Chapter 38

――――――――After being carried by Leonhardt and brought to his room within the palace, Cordelia remembered something she had forgotten to ask.

"By the way, Your Highness, there was something I was wondering about."

"What is it?"

"On the day we met at the ball, you took the glove that got splashed with wine, didn't you? Where is that glove now? The stain isn't too bad, so it can be reused. Could you return it to me if possible?"

Originally, Leonhardt had retrieved the glove as an excuse to meet Cordelia again. Since the glove had served its purpose, there should be no problem in returning it―――――――

"Your Highness? Why are you looking away?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You look too suspicious. Did you throw it away?"

"Of course not!! It's your glove. I wouldn't do such a thing."

"Then, can you return it to me? Or could it be………"

Cordelia fixed him with a penetrating gaze.

"Like when you rubbed against me in your lion form, were you rubbing your cheek against the glove?"

"Misunderstanding!! That would be inappropriate, wouldn't it!?"

"I feel like both are the same……… Then why can't you return the glove to me?"

"………It's because of catnip."

"Catnip?"

When she asked, Leonhardt began to explain, as if resigned.

"I can take two forms: human and lion. Staying in human form for too long makes me feel suffocated, and I change into a lion impulsively."

"To avoid that, you needed to regularly transform into a lion in a place where no one could see you?"

"Pretty much. ………And as you know, when I transform into a lion, my rational control weakens. I was supposed to stay in my room as a cub, but I often ended up in the town below when I changed back. That's why I honed my sword skills to defend myself, even when alone outside the palace."

"You must have worked hard………"

Cordelia had heard that Leonhardt was a master swordsman, but she didn't expect there to be such a reason behind it.

"After meeting Heilroot, I had him watch over me when I transformed into a cub, but I always felt bad for troubling him. ………So, I used the glove you gave me as catnip."

"………In other words, if I leave my glove in your room, you won't go outside even when you transform into a lion?"

"That's right. I swear I haven't rubbed my cheek against the glove. You can see for yourself."

Leonhardt took a small box from the drawer of his book desk. Inside the box, the familiar glove was neatly folded.

"I lock this box so that even in lion form, I can't touch it with a single finger. I hope you can feel reassured. ………I want you to allow me to keep the glove as catnip."

"………As catnip, you say."

Cordelia chuckled at the unexpected reason for not returning the glove.

"Then, please return it. You shouldn't need the glove anymore."

"Don't need it?"

"I'm here. If I'm with you when you transform into a lion, you won't go anywhere, right?"

Because I am your catnip, she smiled and looked up at Leonhardt.

"………Ah, I promise. I can't let it go anymore."

His amber eyes melted, and soon filled her vision.

"I swear I will make you happy. So―――――――"

Leonhardt's lips pressed against Cordelia's.

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This concludes the first part.

Thank you for reading!

Next, I plan to post a side story and then the second part.

I hope you will continue to follow Cordelia and Leonhardt's story.

Additionally, I would like to take this opportunity to promote a novel that is set in the same world as this work.

The web novel "Since I Was Abandoned in My Reincarnation, I Cook with the Fluffy Ones" has been published by Futabasha M Novels with illustrations by Kasumi Nagisa.

The story takes place in the Wolfwald Kingdom, where humans and beastmen coexist, after the end of the first part of this work, where Heilroot goes. It's a romantic comedy about a cooking enthusiast who becomes a decorative queen to a king who transforms into a wolf. The timeline is about two years after this work, and Heilroot also appears.

With wolf transformations, cooking, beastmen, fluffies, and magic, I've packed it with the same kind of interests as this work. I hope you will enjoy it as well.