The Northern Mad Dog Is Wagging Its Tail

  “Count Huate.”

 

  Kyra slowly lifted her upper body from the sofa, where she had been leaning against.

 

  “What do you think you’re going to do to make her regret it?”

 

  Kyra asked, tilting her head to the side. As she did, Count Huate, who had been gazing at Britia, briefly glanced at Kyra.

 

  “Please answer. From what I see, there doesn’t seem to be any reason for her to regret, but you speak with such confidence, so I’m very curious.”

 

  Too curious. Kyra deliberately emphasized her words, enunciating them clearly.

 

  Under her intense gaze, Count Huate’s eyes returned to the floor. It seemed like he was irritated by her mockery.

 

  “Did you say you would help her pass through the path of Huate? Don’t expect any help. See how isolated you’ll be there. Well, something like that?”

 

  Britia, who had been frozen by Kyra’s attitude, regained her composure.

 

  “Kyra.”

 

  “As I said, stop it,” Harty called out to her, and Kyra furrowed her eyebrows.

 

  “Aren’t you curious too? Just how grand of a revenge plan do he have? Is he planning to whip her with that whip hanging there?”

 

  Kyra spoke while looking at the whip hanging on the wall.

 

  “Since you keep your mouth shut, I guess you’re curious. I suppose you have no intention of letting me know how to kill her?”

 

  Britia, sensing that the Count Huate and Kyra were truly about to fight, glanced at Harty, as if to ask him to intervene.

 

  “Kyra, your words are too harsh.”

 

  Harty chuckled awkwardly and pretended to calm her down with his words.

 

  ‘Are these people for real? Are they really going to fight? Is that why they brought a knight?’

 

  Britia broke out in a cold sweat alone.

 

  “Since the Count is keeping his mouth shut, I have no choice but to speak up, even if it means becoming a fool. But it’s not like the Huate path is the only one in the world, and things may not go as planned, right?”

 

  If he said that Britia would regret it, it would truly be regrettable. Kyra let out a disgusted laugh.

 

  “Kyra, don’t insult Count Huate so much. Proposing to a woman takes a lot of courage.”

 

  Harty praised Count Huate’s courage and smiled warmly at him.

 

  “But is it courageous to just throw a ring and leave without even listening to the answer? That’s a cowardly act.”

 

  “Kyra.”

 

  “Or is it that men usually propose like that?”

 

  “That’s not the case, but…”

 

  Harty smiled awkwardly and examined Count Huate’s face.

 

  “Anyway, Count, I don’t think like Kyra said. You were just trying to help Lockhart, right?”

 

  “What are you saying?”

 

  Kyra raised both hands in frustration, making her point clear.

 

  “Since you can’t simply help Lockhart, you brought up the topic of marriage to Britia, right? There would be no other disadvantage even if she refuses.”

 

  “Haha! Harty, you’re too kind-hearted, and that’s the problem. It seems like something that would come out of the mouth of someone like you, begging and crying.”

 

  “I must have been momentarily swayed and unintentionally said something like that. I wouldn’t really have such a scary thought, would I? After all, Count Huate is not that kind of person.” Harty smiled and looked at the Count.

 

  His acting was truly perfect, to the point where one could mistake Harty for actually holding such thoughts about Count Huate. However, his tail thumped threateningly against the low table in front of him, as if urging him to quickly deny any intention of causing harm.

 

  “Even if things didn’t go according to plan, there are wonderful people in the world who are suitable for a Count like you, so don’t be too disheartened.”

 

  Harty spoke as if comforting Count Huate. Britia, who was observing Harty, shivered.

 

  “In any case, I have conveyed my intentions, so I will take my leave, Count.”

 

  Britia couldn’t leave these two individuals to continue their bickering and veiled threats, so she stood up from her seat.

 

  “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you said to me today.”

 

  Britia gave Harty and Kyra a meaningful glance, urging them to get up quickly.

 

  “I still haven’t heard Count Huate’s plan. Britia, aren’t you curious? Slanford! Am I the only one curious?”

 

  “Why are you all so impatient?” Kyra pouted as she rose from her seat. When Britia glared at her, biting her lower lip, she reluctantly got up, hunching slightly.

 

  “Ah, let me say one last thing.”

 

  As Kyra turned to leave, she glanced back at the count as if she remembered something. The count, who had been silently watching them leave, quickly averted his gaze and lowered his eyes when he met Kyra’s.

 

  “Well, if what Harty said is true and the count really had good intentions, I apologize for speaking so sharply. But if that’s the case, you should have proposed sooner.”

 

  Britia grabbed her arm, saying, “Let’s just stop and go.”

 

  “Britia has already received a proposal from Duke Turas, so…”

 

  But then Kyra made a bombshell statement, causing her to abruptly stop in her tracks.

 

  “…Kyra?”

 

  “Ah, I’m sorry. I know it’s a secret, but since it’s someone who proposed to you, I thought it would be proper to let you know.”

 

  ‘This person. I haven’t even received a proposal yet. What nonsense!’

 

  When Britia looked at her with widened eyes, Kyra shrugged her shoulders and pursed her lips.

 

  He’ll find out soon enough.

 

  Britia was taken aback by her confident and shameless attitude.

 

  “If I had known this would happen, I should have come alone.”

 

  As the carriage moved away, Britia glanced at the two of them.

 

  “Oh? If you had come alone, do you think you would have safely escaped from that dungeon?”

 

  Harty scoffed at Britia’s comment.

 

  “A disguised wizard posing as a knight had discovered something. He found at least three devices in the reception room, some of which led directly to an underground prison.”

 

  “What are you talking about?”

 

  Britia shouted in surprise.

