The Northern Mad Dog Is Wagging Its Tail

  It’s cowardly to ask for precious artwork like this. Even Britia admitted that. 

 

  But where else can I see a glimpse of young Sig? I can’t stand that irresistible charm anywhere else!

 

“Okay! I’m going to tell Brian I’m not going!”

 

  Harty turned her back to Britia with determination. Then slowly turned her body again.

 

  “Just once. Only once.”

 

  Resentment filled her resolute eyes.

 

  “I prefer the picture on the right.”

 

  Harty despised Britia for choosing the painting amidst all the collection in this room, as if he had never thought of giving any of them to someone else. He writhed in agony.

 

  “Why do I have to go to this party and do all these things? I can’t not go, but Brian Raidars and Britia Lockhart are so annoying.”

 

  Harty grumbled, looking unimpressed.

 

  “What’s so special about that party?”

 

  Britia, feeling a bit sorry, asked cautiously.

 

  “What’s so special about a mere Raidars’ party?”

 

  “Then why are you getting all dressed up to go?”

 

  Britia was puzzled because she didn’t think he would actually give her the painting. Harty plopped down on the sofa as if exhausted.

 

  “Don’t meddle in other people’s affairs.”

 

  Harty drew a line.

 

  “Isn’t your relationship not good?”

 

  “Relationship? Of course it’s not good! You keep feeling inferior and picking fights. Since you can’t beat me in looks, you started competitively collecting artwork at some point.”

 

  He had sometimes played dirty tricks to get the paintings he wanted. Despite trying to avoid him, they always seemed to collide over senseless topics.

 

  “So, he’s like a rival in collecting artwork?”

 

  “A rival? He’s not even worth being called a rival! That man is just a crushed droplet on the ground!”

 

  Harty’s eyes sharpened at Britia’s question.

 

  “He even dares to provoke me, saying that he avoids me because I’m filthy!”

 

  “So, Count-nim, you don’t like the idea of him avoiding you because he’s scared?”

 

  Britia relaxed her tension, thinking there might be a serious reason behind Harty’s desperate look.

 

  “Yeah, I guess I can’t stand seeing that sight… No, am I really going to see that ugly human just for that reason?”

 

  Harty’s true feelings, which were hidden deep in her heart, burst out, causing her to become furious.

 

  “Then why are you trying to go and take even this away from me?”

 

  Britia asked while lowering the precious painting she was holding in her arms. Harty’s expression grew darker as she muttered that it wasn’t taken away.

 

  “Well, actually….”

 

  Struggling to find the right words, she hesitated for a moment.

 

  “The thing is… I haven’t heard from Kyra.”

 

  Britia blinked rapidly at the sudden mention of Kyra.

 

* * *

 

  On the day when Britia finally returned home with Harty hanging onto her arm, the butler handed her a letter that had been left by Kyra.

 

  ‘When was this sent?’

 

  ‘The day after you went to the villa.’

 

  ‘Why are you giving it to me now?’ Harty burst out angrily and hastily tore open the letter. She felt sorry for the butler, who had only followed the order not to contact her while she was at the villa.

 

  [I’ll be heading to the East. I’ll contact you again once I arrive.]

 

  It was a brief and cold message, hastily written in a rushed and impatient handwriting. There was no doubt that it was written by Kyra. There was no room for doubt.

 

  Suddenly mentioning the East was puzzling, but Harty finally understood. There was a reason why no matter how much the messenger knocked on her door, he couldn’t meet her. She had already left.

 

  ‘What about other letters?’

 

  Harty asked, his frustration evident, as the stack of letters piled up like a mountain was only reduced to three on the tray.

 

  ‘There haven’t been any other letters from Lady Kyra since then.’

 

  Harty, who had been complaining, fell silent. It had been several days since then, and the person who promised to contact him once he arrived hadn’t sent any news.

