The Game Heroine's Cannon Fodder Leopard Cub - Chapter 2

Nora watched the little leopardess first appear thoughtful, then widen her eyes, and finally bristle with alarm. Puzzled, she cradled the leopardess by the armpits, facing her directly, and stared intently into her gray-green eyes.

“What’s wrong? Do you recognize me?”

How else could she explain the leopardess’s intense reaction to hearing her name? Nora felt her mind filling with question marks, though her expression remained neutral.

But Yi’an was no ordinary person. Aside from not being involved in the art design, she had essentially created the female protagonist, Nora, from scratch, piece by piece. She was certain no one understood Nora better than she did. Therefore, Nora had undoubtedly sensed something was amiss with the little leopardess.

Yi’an inwardly groaned. In the game, Nora was merely meant to be a guide to the storyline, with players responsible for uncovering the specific clues themselves.

Who could have predicted that the real Nora would be able to glean so many subtle hints from a furry leopard face? Yi’an felt as if the plot had become a runaway wild horse, galloping off in an unpredictable direction.

Nora’s suspicious gaze locked onto Yi’an’s eyes, startling her into instinctively pricking up her little leopard ears. She immediately began meowing frantically, purring and rubbing against Nora’s hand.

“Forget it,” Nora muttered. “I’ll just play it cute for now and figure it out later.”

Nora looked down at the little leopard, inexplicably sensing a fawning attitude in that small face.

She pinched the leopard’s nose with her fingertip, muttering to herself, “I must be going crazy.”

Nora decided to postpone further investigation. After all, the most likely explanation was that the little leopard had overheard something while wandering the streets. After all, she was practically a household name in Lancaster. Besides, even if the leopard was unusually intelligent, it couldn’t possibly have such complex thoughts.

“Alright, alright,” she said, hooking her finger under the leopard’s chin. “If you’re well-rested, you can go down now. I made you a little den over there.”

Following Nora’s gesture, Yi’an’s lips twitched involuntarily.

The “leopard den” was little more than a hastily sewn soft cushion made of fabric and cotton, without even a blanket for cover.

Yi’an didn’t want it.

Yi’an refused.

Nora watched the little leopard stand up, stretch its neck, glance at the leopard den, and then immediately turn its head to meow at her.

“You don’t want to sleep in the leopard den?”

Yi’an nodded vigorously.

She was somewhat surprised. Could this little creature, raised in the wild, really be so particular about comfort?

“That’s not allowed,” Nora said firmly, gently stroking Yi’an’s head. “You’re too small. If you sleep in my bed, you might get crushed.”

Yi’an froze, having never considered that possibility. After all, Nora’s bed was huge. She desperately wanted to explain that she wouldn’t get crushed, but when she opened her mouth, only meows came out.

Yi’an: “……”

Pfft— Watching the little leopard meow excitedly, as if arguing her case, Nora couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

The room was quiet, and Yi’an’s sharp ears caught every note of that mocking laughter.

She pounded the bed in protest, but all that came out were more meows.

Yi’an was furious.

Before Nora’s eyes, the little leopard puffed up its fur and darted under the covers in a flash, leaving only a small tail twitching outside. After a moment, a paw reached out and pulled the tail back in.

The blanket wriggled a few times, and two small ears poked out, replacing the tail that had been visible earlier.

Nora watched the little leopard, who seemed determined to defend its territory on the bed to the death. She shook her head helplessly. Fine, my sleeping habits aren’t perfect either. I’ll just have to be more careful when I sleep.

Instead of trying to reason with the leopard, she simply straightened the blanket, freeing the little leopard’s head from its cocoon.

Yi’an inhaled the sun-warmed scent of the bedding, stretching luxuriously. She raised her front paws, splaying her toes like blooming flowers as she arched her back in a long, lazy stretch.

This is too comfortable.

Watching Nora tidy up and leave, Yi’an rolled over and settled onto her stomach, her mind already immersed in analyzing the game’s settings.

Nora still looked quite young, probably no older than twenty. In the game, Grand Duchess Charlotte had died on her twentieth birthday.

There’s still time.

Besides, the original leopard had been a naive cub, giving Baal the opportunity to exploit her. Now that her consciousness had been replaced, things would be different.

With this thought, Yi’an flipped over again, her paw instinctively rising to her mouth to groom her face.

Before she could start licking, she suddenly realized what she was doing. The entire leopard froze in horror. The instincts of a big cat are terrifying!

Yi’an absolutely refused to wash her face with her own saliva.

To avoid unconsciously smearing her face with saliva, she shifted her position again, tucking both paws completely under her belly.

Nora entered the room to find the little leopard sprawled on the bed in a bizarre, contorted pose, its chin pressed against the mattress.

She crouched beside the bed, gazing at the curled-up creature, and couldn’t resist pinching one of its trembling ears. The external stimulus caused the little animal’s ears to twitch dramatically, and the leopard’s owner immediately lifted its head.

Recognizing the intruder, Yi’an sat up and bared her tiny, pointed milk teeth at Nora, looking for all the world like a kitten trying to appear fierce.

Nora lowered her head, gazing at the excessively adorable little leopard. Her heart ached with the urge to pet it, but she restrained herself, fearing she might upset the little creature again.

Since transforming into a leopard, even her ears had become hypersensitive. Despite her attempts to dodge, Nora’s annoying hand kept finding its mark, prompting Yi’an to instinctively issue a toothy warning.

