In This Life, I Will Be Your Dog - Chapter 87

Over the past few days, despite her son’s haggard appearance, Violentia’s expression remained cold. Far from hiding her displeasure, she clicked her tongue as if he were pathetic.

“I apologize, Mother.”

“Do you even understand what you’re apologizing for? I told you to stay put!”

At her sharp rebuke, Impes instinctively shrank back. Seeing her son trembling at his fingertips like a frightened child, she scowled in disapproval.

“Pathetic fool. What are you going to do now? A future emperor who couldn’t even take care of his own body ended up in such a state—what are you going to do about it!”

“……”

“If even a single noble takes issue with your hand, the crown prince’s seat could go back to Caelus. Did you not realize that??”

Accustomed to his mother’s ruthlessness, Impes couldn’t even lift his head. He simply stared blankly at his now-missing hand.

“Do you have any idea how much it cost to silence the nobles? Do you even know how much the Marquis struggled to convince them? Do you understand how precarious our position has become because of your foolishness?”

Impes, still bowing his head, furrowed his brows slightly.

His condition was already poor, his mind still hazy, and Violentia’s sharp voice stabbing at his eardrums made it feel as if his head would split open.

“What exactly happened? Did Ether really attack you? No, that doesn’t make sense. That bastard wouldn’t have a reason. Unless it was that grand duchess!”

“No, Mother! Bellona… she protected me. It’s true…”

The sight of her son defending Bellona even in this situation made her blood boil, but figuring out what had actually happened took priority.

“Are you certain?”

“Yes. Ether cut off my hand and raised his sword again, but Bellona used her whole body to protect me and severed his arm. I saw it clearly with my own eyes.”

Suddenly, Impes’ eyes widened in fury.

“That bastard tried to kill me. That ungrateful son of a bitch cut off my hand!”

He suddenly roared in anger, his eyes blazing. Violentia, her brow hardening, eyed her son’s sudden shift warily.

“I’ll kill him. I’ll tear that bastard apart with my own hands. Where is he now? Drag him before me this instant!”

“Crown Prince!”

The moment her powerful voice rang out, an eerie silence followed.

Impes, who had been on the verge of losing control, suddenly lowered his head and let out a chuckle. Then, lifting his head slowly, he tilted it to one side.

“…You don’t trust me more than Ether, do you, Mother?”

“……!”

“No matter how disappointed you are in me, I’m still your son. You’re not planning to let the bastard who did this to my hand live and continue using him, are you?”

“Crown Prince, pull yourself together!”

“Ha… So stop shouting already. My head hurts so much I feel like I’m going to lose my mind.”

Seeing her son’s increasingly abnormal behavior, a sense of foreboding rose within her. She stood up from her seat.

At that moment, Impes abruptly clutched at her skirt with a desperate expression.

“Are you leaving already, Mother?”

“…I’ll bring the Marquis, so lie down and stay still. You need to be examined.”

“Why call the Marquis when the palace physician is available—”

“How can we be sure the palace physician is on our side? Have you already forgotten my warnings to always be cautious and vigilant?”

Staring at her suddenly cold demeanor, Impes let out another chuckle, sneering.

“You don’t trust the palace physician, but you trust the Marquis?”

“…What?”

“The Marquis isn’t even a doctor. What’s the point of bringing him? His treatment might work on you, Mother, but it’s of no help to me.”

“Impes!”

At her son’s mocking tone, as if he knew everything about their relationship, Violentia’s face turned crimson with anger.

“Still, it’s a relief. You seem perfectly fine, Mother. No, in fact, you look even more radiant today. It seems the Marquis’ nighttime treatments have been quite effective.”

Her trembling hand finally struck Impes’ cheek.

“Insolent brat! Where did you hear such filth to dare speak so brazenly to your own mother!”

Unfazed, he touched his reddening cheek with amusement, the corner of his lips curling up.

“No need to be so angry. What’s the big deal if the Empress of this empire has a lover?”

As if he had completely lost his mind, he continued to mock her. Violentia’s expression grew cold.

“It seems you need to be educated again. Losing a few fingers has made you so deranged you don’t even recognize your own mother.”

“…I refuse.”

His fierce eyes burned with defiance as he gritted his teeth.

