In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 83

Among the events held in the empire, the hunting festival was practically the largest, yet it ended in just one day. With the tragic loss of lives piling up, it was deemed impossible to continue, leading to its hasty termination.

The noble families who had lost loved ones were plunged into grief, and some gathered at the tournament grounds, demanding answers. However, since even the Crown Prince had suffered severe injuries, no one dared to confront the Emperor directly.

Yet, as the imperial family remained secluded, rumors continued to spread, growing more elaborate with each passing moment. Two days had already passed since the tragedy, but there was no sign of an investigation or efforts to capture the perpetrator, stirring growing suspicion among the people.

News of the hunting festival spread rapidly across the empire. Wherever people gathered, they spoke endlessly about what they had heard. And now, the most talked-about subject was the story of a crazed woman who roamed the forest, drenched in blood.

Once it was revealed that the madwoman was, in fact, the Grand Duchess of Camirus, discussions about “Bellona” became even more frequent.

“The atmosphere is unsettling.”

“A woman wandered into a place she wasn’t allowed, looking like that. It’s only natural.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

As Akon trailed off, Caelus shot him a glance, prompting him to continue with a troubled expression.

“People across the empire are calling Her Grace the Goddess of the Sword. Everyone is eager to learn more about her.”

“What?”

At Caelus’s fierce scowl, Akon hesitated briefly before relaying the rest of what he had heard.

“It seems that Her Grace aided a few noble youths in danger. After witnessing her swordsmanship, they praised her, saying she saved their lives.”

“Ha! Hah…”

Scoffing, Caelus pressed his fingers against his forehead as if he had a headache, letting out a deep sigh.

Unlike in the past, he had intended to keep her entirely to himself, yet here she was, once again spreading her wings and soaring.

Perhaps he should have taken her sword away sooner.

He regretted it, but he knew well enough that it had been impossible. Even if he had ordered her not to wield a sword, she would have still charged into that perilous situation and saved the knights just as she had now.

Some things were inevitable. If so, the only choice left was to be even more vigilant and hold onto her more tightly.

Just then, a knock came at the door.

“Your Grace, I’m coming in.”

Hearing Bellona’s voice, Akon swiftly moved to open the door.

As the door swung open, Bellona, looking utterly exhausted, gave him a small nod of acknowledgment.

“It’s been a while, Sir Akon.”

“Are you… all right?”

Avoiding Akon’s concerned gaze, she cast a resentful look at Caelus.

“Wait outside.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

Once Akon left, Bellona carefully closed the door and took a seat on the sofa.

“Are you feeling any better?”

Rising from his desk, he approached her casually, as if nothing had happened, pouring her tea as naturally as ever. It irritated her, but she had no desire to revisit the events of the past few days.

Now that she was awake, it was time to clean up the mess that reality had left behind.

“Tell me about the expedition. How did it go?”

“I already told you—it went well.”

“Did you conquer Arimael?”

Seeing the way he evaded her gaze, she scrutinized him sharply. As he leisurely sipped his tea, he tilted his head slightly and met her eyes.

“Hmm. To be precise, I wouldn’t call it a conquest.”

“…Then?”

“I’ll explain in due time. It’s not urgent right now.”

He was clearly deflecting. Her brow furrowed as he smoothly changed the subject.

“What do you plan to do with Ether?”

“…I intend to use him as a leash around the Empress’s neck.”

“A leash?”

“Ether isn’t the priority right now. We need to identify the traitor among the Camirus nobles first.”

“A traitor, huh…”

Leaning back against the sofa, Caelus suddenly smirked.

“I already know who it is, so tell me your next plan.”

Bellona watched him in silence for a moment before cautiously bringing up the next matter.

“I’m concerned that we didn’t capture the sorcerer. Without the sorcerer, the Empress could shift the blame onto us…”

“You don’t need to worry about that. I’ve already captured the sorcerer.”

Her green eyes darkened slightly.

Whenever she looked at Caelus, a creeping sense of doubt always lingered.

This time, it gripped her even more intensely.

