I Held the Leash of a Blind Beast (1 Chapters Left to Complete) - Chapter 5
Rona felt dazed for a moment.
Illeon’s firm jaw pressed against her forehead, and just beneath it, his handsome Adam’s apple loomed before her eyes. Even through three layers of clothing—shirt, vest, and jacket—she could feel the sculpted lines of his solid chest beneath her hand.
And below that, the firmness of his thighs between her legs gave her the steady assurance of someone mounted on a vaulting horse.
Illeon’s embrace was comfortable and soothing. The faint scent of sandalwood drifting from his body mingled with birdsong echoing through the park. Rona nearly closed her eyes without realizing it.
“Are you all right?”
At the sound of Illeon’s voice, she finally came to her senses.
“I-I’m so sorry.”
“Ugh.”
As she hurriedly tried to sit up and accidentally pressed her hand against his abdomen, Illeon grimaced.
“Does it hurt? Did I bump into something?”
“No. Don’t worry about it.”
Sitting upright, Illeon seemed somehow uneasy. If that weren’t the case, he wouldn’t have stayed turned away from her for so long without even shifting his posture or straightening his knees.
Rona’s spirits sank.
“Lord Illeon… Shall we return to the mansion?”
He must be quite upset. Just as she was wondering what to do—
“We’ve barely arrived, and you want to leave already?”
Illeon turned toward where she sat. His expression was the same as always. Rona finally felt relieved.
“There are many things in the picnic basket that you like, Lord Illeon.”
“What’s in there? The scents are all mixed together—I can’t tell.”
Rona busily pulled food from the basket.
“It’s inconvenient without a table.”
Now that she thought about it, laying out the food haphazardly on the ground meant there wasn’t anything he could comfortably eat by himself.
“Just stay still—I’ll handle it for you.”
Whoosh.
Illeon’s face suddenly turned red.
‘Why is he acting like that?’
Rona tilted her head in confusion, then quickly realized.
This wasn’t the duke’s residence. If others saw a grown man like Illeon being fed like a baby, he’d surely be embarrassed.
“Oh, I’ve got it.”
Rona slipped roast beef and salad between two slices of bread, wrapped it in a napkin, and handed it to Illeon.
“This way, you can eat it by yourself.”
“What is this?”
“It’s called a sandwich—food placed between slices of bread. Where I used to live, we ate this often.”
Rona also tucked ham and vegetables into her own bread. The taste of the sandwich, which she hadn’t had in a long time, unexpectedly stirred nostalgic memories of her past life.
[This is the timeline separator]“Here it is.”
After asking around, Rona finally arrived at the Harrington earl’s estate. Built with richly colored, antique bricks, the manor looked prosperous at first glance.
The Earl and Countess of Harrington were known as decent, kind-hearted people—so it made sense they’d willingly take in an orphaned distant relative as their adopted daughter.
Yet for Karina, unused to city life, even such kindness must have felt suffocating. If they’d been unkind, she could have coldly refused them—but it was hard to say no to someone dragging her along out of genuine goodwill. Rona understood that feeling all too well.
‘I hated everything my mother told me to eat for my health.’
That was precisely why she empathized.
She’d come all this way herself, so she’d hoped to see Karina today for sure—but seeing the sky already painted in red twilight, she let out a sigh.
“What if they won’t let me see her because it’s so late?”
A problem had arisen when returning home from Trafell Park. When Rona said she had something to do and wanted to split up, Illeon stubbornly insisted on accompanying her.
“Please go ahead with the butler.”
“Why?”
“I have some errands to run.”
“Errands? What kind? We can just go together.”
Every time Illeon acted like this, Rona found herself in a bind.
“Well… It’s just that my clothes look so shabby—I thought I’d get something new made.”
“I’ll take you there myself.”
“No, really, there’s no need. If I bring a man along to a dressmaker’s, everyone will assume we’re courting!”
Bernar, Illeon’s devoted butler, quickly interjected.
“Quite right. Besides, you’ve gone out two days in a row unexpectedly—you should rest.”
Rona, who wanted to go alone, and the butler, who prioritized his master’s health, were suddenly on the same side.
By the time she finally managed to separate from Illeon and arrive, a considerable amount of time had passed.
“Ugh. What a hassle.”
This is all for your sake, Illeon—everything I’m doing is to help you regain your sight.
And yet you don’t even realize it, throwing a tantrum like a child wanting to tag along.
At the earl’s front gate, Rona straightened her clothes. Since today’s outing to Trafell Park wasn’t work-related, she hadn’t worn her maid uniform but proper outdoor attire—carefully chosen, in case she ended up visiting the manor.
“Hello. My name is Rona Harapellis. May I see Miss Karina?”
“Miss Karina?”
No one had probably ever come to the manor asking for Karina before. Soon, Rona was led to a small building near the entrance. In reality, guests of uncertain identity couldn’t enter the main house’s reception room where the head of the household resided.
Moments later, an elderly butler entered.
“What brings you here?”
“I once owed Miss Karina a debt of gratitude.”
Truthfully, she wished to rely on her from now on.
“I came to repay that kindness, having heard that after losing her parents, the young lady is now under the care of Earl Harrington.”
“I see.”
The butler nodded.
“May I meet with the young lady?”
“That might be difficult.”
Rona’s eyes widened.
“Why? She would surely be glad to see me.”
Internally, she wondered if she’d breached etiquette somehow. She hadn’t made any improper or unreasonable requests.
“Miss Karina isn’t currently at the manor.”
“What? Then where is she?”
A flicker of pride briefly crossed the butler’s face.
