MCWTV 85

CHAPTER 85………………………..

The knights wavered at Ayla’s request—no, her command—but soon regained their firm composure.

“We’re sorry, Lady Grand Duchess, but this is something Lady Miné asked us to do.”

“Mother did?”

Ayla blinked rapidly.

Minerva had her own maids.
Then why would she leave her own attendants and specifically ask these people instead?

‘Is something big happening—big enough that everyone has to leave their posts?’

She had thought they were just ordinary servants, but Minerva was an imperial princess.
That meant each of them was probably from a powerful family or exceptional in their field.

Had something happened that forced all those people to leave Aslan’s side?
She couldn’t even imagine.

Since Minerva had asked them personally, it was clear they wouldn’t leave the room no matter what.

“Aslan, it’s lonely to be by yourself. Stay with me. They won’t actually come past the curtains, right?”

Ayla spoke loud enough for the knights to hear.

Right?

Her questioning gaze startled them, and they quickly raised their hands as if to say We’re harmless!—a silent promise that they wouldn’t intrude past the curtains.

According to what they’d heard, Aslan was supposed to be a wild, mischievous girl.
They had steeled themselves for trouble, but instead of a bold brat, she seemed frightened—leaving them quite confused.

The two little girls sat by the window, wrapped in the curtains, sharing their warmth.
Their small, sparkling eyes stayed fixed outside the window.
They looked more like true sisters than sisters could ever be.

Ayla gently patted Aslan’s drooping shoulders.
Bit by bit, Aslan’s body leaned against her.

It reminded Ayla of the very first time they met.

“Come to think of it, we were like this the first time we met too.”
“We were?”
“Yeah. You were crying, and I comforted you. Thinking back, I should’ve patted you like this. You would’ve felt better sooner.”

Back then, she’d been afraid to touch people.
Too many bad things had happened at the orphanage.
Just when she had begun to get used to human contact again, the governess and the maids made her afraid once more—but thanks to Minerva and Aslan, she was okay now.

“Do you remember the day you broke the chandelier?”

Ayla recalled how the little girl who’d done nothing but cry had come back the next day looking so lively it shocked her.

Aslan nodded quickly, the memory vivid.

“Ah, I remember! Mother scolded me so much that day.”
“I was so shocked, but it was fun. I’d never run around like that before.”

Aslan had enjoyed it too—swinging a broken chandelier arm and playing tag with Ayla.
It had only been two or three months ago, yet it felt like a story from long ago.

Realizing that, Aslan’s faint smile faded again.

“Hey, Ayla.”
“Yeah, Aslan.”

Ayla nodded gently, as if saying you can tell me anything, while keeping one arm firmly around Aslan’s shoulders.

Aslan lifted her gaze—eyes like glass marbles.

“Do you think Mother and Uncle will be okay?”

Then she hugged her knees, buried her face, and murmured tearfully—

“If Mother dies… it’ll all be my fault.”

Aslan only wanted Minerva to be happy and safe.
That was why she thought it’d be good if Minerva married Lloyd.
But the more she wished for it, the more things seemed to go wrong.

‘Maybe the mistake was wishing to become human in the first place…’

‘When Mother asked if I wanted to turn back into a cat, I should’ve said yes.’

Ever since she’d wished to become human, Minerva had been in danger.
She should’ve listened to her that day.

As Aslan’s shoulders curled inward—

“Hey!”

“Huh?”

Ayla suddenly pressed both of Aslan’s cheeks together.
Her plump cheeks squished so much her lips puckered like an octopus.

“No more bad talk!”

Then she began to rub and squish Aslan’s cheeks like crazy.
At first, it was just to snap her out of it—but then—

‘Whoa… so soft!’

How could anyone’s face be this squishy?
Ayla’s own cheeks were soft, but Aslan’s were even softer!
It was so fascinating and cute that she forgot her original purpose and just kept kneading the adorable cheeks.

Unable to stand it, Aslan mumbled an incomprehensible protest—

“Aiya, do awt iit ah!” (Ayla, stop it!)

