I Became a Cat That Sleeps with an Obsessive Tyrant Every Night - Chapter 34

Killian, who worked late into the night in his study, wore a distinctive crisp scent, the faint odor of paper and ink.

The place he led me for our walk was a northeastern forest abundant with silver-blue spruce trees.

We gingerly strolled through the grass, gazing up at the star-studded night sky. The pale moonlight embraced the spruce trees, shimmering like gentle blue diamonds, radiating a luminous glow.

“How are you feeling?”

It was the same question I’ve been receiving for a few days.

Sanua’s the one who’s drained, not me.

I assertively tried to prove that I was fine due to his concern.

According to the ancient texts Baron sent, Sanua was, fortunately, recovering quickly.

“Meow.”

I joyously responded in the chilly night air and hopped around the grass with vigor.

Observing me intently, Killian suddenly picked me up and, as usual, checked my body temperature.

“Ah.”

I slumped as if defeated and waited for him to conduct his customary checks.

It was a scenario I wasn’t accustomed to.

I felt completely fine—no signs of discomfort or pain.

With Killian’s overtly protective nature, I feel like I’m being pampered with twice daily health checks that I’ve never experienced in my life before, yet I was unsure of the appropriate response.

“If you feel any discomfort, please…….”

“Meow, meow.”

Quickly nodding to indicate I was okay, Killian smiled, then sat down, leaning against a tree.

Other than having extended my sleep more than usual, there were no other significant changes.

However, that was more a result of my lazy habits than a noteworthy problem to address.

I glanced at Kilian.

Despite the distance, his gaze lingered on me.

He might have taken me here in the deep night to witness the beauty of the spruce forest that now exuded a soft or cool silvery light at different angles.

If he had anticipated the picturesque scenery at this late hour, I couldn’t help but admire his foresight.

I glanced at Kilian once more.

Despite the distance, his gaze remained on me.

He was probably acting as an adult and protector, making sure I didn’t get lost in this vast forest, his expression was difficult to read, leaving me unsure of his true thoughts.

Killian’s demeanor when leaving his bedroom to manage his daily schedule was always immaculate and composed.

However, during walks or moments of rest, his perfect appearance seemed oddly unbalanced, showing signs of weariness and a strange sense of aging.

Just like now.

His eyes, silent and contemplative, watched me for a long moment before Killian pursed his lips.

“I have something for you.”

It was a soft, deliberate tone, but his words were etched vividly in my ears.

I ceased my wandering and approached Killian, who handed me a neatly sealed envelope.

“A letter.”

Ah, it was from Irina.

Killian opened the envelope and unfolded the letter for me.

Irina was genuinely studying herbs, even wondering if she could master the art of distillation.

In a previous letter, she asked if there were any other stories from her mother. Although nothing else came to mind aside from the imperial library, she promised to share if she remembered anything.

At the end of the letter were wishes to see me soon and a declaration of love.

The affectionate message from a mother I had never met captivated me, and I found myself staring at the words for a long while without realizing it.

I hadn’t responded frequently to her, but Irina sent letters almost every other day.

“I’ll arrange for you to meet her soon.”

Killian said softly to me as I stared at the letter.

“Do you miss her?”

His question left me unsure of how to respond, and I raised my head to look at him.

If I were truly the owner of this body, I’d naturally say yes, but it was a somewhat complicated question for me.

Killian glanced at me, seeming to read more than just my response from my eyes.

“Of course you do. I asked the wrong question.”

Killian said self-helpfully, and then slowly closed his mouth.

A cool breeze blew past, rustling the leaves.

I hesitated, unable to answer, but the look in Killian’s eyes made me realize that he wasn’t just talking to me.

He might have been reminded of his mother.

I, too, wondered why Queen Elyse looked after Killian or why she didn’t protect him from his struggles.

Why would she let her child endure everything so alone?

“Meow.”

I stepped to Killian’s side and crouched down to lean against him.

When I didn’t know what to do or how to handle a situation, being by his side seemed like the best thing to do.

Killian paused, and then I felt his fingertips slowly brush over my back.

It was slow and gentle as it traveled up and down my back.

“Strange.”

“…”

“Since some point, I stopped having nightmares.”

What? I twisted my head, looking at Killian in confusion.

“I’m pretty sure I used to have them every day.”

If he had them every day, could it mean that Gelella’s potion was already affecting him?

Killian continued speaking as if casually sharing someone else’s story.

“After receiving father’s correction, it usually took about a week for me to recover completely. Then, suddenly, it took less than two days.”

He paused, lightly running his index finger across my forehead.

“I also realized that all of a sudden, I was healed in less than two days.”

“!”

“What could be the reason?”

As he asked, he gazed at me in silence.

