Kalz glanced at the oil in the basket I was holding.
“What’s that for?” he asked.
“I thought I’d apply it while drying your hair, but it looks like you’re managing just fine by yourself, so you probably don’t need it.”
“Well, you’ve already brought it, might as well use it,” he said casually.
“…Understood.”
Well, since we’re here, might as well do it right. I poured a bit of aromatic oil with a subtle fragrance into my palms and carefully smoothed it along Kalz’s damp mane. The feeling was oddly pleasant—like petting a very large, fluffy dog.
“Your fur is really soft. Do you take special care of it?”
“Do I look like someone who’d waste time on such troublesome things?”
“Oh, come to think of it, I remember seeing you occasionally rinse your hair with vinegar water. Was that your secret?”
Kalz’s expression darkened immediately.
“…Butler, you’re awfully chatty today.”
Kalz bared his sharp fangs in a low growl, annoyed that Butler Squawk had accidentally revealed his grooming secret. Seriously, this guy gets embarrassed over the strangest things.
Still, there was no way I’d miss this golden opportunity.
“Oh, I see. I heard rinsing hair with vinegar makes it softer,” I said innocently.
“It was extremely rare. Only done to manage static electricity.”
“Extremely rare? Like quarterly? Monthly?”
“As I recall, it was roughly once a week,” Butler Squawk supplied helpfully.
“Butler Squawk!”
Kalz’s voice roared through the bathroom, exactly as expected. Honestly, seeing how disheveled his mane had become after not washing it properly for just one week because of his injury, it was clear he’d been maintaining it regularly.
After that, I bombarded Kalz with questions, feigning genuine curiosity about everything from what type of vinegar was best, to the proper vinegar-to-water ratio. Each time, Butler Squawk cheerfully provided detailed answers. With each response, Kalz’s mood visibly soured—just as planned.
“So, how long do you soak your hair in vinegar water?”
“Ah, from what I’ve seen, at least five minutes—”
“Butler.”
“Yes, Master?”
“Leave. Now.”
In the end, Butler Squawk was driven from the bathroom, looking deeply saddened. I felt a little guilty since it was partly my fault, but Butler Squawk seemed genuinely amused, so he probably didn’t regret it.
Once the conversation suddenly ended, an awkward silence enveloped the bathroom with just the two of us left. Feeling strangely self-conscious, I broke the quiet first.
“It seems dry enough now. How do you feel?”
“Mm, it seems fine.”
“Feels refreshing after a proper wash, right?”
“…Not bad.”
Considering Kalz’s usual reserved personality, “not bad” was practically the highest compliment possible. I worried slightly he might ask for this regularly now. Finally, I gently fluffed his mane with the towel.
“All done. Your mane is perfectly fluffy now.”
“Good work.”
A faint, genuine smile appeared on Kalz’s lips—rare, warm, and devoid of mockery.
Oh, look at that. He genuinely enjoyed it.
My heart skipped unexpectedly at that simple smile, though I hid my fluster by exaggerating my response.
“Oh, please, it was my honor to serve you, Master Kalz.”
“Stop saying things you don’t mean. You can leave now.”
“Yes, please rest well.”
Even after returning to my room and lying down in bed, I couldn’t fall asleep. My heart was strangely buoyant, stirred by the rare praise from my notoriously difficult boss. Briel, you’re really turning into quite the devoted employee.
***
Three days later, it was time for Kalz’s check-up. Butler Squawk, the mansion’s unofficial doctor, carefully removed Kalz’s bandages, asked a few questions, and gently pressed various spots on his arm before tugging thoughtfully at his beak. Then he smiled with satisfaction.
“There’s nothing wrong at all. At this point, I’d say you’re completely healed.”
Did this mean my slavery—I mean, my caregiving duties—were finally over? I bowed deeply to Butler Squawk, overflowing with excitement.
“Thank you so much, Butler Squawk!”
“Oh, no need for thanks. It was all due to your dedicated care, Briel.”
“My quick recovery is entirely thanks to my own physical resilience. He had nothing to do with it.”
This guy’s mouth really knew no mercy. Of course, an ordinary person wouldn’t recover this quickly from a fracture, so he wasn’t entirely wrong. Still, couldn’t he at least offer some token courtesy? He’d been obedient and even surprisingly cute when I’d washed his hair.
Wait—did I just call him cute?
Impossible. Clearly, my mind was malfunctioning lately.
“Well done, Almond. You may leave.”
“Yes, Master. I’ll be on my way now.”
“Then I’ll go too.”
I subtly tried to slip out behind Butler Squawk, but Kalz’s deep voice halted me.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Well, since you’re fully healed now, I should return to my regular duties. Elizabeth must be having a hard time after my sudden disappearance.”
“But we still have a debt to settle first.”
Of course, he hadn’t forgotten. Honestly, I’d secretly hoped he’d let it slide, considering how faithfully I’d served him beyond my usual duties. But clearly, that was wishful thinking.
Did he overhear when I cursed him behind his back?
