Tame or Be Captured (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 013
When the horse was startled, Asha was even more surprised and awkwardly raised both hands into the air.
“Oh, sorry… Today Mr. Jackal—I mean, your master—taught me how to get close to a horse, but I’m still clumsy…”
Asha apologized, but in truth, she had acted exactly as she’d been taught that day.
Instead, it was the other side that had shown the strange reaction.
Jackal sighed inwardly.
When he pushed his head forward toward her again, Asha happily stroked his neck and face gently.
“Your master said today that I could give you a name if I wanted. So I’ve been thinking hard about it…”
Asha spoke with solemn determination.
“I’ve found the perfect name for you.”
Jackal lifted his head, perked up his ears, and looked at her with eyes full of curiosity and anticipation.
After a moment, Asha smiled softly and gently called out the name.
“Shephy.”
‘Shephy…?’
What kind of bizarre name was this? Making a sour face, he prompted Asha to explain.
“It means ‘naked.'”
“…!”
Jackal’s eyes widened in shock.
Asha giggled and added,
“It also means ‘a mountain whose slope has collapsed’ or ‘a hill path.’ I thought it fit perfectly with how we first met. What do you think? Do you like it?”
Jackal thought for a while and decided it did carry some meaningful context, so he replied,
“Puroong.”
He didn’t want to reject a name she’d clearly put so much thought into.
“I’m glad.”
Delighted, Asha suddenly pulled his face into her chest.
Jackal’s eyes widened even further as he was enveloped in her soft, plush bosom.
Unaware of his reaction, Asha closed her eyes contentedly, stroking his face and murmuring,
“How can you be so gentle and cute, our Shephy?”
“……”
Though he was certainly no docile horse—indeed, a fierce wild stallion—he somehow couldn’t bring himself to deny it. He squeezed his eyes shut and stayed quietly nestled against her.
A faint blush crept onto his cheeks.
Asha opened one eye suddenly and asked playfully,
“But your master mentioned you often go out alone these days? Where did you go? Did you really go looking for a mare?”
Jackal quickly shook his head back and forth.
Seeing his reaction, Asha laughed and cupped his face in both hands.
“Why not? You’re so handsome.”
Jackal’s face grew hot.
Unaware of his inner turmoil, Asha declared with resolve,
“Well then, how about I start brushing you properly to make you even more handsome!”
“…?”
“If your coat is neatly groomed, pretty mares will swarm around you!”
With a sly “Hehe,” Asha grinned wickedly, holding brushes in both hands as if she’d been waiting just for this moment.
She’d been eager for any chance to grow closer to Shephy, remembering Jackal’s words that horses loved grooming.
Before Jackal could escape, she caught his long tail and dragged him helplessly to the middle of the room.
“…Hiiing!”
His eyes widened in shock at her roughness, and he involuntarily let out a horse’s whinny—but Asha showed him no mercy.
In the end, he was forcibly groomed by her…
Asha diligently brushed his mane exactly as she’d been taught.
Every time her hands touched his bare skin, Jackal flinched.
…He felt like he was going mad.
Only then did regret wash over him for having played that prank on Sosa.
After finishing the mane, Asha tied a cute handkerchief around his head just like last time, then moved on to grooming his body fur.
The moment she reached toward his firm, smooth hindquarters, Jackal abruptly stood up and swiftly turned his back.
This relationship was dangerous.
He felt he shouldn’t get any closer to her as a beast to a human.
When the horse suddenly turned serious and stood facing the door, Asha blinked and asked,
“Are you… embarrassed right now?”
“……”
Asha chuckled softly.
“Alright, I won’t touch your body then. But still—you’re a gentleman among horses, and I’ve been too reckless.”
Jackal nodded firmly up and down as if in agreement.
At that reaction, Asha burst into laughter again.
Being with this horse really made her feel as if she were conversing with a person.
Smile fading, she spoke wistfully,
“Next time you go out, take me with you.”
