I Became a Cat That Sleeps with an Obsessive Tyrant Every Night - Chapter 36

His eyes, slowly examining my condition, showed no signs of inflammation, and his facial color looked fine.

“Are you in pain?”

When Killian asked, I shook my head cheekily.

“What about you?”

This time, I gestured to ask about his condition. Killian let out a bitter laugh and licked his red lips.

“I slept well.”

After patting my head, Killian finally exhaled deeply.

He seemed relieved in some inexplicable way.

Yesterday, Killian mentioned that he slept without nightmares, even after eating Mrs. Gisela’s food.

“Meow….”

Slowly, I wrote down my conclusion on his palm.

I explained that it was partially true that something of mine, as he expected, was helping him not have nightmares.

However, I didn’t mention that I had taken the nightmare in his place, wanting to observe for one more day.

I figured that if I had the healing power or something like that to get Killian to sleep without getting sick, and wait for another day, it wouldn’t be too late to tell him.

* * *

I gulped down the mushrooms and grilled flounder on the plate.

Maybe it was my nervousness that had caused the nightmare.

I found myself pacing around the snack sent by Mrs. Gisela, wondering about my true abilities. Eventually, I became anxious about Killian eating it, considering that if something were to go wrong, it would be my responsibility since I persuaded him to eat it in the first place.

Could it be just an accidental clash due to my nervousness?

Indeed, considering the severe stress I’ve been under, it might not be an implausible situation.

“What are you thinking?”

At that moment, Killian’s fingers lightly tapped my nose.

“You should eat properly.”

I sat up, mechanically chewing the last bits of food in my mouth, and he looked at me with a look of disapproval on his face.

I could feel his eyes, bored but deeper, studying me intently.

“Meow meow.”

I ate the roasted asparagus he’d cut for me to avoid suspicion, tapping my plate with my front paw as if to ask for more.

So, upon waking from the dream, the nightmare seemed like no big deal.

It could have been a blip.

What matters now is that I need to find out if the black magic potion will cure me just by being in Killian’s presence, and if so, what is it about me that makes it work—aha!

Well, I’m not a child, and I don’t need to make him worry about things that don’t matter, do I?

From tonight, I might as well sleep deeply as I used to.

“Meow!”

At that moment, as Killian reached for Mrs. Gisela’s plate, I quickly clung to his hand with a vocal protest.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t picked out Mrs. Gisela’s plate either.

Swiftly regaining my senses, after gesturing to throw Mrs. Gisela’s sent food, I returned to my place.

“Mrrmrr.”

I pointed to the fruit and gestured for him to put it on his plate.

While sipping his tea, Killian’s lips seemed to twitch as if about to say something, but soon he put the teacup down.

“You seem quite energetic.”

He said, giving me a quizzical look as I bustled around the table.

The languid look on his face made me wonder if he’d slept through Mrs. Gisela’s food, and if I hadn’t been watching him so nonchalantly all this time.

“If you’re feeling bored today, shall we go to the library together?”

Killian, who had silently cut the fruit and handed it to me, said it as if it were a light topic of conversation.

The library? Of course, it would be much more enjoyable than being alone in the room.

“Meow!”

I grinned broadly and nodded at him.

* * *

Wandering around the library, admiring the fresh flowers, I was captivated by the delicate, transparent, and rare silver bell flowers resembling orchids. Suddenly, I glanced towards where Killian was seated at his desk.

A large, arched window, reaching seemingly to the high ceiling, was symmetrically positioned between the wall, with Killian’s desk situated precisely in the center.

Killian mentioned how due to a sudden sick leave of a learned professor who was supposed to teach him today, he was excused from the educational responsibilities he usually deemed unnecessary.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t spend the day playing and doing what he did best.

Quietly, he worked through his princely duties under the cascade of sunlight, occasionally disappearing behind the documents that he perused in silence.

His fine black hair glistened in the sunlight, and his long, downcast eyes looked intelligent, but also somehow liberating.

“Meow.”

As I approached under the desk, Killian chuckled, lifting me up and placing me gently on the desk.

The spacious mahogany desk was neatly organized with numerous documents and pending correspondences neatly arranged.

I leaned in to peek at the document Killian was reading.

“Curious?”

A slow, low tone drifted from him.

These were meticulous reports requesting diplomatic visits from neighboring countries of the Empire to the Huppert Empire, presenting almost exemplary requests.

He wore a seemingly detached expression while reading through the content, yet his method of categorization seemed notably efficient.

