
“Maybe back then it was because the forest of monsters was connected to the forest of darkness, so it was affected.”
“Ahh, true. The fog came from the monsters’ forest.”
“See? There’s no mist here now, right?”
When he shrugged his shoulders, Kali shook along with him. Fearing she might fall, she grabbed his hair with both hands.
“Eek! Stop moving!”
“Ah, right. It’s too dangerous.”
Still holding her, Leonhardt shifted her onto his left arm and walked deeper into the forest.
Kali placed both hands on his arm and looked ahead.
“I really thought I was going to fall.”
“Kali. Do you really think I’d ever let you be in danger?”
“Well…”
“Why are you hesitating? Hm?”
His golden eyes curved with a playful smile, locking onto hers. Kali nodded seriously.
“You would tease me, though.”
“That’s harsh.”
His hand brushed along her neck and back, sending an odd sensation through her—half like tickling, half like mischief.
“No matter what happens, I’ll protect you.”
“…Really?”
“You sound doubtful, but yes. I mean it, Kali.”
“Well… I’ll believe you. Just don’t drop me again like last time.”
She remembered how, inside the mist, Leonhardt had fallen prey to an illusion and let her slip from his grasp.
Thinking of it worried her. What if he let go again?
“My body’s small enough already, and with these short legs it was so hard to find you last time.”
“Yeah. I won’t ever let go again.”
“Maybe I should’ve brought some rope with me.”
“You should’ve said so earlier.”
“You could’ve thought of it yourself, you know.”
She shot him an annoyed glare, and he mouthed, What?, making him look insufferably smug.
Kali couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation when his chuckle drifted down from above.
“Kali. What’s the first thing you want to do once the curse is lifted?”
“The mansion…”
“Running away is not allowed.”
“Would you at least let me finish my sentence?”
Kali had long given up on living alone outside the mansion. She had surrendered to Leonhardt’s threats disguised as persuasion.
And more than that—
‘Because I no longer want to leave.’
She glared at the one responsible for making her feel that way.
“Then what is it you want?”
“You’re acting like you’ll grant me anything.”
“As long as it’s not asking me to let you leave the mansion, I’ll do anything. Just say it. What do you want?”
His languid tone was like a siren’s call, pulling her in.
Another temptation. His hand waved, beckoning her without pause.
Kali subtly turned her head away, fixing her gaze on the endless stretch of trees.
“I want to see beyond the mansion.”
“Kali. That’s—”
He growled low, cutting her off.
‘Ugh, he never lets me finish.’
She smacked his arm hard, and the sharp slap echoed through the forest.
He flinched. Kali found herself giggling.
“I said I want to see outside the mansion. Take me. I’m asking you on a date. You’ll take me, won’t you?”
“…Yes. I’ll take you anywhere. As long as it’s with you.”
“I already gave up the idea that you’d ever leave me alone.”
Her resigned words made Leonhardt shake with laughter.
“Good. You gave up wisely. Kali, you can never leave my side anyway.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Kali had resigned herself to it.
The original story had gone completely off track. Maybe it had been decided from the moment she resolved to survive.
‘Leon acting like this… I’m used to it now. And it’s not like it’s a bad situation.’
As long as she could stay alive, it was fine.
But then, something strange caught her eye—thin strands of fog weaving around the trees. Kali narrowed her eyes.
“Uh… Leon.”
“What is it?”
“The fog is back…”
She had no idea how deep into Morai Forest they were now.
She was only following Leonhardt’s lead—was this even the right way?
“Are we on the right path?”
“Yes. I’ve run this way many times.”
“Was there fog here before too?”
“No.”
Leonhardt’s gaze sharpened as he surveyed the surroundings. At the same time, he tightened his hold on Kali so she wouldn’t fall.
Kali realized then—Leonhardt was tense.
‘If even he’s nervous, that means something dangerous could appear.’
More importantly, Morai Forest had clearly changed.
“This forest… has changed.”
His hand moved to the sword at his waist, ready to strike if any monster appeared.
“It was never like this before.”
“Then…”
“Either someone created this fog, or it was made for some purpose.”
He resumed walking.
“Most likely.”
He quieted, focusing all his senses on detecting any sounds. For now, nothing stirred.
But Kali felt a strange unease gnawing at her. Why was she so unsettled?
She clutched his arm tightly with both hands, unwilling to let go even if it hurt him.
“Kali.”
Leonhardt’s low voice drifted down, soothing her heart.
“It’s fine. I’ll protect you no matter what, so don’t be afraid.”
“But…”
“It’s fine. Shh.”
He gently rubbed her back, comforting her like a frightened child.
“But…”
Kali swallowed hard.
“The fog keeps getting thicker. Just like before…”
“You’re right. Where is all this mist coming from?”
His sharp eyes swept the surroundings. The fog grew denser, shrouding the forest until barely anything could be seen beyond the trees and bushes.
“Hey, Leon.”
She suddenly looked up at him.
Because the last time the fog thickened, Leonhardt had been trapped in an illusion—and dropped her.
Could it be happening again?
Sure enough.
“Leon… Leon?”
Leonhardt was staring fixedly at something in the distance.
This was bad.
Kali’s face drained of color as the memory of last time flashed in her mind.
“Leon! Leon! Hey, Leonhardt!”
She could feel the strength draining from his arm again. He was going to drop her.
Kali scrambled up his body, gripping his clothes tightly, desperate not to fall.
‘No. I can’t fall again. I don’t want to be separated from him, to have to search for him with these short legs!’
That was unbearable.
The arm holding her slackened completely, and she nearly hit the ground.
Clinging to his clothes, she hung on with all her might.
“Snap out of it!”
But just like before, Leonhardt gave no response.
So Kali climbed up his body, reaching for his face.
“Argh! I said wake up!”
