In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 46

Although he had a rough idea, it was only now that he was certain.

Bellona was a woman who cherished her subordinates deeply. Despite her indifferent personality, she personally comforted the souls of those who died in battle. Such a woman wouldn’t let the imperial family, who killed her blood relatives, off easily.

If only she had been the one abandoned, she might have resigned herself to her fate, thinking it was simply her destiny. But with a clear purpose driving her, she had acted recklessly, even to the point of trapping herself in danger. The reason for this, no doubt, was her younger siblings.

Now that he understood her goal, a strange feeling stirred in Caelus’s chest, a mixture of conflicting emotions swirling inside him.

But still, why was she so anxious? After all, she had seen with her own eyes that things were different now compared to then.

Suddenly, a terrible thought crossed his mind.

Could it be? Did they kill her siblings right in front of her?

The children he had briefly seen that morning came to mind. Small and fragile hearts of Bellona. Those children were both Bellona’s fatal weakness and her reason for living.

***

Bellona, having finished preparing for departure, stood in front of the carriage, unable to hide the frown on her face as she looked at the peculiar scene before her.

“You should eat a lot. That way, you can grow up to be a great knight like your sister.”

“I don’t want to be a knight,” Marca, awkwardly held in Caelus’ arms, responded with childlike honesty.

“Why not? Isn’t your sister amazing?”

“Of course, my sister is the best.”

“Then why don’t you want to be a knight?”

“Because my sister told me not to. She said knights are bastards.”

“Marca!”

Before Bellona, who stood frozen, could react, Arina quickly covered the boy’s mouth.

“Haha… What are you talking about? When did our sister ever say that?”

“Ow!” Marca shrieked as Arina pinched him sharply. “Why did you pinch me?!”

“When did I? What’s wrong with you today? Haha…”

Arina glanced around and let out an awkward laugh as she clamped her hand over her brother’s mouth, who was about to burst into tears.

“Mmph! Let go of me! Mmph!”

“Be quiet,” she hissed through gritted teeth, warning him. But Marca, frustrated, struggled to push away her hand that was covering his mouth.

Caught between the two bickering siblings, Caelus looked helplessly at Bellona. Finally coming to her senses, she hurried over, scooped Marca up, and settled the squabble between her siblings.

“I apologize.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for. Kids are always like that. Ahem! Let’s get moving.”

Moving with more agility than usual, he glanced at the still-grumbling siblings before quickly looking away. In truth, Caelus wasn’t particularly fond of children. When they cried or threw tantrums for no reason, he found it frustrating.

But there was a deeper reason. He hated weakness. The very idea that someone couldn’t survive without help seemed pathetic to him. It reminded him too much of his younger self.

That was why he had clung to his sword with such determination and fought fiercely, even risking danger, to ensure no one could ever look down on him again. Despite that, he couldn’t protect his mother, nor could he even hold onto his own position. Because he was weak.

Perhaps that’s why he admired strength. He liked people who were strong enough to protect themselves and others. People like Bellona Riknis in the past.

That’s why he desired her so much, even though she constantly stood in his way. He craved her indomitable will and unwavering loyalty. Eventually, he won her over, but only after she killed him.

With a bitter smile, he glanced toward the carriage Bellona had boarded.

‘I’ll have to rethink my approach to dealing with her siblings.’

Unsuitable actions only led to undesirable results.

They continued their journey more leisurely than usual when Rondo approached.

“Your Highness, we are approaching the border of the Kingdom of Kellicus. Shall we proceed through?”

Kellicus. A land rich in resources and home to mysterious gemstones. It was also the site of his final battlefield and his grave. Not a single day had passed without him thinking of that moment. Yet, now, his curiosity outweighed his resentment.

Did she really coat her sword with poison before facing me? And what exactly caused Bellona’s death? Furthermore, was this regression truly because of the gemstone he obtained from Kellicus?

“Take the detour toward the Rimata Canyon.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The Kingdom of Kellicus was known for its extreme distrust of foreigners. Having been invaded multiple times due to its abundant resources and the rumors of its mystical gemstones, they had devised a method of defeating their enemies using poison. As a result, many kingdoms were forced to retreat after suffering great losses.

It was this kingdom that Bellona and Caelus had conquered together. And he had also held that gemstone in his hands. While many Imperial Knights had died due to the poison, he had no regrets. He had merely refrained from aiding an enemy that he should have killed with his own hands.

