Fostering the Male Lead

“Nanabi, how do you know it was the Empress who turned His Highness into a wolf?”

“I’m not sure, but I have a guess. It seems that she has developed something new out of the poison she gave to His Highness.”

“Is it poison again?”

“No. I think it is the mana stones this time. They caused a strange reaction when His Highness entered the palace, so she must have installed them all over the palace.”

Nanabi sighed heavily. My mind raced as I processed the new information. Although the setting changes due to various variables, this world maintains the basic fundamental course.

Therefore, the Empress must have tried to turn Sihael into a wolf in the original plot as well. However, it was not mentioned in the original story.

What if Liliana had stopped the incident from occurring? Maybe that’s why it wasn’t mentioned at all.

‘Then it would be even more dangerous. Without Liliana, the empress could do this over and over again.’

I hadn’t taken it seriously until now, but Liliana’s absence had become too significant to ignore. Disturbed, I hugged Sihael’s neck tightly.

“I hate to say this because it hurts my pride, but I can’t keep up with the Empress in this field,” Nanabi, who had buried her face in her lap, cried out.

‘Yeah, I too am really struggling to keep up with this.’

If Nanabi felt at a loss because of the empress, I felt shameless because of Liliana.

I was heartbroken that I, who didn’t even know the letter ‘M’ of magic, couldn’t help Sihael no matter how hard I tried.

‘No, I can help him.’

All I have to do is find Liliana and make way for her as soon as possible. Having set my goal once again, I shook away my complicated thoughts.

“Nanabi, don’t worry too much. You are a great wizard.”

Nanabi raised her head and looked at me with sad eyes when I comforted her.

“That’s right. I am a genius and I can’t break down like this.”

Her eyes blazed with rage and zeal for research.

“My Lady, may I seek His Highness’ permission for something? Before the empress does anything, I want to investigate the surroundings.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

“Woof!”

After obtaining Sihael’s permission, Nanabi jumped up and clenched her fists.

“Thank you. I’ll be back in thirty minutes!”

I waved my hand at the running Nanabi. Following me, Sihael also waved his paw at her.

* * *

After seeing off Nanabi, I threw off my tight shoes and lay down on the sofa. Then Sihael, who was following me, also threw himself on the sofa.

He didn’t even consider his massive stature. His butt almost landed on my head.

“Your Highness, I almost got crushed, so please be careful.”

Then Sihael tickled my cheek with his tail as if he was aware of what he did. I felt at ease when my entire body was buried in Sihael’s fur, as if I had found my home in my heart.

I was always on edge after arriving in the capital, but now I felt extremely relaxed and drowsy.

‘No, I shouldn’t doze off.’

The drowsiness persisted even when I pinched my thighs or bit the soft flesh in my mouth.

It can’t go on like this. Now that I am in charge of protecting Sihael, I could not leave him for the lands of dreams. I raised my body and opened my eyes wide.

“Your Highness, please hit me once.”

A slap on the cheek from Sihael’s strong tail would bring me back to my senses. However, Sihael did not understand my words and tilted his head.

If we can’t communicate with words, then we can communicate using body language.

“With this, like this. All right? Please hit me hard enough to wake me up.”

I grabbed his tail and pretended to slap me on the cheek. Maybe he finally understood, Sihael’s eyes twinkled as if he were telling me to trust him.

“Come on, hit me!”

When I closed my eyes and shouted, I felt his fur brush against  my cheek.

‘It’s coming…’

Kiss~

“What?”

When I opened my eyes, there was silver hair all over my field of vision. What’s going on here? The unexpected development made my shoulders shrug.

I’m awake, but this isn’t right.

“I asked for a slap on the cheek, not a kiss…”

Sihael didn’t listen to me even when I grabbed his tail and shook it.

Kiss, kiss, kiss.

The tip of my lips slowly relaxed and twitched at the relentless onslaught of kisses. I, who initially grumbled at Sihael’s thief-like kisses, eventually fell for his cuteness.

“You’re so cute.”

If I died right now, the most likely cause of death would be a heart attack.

I grabbed my throbbing heart and crouched down. Then Sihael, restless, tapped my head with his nose.

“Woof! Woof! Awwooo-.”

Oh, I couldn’t take it any longer, so I reached out towards Sihael, who was running around me.

“Woof?”

“How can you be so cute!”

I grabbed his face and pouted my lips. Sihael blinked when my lips touched his cheek. I showered kisses on Sihael’s face, from his head to his cheeks, even his nose and mouth.

Surprised by the non-stop shower of kisses, Sihael looked at me in a state of fascination. He looked so cute while blinking his eyes in a daze.