She feigned ignorance and asked, “That’s a relief. But was it a woman?”

“No, a man.”

‘A man?’

Her eyes flickered briefly. In the past, the person the Empress had brought as a soothsayer was a woman.

But now, it was a man. Why was it different from before?

Her green eyes, lost in thought, slowly turned toward him.

How had Caelus known about him and captured him so quickly?

Even after scouring the forest, she hadn’t seen any trace of the sorcerer. There was no way the sorcerer would have simply appeared before him first.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“I need to meet the sorcerer first.”

“Do you have no intention of entrusting this entirely to me?”

Bellona fell silent, immediately grasping the intent behind his question. His desperate voice, asking her to trust him, flashed through her mind.

She quietly observed the man waiting for her answer, then instead, she brought up something he had said before.

“You told me you would walk with me on my path. That means we must go together.”

“Then will you tell me everything from now on?”

“Will Your Grace tell me everything as well?”

Their gazes clashed fiercely.

Both left out the most crucial subject, making their conversation feel dangerously hollow.

“Are you hiding something from me?”

“No.”

She scrutinized him closely, but he answered without a hint of hesitation. Finally, her lips curled upward slightly.

“I’ll believe you. But you must never lie to me in the future. If my trust is broken, I will no longer consider you to be on my side.”

“And you? Are you hiding anything from me?”

“…No.”

“You hesitated.”

He chuckled in resignation, as if it didn’t matter to him whether she was lying or not. With a deep sigh, he suddenly extended his hand to her.

“In any case, it finally feels like we’re truly on the same boat. Shall we start cleaning up the mess?”

“Starting with the nobles of Camirus.”

“We think alike. We make a good team.”

Smiling as he narrowed his eyes, he lifted her hand and pressed a slow kiss to the back of it.

Then, as if it were now second nature, he added teasingly, “I want to be seduced by you.”

“Right now, I need a reliable husband, not a flirtatious one.”

“Then, if I handle this matter well, will you seduce me?”

“If you’re expecting a reward, show me your skills first.”

“As much as you want.”

With a confident expression, he stood and tugged at her hand, signaling her to follow. But because of the suspicion she now held, even his playful smile felt unreliable.

Bellona concealed her deepening doubts and walked alongside him.

***

She thought they were headed to the dungeon, but instead, Caelus led her somewhere completely different. After crossing the training grounds, they ventured deep into the forest, where a narrow path emerged.

It was a secluded area, seemingly untouched for a long time. Overgrown branches tangled together like thick vines, obstructing their way.

As he pushed through the rugged branches, he occasionally glanced back to check if she was struggling.

Her dress got caught on the branches several times, but more than that, she was too curious about their destination to mind the inconvenience. She quickened her pace to keep up.

By the time they emerged from the forest, the sun had set, casting dim twilight over their surroundings.

Her green eyes widened.

“This place…!”

“Seems like you recognize it.”

Realizing she had spoken aloud, she quickly shut her mouth. He smirked and casually gestured toward the ruins before them.

“This was my mother’s palace. It was once the most beautiful place in the imperial palace, but now, no one would be surprised if ghosts haunted it.”

“…Why didn’t you maintain it?”

Caelus turned to her with slightly widened eyes, as if he hadn’t expected that question.

As she gazed at the once magnificent palace, now nothing but a decaying ruin, a bitter expression crossed her face.

“If it had been cared for, it wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

Turning away again, he gave a serene smile and replied calmly, “My mother loved this place dearly. When I was young, I worried that if it remained beautiful, she wouldn’t be able to leave it.”

His detached tone made her heart ache for a fleeting moment.

She had never once thought about his childhood before, but now, she found herself sympathizing with the boy he had once been.

He glanced at her silent expression before letting out a quiet laugh. Intertwining his fingers with hers again, he strolled forward at a leisurely pace and murmured, “In any case, because I left it abandoned, no one comes here anymore. Isn’t this the perfect place to hide someone? Even if someone dies here, no one would know.”

Only then did Bellona realize who was inside.