In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 14

“I’m overwhelmed by Your Highness’s generosity in considering my humble request. However, please grant me a little time. Since this is a choice that could cost me my life, I’d like to consider it carefully.”

Her audacious words left the knights around her gasping in disbelief. The atmosphere, which had fallen silent, now chilled further. The sound of Impes grinding his teeth reached her ears, the noise cutting through the stillness.

Bellona struggled to keep a smile from tugging at her lips as she slowly lifted her gaze to meet Impes’s eyes. Then she offered him a bait he could not possibly refuse.

“If you grant my request, on the day I become your loyal dog, I will give you everything. Until this worthless life of mine ends, I will serve only you, Your Highness.”

The severe grimace on his face gradually gave way to a smile. Suddenly, Impes knelt on one knee before her and whispered softly.

“Everything, you say?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Even that insignificant body of yours?”

“If that is your desire, I will gladly offer it for whatever purpose you see fit.”

Impes’s lips curved into a long, satisfied arc, clearly pleased with her bold response. Rising to his feet, he withdrew the hand he had extended and declared loudly for all to hear.

“You have reminded me that even winning over someone is not an easy task. I believe having someone with your steadfast spirit under my command would be most reassuring. In that sense, I will wait patiently for your decision.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Impes, now grinning with satisfaction, turned his gaze toward the other knights. “With this trial, I have gauged your abilities. Seeing the skills of those who will soon join my order, I have high hopes for the Empire’s future. Once all the trials are completed, I will bestow food and drink to honor your efforts. Today, enjoy yourselves and rest.”

As the arena grew lively again, Impes casually glanced at Caelus, a mocking smile playing on his lips. Then, as he turned to leave, he cast a disdainful look at the two knights standing nearby and clicked his tongue in annoyance.

‘To think they couldn’t even defeat a woman.’

It irritated him to no end that a mere common knight—a woman, no less—had proven more skilled than the candidates he was considering for vice-commander. Moreover, although he had attempted to mimic the demeanor of a benevolent lord, the truth was that Bellona’s insolent attitude had greatly vexed him.

Still, Bellona’s exceptional skill and captivating appearance made the charade worth enduring. Impes resolved to properly tame her when she finally took his hand, adding today’s humiliation to the list of things he would make her pay for.

“Bring me the names of the knights selected as vice-commander.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

With a stern expression, Impes gave the order before leaving without a second thought.

As Bellona slowly rose to her feet, her gaze followed the retreating figure of Impes. She turned to Caelus and found his eyes locked on her, as if he had never looked away. After a brief moment of mutual regard, she offered him a silent bow and descended from the training ground, leaving the two remaining knights to resume their match.

Eshil hurried after her, disappointment etched on her face. It was clear she had much to say, her lips twitching with unspoken words.

By the time they reached the quarters, Bellona suddenly stopped and turned around. Eshil, startled by the abrupt halt, froze in place.

“Eshil.”

“Yes…?”

Eshil’s face reflected her inability to hide her disappointment, and Bellona gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Then, she caught Eshil off guard with an unexpected question.

“If I leave the palace, what will you do?”

“What…?”

“Will you come with me? No matter where I go?”

Eshil blinked rapidly, her innocent eyes wide with confusion as if she couldn’t comprehend what Bellona was saying.

Bellona had already decided to follow Caelus to the Grand Duchy of Camirus once he departed, intending to help him reclaim his rightful place. However, the thought of leaving Eshil alone in this treacherous palace troubled her. She knew that if she suddenly disappeared, Eshil would undoubtedly face hardships. But it wasn’t her decision to make.

Perhaps Eshil wanted to stay in the palace.

“Sir Knight, have you been planning to leave the palace?”

“Yes.”

“Since when? Is that why you acted so recklessly today?”

“Did it seem reckless to you?”

“Yes. Do you know how worried I was? I feared the Crown Prince might fly into a rage—”

Tears welled up in Eshil’s eyes, as if she had genuinely been worried.

Well, it was understandable. After all, a mere common knight had dared to act so insolently toward the Crown Prince.

Eventually, the tears that had pooled in Eshil’s eyes began to spill over, rolling down her cheeks. Bellona watched in silence before pulling Eshil into a tight embrace.

