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Chapter 11
The once lively atmosphere suddenly turned as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over it. Everyone’s gaze shifted to Britia, then slowly to Sig.
Sig widened his eyes as he looked at Britia, who had just called him “cute.”
“Can I touch your tail?”
Britia asked for permission while pointing at Sig’s tail with her eyes.
“Just once, I’ll put my hand between your tail… okay?”
No, she was pretending to ask for permission while clearly insisting.
“Your Grace, just once.”
Sig quietly watched the hand reaching toward him.
It was moving so slowly it almost felt like time itself was being controlled.
If she had lunged at him, his reflexes would’ve stopped her immediately. But because she was openly asking—slowly, verbally requesting permission—Sig found it impossible to refuse.
I should stop her.
“I’ll be gentle.”
The words “no” wouldn’t come out.
Her bluish-green eyes, barely visible as they drew closer, made him unable to halt her.
Sig knew he couldn’t avoid it. She was going to grab his tail.
He had trained himself by grabbing his own tail before, but being touched by her felt entirely different.
He was certain of it. If she touched him, he would make an embarrassing sound again.
“I won’t hurt you.”
Just a little more and her hand would reach him. Even if he couldn’t see it, he could feel it.
“Britia.”
A desperate voice escaped him. He didn’t want to show such a scene in front of others.
At least somewhere private!
As soon as he thought that, Sig froze as if his system had crashed.
Would it be okay if she touched his tail when they were alone?
“Unnie, are you really drunk?”
Leoni grabbed Britia’s hand just before it touched Sig’s tail.
“I’m not drunk.”
Britia frowned slightly at her interfering younger sister. Leoni let out a dry laugh and pulled her away from Sig.
“Yes, you are.”
“I’ve only ever touched the Duke’s wet tail.”
Britia complained.
“I want to touch an un-wet tail too. Just once. Just onc—”
“Unnie, please get a grip. What are you doing?”
Britia struggled to break free.
“No alcohol in front of guests anymore. This is going to be a disaster.”
But she couldn’t overpower Leoni.
“It’s fluffy. I just know it feels good.”
“Fluffy,” Britia muttered.
“Even if you like tails that much, why did it have to be Duke Tiras’—?”
Deciding she couldn’t handle it anymore, Leoni picked Britia up.
“If you want to touch something, don’t pick the wrong target. Touch mine instead.”
Leoni glanced sideways at Sig. His expression was stiff, clearly in a bad mood.
Oh no.
If that man actually explodes in anger, can I escape with my sister, brother, and Hailey?
While the youngest worried about this, Britia reached out desperately toward Sig.
“Wait, Reni! I haven’t touched his tail yet!”
“Please, just stop. What’s wrong with you?”
Leoni regretted not stopping Britia from drinking earlier.
“I’m not drunk!”
“Ah! Why are you asking then!”
Leoni shouted as Britia bit her shoulder.
“Put me down!”
“It hurts, it hurts!”
At the cry of pain, Britia stopped.
“My Reni was so strong… why are you suddenly hurting?”
Britia hugged her tightly, teary-eyed.
“My sister can’t get hurt.”
Leoni closed her eyes tightly and exhaled deeply.
“You’re the one who bit me.”
“Reni, I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
“Then just stay still.”
Leoni held her properly and looked at Count Lockhart, who was standing frozen in shock.
Figure it out yourself.
She nodded slightly and left with Britia.
The remaining Count Lockhart wanted to shout, but held it in and glanced at Sig.
Sig was blinking, clearly shocked. Beside him, Ebrey had his mouth hanging open.
“Ahem. My daughter gets a bit… bold when she drinks.”
Has there ever been such a chaotic morning?
Maybe it would’ve been better to get crushed by a bear and lie in a hospital bed.
The Count laughed awkwardly into the silence.
The Next Morning
When Britia opened her eyes, her head hurt and she frowned.
“Ugh… Reni?”
Leoni was sleeping in her bed.
“Reni, wake up. Why are you here?”
She called while holding her throbbing head.
Leoni slowly sat up.