“I don’t need that kind of education anymore. I will soon be Emperor of this nation!”

“Captain of the Imperial Guard!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

As she glared at Impes, a knight hurried in, and she gave her order in an icy tone.

“Leave only one maid to serve the Crown Prince. No one else is to enter.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And prepare for the Crown Prince’s education.”

“Understood.”

The locked gazes of mother and son began to crack.

***

“Your Highness, are you all right?”

“Haah… Bellona. Hold me… I don’t know why it’s so cold.”

The woman’s lips curved lazily as she gently stroked the man’s silver hair, as if cradling a child. She kissed him soothingly, calming his unsettled mind.

Mona, having discovered Impes’ lack of affection, was now the one to comfort the wounds inflicted by the Empress earlier that day.

As expected, he clung to her like a child, seeking comfort.

“Why did you provoke Her Majesty the Empress like that?”

“I don’t want to talk about Mother.”

At the sudden chill in his voice, Mona skillfully pulled him into an embrace, pressing a kiss to his head.

“Cheer up. I’m here by your side.”

“Mm. The scent of your skin makes my throbbing head hurt a little less.”

As he buried himself deeper in her arms, she gently stroked him before lifting the glass of water beside them and whispering.

“Drink a little more of this. You’ll feel much better.”

Like an obedient child, Impes gulped down the water. As his mind grew increasingly clouded, Mona smiled, deliberately letting her loosened red hair fall before his eyes.

“You’re beautiful, Bellona.”

“Shh! You mustn’t keep saying my name. If Caelus finds out, he won’t let this go.”

His mood instantly darkened, a growl escaping him.

“Then just kill him. How much longer are you going to stay by that bastard’s side?”

“Just a little longer, just wait a little more. I’ll take care of everything soon.”

When she silenced him with a kiss, he eagerly responded, as if he had been waiting for it. After a long, deep kiss, their lips parted, and Impes buried his face in her chest, unable to hold back.

But Mona, as if the timing wasn’t right, firmly lifted his face and whispered, “First, practice calling me properly. I worry you might slip up and call my name again.”

“What should I call you?”

At his sulky pout, she found him adorable and pressed kisses across his pale face, whispering.

“Mona.”

“What?”

As he frowned, her amber eyes briefly flashed with sharpness before she quickly masked it, teasingly stroking his body.

“She is my most cherished girl. So think of me as her and be good to her.”

“Haah… Fine. Just stop already—”

“Say my name.”

As her hands became more insistent, he could no longer resist. Lifting her skirt, he gasped, his voice thick with yearning.

“Mona, hurry. I want you so badly I can’t stand it.”

“Again…”

As her touch grew more sinful, he gasped and moaned her name once more, pleasure overtaking him.

“Haah… Mona.”

“One more time…”

The more he obeyed, the more cunningly her hands moved. Like a well-trained beast, Impes followed her every command.

“Mona, Mona… Ngh!”

Having grown quite skilled from Ether’s forced lessons, Mona easily guided Impes into rapture. His body tensed before collapsing, spent.

With a satisfied smile, Mona stood, wiping her damp hands on a towel as she gazed down at his heaving form.

So lovable.

Every time he uttered her name, a thrill ran through her.

If she continued taming him like this, soon, he would belong solely to her, not Bellona.

And that meant the day she claimed the emperor as her own was not far off.

“Your Highness, would you like me to make you even happier?”

“Haah, Mona…”

As she nestled into his embrace, he smiled blissfully and kissed her.

After the harsh discipline from the Empress, Impes had not been in his right mind from the moment she entered the room.

As a result, even though Bellona had only given him a very small dose of the poison, he completely lost control—not only unable to think rationally but also incapable of even keeping himself upright.

“I never imagined Her Majesty the Empress would be such a ruthless woman.”

Unbothered, Mona undressed, gazing affectionately at the panting man.

Soon, stripped bare, she climbed atop his torso, pressing her skin against his as she whispered into his ear, “You are the one who will become Emperor. Never yield to Her Majesty.”

“Mm…”

“Just listen to me, Mona, and everything will be fine. Understood?”

“Mm, understood…”

“Such a good boy. A good boy deserves a reward. I’ll give you something truly blissful.”

Her sharply upturned eyes gleamed with satisfaction.