The Northern Mad Dog Wags It’s Tail

The bustling atmosphere suddenly quieted down like a bucket of cold water had been poured over it. Everyone’s gaze shifted slowly from Britia to Sig.

Sig opened his eyes widely and looked at Britia, who had just been called cute by her.

“Can I touch your tail?”

Britia asked for permission while pointing to Sig’s tail with her eyes.

“Just once, I’ll put my hand between your tail. Is that okay?”

No, she was actually coaxing him into giving permission.

“Duke-nim, just once.”

Sig watched her hand as she reached towards him.

Was she manipulating time again? It seemed like she was approaching very slowly.

If he had tried to grab her hand impulsively, she would have blocked it with his reflexes. But since she was approaching so openly and slowly while asking for permission, Sig couldn’t refuse her.

He should have stopped her.

“I’ll touch it gently.”

He couldn’t say that he didn’t want her to touch his tail.

Her blue-green eyes looked back and forth, and she slowly approached until she was close enough to touch him.

Sig knew he couldn’t avoid it. Britia grabbed his tail.

He had trained himself by grabbing his tail with his own hand before, but the feeling was completely different from when Britia touched him.

He was sure of one thing. If Britia grabbed him, he would make a pitiful sound again.

“I’ll touch it gently so it won’t hurt.”

Her hand was almost touching him. He couldn’t see it, but he could feel it.

“Britia-nim.”

Desperation crept into his voice. He didn’t want to show such behavior in front of other people.

At least, not in public!

Sig, who had gone so far as to think about it, suddenly stopped as if something had broken.

Would it be okay to let herself get caught if she was alone with her?

“Sister, are you really drunk?”

Britia’s hand, about to touch his fur, was caught by Leon.

“No, I’m not. I’m not drunk.”

Britia was irritated by her meddling brother. Leon chuckled and pulled her away from Sig.

“Yeah, she’s drunk.”

“I’ve never touched anything other than Duke-nim’s wet tail.”

Britia whined.

“I want to touch even the dry tail. Just once, please.”

“Sis, please snap out of it. Why are you doing this?”

Britia tried with all her might to break away from Leon.

“Alcohol is banned in front of guests from now on. This could cause a big problem.”

But she couldn’t overpower Leon with just her strength.

“It will definitely feel good if you touch the fluffy tail.”

‘Fluffy’

Britia mumbled.

“Even if you like tails, why do you have to touch Duke Sig Turas nim’s tail?”

It was too much to handle, and Leon hugged Britia and stood up.

“If you want to touch it that badly, don’t say you’ll touch this person’s tail, just touch mine.”

Leon glanced at Sig with a sidelong look. His expression was stiff and looked very unhappy compared to usual.

He’s in trouble.

If that man really gets angry and explodes, can he and his sister and Hailey escape by grabbing and running?

As the youngest worried about such things, Britia reached out to Sig with a poignant gesture.

“Wait, Lenny. I haven’t touched Duke-nim’s tail yet!”

“Sister, please snap out of it. Why are you so drunk?”

Leon thought it was strange to be so drunk for no reason. She should have stopped it. Leon regretted it belatedly.

“I’m not drunk!”

“Why are you asking?”

Leon shouted, who had been bitten on the shoulder by Britia.

“Let me down!”

“Ouch, it hurts!”

Britia stopped abruptly at the cry of pain.

“Lenny was strong, but why does it hurt suddenly?”

Britia held Loen’s head tightly, crying.

“My little brother shouldn’t be in pain.”

Leon closed his eyes tightly, took a deep breath, and exhaled for a long time.

“Sister, it hurts.”

“Lenny, I’m sorry. I’m sorry, brother.”

“If you’re sorry, just stay still.”

Leon looked at Count Lockhart who was standing next to them, stunned and unable to speak.

Figure it out on your own.

He nodded his head and spoke with his eyes, and Leon took Britia and ran away.

What should I do?

The left behind Count Lockhart wanted to scream, but held back and looked at Sig’s state with a sidelong glance.

He wasn’t even blinking after such a shocking event just happened. Beside him, Evry was gaping, as if his jaw would drop.

“Ahem, ahem. Has there ever been a day as tumultuous as today?”

Perhaps it would have been better to curl up like a ball and lie in bed like a sick bear, rather than endure the roughness that comes with intoxication.

Lord Lockheart chuckled to himself in silence as he pondered.

** ** ** ** **

The next morning, Britia woke up with a headache, furrowing her brows in confusion.

“Um, Lenny?”

For some reason, Leon was sleeping in her bed.

“Lenny, wake up. Why are you sleeping here?”

Rubbing his aching head, Leon groggily got up.

“Sis…”

“Yes?”

“You made me stay and wouldn’t let me go, saying you would take care of me.”

“Nursing? I said that?”

Britia couldn’t recall anything.

“Where does it hurt?”

At Britia’s question, Leon let out a short sigh.

“You asked me that.”

“Why did I ask you that?”

Britia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Where? Why did I say that? Are you okay? I’m sorry.”

“You asked me. I’m fine, but…”

“Why?”

“Sis, don’t tell me you don’t remember anything?”

With a meaningful question, Britia tilted her head.

