The Cat Who Weeps in the Dark - Chapter 40

Originally, Helion’s guard shifts operated in three rotations: morning, afternoon, and night. To account for the fatigue caused by changing shifts, guards couldn’t skip two shifts at once—they had to move to the next time slot sequentially.

Fortunately, Katie had just finished her night shift last time and was transitioning to the morning shift. So, to return to night duty, she had to go through the afternoon shift first.

This bought her a few days’ time.

Cheche, aware of Helion’s interest in Katie, quietly silenced the knights’ murmurs.

‘Why has Dame Katie suddenly been assigned permanent night duty?’

‘There are circumstances. It’s His Highness’s order, so don’t ask questions. Unless you want to get hurt.’

Though the knights couldn’t hide their curiosity, they kept their mouths shut. None approached Katie with unnecessary questions.

Of course, just because they stayed quiet didn’t mean they weren’t thinking something. But Katie had no reason to care about that.

‘I should get out soon.’

Katie brushed her wet hair—clinging stubbornly to her face—behind her ears and glared at the door.

Part of her wanted to stay in this bathtub forever. Because the moment she stepped out, she’d have to truly attend to him at night.

But she couldn’t. No matter how twisted his motives were, her official duty was still ‘guard duty.’

Assassins didn’t rest just because it was night. So she had to finish her bath quickly and go out to protect Helion. Though, judging by how he’d given her time to bathe, it seemed he didn’t actually care much about the guarding part.

‘Don’t overthink it. Just treat this as torture. For the sake of hiding my identity, there’s no pain I can’t endure.’

Guarding a man who deserved death ten times over, even offering her body to him—it was all just another duty for her country. Thinking that way eased the horror in her heart, if only slightly.

Katie meticulously dried herself with a towel before putting on her uniform. The button that had been torn off before had already been perfectly repaired.

She fastened her shirt buttons and, only after securing the final jacket button up to her neck, finally stepped out of the bathroom.

“Your Highness, I have returned.”

Helion was already sprawled across the bed. It was less an act of lying down and more one of melting into the sheets.

Nobles were taught to sleep neatly, maintaining decorum even in rest. Yet here was a man—a crown prince, no less—who insisted on lounging like this every time.

“Come here, Katie.”

Helion lifted his head from where it had been buried in the blankets and looked at her.

Katie hesitated for a moment before stepping toward him. The instant she got close to the bed, he grabbed her wrist and yanked her down.

She didn’t resist. She simply let herself be pulled, tumbling onto the bed face-first.

“How unusually obedient. Did you compose yourself there?”

Helion’s voice was laced with amusement. Katie didn’t answer.

“But if you were going to be this compliant, you should’ve at least fixed that look in your eyes first.”

He raised a hand and brushed his fingers along her eyelid. His touch was cold against her face, still warm from the long bath. Her shoulders instinctively tensed.

It was less like human body heat and more like the chill of a reptile. How could anyone be this cold?

Now that she thought about it, his body had always been like this. Even when he was aroused, watching her in heat, the hands that caressed her were always cool.

That cold sensation against her feverish skin—it drove her mad every time. Like craving cold water when overheated, her burning body kept seeking his touch. But the moment she got it, she was only engulfed in an even fiercer heat.

Wait. What am I even thinking?

Katie startled at her own thoughts. How could she—even for a second—think of wanting the man she loathed? She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, using the pain to smother her disgust.

“What Your Highness wants is to spend a night with me, isn’t it? If you’re going to do it, then stop dragging it out and get it over with.”

“Seems you’ve misunderstood our deal. Did I ever specify one night?”

“You didn’t, but it’s a transaction that ends once your curiosity runs out, isn’t it? I doubt that curiosity will last long.”

Helion’s eyes narrowed at the accurate jab. He’d been thinking the same thing, but hearing it from her lips left a bitter taste.

‘You’ll get bored once you’ve had me. Just hurry up and be done with it.’

Was that what she was saying?

“I didn’t realize you were so eager to satisfy my curiosity. I should’ve just laid you flat the moment you stepped into my room—no need to give you time to prepare yourself.”

Time to prepare? Katie glanced back at the bathroom.