The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 31

“……”

“Even Prince Hendrick is inquiring about your whereabouts, but it baffles me that there’s not a single word from Largo, despite their only princess being missing.”

Stella felt her heart drop. She couldn’t find a way to respond, maintaining the silence.

The situation was almost absurd. Here she was, sitting face-to-face with her kidnapper, who, despite having taken her at his whim, seemed genuinely puzzled as to why her family was so quiet.

“Of course, they might have been pursuing more direct methods rather than sending a piece of paper with a messenger bird. But Largo doesn’t seem to be doing either. None of the individuals crossing the border into Calis have posed any significant threat.”

Islay cast a questioning glance at her. Avoiding his gaze, which was filled with curiosity about her family’s lack of contact, Stella busied herself with the winter fruits served for dessert, chewing them.

Finally, she quietly spoke up. “…I have a request.”

“What is it?”

“I’d like to send a letter to my mother… Could you allow it?”

Islay didn’t answer immediately, merely watching her in silence. But the quiet didn’t last long.

“All correspondence that enters or leaves the castle must go through a reviewer. If you’re okay with that, then sure, go ahead.”

“…Thank you.”

A kidnapper who let her enjoy a festival, treated her to a fine meal, and now permitted her to send a letter to her family—Islay was indeed a generous captor.

Stella quietly turned her head away, letting out a deep sigh. The growing sense of disconnect that she was becoming accustomed to left her feeling stifled, as though something heavy was lodged in her chest.

“Captain.”

Just then, a knock came at the door of the dining room.

“What is it?”

“Apologies for the interruption. The event that the princess is scheduled to attend is about to begin.”

It was a timely intervention. The meal was nearly over, and now this uncomfortable conversation could be put to an end.

“The Starry Night ceremony, I assume. We should hurry if we don’t want to be late,” Stella said, seizing the opportunity provided by the soldier outside.

But contrary to her expectations, Islay didn’t immediately move to wrap things up. Instead, he remained seated and gave an order to Mikel.

“Go fetch the princess’s cloak.”

***

When they finally stepped out of the castle after dinner, the sky had already turned a deep shade of black. The dark canvas above them was dotted with countless stars, twinkling brightly.

“Wow…” Stella, wrapped in a fluffy white woolen cloak, breathed out a sigh of admiration along with a puff of her breath.

“It’s amazing. I’ve never seen so many stars before.”

A milky river of stars spilled over the horizon beyond the mountain ridges, creating a breathtaking scene.

As Stella’s pace slowed, captivated by the sight of the night sky, Islay remarked, “If you keep dawdling, you might miss the ceremony that only happens once a year.”

“Oh!” Stella quickly tried to match his pace, but there was another reason her movements were sluggish.

“Why are you waddling like that?” he asked.

“I’m wearing three thick winter cloaks; it’s hard to walk,” she replied.

“I can wear armor and still move fine.”

“You can’t compare us…,” Stella retorted, annoyed, trying her best not to look ridiculous.

Before leaving the dining hall, Mikel had brought three thick cloaks at Islay’s command.

As Stella stood there, wondering which to choose, Islay started wrapping her in one cloak after another. He bundled her up so tightly that it was almost stifling, particularly around her neck and chest, where his calloused hands carefully fastened the fabric.

Stella looked down at his busy hands with a perplexed expression. While she appreciated his effort to keep the cold at bay, her face flushed, and she reached out to stop him.

“I can do it myself.”

“Leave it.”

Islay dismissed her protest, focusing intently on wrapping her up like a plump lamb. Then, he personally escorted the now awkwardly dressed Stella out of the castle.

As they walked through the shallow snow, Stella glanced back. The ceremony was to be held at a lake outside the Ice Castle. To get there, they needed to pass through a gate connecting the castles, but Islay was leading her in the opposite direction.

“Isn’t the main gate that way… Where are we going?”

“We’ll take a secret passage to get there in time.”

“That… sounds like a very secret place. Are you sure it’s okay for me to go with you?”

What if I try to escape…? Stella swallowed the thought that had slipped into her mind.

