In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 111

Is something seriously broken in his head?

Seeing her son smiling like he owned the world, Violentia could no longer even force a laugh.

“Your Highness, what are you—”

The moment Graeme opened his mouth, Impes quickly cut him off.

“Are your ears clogged? I just said it—Bellona is carrying my child, so don’t even think about doing anything stupid.”

Graeme, glaring at Impes like he was pathetic, turned to Violentia with a worried expression.

She froze for a moment at the unbelievable claim. She knew it couldn’t be true, yet an unpleasant doubt clung to her.

“Mother, so just keep that in mind—”

“Do you have proof?”

At her cold voice, Impes gave a mocking laugh.

“Come on, would I lie about something like that?”

Judging by the confident look in his eyes, it didn’t seem to be a delusion or bluff.

“Your Highness, did you sleep with the Grand Duchess—”

Graeme tried to interject again, only for Impes to glare at him with eyes full of contempt.

“How dare you, mutt. Who do you think you are to question a royal’s bedchamber? Acting cocky just because my mother dotes on you—you really don’t know your place.”

“…My apologies.”

Graeme’s face flushed red as he bowed his head. But even as she watched, Violentia said nothing.

She was too preoccupied by the shock of Impes’s claim to pay him any mind.

“If you get it, then scram.”

Even as Impes’s behavior grew increasingly outrageous, Graeme could only bow in silence.

Just as he clenched his trembling fist and turned to leave, Impes muttered a low curse.

“Disgusting bastard.”

His foot, which had barely taken a step, froze again.

As he forced himself to move with a clenched jaw, Violentia called out.

“Marquis Graeme.”

“…Yes, Your Majesty.”

He turned around with a stiff expression. As he lifted his head, she looked at him with a face full of concern.

Just as he was about to let out a breath he’d been holding, she gave a cold command.

“Put that previous order on hold.”

“……!”

“Focus on other matters until I give you the next instruction.”

‘Is that all? Even now, all she gives me are commands.’

She had clearly heard Impes’s out-of-line remarks, yet she didn’t reprimand her son.

Worse, she still treated Graeme like a hunting dog.

Normally, he wouldn’t have cared—but today was different.

The unbearable humiliation made his whole body shake, and the woman who didn’t even notice his distress felt even more detestable.

Unable to hide his expression, he turned his gaze—only to meet Impes’s eyes, twisted into a mocking grin.

The sneer on his face felt like being doused in filth. Graeme’s rage flared; he wanted to crush that smug face with his own hands.

Then Impes silently mouthed the words:

‘Get lost.’

Just as Graeme’s eyes were about to snap with fury, Violentia’s sharp voice snapped him back to reality.

“You may leave now, Marquis.”

Steeling himself, he gave a cold bow and left the room without hesitation.

“Crown Prince, come sit.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Hearing her softened tone from outside the door, he scowled and left the Empress’s quarters.

***

“You said the Marquis didn’t look right?”

“Yes, Your Grace. Not long after the Crown Prince entered the Empress’s quarters, the Marquis came out looking furious. I’ve never seen him like that before, so I thought it best to report.”

Seeing Bellona’s face harden, Nobert trailed off.

After a moment of silence, Caelus spoke calmly as usual.

“Impes must’ve been up to his usual nasty tricks.”

‘No. Graeme isn’t the type to show emotion over something so petty.’

After thinking it over, Bellona gave Nobert a new order. “Follow the Marquis. I want to know everywhere he goes, who he meets, even the smallest things. Find out everything.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

As he quickly left, she turned to Net. “Ask Mona what happened in there.”

“Yes.”

Net swiftly left the office as well.

Drumming her fingers on the armrest, she asked Akon, “Are the knights going out every night?”

“Yes. They’re carrying out your orders well.”

Finally, her tense expression began to ease.

Watching her worriedly, Caelus gently took her hand.

“You should rest.”

“I’m alright. The medicine’s working well, and I don’t feel dizzy.”

“What about food? You barely ate this morning. Anything you’re craving?”

“Nothing in particular yet.”