She felt a pang of annoyance. Ever since transmigrating into a leopard cub, she couldn’t help but adopt the habits of a small animal.

After baring her teeth, the little leopard let out a heavy sigh and tilted her head, Nora’s curiosity surging anew.

“Are you really just a little leopard?”

Yi’an lifted her head and stared into Nora’s lake-blue eyes, her mind in turmoil.

Should I act more casual around her? But that would definitely reveal I’m no ordinary animal. If Grand Duchess Charlotte found out, would she immediately assume I’m possessed by Baal?

Seeing the little leopard staring blankly at her, Nora’s confusion deepened.

But since the leopard wouldn’t respond, what could she do? She’d just have to wait and see. Given enough time, she’d naturally uncover the truth.

Yi’an breathed a sigh of relief when Nora stopped pressing her after a few seconds of eye contact.

Nora truly is the “daughter” I created. Though she’s endlessly curious about the world, she’s not driven by emotion. Yi’an was certain Nora hadn’t abandoned her pursuit of the truth; she simply preferred to let it unfold naturally.

Still, buying herself some time was crucial. She needed to observe the situation carefully.

With her mind at ease, Yi’an felt her body relax. Just as she was about to lie down, she glanced up, and her pupils dilated in shock.

Nora had shed her elaborate gown, now wearing only a sleeveless nightgown. Her hair, which had somehow come undone, cascaded softly over her bare shoulders and the wide neckline of her gown.

Stripped of her ornate attire, Nora looked to Yi’an like a radiant saintess.

Yi’an struggled to tear her gaze away, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

Ahhh! A seductive leopardess!

Nora bent down to remove her white stockings when she suddenly realized there was still a small creature in the room.

Straightening up, she saw the little creature sitting on the bed, its front paws covering its eyes, though one paw was slightly ajar, revealing a narrow slit.

A flash of insight struck Nora, and her eyes narrowed slightly.

“Little leopard, are you a boy or a girl?”

Yi’an froze, watching Nora approach. Sensing imminent danger, she let out a frantic meow.

“I’m a girl! A girl! Don’t come any closer!”

But now Nora seemed to have forgotten how to understand her.

With long strides, she reached the bed in a few steps, grabbed Yi’an by the scruff of her neck, and lifted her into the air.

“Let me give you a little check-up.”

Panic was written all over Yi’an’s face as her four small paws frantically struggled, but she couldn’t pry open the grip on her neck.

“Help!”

“My leopard body is innocent!”

Nora supported the little leopard’s rump, ignoring her mewling protests, and firmly pulled apart her hind legs.

“So you’re a cute little female leopard, huh?”

As soon as she was released, Yi’an curled up in a corner, motionless, even tucking her tail under her belly, completely ignoring Nora’s sweet talk.

Seeing the little creature huddled dejectedly, Nora felt a pang of guilt.

She sat on the bed, leaned closer to Yi’an, and gently poked her head. When Yi’an showed no reaction, Nora softened her tone. “I’m sorry, little leopard.”

Yi’an buried her face in her paws, utterly mortified.

As if “sorry” makes it okay!

She had been single for over twenty years, avoiding public bathhouses in school and saunas at work. Even at the beach, she wore a super-conservative, full-coverage swimsuit!

Waaah! My innocence is gone!

Yi’an was heartbroken, letting out pitiful mewls.

Nora felt flustered. She hadn’t expected such a dramatic reaction from simply checking the leopard’s gender.

“Aiya, who told you to look so lecherous just now? I’m very conservative, you know.”

Yi’an lifted her tear-streaked face, meowing at Nora and pressing her paw against her cheek.

“You’re so beautiful, and I’ve never seen anything like it before! I was just genuinely surprised!”

“I even covered my face!”

“And you invaded my privacy!”

Nora let Yi’an nuzzle against her cheek and meow her grievances. Once the little leopard had calmed down slightly, Nora scooped her up and cradled her in her arms.

She lowered her head and pressed kisses to Yi’an’s fluffy forehead and wet nose.

“Alright, alright, don’t be sad anymore. I promise I won’t pry into your privacy again.”

“Okay? Hmm? Little leopard.”

“If you don’t say anything, I’ll take that as a yes.”

Then, Nora cupped Yi’an’s chin and began gently scratching it in a rhythmic motion.

Yi’an initially refused to acknowledge her, but the primal instincts of a small animal proved too strong. She couldn’t resist tilting her head, squinting her emerald-green eyes, and purring contentedly.

By the time Yi’an realized what was happening, she was already kneading Nora’s lap with her paws, her face flushing crimson—thankfully hidden by her thick fur.

She bared her teeth briefly, then finally decided to give up.

“Even the fiercest hero falls before the beauty of a maiden!”

Having finally soothed the little one, Nora let out a sigh of relief.

With one arm cradling the cub, she lifted the blanket with her other hand and climbed into bed. Once settled, she let the cub snuggle against her chest and pulled the covers over them both.

Yi’an lay perfectly still, especially her two front paws.

“Too… too soft,” the little leopard murmured, her cheeks flushed.

Nora, unable to see the cub’s reddened face through her thick fur, watched the little one lying so obediently and felt her heart melt like water. She lowered her head and kissed the cub’s forehead again.

“Good night, little leopard.”

Yi’an remained silent.

After a long while, just as Nora was drifting off to sleep, she faintly heard a soft voice from her chest.

“Meow~”

In her dream-haze, Nora’s lips curved into a gentle smile.