The Northern Mad Dog Is Wagging Its Tail

Britia was furious to the core when the rude man insulted her family. She desperately wanted to extract an apology somehow.

If it were Crave, he would have talked him down, and if it were Leon, he would have sternly reprimanded him to prevent such words again. But all she could do was grit her teeth and apologize, even if it meant swallowing her pride.

Britia was infuriated by this fact, yet at the same time, she was terrified. She shouted for an apology, but she had no power to stop his violence, and there was no one around to rescue her if things took a turn for the worse.

Hailey was there, but she was smaller and weaker. Britia worried that trying to help might only result in Hailey getting hurt as well.

‘But suddenly, you appeared as if out of nowhere.’

 Her voice reached him while he was passing by. With a swift motion, he subdued the rude and aggressive man, pulling him away from her. Just that act alone was enough to make her grateful.

Never had any of Britia’s past lover, including anyone as skilled as Lockhart, stepped up like this. There were only men who belittled her, saying that humiliation was unavoidable when she was broke, and those who pretended to sympathize in public but sneered at Lockhart’s poverty behind her back.

“What does it even mean, ‘I’ll protect what I protect together?’ Why would Duke-nim say such a thing…”

Britia’s heart was in turmoil, and she couldn’t calm down easily. She suspected that Sig might have feelings for her. She had picked up on that fact.

She didn’t dislike him either. However, the future with him seemed too burdensome. Britia, who had never considered becoming a noble’s spouse, couldn’t imagine that path.

Yet, the idea of suddenly becoming a duchess was daunting. So, even if he were to propose, she had intended to politely decline.

But when she saw him, the man who had rescued her from Marcus, her heart wavered. Despite her intention to refuse his proposal, seeing him, the unease and fear melted away like snow.

If he became her man, how much strength and support would she have?

With such anticipation, her heart raced, and she was completely overwhelmed.

“What should I do? This shouldn’t be happening.”

If it had just been that, she could have endured it, but Sig Turas wasn’t making it easy. Especially with his tail, which he couldn’t apologize for due to the fact that he had knocked Marcus unconscious, wriggling and squirming in regret, it was incredibly difficult to tolerate.

‘Stop it. Don’t act like this!’

His tail kept coming to mind, disturbing her thoughts. She wanted to go back immediately and wrap her arms around that dejected tail, comforting and stroking it. If only that were possible.

‘No! Stop imagining that!’

Britia tried to divert her mind from the feeling that she might give in to him soon. Mainly irritation and frightening thoughts.

Thinking of Marcus made her heart chill for a moment, but soon, Sig appeared in her mind, pushing him down and looking at herself. With an anxious gaze.

“No! Stay out of my heart! No matter how adorable Duke-nim may be, it’s not allowed!”

‘Britia-nim, are you angry with me? I’m sorry. Please don’t hate me. You can touch my tail as much as you want. You can even hug it tightly.’

Now, he was even speaking in her imagination. And he was saying incredibly seductive words. Even though she knew she should think rationally that this couldn’t be allowed, Britia couldn’t control her heart that kept swaying as if the reins had been let loose. It was too difficult to regain the lost control.

“Britia.”

“Please, because I’m asking you. Stay out of my heart, please!”

“What’s the matter if it’s not allowed? It’s frustrating.”

Suddenly hearing a voice, Brittia was startled and involuntarily gasped.

“Kyra! Since when were you there…!”

Seeing Kyra, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed at the entrance to the restroom, Britia took a step back in surprise.

“From the part about being helped by someone other than family for the first time?”

Britia’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“I heard it, but you should’ve given some sign instead of just eavesdropping!”

Well, then maybe you shouldn’t have put on such a show all by yourself. As Britia felt resentful, Kyra raised an eyebrow.

“Then you should’ve made a more entertaining and amusing sight.”

After all, she had come to see a crying spectacle. Kyra stood in front of the mirror, peering at her own face, and mumbled to herself.

“Why are you staring so intently? Seeing a pretty person for the first time?”

Kyra noticed Britia’s gaze and smirked. Britia found it difficult to deny the fact that despite Kyra’s sharp and cheeky attitude, it was hard to deny that she was indeed a beauty.

Even her red tail, with its shimmering scales, was beautiful.

“It’s today, right? I realized that I had made one mistake. Aren’t you curious what it is?”

“Even if I say I’m not curious, you’re going to tell me anyway, right?”

Britia replied curtly, and Kyra gently lifted the corners of her mouth.

“Even though Duke-nim has already rejected you, there’s a rumor that he continues to visit Lockhart Manor to court you. Honestly, I didn’t believe it.”

“Duke-nim has never rejected me. And the interaction with Lockhart is not about me, but rather a friendship with Earl Lockhart…” [1]

“But in reality, it’s even more interesting. To think he would go so far as to duel with that fool for you.”

Kyra turned on the tap and began washing her hands.

“Except for you, there’s no other reason, right? A man who shows no emotions, gets involved in someone else’s affairs that have nothing to do with his own family, and even raises a sword?”

Well, to be precise, he raised his fist, not a sword.

Kyra corrected herself, turned off the tap, and shook off the water. Britia couldn’t answer her question and hesitated.

“You were deceived because you pretended to be indifferent. In reality, he courted you so blatantly.”

With a wry grin, Kyra looked at Britia, who was biting her lips, unable to answer.

“Trying to feign ignorance, but you already know. And besides, you’re not entirely uninterested, are you?”

“No! Stay out of my heart! No matter how adorable Duke-nim may be, it’s not allowed!”

