TMDW | Chapter 012

Chapter 12

Because he licked Shayla without permission, Callion received a kick from her hind leg.

“If you do something rude like that, you might never make any friends.”

“I don’t care about friends… I have Shasha.”

“I’m not your friend, I’m your wife, you idiot!”

Her shock was so great that she couldn’t speak gently.

‘He hates being touched, yet he dares to lick me?’

Callion looked at her sadly, but it seemed forced.

If she had allowed him to lick, he would have approached wagging his tail and covered her in saliva.

‘Rude.’

Shayla finally calmed down and remembered her original goal.

“Alright, watch carefully. I’ll show you how to do education.”

“Okay.”

“Stand against the wall like this, and lift your left hind leg. Like this.”

He tilted his head at the strange posture.

“Then pee in this position.”

“What?”

“Pee on the wall.”

“…!”

To clarify for him, she wanted to demonstrate it herself, but this wasn’t her room.

He was sensitive to smells; it might cause confusion.

Shayla pointed with her front paw at the frozen, shocked Callion.

“Come on, try it now. I’ll watch your posture.”

“I don’t want to…”

His tail drooped again.

Why was he refusing? Wasn’t this instinctive? As a rabbit, Shayla loved digging and rolling in dirt.

“Come on now!”

When she shouted, Callion approached like a stiff doll.

“No, lift the leg closest to the wall! Why are you lifting the other one?”

His posture was awkward.

“And pee here and there too.”

“But you live here too…”

He meant he wouldn’t mark a place that belonged to her as well.

It was kind of him to generously share his room after previously trying to drive her away.

“It’s fine.”

Shayla smiled happily while watching him.

But he hesitated, lifted his hind leg, then suddenly lay down.

“I don’t want to do this…”

Shayla couldn’t force him to do something he hated.

Forcing him might backfire and leave bad memories instead of building confidence.

“Later… I want to do it alone.”

“Alright, do it as you wish.”

“Really? I can?”

“Of course.”

Relief appeared on his face, but he still looked at her cautiously.

“Leon, it’s okay, spread your tail!”

What kind of wolf was weaker than a dog?

How could he walk around with his tail tucked like that? She had never seen a wolf before, but…

“Come on, sniff me.”

“Wow!”

As expected, he rushed toward her like lightning and hugged her head.

For this timid, naive little wolf, Shayla gladly offered her head.

She heard a knock on the door, so Shayla quickly returned to human form.

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know. Your guest?”

During her long stay here, only Henry had visited Callion’s room.

Henry wasn’t supposed to come at this late hour.

“Young Lady, it’s Antonio. Is the young duke with you?”

“Yes, he’s here.”

Shayla breathed a sigh of relief, assured it wasn’t Duke Graywolf.

“May I come in?”

“One moment.”

She quickly straightened her dress, looked around, and found Callion sitting two steps away from her.

He had been hugging her like a doll when she was a rabbit…

‘He went back to being cautious the moment I became human. Ungrateful.’

She felt annoyed but tried not to show it and asked him:

“Can he come in?”

“Do whatever you want.”

Though she had decorated the room and spent most of her time here, the room belonged to the young duke.

“Please come in.”

Antonio entered with extreme caution, as if exploring a king’s tomb.

‘Why is he so hesitant…’

It was clear he hadn’t visited the room in a long time.

“You’ve changed the room’s decor a lot.”

“What do you think? Is it bad?”

“How could my eyes compare to the taste of the Young Lady from the capital?”

He smiled, but it meant “I’ll keep my opinion to myself.” The opinion of Callion, the room’s owner, mattered most.

‘He just called me Young Lady, didn’t he?’

This was the first time he used that title.

He had come to test her.

‘On the duke’s orders.’

Everything Antonio saw would reach Duke Graywolf’s ears.

To prevent the annulment of their marriage and her expulsion from the castle, she had to prove her good relationship with Callion.

“Where is the young duke?”

“He’s here.”

She looked beside her, but he had disappeared.

“…”

“…”

Her lips dried. After all that supposed friendship, she looked like a liar in front of the head butler.

‘He hid under the bed again. You idiot…’

She saw his shadow flicker. She wanted to drag him out, but didn’t.

“It seems he went out. He’s very fast.”

She pointed to the open balcony, and Antonio easily accepted.

“Very well.”

She didn’t want to force Callion to appear in front of the head butler, especially with his lack of confidence.

‘I’ll be the liar this time. You ungrateful…’

They weren’t mother and son, but she felt that way.

“Then I’ll return when you’re both together.”

“Wait, didn’t you have something to say? Leon will be back soon.”

“Nothing worth mentioning, Young Lady. Farewell.”

“Wait…”

She wanted to prove her relationship with Callion, but Antonio seemed eager to leave.

Unlike his cautious entrance, he exited hurriedly as if being chased out.

‘What’s going on?’

She stared at his back in surprise, then turned at the door and suddenly solved the mystery.

‘Oh my god, what is this pungent smell!’

It felt like her nose had opened.

Distracted by Antonio, she hadn’t noticed until now.

Callion emerged lightly from under the bed, his face shy.

Shayla smiled happily and ran toward him.

“Leon, did you really do the education?”

“Yes, I did…”

“Under the bed first!”

“Yes.”

He looked embarrassed but proud, wagging his tail happily.

“What a wonderful thing!”

