Sulayman → Suleiman
Astar → Ashtar
After returning to the room, I was taken to the sofa after receiving a rose bath, and a massage from Arin.
I was feeling drowsy after taking a long bath.
‘I think it was a good thing I came here…’
Though it wasn’t my will, but the needs of others, that brought me here.
I liked Arin, and the servants I occasionally encountered were kind to me as well.
My days were completely different from the days when I was chased on the streets, and spent every day in anxiety.
But this wasn’t the time to be complacent. I had no intention of living the rest of my life as a cat.
‘I have to find a way to become human again somehow.’
In fact, there was only one thing I was worried about.
The time before I remained as a human was too short.
I’ve confirmed that kissing can turn me into a human, but wasn’t that time too brief.
I’d rather stick close to the prince, and test why I was only able to be human for a matter of minutes, which was my best option.
‘I should tell Aziz the truth, and ask for the prince’s active cooperation…’
But I still didn’t trust Aziz.
“Nyaha…” (Oh, my head…)
I tried to empty my complicated thoughts by shaking my head, but the door suddenly opened, and Suleiman walked in.
As he entered the room, he looked around the room, then stared at me.
‘You’re acting like you don’t know I’m here, I wonder what’s going on.’
I ignored him with a nonchalant look on my face.
While I was doing my best to groom myself, my roommate finished getting ready for bed with the help of the palace servants.
“Have a comfortable night.”
The servants all slipped out the door, and the room fell silent.
However, there was one thing that was slightly different from usual.
Suleiman, who I thought would start working at his desk, was standing still and staring at me.
‘What’s wrong with you…’
It’s said that if people do something they don’t normally do, it’s a big deal.
However, things took a turn for the worse.
I was slumped on the couch, when Suleiman walked over to me, and lifted me up.
“Nyahhh~! (Hey, what’s wrong with you?)
As I struggled against Suleiman’s chest, he muttered a threat to me.
“If you don’t stay still, I will poke your side again.”
“Yowl!” (What!)
My tail dropped down at his stern threat.
‘This guy… I have a weakness for being tickled!’
Since I’ve become a cat, I’ve become sensitive to being touched by other people.
Whenever Arin pats me, I feel drowsy quickly, which must have been because of my increased sensitivity.
‘When was the last time you told me not to be so loud, also what the heck is wrong with you now!’
I lay on the pillow of Suleiman’s bed, and looked up at him with anxious eyes.
“I asked Aziz about my seizure yesterday. He told me to stay as close to you as possible. That it must be done in order for the curse to lose its power.”
I was surprised by the word ‘seizure’.
‘Was that strange black energy because of the curse…?’
My tail shivered as I felt the blackness inside his body twitching like a snake.
“I’ll look at the documents, so wait calmly.”
After he finished speaking, Suleiman went to his desk, which was illuminated by candlelight.
The crackling of burning wood in the fireplace sounded like ASMR to my ears.
‘This bed is more comfortable than I thought…’
The last time I came up to this bed, the comfort of bedding was not something I considered.
Arin’s cat-only sofa and cushion were also comfortable, but they were no match for Suleiman’s luxurious bedding.
I don’t know what material they used, but there was a very light and fluffy blanket with soft sheets like wool.
Just lying down made me feel like I was embraced by a fluffy marshmallow cloud.
After a few hours of lying in bed, and watching the silent scene of Suleiman flipping through documents, I fell asleep.
In the end, I failed to steal the prince’s lips again, and I fell into a deep sleep where I was even snoring.
After a while, the candles in the room were extinguished, and Suleiman came to bed.
I kept rubbing my cheek against the warmth that I could feel even in my sleep, and began to sail into a peaceful dream.
***
“Nya.” (Sigh.)
I frowned at the painful morning sun, and woke up with a small yawn.
My stomach was hot like there was a heated blanket underneath it… at least that’s what I thought it was.
I couldn’t help, but be astonished.
What was under my body was Suleiman’s chest, not a blanket.
“…After the arms, it’s the chest. You’re a cat with strange tastes.”
Hey, that’s not it!
Do you think I would sit on a scary guy like you sober?
“If you’re done sleeping, can you move? I haven’t been able to get up since earlier.”
Suleiman didn’t look like someone who just woke up, nor was there a feeling of sleepiness unique to those who’d just had a nap.
‘Since when have you been awake…’
As the shame reached the top of my head, I sneaked down over his body, and hid completely under the covers.
Seeing me like that, Suleiman snickered, then prepared to leave.
I hid under the blanket until he left the room, and only peered out of the stuffy blanket after I heard the door close.
‘He left… Phew.’
I sighed with relief, and carefully looked over the bed.
I wanted to get a drink of water and go to the bathroom, but I didn’t dare jump down from a bed that looked so high.
‘No, if you’re going to go, you should put me down first!’
I was inwardly swearing at Suleiman, wondering if I would have to get done on my own. Fortunately, Arin came and saved me.
After finishing all of my morning routines, I was purring happily as Arin brushed me, something I’d become more accustomed to.
“Suleiman’s inauguration ceremony is just around the corner! Oh, I’m so excited.”
“Nya-ah.” (Yeah, okay.)
“All the items I ordered arrived just in time. You have to choose the ones that suit you among the gifts you’ve received, but there are so many. Oh, my… What should I do?”
