The Northern Mad Dog Is Wagging Its Tail

  “Kyaaaaaah!”

 

  Upon returning home, Britia showed Crave the box that Harty had given her, claiming that it was something he had left before leaving. As soon as Crave saw the contents of the box, he let out a scream and threw the small box he was holding onto the desk.

 

  “Since when? Since when has that man had his eyes on you?”

 

  Crave shouted with a mixture of horror and anger, his eyes glistening with moisture, perhaps from fear or rage.

 

  “Absolutely not! Even if dirt gets in my eyes, it’s forbidden. Tia, if you ever mention marrying him, I’d rather you kill me!”

 

  “Hold on, stop it. Don’t speak as if I said I would marry Huate. I have no intention of doing such a thing!”

 

  Britia shouted, causing Crave, the Earl, to take a sharp breath.

 

  “Uuuuh!”

 

  He kept rubbing his palm against his face, shuddering at the mere thought of Huate’s face.

 

  “That despicable man! He has never once expressed affection, and now we’re forced to listen to his words, so he throws something like this?”

 

  Crave, fuming with anger, turned sharply towards Britia.

 

  “But it’s impossible. The strengthened Earl Crave doesn’t need Earl Harty anymore. Even without him, we’re having a good relationship with the Baron, who was introduced by Lord Slanforth!”

 

  In the future, Crave said he wouldn’t meddle with Huate anymore and smirked arrogantly. Then, he suddenly looked uneasy and furrowed his brow while looking at Britannia.

 

  “You know, Count Slanford has been unusually kind and solicitous lately. Could it be that he’s also…?”

 

  Crave gestured towards the box on the table with his eyes.

 

  “A proposal to you…”

 

  “What nonsense? That would never happen.”

 

  Britia could understand his concerns from a logical standpoint, but the thought of being proposed to by Lord Slanford, whom she despised, disgusted her, so she lashed out at him in anger.

 

  “Even if it meant I would contract a disease that kills me unless every man in the world proposed to me, that person would never propose to me.”

 

  Harty, who would ask why she didn’t go on a date with Sig and tell her not to bother him, claiming that she was taking up his precious time, was the same person now proposing to her? Even as a joke, such a thing would never happen.

 

  When she mentioned that Lord Huate had given the ring and left when she went to buy fireworks and returned, Kyra’s reaction was very nonchalant. She just let out a hollow laugh and that was it.

 

  However, that evening, Harty came to Lockhart in a fit of anger upon hearing the news of Lord Huate’s proposal to Britia.

 

  He was so furious that he momentarily forgot that he had never revealed his true self to Crave and glared at him as if he wanted to kill him.

 

  “I apologize for the late intrusion, Lord Count. I have to urgently meet Britia. It’s really urgent.”

 

  He suddenly realized and forced a smile, clearly seething with anger.

 

  “Where did you leave Duke-nim and come to propose? Are you out of your mind?”

 

  As soon as he met Britia, he swished his tail, which had shot up in agitation, and playfully patted her leg.

 

  “I assume you firmly rejected him without a hint of hesitation?”

 

  “How can I reject him when he ran away before even confirming what was inside?”

 

  Britia felt unjustly accused as she lamented that she didn’t even know the ring was inside, and Harty’s golden-scaled tail playfully patted her leg again.

 

  “I should have chased him to hell and rejected him! What good is keeping your legs closed for?”

 

  As she watched him angrily vent his frustration, Britia couldn’t help but tremble. Just from his demeanor, it seemed as if she had committed some grave mistake.

 

  She was equally surprised. No, she was actually the most surprised.

 

  “It could have been a trap to lure Britia.”

 

  Kyra, who had her arm resting on the armrest of the reception room sofa and her chin in her hand, observed the two of them.

 

  “If it’s Lord Huate, wasn’t he the human rumored to be involved in strange disappearances from that mansion?”

 

  “…Yes.”

 

  Harty, who had been worked up, admitted that Kyra had a valid point and took a seat.

 

  “If it’s Huate, he’s the kind of person who would lure this fierce woman away to a place where she can be kidnapped.”

 

  Britia’s eyes widened at the mention of being a fierce woman and swallowed her breath at the word “kidnapping.”

