TBFP 15

Chapter : 15

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Something slipped into Leticia’s mouth as she entered the room in Gaien’s arms.

“Here, eat this.”

Leticia tasted the chocolate Gaien had given her.

Though his expression didn’t change, she could sense a strange satisfaction from Gaien.

“You shouldn’t eat things that have fallen on the floor.”

“I wasn’t going to eat it……”

“Then why did you pick it up?”

“To return it to the owner who dropped it. Or give it to Tan……”

Leticia glanced at the white dog curled up asleep in the corner of the sofa.

Gaien had suddenly brought that white dog early this morning.

She had worried it might be sick since it had been sleeping since dawn, but Gaien explained that wolf-dogs are naturally nocturnal and sleep during the day.

It was her first time learning it wasn’t just a dog but a wolf-dog, but more puzzling was why it was here at all.

‘I’m sure it was the First young master’s dog- no, wolf-dog.’

As Leticia pondered why he had brought the wolf-dog, Gaien asked her.

“Do you know who the jerky belonged to?”

“Wasn’t it Chamuka who scattered it to lure Tan?”

Gaien didn’t deny her question, which assumed the wolf-dog had been kidnapped just like her.

“But why were you being lured?”

“When I meet Chamuka, I tell him to come in and see Tan before leaving. He probably did it because he missed him……”

“Child.”

There was displeasure in Gaien’s voice.

He bent down to meet Leticia’s eyes as she sat next to Tan, and warned her.

“I told you it would be better not to associate with others.”

“But Chamuka is fine, isn’t he? He’s from Basilinte like grandfather.”

Leticia added with a warm, bright smile, “No matter what I do, he won’t like me anyway.”

Leticia hoped that the people of Basilinte, who seemed incredibly kind to her, wouldn’t feel guilty about her death.

That’s why she had planned to die before becoming attached to them, but……

Gaien dismissed Leticia’s concerns quite simply.

He said that the people of Basilinte lose their emotions as they grow up. That it was a side effect of the ruins’ curse.

“Whatever you do, neither I nor anyone else from Basilinte will like or dislike you. Because we can’t feel emotions.”

Leticia actually felt liberated by his words, implying they would have no emotional burden killing her, whether today or ten years from now.

It meant she could freely express affection and be clingy like she was with her brothers and sisters from the troupe, and it wouldn’t matter at all!

No matter how devotedly Leticia acted, the people of Basilinte wouldn’t be held back because of it.

They wouldn’t be like her brothers and sisters from the Borba troupe who couldn’t escape the approaching flames because they were protecting her……

Whenever she thought of her brothers and sisters pushing her away while saying it was fine even as their bodies caught fire, Leticia regretted making them care for her.

She should have been a bad child.

If she had been bad enough that they wouldn’t have cared about leaving her alone in the fire, her brothers and sisters would have escaped and survived.

That remained her constant regret.

But with Basilinte, she could express affection freely.

Because the affection she gave wouldn’t hold anyone back.

“I like grandfather, and His Grace the Grand Duke, and Chamuka……”

“Chamuka is still young, so he might grow attached to you. He’s not yet rational like me.”

“Hmm….. That seems true.”

Leticia nodded as she recalled her first meeting with Chamuka.

Chamuka wasn’t as expressionless as the Grand Duke.

‘He even blushed when he was flustered…..’

Even in their later meetings, while not as expressive as other children his age, Chamuka did show some expressions. Though they were so faint you had to watch carefully to notice them.

“Especially since Chamuka spends most of his time with Tan, he’s less affected by the curse.”

Is it some kind of special beast?

As Leticia’s gaze fell on Tan, Gaien took her hand and placed it on Tan’s head.

It felt pleasant as the soft silver fur tickled her palm, mixed with warm temperature. Leticia gently moved her hand along the grain of the fur.

‘So warm, so pretty……’

Gaien stepped back to observe Leticia petting Tan.

It was when Leticia’s hand reached Tan’s neck.

Tan opened his eyes. Deep blue eyes stared at Leticia.

They were the same gentle eyes from when they first met.

Leticia smiled unconsciously and greeted him just like before.

“Hello?”

Tan seemed to smile too.

And at that moment, Gaien commanded.

“Attack, Tan.”

Before she could comprehend what that meant, Tan’s mouth opened. Sharp teeth appeared right in front of her face.

And before Leticia could react, someone grabbed the back of her neck and lifted her up.

“……Tan, stop!”

A low shout and suddenly elevated view.

Large arms held her protectively while stepping backward.

“Father, have you lost your mind?”

Grand Duke Ferik shouted while holding Leticia in his arms.

Gaien clicked his tongue briefly at his son’s outcry. If only he had a little more time to confirm.

Whether Tan could attack Leticia following his orders or not.

“Were you planning to kill the prince? Using Tan at that?”

“……Of course not.”

Gaien’s eyes met Leticia’s widened ones. Uncharacteristically, he made an excuse.

“I was just checking how well Tan follows orders, I had no intention of hurting the prince.”

“If I hadn’t arrived, the prince would have been hurt.”

“I would have saved him before any injury occurred. Even without you coming.”

Ferik’s eyes turned cold. He held the child in his arms tighter while stepping backward.

“Don’t say such nonsense. From now on, I will protect the prince. How can we know our precious sacrifice won’t be ruined if he stays with you?”

“Do you think I’ll allow that?”

“Why do I need your permission? The current head of Basilinte is me, not you, Father.”

With those final words, Ferik tried to leave the room.

He would have, if Gaien hadn’t quickly approached and tried to pull Leticia from Ferik’s arms.

Ferik hurriedly held onto Leticia. Gaien warned.

“Let go.”

“You’re the one who should let go, Father.”

In her dizzy vision, as she was pulled back and forth between Gaien and Ferik’s hands, Leticia saw Hilda, the woman with short black hair, standing in the doorway.

Hilda shouted with a pale face:

“Good heavens! Lord Gaien, Your Grace! What are you doing with the prince!”

Hilda quickly rescued Leticia, who had been swaying like a scarecrow between the two men’s hands.

Leticia buried her face in Hilda’s shoulder with her eyes tightly shut from dizziness, and Ferik, who had been quietly watching this scene, finally took drastic measures.

“Call the knights.”

It was time for Gaien’s seventh trip to the underground prison.