In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 3

The scene was utter chaos. The resistance from the knights of the Kingdom of Kellicus was far fiercer than expected, making the conquest difficult right from the start. Despite sending out scouts and launching a surprise attack, they still hadn’t breached the castle gates. In all the wars she had fought, Bellona had never encountered such a fierce opponent.

The clashing sounds of battle and the agonized screams of the fallen created an atmosphere that was nothing short of hell. Amidst the chaos, wherever Bellona went, pools of blood formed in her wake. Her moniker, the “Goddess of the Sword,” was well-deserved as her enemies crumbled helplessly before her blade. Her red hair billowed as she cut through the air like a dancer, leaving a trail of death behind.

A knight of Kellicus, realizing his impending demise, muttered in despair, “Beautiful Slayer—”

He couldn’t finish his sentence as his head was severed and sent flying through the air. Bellona, having heard the dead knight’s words, looked around impassively. When she raised her sword high, her deputy, Ether, shouted loudly, “Break down the gates! Capture the King of Kellicus!”

The enemy’s numbers were gradually dwindling, but the losses on their side were significant as well. Just as Bellona was surveying the scene with narrowed eyes, a sudden chill ran down her spine. Quickly raising her sword and turning around, she saw a large sword flying toward her like a flash of light.

With a sharp glint in her eyes, Bellona twisted her body swiftly to dodge the attack. Rolling on the ground, her already battered armor became even more stained with blood, making it appear as though she was wearing a crimson suit of armor. Looking back quickly, she saw that the sword, instead of striking her, had impaled an enemy soldier’s neck. It seemed the sword was never meant for her in the first place, as it was now lodged squarely in the enemy’s throat.

Looking forward again, she saw Caelus, who had somehow closed the distance between them, offering her a hand as she crouched.

“The Goddess of the Sword doesn’t seem to be in top form today. Did you miss some sleep?”

Caelus’s playful tone made Bellona grit her teeth. She could have easily handled the situation on her own without his interference. She shot him a glare that said as much, and Caelus clicked his tongue, retracting his hand.

“A commander who fails to understand their enemy properly, it seems.”

“What do you mean by that?” Bellona, her voice sharp, stood up and hastily dusted off the bloodstains on her armor.

“Do you know why Kellicus is called the land of barbarians?”

“And you’re choosing this moment to lecture me on the history of Kellicus?”

Caelus, shaking his head at her fierce retort, approached the knight he had killed. After retrieving his sword, he picked up something from the dead knight’s hand. When he returned to Bellona, he abruptly extended his hand toward her, revealing an object in his palm.

“What is this?”

“Poison.”

She hadn’t asked because she didn’t know— the long, blackened needle was clear evidence. Poison like this wasn’t uncommon in the empire either. But the idea that he had thrown the sword to save her from it made her suspicious, and she eyed him warily.

Caelus let out a faint laugh. “Do I look like someone who doesn’t know what chivalry is?”

“Chivalry doesn’t apply to enemies.”

Bellona’s cold words wiped the smirk off Caelus’s face. He stared at her silently, his expression hardening. Then, without a word, he grabbed an attacking enemy’s armor, effortlessly slamming them into the ground. Grabbing the enemy knight’s helmet with one hand, he casually ran the poisoned needle across the knight’s armor.

What is he doing?

Bellona was incredulous, watching Caelus perform an attack that wouldn’t even cause a tickle, let alone a lethal wound. Yet, he looked serious as he turned to her.

“Watch carefully.”

All the while, his gaze never left Bellona as he kicked the terrified knight’s body, sending him flying to the ground. The kick looked far more painful than the initial strike. Bellona, watching with narrowed eyes, saw the knight struggle to stand, only to collapse again. His eyes turned bright red, bulging as his mouth foamed, and his skin blackened as if burned, shriveling up in an instant.

“You were close to ending up like that.”

“……!”

“I wouldn’t mind disposing of you here and now, but—”

Caelus took a step closer, easily decapitating a charging enemy knight before grabbing Bellona by the shoulder.

“—I’m someone who knows what chivalry is.”

What kind of poison is this?

Bellona’s face turned pale as she realized how close she had come to a gruesome death. She hadn’t slept properly in two days, and her condition was far from ideal. On top of that, her mind was clouded with worry, causing her to momentarily let her guard down. But this was no excuse for such a critical mistake. Failing to properly assess the enemy as a commander, letting her guard down on the battlefield—these were all her faults.

