The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 3

Hendrick shouted incoherently, and the man withdrew his rough hand. Spitting out the gems, Hendrick let out a shrill scream.

“I’ll compensate you with something far more valuable than the promised tribute! I can give it to you right now!”

“Really? I don’t see anything,” the man replied.

“Over there!” Desperately thinking, Hendrick’s gaze met Stella’s. “The woman! Take that woman!”

“…Woman?” Grand Duke Peruno narrowed his eyes as if hearing something unexpected. It didn’t take long for his cold gaze to settle on Stella.

A heavy silence descended. The man tilted his head, his strange eyes locked onto Stella, who was curled up in a corner of the room. He looked like a predator who had found a tiny, insignificant mouse after toying with a deer he had dragged into his lair.

“The Star of Largo, have you heard of her? You might not know since Largo is practically a ruined country, but she is the most beautiful woman there. As you can see, she’s quite a beauty,” Hendrick forced a twisted smile, his tone sleazy.

“Take her, Islay. She was originally offered to me, but I’m willing to let you have her,” Hendrick continued.

Stella’s heart sank at his thunderous words. Tribute? Did her uncle really sell her off? Or was the cowardly prince lying to save himself? Either way, Stella was about to be handed over to this brutal man, Islay Peruno, as if she were a mere object.

Everyone in the dining room turned their gaze to Stella. The man’s burning red eyes were fixed on her as if they couldn’t tear themselves away.

“I’ve never received a woman as tribute before,” the man muttered in a strange tone. Despite this, he dropped Hendrick’s head as if it were nothing and shifted his full attention to Stella.

‘Run…!’

The thought hit Stella like a revelation. Drawing on a surge of strength she didn’t know she had, she darted off. With the men blocking the main path, there was only one way to go. The door Hendrick had tried to flee through earlier. She yanked it open, grabbing her skirt, and dashed into the darkness.

“Huff… Huff….”

Her breath quickly grew ragged. She ran down an unknown corridor, listening intently but hearing no signs of pursuit. Stopping to catch her breath, Stella looked back, her face marked by fear.

“Dora…”

Dora was the only maid who had ever shown Stella any kindness. Despite being ostracized for her lack of social savvy and being assigned to serve the shunned princess, Dora never complained. While the other attendants and maids had long since gone to wait elsewhere, Dora had followed Stella, waiting for her in the corridor outside the dining room.

But the guards in the corridor had been killed just before the black-clad men entered. Had Dora been harmed as well? Tears welled in Stella’s eyes as she stared into the darkness.

‘I have to do something…’

She couldn’t fight them off alone, not when she couldn’t even handle Hendrick. She had to escape and find help from Largo’s knights or anyone who could assist her.

Stella suddenly realized she had reached a dead end. A bedroom door stood slightly ajar a few steps away. Drawn by the faint light, she approached it as if in a trance.

The room, dimly lit by a few candles, was dark. But she could clearly see the massive bed at the center, surrounded by tall posts and draped curtains. It looked like a secret space prepared for a special night. Imagining herself struggling in this room, she bit her lip and anxiously looked around.

“I must have interrupted a cozy moment,” a voice laughed from behind her.

Startled, Stella froze. A large shadow loomed at her feet. She turned her pale face to see the tall man with black hair leaning against the doorway. He surveyed the bedroom as if taking in a scene meant for someone else’s pleasure, then laughed softly, eyes fixed on her.

“It seems he decorated this room to tumble with you.”

Stella backed away. The man hadn’t moved a step, but his imposing presence held her in place.

“So, you’re Prince Hendrick’s tribute?”

Stella shook her head.

“Or are you his lover?”

“Neither…”

“Then what are you? Answer me clearly.”

Stella couldn’t respond. She had no relationship with Hendrick. All she knew was that there might have been an implicit deal involving her between Largo and Pantege.

“I was only supposed to have dinner with Prince Hendrick. That’s all. I swear…”

Stella gasped as the man straightened from the door and moved towards her. With nowhere to run, she backed into the cold wall, the imposing shadow looming over her.

“Please, don’t kill me.”

The man let out a soft laugh as if amused by her unexpected reaction.

“I’m not going to eat you. My belly is already full tonight.”

Not understanding his joke, Stella’s face turned even paler. Meanwhile, his face filled with amusement, resembling a child’s cruelty in pulling the wings off a dragonfly.

Stella turned desperately towards the open window. Even knowing it was useless, her instinct to survive took over.

“Ah!”

In a flash, a strong arm grabbed her waist. The man lifted her effortlessly and pressed her against the wall.

“Jumping from here wouldn’t be wise.”

“……”

“You’d be caught in a few steps.”

Stella struggled to escape his grip, but he didn’t budge. He held her gently but firmly, like a cat grabbing a kitten by the scruff.

“Don’t struggle. If I misjudge my strength, your fragile body might break.”

He whispered playfully, bringing his face close enough for her to feel his breath. Stella’s eyes met his fiery red ones, bright even in the dim room.

The man’s face was sharply handsome, with dark hair falling over his forehead, thick eyebrows, and a high nose, all set in sharp lines. His half-closed eyes and slow-blinking eyelashes gave him an almost relaxed look, masking a more intense impression.

His features, without a single rough line, were so strikingly beautiful that Stella momentarily forgot her predicament and parted her lips in awe.

“You’re from Largo.”

Stella snapped out of her trance at his low voice.

“What’s your name?”

“Stella… Estella Lassa de Largo….”

Only royals could append the country’s name to their own. Realizing her identity, the man smirked and muttered, “So, you’re a princess.”

Despite recognizing her status, his grip on her chin was anything but respectful.

“……”

The man stared at her face, particularly her golden eyes, as if searching for something.

“The Star of Largo.”

He repeated her title to himself.

“It’s not a name one can easily ignore.”

Unable to discern his intentions, Stella could only blink her wide eyes. Finally, his hand fell from her cheek.

“Sorry, but you’ll have to come with me.”

The man declared, not sounding apologetic at all, and lifted her onto his shoulder.

Stella screamed instinctively, pounding his back with her fists. But it was like hitting a rock; he didn’t even flinch.

With one arm around her waist, he strode out of the ornate bedroom.

***

Carrying Stella like a bundle, the man shoved her into a large carriage. The door closed with a thud, and footsteps retreated. Soon, the carriage started moving, throwing Stella off balance. It sped off, shaking her with its rapid pace.

Amid her confusion, Stella heard a familiar voice.

“Your Highness? Is that you?”

“…Dora!”

The person grabbing Stella’s shoulder was Dora. They embraced tightly in the dark.