 

  Did she leave somewhere far in the East? She simply wrote ‘East’ as the destination without specifying the location, so there was no way to know.

 

  However, it wasn’t that hard to understand why she was doing this.

 

  It was because of Kyra, who deceived them by asking the prince for mediation and telling the Duke Scandars that things were going well. Perhaps she took the money and ran away before her lies were exposed.

 

  Although he was worried, Harty had no choice but to patiently wait for her to contact him. However, days went by and there were no letters. In the midst of growing anxiety, unexpected news about her came from an unexpected source.

 

  [If you come to the party, I can provide information about the person you’re waiting for as a gesture of gratitude.]

 

  Brian had written such a postscript on the invitation. The uneasiness turned into certainty, wondering what was going on.

 

* * *

 

  Harty’s face turned pale as he confessed the truth to Britia.

 

  “I sent someone to investigate, thinking that maybe she got caught in some mediation job with my uncle.”

 

  The messenger sent to the Duke’s residence also inquired about Kyra’s whereabouts with the household servants, but they all gave the same answer that they didn’t know.

 

  “What happened to her on her way to the East? And what did Brian do? Shamelessly offering to provide information.”

 

  He even tried to buy information with money, but the only response in the returning letters was that they would let him know once he arrived at the party. There was only one reason why he would go to such lengths to deceive him.

 

  “Brian must have hired assassins at the party to kill me. But he won’t just let me die quietly.”

 

  Harty had already planted several people at the party to protect herself when necessary.

 

  “What purpose does Brian have for setting up such a trap?”

 

  Britia asked, saying it was an excessive thought.

 

  “I have no heir. It’s a chilling story, but if I were to die today, everything here would be gone.”

 

  Harty turned his head and looked at his collection, which filled the room.

 

  “Uncle, I’m going to sell them to Duke Scandars.”

 

  He was certain that his uncle, who had no interest in art whatsoever, would not appreciate their value and would sell them off for a cheap price.

 

  “Brian is after that. He’s always been interested in my collection.”

 

  Harty was convinced.

 

  “It’s upsetting to think that these artworks might all end up in Brian’s hands.”

 

  Harty, who felt like he was going to puke, glanced at the paintings.

 

  “The portraits of Duke-nim, take both of them.”

 

  Rather than letting Brian take them away, Harty voluntarily took the paintings off the wall.

 

  “Are you planning to sell them later?”

 

  Harty, who was suspected, glared at Britia and sighed.

 

  “If there’s something else you want, you can tell me. Just promise me that it won’t be taken away by Brian.”

 

  Britia became scared by his drastically changed attitude. He seemed like someone who was preparing for his own death tonight.

 

  “What if Brian is plotting against you, Count-nim?”

 

  “He is. Since he already failed once in the forest, he’ll try to kill me with a more certain method.”

 

  “The forest? Are you saying that Brian Raidars were behind the attack by those stalkers?”

 

  Britia asked in surprise, and Harty nodded.

 

  That woman was silenced inside the prison before she could be interrogated. However, Harty heard a disturbing story from the guard who brought that woman to the prison. 

 

  ‘The man said Slanford wants my help! His face was masked and his voice was altered, but he was clearly a young man with brown hair!’

 

  She resisted, claiming that she had just come to help. A young man with brown hair. It couldn’t be a coincidence that it matched Brian Raidars.

 

  “Well, if you’re so convinced it’s a trap, then you don’t have to go to the party.”

 

  You’re even afraid of simply riding a carriage!

 

  “Don’t worry about those things. Just ride the carriage with me. It’s dangerous, so there’s no need for you to enter the party venue.”

 

  “If you say it’s dangerous for me, then what will you do if Brian really tries to kill you?”

 

  “I told you, I’ve already planted people just in case. So you can relax.”

 

  Harty spoke as if he had made all the necessary preparations, saying that he would have more people waiting outside the party venue.

 

  “Are you really at ease?”

