Chapter 5
“Meow?” (What? Lips?)
Startled, I made a little jump on the spot.
I stared at him in disbelief, but Aziz didn’t seem to have the slightest intention of taking back his words.
“Meow… Miaow?” (No way… Why would I do that?!)
“According to the ancient texts, the incarnation of Ashtar can return to human form through the touch of one who holds the right to be Sultan. Romantic, isn’t it?”
“Meooow…!” (What nonsense…!)
Romantic? That’s something you say when a prince wakes up a sleeping princess, not about this.
No matter how desperate I was, stealing a kiss from someone fast asleep was hardly dignified!
When I hissed, baring my teeth in protest, Aziz calmly pressed a finger against my lips.
“The prince has been put to sleep with a draught, so he won’t wake up. But still, we shouldn’t make too much noise, should we?”
What the—he drugged a prince just for some experiment?!
What is this guy?!
Hey, outside! Dangerous man here! I’m in danger!
Frantically, I flailed my paws and gestured toward the guards outside, as if begging them to see the threat.
Aziz, perfectly understanding my clumsy pantomime, replied with a smug expression:
“The guards outside? Don’t worry, I’ll take care of them. All you need to do is focus on the experiment. Ah—and it would be even better if the results don’t show until tomorrow morning. That would make things more accurate.”
What the hell—so easy for him to say when it’s not his problem!
“Meowrrr.” (You’re begging to be smacked.)
I swatted at him with my paw in frustration.
“Haha, such a sharp punch.”
Easily dodging my blow, Aziz placed me by the bedside and strolled out of the room.
Now alone with the soundly sleeping prince, I let out a long sigh.
What’s his game?
Could it be he was testing me, to see if I was really that “incarnation of Ashtar”?
No… he didn’t seem suspicious of me.
In fact, Aziz hadn’t shown any doubt about me being the person he was looking for.
And if he truly suspected me, he wouldn’t have just left me alone in a royal bedchamber, no matter how harmless a kitten I appeared to be.
Still, I couldn’t believe I was really the subject of some grand prophecy.
If I were capable of saving anyone, I wouldn’t be stuck like this right now.
“Meow…” (Haa…)
I pressed my paw against my throbbing temple, trying to ease the ache.
When the pain subsided, I rose and approached the peacefully sleeping prince.
Shaa—shh.
His chest rose and fell steadily with soft breaths. He was deeply asleep.
Well, if it’ll let me turn back into a person, a kiss isn’t such a big deal…
To anyone watching, it would just look like a cat pecking a person’s lips. Nothing serious.
Right. Nothing to lose. Might as well try.
Summoning courage, I crept closer on quiet paws and finally got a look at his face.
“Meow…” (Whoa…)
I covered my mouth with both paws.
He’s way too handsome…!
The prince with his dark hair, sleeping in quiet repose, was breathtakingly beautiful.
Exotic bronze-tinged skin, a sharp nose, neatly arched brows.
His long lashes caught the candlelight, glittering over his closed eyes.
When my gaze fell to his lips—plump, perfectly shaped—I couldn’t help but swallow hard.
Get it together!
I smacked my own cheeks with my paw and took a deep breath.
So this is what a prince looks like? He’s absurdly handsome…
Just watching him sleep was enough to make my heart race. What would it be like when he was awake?
I pressed a jelly paw against his nose. No reaction.
The sleeping draught had him deep under.
Relieved, I settled on his broad shoulder and studied his face up close.
Was it Suleiman? What a complicated name…
He looked like an angel in slumber.
And people say it’s human instinct to reach for beautiful things, right?
I extended a paw and gently smoothed his tousled hair.
Alright, whatever. Fortune favors the bold. Kiss, here I come!
Smooch!
I grabbed both his cheeks and planted a kiss.
“…Mmm.”
His brow twitched at the clumsy collision that was more like a head-butt than a kiss.
But nothing happened.
Flustered, I pecked his cheek, his forehead, even his chin.
Still no change.
I paced on the bed, anxious.
“Meooow…” (Could it be… that?)
There was only one thing left: a deep kiss.
But in this kitten body, it was… difficult.
Ugh, fine. Last chance!
Lick.
I ran my tongue across his lips.
“Mmm…”
He shifted, parting his mouth slightly with a soft groan.
I seized the chance and licked his tongue.
“Meow…?” (Eh…?)
The moment my tongue touched his, a shiver shot down my spine.
Wh-what is this feeling?
Something strange rose from my toes upward.
I jerked back, gasping, and saw his brow furrow.
“Grrrowl…” (Ugh…)
A powerful spasm wracked my body.
My claws dug into the sheets as I curled up, moaning.
Rip—!
The fabric tore beneath my claws.
“U-uhnyaaah…” (S-someone help me…)
Tears streamed down as I rolled off the bed, landing with a thud.
Oddly, I felt no pain from the fall.
When the searing torment faded, my blurry vision slowly cleared.
I rubbed my eyes—and froze.
Instead of soft paws, I saw five human fingers.
Shocked, I touched my face. A nose, lips, hair—human features.
I-I really turned back…!!
I tried to leap up in joy, but my body wouldn’t obey.
My legs had no strength.
My voice wouldn’t come out either—still muted.
So, I dragged myself along the floor, groaning.
Cold… I need something to cover up.
Unlike stories where clothes magically appear after transformation, I was stark naked except for the choker at my neck.
I spotted a blanket on the floor and crawled toward it.
Thankfully, it was big enough to wrap myself completely.
Clutching it tight, I sighed.
Alright, but… what now?
I had to find Aziz and get help. But walking on two legs felt impossible after so long.
Come on, legs. Move!
Struggling to rise, I caught sight of my reflection in a tall mirror.
I stopped dead.
The beautiful woman gazing back at me was… me.
I touched my new face with trembling fingers.
That’s… really me?
I stared, entranced, until a glint of light in the mirror startled me.
“Who are you?”
“…!!”
Suleiman was awake, standing behind me with a drawn sword.
Scary…!
His cold red eyes glowed beneath his black hair.
He was stunning, but terrifying.
How can someone look so different asleep and awake?!
The oppressive aura made it hard to breathe.
His killing intent pierced me like needles through the flimsy blanket around me.
And yet—I couldn’t look away.
That dangerously handsome face, that perfect build, the glimpse of his sculpted body beneath his robe…
He looked flawless. If only he didn’t seem ready to kill me.
But when I squeaked out a “Meooow!!”, he lowered his sword.
“…A deranged woman, then.”
My face flushed crimson.
Please, let me speak like a human!
But all that came out were cat sounds.
Like the Little Mermaid—I could neither walk nor talk properly.
Clearly, the transformation wasn’t complete.
I glanced around, searching for escape, when suddenly my chest constricted.
“Hhh…!”
My heart pounded, my blood surged. I clutched at my chest.
Suleiman frowned.
“Are you ill? It would be troublesome if you died here. I’ll summon a physician.”
Wow. Thanks a lot. Truly gracious, Your Highness.
Grinding my teeth, I glared at him.
Wasn’t he supposed to be cursed? And Aziz said I was the only one who could save him…
Just wait. Until he kneels and begs me, I won’t lift a finger.
I struggled for breath on the floor as he walked to the door.
But suddenly, smoke began to fill the chamber.
What’s going on?
The guards outside shouted in alarm.
“An intruder?!”
“Protect the prince!”
Coughing, I waved a hand through the haze—
“Meow…?” (Huh…?)
I looked down and saw the round, pink jelly-pads of paws again.
