The Cursed Beast Caught My Leash - Chapter 92

“We found it.”

Islay received the report just as dusk was settling outside the castle.

While searching the canyon with the scouting unit, they had finally discovered the enemy’s temporary base on the rugged mountainside leading from the Ice Lake to the Misty Forest.

“It seems they’ve also noticed our presence.”

Mikel quietly reported to Islay, who was staring in the direction where the Southerners were hiding.

The Southerners from Largo had approached the castle much closer than anticipated. Carefully concealing their tracks, they had steadily closed the distance from afar. Even if they succeeded in infiltrating, a direct conflict with the Northerners would have been inevitable. They were fully prepared for battle

In tracking their movements, Islay had also uncovered an intriguing fact.

In a section of the forest believed to be one of their previous hideouts, they had found over a dozen carcasses of black beasts. These were some of the monsters lured in on the night the castle walls collapsed.

Even seasoned bandits would struggle to take down just one or two of those creatures, yet the Southerners had managed to hunt them without sustaining major injuries. It was clear they had deployed only an elite force, wholly dedicated to retrieving Estella.

Islay couldn’t help but scoff. The thought of them trying to take his woman was utterly laughable. Who did they think they were? And what did they hope to accomplish now?

“Shall we order our men to prepare for an attack?”

Mikel rested a hand on the hilt of his sword, awaiting orders. The Northerners, hidden and ready, were merely waiting for the command to strike.

“Or shall we proceed with the ‘revised plan’?”

Islay cast a cold gaze toward where the enemy lay in wait. Unconsciously, his grip tightened around the pendant in his palm.

“You said you spotted a man with blond hair among them.”

“Yes.”

Unpleasantly, his suspicions were proving to be correct. Estella’s brother was out there somewhere. Islay thought of the woman waiting for him in the tower, completely unaware of this fact.

His hesitation was brief. Rationality swiftly crushed his fleeting possessiveness and jealousy. The voice that issued his command was as sharp and cold as frost.

“We go with the revised plan.”

“Understood.”

Mikel, receiving his orders without question, gestured to a subordinate positioned behind a cypress tree. The man nodded once before swiftly moving into action.

***

Stella awoke with a start.

She had dozed off while sitting in front of the fireplace in the first-floor hall, only to be roused by the sound of the door creaking open.

Through her blurry vision, she saw Islay standing there. He hadn’t even bothered to shield himself from the pouring rain; he was completely drenched.

Stella pushed back her chair and sprang to her feet.

“…Islay.”

Her voice trembled slightly with nervousness. She hadn’t expected him to return so suddenly. Quickly composing herself, she forced a natural smile.

“You’re back? You took a little longer than I expected…”

Islay remained standing at the doorway. A strange sense of unease emanated from his silent expression.

Something felt… off. She couldn’t pinpoint why, but the air around him was subtly distorted, unsettling her deeply.

Then, the sound of heavy chains and locks securing the door followed, like an ominous shadow creeping behind him.

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

Islay dismissed the concern as he casually removed his soaked leather gloves and black doublet. Walking forward, he tossed them onto the table without care.

Stella hesitated.

Should she ask what had happened outside?

Yet, some instinct told her not to open that conversation. More than anything, talking wasn’t what she wanted right now.

Cautiously, she approached him, raising a hand to gently stroke his wet hair.

Islay, who had been unfastening the belt slung across his chest, paused and looked at her.

“You let yourself get completely soaked…”

With slightly trembling fingers, she slowly traced along his sharp jawline before brushing over the tense veins on his neck. Then, she placed her palm over his chest, looking up at him with wide, round eyes.

Her touch was hesitant, clumsy at best. Yet, despite the awkwardness, Islay’s breath grew visibly heavier. Even her fumbling attempt at seduction was enough to shake him.

“The maid who brought dinner earlier prepared a bath in the washroom. The water should still be warm…”

“……”

“Shall we bathe together?”

Sharing a bath with Islay.

Just imagining it made her face burn, but Stella had no time to be embarrassed.