After Kellicus fell, Bellona interrogated the captured king about the location of the gemstone. This meant she was acting on Violentia’s orders. Knowing this, Caelus still handed her the gemstone in the moments before his death, with his own fervent wishes embedded in that decision.

Though he thought she might offer it to Violentia, it was the only option Caelus had at the time. Trusting in the mysterious powers of the gemstone and Bellona’s upright nature was the best he could do.

Somehow, Caelus’s wish had come true. He was given another chance. Whether it was truly due to the gemstone’s unbelievable powers, he couldn’t be sure, but it was fortunate nonetheless.

Pressing his dry eyes, he let out a deep sigh. There were many puzzles left to solve. The secret behind the gemstone, how he had come back to life, and most importantly, the truth of that day and why Bellona had died. Only Bellona knew the answers.

With a series of frustrated sighs, he gazed at the faint spires of the Kingdom of Kellicus.

What had Bellona done with the gemstone? If I returned to the past, could it have returned as well?

He wanted to charge in immediately, but unfortunately, they couldn’t win against Kellicus in their current state.

Although foreign visitors were not entirely prohibited, if heavily armed knights entered, they would certainly become wary.

Drawing attention unnecessarily would do no good. It was a country I would eventually conquer again, so for now, it was more important to stay low and build strength.

As Caelus began to carefully plan the next steps, a growing confidence filled his face. Now that Bellona was on his side, there was no one left to block his path.

The very place he once dreaded visiting now made his heart race with excitement. The fact that her destination aligned with his eliminated any fears.

“Full speed ahead. We must reach the Grand Duchy by late tonight!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

The knights shouted in unison, and the carriages and horses immediately picked up speed.

***

Later that night, even later than the previous evening, the carriage passed through the gates of Camirus. Bellona gazed out at the unfamiliar land, eyes wide open.

What is this?

The landscape was entirely different from what she had imagined, and her expression darkened. Her first impression of Camirus, which she had only heard about in stories, was that it was “desolate.”

The few scattered houses she saw were small and worn, and the streets were littered with trash blown about by the wind. She had passed through several kingdoms on her way here, but never had she encountered such a lonely and barren place.

The whole area appeared uncared for, as though it had been abandoned for a long time without anyone to take care of it.

Bellona frowned, finding the country’s underwhelming state not fitting for Caelus. Whatever it had been like in the past, it was now a far cry from what was suitable for someone who would soon become the emperor of the Fidentia Empire.

She wasn’t sure how long they would stay here, but even if it was just for a single day, she wanted to transform it into a place worthy of him. After all, it was her way of repenting, even if only a little, for once killing him and trying to use him again.

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be busy,” Bellona whispered to herself as she took in the sight of the dreary streets.

As they entered the old, decaying castle, Akon’s voice greeted them from ahead.

“Your Highness, you’ve arrived!”

Bellona was suddenly reminded of that night. The man who had sent the knights ahead to the Grand Duchy had come to her, sleepless and exhausted. She recalled how he leaned against her shoulder, complaining that he hadn’t slept at all, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

What would he have done if their paths had diverged? Though the action was reckless, she couldn’t forget the gentle way he had touched her body with those tender hands.

She had never imagined that sharing a night with someone could leave such a deep impression. To her, intimacy had always been something done forcefully under orders.

As the carriage came to a stop, the door opened. Caelus, who had personally opened the door, glanced at the children sleeping inside. Eshil, who had been woken by the noise, stretched widely before hurriedly jumping up.

“A-apologize, Your Highness.”

Without much concern, he stepped aside, indicating for them to disembark. Bellona instructed Eshil to wake up Arina, while she carried the still soundly asleep Marca in her arms and stepped out of the carriage.

Suddenly, Caelus took Marca from her arms.

“Your Highness!”

“Do you fear I’ll sell your brother off somewhere?”

“I can carry him.”

“I held him earlier and he’s heavier than I expected. I’ll take him. You just make sure everything else is in order.”

When she looked back, Arina, still half-asleep, was groggily getting out of the carriage.

As she watched Caelus walk off with her brother, Arina’s voice trembled with fear. “This place… it looks like a ghost’s castle…”

Eshil nodded in agreement. “You’re right…”

There was no point in arguing. After all, the place did look like that to her as well. It seemed like the eerie atmosphere of this mansion was the first thing she needed to change.