Chapter 35
“…Siberian tiger.”
She turned her head quickly at the sound of a quiet mumble.
Marmel, who had been lying lazily on the ground, was staring at her with wide-open eyes. Instead of crying, he looked bored to death, sprawled out on the floor. She felt both helpless and relieved. Well, anyone would go crazy from boredom if locked in a dark place like this for five days.
Sonidor let out a sigh of relief and tried to approach Marmel.
But when he saw her transformed into an animal for the first time, his body stiffened.
Even though he liked animals, he seemed to feel an instinctive threat, bristling with tension.
Could it be that he didn’t like tigers? The animals she transformed into should only be the ones he had fondness for.
Slowly standing up, he asked:
“Dream Artisan?”
At that, Sonidor nodded and answered:
“Yes, it’s me.”
Even though she was speaking human words, there seemed to be a growl mixed in her voice—probably just imagination.
Marmel frowned, unable to move closer yet unwilling to step back. His tone carried the irritation of someone who had done nothing but wait idly for days.
“I almost died waiting. Are you really planning to kill me?”
It was the same phrase he often used jokingly before—“You’re so cute, you’ll kill me”—but now the meaning was entirely different. He was seriously asking if she meant to kill him.
Even if she was a tiger, she wouldn’t just eat people!
Sonidor felt wronged. It wasn’t like she wanted to turn into a tiger.
After hesitating for a while, Marmel finally strode toward her with quick steps.
Now, a tiger with golden-brown fur and black stripes stood right in front of him.
From a meerkat to a tiger—that was too drastic. He had waited, expecting something cute even in this boring place. But instead, Sonidor had turned into a large, strong, and handsome Siberian tiger.
Marmel hugged the tiger’s head.
“You’re too big to fit in my arms.”
Grumbling, he stroked her fur carefully.
“Is it soft?”
“It’s rough. Uselessly rough.”
But his hand didn’t stop. He kept stroking the tiger’s fur.
Even if she wasn’t cute, it seemed he liked it.
When Sonidor crouched down with relief, Marmel patted the floor, calling her over. There wasn’t really a floor, just endless darkness, but she obeyed and lay down. Marmel lay back, folding his hands under his head, using her as a pillow.
“Next time, come as something cute.”
If only he would erase the satisfied smile from his face when saying that. Clearly, he liked it. Sonidor shook her head helplessly and said she would. At least he wasn’t crying—thank goodness. Christian had been right: Marmel wasn’t that fragile.
“Tiger, can you get us out of here?”
“If I find the source.”
“Source or whatever, I’ve seen this a hundred times already.”
Marmel pointed his chin at the fragments of memory appearing again in the air. He said he already memorized every single word and action.
Before the figures could even speak, he recited their lines word for word, like humming a song.
The first part was what Sonidor had heard when she was still a meerkat. But the later parts were new to her.
The Empress said:
“Even after the coronation, it’s too early. The prince is only thirteen. No matter how clever, no one expects wise rule from a child. I worry about that. To present him outwardly, he’s too unripe. It will only lower the dignity of the imperial family.”
The man answered:
“Are you planning to wait and risk ending up like the Horn family, as my sister says? I’m sure this is the right ‘time.’ But since you worry, I’ll wait until the coronation.”
A sly smile briefly crossed his blurred face.
“But I say it’s needless worry. Didn’t I tell you? Marmel will become a beloved emperor…”
He drew out the words, stepped closer to the seated Empress, gripped her shoulder firmly, and said:
“Being young is not a problem. Because he is young, he needs our help.”
The Empress protested:
“Even so, his public image…”
“Reputation, dignity—when will you stop caring about that? If we wait until he’s older, he could become dangerous. He might cast us aside. We need to seize both his body and mind completely while he’s still unstable.”
It only sounded like they planned to use Marmel as a tool.
Sonidor felt sick listening. Humans could be more cruel than execution. They tore and trampled hearts.
Blinded by ambition, they seemed to care nothing about the empire or its people—only that their family had no power without the Emperor’s favor.
The man gripped the Empress’s shoulder tightly, then laughed softly, released her, and tapped her as if in encouragement. As he walked past her, he spoke loudly, almost mockingly:
“Sister, how long do you intend to stay pure and alone?”
With that, the fragments of memory scattered like steam.
Sonidor looked at Marmel, who had recited even the last line, and asked in a hesitant voice:
“Are you okay?”
Though she was asking about his well-being, her growling tiger voice made it sound menacing. Marmel gave a small laugh.
“At first, it was painful. But after hearing it hundreds of times, I’ve reached enlightenment. Still, I have no idea where the source is or what it wants from me.”
He spoke with the calm of someone resigned.
His golden-green eyes trembled violently. What had happened to him during these five days? Sonidor began to fear he might truly have broken down.
She wanted to grab his shoulders and shake him, but if she did, she might break him. She had to stay still.
But when the fragments appeared again in the air, she roared instinctively. Whether real or Marmel’s imagination didn’t matter anymore. How far did they intend to tear a person’s heart apart? Enough was enough.
Her roar startled Marmel, who looked at her with wide, rabbit-like eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your Highness, from now on we’re leaving. I’ll save you!”
“What?”
With bold words, she jumped up. Marmel, who had been lying against her back, was suddenly bitten by the scruff and lifted onto her tiger back.
He was too stunned to speak as she raised her head and roared to the sky.
“Hold on tight. No matter what, I’ll get you out of here!”
Then she began to run at terrifying speed. Marmel had no choice but to cling tightly around her neck.
Sonidor ran and ran through the endless darkness.
Balanced now, Marmel buried his face in her fur and closed his eyes. Though jolted by her stride, he strangely felt safe. In truth, he was exhausted. He had been trapped in dreams, unable to sleep or wake, forced to relive memories he never wanted to see again—even the ones he thought he had forgotten.
The tiger ran, cutting through the wind, though no sound of wind existed. The scenery remained the same—endless dark.
Marmel slowly opened his eyes and murmured faintly:
“Tiger, you know we’re going in circles, right?”
“….”
To their left, a memory fragment floated, following them no matter where they turned. Left, right, zigzag—it kept following.
Sonidor finally had to stop running. She had wanted to look cool as a tiger, but nothing was going her way. If she charged ahead, shouldn’t the dream let her break out? It was hopeless. She grumbled and gave a low growl again.
A beautiful tiger on the outside, but still Sonidor inside.
“Unless we solve that, we can’t escape.”
Even as a tiger, her voice sounded sulky. Marmel smiled, stretched out his arm, and rubbed her nose roughly.
The tiger growled, then sneezed like a roar. Marmel’s body jolted so hard he stayed quiet and pulled his hand back.
Cute, yes—but too much to handle. He thought it would be better if she were a bit smaller.
“How do we solve it?”
“For example, if you confide everything honestly to me.”
“Rejected.”
“Why!”
