In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 78

As if fused with the horse he rode, his jet-black hair and the ebony mane of his horse flowed together in the wind, capturing everyone’s attention.

Clad in black armor and a crimson cape billowing behind him, the approaching man exuded an aura that strangely eased Bellona’s tightly strung nerves. Her once-icy green eyes quivered slightly, like dew caught on trembling leaves.

However, as he drew closer, his expression twisted in displeasure. Bellona, momentarily startled by his unexpected appearance, exhaled a deep sigh.

“You still don’t seem happy to see me.”

“…How are you here already? What about your expedition—?”

“I wouldn’t be standing before you if it wasn’t completed. Do you know who couldn’t sleep a wink out of worry and rushed here? Of course, it seems that effort was wasted.”

Caelus’s words carried a slightly bitter edge, as though his mood had soured. When he reached her side, he swept his eyes over her disheveled appearance and clicked his tongue in exasperation.

“What on earth have you been doing to end up in such a state?”

“……”

“I distinctly remember you promising to wait quietly.”

When had he arrived?

Noticing the sweat glistening on his brow, Bellona pursed her lips tightly shut. Judging by his appearance, he must have been searching for her for quite some time while she roamed the forest.

Even under his penetrating gaze, which seemed to demand an explanation, Bellona remained silent, knowing full well that no excuse would satisfy him.

“So, in the end, promises made to me mean little to you.”

“Your Grace, that’s not—”

Unable to finish her sentence, Bellona fell silent once more. Seeing the mixture of worry and anger in his eyes left her unable to offer even the faintest excuse.

A tense silence hung between them.

Then, without warning, Caelus grabbed her waist and hoisted her onto his horse in one swift motion. Bellona was too startled to react, and the young nobleman nearby gawked at them with wide eyes.

Bellona frowned, retreating slightly to prevent the blood staining her clothes from soiling his. Unbothered, Caelus tightened his arm around her waist, narrowing his eyes as he growled, “Stay still.”

“Your Grace, my clothes are dirty.”

“Could they be dirtier than my mood? If I could, I’d smear my blood all over you right now.”

His jealousy extended even to the dead, and despite herself, her heart skipped a beat at his absurd words.

Just then, a nervous hiccup echoed through the quiet forest. Caelus furrowed his brow and shifted his gaze toward the young nobleman, who stood frozen.

“How long do you plan on standing there? Do you want to find out what I might do next?”

As if jolted awake, the young nobleman scrambled to his feet and stammered, “N-no! I’ll, uh, take my leave!” before dashing off in the direction Bellona had come from.

Bellona clicked her tongue in disapproval, knowing he was heading toward the scene of carnage.

“Even now, you worry more about others than about me,” Caelus grumbled.

Turning her gaze back to him, Bellona silently regarded his sulking expression before unexpectedly wrapping her arms around his neck.

Caught off guard, Caelus scowled, though his hands instinctively tightened around her waist.

“I’m relieved you arrived safely. I was worried the entire time.”

“Doesn’t seem like it.”

“In truth, I had an unsettling dream last night. I’ve been uneasy all day because of it.”

“Great. Now I’ll have restless dreams tonight, too, with your current state haunting my thoughts.”

The man’s childish grumbling as he clung to his complaints to the very end finally drew a soft laugh from between her lips.

“Laughing at me again?”

“Of course not.”

“Or do you think I’m adorable again? I don’t feel like being cute right now.”

Her laughter only grew louder at his shameless remark. Tightening her embrace around his neck, she whispered softly, “I missed you. Your handsome figure kept appearing before my eyes, to the point I couldn’t sleep.”

Caelus flinched slightly, a deep sigh escaping him as he buried his face in her neck, letting out a low groan.

“How am I supposed to deal with everything and resist you at the same time? I don’t want to hold you in a prison cell.”

“Am I going to be imprisoned?” she asked calmly.

Holding her even tighter, he retorted in a dissatisfied tone, “How many times do I have to tell you? Stop giving them a chance. If you had the time to cut off his fingers, you should’ve gone for his neck.”

Only then did Bellona realize who he was referring to. Resting her weary head against his shoulder, she muttered, “I didn’t cut them off. Ether did.”

“If it were you, you could have easily severed his neck.”

“If necessary, I can sever it anytime. I only left it attached because it’s still of use.”