When Jackal glanced back at her, Asha added with a slightly melancholy expression,
“I’m always locked up in the palace, so I barely remember what the world looks like anymore. I want to see the world through your eyes.”
“…Puroong.”
Jackal answered, then walked out of the room with a determined stride.
Asha watched him go, waving cheerfully until the door shut behind him.
True to his nature as a wandering horse, he always came and left without warning.
When Jackal reached the tree where he’d left his clothes earlier, he transformed back into a human.
Yet even after dressing, he stood rooted to the spot for a long while, unable to move.
‘…She said I’m a very special horse to her.’
Asha’s words kept echoing in his ears.
He stared blankly at the red handkerchief she’d tied so cutely around his head, then absentmindedly touched the hair on the back of his head where she’d brushed him.
Suddenly, an angry voice came from behind.
“Chief.”
Jackal turned around while still touching his head, slightly startled.
His beastly senses usually made him acutely aware of anyone approaching, but it had been a long time since he’d been so careless as to miss someone right behind him.
Sosa stood there silently, glaring furiously.
Jackal asked calmly, as if nothing were wrong,
“Why are you so angry? You look like an enraged stallion.”
“Don’t mock me! Do you even know how humiliated and embarrassed I was today!”
Sosa shouted loudly.
Jackal remained composed,
“That’s exactly why you need to act like a proper horse—not like a human—so you won’t end up in such a situation.”
“What nonsense is that! Who was it that forced a perfectly normal person to turn into a horse!”
“…Nonsense?”
Jackal’s expression darkened, making Sosa flinch briefly—but he stood his ground.
“If you’re going to act like that, you might as well just take Lady Asha as your partner!”
Jackal stiffened.
He always became flustered whenever Asha was mentioned.
Emboldened, Sosa muttered pointedly to himself,
“Hmph, wasn’t he called a valiant steed? But with such cowardice, can he truly be called valiant?”
“…Sosa.”
At Jackal’s ominous tone, Sosa flinched again.
“I’ll have someone else teach her horseback riding next time. I only entrusted you this first lesson because I was worried about potential danger—but now that I think about it, I don’t like the idea of her touching another man’s body. My apologies.”
Sosa stared at him, dumbfounded by the confusing mix of jealousy, petulance, and apology.
Ignoring him, Jackal fiddled with the handkerchief, replaying his recent conversation with Asha in his mind.
He’d unknowingly become addicted to communicating with her in horse form.
Watching him tie the handkerchief prettily around his wrist with an excited expression, Sosa could only sigh in resignation.
Once horseback riding lessons progressed sufficiently, Asha began formally learning hunting skills from Jackal.
Though swordsmanship might be too much to ask, she absolutely needed to master archery if she intended to hunt wild animals.
Jackal first picked up a bow and demonstrated.
His blue eyes, fixed intently on the target, gleamed with wolf-like sharpness.
Asha carefully observed his posture as he aimed.
Truly a magnificent figure.
No, that wasn’t the point…
Slapping her cheeks lightly with both hands to clear her head, she refocused on watching him.
When Jackal released the string, the arrow struck dead-center in the target.
Asha enthusiastically clapped from the side.
Feeling unexpectedly shy at her praise, Jackal turned his horse away.
“Now it’s your turn.”
Standing beside her like an instructor, he personally adjusted her stance.
“For practice now, you’ll aim at a stationary target, but in real combat, you must hit moving opponents. Never forget that. Always anticipate several moves ahead and wait for the precise moment your target reaches the right position before shooting.”
“Yes, I’ll remember.”
Asha focused seriously on the target and pulled the bowstring.
Jackal carefully corrected every detail—her arm angle, body direction, chin and eye alignment, leg stance, and waist posture—with his hands.
From afar, it looked as though a wild beast were gently embracing a delicate lady from behind.
When his large, rough hand landed firmly on her waist, Asha involuntarily shuddered again without realizing it.
Though subtle, Jackal noticed and paused.
An odd tension hung between them.