 

  “You did well not to follow him from there.”

 

  Kyra looked at Britia and spoke.

 

  “But you need to reject this proposal quickly. Look at this. He’s infuriated and turned red!”

 

  Harty rolled up his shirt sleeves to reveal the redness on his white arms. Kyra glanced at his arms and chuckled.

 

  “Why are you the one getting more furious and making a fuss?”

 

  “Kyra, this is a serious matter! What if that man didn’t take this rejection as a refusal and thought it was an acceptance of his proposal?”

 

  Kyra plugged her ears, finding Harty’s noise unbearable.

 

  “If we look closely, it’s Duke Turas who caused this situation.”

 

  “What?”

 

  Harty yelled as Kyra murmured.

 

  “If he had proposed to Britia earlier, would a fly like Huate have interfered?”

 

  “The Duke is busy preparing for the hunting competition.”

 

  “Even if he’s busy, he should have time to say a few words about marriage. Or is the Duke lacking determination?”

 

  Kyra taunted, and Harty, who had been fervently advocating for Sig, turned red with excitement.

 

  “Lacking determination? Lord Duke, who is always serious and committed in everything, lacking determination?”

 

  “He may be committed in everything else, but marriage seems to be low on his list. At this rate, he’ll end up marrying after you die.”

 

  “Kyra!”

 

  As the two of them argued loudly, Britia intervened and tried to calm them down.

 

  “We don’t even know if Duke-nim truly intended to propose to me or not. Isn’t it premature to fight over this without knowing for sure?”

 

  The two of them didn’t even pretend to listen.

 

  “You can say those things because you don’t know how genuinely the Duke has lived until now. He’s different from you, who can only think in twisted ways!”

 

  “If he had lived so genuinely until now, then it’s time for him to bury that purity.”

 

  “While you freeze up and can’t say a word in front of the Duke!”

 

  “And you, the arrogant Lord Slanford, can you truly breathe freely in front of the Duke whom you adore?”

 

  Britia sighed as she watched the two busy fighting, not caring about her or anything else.

 

  “I will go to Lord Huate’s residence tomorrow and reject him properly. Is that settled?”

 

  As Britia spoke, both Harty and Kyra turned abruptly towards her.

 

  “You’re going there yourself?”

 

  “You’re going there yourself?”

 

  They spoke at the same time.

 

  “Do you want to go and never come back?”

 

  “What if you go to reject him, and they have a wedding ceremony prepared?”

 

  When Britia replied, questioning whether such a thing would actually happen, the two of them sighed and lowered their heads.

 

  “This is my specialty. I’ll handle it well and make sure you don’t have any lingering attachments, so just wait quietly at home.”

 

  Kyra chuckled and glanced at Harty.

 

  “Yeah, this is Kyra’s specialty.”

 

  The two people who had been arguing loudly suddenly seemed to be in perfect agreement.

 

  Why were they so in sync after fighting just now?

 

  ‘What on earth were these humans up to? Can I trust them if I leave it to them?’

 

  “Britia Lockhart, you shall only smile in front of Duke Tulas from now on,” Harty said firmly, turning to her.

 

  “If I see you smiling at another man, I won’t stay quiet.”

 

  “You always say that, but you have no power over such matters,” Kyra scoffed, observing Harty’s threatening tone.

 

  “Do you keep coming at me because you feel threatened?”

 

  “I don’t need a water supplier anymore since I have more money now.”

 

  A fierce tension hung between them. Britia found it absurd to think that the two had somehow reconciled during their exchange.

 

  “So, are you coming to watch tomorrow?”

 

  “…When are we going?”

 

  “I won’t drag it out, so let’s go in the morning.”

 

  As they spoke, they quickly fell back into their bickering. Their relationship was truly unfathomable.

 

  The next morning, Britia told the two of them that she had to personally return the ring to Count Huate and reject his proposal.

 

  “Wouldn’t it be easier if you entrusted it to me? Why do you have to do this?” Kyra seemed perplexed, but she didn’t try to break Britia’s stubbornness.

 

  “If you insist on doing it yourself, then promise me this. Don’t leave any room for misunderstanding. Got it?”

 

  “You’re making a fuss about what others should say or do. Harty, if you’re going to nag like that, just go back.”

