Chapter 08
“I wasn’t thinking about anything, okay? I just looked at your face.”
Oops. Why did I even say I was admiring his face?
Kali smacked her own mouth. This damn tongue was the problem. Then above her head came Leonhardt’s light laughter.
“That’s… so unexpected it’s almost absurd.”
“……Forget I said anything. That was rude of me on our first meeting.”
“So the so-called cursed bride turns out to be quite an amusing little squirrel.”
“What do you even think a cursed bride is supposed to be?”
At some point, Leonhardt stretched an arm behind his head, then simply lay back down. Kali stared at his profile, then moved closer.
She slapped his right hand with a smack. But since she didn’t have much strength, he didn’t even flinch.
“Khk……”
She heard him suppressing laughter. Kali furrowed her brows tightly and clenched her fists.
‘He’s looking down on me.’
Leonhardt Spencer turned out to be far more mischievous and teasing than she expected. He never let a single word go unanswered.
A man not to be taken lightly.
This time, Kali climbed onto the back of his hand and stomped down hard with her tiny feet. But even that had no effect.
“Kali.”
“What.”
She answered curtly as she stepped down from his hand and sat beside his head instead.
Then he lifted a finger right in front of her.
“Let’s get along from now on.”
“Get along… with what?”
“With you entertaining me as my pet.”
“……Get out.”
Smack, smack—
She kicked him on purpose so it made noise, but he only laughed.
“Argh!”
“I’m joking.”
He sat up and tousled Kali’s head roughly. Squashed beneath his big hand, Kali flailed, telling him to stop.
“Either way, you’re my wife now.”
Though said in a joking tone, there was a trace of sincerity, making Kali raise her head.
“I mean—though only in name, I hope we can get along.”
“Only in name.”
That meant she was nothing more than a wife on paper. Since this marriage came about through the curse, it had no real meaning.
‘As if I didn’t already know that.’
Leonhardt was only speaking the truth. But since he drew such a clear line, she found herself without a reply.
Kali quietly stared down at the stew bowl. The cloudy broth couldn’t reflect her face.
“My lady. Ah—no, my lady madam. What’s wrong?”
“‘Madam’… that sounds so awkward.”
“But… it’s better than ‘your highness,’ isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Call me madam instead.”
She could handle being called “young lady.” Back in Korea, she’d heard that plenty of times—students, young ladies, while working part-time. She was used to it.
But madam?
It felt strange, like she had suddenly been promoted to some lofty rank. Like wearing clothes that didn’t fit.
“Madam, after you finish eating, would you like to go on a walk with me?”
“Sure.”
For the past few days, Levi had been helping Jane look after Kali.
Surprisingly, Levi learned quickly. Sharp, clever, and soaking up whatever he was taught like a sponge. Jane eventually left everything to him.
One time when Levi wasn’t around, Jane asked quietly:
“Madam, wouldn’t it be better to have a maid rather than a pageboy?”
“I think it’ll be fine. Besides, as you can see, I’m stuck in a squirrel’s body.”
No one knew when—or if—she’d ever return to being human. And more than anything, Levi tried so hard but looked so dejected whenever he couldn’t do anything because of his small size. She pitied him.
It was sympathy, really. That was the truth behind her decision. So though it made her uneasy, it wasn’t bad.
‘But Levi really does treat me like a pet squirrel.’
Well, so what.
The life of a squirrel wasn’t so bad. Still… what if she ended up spending her whole life as one?
‘Oh right. I haven’t actually talked to Leonhardt yet. That day we just wasted time with meaningless banter.’
Forget walking after breakfast.
Kali locked eyes with Levi, who was watching her.
“Levi. Instead of a walk after we eat, let’s do something else.”
“What is it?”
“First, go find out where Leon—no, where the Grand Duke is. I need to talk to him.”
“Yes, madam! Should I check right now?”
“Of course. It’s urgent.”
“Ah—yes!”
At the word urgent, Levi immediately sprang up. As soon as he opened the door, he dashed off.
‘Honestly… it’s not that urgent.’
Watching how Levi would jump up at her every word—even in the middle of sleep—made her feel a twinge of guilt.
* * *
Leonhardt was climbing a dark, endless staircase.
The stairs went on without end. No beginning, no destination in sight.
When he looked down, the stairs were swallowed by endless darkness. Looking up, it was the same.
He didn’t know where this place was, nor why he kept climbing. His legs simply moved on their own, forcing him to continue upward.
‘No—that’s not true. I do know where this is.’