Their heartbeats sounded unnaturally close.
Jackal slowly withdrew his hand from her waist and said,
“…Always maintain this posture and angle. And steadily build strength in your arms for drawing the bowstring.”
“Yes.”
Since he acted as if nothing had happened, Asha forced herself to dismiss her thoughts and concentrate solely on training.
Jackal watched Asha with satisfaction as she perfectly absorbed every instruction.
Whether it was her naturally correct posture or something learned from palace etiquette, her archery stance was remarkably straight yet elegant.
She showed none of the common beginner flaws—excessive tension in useless places or a hunched back—often seen in young men trying archery for the first time.
It was also because she followed his guidance meticulously, starting completely from scratch.
He liked that.
Asha held the bow with graceful poise and gazed steadily at the target.
Her eyes were intensely focused and sharp—as if, should elves truly exist, they’d look just like her.
Finally, she released the string, and the arrow shot forward fiercely with a whoosh.
The moment it hit the target, Asha jumped in surprise.
Jackal’s eyes widened slightly too.
The arrow had pierced the exact center of the target without even a hair’s deviation…
Several organization members watching from a distance were stunned and began whispering among themselves.
Over the next few shots, Asha proved her first hit was no fluke—every arrow found its mark with perfect accuracy.
Now, even more members had gathered openly in the courtyard, staring at her in dumbfounded awe.
Asha herself looked down at the bow in her hands with a dazed expression.
Just then, a sudden gust of wind swirled around the bow, gently tousling her golden hair before settling.
Jackal noticed immediately, his eyes widening further.
He gently wrapped a hand near her shoulder—almost but not quite touching—and guided her somewhere.
It looked as though he were shielding and hiding her from enemies.
“…Chief?”
Asha hurried alongside him, baffled, and Jackal replied gravely without looking at her,
“I’ll explain when we get there. Follow me.”
Male lead is a clingy little husband
One-line summary: The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
Introduction:
One day, Lu Yuner’s soul transmigrates into a female-dominant world. She enters the Imperial Academy and takes up the position of a doctoral instructor, teaching classes and grading schoolwork.
One day, she encounters the young prince Su Qingwan secretly skipping class from the male academy.
As a result, Su Qingwan is punished.
From then on, Su Qingwan sees Lu Yuner as a “thorn in his side”.
But before long, this “thorn” becomes the person he cherishes most, and he goes to great lengths to win Lu Yuner’s affection.
Mini scene 1:
One day, the sun is high in the sky but Su Qingwan still hasn’t gotten up for class.
Servant Xiaoyuan: “Young prince, it’s time for class. You’ll be late otherwise.”
Su Qingwan says arrogantly: “I’m not going. I am the esteemed prince, my status is so noble, why should I suffer this hardship? Besides, isn’t learning all this just to please women? Hmph, they’re not worthy!”
Mini scene 2:
After Su Qingwan falls for someone, he completely changes. He no longer skips class and diligently learns how to be a good husband and father. But he discovers that Sister Yuner is always surrounded by admirers.
Drunk and overcome with jealousy one day, he clings to Lu Yuner, crying beautifully like a pear blossom in the rain.
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan likes Sister Yuner.”
Lu Yuner: “Young prince, you’re drunk.”
Su Qingwan: “Qingwan isn’t drunk. Qingwan likes Sister Yuner, likes you so much, likes you to bits…” Before he can finish, Lu Yuner’s eyes flash with emotion and she leans in closer.
[Reading Guide]
1. The female lead is gentle, gracious, humble and polite but not weak. The male lead is initially an arrogant, noble, love-deprived brat, later a cute, clingy, scheming little jealous one.
2. 1v1, a bit torturous in the beginning but definitely sweet later on.
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No way…did Karaf set up this situation with the assassin or kidnapping attempt to earn points?
Not practically, it is a form of torture. Jackel didn’t jump into the water on his own while tied to the boulder.
It seems backward that the Empress is invited to a Duchess’ tea party.