The Game Heroine's Cannon Fodder Leopard Cub - Chapter 3

Before dawn had fully broken the next day, Nora’s eyes fluttered open.

She gazed at the little leopard nestled in her arms, its belly rising and falling with each breath, accompanied by soft snores. A tender smile bloomed on her face.

Reaching out, she gently stroked the leopard’s cheek, earning a harmless scratch from its tiny paw in return.

Carefully setting the little leopard aside, Nora slowly slid out of bed.

Yesterday’s hasty return with the leopard had left her no time to prepare proper food. She had only fed it some fruit that evening.

Pushing open the door, she stepped outside.

Yi’an woke up hungry.

Despite having eaten plenty of fruit the night before, she was still a poor little leopard cub with a growing body.

Just as she was stretching her neck, peering around desperately, Nora returned, carrying a bowl as big as Yi’an’s head.

“Awake already, Little Leopard? Come eat.”

Nora walked to the bed and lifted Yi’an onto the table.

“It’s goat’s milk,” Nora explained, perhaps sensing the leopard’s confusion as she stroked its head. “I asked Aya to go to the market early and buy some. It’s been boiled and cooled down, so you can drink it safely, little one.”

Yi’an wasn’t worried about the quality of the milk; she trusted Nora wouldn’t offer anything subpar.

But how was she supposed to drink this massive bowl?

She wasn’t a real leopard, and she certainly didn’t want to end up with milk smeared all over her face, only to have to wash it off with her paws.

Meow, meow, meow, meow!

“Hmm? You don’t want to drink it now?”

Meow! Meow~ Meow!

“Little Leopard, I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

Yi’an stared at Nora’s bewildered expression, suddenly struck by an idea.

She awkwardly shuffled over to Nora on her newly discovered paws, lifted a front paw to rest on Nora’s hand, then nudged her head forward and gently nibbled on Nora’s finger.

Nora paused, then her eyes lit up with understanding.

She instructed her maid, Aya, to bring a spoon and tentatively asked, “Little Leopard, do you want me to feed you?”

Meow!

Yi’an nodded her leopard head vigorously.

A faint smile touched Nora’s lips.

She lifted the Little Leopard back to the bowl, scooped up a spoonful of goat milk, and held it to Yi’an’s mouth. Yi’an opened her mouth and slurped the milk down in one gulp, not even getting a drop on her whiskers.

Spoon after spoon, the bowl was emptied in no time.

After Nora finished wiping Yi’an’s face with a small handkerchief, Yi’an sprawled contentedly on the table, her mouth occasionally smacking.

“Full now, Little Glutton?”

Meow~

“Then let’s go.”

Before Yi’an could respond, Nora scooped her up and strode out.

Yi’an’s mind buzzed with questions, but seeing Nora’s hurried pace, she refrained from meowing.

Just think of it as a trip outside, she thought. Since transmigrating, I’ve been either in the forest or indoors, never truly seeing this world.

It wasn’t until they crossed the second gate that Yi’an finally realized where they were:

Rose Castle.

The castle where the Grand Duke of Lancaster resided with his family and conducted state affairs.

Following Nora’s gaze, Yi’an noticed they were heading toward the tallest palace. If she remembered correctly, that must be the main hall of Rose Castle, where the Grand Duke convened with the council, conducted official business, and hosted banquets.

Is Nora taking me to meet Grand Duchess Charlotte?

Because Nora’s chambers were close to the main palace, Yi’an was ushered into the towering hall before she could fully process the thought.

Even knowing that Rose Castle was designed to be exceptionally opulent, Yi’an couldn’t help but gape the moment she stepped into the main hall.

It’s… it’s too magnificent!

The palace ceiling was covered in vibrant frescoes, and the skylights were inlaid with stained glass. The walls were intricately carved with countless sculptures. From the entrance to the depths of the hall, every walkable surface was covered in colorful wool carpets.

