Leon
“I’m going to the village tomorrow.”
“Again?”
Kalz frowned, clearly displeased by my announcement made just as dinner was wrapping up.
“Again? I’ve only been there once in three months.”
“That was just last week. What could you possibly need to go back for after only a week?”
“Last time, I was so caught up shopping that I didn’t manage to finish anything else.”
Honestly, I’d much rather have spent this day off relaxing at home. From the embarrassing drinking fiasco to my supposed “walk” that turned into a mountain-climbing expedition, this past week had left me exhausted, both mentally and physically.
But sadly, I didn’t really have a choice. I’d already promised Leon we’d meet again on my next day off. If I’d known things would get this hectic, I certainly wouldn’t have committed so easily. Moments like these made me sorely miss modern conveniences; if I had a cellphone, rescheduling would’ve been simple.
“What other business? Are you meeting that new friend of yours?”
“Huh? You know about Leon?”
“Almond told me. He mentioned some rude fellow who dared to set foot in my castle without permission.”
“Butler Squawk said that?”
So that’s why Almond had that odd look on his face when I told him I’d become friends with Leon. I’d naively assumed he was simply concerned about the castle’s secrets and proudly reassured him Leon wouldn’t be visiting anymore. Apparently, I was completely oblivious.
“Me?”
However, Butler Squawk, currently pouring water into Kalz’s cup, blinked in genuine confusion.
“…Didn’t you say that?”
“I haven’t even uttered the letter ‘r’ from rude when talking about Leon.”
Butler Squawk’s eyes shone with pure honesty, not a hint of deceit in sight. Kalz awkwardly cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed, but I wasn’t about to let this slide easily.
“Oh, wow. Look who’s trying to pin his own thoughts on Butler Squawk! Why would you insult someone you’ve never even met?”
“Are you siding with him now?”
“How is this about taking sides?”
Kalz huffed indignantly, quickly downing his water in one gulp. Honestly, he’d been acting weird ever since my little “runaway” incident. I couldn’t quite explain it, but he seemed oddly unhinged—almost childish, as if some internal leash had snapped. He’d never exactly been mature, but lately, it had definitely gotten worse.
“So? What exactly are you two planning?”
“No special plans. We’re just hanging out.”
“And what exactly does ‘hanging out’ entail?”
“Who knows? We’ll probably just eat and chat.”
“Chat? About what?”
“Since when does chatting need a specific topic? Though I guess we’ll mostly talk about novels—that’s why we became friends in the first place. Seriously though, are you my mom now? Why are you interrogating me like this?”
What was wrong with him? I felt utterly baffled. Kalz seemed to realize he’d pushed it a bit too far and quickly scrambled for an excuse.
“I’m merely worried about castle information leaking. You haven’t forgotten the confidentiality clause in your contract, have you?”
“As if I could forget. I know exactly what’ll happen if I break it.”
“Good. Keep that firmly in mind, unless you’re curious about how magical punishments feel.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll remember.”
To be honest, magic did pique my curiosity a little, but definitely not enough to endure actual pain. Even without the confidentiality clause, I had no intention of carelessly running my mouth. After all, I was no longer a temporary worker—I was officially part of the castle’s staff now.
Truth be told, I’d initially planned to tease Kalz by delaying signing the contract. But somehow sensing my intentions, Kalz had abruptly sent Marianne with the document in hand. Seeing Marianne’s pure, sparkling eyes filled with joy at the thought of continuing to work together, I’d ended up signing right then and there. Seriously, he was annoyingly perceptive for someone with a lion’s head.
Anyway, for better or worse, the castle’s safety would be directly tied to my own for the next two years.
Kalz had fallen silent, sipping his tea quietly for a moment, but before long he resumed his interrogation.
“…So, this Leon fellow—what kind of person is he exactly?”
“Just a regular guy. Probably around my age, maybe a little older.”
“And what about his appearance?”
“He’s pretty good-looking. Friendly face, slightly tan skin. He seems athletic, has a nice build and he’s tall—though not quite as tall as you.”
“What about his personality?”
“Bright and cheerful. He’s energetic, probably because he’s so active and fit—wait a second! Seriously, are you my mom now? What’s with all these questions about my friend? Do you suspect Leon or something? Like he might be some spy from the village?”
His level of curiosity clearly wasn’t normal. Concerned that there might be some hidden danger I didn’t know about, I gave Kalz a serious look. He quickly dodged my gaze, mumbling vaguely.
“…Well, we can’t completely dismiss that possibility, but that’s not really why I was asking.”
“Then why exactly are you so curious about Leon?”
“That’s…”
Kalz shifted his eyes around uneasily, opening and closing his mouth like he was struggling with something. Finally, he shook his head and gave up.
