In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 72

The distance between them was close enough to feel each other’s breaths as she straightened the disheveled hair of the man without hesitation.

“During the day, I will protect the country you rule with my sword. At night, I will devote my body and heart to please you—that is, if you still desire me.”

As expected, a sinister glimmer stirred in his gaze. Just as the man’s hand began to move, driven by lust, Bellona stepped back calmly and drove a wedge into his doubtful heart.

“But you’ll have to give me a position so high that I won’t regret betraying the Grand Duke.”

The notion of betraying Caelus seemed to please him, as his previously firm lips curled into a smile.

“Do you want the position of Empress?”

“I only seek a place to live. A noble position where no one can threaten me is the only way.”

Bellona gently grasped her skirt and elegantly curtsied to the man, whose face betrayed amusement.

“I shall enjoy the meal again with a glad heart once I hear Your Highness’s decision. For now, I will take my leave.”

The conversation had gone far enough. Above all, the increasingly intense look in his eyes warned of danger. Judging it best to leave before shaking him any further and facing a troublesome situation, she reassured him with a rare smile.

Leaving only lingering thoughts behind, she turned away without hesitation, a mocking smile curling her crimson lips.

***

Before dawn even broke, Bellona left the Prince’s Palace, tying her hair up tightly as she made her way to the training grounds of the Valensis Knights. Having been untouched for quite some time due to the relocation of the entire order to the Grand Duchy, the place had an eerie air rivaling that of the Prince’s Palace.

Undeterred, she took a deep breath and stepped into the training grounds, beginning as always with a jog.

How long had she been running? She felt someone’s presence. Thinking it was one of the knights, she kept her eyes forward, but someone began running behind her.

She turned her head without much thought, and her pace slowed upon seeing an unexpected figure, eventually coming to a full stop.

The man, stopping as well, greeted her with a friendly smile.

“Did you sleep well, Your Grace?”

Contrary to his light smile, the man bowed respectfully, but Bellona stared at him sharply and responded coldly.

“What is this about?”

“Why are you so hostile toward me? I merely came out to stretch my body.”

Unlike yesterday, Lycaon’s tone carried a somewhat sly air, and her expression grew stern.

“I won’t disturb you. Please, continue without minding me.”

After glaring at Lycaon suspiciously, she turned away and resumed her training. After standing still for a moment, he soon began running again, following her.

As the dim sky gradually brightened, the two ran in silence, looking ahead without exchanging a word.

Heavy breaths escaped from Lycaon’s lips. With her figure growing fainter in his vision, he gritted his teeth.

He had lost count of the laps. After passing the 200th lap, he had even given up counting.

Whether he was running of his own will or his numbed legs were moving on their own, he didn’t know. Fortunately, the training ended when she finally stopped.

Unable to endure any longer, the man collapsed onto the ground.

Panting heavily, he struggled to catch his breath while Bellona, having steadied her breathing with a few deep breaths, moved toward the striking platform.

His tongue clicked involuntarily.

Where in that slender frame did such strength come from?

Never before had Lycaon pushed himself to such limits. Still lying down, he stared blankly at her as she gripped a wooden sword and assumed a striking posture.

Muscles, well-proportioned and firm, clung to her slender body, catching his eye. With her crimson hair tied back into a ponytail that reached her waist, she looked strikingly youthful.

‘She looks quite young. How old is she? Nineteen? Twenty? Wait, the Grand Duke is twenty-seven this year…’

“Ha, he’s a thief, just like His Majesty the Emperor, he must have been a thief.”

Estimating Bellona’s age on a whim, Lycaon smirked.

He suddenly recalled the rumors he’d heard about her before coming here.

A woman who rose from being a mere knight to become a Grand Duchess.

Nobles frequently expressed dissatisfaction about her during their gatherings, baffled as to why a common knight had been chosen as the consort.

Back then, Lycaon had paid little attention, dismissing the gossip. However, the strong impression she made when he first saw her remained vivid in his mind.

Daring to imprison Count Nobilis, whom even the empire’s nobles could not treat lightly?

Even before his father, whom Lycaon himself could hardly face, she showed not a hint of fear. In fact, she seemed to overwhelm his imposing father, making her appear all the more remarkable.

Her courage was not something a mere knight should possess.

Even so, as someone born a noble to his very core, Lycaon couldn’t fully understand Caelus’s decision.

Sure, her captivating appearance was more than enough to draw men’s eyes. But for an imperial family to take a common knight as a consort? It was unthinkable.

