The Female Lead Takes Care of Everything - Chapter 83

It was true.

Cat Nini had not wanted to be born again.

“I was scared to live again. It hurt so much when I died…”

Nivellia remembered the final moment when Cat Nini was killed.

Her hands, which had been fidgeting with her skirt, clenched tightly.

“I was sleeping, and suddenly, some men came in. I couldn’t see their faces, but they were all going through Mom’s things…”

So Cat Nini stood in their way.

She tried to drive out the strangers who had invaded her territory.

But the intruders drew their swords and hurt her.

“It hurt so much and I was so scared. But Aref helped me.”

Even so, Wolf Aref was also badly hurt by their blades.

In the end, Cat Nini closed her eyes as she heard Muniel’s voice crying out her name.

“They say when you die, you go to heaven. I was in heaven.”

It was a place full of flowers and fruits, with delicious meat, clean water, fun toys, and lots of catnip.

“But… I missed everyone.”

She missed her mother.

She missed the wolf.

She missed them all.

“So I was born again.”

Even though her mother had aged and become a grandmother, and even though the reborn Aref did not remember the past…

Nivellia did not mind.

Because now she had a new mom and dad. She also had a brother.

Cats naturally raise their young together, so having more family was something to be happy about.

She had also met the Tower Master, Della, Monitos, and the Grand Witch again. And this time, she could finally eat chocolate cookies, something she had never been allowed to taste as a cat.

“This time, I’ll protect everyone.”

Back then, she could not do anything.

But now, she would.

As their leader, she had a duty. She would not go down so easily again.

Now that she was human, she had the chance to become strong.

“Grandma said she’ll teach me how to fight. I’ll learn well and defeat all the bad people.”

Nivellia’s promise echoed softly through the room.

“So Ather, you don’t need to worry.”

She gently patted the sleeping dragon’s leg with her small hand.

“Wake up soon, and let’s play again. I’m the leader, so I’ll take good care of you. Okay?”

She moved the hair ornament she had brought a little closer, then quietly left the room.

The sound of the door closing rang loudly through the quiet space.

“…”

The eyelids of the sleeping dragon trembled slightly.

“So Ather, you don’t need to worry.”

“Wake up soon, and let’s play again. I’m the leader, so I’ll take good care of you. Okay?”

Nivellia was not the only one who visited this room.

“Is he alright today? I hope he’s not feeling cold.”

“Maybe we should change the blanket to something thicker.”

Muniel and Ardores came by twice a day to check on him and make sure he was well.

“He wasn’t with us for very long, but seeing him like this makes me worried.”

“I hope nothing is wrong.”

Caleo and Celletina also visited from time to time, leaving warm and caring words.

“He’ll like it when he wakes up, right? Wait, Aref, what’s that?”

“A doll. I thought he might feel lonely by himself…”

Soles and Aref often left behind little presents like this.

“I used to like his rough, deep voice. Not hearing it now feels a bit sad. Sleep well and wake up soon.”

Even Armiphera, after returning from a long journey, stopped by to speak to him.

The dragon could hear every word from the people who visited this room.

That was why he never felt lonely.

If you got a gift, you had to show it off.

“So guess what? Nini got a ball this time too.”

Nivellia invited Leticia, Al, and Rubens to the estate.

She proudly showed off the blue ball she had received during the Red Saint Festival. Her older friends said it looked really cool and said they were jealous.

Nivellia felt proud and happy.

“I’m really so glad I came here to hang out today…”

Rubens flopped onto the thick carpet and groaned with joy.

Al scolded him lightly for being rude, but Rubens just ignored it and rolled around on the floor.

Soon, Nivellia joined him and rolled around too.

“Why are you so happy? Did you get in trouble at home?”

“I didn’t! Did you?”

“I kind of did. I was hitting people yesterday…”

She loved the knuckle gift so much that she had walked around tapping the legs of every house staff she saw with it.

Thanks to the enchantment, no one was hurt.

But because she treated violence like a game, Caleo scolded her firmly and took the knuckle away.

“Yeah, that sounds like something you’d get scolded for.”

Leticia told her not to do that again next time.

Nivellia nodded and made a promise.