Grinding her teeth, Bellona bowed her head in shame. “Thank you.”

“I’ll accept your thanks later. For now, focus on killing anyone with a scabbard at their waist.”

With that casual remark, Caelus moved past her, heading toward the castle gates. Each time he swung his massive sword, enemy soldiers were cut down like helpless prey, their dying cries echoing all around.

Bellona’s expression turned cold. He had seen right through her.

Pushing all thoughts and emotions aside, she scanned the battlefield with a swift glance, quickly identifying the remaining enemies with scabbards. Without hesitation, she leaped forward, slashing their throats with precision.

“The gates are open! Find the king!”

Amidst the loud cheers and the rush of knights pouring through the gates, Bellona’s eyes fell on a familiar figure amidst the piles of bodies. Approaching the fallen knight, she recognized him instantly.

“Net.”

It was a knight she knew well, someone she had personally pinned the insignia on when he was promoted from squire to knight. His skin, blackened as if burned, and the foam at his mouth indicated that he had fallen victim to the same poison she had narrowly avoided.

Looking around, she saw that all the blackened corpses were her knights.

Bellona’s eyes burned red with anger, her clenched fist trembling. Their deaths were her fault. If she had been more vigilant, more thorough in her assessment, they might still be alive, laughing and returning home victorious.

Seeing her subordinates die in such a futile manner, a fire of rage ignited in her chest.

“Damn it!”

Bellona’s voice cracked with emotion as she cursed, her eyes stinging with unshed tears.

What kind of commander am I, to let this happen?

While she should have been assessing the enemy’s movements, she had been rolling around in the crown prince’s bed. She had no right to complain if anyone mocked her for it.

“Hah…”

She felt unworthy to face the subordinates who had trusted her and followed her into this hell. Overwhelmed by anger and self-loathing, everything suddenly felt meaningless.

At that moment, her deputy, Ether, came running over, breathless. “Commander! We’ve captured the King of Kellicus!”

Bellona slowly opened her eyes and turned to Ether, issuing an order. “Recover every last body.”

“…Yes, Commander.”

Her voice, usually calm and composed, now trembled slightly. Ether, noticing the unusual tone, narrowed his eyes.

***

Bellona entered the palace and headed straight for the audience chamber. Upon arrival, the first thing she noticed was Caelus lounging leisurely on the throne. Before him sat the King of Kellicus, bound and kneeling.

Ignoring Caelus’s remark about her tardiness, Bellona walked toward the king, her expression emotionless.

“You’re late.”

Without even glancing at Caelus, Bellona looked down at the King of Kellicus, addressing him formally. “I bring you the imperial decree. If you pledge your loyalty to the Fidentia Empire even now—”

“So, the so-called beautiful slayer is nothing more than a dimwitted woman who knows only how to wield a sword.”

The king’s scornful words caused the surrounding knights to draw their swords in unison. Bellona, unfazed, raised a hand to calm them, letting out a short sigh.

She was used to this. Every time she had conquered a kingdom, she had heard insults far worse than this. She had grown accustomed to listening to the anger of those who had lost their lands and now faced death.

Moreover, having already been numbed by the deaths of her subordinates, this level of provocation meant nothing to her.

“I’ve heard there’s a rare gem found only in the Kingdom of Kellicus. If you hand it over, I’ll spare your life.”

“And if I give it to you, will you spread your legs for me like the cheap whore you are?”

The atmosphere in the room froze as if cold water had been poured over it. Bellona, a well-known figure, had a reputation that extended beyond the empire to the neighboring kingdoms. Thanks to the spies planted in various kingdoms, rumors about her—both honorable and derogatory—were well-known.

Bellona’s eyes, now cold and unfeeling, bore into the King of Kellicus. She knelt before him, a smile curling her lips as she met his contemptuous gaze.

“A gem that represents the royal family, you say? If it’s only worth as much as my cheap body, then it’s not even worth a pebble on the street.”

“Your whore’s hands are what destroyed this royal family. With no kingdom left, what value could a gem possibly hold now? It would be better to toy with your filthy body before I die to ease my grudge. Urk—”

Suddenly, a red line appeared across the king’s throat. In an instant, blood spurted out like a fountain, splattering across Bellona’s face.