After reviewing reports regarding the developed culture and industry of Huppert requested by the diplomatic delegations, Killian effortlessly categorized the countries suitable for sending envoys, along with necessary documents related to the resources or favorable tax negotiation terms for harbors that should be extracted or demanded from those countries.

“Meow.”

I settled down near the stand holding the pen engraved with sun patterns.

“Hmm.”

Killian’s elongated gaze briefly glanced at me before playfully tapping my back.

“Meow.”

I reacted with a noise, and he silently chuckled.

Soon, Killian turned back to his documents, sighing lazily, and slumped over.

Sunlight filtered through the glass window, illuminating the spot where I sat in a half-grate.

Ahh…

inevitably, I began to feel drowsy due to the warm afternoon.

I struggled to resist; falling asleep here would not be appropriate.

Outside, guards stood watch at the library entrance.

Of course, entry required the prince’s permission, so it wasn’t a situation for them to barge in without cause.

Nonetheless, falling asleep here was not an option.

“Mmmm.”

However, my heavy eyelids were as stubborn as if an army of thousands were bent on keeping my eyes shut.

I couldn’t resist the overpowering drowsiness, and I yawned widely, almost as if I’d taken a sleeping pill.

Meanwhile, Killian, apparently feeling stiff, leaned back.

Observing Killian with my eyes half closed and breathing softly, his adam’s apple seemed distinct as it slowly moved up and down. Even he, as a human, surely didn’t delight in working all day.

Struggling to keep my eyes open, I intermittently closed and opened them.

“Are you really okay?”

After watching me for a moment, he suddenly straightened up and made eye contact with me.

“You seem tired.”

It’s not tiredness, just sleepiness.

I slowly blinked my half-closed eyes, tilting my head, and looked at Killian.

Though my half-closed and weary eyes might look odd, I had no other choice.

“Mmm….”

As Killian continued to observe my actions suspiciously, I had no choice but to approach and tapped his palm with my paw.

‘After lunch and in this warm weather, anyone would feel drowsy.’

As I moved my tired paw to write, Killian, now more subtly furrowing his brow, observed me closely.

“Sure?”

Should I add convinced to simply lazy.

Finding the question odd, I gathered my paw again and carefully wrote in his palm.

‘Yes, I’m sure.’

As I responded, Killian leaned slightly closer, his eyes showing a determined expression, propping his upper body against the chair.

“No, different from usual.”

As Killian firmly denied, when I attempted to reply, my shoulders felt heavy, making it hard to move.

Trying to lift my foreleg again, my balance faltered as my body swayed to the side.

“Why are you doing that?”

Killian, noticing my abnormal behavior, narrowed his brows and asked.

What was I trying to do just now?

My thoughts didn’t seem to come together, feeling melted like ice cream, neither here nor there.

Why is this suddenly happening…?

My vision was flickering, and it felt like my breath was sinking, almost like an anchor into sleep.

I couldn’t bear the sensation of falling into an abyss, unintentionally pushing away from Killian’s hand as if I wanted to escape, then hesitantly reseating myself at the desk.

My body felt glued, and unresponsive to movement, and any attempt to shift my legs resulted in me slumping back down.

Thunk-

My heart suddenly dropped as if in a seizure.

“!”

It felt like my energy rushed out to my toes, then instantly surged back up to the top of my head.

The roller coaster sensation in my stomach began, and objects in front of me started to blur.

“Are you okay?”

Killian attempted to check my condition again, tilting his face towards me.

I forced my head out of his grasp, feeling sick to my stomach.

My heart was pounding forcefully, almost dizzying my mind, and a sudden flash sparked from somewhere unconscious, flickering like a strobe light.

I can’t even begin to comprehend how to react, and Killian’s words cut off like a staccato, hitting my ears.

My mind went numb, and there was another flash and burst of light before my eyes.

“Stay with me.”

Soon I heard Killian’s voice, uncharacteristically sharp.

He spoke again, but his words quickly faded into a distant echo in my ears.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

“Gasp.”

Once again, a strong sensation reverberated in my head, and my breath rushed to my throat.

It felt like my erratic heart was pounding out of my body.

I vaguely sensed Killian quickly rising, perhaps to take me somewhere.

Swoosh.

Simultaneously, an inexplicable refreshing breeze tightly enveloped my body in the closed library.

A feeling of floating in the air, as if about to fade away, followed by an exhilarating, refreshing sensation flooded to my fingertips.

Although my heartbeat intensified, and my breath filled my throat, there was no sense of impending harm, unlike the chilling shivers of a nightmare.