“I’m reflecting. Violence leads to destruction.”

“Nini, where do you even learn things like that?”

“From here and there.”

“Ahh, finally, I feel relaxed again. Seriously.”

“Aaaaargh!”

Rubens suddenly let out a loud, dramatic scream.

“Rubens.”

Al took in a sharp breath through his teeth.

Everyone stared at Rubens with shocked expressions.

Rubens quickly apologized.

“S-sorry. I just felt kind of tight inside.”

“Apologize to Nini too.”

Al pointed under the bed, where Nivellia had hidden.

In the dark space beneath the bed, a pair of cautious blue eyes sparkled.

Aref and Soles hurried over and gently pulled her out. When she finally came out, she was covered in dust.

While Leticia carefully dusted off her clothes, Nivellia furrowed her brow and glared at Rubens.

“You scared me!”

“I’m really sorry…”

“If you do that again, I’ll be mad!”

After making up, the children went out to the snowy garden with Nivellia’s blue ball.

But before long, their game turned into a snowman-building contest.

“The one who makes the biggest snowman wins!”

Nivellia shouted.

“I’m going to make a huge one.”

Aref clenched his fists with determination.

If this had been last year, he would have struggled just to keep his hands and feet warm. But not anymore.

Now, with warm gloves and fur boots, Aref packed the snow tightly and rolled it across the garden to make it bigger.

This winter, Soles had taught him how to build a snowman. Aref wanted to make a big one and give it to Nivellia as a gift.

“She’s going to love it.”

And if she did, maybe she would give him a kiss.

That thought made him work even harder.

“Hey.”

Rubens walked over while Aref was focused.

“Can I help?”

“…”

“Don’t make that face. You’ll hurt my feelings.”

“No, it’s not that…”

Aref quickly waved his hands and tried to explain.

Rubens figured it out right away and laughed softly.

“You really like Nini, don’t you? Alright. You take all the credit. I won’t get in the way.”

“Really?”

“Of course. I gave you my word.”

With that, the two boys worked together and made a snowball so big it reached up to their chests.

“You know something?”

Rubens said as he patted the snow.

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. It’s about Rima.”

“…”

The smile on Aref’s face disappeared in an instant.

Rubens let out a sigh, as if he had expected that reaction.

“At first, I didn’t get why you didn’t like her. But now, I think I do.”

“Did you two fight?”

“No. We’re just pretending to get along.”

“…”

“I can’t tell you everything. My brother even told me to be careful about asking you. But we’re friends, right?”

That’s why I’m saying this, Rubens whispered.

Aref’s expression turned serious too.

“She can speak clearly, right?”

“What do you mean by clearly…?”

“Like this. ‘Gonja-nim, gwaeanayo.’ Did you understand what I just said?”

“…”

“You didn’t, did you? That’s how Rima talks now. Was she always like that, talking with that baby voice?”

Al had said once that everyone develops differently and that you shouldn’t judge someone for their pronunciation.

He had said that in front of Rima.

And it was on purpose.

At the time, Rubens had simply nodded and said he understood. But he watched Rima’s face closely.

It wasn’t the look of someone who was embarrassed.

And it wasn’t a look of shame either.

“You could have gone with the others, you know.”

“It’s okay. I like being with you, Kallaroff. Just the two of us.”

“Really?”

“Hehe, yes.”

Kallaroff and Rima were spending a quiet moment together in the study.

“How’s your hand now?”

“It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt at all.”

To prove it, Rima put down the book she had been reading and stretched out her hands.

The fingers that had once been wrapped in white bandages were now completely smooth, not a single scar in sight.

Thanks to the healing ointment from Philia Terre, the recovery had been fast.

“It healed because I used the medicine you gave me.”

“I’m glad.”

“Me too.”

“But please, don’t ever hurt yourself again.”

“Okay…”

Rima picked her book back up but peeked at Kallaroff from behind the pages.

Their eyes met for a second, and Kallaroff gave her a brief, gentle smile.

But that small kindness quickly faded as he returned to his usual cold, expressionless face and began looking through some official papers.

That was all.

And Rima, watching him, felt a deep wave of disappointment.

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