 

  Harty bit his lower lip at Britia’s question. It was an action to hide his fear, but his lips trembled uncontrollably.

 

  “I have to go because they promised to provide information about Kyra. Will you just stand still when they offer information about your missing family?”

 

  Britia nodded as she looked into Harty’s flushed eyes.

 

  Despite exchanging insults, they cherished each other like family.

 

  “Alright, I understand. Then I’ll go to the party too.”

 

  Britia took a deep breath and spoke. At that moment, Harty’s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out.

 

  “Have you been listening to me at all? It’s dangerous! Have you forgotten about the incident with my, my knight not long ago?”

 

  Harty, who had been angry, involuntarily lost his strength at the mention of “my knight.” It was painful to know that even though the new maid had betrayed him, the knight who had been by her side for a long time had also defected.

 

  “They confessed that you became a target because of the incident in the forest. Brian plans to kill both you and me at the party.”

 

  Harty said she sent the invitation for that reason, but Britia had already made up her mind.

 

  She had some expectations that she might become a target due to her involvement in helping Harty in the forest. She never imagined that Brian would be the mastermind behind it all.

 

  “Well, even if I declined the invitation, he showed up at the party, so I won’t be expelled. Since he wants to kill me anyway, I should confront him face to face.”

 

  “Why does it have to come to that conclusion? If something were to happen to you, how am I supposed to face Duke-nim…?”

 

  Harty held his head in distress.

 

  “Do you think I can protect you?”

 

  Britia chuckled at Harty’s serious expression. She never thought from the beginning that she could protect herself with those frail arms.

 

  “I have a plan.”

 

  Britia left the room and called Robert, who had been guarding the front of the door as her escort.

 

  “Are you ready to go back now?”

 

  Robert asked with a bright face. Britia wanted to go back quickly because if Sig found out about her meeting with Harty, it would undoubtedly cause trouble out of jealousy.

 

  “In a little while, I’ll go to the party with the Count. Can you accompany us as my escort, Robert?”

 

  Robert swallowed his breath for a moment.

 

  Oh no, this is bad. If Sig finds out later that they went to the party together, it will definitely spark uncontrollable jealousy. Then Sig will surely question why he didn’t stop it when he was right there.

 

  “Of course.”

 

  Robert smiled with a stiff face. And he immediately informed Sig, the emergency mage who had been instructed to use this information in times of crisis.

 

  “Britia!”

 

  Less than an hour later, Sig arrived at the Slanforth Manor. As soon as he saw Britia, he embraced her in his arms, as if to prevent her from going to the party.

 

  Britia had expected Sig to come when she informed Robert about attending the party, but she didn’t expect him to come so quickly. She felt sorry, yet somehow happy.

  

  “Sig.”

 

  When Britia looked up at Sig, she noticed the necklace hanging around his neck, sparkling. Sig, even at her call, bowed his head without saying a word.

 

  “Sig, I have a favor to ask.”

 

  At the mention of a favor, Sig, who had firmly sealed his lips, raised his head.

 

  She’s asking me to send her off to the party with Slanford, right? No. I will never send her. Absolutely not.

 

  He didn’t say it out loud, but Britia read the meaning on his face.

 

  “Tonight, at the party…”

 

  “No, I refuse.”

 

  Britia placed her hands on Sig’s lips, preventing him from speaking. Unable to open his mouth, Sig glared at Britia with an intense gaze. It was quite a fierce look, but to Britia, he seemed like a stubborn puppy when she asked him to leave herself behind.

 

  “Please escort me to the party tonight.”

 

  Sig’s eyes, which had been determined that it was absolutely impossible, widened.

 

  “I know you hate parties, Sig, but can’t you make an exception?”

 

  Britia silently pleaded with Sig, looking at him. His eyes, filled with anger and sadness, lit up.

 

  “Fine.”

 

  Sig responded fiercely, as if he were scared to move Britia’s hand from his lips.