Though the truth remained unclear, it was clearly time to pay up. Sighing, I turned reluctantly to Kalz.
“Have you decided how you’d like to be compensated?”
“Yes. But first, promise me something.”
“What is it?”
“That you’ll obey my orders without questioning them.”
What exactly was he planning, that he needed to lay down conditions beforehand? Though his tone was confident, his twitching ears betrayed his nervousness. When our eyes met as I studied his face, he quickly averted his gaze, his cheeks flushing faintly. Just what kind of favor did he have in mind? Could it possibly be—?
Startled by my own thoughts, I shook my head vigorously. No way. He was the kind of pure-hearted guy who lost it over a few drunken kisses. He’d never demand something like that. Go away, filthy mind!
Enough speculation. If I was going to get punished anyway, might as well get it over with quickly.
“Fine. I don’t know what it is, but I’ll do it.”
“Then…!”
Kalz’s voice brightened with excitement at my swift agreement, but he hesitated briefly again.
“First, turn around.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Already questioning me?”
“No, it’s not that. Understood.”
I turned around obediently, my thoughts racing wildly. The filthy thoughts I’d banished moments ago eagerly rushed back, waving their hands shamelessly. I nearly jumped when Kalz’s large hand gripped my shoulder.
“…Why are you shaking? Are you afraid of me?”
“No way. It’s just a bit chilly.”
“That’s good.”
Really, could he stop saying unnecessarily suggestive things? Now, thanks to him, the lewd devil in my head was practically dancing with joy.
“Then now…”
Why was he hesitating again? Surely he wouldn’t say something like “Now, strip.” No, impossible! Briel, snap out of it! After a tense silence, Kalz finally spoke.
“Until your contract is finished, don’t leave this castle. Don’t even speak about leaving.”
“…?”
What on earth was this? Bewildered by his unexpected request, I quickly turned around to face him. Kalz flinched slightly but didn’t avert his gaze this time.
“Is that really all you want?” I asked carefully.
“Yes.”
“No punishments, no other favors—just that?”
“Yes. You promised not to question my orders, so don’t say anything else.”
He spoke firmly, yet I could see the subtle trembling in his golden eyes.
Ever since that day I’d run away, I’d noticed a subtle shift in how he treated me. He still threw back sharp retorts whenever I complained, but afterward, he’d anxiously glance at me to gauge my reaction.
“Depends on your behavior.”
That’s what I’d said when he asked if I’d leave again. It had mostly been a joke, and I’d practically forgotten it. But had Kalz been worrying about it all this time? Had he needed an explicit promise from me that I wouldn’t leave again?
So that’s why he’s been so nervous and anxious all along…
He’d feared I wouldn’t give him the promise he wanted. He’d been afraid I’d leave again…
“…Do you dislike the idea?”
My heart clenched painfully at the sight of the proud beast nervously fiddling with his fingers. This was dangerous territory—I had to escape this moment quickly.
“All right,” I said. “Until the contract ends, I promise not to leave this castle.”
“Good. Keep that promise.”
“Oh, but I might still go down to the village occasionally on my days off. That’s just going out, not leaving.”
“I know. I wasn’t planning to take away any rights stated in your contract. You can leave now.”
But as Kalz turned away with exaggerated dignity, his tail swung gently from side to side in obvious delight. That was the final straw—I couldn’t deny it anymore.
I found this man unbearably cute.
Whether he was oblivious or just pretending not to know, his awkward attempts to conceal yet reveal his feelings were so endearing it was ridiculous.
Damn it. How did things turn out this way?
***
Later that night, I lay in bed wide awake. After staring blankly at the ceiling for what felt like forever, I finally gave up and sat at my desk.
“Okay, let’s not jump to conclusions. Animals are naturally cute anyway. Lions, obviously, are no exception. Actually, the bigger the animal, the cuter it is. Definitely. I should verify this carefully.”
Muttering excuses to no one in particular, I pulled out a notebook and pen and began jotting down notes. My impulsively created checklist soon filled the entire page.
It looked like this:
[Checklist: Are my feelings really THAT?]
□ Do I want to be with him 24/7?
□ Do I get curious when he’s out of sight?
□ Does being with him make me happy?
□ Does he look attractive or adorable to me?
□ Do I feel jealous if he’s close with others?
□ Do nice things remind me of him?
□ Do I rely on him in difficult moments?
□ Do I feel an urge to touch or pet him?
*Reserve judgment until all criteria are met!
I’d already accepted that my feelings toward Kalz went beyond seeing him merely as an annoying boss. But it was still too soon to be sure if this was really that feeling. My lack of experience meant I had no basis for comparison, so careful verification was necessary.
These were common feelings people said you’d experience when you fell for someone, according to media and general opinion. If all of these applied, I’d have to face reality head-on.
As I glanced over the checklist one last time, my pen hovered over a specific item. After a moment’s hesitation, I decisively ticked:
■ Does he look attractive or adorable to me?
There. Now, I should get some sleep.