If she had been kept as a mistress for secret trysts, the nobles wouldn’t have protested as vehemently.

If this story spread to other nations, Camirus would undoubtedly become a laughingstock.

They’d ridicule the idea of a mere knight being seated as Grand Duchess.

Could she truly possess something extraordinary, enough for Caelus to push forward with their marriage despite all that?

Lycaon’s eyes remained fixed on Bellona, absorbed in her training.

Before he knew it, the sun’s rays illuminated her, highlighting her vibrant red hair. As it swayed, his entranced gaze wavered with it.

Though undoubtedly beautiful, she seemed more fittingly described as striking rather than merely pretty. Watching her strong, resolute figure sent inexplicable shivers down his spine.

Simply watching her filled his entire body with a peculiar thrill, a strange pleasure coursing through him. The moment he felt a tingling ache below, a shadow loomed over his face.

Frowning, he turned his gaze away, only to find, somehow, a head of auburn hair tilted askew, looking down at him.

And in his hand, a wooden sword pointed directly at his unprotected groin.

“W-what is this?!”

Lycaon’s face twisted in indignation as he swatted the wooden sword pressing firmly against his vital area, springing to a seated position.

Instinctively covering himself with his hands, he felt the hard state of his own body beneath his palm. How had it come to this?

Unaware of his condition until now, Lycaon furrowed his brows and averted his gaze. 

Suddenly, Net, who had crouched down on one knee, glanced toward Bellona, focused on her training, before leaning close to Lycaon’s ear.

“If you dare raise yourself like that toward Her Grace again, I won’t overlook it as her escort knight.”

“Ahem. What nonsense is this?”

Feigning ignorance, Lycaon’s brazen expression earned him a savage glare from Net.

“This is your final warning.”

“How dare a mere knight threaten a high noble!”

Though well aware of Lycaon’s elevated status, Net returned his gaze with an equally deadly glare. His position wasn’t that of a mere knight but of an escort to the noble Grand Duchess.

At that moment, a chilling voice cut through the tension between the two men.

“What are you doing?”

The murderous glints in their eyes dulled instantly as they turned to face her.

Wiping sweat from her round forehead, Bellona’s face was flushed from exertion. Beneath her thin, sweat-drenched shirt clinging to her frame, her form drew eyes irresistibly.

Watching the two dazed men, Bellona raised her wooden sword and struck Net on the head lightly.

“What are you doing? If you’re here, train.”

Snapping back to his senses, Net stood abruptly and bowed.

“Apologies for my tardiness.”

“If you know, then 200 laps. Strike the target 5,000 times.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Standing proud, Net shot a mocking glance at Lycaon, who still sat in a daze, before preparing himself with an air of confidence. His smile curved smugly, as though Bellona’s command signified her particular attention.

As Bellona began to leave the training grounds, Lycaon jumped up and spoke hurriedly.

“Your Grace, how much must I do?”

Bellona turned slowly, her face indifferent, as if she had no interest in him at all.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, how much must I do to spar with you?”

Lycaon’s voice trailed off as Bellona undid her hair, shaking it loose. Though it was a simple act, it inexplicably mesmerized him, leaving him unable to focus.

Drying her damp hair in the breeze, Bellona lazily pushed it back before answering dismissively.

“Are you planning to become a knight?”

“No, I mean…”

Her brow furrowed at the man, who seemed unusually clumsy today.

“If you want a one-on-one match with me so badly, pledging loyalty would be quicker. If I sparred with you formally, you wouldn’t be able to move for days.”

Her blatant jab at his pride finally seemed to clear Lycaon’s flustered mind.

“It seems my loyalty is of great value to you. Or perhaps, you wish to wield the power of my family?”

“You’re gravely mistaken. If I needed your family, I’d simply command it. If I wanted it, I’d merely demand it. I have no use for your loyalty.”

Her sharp retort left Lycaon stunned, unable to argue further. She truly seemed capable of such things.

Abruptly, Bellona tossed her wooden sword toward Lycaon, adding a mocking comment.

“10,000 strikes. Channel that anger into breaking the target. And while you’re at it, think carefully about what stance you and your family should take if you wish to remain nobles of Camirus.”

As she turned to leave, she paused and delivered a final warning, her voice colder than before.

“Look after the other young nobles well. If any of them disobey my orders and cause trouble, I won’t hesitate to take their heads on the spot.”

Her icy warning left Lycaon frozen for an entirely different reason.