“She’s at the Imperial Palace.”
[This is the timeline separator]The Imperial Palace gardens, bathed in evening twilight, exuded an unusually elegant atmosphere.
A white statue wearing a golden crown and holding a spear turned crimson as the sunset flowed over it. Around it, sparkling droplets from the fountain and spring blossoms filled the garden with charm.
In the center of the garden stood a beautiful woman. Her slender figure, flowing silver hair, and deep, vivid green eyes evoked the mystique of a fairy.
“It’s so beautiful.”
As Karina gazed at the garden in admiration, Sabiel smiled.
“Not as beautiful as you.”
Karina blushed. The man with slightly wavy black hair and blue eyes looked splendid in his uniform—his almond-shaped eyes, high nose bridge, and smooth lips, as if carved by a master craftsman, curved into a gentle smile as he looked at her.
“Your Highness says such things so casually.”
“Do you dislike it?”
“Do you say the same things to other young ladies?”
“I used to.”
Karina’s expression dimmed slightly.
“Back then, it was just polite flattery. Now, it’s the truth.”
Sabiel took Karina’s hand and kissed the back of it. Her heart pounded so fiercely she thought she might faint.
“You’re lying.”
“How can I earn your trust, then?”
When Karina remained silent, Sabiel spoke again.
“I shall grant you permission to use my name.”
“What?”
“Sabiel. You may call me that.”
“Th-that’s impossible!”
Allowing someone to use one’s name was an entirely different matter. In the Empire, only one’s birth parents and spouse were permitted to address royalty by their given name.
“To dare utter the Crown Prince’s name like that—it’s unthinkable…”
“Say it.”
“I can’t.”
“Are you defying a royal command?”
When Sabiel playfully persisted, Karina’s lips trembled.
“…Sabiel.”
“That sounds lovely.”
Sabiel slowly lowered his head toward Karina. As if she’d been waiting, she closed her eyes and accepted his kiss.
“When we’re alone, always call me by my name.”
Karina nodded, her face flushed—whether from the sunset’s glow or her own shyness, she couldn’t tell.
“Your Highness.”
“Yes?”
“It’s just…”
After his aide whispered something in his ear, Sabiel’s expression hardened. But he quickly turned back to Karina as if nothing had happened.
“Karina, I must leave—an urgent matter has come up.”
Seeing Karina’s disappointed look, Sabiel kissed her once more.
“Come to the palace again tomorrow.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“If tomorrow you still call me ‘Your Highness’ instead of my name, I’ll have to punish you each time.”
With a smile, Sabiel vanished, leaving Karina to sink weakly onto the spot, her legs giving out beneath her.
“Ha… haha.”
Karina Drepein. She was merely the daughter of a baron in name only, raised like an ordinary village girl in a remote countryside town.
When her parents had suddenly passed away, it felt as though the sky had collapsed. Yet thanks to her distant relatives, the Harrington earl’s family, who took her in as their adopted daughter, she’d been able to come to the capital.
Since she’d lived far removed from the capital’s social circles, she hadn’t yet made her debutante presentation. The earl’s household had poured both money and effort into preparing her for a late debut.
But for Karina, who’d lived freely and unrestrained, the rigid, aristocratic lifestyle felt suffocating and unbearable.
She’d kept telling herself, “Just endure it until the debutante ball,” clinging to that thought—until one day.
The Countess of Harrington and Karina had entered the palace together to pay respects to the Empress—a visit where the countess would present an expensive jewel to secure a special introduction for Karina into high society.
While stepping aside to give the countess and empress privacy for their conversation, Karina got lost—and by chance, met Crown Prince Sabiel.
“Haaa…”
Remembering her first meeting with Sabiel, Karina blushed by herself. She’d never seen such a handsome man in her life. And then…
“That kiss just now… was my first.”
She heard the chime of bells in her ears. The crimson sky, the splashing droplets from the garden fountain, the sweet scent of flowers—everything was perfect.
“Sabiel.”
Karina’s face flushed as she murmured her lover’s name. The woman in love didn’t slip out of the palace until long after the sun had set.
[This is the timeline separator]Rona trudged wearily down the road.
She’d waited until nearly ten at night, but Karina never returned from the palace.
According to the Harrington household’s elderly butler, Karina had caught the Crown Prince’s eye and now visited the palace almost daily, often not returning until late.
“The earl’s household has only one heir, Master Sogaju, and no daughters of their own. When they took in the lovely Miss Karina as their adopted daughter, the countess was thoroughly pleased. Now that a marriage alliance with the Imperial Family seems possible, they’re overjoyed, calling her a blessing to the family.”
Rona couldn’t believe what the butler said.
“Karina falling in love with the Crown Prince…”
Karina was supposed to have met Illeon as soon as she arrived in the capital—but now the original story had gone completely off track.
“What about Illeon… What should I do?”
Karina was supposed to make Illeon’s medicine.
Could she still make it even without being in love?
Would his eyes truly open without that fundamental premise of falling in love?
This was Rona’s first time facing such a twisted version of the original plot since her transmigration—and her chest tightened with dread.
Creeeak. Clank.
Even when opened and closed carefully, the grand iron gate of the ducal estate still made noise. Since it was likely past everyone’s bedtime, Rona tiptoed through the mansion door and slipped inside.
Thud.
Just as she stepped in and closed the front door—
A dark figure sat motionless on the stairs.
“You’re finally here.”
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
Haha, just picturing this is so hilarious. Imagine Duke Illeon fan girling.
The real blind guy is here; calling someone else’s woman his 😂