In the two lives she had lived, the only people she had ever hugged besides her siblings were Eshil. And once again, in this life, Eshil was shedding tears for her.

Bellona felt a pang of guilt.

And she was grateful.

That’s why she wanted to protect Eshil. So that she would no longer have to worry. So that she would no longer have to cry.

Was she always this small?

Unlike before, Eshil’s trembling form now seemed incredibly small to Bellona. Eshil’s frame was delicate and slight, standing a full head shorter than herself.

How had someone like her managed to become a squire, aspiring to be a knight? She couldn’t even catch a beast.

But having witnessed Eshil’s growth in the past, Bellona had no doubt about her future. Still, she didn’t want to leave her behind. One never knew when the imperial family might take notice of her, raise her like a dog, only to discard her later.

As Bellona gently patted Eshil’s back, a dark figure suddenly appeared before her. Lifting her gaze, she saw Caelus standing at a distance, watching them.

“Eshil, let’s talk about this later. Go back to your room for now.”

Bellona’s softly whispered words prompted Eshil, who was quick on the uptake, to hurriedly wipe away her tears. Without looking back, Eshil bowed and quickly retreated.

Only then did Caelus, who had slowly approached, look at Bellona with an expression of mild surprise.

“What brings you here?”

“You don’t even bother with formalities anymore.”

“Oh… My apologies. I greet you, Your Highness.”

Out of habit, she had addressed him as she would have in the past, nearly calling him ‘Grand Duke.’ Frustrated with her repeated mistakes, Bellona bit down hard on the inside of her cheek. She tried to stay alert, but every time she unexpectedly encountered him, she foolishly forgot everything.

“I must say, while the title ‘Highness’ isn’t particularly pleasing to my ears, it’s not entirely bad either.”

Just as he had done the day before, he brushed off her slip without much concern, then suddenly crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly.

“If you had become vice-commander, the atmosphere in the Imperial Knights would be quite different now.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You seem to care for your squire quite a bit. If there were knights who whined about how hard things were, would you also take them under your wing?”

At his sarcastic remark, Bellona’s fine brows twitched slightly. Deciding it wasn’t worth the effort to offer an excuse, she responded in a calm tone, “What brings you here, Your Highness?”

“I didn’t come because I wanted to see you, so there’s no need to look at me like that.”

It didn’t seem like her imagination—his words carried a tinge of irritation, as if his mood had soured.

Bellona remained silent. If he had something to say, he would get to the point.

As expected, Caelus eventually broke the brief silence, his voice now as sharp as a well-honed blade.

“Was Impes your goal all along?”

“……”

“Did you stage that ridiculous performance just to become his dog?”

A performance.

Well, it could be seen that way. But it seemed he didn’t realize that the performance wasn’t for Impes’s sake.

“It may have been a joke to you, but for your comrades, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. Do you realize that your arrogant behavior has tarnished the honor of the Imperial Knights and trampled on the long-standing traditions of the palace guards?”

Caelus’s voice grew increasingly agitated, his usually emotionless expression now flushed with anger. Bellona silently gazed at him, her lips pressed together.

“Answer me, Bellona Riknis. Did you throw away the honor of a knight just to seduce Impes with your pitiful skills?”

His sudden outburst rang in her ears. Yet Bellona didn’t flinch, silently meeting his fierce gaze.

Caelus clenched his fist so tightly that his knuckles turned white, then let out a bitter laugh, as if even he couldn’t understand his own behavior. He raked a hand through his hair, tilting his head back as he exhaled a long, angry sigh into the air.

After standing silently for a moment, Bellona finally spoke, “Have you finished?”

“What?”

“I asked if you’re done saying what you wanted to say.”

“Hah…!”

It felt like talking to a wall.

Caelus let out a scoff, exasperated by her unchanging, impassive expression. “I don’t know what I’m doing anymore. Wasting my breath on a mere common knight.”

“You said it yourself. Why would Your Highness bother to get so worked up over someone like me, a mere common knight?”

Her voice was so detached, so cold, that Caelus’s normally smooth brow furrowed deeply as a vein throbbed visibly on his forehead.