The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 17

After a moment of silence, Mikel nodded reluctantly. “In that case, I will accompany you,” he said.

“…You’re coming with us?” Stella asked.

“Yes, follow me,” Mikel replied.

As Mikel turned and walked away, Stella and her maid exchanged glances before hesitantly following him. The main gate leading from the inner castle to the outside required the combined strength of two men to open.

We can’t use this door if we want to sneak out at night, Stella thought.

Watching the heavy door swing open slowly, she realized that escaping through any other small door would still require them to navigate the vast castle. They would have to pass through the broad courtyard, the gates connecting the inner and outer walls, the moat filled with sharp stakes, and the city itself.

‘The security is tight…’

Even if they managed to steal horses, could she and Dora traverse the terrifying fields beyond the castle walls? The more she thought about it, the more impossible it seemed unless someone helped them escape.

Shaking her head to clear her pessimistic thoughts, Stella felt a cold breeze as the door finally opened wide. Tucking her windswept hair behind her ears, she took in the courtyard surrounded by the castle’s walls.

Men and women bustled about, carrying heavy planks and armfuls of white flowers, heading around a corner of the inner castle. Mikel, however, seemed disinclined to move, standing still at the top of the steps, looking straight ahead.

Are we just supposed to watch from here? Stella thought, breaking the silence.

“What event are they preparing for?” she asked.

“The Resting Festival,” Mikel replied.

“The Resting Festival?” Stella echoed.

“Yes. It’s an annual ceremony to pray for a safe and peaceful winter. We offer prayers to the gods, decorate with white flowers, and prepare for guests from the eastern part of Calis,” Mikel explained.

Before Stella could ask more about the festival, she heard commotion near the gate connecting the inner and outer walls. The iron gate lifted, and a group of men on horseback rode in. Their arrival was so powerful that the entire courtyard seemed to shake. Stella immediately recognized the man on the lead black horse.

“The captain has returned from the hunt,” Mikel announced.

Finally descending the steps, Stella and Dora followed him, albeit reluctantly. The horsemen rode in a line toward the steps, and Islay, the man on the lead horse, looked down at Stella with a curious gaze.

“Welcome back, Captain,” Mikel greeted.

“I assume the princess didn’t come out to greet me personally,” Islay said, jumping off his horse with ease. He tossed his black leather gloves onto the saddle and glanced at Mikel.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“I caught the Princess of Largo and her maid attempting to sneak out. They claimed they wanted to breathe some fresh air,” Mikel reported.

“We didn’t sneak out!” Dora protested.

“In her homeland, the princess used to stroll through rose gardens and bask in the sunlight. She said she never went a single day without enjoying the fragrant scent of flowers and the gentle breeze,” Mikel recounted Dora’s lie word for word.

All eyes turned to Stella, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She felt like a spoiled princess caught in the act.

“Is that so,” Islay said, pushing his disheveled hair back and grinning. “I should have presented you with a bouquet every day. How thoughtless of me.”

The men who had dismounted from their horses laughed. Stella stood there, unsure of what to say, her cheeks still flushed pink.

“Estella, if you found the castle stifling, why didn’t you say so?”

“Well…,” Stella hesitated.

“Shall I show you around?” Islay offered casually, as if he never intended to keep her confined.

Stella, looking bewildered, asked again, “The Ice Castle? With you personally?”

“Do you have another man in mind?” His question was absurd, but the subordinates’ faces showed a hint of anticipation.

Stella, stunned, quickly shook her head. “No, if it’s alright, I’d like to look around the castle with you.”

It was an opportunity to explore the castle with the lord himself. Given the circumstances, it wouldn’t hurt to learn about the castle’s layout.

“Great. Mikel, take care of the rest,” Islay ordered.

“Yes, Captain,” Mikel replied.

“Are you talking about me…?” Dora murmured in dismay as Mikel swiftly moved her aside.

Islay offered Stella his arm, and she accepted his unexpected escort. He carried the cold scent of the air as if he had been running against the wind for a long time. His scent was fainter than before. Stella tightened her grip on his arm, feeling nervous.

“I heard you were out hunting,” Stella said, trying to make conversation.

“Yes. I’ve been busy all week,” Islay replied.

“You haven’t shown your face at all, so I thought…”

“Were you disappointed I didn’t come to see you?” Islay teased, making Stella blush.

“Wh-What? No! I just thought you’d come to the basement every day to hassle me,” she stammered.

Islay laughed. “Hassling you would only scare you more. I’m good at making threats, but I’m not good at comforting crying women,” he said, matching her pace with his longer strides.

He added, “If I went to the basement, it would just be because I wanted to see you, Princess.”

Deciding it was best not to engage in conversation with the man whose jokes she was still not used to, Stella remained silent. But it wasn’t up to her.

“As you may have heard, join me for dinner this weekend,” Islay said.

“Dinner? Why?” Stella asked, puzzled.

“Do we need a special reason to eat together? Didn’t I say I’d treat you as an honored guest? Besides, there won’t be anyone else,” Islay replied.

Just the two of them. Stella swallowed hard, her throat moving slightly. She could feel Islay looking at her.

“There’s no need to be so scared. I’m not going to eat you,” he reassured her.

“It’s just… I can’t trust anyone here,” Stella admitted.

Islay fell silent. They walked around the corner of the inner castle and reached the backyard, where she had seen the busy Northmen heading earlier.

Stella, who had been quietly walking, widened her eyes.

In the center of the backyard stood a giant tree, taller than anything she had ever seen, with silvery-grey leaves that spread out like clouds. It was a majestic and mysterious sight.

“Is that a real tree?” she asked.

“Of course. We call it the Millennium Tree,” Islay explained.

“Millennium Tree… It must be very old.”

“The exact age is unknown, but it’s been rooted here for over a thousand years,” he confirmed.

Stella’s gaze lowered to the base of the tree. In front of the tree stood an open structure with a roof, similar to a pavilion, decorated with candles and white flowers.

Islay led her to this structure, which resembled a small sanctuary for prayer.

“I heard you have a festival called Resting Festival,” Stella said cautiously as she observed people placing flowers and praying.

“Yes, some people here are devout,” Islay replied.

Devout people. Something about that touched Stella. She watched the Northmen praying in the sanctuary.

“The Resting Festival is a ritual to ensure we survive the harsh winter. It’s a tradition here because of the severe cold,” Islay explained.

“I see… I also heard that guests from Eastern Calis will be visiting.”

“Yes,” Islay replied, looking slightly annoyed. “A group of fanatics will be wandering around the castle, but just ignore them. They’re not worth your attention.”

“Fanatics? What do you mean?” Stella asked.

“They’re a bunch of lunatics who worship the first Peruno like a god. They believe I’m his reincarnation.”

Reincarnation. So, they thought Islay was the reborn Peruno, the source of the curse. Given all the unbelievable events she had witnessed, Stella almost believed it herself. But seeing the irritation on Islay’s face, she realized it was an unwanted belief forced upon him.

“They believe Calis’s foundation lies in Peruno. They think passing on the bloodline is most important and that the curse of becoming a monster is something future generations can deal with.”