Obsessed by My Husband’s Loyal Dog

At Charlotte’s call, the noblewomen rushed forward in a group, galloping after the fox.

Elliope couldn’t react immediately to their swift movement.

After all, she had only recently learned to ride.

Riding at such speed, or manoeuvring as effortlessly as they did, was still too difficult for her as a beginner.

“……”

In the end, Elliope was left behind, alone.

‘…I’m sore.’

From the start, being on an unfamiliar horse had left her body tense, her whole body aching and her muscles stiff.

She couldn’t ignore the way the horse, seemingly uncomfortable with her awkward movements, kept fidgeting and tossing its head.

She realised that if she wasn’t careful, she might fall off. Since she wasn’t riding with the others anyway, she figured she might as well make herself comfortable.

‘This is much better.’

Walking on her own feet felt much more reassuring. Even the horse seemed noticeably calmer.

“Let’s go.”

Still holding the reins, Elliope leisurely led the horse, intending to walk a bit before returning.

Whiz!

“……!”

Something suddenly hit the ground right at her feet.

“……”

Elliope froze for a moment as she stared at the thin dagger embedded in the ground. Then, just as she raised her head –

“Hyah!”

Across the field, several masked men on horseback charged at her.

Whiz!

Another dagger flew through the air and hit the ground near the horse’s hooves. Startled, the horse reared violently before galloping away.

It all happened before Elliope could even tighten her grip on the reins.

“Ah!”

For a moment she was almost dragged along, still holding on to the reins. She staggered, barely able to keep her balance.

Her heart pounded wildly and her senses sharpened, as if her vision had widened.

A long-buried survival instinct flared within her, seizing her consciousness and pulling her focus in a single direction.

Without thinking, Elliope sprinted for the nearest outbuilding.

‘They will…catch me.’

Even so, she couldn’t afford to stop running.

The flying dagger finally grazed Elliope’s leg. A sharp pain shot through her, but she didn’t stop running.

She felt that if she hesitated for a moment, it wouldn’t just be her leg – her whole body could be pierced by the next dagger.

‘Faster!’

She could feel the men who had thrown the daggers spur their horses forward, closing the distance between them.

Her fingertips brushed against solid wood – the door to a small house.

Without hesitation, she burst inside, wasting no second.

Clang.

From behind her came the sound of the house door closing.

‘I didn’t lock it.’

Shhhk, crackle.

At the same moment she realised, something was scattered. She heard the sharp click of flint being hammered together.

A terrible premonition gripped Elliope and she turned in shock.

Whoosh!

In an instant, flames erupted and quickly consumed the building.

***

“Hyah! Hyah!”

Theodor, full of excitement, galloped ahead without hesitation. His actions showed no consideration for the retainers and Leanne following behind.

“Your Grace!”

“Please slow down a little…!”

The retainers and knights were inwardly agitated, but at least they felt reassured that Kallian was present.

If it were anyone else, we might be worried, but with Viscount Elsen here, nothing should go wrong.

The Viscount will take care of His Grace as always.

After all, that had always been Kallian’s job.

From the time he served as Theodor’s squire and personal bodyguard to the time he finally became commander of the Grand Duchy’s forces, Kallian had always been the one to rein Theodor in or protect him when he recklessly charged ahead.

“Lately, though, that doesn’t seem to be working so well…”

“If I were him, I wouldn’t want it to.”

“And yet he keeps watch over His Grace… Should I call that devotion or just sheer endurance?”

Almost every retainer and knight in the Grand Duke’s castle was aware of Theodor’s inappropriate desire for Kallian’s wife, Elliope Elsen.

Lately, the Grand Duke seemed to have lost all sense of restraint, behaving as if he no longer knew how to control himself. The situation had been exacerbated when he had strangled Elliope Elsen without hesitation in front of his retainers – an incident that had left everyone in utter shock.

“I can’t understand why he fell apart like that…”

Some of the nobleman’s retainers had tried to offer him sincere advice, but instead of listening, he lashed out in anger, throwing objects at them, including a paperweight. In the end, frustrated and deeply displeased, they retreated to their respective territories.

Since then, the atmosphere in the Grand Duke’s castle had become unbearably tense, like thin ice that could break at any moment.

The arrival of Princess Leanne had eased the tension somewhat. While some of the retainers remained uneasy about the Imperial Family’s true intentions, they still welcomed her presence.