She reached out without thinking but stopped when she saw him close his eyes and fold his ears back.

‘He hates it.’

She had to break this habit. Instead she clapped her hands.

“Good job, good job, my little one!”

Callion slowly opened his eyes, confused by her enthusiastic praise, sitting, standing, and twisting his body shyly.

“I didn’t do anything great…”

“Good job, good job, my little one!”

“Maybe I’ll do it tomorrow too…”

“Wait a moment.”

“Where are you going, Shasha?”

“I’ll bring some veal ribs. I heard there’s a luxurious cut for the duke tomorrow. I can steal it.”

Shayla left with determination.

But Callion suddenly rushed to block her path.

“Listen.”

“What? Don’t worry, I’ll take just a little.”

“That’s not it…”

He turned his head, hesitant, looking worried.

Forgetting the wrinkles in her dress, she crouched in front of him.

“What’s wrong?”

“…”

“Come on, tell me. What are you hiding from me?”

She didn’t think they were that close yet, but she said it on purpose.

She wouldn’t be able to touch him unless he opened his heart.

Suddenly, Callion said something shocking.

“Shasha, do you not want to touch me anymore?”

“What…?”

“Are you tired of me?”

His eyes filled with tears as he looked at her anxiously, making her heart ache.

She wanted to reassure him that she was enduring it for him, but other words burst out.

“You… only like me when I’m a rabbit.”

“No!”

“How is it not?”

She was nine, full of pride and stubbornness.

She thought she had to be lenient with this little one, but she felt insulted.

“You only get close to me when I’m a rabbit, and you keep your distance when I become human again!”

“Because rabbit-Shasha is so small, I feel like I have to protect her…”

“Don’t lie!”

She lost her temper and exploded.

“It’s my delicious smell, isn’t it?”

“…!”

He shook his head in shock.

“No, I never thought that!”

“Liar.”

Callion trembled like an abandoned dog in the rain and backed away. Shayla pulled him close with both hands.

“Be honest. You liked my rabbit form because it looked easy to eat.”

“No, no…”

“Then explain why not.”

“I don’t know… I just… never thought of eating you…”

“Why? You eat rabbit meat.”

“But… even if you’re a rabbit, you’re… you’re…”

She had never seen him this scared. He bared his teeth when threatened, but now he trembled like a cowardly dog.

“I just… love you, Shasha. That’s why…”

“Hah.”

Shayla explained on his behalf.

“Because I, even as a rabbit, am human. And so are you.”

“…”

“Definitely human.”

His ears moved, his tear-filled eyes trembling.

“So you never thought of doing anything beastly to me, right?”

“Heung…”

“Right?”

“Yes! You’re human, and I… I…”

“Human. And you’ll become one soon.”

She touched his round black nose, but his tears didn’t stop.

“Come here, my little dog.”

“You’re mean, Shasha. You’re so mean…”

But he surrendered to her embrace without resistance.

Shayla hugged him, gently stroking his neck and belly.

“I know. You never considered me prey.”

“Sorry for scolding you, but I had to make it clear.”

“I’ll play with you as a rabbit a lot, and I’ll stroke your neck and belly every day. Okay?”

She coaxed him while petting his round belly.

“Do you object?”

“No…”

She wasn’t excited about playing as a rabbit; her instincts resisted it.

But for Callion’s confidence, she would endure her instincts.

Still, she couldn’t face him while anxious. He would notice someday, and it would ruin their relationship.

“I’ll stroke this neck, belly, and soft back every day. No objections.”

“I hate you, Shasha. You’re scary…”

‘You’re the scary one, you idiot…’

In his pampered mouth were strong teeth that crunched cow bones.

‘He’s gained some weight.’

As she petted him, he seemed to relax, lying down and folding his legs.

“Shasha.”

“Yes?”

“Do you really think I’m human?”

“Of course. I see it with my own eyes. You’ll become a wonderful boy soon. You’re like a precious gem.”

“What is a precious gem?”

Callion knew very few words due to his limited social contact.

Instead of scolding him, Shayla took out a necklace holding a blue sapphire the size of a small fingernail, resembling his eyes.

“Look, this is a sapphire. A gem.”

“Yes, it shines.”

“But it wasn’t a gem originally, just a special stone.”

“Ah?”

“A skilled craftsman recognized it, cut and polished it, and brought out the gem.”

“Craftsman?”

“Yes. The special stone that becomes a gem is called a precious stone.”

Callion gazed deeply at the sapphire.

“I’m… a precious stone?”

“Yes.”

“Then you’re the craftsman?”

“Something like that.”

His gaze moved from the sapphire to her gentle golden eyes.

“Shasha, what if… I don’t become a gem with time?”

“That’s the craftsman’s problem.”

“What if I’m just an ordinary stone?”

“That’s also the craftsman’s fault.”

She answered playfully, but his deep anxiety didn’t fade.

“There are craftsmen who turn ordinary stones into expensive gems.”

“Really?”

“Yes, they’re called alchemists.”

“Alchemists…!”

Precious stone, craftsman, alchemist. All new words to him.

Shasha knows everything. Shasha never lacks knowledge. Shasha is the smartest person in the world.

“Don’t worry about anything. If you don’t become a gem, I’ll learn alchemy myself.”

“…!”

“You’re special to me. I’ll make you shine, no matter what.”

He discovered new hope.

The little wolf’s eyes sparkled like sapphires from emotion.