“Unnie…”
“Hm?”
“You insisted on taking care of me yesterday and wouldn’t let me leave.”
“Take care of you? I did that?”
She had no memory at all.
“Were you sick?”
At Britia’s question, Leoni sighed briefly.
“You bit me.”
“Why would I bite you?”
Britia’s eyes widened.
“Where? Why would I do that? Were you hurt? I’m sorry.”
“You bite people and ask why? I’m fine. I’m fine, but…”
“But what?”
“Unnie… don’t you remember anything?”
Britia tilted her head.
“I don’t know. I don’t remember. I think I talked about Duke Crave catching bears three times…”
After that, everything was blank.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“….”
“Why aren’t you answering?”
Britia shook her urgently.
“Reni?”
“I love you, unnie, but I don’t understand your taste.”
“My taste?”
Leoni slowly shook her head.
“You really think everything is cute, don’t you?”
“Huh?”
“But calling a ‘mad dog’ cute and asking to touch his tail is a bit much, don’t you think?”
Britia forgot how to breathe.
“I know you like tails, but still… Duke Tiras?”
“Wait, Reni. What did I do to Duke Tiras?”
She desperately hoped she had misheard.
“You got drunk and begged him to let you touch his tail because he was cute.”
“Why would I do that?”
“You even said he looked cute when he hates parties.”
“What?”
Britia couldn’t believe it.
Of course, he had become slightly less scary than when she first met him.
But that just meant 10 became 8. He was still terrifying.
And she called him cute?
“That’s what I want to ask. Why did you do that?”
Britia grabbed her head.
“I don’t know! I don’t know!”
She couldn’t tell whether her headache was from alcohol or something worse.
Rokhart Mansion Morning
Breakfast at the Lockhart mansion was usually relaxed and peaceful.
But recently, it was different.
“So, Britia who loves fluffy tails, did you sleep well?”
Count Lockhart asked as she approached the table.
“Did you enjoy touching tails in your dreams too?”
“Stop it, Crave.”
Britia muttered in embarrassment. It had been a week, but he still kept bringing up her drunken mistake.
“I won’t stop until you realize how serious it was.”
He laughed loudly.
“You think you’re the most normal among the weird Lockharts, don’t you?”
Britia flinched.
“But actually, you’re the biggest troublemaker.”
“That’s not true… that was just one time…”
“You have two chaotic siblings. Can you appreciate my suffering?”
He sighed.
“I, the perfectly normal one, am suffering because of my strange siblings!”
Britia glared.
“What’s that look? You disagree?”
“You’re not the most normal.”
She firmly believed she was.
“I would never get drunk and call a two-meter-tall man with a scar and an eyepatch cute.”
“….”
“And I wouldn’t beg to touch his tail.”
She had nothing to say to that.
“You committed harassment. Do you understand?”
The Count chuckled.
“I never imagined someone could harass Duke Sig Tiras.”
“And that person turned out to be my sister!”
He laughed loudly.
“I nearly wet myself that day!”
“I already sent an apology letter.”
“Did he say he’d never forgive you?”
“He said it was okay. I know I should apologize properly in person.”
“Did he reply?”
The Count’s expression sharpened.
“When?”
“About two days ago.”
Something felt off.
“Where is it? The letter from him?”
The housekeeper brought letters.
The Count searched furiously.
“Gone! Why!”
Britia opened her own letters quietly.
“A Duchess is hosting a party.”
Their family had fallen into financial difficulty after their parents died, and Crave inherited the title young. They were looked down on in society.
But the Duchess of Rovelli had always invited them, supporting them as fellow southern nobles.
Britia smiled faintly.
“You’re not going?”
“How can I go like this?”
He lifted his broken arm.
Then Britia froze.
“…What did the Slanford Marquis send me?”
“Who?”
The Count snatched the invitation.
“‘To Britia, whom I deeply cherish in my heart…’”
He turned sharply.
“Since when are you deeply connected with this playboy?!”
“I’m not!”
“You little flirt!”
“I’m not a flirt!”
Britia opened her mouth in shock.
What did I even do?!
