Chapter 144
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 144
I covered my face with both hands.
“Tulli… a? Are you crying?”
“She’s crying?”
“Hey! Are you crying?! See, Brother, what did I tell you? I told you she’s been getting teary-eyed for no reason lately, didn’t I? Huh?”
No.
This wasn't because I was soft-hearted.
It was because I was so pissed off that tears were pricking my eyes.
Here I was, working my soul off just to survive as a minor villainess, while these guys—the official male leads—were busy hitting, killing, and tearing each other apart…
“I seriously don’t want to see any of you.”
“……Tulia?”
“Hey…”
“Uh, Tulia? Hello?”
Their voices were thick with panic.
But I was dead serious. I never imagined these crazy male leads would start throwing punches and swearing the moment they met.
What if one of them got seriously hurt or died? What then?
Do you think everything’s fine as long as you’re alive?
Is that it?!
As my thoughts spiraled, even the slight trace of sorrow I felt began to sharpen into pure rage.
That’s right. Tulia was still a villainess suffering from anger management issues!
I gritted my teeth.
“This is the Belus Territory, and I am the owner of this land. If you don’t want to be banished forever…”
“……”
“Will the three of you please return to your assigned rooms?”
If it hadn't been for Lisian, I would have told them to piss off.
I didn't care anymore. If their favorability dropped, they could just kill me for all I cared.
I didn't bother checking their expressions or moods. I simply spun around and marched back toward the castle.
A few days later.
After ensuring the White Tulip seeds were properly planted and signing the contracts to keep the Belus peasants employed to tend the flower beds, I returned to the main castle alone.
Indeed.
Tulia’s anger management issues were sometimes enough to overcome even Kim Ddong-byul’s trolling.
* * *
“I see. Hmm.”
Grand Duke Asis Frezier stared at the young man before him.
Straight shoulders and long limbs.
In contrast, the backs of his hands were elegant, with joints clearly defined as if he had seen his fair share of hardship.
However, his eyes were exceptionally blue, and a vibrant energy befitting a guardian of the gods flowed through his gaze.
Above all, his strikingly unique and handsome appearance was so prominent that even if he were hidden among a pack of vagrants, he would eventually end up as the protagonist of a nation’s founding myth.
In short, he was born with the bloodline of a predator.
“I am familiar with the Lupinus Kingdom. Is it not located near my wife’s homeland?”
“……”
“Since I owe Tulia my life, I must repay her according to the laws of the Lupinus royalty.”
Grand Duke Asis thought of Tulia.
His granddaughter, who had just rushed back to the main castle, had come to see him immediately.
“Grandfather. I witnessed sorcerers performing human sacrifices in the Belus Territory. It didn’t look like it was the first time.”
“I know. I heard the report from Captain Samut as well, Tulia.”
He had already heard rumors about what had happened between her and the twins.
Despite that, his granddaughter’s decision to set aside personal matters and discuss public affairs first was very mature.
Since he was already conducting an investigation into the matter, he had been in the middle of a brief conversation with Tulia.
Within minutes, reports arrived that carriages were pulling up one after another.
The twins.
And this prince, born of the Wolf King’s lineage.
Along with them came a strange story—no, a piece of incredibly baffling news.
“So, the Submission was placed on Tulia.”
“Yes.”
“If it is magic from the Summer Continent, then yes, I am well aware of it.”
“I’m well aware of it too. The story of how you fought Princess Lisiyan to win her hand is famous even on the Summer Continent… Ack!”
Klaus Rocheva, who had been scouting Grand Duke Asis with the air of a predator circling its prey, let out a sharp cry.
Tulia had grabbed a handful of his hair.
“Who do you think you are, talking to my grandfather without honorifics? Don’t you know the age gap? Can’t you speak respectfully?”
“A-Alright, I get it! …I am aware that your story is famous, sir.”
“Your Highness.”
“I am aware that His Highness’s story is famous.”
‘He’s practically Tulia’s servant.’
That was fine.
“Is the Submission unbreakable?”
“Yes. Ow! Yes. It is. For now.”
“‘For now’? That means there is a way to lift it.”
Grand Duke Asis’s eyes grew sharp.
* * *
Before continuing, Grand Duke Asis sent Tulia out of the room for a moment.
“Right. As I said before, I have heard much regarding the magic of the Summer Continent.”