 

  Britia furrowed her brows as she watched the two of them argue from opposite seats inside the cramped carriage.

 

  “But why are both of you following me?”

 

  “The most incomprehensible thing is you,” Britia muttered, and the two of them simultaneously smirked without exchanging glances.

 

  “What if Count Huatte does something unexpected? Are you going to handle it alone?”

 

  Harty grumbled irritably, as if he was annoyed when things went well.

 

  “I want to see the face of the man you’ll be meeting.”

 

  Meanwhile, Kyra’s expression remained stiff, as if she was worried about Britia.

 

  “But I’m grateful that you’re coming with me.”

 

  Britia couldn’t quite understand those two, yet she was grateful.

 

  In truth, she had felt uneasy after hearing frightening rumors of kidnappings. Moreover, even Crave, who had heard her sister’s story earlier this morning, expressed concern, asking if she would be fine on her own.

 

  It wasn’t until she saw Kyra, Harty, and the three knights brought by Harty from Slanford that she finally felt reassured.

 

  “Kyra, look at that. If you had a human heart, you should express gratitude like that.”

 

 Harty said, suggesting that Kyra should learn a bit from him. In response, Kyra narrowed one eye.

 

  “Do something worthy of feeling gratitude and then speak.”

 

  Before the two of them could engage in a heated argument, the carriage they were riding in came to a halt in front of the Huate Mansion. Britia got off the carriage, relieved that they had arrived.

 

  The garden of the Huate Mansion was a desolate sight, with dried-up branches scattered on the ground, devoid of any greenery.

 

  “This gloomy and barren landscape is draining my energy. Kyra, lend me a hand.”

 

  “Ask your knights to lend you a hand.”

 

  When Harty spoke, Kyra gestured towards the Slanford knights who were walking ahead.

 

  “Britia, you should be fine, so lend a hand too.”

 

  “Ah, what a hassle.”

 

  As Harty wavered unsteadily, attempting to cling onto Britia, Kyra, who had been watching them, interlocked her arms and supported him.

 

  “The state of the Huate Count’s mind is questionable, just like this neglected garden. How could one let something like this be?”

 

  Harty expressed his anger, while the butler of the Huate Mansion appeared, causing him to suddenly chuckle as if nothing had happened. On the other hand, Kyra glared at the butler with a face as if she had encountered an enemy.

 

  “Why are you suddenly so angry?”

 

   Britia whispered in surprise, and Kyra glanced at her.

 

  “It’s an act.”

 

  Despite her intimidating expression, Kyra’s voice was gentle.

 

  Britia waited for Count Huate while being escorted by these strange individuals.

 

  “This is the first time I’ve seen such a sinister reception room. What’s that? A whip? Why is there blood on it?”

 

  Harty, who had been smiling at the bleak reception room filled with monochrome colors, whispered in a mysterious tone. He was seated to the right of Britia.

 

  “Don’t you feel a foul odor coming from somewhere?”

 

  Kyra, looking uncomfortable, raised her chin slightly and clicked her tongue from Britia’s left side.

 

  A moment later, the reception room door creaked open, revealing Count Huate with a pale face. He glanced back upon seeing the man and woman seated next to Britia.

 

  Then, without saying a word, he took his seat. He still avoided making eye contact with anyone and kept his gaze fixed on the floor.

 

  “Count Huate.”

 

  As Britia called out, the Count’s nostrils twitched slightly.

 

  “I have seen the contents of the box you gave me. I’m sorry, but I cannot accept the conditions you proposed.”

 

  Britia calmly conveyed her refusal. The count remained silent, without a word to say.

 

  She waited for a while, but he remained unresponsive. She had said what needed to be said, so it was probably over.

 

  “…You will regret it.”

 

  As Britia lifted her buttocks slightly to stand up, Count Huate spoke. For the first time, their gazes met.

 

  “You will return to this seat, weeping and begging.”

 

  The gaze of the man behind the glasses, piercing through Britia, was sinister.

 

Britia was taken aback by his sudden change in attitude and the malice directed towards her, leaving her speechless.

 

  “Haha!”

 

  Then, Kyra burst into laughter beside her, loudly mocking him.