“Oh, sorry. You were just too soft.”

When Ayla finally released her, Aslan’s cheeks were slightly red.
Now Ayla understood why Minerva loved to pinch them so much.
Resisting the urge to do it again, she gently comforted Aslan.

“There’s no way your mother would leave you behind. She works so hard for you.”
“But the fire’s so big…”
“Your father went too, remember? He’s strong—you know that.”
“…Ayla, aren’t you scared?”
“I am.”

She could have pretended to be brave, but Ayla didn’t hide it.
Lloyd had been her savior.
The thought of him burning away in that fire made her want to go mad.

“But he promised to take responsibility for me until the end. I believe him.”

Aslan remembered that Minerva had said something similar before.
That while it was natural for Minerva to protect Aslan, it wasn’t natural for Aslan to protect Minerva.

So Minerva would come back—because she had to.

Meanwhile, the flames in the distant Millennium Tree Forest were growing even larger.
Aslan looked that way and prayed with all her heart.

‘Please let Mother come back unharmed.’

There was no moon that granted wishes, but Aslan prayed to the sky anyway.

Then—

“Huh? Dark clouds.”

Clouds began to gather over the Millennium Tree Forest from every direction.
It was not a natural pattern at all.

From those clouds, a downpour began to fall.

“It’s raining…”
“Yeah…”

The two girls murmured in awe, then looked at each other—and smiled brightly.

Since the rain began right after their parents had gone, it could only mean one thing:
Both of them would surely come back safe.

The earrings glowed—then the rain poured down.

The fire that had seemed unstoppable, burning high into the sky, was now being beaten down to the earth.
The raindrops were so heavy and cold they almost hurt.

‘It started raining right after the earrings shone.’

The shape of the clouds was unnatural—
Instead of drifting in one direction, they had gathered from all sides.

These earrings were from Lloyd.
As I lifted my head to ask him what was happening, something brushed over me.

Before I knew it, his jacket had been placed over my head.
When I turned, Lloyd was still staring blankly at the sky, as if he hadn’t realized what he’d done.

Sensing my gaze, his eyes finally turned toward me.

At the same moment, both of us spoke—

“My lord, these earrings…”
“Could it be that earring…”

We cut off mid-sentence, but it was clear we were thinking the same thing.

I let my surprise burst out.

“What is this earring? You didn’t know? It glowed, and then it started raining!”
“I had no idea! It never did anything like this when I had it!”

Lloyd looked just as confused.

Then something about his words struck me—

“Something magical?”

A cat turning into a human.
A cat becoming human and no one questioning it.
Broken arm bones healing perfectly overnight.
Servants who were on the verge of death suddenly recovering.
And how my exhausted body had healed instantly after Aslan’s little “paw massage.”

At the time, I hadn’t thought twice about it.
But now that I looked back—everything I’d experienced could only be described as magic.

And all of it came from—

“Aslan.”

It had all started with Aslan.

‘How did I not realize it until now?’

Now that I thought of it, Aslan had clutched this very earring and whispered something.

Could her magic have transferred into it?

Minerva’s eyes trembled faintly.

‘None of this happened in the original story.’

If Aslan could use magic, then so could Leona.
But the original Leona had shown no such ability—and if she had, she wouldn’t have died so easily.

There was something in the original story that she didn’t know.

She wanted to think more about it, but she heard approaching footsteps.
The Grand Duke’s knights and Pablo had arrived.

“Your Grace, are you all right?”

Pablo rushed ahead, blocking the knights and hurrying forward with Lloyd’s mask in hand.
But when he saw Lloyd and Minerva—he froze, his steps tangling, and nearly fell.

“Uh… uh?”

They were still sitting on the ground—after Lloyd had pulled Minerva down earlier to protect her.
Realizing how close they were pressed together, both jumped apart instantly.

Pretending not to notice, Pablo handed Lloyd the mask.
Seeing the Grand Duke carefully put it on, Pablo sighed in relief.