The Northern Mad Dog Is Wagging Its Tail

   “The annoying mutt that was guarding you by your side kept bothering me. But when the real owner came, he treated the young lady like an afterthought.”

 

   With a playful smile, the maid lifted Britia’s chin with her finger. Britia exhaled heavily through her nose, her head stiffening with fear.

 

   In preparation for such a situation, Leon had taught Britia something a few days ago.

 

*

 

   After the incident where Britia almost died at Harty’s stalker’s hands, Leon gathered the family members.

 

   “Now, a question. When you don’t have a reliable youngest sibling and someone attacks you, what should you do?”

 

   At that moment, Crave quickly raised his hand.

 

   “Run for your life!”

 

   “Crave Lockhart, correct.”

 

   Leon nodded and applauded him.

 

   “Because winning in a fight would be difficult anyway. Don’t try to fight. Running away is the best option. However, creating that opportunity can be challenging.”

 

   Leon nodded to himself and glanced at Robert, who stood beside him.

 

   “From now on, we’ll practice using this sturdy knight from the North as a sacrificial lamb to create that opportunity.”

 

   “Please be gentle.”

 

   Robert said with a tense expression. Leon firmly shook his head.

 

   “Don’t be gentle. Otherwise, you won’t be able to use it effectively in a real situation.”

 

   Leon looked at Robert, his words laced with a personal sentiment. Of course, there was also a reason to practice as if it were a real situation, but his personal feelings were mixed in.

 

   He didn’t like that the North had assigned a guard to his unmarried older sister as if it were a given. Especially without her knowledge.

 

   “…I sincerely request it.”

 

   Robert spoke with a resigned tone.

 

   “I will tell the high-ranking people in the North the fact that it was your mistake that caused my sister’s hand to get injured. If you’re found out, you’ll be in big trouble, right?”

 

   For Leon, it was a vulnerable spot that had been exposed. Robert had no choice but to listen to what he said.

 

   “That’s not it! I thought I would explode like this!”

 

   And so, he had to become a fictional character who attacked the Lockhart family and took all the hits. As a demonstration, Leon put strength into his arm, bending it and punching.

 

   Britia recalled what she had learned back then.

 

   “When someone grabs you from behind, hit them first.”

 

   Britia slightly lowered her body and struck backwards with her head, just like she had done to Robert.

 

   “And scream while running away. Then I’ll come running. Or maybe a knight from the North will pop out from somewhere like a little rat.”

 

   Leon’s annoyed face flashed through her mind as she said these words.

 

   “Kyaahhh!”

 

   Britia screamed and tried to run away from the bedroom. But as expected, real situations weren’t as easy as practice. The maid grabbed her arm.

 

   “Stay still, lady!”

 

   She tried to shake off the maid’s hand, but unlike her slender arm, strength was in business. The grip on her wrist hurt.

 

   What should I do from here? I didn’t learn what to do if I get caught again.

  

   “Kyaahhh! Duke-nim!”

 

   She had learned to call for Leon or Robert, but Britia ended up calling for Sig without realizing it. But if things continued like this, she felt like she would be in trouble before Sig from the grand bathhouse arrived.

   

    “She really doesn’t listen to words!”

 

   As the maid tried to swing a knife, Britia grabbed whatever she could as she got caught. A fancy vase hanging on the wall ended up in her hand.

 

   For a moment, she worried about how expensive the vase might be. She saw Harty’s astonished face, as if wondering what that object was.

 

   Still, my life comes first!

 

   Britia held onto the vase and swung it down on the maid’s head. She thought there would be a loud crash, but the vase turned out to be sturdier than she thought and didn’t break.

 

   The maid was hit in the head and staggered, feeling dizzy, but she didn’t let go of Britia’s arm. Both the vase and the maid were unexpectedly sturdy. On top of that, the knight, who took the hit and had a bleeding nose, stood up and approached.

 

   “Duke-nim! Sig Turas!”

 

   Britia urgently called for Sig while swinging the vase at the maid’s head once again. This time, the vase shattered, and the grip on her arm loosened.

 

   “Damn it, hold her!”

 

    The maid shouted, blood trickling down her head. Just when Britia thought she had finally freed herself from the maid’s grasp, she was caught by the knight. She tried to strike again, but the knight didn’t give her a chance for a second hit.

 

   “I tried to make it hurt as little as possible.”

 

    The maid, looking angry, raised the knife high as if she was about to strike down.

 

   “Aaah!”

 

   Now Britia didn’t know what to do, and her head went blank. Just when she was screaming helplessly, a gust of wind suddenly blew from behind with a thud sound.

 

   Sig’s hand appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the knight’s wrist.

 

   “Ack!”

 

   With a snapping sound, the knight dropped to his knees. Sig grabbed the knight and threw him towards the maid.

 

   As the knife dropped from the maid’s hand and stuck into the floor, a whirlwind of dust rose and it disappeared as if the floor had swallowed the knife.

 

   The maid and the knight fell through the hole that appeared on the floor. Britia almost fell in too, but thanks to Sig grabbing her waist and pulling her back, she survived.

 

   The two people who fell to the lower floor staggered as they tried to escape.

 

   “Capture them.”

 

   Before Sig’s words even ended, Robert jumped into the hole.