“If you’re tired, why not go straight to bed…?”

This, too, was an attempt at seduction, driven by the single-minded determination to be with him. Islay silently gazed at her.

“Estella.”

“…Yes?”

He stood still and asked, “Do you want to?”

At his direct question, Stella hiccupped in shock.

“The way you’re pressing me as soon as I return, it seems like that’s all you’ve been thinking about.”

“Ah… Yes, I want to. I want to, so… that’s why I’m doing this.”

It wasn’t a lie. While her reason wasn’t solely to share deep affection like the previous night, her desire was real.

“I’m not really in the mood.”

Islay muttered to himself.

“I don’t want to push you until you pass out again.”

“…But.”

“I’ve never embraced you in a clear state of mind. And afterward, it’s never felt pleasant. Seeing the marks left on your body always makes it seem like I forced you, and I don’t like that.”

“You’ve never forced me, not even once.”

Stella stepped closer to him, pressing against him just enough for her pounding heart to nearly touch his chest.

“I… I liked it. Especially last night, truly…”

Then, slowly, she reached out both arms and wrapped them around his waist, resting her chin against his chest as she lifted her gaze to meet his.

“If we try just a little more, I think I’ll get used to it.”

“……”

“So… can’t we? I want to.”

Islay lowered his gaze to Stella’s pale face.

Even the expression of someone pleading for intimacy suited her so beautifully. Was there truly a man in existence who could heartlessly refuse a woman like this?

“Fine, then.”

Islay nodded without resistance. He lightly pushed her shoulders back to separate her from him before unfastening his belt at a deliberate pace—neither too fast nor too slow.

“Take it off.”

“…H-here?”

“Why not? It’s just the two of us.”

Only then did he let out a light, breezy laugh. Unlike him, who didn’t care about the location, Stella was conscious of the guards stationed outside.

Even with a thick door between them, what if one of them happened to be listening to any sounds from inside…?

“Take it off, Estella. You said you wanted this.”

Now dressed only in light indoor garments, Islay urged her, watching as she hesitated. Was he going along with her game, knowing everything?

But whatever his true intentions were, it didn’t matter. What Stella sought was the moment when he would fall into a deep slumber—just like before. A moment when neither his unbreakable will nor the medicine holding his reason together could stop it.

‘…I’m sorry.’

Muttering a silent apology, Stella grasped the leather string fastening the fabric over her chest. Since she had held the rain-soaked Islay earlier, the dampness had seeped into the ties, making them stiff and difficult to undo.

As she struggled to remove her clothing, Islay simply watched. He neither helped her undress nor reached out to touch her.

When her pale chest was finally exposed, he leaned against the edge of the table, retrieving a cigarette from his pocket.

Lighting the end, he inhaled deeply, the hollows of his cheeks drawing in sharply. Then, he exhaled a slow stream of pale smoke, repeating the silent motion as his gaze lingered on Stella, who was now half-undressed.

What he smoked contained the same medicine used to suppress Peruno’s instincts. He was taking it now to prevent himself from overwhelming her in the heat of the moment.

Meanwhile, Stella, standing there quietly as he smoked, felt strangely out of place. Stripping herself before him without his touch made her feel like nothing more than a temptress.

She paused midway through pulling her dress down past her waist, locking eyes with Islay. She stared directly into his crimson eyes, which glowed with deep desire.

Ah… Only now did she fully understand.

Those eyes weren’t clouded by mere lust.

He was watching her, waiting to see how far she would carry out this act—waiting for the moment she would finally tell him the truth.

This was the last night they had together. No, rather, it was the last night Stella had chosen.

Islay wanted to talk. He knew that whispering sweet nothings and pressing their bare skin together wasn’t the priority right now.

But Stella had no intention of backing down. No matter how he saw her now, it didn’t matter.

She grabbed the hem of both her dress and undergarments at once and pulled them down in one swift motion. The sheer nightgown slipped to the floor like shed skin. Standing amidst the crumpled fabric, Stella, now fully bare, faced him head-on.