The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 15

Stella walked down the corridor she had passed through the previous night, filled with tension as she trailed behind the broad shoulders of the man. She entered the room brimming with glittering treasures and couldn’t help but gasp in awe. She looked at the large chests overflowing with gemstones with wide eyes.

“…I can’t believe it.”

It seemed as if every treasure in the world had been gathered and placed here. The colorful brilliance reflected from all directions was almost blinding.

“How many people could be fed with just one of these chests?” she mused aloud.

Islay, who had been tossing a gold apple figurine in the air and catching it, spoke up. “That’s why I said I’d give you as much as you want.”

Startled, Stella whipped around to face him. “Oh…!”

Sitting beside a dented stone pillar, Islay’s casual movements made him seem like a rogue lounging in a dark alley. How could she have failed to notice such a large man?

No, it wasn’t that she was unobservant; it was that he was exceptionally skilled at masking his presence. Stella instinctively took a defensive step back.

“Do you… have a habit of secretly watching people?” she asked.

“I just developed it,” he said with a smirk. “I was afraid you might try to run away.”

“That’s not a very gentlemanly habit,” Stella remarked.

“I’m not one for keeping up appearances, so it would be gracious of you to understand,” Islay replied.

Stella sighed softly. She couldn’t imagine ever getting used to Islay’s brazen manner.

“Are you going to keep watching me from there?” she asked.

“Of course. Didn’t I say we’d be spending a lot of time alone together in the Ice Castle?”

So he was serious. She hadn’t realized he intended to keep such a close watch on her.

“But there’s no need,” she protested. “The security here seems quite thorough.”

“There was a precedent, so I can’t be complacent. Even small mice can find their way through sewers,” he said, implying he knew about her and Dora’s secret plans that morning. Stella felt a pang of guilt and looked away.

“Stop trying to scheme and just give it a try. You’re dealing with a guy who’s less than a year away from turning into a monster. Show some compassion.”

The sound of the golden apple being tossed and caught continued rhythmically.

“A monster that shouldn’t exist,” Islay said. “I either die or break the curse. One of those is the answer, and I don’t want to die like a dog.”

“……”

“So, do you feel a bit more inclined to help now?” he asked.

Whether her will mattered in this situation was unclear. Stella fumed silently.

This wasn’t just about sensing holy power but finding traces where holy power had once resided. She still struggled to understand what that meant.

Moreover, Stella had no connection to holy power. The only link she had was being raised by the priests in the monastery.

“If you needed help, wouldn’t it be better to ask a high priest?” she suggested.

“They’re already assisting me. You’re just one of them,” Islay replied.

Standing in the silence, Stella walked over to one of the chests and knelt down, staring intently at the dazzling gems. She wanted to show Islay, who was searching for the sacred artifact, that he was wasting his time with the wrong person.

She knew she wasn’t anything special. She lacked talent in even the simplest tasks that others accomplished easily. For instance, when her mother insisted that it was a woman’s virtue to embroider beautifully and handed her the frame numerous times, Stella only ended up pricking her fingers.

Stella had no talent for any of the so-called “virtues.” She grew up constantly hearing how she was good for nothing.

Recalling the countless scornful remarks, Stella exhaled a dry sigh and turned to look at Islay. The man stood by the pillar, watching her with a scrutinizing gaze.

“I truly can’t feel anything,” she said.

“You’re just not used to it. Have you ever tried using your mind’s eye?”

“My… what?”

“The ability to see the essence,” he explained.

Stella gaped, unable to form a response. She had experienced all sorts of strange things, including witnessing a furry monster up close, but she wondered when she would stop being surprised by this man.

The mind’s eye was a rare supernatural ability. It wasn’t widely known because of its scarcity. Islay explained that it was the ability to discern truth from lies and to perceive the essence of things, no matter how well hidden. Unlike holy power that could be cultivated, it was an innate gift.

Stella recalled Islay’s demand to identify the bottle containing water among the glass bottles, and she quickly understood why.

“You believe I have the mind’s eye?” she asked.

“Possibly.”

The thought that a man she had met only days ago could discover an ability she herself had been unaware of all her life was unsettling.

Stella was lost in her thoughts when she flinched as Islay approached, tossing the golden apple into the chest.

“Estella.”

He knelt slowly in front of her. Despite him being on his knees, their size difference was such that she still had to tilt her head up to look at him.

“Have you never felt like someone was lying to you?” he asked.

“…I’m not sure.”

“The world is full of people with dirty intentions. The worst are those adept at lying. But no one can hide the truth from the mind’s eye.”

His calm addition was almost sweet, as if he was trying to indoctrinate a naive person.

Perhaps she was momentarily enchanted by him, for Stella bit her lip and reflected on her past.

…Well, she hadn’t met many people to begin with. Her childhood was spent in a monastery, and after her uncle ascended the throne, she was mostly confined to the court. Her interactions were limited.

Stella averted her gaze from his red eyes, letting her vision wander.

“I didn’t even notice when Prince Hendrick spiked my drink. It’s impossible.”

“Stop flinching and look at me.”

He reached out and cupped her cheek, forcing her to meet his gaze. His large hand completely enveloped her jawline, ensuring their eyes locked.

Stella examined his eyes carefully. They were close enough that she could feel his breath against her parted lips.

His half-lidded lashes cast delicate shadows, and his crescent-shaped sclera was entirely focused on her face.

“Then tell me any lie you can think of,” she impulsively demanded.

His lips slowly curved into a smile while their gazes remained intertwined.

“I’m too straightforward to lie,” he said.

“Just try. I won’t look away.”

A heavy silence lingered briefly before the answer came.

“I want to kiss you.”

Islay’s thumb brushed over the corner of her mouth. Stella’s lips parted slightly as she exhaled a shallow breath.

“I want to rip off your dress and leave bite marks on your bare skin.”

The crude remark made Stella’s heart pound wildly. Yet, he maintained a calm, smiling demeanor, showing no sign of disturbance.

If she truly possessed the ability of the mind’s eye, how would she discern if he was lying or not? Heat bloomed on her cheeks, and her heartbeat only quickened.

“Shall I continue?” he asked.

“No. I still don’t feel anything.”

Islay’s faint smile persisted as he continued to caress Stella’s face. His fingers, unusually warm, traced her lips, parting them gently to reveal the soft pink of her inner mouth. The touch was almost tender.

Unlike her, Islay was accustomed to maintaining unwavering eye contact, as if he could see straight through a person. Holding his gaze made Stella feel as though she was being suffocated. She breathed shakily through her parted lips, wanting nothing more than to escape. Desperately, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“Um…”

With his fingers on her lips, her words were mumbled and hesitant.

“If… if I don’t find the gemstone within the given time, what will you do to me?”

“I told you. I’ll send you back to your homeland,” he said matter-of-factly.

A twisted smile tugged at Islay’s lips, a clear sign of his disdain at her disbelief.

“Just as you are now, without a scratch. I’ll return you unharmed, as I promised.”

As he added his words nonchalantly, Stella watched him with anxious eyes and asked an unintended question.

“And if I do find it?”