In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 119

Just as Caelus was pulling out tea leaves for her, Count Louvre suddenly threw himself to the ground before them.

“Please spare me. I will do anything Your Grace commands.”

“I have no need for the power of a mere count,” Caelus replied indifferently to the desperate plea, carefully brewing the tea.

Soon, he placed a cup before Bellona and even offered a gentle smile, as if to tell her to drink it slowly.

The count, who had been silently observing, now changed his target.

And what he offered was unexpected.

“Our family will construct a palace for Her Grace the Grand Duchess.”

At last, he succeeded in catching Caelus’s interest, which had previously ignored him. His words were tantamount to declaring loyalty to place Caelus on the throne—how could that not be tempting?

Riding the momentum, the count presented an offer they could not refuse.

“I will gather the scattered noble factions and support Your Grace in reclaiming your rightful position. I will also take the lead in eliminating those lawless traitors, starting with the Empress’s family, to prove my loyalty.”

“The Empress would be quite disappointed to hear that.”

“The Empress? Such a vulgar woman doesn’t deserve a noble title like that.”

As the count fervently listed his pledges, Caelus let out a soft chuckle.

So cunning.

But nobles were such creatures to begin with—there was no use blaming them.

All one had to do was treat them accordingly.

As Caelus glanced toward Bellona, she gave a slight nod.

They had anticipated the count’s visit and prepared accordingly.

After confirming Bellona’s silent approval, Caelus straightened his posture with an arrogant expression.

“Quite an enticing offer.”

At last, the gloom on the count’s face began to lift.

“You said you’d do anything?”

“Yes, Your Grace!”

“Very well. Then show me your loyalty.”

“Yes, then our family will—”

As if waiting for that moment, Caelus gave an entirely unexpected order.

“I will soon send Impes to your estate. Hide him so no one knows.”

“Pardon?”

“The Empress is to blame for everything. Strictly speaking, Impes himself is not at fault. There’s no need to kill a man ruined by his parents.”

The count’s eyes widened even further.

“Th-then…”

“Until I can find a proper place for him to hide, take good care of him.”

Unsure whether to believe it or not, the count searched Bellona’s expression with confusion.

But seeing her drink tea with an unreadable face only confused him more.

“If you understand, then you may go.”

“Y-yes, of course.”

Unable to shake an ominous feeling, the count continued glancing at the grand ducal couple, but in the end, could only quietly withdraw.

As the door clicked shut, Bellona set her teacup down and looked worriedly at Caelus, whose expression had already turned icy.

“Will it really be alright?”

“We’ll make sure it is. Don’t worry about a thing.”

With a gentle smile, he naturally leaned in to kiss her.

***

“Open this door! Who dares imprison the Crown Prince of this nation?! Open it at once!”

“Please, just be quiet! Don’t you know this is the Emperor’s command?!”

The constant pounding on the door all day had the guards frowning.

With the rumors about the Empress and Crown Prince widespread, even the knights now looked down on Impes.

“You bastard! What unit are you from? What’s your name?!”

“What would you do if you knew? Tch, shut it.”

“Once I get out of here, I’ll cut off your damn head first!”

“Oh, yes! Please do! You already killed your own father—why not kill me too?!”

“Wh-what?! Who are you saying is my father?! Open this door! Say that again to my face!”

Just as he began kicking the door and shouting like mad, one knight nearly burst into curses—but his comrade quickly covered his mouth.

The knight who had turned his head in disgust quickly stood at attention as Caelus approached.

“Your Grace, you’ve arrived.”

Even in that state, Impes was screaming obscenities at the top of his lungs.

As the pounding on the door continued, the knights exchanged troubled looks. Caelus gave a slight nod to open it.

The knight who had just made a scene earlier opened the door hesitantly, looking embarrassed.

At that moment, as if waiting, Impes burst out and swung the object in his hand.

Caelus quickly pulled his head back and blocked the strike with a swift motion, then threw away the candlestick Impes had tried to use.

When the prince grimaced, having nearly been struck in the face, the startled knights instantly subdued Impes.

Because of the broken wrist from earlier in the prison, Impes couldn’t put up much resistance and ended up sprawled on the floor.

“A-are you alright?”

“Throw him in.”

“Pardon?”

“Lock him in the room and don’t open it for anyone until I give the order.”

“Y-yes, Your Grace!”

Intimidated by Caelus’s frosty aura, the knights hurried to shove Impes back into the room.

Watching him collapse pathetically again, unable to support his own weight, Caelus casually entered the room.

The sound of the door locking followed. He took off his jacket, removed his cuffs, and slowly rolled up his sleeves.

“Haa… You bastard. This is all your damn fault.”

Using his good arm to prop himself up, Impes growled as he bit his lip.

“So many people to blame—must be nice.”

“Because of you! Bellona and Her Majesty—they’re all misunderstanding me!”

Seizing an opening, he raised a fist and lunged at Caelus. But drained from thrashing all day, his movements were pitifully slow.

Caelus didn’t even bother dodging. With one long leg extended, Impes’s body—just inches away—was launched into the air and rolled across the floor.

“Kgh… Ngh…”

Groaning in pain, Impes barely raised his upper body, then suddenly let out a twisted laugh. With a mocking expression, he began to mutter.

“You’re pretending not to know the child in Bellona’s belly is mine? You think pretending will change anything? You know it too—she came to my room every night.”

“I thought I made myself clear. If you’re going to lose your mind, don’t go overboard.”

Calmly warning him, Caelus walked over. Impes instinctively backed away, searching for something to use as a weapon.

“Ah, I forgot. You’ve never understood moderation.”

“No matter what you say, Bellona loves me!”

Snatching up a flower vase in a panic, Impes hurled it with all his might.

But Caelus dodged it easily, prompting Impes’s face to contort in frustration.

Driven into a corner, Impes glared defiantly. He had nothing left.

He knew better than anyone that he was no match for Caelus in strength or skill.

“Looks like I need to fix that broken brain of yours first.”

A fist flew out, grazing Impes’s ear and punching through the wall behind him.

Impulsively squeezing his eyes shut, Impes peeked and gasped at the sight.

“Don’t relax just yet. This is only the beginning.”

Before he could process the eerily gentle warning, Caelus’s ruthless punches began to rain down like a storm.

Thuds, crashes, and then—screams tore through the Crown Prince’s chamber.

The knights standing outside shivered repeatedly as they kept watch.

Time passed.

Silence fell so heavy they wondered if the Crown Prince had died.

Yet none dared press an ear to the door. They all instinctively backed away, keeping their guard up.

Inside, Impes lay beaten bloody, letting out faint whimpers.

His face, swollen beyond recognition, was barely human.

Having gone all out, Caelus had shown no mercy. For the first time in his life, Impes truly feared death.

Perhaps that’s why he finally became a bit more docile.

Caelus, lounging lazily on the sofa, dropped a small container on the table with a sharp clack.

Startled by even that sound, Impes slowly opened his swollen eyes and grimaced at the white container.

“You recognize it right away. That’s the poison the Empress made you take. All in the name of ‘education.’”

“……”

“Actually, it’s not hers.”

At that, Impes groaned and slowly pushed himself up. But a stabbing pain somewhere in his body made him clench his teeth.

Still, he forced himself to rise and stared intently at the container before him.

“It’s Mona’s.”