Kyra imitated Britia and chuckled, making Britia feel like her face was about to explode from embarrassment.

“Calling Sig Turas cute. You’re the second person I’ve seen saying such a thing.”

The first might have been Marquis Slanford.

Britia briefly wondered, but pushed it aside for now.

“But you’re the first woman.”

Of course, the other one is Lord Harty Slanford.

Britia was convinced.

“Honestly, I think it’s because you’re not in your right mind to call a man as oddly large as him cute.”

“Not in my right mind? Well, the Duke is indeed tall, but he’s not that strange-looking!”

Britia snapped and shouted, causing Kyra’s eyes to narrow.

“Ask all the women in the Empire once. There will be no one other than you who thinks he’s cute, regardless of age.”

When Kyra taunted that she could bet on it, Britia became infuriated.

She wanted to say that it’s because you haven’t seen his tail. Seeing his emotionally expressive tail and then looking at his face that doesn’t show emotions as clearly, the difference is so endearing.

“At the point where you genuinely find someone emitting such a ominous aura cute, you’re already done for. But what are you hesitating about?”

“Already done for? What do you mean by ‘done for’?”

“It means you’ve completely fallen for Duke Turas.”

Britia’s sharp questioning couldn’t phase her, and Kyra’s response came back resolute, leaving Britia momentarily speechless.

“Why are you pondering over such matters while you’re here speculating in the restroom?”

“No, it’s not that I harbor such feelings for Duke-nim.”

“I saw you putting on that show all by yourself earlier, so is there any point in lying?”

As Kyra teased, Britia bit her lip.

Even though she’s already been caught, continuing to lie would indeed be meaningless, as Kyra said.

“Yes, it’s true that I was drawn to him. How could I not be? But he’s just too imposing for me to handle. Oh, why did I end up revealing all this to you?”

It was a deep inner feeling that she hadn’t even confided in Crave.

As she looked at Britia, who was resentful, Kyra hooked her arm and stood with a sly grin.

“Unless it’s you who finds the mad Duke cute, who else could possibly handle him? If you had thought he was cute, you should be representing the women of the Empire and sacrificing yourself.”

“Just a moment. Sacrifice? What do you even think of Duke Turas?”

Britia couldn’t grasp the concept of sacrifice in this context.

“Do you not know? He’s the mad dog of the Northern territories that no one likes.”

“It’s because you don’t know his charm! He’s so kind, pure, and adorable!”

Britia’s excited voice grew louder. Kyra glanced at the restroom entrance, her eyes widening like crescent moons.

“The Duke isn’t someone who would receive such treatment from you!”

As Britia exclaimed in excitement, someone else inhaled sharply. It wasn’t Kyra. Startled, Britia turned around, and there stood a young lady at the restroom entrance.

Her pupils glistened with what seemed like moved emotion.

“The rumors were all true. Oh, don’t worry, Britia. I was hoping for it to be true between you two.”

“What?”

“I’ll support you!”

“Wait! Support?”

With a contented smile, the young lady gently grasped Britia’s hand and then exited the restroom, leaving Britia astonished.

“I’ll be cheering for you!”

“Wait! What do you mean by cheering?”

The lady smiled contentedly without saying a word, grasped Britia’s hand once, and then left the restroom.

“Wait, why wait? What do you mean by cheering?”

“It seems she’s a fan of the Sig Turas and Britia Lockhart’s scandal.”

Kyra said to Britia, who was trying to call the young lady back.

“Do you know that? Surprisingly, there are people who support your love. Well, although the opposition is overwhelmingly greater.”

With an elegant gesture, Kyra placed her hand gently over her heart and smiled softly.

“By the way, I’m the same way. As a fan, I deeply support you.”

Her expression was so smug that Britia’s eyebrows slightly furrowed.

“Don’t give me such a glare. I actually came to help you as a fan.”

“Help? What do you mean by help?”

“Britia, now is not the time for this.”

While Britia had temporarily forgotten due to the spectacle you had been making, Kyra suddenly pushed Britia towards the entrance, claiming there was an urgent matter.

“The man who clings to Duke Turas the most in the world, with hearts in his eyes, sticking to him to fulfill his dirty desires.”

Britia couldn’t even make a sound to ask what she meant, and Kyra shrugged her shoulders.

“It seems Duke-nim isn’t familiar with someone like Harty. Despite feeling uncomfortable, he can’t tell him to back off.”

Kyra lowered her voice and spoke meaningfully.

“Do you know the rumor that Harty is the most cunning man within the Empire? You’ve heard it, right? Well, your adorable Duke is on the verge of being devoured by that very man.”

“What? What has he done to Duke-nim…!”

“How about rescuing your adorable Duke from the clutches of that filthy man?”

The mention of a filthy man brought an image of Harty Slanford, smirking maliciously, to Britia’s mind. She didn’t know what he might say, feigning innocence while hiding his desires and approaching Sig with a devious intent.

Perhaps this wouldn’t end with just exchanging words. He was a man obsessively fixated on Sig, to the point where he might go to great lengths to hide his desires while pretending to be virtuous. That was undoubtedly the case!

Unlike the deceitful and sinister Harty, Sig was a pure soul. With many strangers, even at parties, he found it challenging to interact. To him, Harty was an intimidating figure.

Britia swallowed hard.

In her imagination, the ominous Harty was gradually getting closer to Sig.

‘I have to save him!’

Without looking back, Britia left the restroom.

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 [1] Note: In some previous chapters, I used Marquis for Lockhart’s title instead of Earl, which wasn’t the correct one.

 

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