Yi’an peered forward and saw a tall woman standing beside a round table directly opposite the main entrance.

Unlike most women, she wasn’t wearing a long dress but a Rococo-style ensemble: a long black embroidered coat over a matching white waistcoat, knee-length black breeches, white stockings, and polished black leather boots. A dark red cane rested in her left hand.

This striking attire left no doubt in Yi’an’s mind about the woman’s identity.

The mistress of Rose Castle, the supreme ruler of the Duchy of Lancaster—Charlotte Lancaster.

“What are you standing there for? Come here,” Grand Duchess Charlotte said, stepping forward before Nora could approach.

Emerging from the shadows, Yi’an finally saw the face of the Rose Duke, the legendary warrior of the game’s lore.

Nora looked remarkably like her mother.

The only difference was Charlotte’s height, towering at around 185 centimeters.

Yi’an craned her neck, feeling like it might snap.

Nora glanced down and saw the little leopard in her arms pushing herself up, stretching her neck to peer upward with wide-eyed curiosity.

She lifted the leopard higher by the rump.

Charlotte lowered her gaze to the creature in her daughter’s arms, her tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxing.

“Is this the little leopard you’ve been searching for?”

“Yes,” Nora replied, cradling the leopard closer.

Though small, the leopard’s weight was already making her arm ache.

Charlotte showed little interest in the animal, seeming more relieved that her daughter had finally achieved her goal.

She quickly shifted her gaze and pulled Nora over to a nearby sofa.

“I called you here to discuss Demon God Baal.”

“Baal?”

“Wasn’t he banished by Aunt Sophia ten years ago?”

“That’s what should have happened. But Sophia recently saw dark spots in her crystal ball.” Charlotte’s brow furrowed again. “Baal is cunning. I suspect he split off a fragment of his soul during the chaos and fled into hiding.”

Yi’an pricked up her ears.

In the game, the world began with the assassination of Grand Duchess Charlotte. How Charles II was seduced by Baal, how Charlotte discovered Baal’s plot, and who Sophia—a character never mentioned in the game—was, these were all background details, naturally not elaborated upon in the game’s lore.

To put it another way, from the moment Yi’an transmigrated, the Cisse Continent ceased to be a blank canvas.

It was as if a parallel world had sprung to life.

After listening to her mother’s explanation, Nora pursed her lips slightly, gazing at the remarkably intelligent Little Leopard nestled in her lap, a faint glint of determination flickering in her eyes.

She looked up at the fine lines at the corners of her mother’s eyes and asked, “So, we have a lead now?”

Charlotte, surprised by her daughter’s keen perception, nodded. “Viscount Byrd sent a letter saying traces of Dark Magic have been discovered in the highlands bordering the Cisse Royal Domain and Lancaster.”

“I want you to investigate.”

Nora’s eyes widened in astonishment, as if she couldn’t believe her mother had said such a thing.

Charlotte’s expression remained unchanged as she met her daughter’s gaze.

“You’re nineteen now. As the sole heir to Lancaster, I can’t keep you sheltered in a greenhouse forever.”

She lowered her head, her gaze falling on her left foot, crippled in the battle against Baal a decade ago.

“I’ll have Sophia accompany you. She’ll assist you with any problems you encounter.”

Back in her chambers, Yi’an struggled to piece together the fragments of information.

Nora was already nineteen, less than a year away from Grand Duchess Charlotte’s death in the game’s lore. Yet Sophia was completely absent from this historical context. Considering Nora’s plan to have Sophia accompany her to investigate Dark Magic, Yi’an suspected this very investigation might lead to Sophia’s misfortune—perhaps even serving as one of the sparks that ignited Charlotte’s assassination.

The realization sent a jolt of panic through Yi’an.

Sophia must not go!

She was likely a crucial element in altering the established narrative.

Yi’an immediately began wriggling, desperate to warn Nora.

Noticing her restless movements, Nora placed her on the table and sat down in a chair, facing her directly.

