TSBSFVW 47

Chapter 47
Bread Eight. Beside the Mad Dog, Beside the Madman (10)

“Step aside. I have business with that girl.”

“Ah, yes.”

Ban glanced back briefly after smoothing his own smooth cheek, which bore no scratches. Seeing the terrified Ellie, his expression hardened coldly for a moment before effortlessly switching to a gentle smile, as if nothing had happened.

“Isn’t there too many eyes watching here?”

“……”

“I’ve been introduced personally by His Highness, Damian, as the patron. Whatever the circumstances, it would be wise to refrain from hasty actions here.”

“Are you giving me advice? How dare you.”

“Well, I’m merely expressing my opinion. But if you insist on using violence, I won’t just stand by either.”

Duke MacClure’s eyebrows twitched.

“I’m just suggesting we move elsewhere. Ellie won’t hide, but that doesn’t mean Your Excellency can lay a hand on her.”

“You’re not—by any chance— the one who erased the traces of the pig until now?”

Ban only smiled enigmatically, without a word.

He hadn’t done anything special. He had simply erased the traces Ellie left behind and preemptively silenced anyone who might talk. If Duke MacClure hadn’t been looking for Ellie, it would have all been for nothing.

The little shop had gained popularity among commoners. Moreover, its products were sold briefly at dawn, so it hadn’t caused much of a stir.

But Cookie Walking was different.

The more its popularity surged, the greater the interest in uncovering its identity.

No matter how well they kept people quiet, they couldn’t stop the word from spreading among those frequenting the Mammoth guild. Soon, everyone would know the owner’s name was “Ellie.”

Maurice had intervened and covered her eyes, but that alone wasn’t enough.

Ban used the Cronin family’s influence to spread misinformation and hide Ellie.

Yet they couldn’t stay hidden forever.

If she remained inside Rayard, Duke MacClure would eventually find Ellie. And if that happened, no one could stop him.

At that time, they were devising a plan that would make anyone faint if Ellie heard it: either Edmund or Ban would marry her or adopt her as a daughter to protect her directly. That was when Maurice suggested taking a leave.

“You didn’t expect her to have the Prince of the Yan Empire as her backer.”

Duke MacClure composed himself and scanned the surroundings.

The sound of slaps echoed, but Ban kept smiling, so it seemed the others didn’t notice anything unusual.

“The mad dog was taken out by Seth Hastings…”

Yes, he was hasty. Duke MacClure reluctantly admitted it.

Just looking at that pale, swollen face made him lose reason. He just wanted to scratch, claw, and crush.

“If I want to throw that pig to the mad dog as bait, it still needs to be intact…”

A man in a magician’s robe patted Ban’s shoulder while holding Ellie.

“Done talking? Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“Maurice contacted me. That unlucky brat already knew this would happen.”

The timing was perfect, as if he had been there all along.

Duke MacClure glared at Ellie hidden under the robe and clicked his tongue.

“A pig, yet it brings men around… It seems she inherited at least one strange skill from the mother who bewitched my parents.”

The pig had ensnared, of all people, the third son of the Cronin family, who had even been considered as a suitor for Elaine…

“A tower master, of all things.”

Though he supposedly hated people and rarely appeared outside official matters, he was clearly different from the rumors.

Why these two pampered the pig so much was unclear, but… if the Yan Empire hadn’t interfered, it wouldn’t have been Duke MacClure’s concern.

Even if they were a promising knight commander or a living war machine tower master, they were still novices.

As long as the Cronin family and the tower remained in the Kingdom of Rosso, Duke MacClure couldn’t interfere.

“Shall we go, Your Excellency?”

“…Alright.”

Legitimately, it was his daughter. Who could stop someone from bringing back a runaway daughter?

The pig lowered its head and never once looked at Duke MacClure.

The fear and unease that appeared when it first saw him…

Its unwavering blue eyes were shrinking in fear of having what it possessed taken away.

Ban found that quite satisfying.

“Damn this, f*cking hell!”

Not knowing many curses made the anger even more intense.

Ellie muttered every swear and curse she knew under her breath. It was a reflex.

Just seeing that face filled her with rage and frustration. Her anger was almost uncontrollable, and her reasoning thread was thin, ready to snap.

She had felt uneasy from the moment she entered the banquet hall.

Damian had said:

“There are a few from the Kingdom of Rosso, and some from our Empire. Don’t worry, you don’t need to impress anyone.”

With that, Ellie realized Damian was from the Empire.

Had it been a gathering of Empire citizens only, she wouldn’t have been uneasy.

But Duke MacClure was impossible to avoid at important gatherings in the Kingdom of Rosso. He was the most influential person at court, close to the king.

Yet, even while Damian guided her and introduced her, Duke MacClure’s face was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, Ban and Edmund boldly patted their bellies and waved, easing Ellie’s tension.

Had Duke MacClure been present, he would have slapped Ellie and dragged her out immediately.

He didn’t care about appearances if it was to oppress and abuse Ellie.

‘I was lucky he wasn’t here.’

Lucky my ass. In the life of a small fry, lucky days never came easily.

From the darkness, Duke MacClure suddenly appeared, extending a massive hand.

Ellie almost swore loudly when she saw him. She bit her tongue to hold back, and when he raised his arm to slap, she found it almost comical.

‘How can he be so predictable?’

Just as she braced for the slap, Ellie was scooped into Edmund’s arms—Ban took the slap instead.

Her mind went blank.

On the way to the place Maurice had called them to, Ban stayed in front, shielding Ellie from Duke MacClure. Edmund whispered softly:

“Ellie, are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? I didn’t get slapped.”

It was the stupid blond who took the hit, not her. So the concern should have been directed at him.

Ellie was boiling inside.

‘Who does he think he is, taking a slap for me? That poor guy didn’t deserve it, so why didn’t he even get angry?’

Ban’s pride was strong, even if his exterior seemed gentle.

Taking a sword to fight and taking a slap were two different matters.

The former was just an injury; the latter was meant to insult.

Ban had no reason to endure such treatment from anyone.

‘And he’s grinning after getting slapped?’

Ban suggested moving due to the many eyes watching.

That worked for Ellie too.

The moment Ban got slapped, Ellie was biting the inside of her cheek, restraining herself from grabbing Duke MacClure by the collar.

Many eyes, indeed. And using violence would make her the same as him… so she had to hold back.

‘I am an adult, I am an adult… a proper adult, f*ck!’

Who cares!

Ellie was just angry.

She was furious at Duke MacClure for showing up arrogantly, raising his hand as if he had some grievance.

‘After you blessed your daughter and wished her eternal happiness, why this nonsense?!’

Perhaps it was envy that she, once starving on the streets, seemed to be doing well now.

It could be. His arrogance was certainly beyond reason.

“Ban is sturdy, that slap barely touched him.”

“……”

“You don’t need to worry about him. Ban won’t either.”

“Still, how can I not care?”

Ellie, who had been walking with her head down, slowly lifted her face. Edmund, noticing her, peeked at her face and whispered softly:

“Are you angry because Ban got slapped? Not scared?”

“Scared?”

What the hell is that? Something to eat?

Ellie avoided Duke MacClure not because she was afraid, but because of his power—the fear that he might find her and take away all she had worked hard for.

But that wasn’t real fear.

Ellie had never been afraid of him.

She only knew the pain of his violence and the might of his authority.

Quietly, Ellie lifted the corners of her mouth and looked inside the door Ban was opening.

Maurice was standing there.