The Terminally-Ill Princess Holds the Leash of the Mad Dog - Chapter 28

Dietrich jumped out of the third-floor window with Celiya on his back.

Leaping from the third floor, he landed softly on the grass-covered ground. He took Celiya to a stable located on the outskirts of the imperial palace, avoiding people’s eyes.

“Neigh-”

The horses in the stable snorted rough breaths at the unfamiliar Celiya. Dietrich put Celiya down, then approached the agitated horses.

As Dietrich stroked their manes, the horses became docile as if by magic. Celiya found it quite fascinating how well the horses followed Dietrich.

“They say those loved by animals are never bad people.”

At Celiya’s words, Dietrich shook his head and replied.

“That’s probably because bad humans kill animals.”

It was truly a pessimistic remark.

Dietrich took Celiya to the quarters attached next to the stable.

The small quarters contained only a straw bed and a nightstand. Judging by the thick layer of dust, it seemed unused for a long time.

Dietrich roughly cleared the dust and sat Celiya on the straw bed. He was wearing a navy tunic, saying he wore it instead of armor to avoid making clanking noises.

“When they realize you’re missing, the crown prince will immediately search my mansion first. But he won’t think I sent you to the stables.”

“……”

“Is the bite wound alright?”

Dietrich’s voice carried on the night air. It was an uncharacteristically gentle voice. However, Celiya was not fooled by the gentleness.

“I wonder.”

Celiya replied, tightly wrapping the folds of her loose robe. Dietrich, who had been silently watching Celiya, knelt on his left knee on the floor and tore the sleeve of his navy tunic as he spoke.

“It’s bothersome.”

“What is?”

“Everything.”

What was bothersome? Was it her that was bothersome? Or was it this situation not going as he wished that was bothersome?

‘What does it matter? If I can survive and bring down this accursed empire, that’s enough for me.’

As Celiya finished her thought and placed her hands neatly on her knees, Dietrich reached for the top of her robe.

His large hands, calloused from long years of wielding a sword, undid the buttons of the robe one by one.

Plop.

Moonlight streaming through the latticed window the size of a palm gently illuminated the two.

Celiya sat on the straw bed, while Dietrich knelt on one knee on the floor, undoing the buttons of Celiya’s robe.

Celiya looked closely at Dietrich’s face.

His eyelids were quite long beneath his even brows. The red eyes within those long eyelids were wholly focused on her.

Unlike other men, no lust was visible in this man’s eyes.

With eyes like calm waves, he finally undid the last button of the robe.

Plop.

As her collarbone was exposed, cool air touched her skin. Dietrich, with an expressionless face, firmly rubbed the bite mark like a brand on Celiya’s collarbone.

His touch was so hot it felt like it might burn her at any moment. When Celiya’s body twitched, Dietrich withdrew his hand and murmured softly.

“It will be over soon.”

Dietrich rolled up the torn piece of cloth and pressed it against the wound several times. The sensation of the bite mark being smudged felt strange.

As Celiya frowned at the sting, Dietrich put down the cloth he had been holding. Having been rubbed several times, the red bite mark was much fainter than when first seen.

“That’s a bit better now.”

He muttered softly, then firmly closed Celiya’s collar again. Celiya, always in the position of being exploited, was not used to someone protecting her.

“The dress must be uncomfortable, but bear with it a little longer. I’ll bring you more comfortable new clothes as soon as I can.”

When Celiya said nothing, Dietrich seemed to ponder something for a moment before speaking.

“If it’s really uncomfortable, I could give you the tunic I’m wearing.”

Celiya stared blankly at Dietrich as he was about to take off his tunic and said.

“There’s no need to go that far.”

“……”

“I know you’re being nice to me because you need my ability. So you don’t have to pretend to be kind.”

Seeing eyes that looked at him but seemed somehow empty, Dietrich closed his mouth. He rummaged inside his tunic and personally placed the object he took out into Celiya’s hand.

When Celiya gave him a look asking what this was, Dietrich gestured with his chin as if to say open your hand. Celiya was surprised to see the object in her opened hand.

What he had given her was none other than a dagger. A dagger the size of a palm with a pitch-black scabbard.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

To Celiya’s question, Dietrich lowered his eyes. A deep shadow fell over his deep-set eyes.

“Because using your ability damages your body.”

Celiya said nothing. From the point she had collapsed coughing blood, he had realized that the more she used her ability, the more her body was damaged.