“I don’t know. I remember Crave repeating the story about him hunting a bear three times, but after that, I don’t remember anything.”

“What did I do wrong?”

“….”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Britia grew anxious and grabbed Leon’s arm, shaking it.

“Lenny?”

“I love you, but I just can’t understand your taste.”

“Did I babble about my preferences yesterday?”

Leon slowly nodded his head.

“It seems like everything looks cute in your eyes, but asking to touch a tail because you think it’s cute, even from a mad dog, is a bit too much, don’t you think?”

Britia momentarily forgot to breathe.

“I know that you go crazy for tails, but still.”

“Wait, Lenny. What did I do to Duke Turas?”

She begged that she had misheard, that her ears had played a trick on her.

“You were drunk and suddenly begged Duke-nim to let you touch his tail because you thought it was cute.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Maybe because you thought it was cute that he hates parties.”

She couldn’t believe it. Of course, he was slightly less scary than when she first met him. But that only reduced his scariness from 10 to 8. He was still an 8 out of 10 in terms of scariness.

But he called her cute!

“That’s what I want to know. Why did you do that?”

Britia shook her head while tearing her hair out.

“I don’t know. I have no idea!”

She couldn’t tell if her head was throbbing from the alcohol or something else.

** ** **

Breakfast at Lockheart Manor was always leisurely and relaxed. But recently, the atmosphere had been a little different.

“Britia, who likes furry tails, did you wake up feeling refreshed today?” asked Count Lockheart as he approached her at the table.

“Did you get to touch your favorite tail in your dreams?”

“Stop it, Crave.”

Embarrassed by his teasing, Britia whispered quietly. It had been a week since she made a mistake after drinking, and he still brought it up.

“I won’t stop until you realize the seriousness of what you did.”

The Count deliberately burst out laughing.

“Do you always think you’re the only normal one among the eccentric Lockhearts?”

Britia felt ashamed.

“But in reality, you’re the biggest troublemaker.”

“No, it was just that one time…”

“Can you appreciate the effort it takes to raise two troublemaking younger sisters?”

The Count let out a sigh.

“Oh, how my back aches from taking care of my peculiar siblings, being the ordinary one myself!”

Britia, who had been dozing off while listening to him speak, opened her eyes wide.

“What’s that look for? Do you not acknowledge what I just said?”

“I cannot agree that you are the most ordinary one among us three.”

Without a doubt, Britia believed that she was the most ordinary among the three siblings.

“I’ve never called a 2-meter-tall man with a large scar on his face and an eye patch cute, even when I’m drunk.”

“….”

“I didn’t even ask to touch him because he was cute.”

There was nothing to say about that. Britia hung her head and looked at her nails.

“That’s harassment, you know that, right?”

Crave raised his left hand and rubbed his face, chuckling.

“I never thought there was a woman who could harass Sig Turas.”

But he laughed loudly when he found out it was his twin sister.

“Oh, how spine-chilling that day was! I almost forgot how old I was and nearly wet my pants!”

“I sent a letter of apology to the marquis.”

Britia’s voice was barely audible, creeping along.

“So what? You still won’t forgive yourself for it?”

“He said it was okay. I know I have to apologize properly too.”

She had to meet him in person and apologize properly. But would he even meet her?…

Crave’s eyebrows flickered, and his eyes sharpened as he glanced at Britia out of the corner of his eye.

“Has a response come back? From him?”

“When was that?”

“About two days ago.”

Britia became uneasy at his reaction. What had she done wrong?

“I sent a letter to the marquis, but I haven’t received a response.”

“He responded to you but not to me?”

Crave’s eyes burned with jealousy. Just then, the butler entered with letters for everyone.

Crave lit up with a fiery gaze as he searched through the envelopes he was given, looking for Sig Turas name.

“Miss.”

The butler also handed Britia a few letters.

“It’s not here! Why the hell not!”

Frustrated and unable to understand, Crave left in a huff as Britia quietly sorted through her letters.

“Lovely Duchess of Robley is hosting a party.”

After her parents passed away, Crave was hastily given the family name and viscountcy at just under 20 years old. Despite being financially challenged at the time, Lockhart was unknowingly ridiculed by the social circle and was destined for collapse.

At a time like this, Lady Robley, a fellow southern family, would often invite Lockheart to parties and take care of him. And it has been continuing until now. Britia was pleased, but Lockheart, the Count, was sullen.

“You’re not going?”

“How am I supposed to go to a party like this?”

He lifted his broken right arm to show her. Britia shrugged her shoulders and looked around, then her eyes grew suspicious.

“…What did Marquis Slanford send me?”

“Who?”

Crave stood up and snatched the invitation from her to read it. Even Lady Lockhart, who was stuffing her face with food, and Lenny, who hadn’t said a word, gathered around him.

“To my dear Britia, whom I deeply cherish in my heart.”

Crave read it and then turned to Britia.

“When did you become so close to this rascal in your heart?”

Britia was startled by the Count’s reproach and shook her head.

“Oh, no!”

“What do you mean ‘oh no’, you fickle person!”

“Fickle? How dare you!”

Britia was so indignant that her mouth hung open.

“What did I do?”