The Northern Mad Dog Is Wagging Its Tail

  While Britia was engaged in a struggle in front of the Slanford Mansion’s door, an emergency situation unfolded in Altheim’s conference room.

 

  “Send me to the capital right away, Heather!”

 

  Sig was causing a commotion, and Evry and the deputy commander were trying to restrain him.

 

  “I understand your feelings, but let’s calm down for now, My Lord!”

 

  The deputy commander was sweating profusely as he tried to stop Sig, who was charging towards Heather with the intention of killing him if he wasn’t transported through a teleportation spell.

 

  “Heather, run away for now. Go and send a letter in advance!”

 

  Upon the deputy commander’s shout, Sig immediately pushed him away, grabbing his shoulder. The deputy commander, who usually had a habit of saying he would retire because of Sig, stepped back and thought that today might be the day.

 

  It’s all their own fault, thinking it has come to this.

 

  The deputy commander recalled the recent incident, just before the chaos erupted.

 

  “Now it’s a race against time. Let’s magically send a letter to that lady.”

 

  Once Sig finished writing the letter, the deputy commander spoke.

 

  Sending a letter directly to someone was a very difficult magic, requiring expensive ingredients like Flew, but now was not the time to hold back.

 

  “Have you been by his side all this time without realizing how things turned out?”

 

  Of course, they had to explain to the magician. Hearing that, Heather, who was Altheim’s top magician and the deputy commander’s wife, was astonished.

 

  “Heather.”

 

  Heather raised her hands in response to Sig’s desperate gaze. She first assessed whether the situation allowed Britia to receive the letter.

 

  “It seems she’s on a carriage heading somewhere. She has a companion.”

 

  Purple dust floated around her as she used magic.

 

  “But the man she’s with is quite handsome. Slanford, ah! So that’s him, Count Slanford? He’s quite the looker.”

 

  Heather closed her eyes, as if trying to recognize him, then nodded. Suddenly, her face hardened.

 

  “Heather?”

 

  When the deputy commander asked why, Heather struggled to speak.

 

  “Um, well… Count Slanford is currently… um, telling the lady… that is, confessing his love to her.”

 

  As Heather finished speaking, the dancing purple dust that had been floating around faded and disappeared.

 

“…The important thing is not the confession. Heather, did the lady accept?” the deputy commander asked urgently, looking for a clue from Sig’s reaction. Heather closed her eyes in response, indicating that she would check again.

 

  “I’m not sure about her answer. But this Count Slanford seems really desperate in his confession. If it were me, even if I just liked his face, I would have accepted…” The deputy commander quickly interrupted Heather’s words, realizing the dangerous path they were heading towards.

 

  “Heather, don’t say such things!” He glanced at Sig, who was radiating a dark aura, trying to calm the situation.

 

  “He’s in love, clinging to her…?” Sig’s voice grew increasingly furious, his jealousy intensifying.

 

  “While I’ve been here, that man…” Sig’s jealousy became uncontrollable. He couldn’t bear it any longer.

 

  “Heather, send me to the capital immediately.”

 

  “My Lord, even if I were to teleport someone to such a distant place all of a sudden…”

 

  Heather was taken aback by the request. The deputy commander, sensing the urgency in Sig’s eyes, approached his husband. The deputy commander raised his hands and gestured for him to take a deep breath.

 

  “Let’s calm down for now. Take a deep breath…”

 

  “I can’t stand it anymore! I finally understand why I have this unsettling feeling. Send me now!”

 

  Sig started to rampage, unable to tolerate waiting any longer and causing a scene.

 

  “My Lord!”

 

  Evry, who had been desperately clinging to Sig’s leg, shouted in distress.

 

  “Have you forgotten what was written in that book? The impulsive younger man who can’t wait will not be charming or cute to Lady Britia, the object of his affection!”

 

  What is he talking about all of a sudden?

 

  The deputy commander was bewildered, but Sig suddenly stopped in his tracks.

 

  Could those words have an effect?

 

  The deputy commander quickly gestured to Evry, signaling him to continue.

 

  “You know that the contents of that book are true, even the Count himself has heard those words several times.”

 

  “But are you going to ruin everything like this?” Evry asked.

 

  Images of Britia embracing him affectionately and calling him cute flashed through Sig’s mind. The boiling anger gradually transformed into sadness.

 

 “If she accepted Harty’s feelings, what should I do? Can I really give up on her?” Sig murmured, his shoulders slumping.

 

  The deputy commander approached him, making noises of concern and standing by his side.

 

  “Don’t give up just yet. The Count might have expressed his liking, but that doesn’t mean Lady Britia has accepted him, right?”

 

  Even if that were the worst-case scenario, there might still be some solutions. Like if the viscount suddenly disappeared or if circumstances arose that forced him to give up on her.

 

  “I’m starting to feel impatient too. I must witness Lady Britia marrying Lord Duke.”

 

  Even if every man proposing to Britia suffered from the mysterious disappearance curse, the deputy commander forced a wicked smile and grabbed Sig’s shoulders.

 

    ***

 

  At the moment when Sig caused a commotion in Altheim, Harty was sitting on the bedroom couch, taking a deep breath.

 

  “Oh, how I’ve missed my home.”