In other quarters of the castle, however, unseemly rumours were spreading – whispers suggesting that one of the Grand Duke’s courtesans might actually be Elliope Elsen herself, or at least a woman who bore a striking resemblance to her.

Such jokes usually came from those close to Theodor, such as the head of the household, Baron Taleon. Although Theodor did not deny such jokes, after the incident in which the head of the household had been scolded, hardly any of the retainers dared to bring up such crude humour.

Such jokes had now become something that floated among the noblewomen, led by Charlotte, and were no longer something Kallian interfered with.

“……”

Leanne was already aware of these stories. She watched Kallian Elsen in silence.

Even when they first met, he was a strong knight with a solid physique and a commander who had the full confidence of the Grand Duke. Despite the unseemly rumours circulating about his wife, he seemed completely unaffected by them. Moreover, in caring for and protecting his wife, it was clear that he was a good husband.

‘What a waste.’

As a talent and as a man.

Leanne thought suddenly, touching the corners of her mouth gently.

‘Such a senseless thought.’

Even if she regretted it, what could she do?

Even if she had feelings for Kallian, as a princess she was not in a position to marry whomever she wanted.

‘I am not naive enough not to understand.’

Although the Emperor and the Imperial Family valued Leanne, part of the reason was that she was considered the best ‘commodity’. Leanne was aware of this.

There were many rulers in the neighbouring lands who could potentially marry her on favourable terms. Most of them were young, strong men. They were seriously courting her, testing the relationship between their countries and the Empire.

The Emperor seemed preoccupied for a while, trying to decide which marriage would be the best treaty, and which man would suit the Princess without diminishing her value.

‘Better than being sold to an old man or a reckless troublemaker who can’t be saved.’

As she thought this, Leanne glanced briefly at Theodor. She knew the Emperor didn’t think much of Duke Ilmos, but seeing him in person, she realised that his abilities seemed to depend more on the capable retainers his parents brought with them than on his own skills.

Still, Charlotte subtly disguised him as his mistress.

“Ah, once he have what he desire, things will be better.”

“……”

“He’s actually a decent man. If you ask the other ladies, they’ll tell you the same thing. Until recently he was quite h*rny.”

“…What he wants.”
“We all know what that is.”

Leanne shook her head. Even on reflection, it seemed that things had become far more complicated than they should have been.

‘It would have been better if Elliope had married the Grand Duke willingly.’

Then this whole situation wouldn’t have been so difficult.

Leanne felt a mixture of pity and frustration for Elliope.

Still, it wouldn’t have been such a bad life to go from maid to Grand Duchess.

After all, even the Grand Duke wanted Elliope desperately. Even if he was somewhat inferior to Kallian Elsen…

As Leanne continued to ponder idly, something swiftly sliced through the air around her. In the next instant, Kallian had moved beside her and slashed it away.

Whoosh!

Something sliced through the air around her. In the next instant Kallian moved quickly to her side and struck it down. It was a dagger.

“Ambush!”

“Protect His Grace and Her Highness!”

The knights, realising the situation too late, shouted and quickly surrounded her. Even as they did so, Leanne could feel Kallian’s solid form close to her.

“Ah.”

The heat rising from his steel body, charged with the excitement of battle, sent a shiver down her spine.

“This way.”

Kallian immediately reached for Leanne’s horse, naturally taking the reins and changing direction. The movement made Leanne’s face flush for a moment as it brushed against Kallian’s body. Kallian, however, seemed to be concentrating elsewhere.

“Viscount! The Grand Duke!”

Theodor stood alone in the distance.

Kallian handed Leanne’s reins to another knight and rushed towards Theodor.

“Your Highness, please come this way!”

“……”

As the knight led the way, Leanne couldn’t take her eyes off Kallian.

He lunged forward recklessly, pulling back the Grand Duke, who had slipped out of the knights’ protective reach, with a speed that rivalled an arrow in flight. Even as daggers flew towards them, none managed to reach the Grand Duke or Kallian.

‘Really.’

‘What a waste of a person.’

“My dear daughter, do not forget your duties.”

The next moment, the Emperor’s voice echoed in her mind. Leanne sighed to herself.

Despite what was happening around him, Theodor was still shouting.

“What is this! Let go!”

“Please stay inside.”

When Kallian returned, he almost threw the Grand Duke between the knights. Given the urgency of the situation, no one questioned Kallian’s actions.

“There! Over there!”

A few men could be seen fleeing in the distance, their faces hidden by masks.

” Catch them!”

Several knights shouted as they rushed towards the masked men.