The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 13

“A deal, you say…”

Islay’s approach, with coins clinking under his boots, interrupted Stella’s words. Stopping a few steps away, he reached into a treasure chest nearby, his large hand sifting through diamonds, ruby rings, and bracelets encrusted with unknown minerals before casting them aside carelessly.

“I’ll give you more than you could ever desire.”

“……”

“You can take them with a clear conscience. Aside from the tributes sent by the Pantege, very little of this was taken forcefully,” he continued. Knowing the Pantege’s history of pillage and invasion, Stella understood that these tributes weren’t originally theirs to give.

Islay had stated the reward before mentioning any terms, ensuring she saw the bounty first. Anyone dazzled by the sheer wealth would be tempted to accept. However, Stella tried to understand his true intent behind the glittering gems.

“Tell me exactly what you want from me. I can’t agree without knowing that,” she insisted. Even if refusing might not be an option after being dragged all the way to Calis, she couldn’t enter into a deal without understanding what he expected from her.

After a brief silence, Islay spoke in a steady tone. “You’ve seen the monsters, so you must understand that there are forces beyond the ordinary.”

Stella nodded slightly.

“Do you know how the curse on my bloodline began?”

“They say it started with your ancestor and a daughter of a priest who served the gods,” she answered.

“Correct. The Peruno bloodline was cursed for desecrating the priest’s daughter. We were condemned to live forever as beasts.”

Folklore often blurred the lines between fact and fiction. It was unclear whether his ancestor had violated the priest’s daughter or fallen in love with her, and Islay seemed indifferent to this detail.

“But no mere human can cast a curse that transcends time. The priest used an ancient gem infused with his life force and holy power,” he explained.

“An ancient gem…?”

Stella’s eyes swept over the room filled with treasures. She recalled that Islay had been amassing gems through tributes from the Pantege.

“It was originally a golden sacred relic of unparalleled beauty. After being drained of its power, it became an ordinary-looking mineral,” Islay said, his voice dropping lower.

“To break the curse, I need that gem, even if it’s just an empty shell.”

“……”

“My ancestors has scoured the central continent for centuries, collecting every relevant artifact. I want you to find it among these,” he urged, leaving Stella stunned.

“Me…?” she asked, bewildered.

“First, I need to know if it’s here. We’ve amassed a vast collection, and even Prince Hendrick resorted to manufacturing fake gems like sugar.”

“Wait, how am I supposed to find it?” she questioned.

“Only a select few can recognize the ancient gem. I believe you have that ability, Estella,” he said earnestly.

Overwhelmed by his insistence, Stella noted that he seemed dead serious.

“Do you have any proof?” she pressed.

“What proof do you need?”

“A reason to believe I can help. You don’t seem like the kind of person who has time to waste on the wrong person.”

Islay met her gaze steadily, the light from the treasures casting an odd glow in his eyes.

“I have no blind faith. The more options I have, the less likely I am to fail. That’s why I brought you here,” he replied ambiguously. Stella narrowed her eyes, sensing he was withholding something.

“I’ll give you three months. Do your best to help me. If I determine that you’re not the one, I’ll let you go. As you said, I have no time to waste on the wrong person,” he stated firmly.

The color drained from Stella’s face. Islay was unrelenting in his demand. It was hard to believe he’d let her go if she failed.

The color drained from Stella’s face. Islay was unrelenting in his demand. It was hard to believe he’d let her go if she failed.

“No, I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do it,” she replied.

“Such quick refusal. I’m hurt,” he said.

“You’re mistaken about me,” she insisted.

“You owe me, Estella. Or have you forgotten?” Islay’s sharp smile cut through her resolve. Stella clenched her fists.

“Are you referring to the day I was drugged with Lobid?” she asked.

“Don’t be absurd. Pouring cold water on you isn’t something I’d consider a debt. Do you think I don’t know what could have happened to your beautiful body in Prince Hendrick’s clutches?” he shot back.