Suddenly, a dry laugh escaped him.

The words of a blood-soaked woman talking about cutting someone’s neck should have sounded horrifying, but instead, they struck him as endearing. He was clearly not in his right mind.

“Are you mocking me… You still doubt my skills, don’t you?”

Her voice, growing softer and slower, made Caelus’s brow knit tightly. Imagining how much she must have wielded her sword to end up in such a state caused a dull ache in his chest.

When his gaze dropped slightly, he noticed her small, battered feet.

At that moment, his teeth ground audibly.

“Can’t you scold me later? Let me rest for a little, and then I’ll finish what I need to do before coming back to be reprimanded.”

“What is it that you need to finish?”

“I need to find the sorcerer. The one the Empress brought—”

Before she could finish, he abruptly lowered her to the ground and clicked his tongue.

“You’ve pushed yourself this far just to find that one thing?”

“If we don’t find him, we’ll be blamed for everything that happened. After all, it was the Valensis knights and I who killed the nobles and knights.”

“Damn it!”

He suddenly cursed and ruffled his hair roughly. Soon after, he unfastened the cloak he wore and draped it over her body, which was partially exposed through her torn clothes.

“How many men have seen you in this state?”

Despite his misplaced jealousy, she didn’t dislike his absurd reaction. But she couldn’t bring herself to laugh.

If things went wrong, the Valensis knights might face horrific torture.

“We should return for now.”

“Your Grace—”

“There’s something I want to show you. So lean into me quietly and close your eyes.”

“The sorcerer first—ugh!”

The man suddenly swallowed her words with a kiss, shooting her a sharp glare. Soon, he cupped her soft cheek and tilted his head.

The supple flesh of his lips parted hers, slowly pressing forward. His gaze looked as though he might bite her, yet the way his tongue intertwined with and suckled hers was surprisingly gentle.

Between their damply pressed lips, his warm, crimson tongue moved slowly, deliberately.

His blazing eyes seemed desperate, as though he was barely holding back the urge to devour her. Seeing him struggle to restrain himself only stirred her mischievous side.

Tilting her head in the opposite direction, she boldly thrust her tongue into his mouth. Not stopping there, she wrapped her arms tightly around his broad neck, deepening the kiss with unrestrained passion.

Her provocation quickly eroded the fragile thread of his patience. Unable to hold back any longer, he plunged his tongue into every corner of her mouth, sucking and exploring hungrily.

The kiss, rough and unyielding, was an outpouring of his pent-up desire from the past few days. Their lips locked deeply, and their bodies pressed together so tightly there wasn’t even a hint of space between them.

Had they not been on horseback, they might have succumbed to their rising fervor right then and there.

Suddenly, the steed, which had been standing still, whinnied and shook its head.

Only then did reason flicker back into their eyes.

As she was the first to slowly pull away, he let out a faint laugh, wiping Bellona’s damp lips with his fingers as he grumbled, , “I’ll have to find Atoba a mate.”

“Excuse me?”

“He’s a male horse, and even he gets jealous.”

Caelus patted the large horse’s hindquarters, and as if understanding, Bellona absentmindedly ran her fingers through the horse’s black mane and muttered, “I thought he resembled you in being dignified and handsome, but he’s also inherited your jealousy.”

“You must have forgotten how a jealous man acts when he loses control.”

She cast him a sidelong glance at his openly suggestive words but quickly feigned innocence by looking away.

“No choice, then. From now on, keep your eyes closed.”

When she looked at him with curiosity, he suddenly buried her small face against his chest and whispered, “Pretend to faint. I’ll handle the rest.”

Caelus turned the horse and tugged at the reins. Sensing his intent, Atoba galloped forward with powerful strides.

Though she didn’t fully understand his words, Bellona obediently closed her eyes, resting her head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat. He had said he would take care of it, so perhaps trusting him wasn’t such a bad idea.

More than anything, she needed rest. No matter how accustomed she was, taking someone’s life was never easy for her.

When they arrived at the palace shortly after, Bellona realized what he had been planning.

“How dare anyone attack the Grand Duchess! Uta, inform His Majesty of this and tell him that I will visit once the Grand Duchess regains consciousness. The rest of you, guard the palace! Allow no one inside!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

Carrying her in his arms, Caelus’s hurried steps led them to the second floor.