“What’s wrong, Little Leopard?”

Yi’an clawed at Nora’s sleeve with all her might.

“You don’t want me to investigate?”

Yi’an shook her head vigorously. Seeing Nora’s puzzled expression, she paused, then extended a paw to poke Nora, nodding emphatically. She then nudged her head toward the door and scratched a large X on the table.

“Hmm… you want me to go, but you don’t want Aunt Sophia to come along?”

Seeing that Nora had correctly interpreted her abstract gestures, Yi’an immediately nodded vigorously, abandoning her earlier plan to gradually reveal her identity.

She stretched out her front paws, clinging to Nora’s chest, and stared up at her with wide eyes, mewing insistently.

“You want to come with me?”

Mew!

Nora couldn’t help but smile, though she was also a little exasperated. She gently pried off the Little Leopard’s clinging paws and smoothed out the wrinkles in her shirt.

“Let me think about it.”

Mew?

Yi’an froze in confusion.

Had Nora been so easily persuaded? Why hadn’t she asked why?

Nora didn’t miss the little creature’s stunned expression. The corners of her eyes crinkled with amusement.

If she had only suspected before, this exchange had confirmed her suspicions: the Little Leopard was no ordinary animal.

That meant she definitely needed to keep it close and continue observing it carefully.

As for Aunt Sophia…

She had been looking for an excuse to decline anyway.

Compared to her own robust health, her mother, who had been left with a limp in her left leg due to Baal’s influence, needed Sophia’s companionship far more.

There was no need to burden Little Leopard with these convoluted details.

Yi’an was still lost in thought when a hand suddenly reached through her small belly, lifting her into the air and carrying her to another room.

As soon as she entered, she saw a large basin filled with steaming water. Before she could react, half her body was submerged.

Meow!

Leopard Brand Yi’an couldn’t suppress her feline instincts. She instinctively flailed her four short paws, struggling desperately while meowing loudly.

“Help! Help! They’re going to kill the leopard!”

Nora watched the Little Leopard thrashing like a fish on a chopping board, a smile tugging at her lips. She wiped the splashed water from her face with her shoulder and firmly gripped the leopard’s limbs, continuing to lower her into the water.

“Be good, Little Leopard. You haven’t had a bath in days. Enjoy a nice soak while it’s warm this morning.”

Yi’an knew her fur was dirty and matted. She refused to groom herself, so a bath was necessary. But this time, the leopard’s body wouldn’t obey her commands.

Still, how could a mere creature resist a determined human? In no time, she was transformed into a tiny, waterlogged leopard, instantly shrinking in size.

“Ah, that feels so good.”

Once in the water, Yi’an regained control of her body. She paddled with her four tiny paws, splashing and swimming across the surface, her belly fur drifting with the current.

Before she could fully enjoy her bath, Nora suddenly dunked her head underwater.

Glug glug glug! The entire leopard was forced to submerge!

Nora held the little leopard underwater for a moment, soaking her fur thoroughly. Then, she lifted her out by the scruff of her neck and placed her on a stool beside the basin. After lathering up some soap, she began scrubbing the little leopard’s entire body.

“Sorry, Little Leopard, but your head needs a good wash too. I just changed the sheets today, you know.”

Actually, being scrubbed felt quite pleasant, like getting a spa treatment.

Hearing Nora call her dirty, Yi’an suddenly fell silent. Her little face, hidden beneath her fur, flushed slightly. Flipping through her original leopard’s memories, she realized she hadn’t been bathed since birth.

Poor Nora, she thought. Not only did she let me sleep on her bed, but she even waited until it was warm during the day to give me a bath.

“Meow~”

Yi’an was deeply moved.

Nora gently held the little leopard’s purring, nuzzling head, suppressing a smile. “So, you know you dirtied the sheets?”

Meow meow meow meow~

“No pretending to be cute.”

“…Aiya, don’t rub against me, you soggy leopard!”