The silver-blue glow of the spruce reflected in Killian’s red eyes, giving them a strange glow together.

“Hmm?”

His gentle tone seemed to be teaching me something.

His red eyes, shimmering with color and shadowed by the branches, were like a red moon, a mixture of darkness and light.

“…It all started when I met you.”

Startled by his words, my ears perked up instinctively, and my body lifted itself involuntarily.

“It might be because of you.”

Hearing this unexpected statement, my heart sank, and I stared at him intently.

Ever since he’d met me, his injuries had healed quickly, and he no longer had nightmares.

Could this be a hint that I had other abilities?

That I wasn’t just someone who switched between human and cat, not merely a feeble being receiving protection from those around me.

Could I be a human capable of something in this world?

Gradually, my heart began to race.

***

After finishing our walk and reaching the floor where the bedroom was located, we heard the guards stationed outside the Crown Prince’s room saluting sharply.

“What’s this?”

“They say it’s a light snack sent by Countess Gisela, as a gesture of respect for the Crown Prince, who was busy with state affairs until late.”

There was a rustling sound, and Killian moved, entering the bedroom and locking the door.

“It seems time is dragging.”

After setting me down on the table, Killian said nonchalantly as he took off his jacket and walked to the closet.

The item he had just placed on the side table near the sofa seemed to be the snack from Countess Gisela.

From within the elegant wrapping, a sweet and savory aroma wafted from Gisela’s food.

Killian, as usual, was about to discard it, but…

While Kilian was still changing, I used the scattered cushions to climb up to the side table.

How do I open this?

“What are you doing?”

I tilted my head up to check the contents, but Killian approached and asked.

I looked up at him, wide-eyed, and took a small step back and sat down.

Killian had been plagued by nightmares until he met me. After meeting me, those nightmares stopped.

He also mentioned that any injuries from abuse healed quickly.

He speculated I might have a power that could stop those recurring nightmares or heal the wounds.

But I wondered if it might just be the natural result of him stopping the consumption of the dark magic potion.

I needed confirmation.

But to confirm that…

“…”

The quickest way to find out for sure was to have Killian eat some of Madame Gisela’s food and see how he reacted.

If I had power, he wouldn’t have nightmares or experience the haunting pain after eating the food. And if these symptoms persisted, stopping the dark magic potion would naturally eliminate those effects.

But I couldn’t bring myself to ask him to check it out.

I pretended to glance into the box as if I were merely curious, then jumped off the sofa.

“Shall we try eating it as an experiment?”

Killian suddenly proposed, looking intently at me.

Would it be alright?

“Are you okay?”

Did he just ask me if I’m okay?

Of course, I was okay.

Killian had suffered from nightmares, but I never experienced any distress when sleeping with him.

Not even when he was sick.

His situation had never affected me.

Shouldn’t I be the one asking the question instead?

“I’m fine with it.”

Seemingly detecting my surprise, Killian casually added.

But if Killian gets back in pain after eating it?

The image of Killian losing focus after consuming Gisela’s food during their hunting picnic suddenly invaded my mind.

The agonizing moments when I silently bore the terrifying surge of heat, followed by his painful eyes, swept through my thoughts.

“…”

During the moment when I couldn’t make a rash decision and briefly glanced at the box sent by Gisela, Killian casually opened it and took out a snack.

He put a light-hearted, yet slightly mischievous smile on his face and nonchalantly popped the confection sent by Countess Gisela into his mouth.

* * *

“Hey, wake up.”

I felt a gentle hand stroking my cheek.

It was a light touch that felt as if it was floating in the air.

As I struggled to open my sleepy eyes, I saw a woman gently caressing my face.

“You’re quite beautiful.”

Was it Irina…?

The touch of affection she showed me felt sincere and made me feel oddly good.

With eyes half-closed, I let out a long, deliberate sigh.

The woman’s long hair gently tickled my face as it brushed past.

‘I know you’re not asleep. Wake up already.’

‘Just a little longer like this…’

Mumbling hazily, my words trailed off.

Something pressed heavily against my eyelids as I struggled to open them, as if to pull me back into the mire of sleep.

‘You’re lazier than I thought…’

I could feel her gentle hands slowly digging into my hair.

‘Get up, will you?’

My eyes flickered open in response to the chilling touch on my skin and found a woman under the dusky canopy of the early morning light.

Ordinary scissors didn’t cause a sensation that lingered once I regained my senses, right?

Wondering if that chilly voice I just heard was Irina’s, I stared absentmindedly with my still groggy mind.

The woman slowly turned her head towards me.

In a moment of uncanny sensation, like coming face to face with rusted and corroded metal, a face I’d never seen before stared down at me.

“Hello, dear.”