“No, forget it. It’s nothing. Maybe I’m just being overly cautious because it’s been a while since someone new showed up.”
“If that’s all, there’s really no need to worry. Obviously, nobody truly knows what’s inside someone else’s mind, but Leon’s about as transparent as they come. He doesn’t seem to have any hidden motives.”
“All right, then. Anyway, days are getting shorter, so be careful. Unless you want another encounter with that wolf from last time, make sure you head back early.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll do that.”
Honestly, the way he nagged was unbelievable. At this rate, he might as well just marry my dad and officially become my mother, then he could nag freely.
***
“Bell!”
“Yeah, hey.”
I’d gotten used to Leon bounding over to me like an oversized, friendly dog whenever we met. But today, his bright smile faded the closer he got, gradually replaced by a serious expression.
“What’s wrong with you? Something happen?”
“Forget me—what happened to your face?”
“My face? Oh, this…”
At his question, I lightly touched the small scratch on my cheek. Was it really that noticeable? It was practically healed already.
“It’s nothing. I just scratched myself a bit somewhere.”
“You needed a bandage for ‘just a scratch’?”
Leon was already staring pointedly at the bandage peeking out from beneath my sleeve. Damn, his observation skills were impressive.
In truth, the injury hadn’t required a bandage. I’d left it on because Kalz had wrapped it with such earnest care that night, and it felt like a waste to remove it. Besides, pretending my arm still hurt around him had become amusing—he always got adorably cooperative whenever I winced a little.
“It’s seriously nothing. Don’t worry about it. Here, just take this instead. Man, I can’t believe he was actually the killer—what an incredible twist, huh?”
I handed him the book, deliberately steering the conversation to something any fan couldn’t resist discussing. But Leon’s expression remained strangely somber. Seeing him this serious was almost unsettling, considering he normally wore a constant smile.
“Hey, seriously, what’s with the gloomy face? Anyone would think I’m dying or something.”
“Tell me honestly, Bell.”
“Tell you what?”
Leon hesitated for a moment before carefully continuing.
“Are you…being mistreated at your workplace?”
“What?”
My jaw dropped at his completely unexpected assumption. Was he really suspecting me of being the poor victim of workplace harassment?
“It’s not like that at all. I just simplified the story because it’s embarrassing. Honestly, I scratched myself running through the forest at night. Nobody hurt me—I managed to injure myself.”
“Why were you running through the forest at night?”
“I had my reasons, okay? It’s humiliating, so please don’t dig any deeper.”
The longer and more detailed the explanation got, the more embarrassing it would become. Plus, I couldn’t fully explain because of the confidentiality clause.
“Were you running away from someone?”
Ugh. That guess was awkwardly close to the truth, so I couldn’t outright deny it either.
“You’re not answering, so I must be right…”
“Stop! I know you love novels, but before you start writing your own, you should work on your character analysis. Seriously, do I seem like someone who’d suffer silently through bullying and cry myself to sleep, or do I seem like someone who would thrive wherever he goes, always adored and pampered?”
“Well… when you put it that way, definitely the second type.”
I nodded in satisfaction. Exactly. My seniors at the castle absolutely adored me—and I, of course, adored them right back. Whatever else people might say, I was sure that employee satisfaction at Beast’s Castle ranked highest in the Empire. Employer satisfaction, though… well, you can’t have everything.
“Glad we’re clear. That’s exactly my situation, so quit worrying about unnecessary things.”
At my firm dismissal, Leon finally gave in with a reluctant nod.
“All right. If you say it’s fine, then it’s fine.”
“Great. Now quit wasting time, and show me your bookshelves. Can I come in?”
“Of course. I even got some snacks ready. Do you like pecan pie?”
“Are you kidding? Who doesn’t?”
We ended up spending the entire day inside Leon’s study. It wasn’t as large as the castle’s library, but it was a paradise filled with novels exactly suited to my taste. We eagerly discussed our favorite books and recommended new ones to each other. Great novels were enjoyable alone, but they became even better as a way to connect with someone who shared similar tastes.
The pecan pie—which Leon mentioned was a limited edition that required lining up—was incredible, too. Crisp yet moist, with a delicate sweetness blending harmoniously with a deep, nutty aroma. It was so good I immediately thought about buying some for Grandpa and Grandma Pitt someday.
Leon had only brought up my injury briefly at first, then let it go. Still, even while we talked cheerfully, every now and then his expression would turn quiet and serious, and he’d stare at me as if troubled. Did such a small scratch bother him that much, even though it wasn’t on his own face? I jokingly blamed my beauty, thinking lightly about it.
But that was a mistake—I shouldn’t have brushed it off so easily.