Akon’s brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the two.

More than the news of her pregnancy, what shocked him more was how unusually fussy his lord had become.

He had served Caelus for so long, but truly, he had never imagined seeing him like this.

A man who once showed not the slightest interest in women—enough to make one worry he might be impotent—had suddenly declared he’d marry a low-ranking knight, leaving everyone stunned. And now, he was acting like a complete fool in love.

At this point, Akon was starting to question whether this was really the same lord he had always known.

“S-Sir Akon.”

Still staring blankly at Caelus, Akon snapped to attention at the sharp glint in his eyes.

Sensing the heavy silence, he looked between the two cautiously. Caelus clicked his tongue and scolded:

“Where do you think you are, letting your mind drift during a meeting? Didn’t you hear the Grand Duchess calling you?”

“Ah… yes, Your Grace.”

Startled, Akon cast a resentful glance at the man who only ever acted cold to him, then turned to Bellona.

“Please find someone for me.”

“Someone…? Who…”

“A very beautiful and seductive woman.”

“Pardon?”

His eyes widened as he looked at Caelus, who also wore a puzzled expression, clearly unsure what she meant.

Despite the curiosity in both men’s gazes, Bellona simply gave more specific instructions instead of an explanation.

“She should have silver hair and red eyes. Most importantly, she needs to know how to charm men. Elegant yet playful, aloof yet with a pure side—that would be ideal.”

The elaborate request made Akon frown.

Then Caelus guessed correctly. “Are you looking for someone who resembles the Empress?”

“Yes.”

At the sudden mention of the Empress, Akon blinked in surprise. Still not understanding, Bellona kindly even specified where to look.

“Search among high-end courtesans. If that fails, try the brothels. I don’t care about background or profession—just find someone who looks like the Empress.”

A courtesan who resembles the Empress?

Unable to hold back his curiosity, Akon asked what she was up to.

“May I ask what this is for?”

“To comfort the marquis’s broken heart.”

“Pardon?”

Suddenly, she gave a sly smile. “I don’t know the full story, but I think… Marquis Graeme had a falling-out with the Empress.”

“The marquis and the Empress had a spat?”

There had been only one time in the past.

He had once seen Graeme genuinely angry. A man who had always followed Violentia’s every word to the point of death had, for the first time, shown discontent toward her.

It had left a lasting impression on Bellona because she couldn’t understand what had caused it.

“How do you think a lowborn knight would feel falling in love with a noble lady he serves?”

At her sudden question, Akon and Caelus exchanged glances.

“Happy, maybe?”

“That’s how I can tell you’ve never experienced it.”

At Akon’s naive answer, Caelus shook his head with a scoff.

Akon, lips curling in annoyance, stared at his lord with a rebellious look, as if daring him to answer better.

“He’d be afraid. Always anxious. If the head of the house found out, he’d be as good as dead. And he’d never know when the lady might discard him, so not a moment of peace.”

When Bellona nodded in agreement, Akon frowned and turned away sharply.

Finding Caelus smugly lifting his chin like he’d nailed the answer, she let out a soft laugh.

Then, her smile fading, Bellona asked another question, as if seeking understanding.

“Then what if his status changes, and the lady continues to rely only on him—what would he think then?”

“He’d grow arrogant. He’d start to think he was her equal. Maybe even superior.”

Somehow, that made sense to her.

Still, it was something her upright mind struggled to fully comprehend.

No matter how close, a subordinate thinking himself equal to his lord? That didn’t sit right.

Tilting her head, she asked one final question. “Then what if the lady he thought was his suddenly leaned on someone else instead?”

“He’d be furious. Feel betrayed. Maybe even like he’d been abandoned.”

As Caelus finished, Bellona’s green eyes lit up with inspiration.

Just then, Akon widened his eyes and asked, “Then does that mean the Empress is leaning on someone else besides the marquis now? And that’s why he’s angry? Wait—who?”

“We’ll find out soon enough. Either way, we need to bring in a woman who looks like the Empress. If we’re lucky, we might be able to break their connection for good.”

An unexpected opportunity had come.