Unlike my reluctant self, Arin was so excited that her cheeks were red, even as she tapped her fingers.
“Oh! I can just bring Ms.Cat to the warehouse. There’s too much to bring everything here, we can just try them on there, and pick out the right ones. What do you think? It’s a good idea, right?”
“Meow.” (It’s annoying, but I understand what you’re saying.)
“Okay, since we’re on the subject, let’s go now!”
Arin picked me up, and walked quickly out the door.
We arrived in a spacious room, too small to be a warehouse.
Inside, the room was full of gifts, the boxes that were crammed in were labeled ‘Ms.Cat’.
“Nya…?” (No way, all of this…?)
When I asked Arin a question with a ridiculous look, the girl nodded.
“In terms of boxes, there are more than a hundred. The value of the items and jewels inside is enormous.”
My mouth hung open, and my eyes sparkled.
Money makes my ears twitch naturally, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s where my appetite lies!
However, my hopes were shattered by Arin’s next words.
“Do you see those armed guards over there? There are so many valuables that security is tight. Since you have good sense, you’d better only take what looks good on you, then leave.”
I stretched my tail out in despair.
Arin began opening the gift boxes and was excitedly exclaiming, ‘oh my!’ ‘Look at this!’ ‘This jewel will also look nice on you, Ms. Cat!’
I wasn’t very interested in the many cat dresses and accessories.
‘Is there any way to break through the security…’
I checked the movements of the guards, while I pretended to answer Arin on occasion.
However, when the fierce-eyed gaze of the guard didn’t leave us, I soon gave up.
About an hour later.
I was exhausted from Arin’s fussing, and trudged down the corridors of the royal palace.
Arin was carrying my stuff, so she wasn’t able to carry me right now.
“ I should’ve brought a basket to put the stuff in. There were more things that looked good on you than I thought. I guess I got greedy…”
“Meow.” (Yeah.)
Many of the things that Arin picked were decorated with gold, silver and jewels.
Honestly, I thought about taking a few and hiding them.
But it was highly likely that Arin would be held responsible for the disappearance of the decorations that she brought.
‘She’s uselessly honest, so she’d probably take responsibility right away.’
I sighed and felt sorry for Arin, who was staggering because of all the baggage.
You’re really suffering because of one cat, aren’t you?
If I could only become human, I would’ve carried a lot of the bags myself.
As I soothed my depressed mind by looking at the trees and gardens along the hallway, I heard a man’s voice behind me.
“Oh, we meet again.”
I glanced back.
There was a blond man with a bright smile.
“Prince Theron!”
Rattle.
Surprised, Arin dropped the pile of luggage she was carrying in her hands.
It was actually said to me, the cat, but Arin must have mistaken it as him calling out to her.
“Oh, I startled you again. That wasn’t my intention.”
Theron reached out to help Arin as he had done before, but stopped when he became aware of the stares around them.
In the garden outside the palace it didn’t matter how he acted.
However, in a palace with so many eyes everywhere, it was not possible to help a maid unnecessarily.
Quick-witted Arin quickly bowed her head first and replied to him.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’ll quickly bring something to put these in and clean it up, so please forgive me.”
“…You don’t have to be sorry. Take your time.”
Theron gave a troubled smile and winked at Arin as if to signal that it was okay.
At the same time, Arin’s face turned bright red, and she quickly disappeared.
‘It’s understandable that you’re shy.’
I could fully understand Arin’s mind.
When a person with such a dazzling face smiles and says something kind, even a person who has a heart of stone will melt away.
“I thought you’d be in the Sultana’s palace, but it’s unexpected to meet you at a place like this.”
I’ve only met him once, so I couldn’t make eye contact with Theron, so I averted my eyes.
At that moment, he knelt down in front of me on one knee.
“Nya-ah?” (What?)
What is this sudden feeling of a proposal?
My pink ears were getting hotter, and I touched them with my front paw.
“It’s dangerous if someone this small, and cute is alone. You might get kicked by a passerby, so I’ll wait with you until your friend returns.”
Theron carefully held me in his arms, and smiled softly.
Gently stroking my back, he murmured in a quiet voice.
“I heard that the sultana doesn’t let her favorite cats out of her harem. Unfortunately, it seems she doesn’t care about this cat.”
“Nyaun…” (It’s not like that…)
Theron seemed to believe that I was the sultana’s cat because of my choker.
There was no way to explain that it wasn’t the case, so I decided to just shut up.
“Why don’t I ask the Sultana if I can bring Ms.Cat to my palace? The cat I had been with for a long time went far away, and I’m lonely now.”
I instinctively knew that his cat had crossed the rainbow bridge.
‘Phew, that must’ve been hard.’
I also understand that mindset since I used to be a butler.
When I rubbed my face on his shoulder to cheer him up, Theron’s eyes opened wide, and blushed slightly.
“…I think you’ve caught my heart. This cat is really interesting.”
A beautiful man who couldn’t help but stare at me for longer than three seconds, with his cheeks tinged slightly red…
‘I’m satisfied.’
Being handsome is the best. It’s thrilling.
However, that was short-lived.
My peaceful time with Theron ended with a black shadow suddenly appearing behind us.
“What are you doing here?”