“Yeah.”
The moment Tulia left, Klaus dropped the honorifics again. The Grand Duke didn't particularly mind.
The Summer Continent was full of eccentrics. Furthermore, if he was royalty from the Lupinus Kingdom, his pride and nobility—characteristic of the Wolf King’s lineage—were famous for being sky-high.
“However, the Wolf’s Submission is a very ancient and complex form of ancient magic. To lift it, does one not need the national treasure of the Lupinus Kingdom?”
“That’s right.”
Klaus nodded nonchalantly.
“I will not permit my granddaughter to be taken to the Summer Continent. It is too far and too dangerous.”
The Lupinus Kingdom had numerous princes and princesses, and their culture involved a literal war for the throne where they killed each other until only one remained.
Traces of the wild. The origins of beasts.
There were no exceptions.
“I have no intention of taking her there either. I can’t take what’s mine to such a dangerous place… Ack!”
“If you refer to my granddaughter as yours one more time, consider yourself dead.”
Klaus, whose head had just been struck by a fist like a mace, bared his fangs.
“What else am I supposed to call what’s mine? Ow! Dammit, you’re just a ridiculously strong old man!”
“Go there yourself, win the succession war, and bring the national treasure of Lupinus back to the Spring Continent. I will permit nothing else.”
“I was planning to do that anyway.”
“Are you leaving immediately, then?”
“I can’t leave right now.”
“And why not?”
Klaus Rocheva cast a glance toward the office door where Tulia had walked out.
“Because for the time being, I’ll literally die without her. Dammit! Why are you hitting me again, you crazy old man?!”
“I’ll say it again: I cannot allow you to stick to my granddaughter like that. Do you want to start scandalous rumors about her?”
“Ah. Right. You don’t have to worry about that.”
“I don’t? What do you plan to do?”
Klaus rolled up his left sleeve. A moment later.
Grand Duke Asis’s eyes widened in a rare display of shock.
* * *
‘Phew. I came back to the main castle in a fit of rage, but…’
Somehow, things worked out.
Since the twins and that prince guy had come rushing after me.
We’d reconciled to some extent.
To be precise, my heart softened the moment I was bombarded with gifts. It’s funny how that works. Truly, if you want to appease someone’s anger, you have to give them material goods.
Satisfied with Tulia’s materialistic nature, I was lying flat on my stomach on the bed.
Knock, knock.
“Come in.”
“Noble Lady Tulia.”
‘Wait, that title.’
I sat up.
Entering the room were people crawling on all fours. They were Klaus Rocheva’s subordinates.
‘To think someone else’s subordinates would be this wary of me!’
They even addressed me as ‘Noble Lady’ now.
“What is it?”
“The discussion with your grandfather, His Highness Grand Duke Frezier, has concluded successfully.”
“Uh-huh. And?”
“We have an obligation to report this situation to our King…”
“Make sure you break it to him gently so he doesn’t faint.”
“Of course, of course.”
“Then, safe travels.”
“No, no!”
“Huh?”
“We can go, but, uh…”
“I can’t go. Take responsibility for me.”
A voice cut through the subordinates’ hesitant tones.
“……?”
I watched as a little puppy came trotting in, weaving past the subordinates.
It had ash-white fur.
And bright blue eyes.
A cute puppy…
“Because of the Submission, I’ll wither away and die without you, so I have to stay by your side.”
…That talks?
The puppy—no, Klaus—hopped onto the bed, curled up in my lap, and spoke.
“Make sure they have enough travel expenses. I’ll repay it all with the treasures in my castle.”
“Uh…”
“Safe travels, you lot.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“Please take care of yourself, Prince Klaus. And please, do not upset the Noble Lady…”
“We shall return with an official diplomatic envoy once we have the King’s permission.”
“Got it. And find out when the succession war starts.”
“We certainly will!”
“Get lost.”
“By your command!”
“By your command!”
The men knelt and bowed disciplinedly to the puppy.
And as I stared at the fluffy tail wagging right in front of my eyes…
“Are you Klaus?”
“Yeah.”
“Klaus Rocheva?”
“Yeah. Yours. No, you’re mine.”
“Wow…”
‘Ha.’
Hahahaha?
Nothing like this ever happened in the game.
It was the moment the pride I held as a hardcore veteran of The Milk Bread shattered into a million pieces.