Suddenly, the candleholder in his hand burst into flame.
Had I been holding this all along?
His eyes widened.
‘So this place is… where again?’
He knew it well. But the memory refused to come—or perhaps he refused to remember.
He kept climbing, and eventually reached the end.
At the top stood a rusty red iron door.
‘Yes. I know this place…’
As a child, he had climbed here countless times.
Despite its heavy look, the door yielded easily even to a child’s hand. He pushed it open with the hand not holding the candlestick.
Inside, a familiar figure sat gazing out the window.
Long red hair down to her waist swayed in the breeze. A snow-white gown trailed along the floor.
When the woman slowly turned her head, he saw she wore a white mask.
“My child. You’ve come.”
Her gentle voice wrapped around young Leonhardt’s heart.
Drawn like a magnet, he stepped into the room. She spread her arms wide, and he gladly fell into her embrace.
Then, in his head, the curse’s voice thundered.
—Kill. Kill her.
—Kill her now. What are you waiting for?
—Kill. Kill. I said, kill her!
The witch’s curse went rampant. Young Leonhardt had no strength to resist.
The voices overwhelmed his every thought. He could do nothing but obey.
He wrapped his hands around the woman’s throat.
And drove her back toward the window.
‘No. Stop. Don’t do it.’
The woman struggled desperately. At last, she tore him off.
And then, standing before the window, she—
* * *
Startled, he bolted upright.
“Hahh… hahh……”
His chest heaved as cold sweat dripped onto the blanket.
His eyes trembled. Leonhardt covered his face with one hand and let out a long sigh.
Of all things, this nightmare was the hardest to shake off.
It never stopped haunting him—like shackles around his soul.
“Damn it… cursed bride…”
Grit.
Losing his composure, he ground his teeth.
The blood he’d barely kept in check boiled up, ready to overflow. He closed his eyes and fought desperately to suppress the curse’s power.
Barely, just barely, he managed to force the madness back down.
“Phew……”
It had been a while since he last dreamt that dream. So why—why now?
‘Because of that squirrel?’
That tiny, ridiculous, white squirrel came to mind.
Bold, stubborn, sharp-tongued, impossible to ignore.
Yet every time he provoked her, she reacted.
‘Perfect as a toy.’
And that was all she would ever be. Something to amuse him. A wife in name only. Nothing more, nothing less.
Rising from bed, Leonhardt ran a hand through his hair. The curtains were drawn tight, blocking every ray of light.
When he pulled them aside, the garden spread out below. A servant boy was walking there.
‘That kid…’
The boy he’d taken in on a whim not long ago—just because he’d reminded Leonhardt of his own childhood.
Leonhardt was about to let the curtain fall again and head to the hunting grounds, when he saw something.
On top of the boy’s head… a small puff of white fur.
“Well, well… now that’s a curious little sight.”
His eyes narrowed and his lips curved upward.
His whims stirred once more.
Forget the hunting grounds—he would go to the garden.
To the garden he hadn’t set foot in since the former Grand Duchess’s death.
* * *
The Grand Duke’s estate had a massive garden. One day wasn’t enough to see it all; three days at least.
As usual, Kali enjoyed her stroll perched atop Levi’s head.
“Madam, don’t you think walking on your own two feet would make it a proper walk?”
“That’s… oddly logical.”
“Right? So, want to come down?”
“Not today.”
“Then tomorrow?”
“Nope. A week from now.”
“Oh, come on. That’s not fair.”
“It’s my choice.”
There was no way she’d give up such comfort. Grinning to herself, Kali tugged playfully at Levi’s hair.
“Let’s go.”
“Yes, madam. Ah—there’s another garden near the hunting grounds, you know.”
“Isn’t a garden just a garden?”
“No, it’s different.”
As they wove through hedge-like paths, Levi chattered on.
“They call it the Secret Garden. There’s a hidden passage, and beyond it you’ll find a garden with a lake. You can even ride a gondola there.”
“……A gondola? Inside the estate?”
“Yes. A small one, but still.”
“Levi. Take me there immediately.”
“Eh? But I only just got here. I don’t know the way yet.”
He shook his head in refusal, making Kali’s body sway precariously.
She gave his forehead a sharp flick, like pressing a button, and only then did he stop.
“This mansion really is enormous. I still haven’t seen half of it.”
“Right? It was the same for me at first.”
The boy beamed as he shared everything he knew. Kali listened, then tugged his hair again.
“Levi. Don’t you think by now the Grand Duke must be awake?”
