In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 108

Bellona, whose expression changed in an instant, bowed her head before the Emperor with a face full of fear and recounted the events of that day.

“It was a horrific sight. Knights and nobles who had already died rose again in grotesque forms and attacked us. Even the living seemed to be controlled by someone, out of their minds. Fortunately, His Highness the Crown Prince arrived with the knights, and I was able to survive.”

As expected, the Emperor’s gaze shifted to Impes.

Bellona also looked at Impes with a gentle smile, and he muttered with an awkward grin.

“I was saved by the Grand Duchess too, but she only praises me—it’s a bit embarrassing.”

Seeing Violentia’s face stiffen coldly, Bellona smiled even more brightly on purpose.

Just in case, while the Emperor was taking the antidote, she had ordered Mona to be barred from the Crown Prince’s quarters.

It was a precaution against this very situation, though things had unfolded a little earlier than expected. At first, she was utterly shocked.

Fortunately, Impes looked fine now. However, his mind still held the memories that had been brainwashed into him.

Just like now.

“Your Majesty, I too owe my life to the Grand Duchess. If not for her, it wouldn’t have been just a few fingers—I’d have lost my head. So I beg you in the name of the Crown Prince to overlook her violation of the rules.”

“Crown Prince.”

As if he couldn’t hear his mother’s growling tone, Impes only looked at Bellona with a satisfied smile.

At that moment, Caelus stepped in front of her, shielding her and locking eyes with Impes coldly.

In the suddenly frigid atmosphere, the Emperor finally spoke, “Sit. Let’s eat first.”

Even at the Emperor’s order, the man stood tall without moving. Bellona quickly tugged at his fingertips.

When he finally turned his gaze, she shook her head faintly with a pleading look.

Only then did he move, pulling out a chair for her. She smiled as if thanking him and gently soothed him.

Soon, as if on cue, the food was brought in and the meal began.

Not a sound was heard—the room was silent, broken only by the clink of utensils. Since the Emperor said nothing, everyone ate in silence.

As she placed a grilled mushroom in her mouth, Bellona stifled a dry laugh.

To be seated with these people—it was absurd, yet strangely novel.

The ones who killed her, the man she killed with her own hands, those desperate to kill one another, and the Emperor who had cast out his son only to be killed in the end.

What kind of twisted fate was this?

Bellona glanced at Caelus, who was eating silently.

‘What are you feeling right now?’

Judging by his frosty expression, he still hadn’t gotten over what happened earlier.

Even knowing Impes was not in his right mind, he couldn’t bear even his gaze touching her.

That fact didn’t displease her—but at the same time, it left her uneasy.

She found herself constantly gauging his mood.

She turned her head back—only to lock eyes with a pair of crimson irises.

Impes was staring at her disapprovingly, his gaze fixed.

Bellona coldly turned her eyes away as if dismissing him. She already had no appetite, and seeing his disgusting face made her stomach turn.

Once it flipped, the nausea surged uncontrollably.

She gulped down water and took a deep breath to calm herself.

As she lowered the glass, a large hand gently clasped her pale one.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

She forced a smile as she replied, but she was far from alright. She felt as if she might vomit everything she’d eaten.

All eyes turned to her at once. Bellona fought to steady her breath and wore a composed expression.

Then, clueless as ever, Impes pushed a greasy dish in front of her.

“Grand Duchess, if you don’t like that, try this—”

“Ugh! Uurp!”

Finally, her stomach revolted. Bellona gagged.

Clamping a hand over her mouth, she shot to her feet. She couldn’t hold it in—she rushed out in a panic.

“Bellona!”

She heard Caelus call her name, but she couldn’t stop.

She ran out of the imperial dining hall and grabbed a wooden column in the corridor, retching violently.

Her whole body trembled, her vision whitened. Eventually, as her surroundings blurred, her body tilted to the side.

“Your Grace!”

Just as Net’s voice reached her ears, everything went black.

***

‘What’s going on?’

Blinking her dry eyes, she stared blankly at the hazy view before her when she felt someone tightly holding her hand.

Turning her dazed gaze, she saw a man gripping her hand and bowing his head.

He looked so desperate, as if praying to a god.

Suddenly, the moment before she fainted came back to her.

Not only had she failed to endure and run out, but she had even collapsed.

She hadn’t even had a proper conversation with the Emperor, and now she’d committed a serious blunder. Frustration surged at her own frail condition for ruining such an important matter.

Even so, worried the stress might harm the child, she did her best to control her emotions and calm her heart.

But still—why was this man acting like this?

It was just a brief fainting spell; there was no need for such overreaction.

Letting out a small sigh over the complicated thoughts, he suddenly raised his head.

“Bellona. Are you awake now?”

“Yes, I’m alright now.”

Seeing the deep worry on his face made her feel oddly guilty. But then—what had happened to his face?

He looked so haggard it was like he’d lost weight in just a few days.

Feeling something was off, Bellona looked outside. It was pitch dark. It must be night already.

Still, how could things have changed so much in such a short time?

No way… did His Majesty scold him because of me?

“Your Grace, did something happen?”

As she asked with a worried look, Caelus’s brow furrowed sharply.

As if suppressing a rising emotion, he took a deep breath, shut his eyes tightly, then opened them and muttered something unclear.

“Something did. Something serious.”

“What…”

As her face darkened, he paused for a moment before grumbling in a gloomy voice.

“You’ve been unconscious for two days. Do you know how much it’s been eating me alive?”

Bellona blinked in disbelief.

‘Two days?’

“That’s why I told you not to push yourself!”

Suddenly shouting, he clicked his tongue and cut off his own outburst.

Seeing her confused eyes, he roughly rubbed his face as if washing it and let out another frustrated breath.

Then he hung his head again, sighing over and over.

His strange behavior made Bellona tilt her head.

More than the fact that she’d been unconscious for two days, it was his anxious demeanor that started to worry her.

At last, Caelus seemed to make up his mind and looked at her.

“There’s something bigger. But don’t be too shocked. Just listen.”

His grave expression made hers tense as well.

In an instant, all sorts of bad thoughts flashed through her mind.

Did the Empress find something out? Did Impes discover everything? Did the soothsayers refuse the proposal? Did someone betray them?

Countless ominous thoughts swirled—and then he finally spoke.

But what came out of his mouth was completely unexpected.

“Fortunately, the child is healthy.”

“……”

“Still, it was a close call. So from now on, you need to be careful.”

His voice was so calm that it took her a moment to understand what he meant.

Bellona stared blankly at the man trying hard to maintain a composed expression.

He squeezed her hand tighter.

Suppressing the emotions that threatened to overflow, he spoke again, this time in a steady voice.

“Your body is in a weakened state. You haven’t been eating properly, and you’ve been under constant stress. It’s no wonder.”

Suddenly, a sharp ringing filled her ears. He seemed to be saying something else, but she couldn’t hear it.

Her heart pounded erratically. Her limbs felt numb as if blood no longer flowed, and her vision turned white again.

And amid it all, only one thought surfaced in her mind:

‘He knows. In the end… he found out.’

Her blurred vision rippled. Soon, she felt something damp brush against her ear.

“Bellona!”

She heard his voice, faint and far away—but she simply closed her eyes.