What difference would it make to deny it in this situation? To Celiya who was sparing her words, Dietrich added.

“If a dangerous moment comes, don’t hesitate to use this dagger. I chose one that’s especially sharp.”

Celiya pulled out the blade from the scabbard. Indeed, as he said, a dagger with a finely honed sharp tip was revealed.

“What if I kill the crown prince like I killed the emperor? Why are you giving me something like this?”

“Even if you don’t lift a finger, the crown prince will be deposed.”

“……”

“Because I will make it so.”

Dietrich’s words were very, very strange. Celiya looked at him with an incomprehensible expression.

“Your ability should only be used for me. Until then, you keep the dagger.”

“Are you sure you won’t regret giving me the dagger?”

“If I was going to regret it, I wouldn’t have saved you in the first place.”

With those final words, Dietrich rose to his feet. As he stood up with his muscular body, the already small room seemed even smaller.

As if suddenly remembering something, he leaned towards Celiya. Placing both hands on the straw bed, Dietrich stared intently at Celiya.

Celiya thought Dietrich’s face was too close.

After looking at her for a while, a voice tinged with boredom flowed from Dietrich’s lips.

“You know how to handle a dagger to some extent, right?”

“Only what I learned from my father before.”

“A fine teacher and father. Judging by how you took the emperor’s life in an instant, your basics aren’t bad either.”

Dietrich’s gaze fell on the dagger in Celiya’s hand.

“I’ll teach you a few techniques. Follow me.”

Dietrich held out a hand to her. Celiya took his outstretched hand with her hand not holding the dagger.

The hand that intertwined with her finger joints was very warm, unlike what one would expect from a man who had long wielded a sword.

As they went outside, the stable horses were quiet as mice, perhaps asleep. Dietrich took Celiya to the opposite side of the stable so as not to wake the horses.

It was a space with rough, sharp stone walls behind. Celiya rubbed the hard, rough stone wall with her hand.

Dietrich stomped the dusty ground a few times with his military boots, then let go of Celiya’s hand he had been holding.

Not carrying any weapons at all, he stood opposite Celiya and gestured with his chin.

“Try using the dagger on me.”

Celiya couldn’t understand why Dietrich was doing this. But there was also no reason to refuse when the swordmaster Dietrich offered to teach her techniques directly.

“Come at me with killing intent. Think of me as your enemy.”

“What if you die?”

At Celiya’s words, Dietrich smiled faintly.

“I admire your confidence.”

“……”

“I’ll only defend with my left hand, not using my right.”

Even for a swordmaster, isn’t he underestimating people too much? Celiya felt a bit offended.

Celiya charged at Dietrich with the dagger, aiming for his neck.

She aimed for the neck because her father had taught her that since human skin is thicker than one might think, it’s best to aim for the relatively weak neck when trying to harm someone with a dagger.

Dietrich stood still in place until Celiya entered his range.

Celiya moved her hand holding the dagger, feeling puzzled. At last, Celiya’s dagger touched Dietrich’s neck, which was not defending at all.

The moment she saw blood beading on his neck, Celiya’s eyes shook violently.

Their gazes met in midair. Even with a blade at his neck, Dietrich showed no sign of wavering.

Unlike Celiya’s eyes shaking like rough waves, his eyes were extremely calm.

So calm that one might think it was herself, not Dietrich, who had a blade at her neck.

Celiya agonized over whether she should plunge the dagger into Dietrich’s neck like this. Celiya’s hand holding the dagger trembled finely.

Instead of driving the dagger deep into Dietrich’s neck, she withdrew it.

With a clang, the dagger in her hand fell to the floor. It was because Dietrich had struck Celiya’s wrist with his left hand.

“You hesitated.”

“……”

“Didn’t I tell you earlier? Come at me with killing intent.”

Dietrich bent down and placed the fallen dagger back in Celiya’s hand.

Celiya stared at the blood beading on Dietrich’s neck with sunken eyes.

She now seemed to understand Dietrich’s intention in suddenly offering to teach her techniques.

By placing the dagger in her hand, he had tested her.

Whether Celiya could really harm him or not.

Putting his own neck on the line.

Celiya felt all strength drain from her entire body. The dagger in her hand fell from Celiya’s grasp and rolled on the floor.

Celiya glared at Dietrich as if to kill him.

“You, you’re really not in your right mind.”