 

   “Britia.”

 

   Britia raised her head at the gentle voice. Sig’s eyes lowered in concern, not knowing what to do.

 

   “Are you hurt? Are you okay?”

 

   Would it be strange if a man who could easily twist someone else’s wrist with one hand looked cute while being concerned about her? Britia pondered as she buried her face in Sig’s chest.

 

   “I almost died just now.”

 

   “I’m sorry. I should have come sooner.”

 

   Thinking that she was crying from the choked voice pressing against his chest, Sig gnashed his teeth.

 

   “Since you were scared, please hold me tighter.”

 

   Sig gave her the strength she wanted in his arms and pulled her tightly. Britia found solace in her heart, without shedding a single tear.

 

   Handling it as delicately as if it were fragile was nice, but she preferred this slightly suffocating feeling the most.

 

   This would be the perfect time for a kiss. Of course, he wouldn’t think of doing that.

 

   Britia let out a small sigh and leaned her cheek against his chest.

 

   “My vase!”

 

   As Britia found solace in Sig’s embrace, she suddenly opened her eyes at the voice she heard.

 

   Harty was tearing apart his head while looking at the broken vase and the sudden large hole in the floor. The once perfect and beautiful mansion was now a mess.

 

   In that moment, Britia’s eyes met Sig’s as he sneaked a glance behind his large body.

 

   “Count-nim. The vase, I…”

 

   “Britia!”

 

  Harty approached with a scared expression, and Britia bit her lower lip tightly. Clearly, the vase was valuable, judging by how he was so flustered.

 

   It would be awkward if he asked her to retrieve the broken vase.

 

   “What in the world happened? Are you okay? You didn’t get hit by that vase, did you?”

 

   He had expected him to scold her for what she had done with the vase, but she was surprised to see him worried about her.

 

   Harty couldn’t have imagined that Britia, the person he thought had used the vase as a weapon, was the one who did it.

 

   “I enchanted the vase so that it wouldn’t break easily from most impacts. What on earth did you do?”

 

   Harty muttered while looking at the wrecked reception room. It made him dizzy.

 

   Ignoring Harty’s words, Britia pursed her lips.

 

“Count-nim, can I go home now?”

 

   At her request to rest, Harty quickly prepared the carriage for her return.

 

   Britia glanced at Sig in front of the carriage.

 

   Would it be too audacious to use fear as an excuse and ask the Duke to accompany her home?

 

   As she pondered for a moment, Robert returned with the unconscious knight. If she used that as an excuse, saying that she was scared and wanted Robert as an escort, perhaps Sig would agree.

 

   Then what should I say as an excuse while asking him to accompany me?

 

   “Duke-nim.”

 

   In a moment of urgency, Britia called out to Sig, but she couldn’t think of an excuse and bit her lower lip. Sig looked puzzled.

 

   “It’s nothing, really.”

 

   They had just met, but they couldn’t even have a proper conversation and now they had to part like this. Would they not see each other for a long time again?

 

   As Britia looked gloomy and tried to board the carriage, the butler called out to Sig loudly.

 

  “Lord Duke, it doesn’t seem right to send the young lady alone. How about accompanying her?”

 

   Sig blinked his eyes. Since he had intended to follow her anyway, he found it strange to say it like that.

 

   “Will you take her?”

 

   Britia looked back at Sig with hopeful eyes. When Sig nodded without hesitation, Britia’s lips curved up slightly. This meant she would have more time with him.

 

   “Duke-nim, did something get on my face?”

 

   But as they sat facing each other in the carriage, Britia felt too embarrassed to meet his eyes. Maybe it was because it had been a long time since they last saw each other. It felt awkward for some reason. He had been staring at her so intently.

 

   “I missed you so much during that time.”

 

   “…”

 

   “You didn’t miss me?”

 

   Britia tightly bit her lip as she looked at Sig, who asked cautiously.

 

   Don’t be fooled. He wants me to become his mistress, that’s why he’s tempting me with those words. I haven’t suddenly become likable or anything.

 

   Britia took a long breath through her nose.

 

   As the days went by without being able to meet or have any contact, she regretted not accepting his desire to become his mistress even if it meant becoming a dog and its owner.

 

   Perhaps this situation had come about because she didn’t accept his desire to be his owner.

 

  ‘I don’t need a woman who won’t become my owner.’ Sig’s thoughts ran along those lines, and Britia wondered if he was trying to completely end their relationship.

 

    Even though she hated the idea, as the situation unfolded, a lingering attachment overflowed within her. If it wasn’t too late, she felt the desire to grab hold of him and say she would accept the position of being his owner.

 

   However, people were cunning creatures.

 

   When you set your mind to it, twisting someone’s wrist is no big deal, yet there he was, anxiously waiting for my answer with that adorable, restless expression. How cute. I still want him to be my man after all.

 

   Britia glanced at Sig and then put on a determined face.

 

   What should I say to make him love me? How should I seduce him to the point of proposing?

 

   Lost in serious contemplation, Sig pursed his lips.

 

   “Britia.”

 

   Britia, who had been lost in her thoughts, raised her head slightly as Sig firmly grasped both of my hands and spoke.

 

   “Please marry me.”

 

   Britia’s eyes gradually widened and then rounded.