 

  “We almost ended up imprisoned in the Huate Mansion, never to see the light again. We’re lucky we went together, aren’t we?”

 

  “Why are you so proud as if you did something?”

 

  “It’s not because of you, but because of my knights. They haven’t done anything,” Kyra retorted sarcastically.

 

  “They’re my knights, so it’s thanks to me. I brought them here.”

 

  “Britia, there’s no way someone who keeps devices like that at home and hangs a blood-stained whip on the wall has a sound mind.”

 

  Kyra ignored Harty’s prompt to praise her quickly.

 

  “Although there has been an atmosphere that things won’t end well if anything happens since Duke Turas proposed… “

 

  “I don’t think we can just back down like this. Did you see the look in his eyes?”

 

  Agreeing with her words, Harty testified that the eyes of Count Huate had completely lost their light.

 

  Britia remembered the ominous gaze of Count Huate and bit her lip. She wished it weren’t the case, but when she thought of those eyes, she didn’t think they would simply step aside.

 

  “Lord Slanford, are you really properly exploring paths other than Huate?”

 

  Britia asked with concern, causing Harty’s eyes to widen.

 

  “You’re doubting me now? My abilities? Harty Slanford!”

 

  He laughed mockingly, saying he would go crazy.

 

  “Listen carefully. What you should be worried about right now is not Lockhart’s connections, which I am gradually establishing and strengthening from the groundwork.”

 

  His eyes widened with anger.

 

  “What’s the matter then?”

 

  ‘Was there anything else?’

 

  Britia rolled her eyes, feeling both confused and uneasy.

 

  “If the fact that you received a proposal from some useless gadfly were to reach Duke Turas’ ears, that’s what you should be worried about!”

 

  “Why should she be worried about that?”

 

  Kyra snapped at Harty, who was shouting in excitement, as if she couldn’t understand.

 

  “Think about how much pain a pure person like Duke-nim would suffer! Oh, my heart aches just thinking about the possible pain he might experience. It’s unbearable. How terrible. It really hurts my heart.”

 

  Harty clutched his chest, feeling distressed.

 

  Telling her to forget about the unnecessary words, Kyra tilted her head towards Britia.

 

** ** **

 

  Contrary to Kyra and Harty’s worries that Count Huate would not back down and would definitely do something, nothing happened to Britia until the morning of the hunting competition.

 

  Not only that, there was no news from Count Huate afterwards, so Britia felt relieved.

 

  Crave and Britia headed to Ellywood Forest earlier than the scheduled hunting competition time. There was someone they were going to meet there.

 

  “Lenny!”

 

  The knights of the Valenderg Order participated in the hunting competition to be prepared for any accidents that might occur during the competition. Thanks to that, Britia, who hadn’t seen her youngest sibling in a while, happily found her.

 

  “Have you lost weight? Is it because I’m not around that big brother is bothering you?”

 

  Lenny hugged his sister and asked.

 

  “What nonsense are you talking about to your sister, who can’t sleep because she’s always thinking about our family?”

 

  Crave chuckled and poked Lenny’s side. In response, Lenny let go of Britia and punched Crave’s side with her fist.

 

  “Ugh. This ignorant brute with nothing but strength!”

 

  “Do you want to take another hit from a baby boar?”

 

  Lenny raised his right fist towards Crave and then smirked.

 

  “You really seem to have lost weight. But your complexion doesn’t look great, does it?”

 

  Lenny playfully asked, mentioning how he couldn’t sleep due to worrying about being invited to the hunting competition.

 

  “Do you think I can’t hunt well? Don’t you know I caught a bear?”

 

  “That wasn’t you, it was Duke Turas who caught it.”

 

  Lenny quickly corrected himself, realizing his slip of the tongue, as he glanced at his sister.

 

  “We had a bear last year too. How about this year? Is there a bear?”

 

  In response to Crave’s question, Lenny gave a strange smile.

 

  “Because of that, the Order is on high alert right now. Please, I’m begging you, don’t go to the hunting grounds today because it’s dangerous for both of you.”

 

  “So, we should just stay here? It’ll be boring!”

 

  Crave confidently believed in his hunting skills, telling them to trust him.

 

  “I’m serious, not joking. Even here is not entirely safe, so I’m actually thinking of taking both of you home right away.”

 

  “What? You’re not our parents, just the youngest sibling giving orders?”

 

  Crave protested at the suggestion of going back immediately.

 

  “I convinced the commander forcefully, so let’s go. It seems like you even brought arrows on your back. Go home and shoot them at targets in the garden.”

 

  “What? You released such dangerous prey?”

 

  Crave whispered, poking Britia’s side, saying that even a long-starved bear would have been released.

 

  “What should we do? Should we give up on hunting cleanly today?”

 

  “…What about Duke Turas?”

 

  Recalling Sig, who was disappointed about not being able to hunt together last time, Britia asked.

 

  “He’ll be in the third tent over there.”

 

  Leon pointed to a cluster of white tents.

 

  “I’ll just go and say hello.”

 

  Britia headed towards the tent where he was supposed to be. As she entered the tent as Leon had instructed, she saw the back of a large man with a thick black tail squeezed between his legs.

 

  “Duke Turas-nim.”

 

  Britia called out, and his tail immediately shot up. But it quickly dropped again, as it always did when he saw her, shedding fur in delight.

 

  “What’s the matter?”

 

  Britia asked, as it was the first time she had seen him like this.

 

“….”

 

  Moreover, Sig hesitated to answer.

 

  ‘Why is he acting like this? What could be the matter?’

 

  A voice echoed in Britia’s worried mind.

 

  ‘You should be worried if the fact that you received a proposal from some useless gadfly were to reach Duke Turas’ ears! That’s what you should be worried about!’