 

  He had successfully managed to bring Britia into the bedroom. He had a gentle smile on his face, as if things were going exactly as he had planned.

 

  Robert, standing behind Britia, glared at him with a menacing expression, but Harty didn’t pay it much mind. Being a knight from the north, it was only natural for him to have a strong presence.

 

  “This is the Harty Special that even Kyra, who rarely compliments anything, approves of. Try it.”

 

  The scent was so pleasant that Harty couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. Although Britia noticed that fact, she silently acknowledged it in her heart.

 

  “Master.”

 

  In the midst of it all, the butler informed Harty that there was a visitor. One of the people claiming to be his lover.

 

  “They told me to leave and never come back. They said they have no intention of ever seeing you again.”

 

  The butler seemed slightly surprised, but he left the bedroom to comply with the order.

 

  “Count-nim, I suddenly thought of something. If you stop pretending to be a good person and refuse to be loved, do you also have no intention of getting married?”

 

  Britia asked Harty with a relieved expression.

 

  “I never planned to get married in the first place. I never intended to give myself to just one person.”

 

  “Then were you planning to adopt a child and raise them as your successor?”

 

  “I had thought about it. But there are problems with that too…”

 

  His face grew dark, indicating a genuine concern.

 

  “Britia, what if even that child confesses their love for me, not as a father, but with romantic feelings?”

 

   Britia’s lips slightly twitched and parted, showing that she was deeply listening and taking his words seriously.

 

  “That’s, um, really an excessive worry, Count-nim,” Britia replied, trying to reassure him.

 

  “But it could happen, couldn’t it? If there’s no blood connection, and if I become weak and powerless, what if someone tries to imprison me and monopolize me?” Harty expressed his fears.

 

  “Well, you are indeed lacking in strength…” Britia acknowledged, considering his fragile state, which even made her worry about his well-being.

 

  Indeed, with such a delicate constitution, he seemed like a child even now. How much weaker would he become if he aged further?

 

  Britia nodded, accepting Harty’s concerns. “But even if I were to marry someone else, they might become possessive of me. Ah, why was I born so beautifully and attractively?”

 

  Harty sighed deeply, genuinely saddened by the situation. “Your worries never seem to end, Count-nim.”

 

  It seemed like unnecessary worry for the most part, but that’s how life goes, one could say.

 

  “Where can I find someone who can maintain their rationality even in the face of my beauty?” Harty mused with a sigh.

 

  “If such a person exists, I would be willing to marry them,” he added with a sigh and a lament.

 

  “They probably don’t exist. Where in the world would you find such a person? In that case, it seems that Kyra and I will have to spend our lives in constant bickering…”

 

  “What if even Kyra gets married? What would you do then?” Britia asked, curious about Harty’s response.

 

  Harty shrugged his shoulders. “Even if she gets married, she’ll soon get divorced. Her problem is whether the divorce or her husband’s death comes first.”

 

  “How can you say such cruel words!” Britia thought for a moment to retort, but she remembered Kyra’s words about accepting the fate of death, and her mouth sealed shut. After all, relationships and marriage were unpredictable matters.

 

  “Well, still, after getting married, you might find that you get along well and can maintain your married life,” Britia suggested optimistically.

 

  “Who can endure that fiery temperament?” Harty clapped his hands dismissively.

 

  “But wait a minute, now that I think about it. Aren’t you in the same situation?” Harty stared intently at Britia, and she felt a sense of unease in his gaze.

 

  “You don’t look at me with those eyes, do you?” Harty said.

 

  “I haven’t fallen for you, Count-nim. And there won’t be any chance for me to do so in the future,” Britia responded firmly.

 

  Robert, who stood behind her, quietly smiled, seeing Britia’s resolute tone.

 

  “I had a strange thought. It’s so strange that I wouldn’t normally think of such a thing.”

 

  Britia was momentarily frightened, wondering just how unreasonable his thoughts were, as she had never heard him say anything so absurd before.

 

  “You’re probably out of luck when it comes to marriage.”

 

  At Britia’s firm tone, she instinctively bit her lip.

 

  “Are you picking a fight with me for bringing you this far?”

 

  “I’m not picking a fight. It’s just a good idea that came to mind.”

 

  “A good idea?”

 

  “I thought that it wouldn’t be so bad if I married you.”

 

  Britia’s eyes, which had been restless, gradually widened. What did he just say? It wouldn’t be so bad if they got married? Who was he referring to?

 

  “Sometimes you can be naughty, but you also have a kind side.”

 

  Upon careful consideration, Harty lifted his chin slightly, thinking that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad after all.

 

  “Britia.”

 

  Britia was taken aback when Harty called her name. It was just an ordinary calling, but it sounded unfamiliar. No, in fact, it felt somewhat gentle.

 

  “Will you marry me?”

 

  “…Are you serious?”

 

  Startled, Britia’s voice trembled.

 

  Why are you taking it so seriously? It’s impossible, right? Do you think I can match an angel with a pebble? She recalled Harty, who would laugh and make such remarks.

 

  Yet, he simply nodded his head.

 

  “If we get married, you can touch this anytime you want. I’ll allow it.”

 

  Harty’s golden tail, shining brighter after shedding its shell, swayed gently.

 

  “So, what do you think? Will you marry me?”

 

TL: *Booom*