The Regressed Empress Tames the Hunting Dog (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 13
Perhaps because I’ve been outside for so long, the wind brushing against my skin felt increasingly cold.
Yet, strangely enough, I didn’t feel any urge to return to the banquet hall.
“…Hm?”
Just then, Kalid draped his outer coat over Bellia’s shoulders.
“You mustn’t catch a cold.”
“Thank you.”
Bellia smiled faintly and held the coat tightly. She hadn’t even realized she was cold, but now that she wore his coat, warmth seemed to spread through her entire body.
It was almost laughable—how could she feel warm just because someone had placed a coat over her shoulders on a terrace? She was about to smile at the absurdity when Kalid spoke softly.
“Earlier, what did you talk about with Raoul?”
“Hmm?”
“You’ve seemed down ever since you danced with him.”
Kalid asked cautiously, clearly curious about what nonsense Raoul might have said to Bellia.
At first, he’d stayed silent, sensing Bellia didn’t want to answer, but seeing her grow more and more pensive, he eventually felt compelled to bring it up again.
“…”
Still, Bellia remained silent, pressing her lips together as if hesitating.
Raoul certainly hadn’t said anything kind about her. Surely, inside that small head of hers, she was debating whether or not to relay his words. He could well imagine the flood of thoughts swirling within her.
“The princess overthinks too much.”
At his sigh-laced remark, Bellia carefully opened her mouth—she hadn’t really intended to hide it anyway.
“Prince Raoul asked if I wouldn’t regret it. He said I’d surely regret choosing you.”
The more she thought about him, the heavier her mood became.
Then why, when she had chosen Raoul before, had things ended so terribly?
“So I told him that would never happen.”
“I see. That explains Raoul’s expression earlier.”
Kalid nodded, arms crossed, seemingly satisfied with her answer.
“Words like that mean nothing to me. You don’t need to hide them.”
“…Still, there’s no need for me to hear unpleasant things.”
“Thank you. It’s kind of you to think of me like that.”
Kalid looked up at the night sky and let out a quiet chuckle.
It wasn’t much of a story, compared to what he’d imagined.
Yet, watching Bellia deliberately keep quiet for his sake somehow lifted his mood a little. On impulse, he spoke again.
“That fellow and I don’t get along well.”
Startled by his sudden remark, Bellia turned to look at him, and Kalid met her gaze, then continued with a faint curve on his lips.
“You might think it’s natural—we’re bound to clash over the throne. But in truth, we got along very well when we were younger.”
“Is that so?”
“Until I realized his kindness was merely pity. I truly looked up to him as an older brother.”
Kalid’s expression was flat as he spoke.
So dulled, so worn, as if nothing could affect him anymore.
“If you follow me to the empire, you’ll naturally come to understand just how insignificant a prince I am.”
“…Your Highness.”
“So it wouldn’t be strange if Raoul mocked you for choosing me.”
Bellia disliked how he spoke with such self-deprecation.
“If I marry you, I’ll surely become your strength.”
“Hahaha. Only a princess of Ronica would say something like that.”
Bellia spoke a little stiffly toward Kalid, who was trying to brush the matter off with a laugh.
“Besides, you’re not planning to just surrender everything to His Highness the First Prince and stay idle, are you?”
“Do I seem that way?”
“If not, you wouldn’t have accepted my proposal. You wouldn’t have cared at all whether he found the gold mine or not.”
But the moment he came to her after reading her letter,
she clearly realized he had some plan to bring Raoul down.
“That’s why you accepted my absurd marriage proposal so readily—just saying the terms were favorable.”
It must have been his maneuver to prevent the First Prince of the empire from gaining Ronica Kingdom.
And if he could conveniently use Ronica’s power for himself, all the better—it was like unexpected fortune falling into his lap. Especially considering Ronica’s current state.
When he’d said Bellia was someone he desired, it hadn’t been empty flattery.
Thus, Bellia had appreciated how, even in a far more advantageous position, he still warned her.
“…You truly have good instincts.”
Kalid’s expression hardened slightly.
“You’re clever, and quick to read situations.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“That’s exactly why I’m more suspicious.”
But soon, he relaxed his expression and shrugged.
Despite his serious words, his tone was light.
“To be honest, there’s more than one thing about you that puzzles me.”
Bellia, watching Kalid speak, bit her lip tightly.
She had many things she needed to accomplish with him as her front.
But if he kept doubting her, demanding the source of every piece of information, those small suspicions would surely pile up until everything collapsed from within.
So she couldn’t afford to leave even the slightest room for doubt.
“…If you stay with me, there will be many moments like this—moments that seem suspicious.”
Bellia paused briefly to choose her words.
Kalid raised an eyebrow slightly, as if waiting for her to continue.
“Will you simply trust me each time?”
“The gold mine?”
“No. Every piece of information I give you, Your Highness.”
Her gaze locked firmly onto him.
She couldn’t tell him about her reincarnation.
Even if she struggled to explain it, he surely wouldn’t believe her.
At that moment, meeting her eyes, Kalid gave a soft chuckle and said,
“You’re asking too much of me. Do you realize that?”
“…Is it really too much to ask for trust between allies?”
After all, hadn’t they agreed to become each other’s supporters?
Not to mention their engagement and eventual marriage.
They were bound to spend a very long time together.