Her heart pounded as the tension in the air grew palpable. She had indeed owed him for saving her from becoming Hendrick’s plaything.

Even if it was an act of desperation, Islay had saved her. Still, it didn’t mean she should be forced to comply with his demands here in Calis.

Stella’s eyes grew red with frustration as she locked her gaze on him. The reality of her powerlessness hit her again.

“Don’t be stubborn. I have no choice but to be ruthless because my life is at stake here,” Islay’s voice softened, though his words were firm.

“Just try. Find the gem, and I’ll give you more than you could ever want.”

Stella had no strength left to argue. Her eyes, drawn to the glittering wealth around her, reflected her overwhelming sense of helplessness. Her fate, which had been stagnant in the mire, was now swept away by the immense wave brought forth by the man standing before her.

***

“How is the princess?”

“She is still awake. I can hear her tossing and turning from outside her room, sobbing,” Mikel reported, standing at the entrance of the study. As Islay’s trusted aide, Mikel’s senses were exceptionally keen, much like any Calisian.

Islay murmured, repeating the report, “Sobbing, you say.”

“Yes, it sounds like soft sobbing. Her cries are muffled, likely because she is crying into her blankets to avoid being heard,” Mikel elaborated.

Islay paused, the glass he was about to sip from hovering near his lips, and fixed his gaze on Mikel. A faint, incredulous laugh escaped him.

“You’re too loyal for your own good, reporting every detail like that.”

“You did ask me to report exactly what I heard…” Mikel trailed off, tilting his head. “Does it bother you?” he asked, his tone cautious.

“It does. Back in her homeland, there was probably a nanny to sing her lullabies,” Islay replied.

“The princess is a grown woman, captain,” Mikel pointed out.

“Here in Calis, she’s surrounded by nothing but dark, intimidating men, with only a snappy maid on her side. She’s being threatened by a monster-like man. It’s no wonder she’s feeling miserable,” Islay muttered, almost to himself, before taking a sip of his strong drink.

“What can I do, though? I don’t have the time to coax and comfort her,” Islay continued.

“You are right, of course…” Mikel began, but then he paused to watch Islay, who was gazing out the dusky window. The sight of his lord’s face, framed by his fluttering black hair, seemed unusually foreign to him.

“Are you perhaps fond of the princess?” Mikel asked.

Islay fell silent at the question, lifting his gaze to meet Mikel’s. The aide quickly bowed his head.

“I apologize for overstepping.”

The loyal aide knew his place well.

“Shall I continue to keep an eye on her?”

“What good does it do to watch a crying girl? Take the night off,” Islay dismissed him.

Mikel nodded respectfully and left the study without a sound. Islay swallowed the drink, his throat moving slowly. Left alone, he exhaled deeply through his damp lips.

Am I fond of the princess of Largo? It was a peculiar question, but his thoughts wandered back to the sudden appearance of the young woman.

She possessed a dazzling beauty that made it hard to look away. Her delicate features and radiant complexion seemed almost otherworldly, like a mirage that would vanish if he reached out to touch her.

Her small face was adorned with soft, graceful lines, her clear eyes and flowing golden hair captivating like a shining star. Her lips, often slightly parted to reveal a hint of her teeth, seemed to beckon. Islay’s gaze lingered there longer than he cared to admit.

His dry thoughts heated up swiftly.

And beneath that slender neck, her body had left a vivid impression. For a moment, his mind was as blank as a teenage boy’s seeing a naked woman for the first time.

Though her limbs were slim, her curves were pronounced and inviting. He had wanted to grasp the pale skin and the contours visible through her flowing hair with force.

It was his rational nature that had kept him from acting on those crude impulses.

His judgment asserted that she was a realm he should not even taste. For someone who had no desire to mix bodies with anyone, this was an unchanging conviction for life.

Yet, despite his firm resolve, he couldn’t deny that he found her alluring. Every inch of her was utterly captivating…

Is he fond of her?