“Don’t worry. It’s not the kind of place you could use as an escape route,” he replied as if reading her mind. He then found a hidden door near the watchtower and pushed it open, revealing a long corridor that had been concealed behind what appeared to be an ordinary wall.

The passage, dimly lit by torches spaced along the walls, led to a secluded area where the guards stayed. At the end of the corridor, there was a door that opened to the outside, secured by a heavy iron bar, wide enough for only a large man to pass through. As they reached the door, a rough-looking guard manually opened it for them. Once outside, a flurry of fine snowflakes brushed against Stella’s face.

The path to the lake wound through a forest of tall trees and thick bushes, where a crowd was already making its way, murmuring softly. Faint, serene singing echoed through the night.

Upon reaching the destination, Stella once again breathed out in awe.

In front of the frozen lake stood dozens of women, all dressed in white robes, holding candles. The flames were encased in glass orbs to prevent them from being extinguished by the winter wind.

“The candlelight ceremony seems to have just begun,” Stella whispered, relieved they had arrived on time. Her voice, brimming with excitement, floated on the cold night air. Islay watched her as her gaze briefly met his before flitting away.

Soon, a clear melody filled the air. The group holding candles began to perform a gentle round dance to the rhythm of the music. Stella stood among the spectators, holding her breath, unable to tear her eyes away from the swaying dance that resembled flickering fireflies.

The night sky, overflowing with stars, the mirror-like frozen lake, the choir-like peaceful singing, and the twinkling candlelight that shimmered like falling stars—Stella was utterly mesmerized by the enchanting scene, oblivious to the fact that the man beside her never once looked ahead, his gaze solely fixed on her.

***

The Starry Night ceremony felt disappointingly short. Stella, as well as Islay, shared that sentiment.

The clear music that had floated over the surface of the water had long since ceased. Yet, Stella stood there as if rooted to the spot, like a theatergoer who cannot bring themselves to leave after a remarkable performance has ended.

Islay waited patiently for her to gather her lingering emotions. Even as the other spectators began to leave one by one, he remained beside her, shoulders brushing, without giving any indication that she should hurry.

His gaze eventually fell on the gentle lines of her profile, particularly striking in the soft light. Her face, illuminated by starlight and candlelight, and glowing with a touch of wonder, was like that of a fairy from a winter tale, living on the frozen lake.

Her nose was tinged with a faint red, and her lips slightly parted. With wide eyes that sparkled like the stars above, she watched the dancers as they carefully extinguished their candles, seemingly unable to tear her gaze away.

Islay’s eyes grew darker as he watched her. The ceremony had ended, but something seemed to be keeping her deeply engrossed. In the frozen landscape and among the departing crowd, it was as if time had stopped just for her.

He considered calling her name, to draw that entranced gaze toward him. But he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt the moment, knowing that such a perfect moment was not something he could claim for himself. So, like her, he let himself be caught up in the timeless beauty of the winter night’s festival, aware that it was a fleeting experience, one that he might never encounter again.

It was a brief, yet poignant moment—a glimpse of something beautiful that slipped away before he could fully grasp it.

“Captain,” a quiet voice called out behind Islay as he walked through the quiet halls, lost in thought about the unfamiliar emotions he had just experienced. Mikel had followed him like a shadow.

The subdued tone of his subordinate’s voice carried the implication that he had completed the task Islay had given him earlier.

“As ordered, I’ve investigated the Kingdom of Largo,” Mikel reported.

“Tell me what you found.”

“As you suspected. Since the death of the previous king and the succession of a collateral branch, the kingdom’s situation has been deteriorating.”

“Is there a connection to Pantege?’

“Yes. Largo was originally one of the territories under Pantege’s control. It’s only been a little over a hundred years since they gained independence. However, unlike the previous king, who was a hardliner, the current ruler seems eager to sue for peace, as if he’s ready to give up half the kingdom.”

Islay’s eyes remained steady, betraying no reaction. “Was there ever a marriage proposal between Prince Hendrick and Estella?”