Reading the quiet frustration in Bellia’s expression, Kalid leaned close and whispered softly by her ear,
“You won’t tell me any truths, yet you ask me to trust you completely.”
“That’s…”
Kalid was again irritated by Bellia’s evasive manner, biting her lip and fumbling for words.
He knew clearly she held no selfish motives toward him.
He knew she stayed by his side solely for her own goals.
Then why, if this was merely a matter of mutual benefit—
‘Why do I care?’
He wanted to find out.
Why was he so unusually lenient and forgiving only toward her?
Why did this princess, who had once been merely amusing, keep tugging at his attention?
Kalid lifted the corner of his mouth.
“Princess.”
Hearing her name, Bellia turned to look at him.
“You hide many things from me, but I think I’ll try trusting you.”
Then he reached out and carefully fastened the coat over her shoulders.
It was just one step.
That single step forward—from beside her to directly in front—changed the air around them instantly.
The light, cheerful atmosphere grew heavy and stifling.
“…Your Highness Prince Kalid.”
It was strange.
She’d called his name many times before.
Yet this time, the moment his name left her lips, it felt as if the letters themselves had will, rolling around inside her mouth.
“Bellia.”
This time, he called her name with utmost tenderness.
Was it the intoxicating ambiguity of this place?
Or her inability to adjust to the suddenly altered air?
Avoiding his gaze, turning her head away, even exhaling the breath caught in her throat—
nothing felt easy.
Her heart began pounding fiercely—thump, thump.
“If I trust you completely, someday you’ll tell me the truth, won’t you?”
He continued speaking, still fiddling absently with the coat draped over her shoulders.
“As I said before, I don’t have much. That’s precisely why I never let go of the few people or things that are mine. I can’t afford to lose even those. So even if you hide the truth…”
Kalid slowly tucked a stray strand of Bellia’s hair behind her ear.
“Since you’ve become mine and asked me to trust you, I will.”
Of course, he’d still verify things himself.
“So don’t betray me. That wouldn’t be a pleasant feeling at all.”
His voice, now deeply lowered, held none of the gentleness from when he’d called her name.
His teasing gaze kept unsettling her.
Bellia stared at him with trembling eyes, even her breath held.
“Your Highness…”
Just as she struggled to force words past her stiff lips,
Kalid stepped so close that his lips nearly brushed hers.
“Then I’ll do my utmost to ensure you never regret choosing me over Raoul. How does that sound?”
His voice resonated softly.
His fingers, still playing with her ear, grew increasingly bold.
‘Snap out of it, Bellia.’
The moment she saw his blue eyes glinting under the moonlight, mere inches away, Bellia instinctively knew—if she let this continue, she’d be utterly ensnared by him.
She couldn’t allow that.
Bellia gently pushed Kalid away.
“If Your Highness does just that, our contract will become much stronger. I’m glad.”
She reminded herself—they were bound only by a contract.
She mustn’t waver any further. This was merely an unnecessary emotion.
“Ha…”
Kalid, who had wanted to understand how he truly felt about her, felt oddly disappointed by Bellia’s sharp, decisive rejection.
“Since we entered this contract as equals, it’s only natural we both put in effort. If Your Highness trusts me, I won’t betray you. Does that build a little trust between us?”
Even her calm delivery of those words felt disappointing.
Because Kalid was helplessly shaken by Bellia—though he masked it as irritation, he knew full well his entire attention was fixed on her.
“…Not bad.”
Kalid couldn’t stand the fact that she never fully slipped into his grasp.
An inexplicable possessiveness seeped into him, slowly consuming him.
So, just to unsettle her heart, he tossed out a careless remark.
“But what if I become sincere toward you?”
“…I know it’s just curiosity.”
Bellia stiffened at his words, but quickly smiled in reply. Kalid had no response to that expression of hers.
“Let’s stop with pointless talk and focus only on our first goal. First, confirm the existence of the gold mine, and ensure I don’t become engaged to Prince Raoul. We can discuss everything else afterward.”
After firmly finishing her sentence—careful to hide her trembling voice—she glanced at Kalid, who looked oddly deflated.
“Understood?”
Bellia asked once more for his clear confirmation. Kalid sighed and pressed a hand to his forehead.
“…Fine.”
At his reluctant reply, Bellia, hiding her own trembling heart and forcing a smile, nodded.
But Kalid couldn’t bring himself to smile at all.
“Let’s head back now. We’ve been away from our seats too long.”
Bellia removed Kalid’s coat from her shoulders and handed it back to him.
“Thank you for the coat.”
Then, as if without a shred of lingering attachment, she flung open the terrace door leading back to the banquet hall.
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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Chapter Comments (3)
Inline Comments (10)
Soon after, Kalid pressed his lips against Bellia’s.
Why the chapter stop here i want mooooore😭
Clozé spoke from the sofa, sprawled out in a thoroughly undignified manner.
I really like Clozé she’s a great supporting character and a good entertaining sister.
Clozé grumbled to herself.
Poor clozé her sister will go on another country to mary she will be allone
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Difficult but she needs to realize her revenge could take quite some time, years possibly. It’s understandable that her emotions have nowhere to go right now, but she needs temperance.
It’s nice to find a ML that has emotional awareness like Kalid does.
This emperor is such a greedy man. If he weren’t so detestable I’d have second-hand embarrassment.