CH 33

As ludicrous as the request was, Britia was well aware of it. Even though it was on Crave’s whim, how could she ever say something like that?

“Do you want to hold my tail tightly?”

But if this were truly the end, she wanted to be greedy for once, to close her eyes and indulge in her desire.

“Yes.”

“Wasn’t my tail something you despised so much, to the point of hating it?”

“No, it’s not like that. I really like it.”

Why was she saying such things? Britia buried her face in her burning hands, feeling as if she had just confessed her love to him.

“…Alright.”

As Sig granted permission, Britia’s shoulders trembled. She felt as if something massive was slowly approaching her.

“As you wish.”

“Really?”

Britia couldn’t believe it and raised her head slightly. At that moment, Sig turned around and placed his hand on the carriage door.

“Is it really okay?”

“Do it.”

“But if I just touch it, won’t you…”

For some reason, she wasn’t as agonized about it as she should be. To think that someone who knew her true feelings would make such a request felt shameless. Britia scolded herself inwardly.

“I understand.”

Sig nodded.

Yet when she saw the tail in front of her, the voice that had been urging her to apologize and act as if nothing happened was suddenly silent.

“Please.”

In response to Sig’s resolute voice, Britia swallowed her breath.

Could she really hold that large, black, bushy tail tightly in her hands? Just imagining it made her feel so pleased.

“Well, then…”

Britia felt strangely breathless, as if she were running, even though she wasn’t. It felt like her palms were sweating from the tension, but even that didn’t seem so bad.

When the tips of her fingers lightly brushed his tail, his body flinched. Britia stood at a crossroads, wondering whether to continue or back off.

“It’s okay.”

Perhaps sensing her hesitation, Sig spoke. His voice seemed slightly trembling, but Britia closed her eyes and pressed on.

“Hah!”

Sig’s head hit the carriage door where his hand had been. He realized how careful she had been in touching him so far. The intense sensation that traveled along his spine overwhelmed him. His hand shook.

But the most serious part was that his knees couldn’t support his weight. He felt like he might collapse forward any moment, but he managed to endure it only because the carriage was there for support.

“Ugh, haa…”

Sig tried to grit his teeth and endure it, but even that seemed difficult. Britia stepped back, seemingly unable to withstand the embarrassment once again.

“For goodness’ sake.”

Sig muttered quietly. Leon-nim had been giving her his tail all day long, and he had said he didn’t mind. Why was he reacting like this? The fact infuriated him.

“Are you okay?”

Britia’s question made Sig’s heart ache even more. He wanted to make her happy, but instead, he ended up worrying her.

“Duke-nim?”

Britia, who had stepped back with regret, called out to Sig. She asked if he was okay, but her mind was filled with the sensation of his tail, which felt even better than she had imagined.

However, it was too brief. She wanted to hold it a little longer. Could she embrace it once more? She had already been impolite enough; she shouldn’t do it again. But it felt so good.

Britia’s mind was a cauldron of excitement.

“Did you end it too quickly? Was it not good?”

“No!”

Britia denied it loudly, not even realizing it.

“It’s just that, it felt really good…”

Feeling like a pervert for saying such words, she couldn’t come up with any excuses if someone called her insane.

“I asked for such a strange favor, and yet, you allowed it. Thank you.”

“One thing, may I also make a request?”

“Of course, yes!”

She had been allowed to do such a thing, so she couldn’t refuse anything he asked. Britia nodded her head, encouraging him to speak.

“I want to hold you tightly too.”

“Really?”

“Is it impossible?”

Sig’s lips slightly parted as he turned his head to glance at her over his shoulder while leaning against the carriage. Seeing his pupils relaxed with a hint of strength, Britia couldn’t bring herself to say that it wasn’t possible.

“Okay.”

Nervous and with a stiff expression, Britia took a step closer to him. Should she embrace him from behind? As she hesitated, he turned around.

“Uh…”

Before she knew it, Britia found herself in his arms, unable to say a word. She just stood there with her eyes wide open. Sig rested his head on her shoulder, taking a deep breath.

“Um…”

Confused about whether the heartbeat she felt was her own or his, Britia couldn’t tell.

“Britia-nim.”

Sig’s low voice sent shivers down Britia’s spine. She raised her head slightly to look at his face, which now seemed strangely cute.

“You once said that I was cute, didn’t you?”

Sig continued speaking slowly. Britia was taken aback, thinking that he must have sensed her true feelings.

“Where did you find me cute?”

Was he asking because he knew what she was thinking? Britia felt a sense of suspicion.

“I tried to figure that out on my own, but I just couldn’t find the answer until today.”

He sighed lightly, as if feeling pathetic.

“I need to find that answer so I can show you my endearing side.”

Britia’s pupils gradually widened. What was he talking about, showing her what?

“After all, I couldn’t do anything. Yet, here you are, saying that you want to hold my tail even as your face turns red with embarrassment…”

Sig’s voice trailed off.

“How was I?”

Britia swallowed nervously and asked.

“You, uh…”

Even though he couldn’t put any weight on his knees, Sig had managed to stand firm, but he suddenly wobbled and collapsed.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t put any strength in my legs.”

“I-It’s okay!”

In reality, Britia, who was holding onto Sig, who was much larger than her, was not okay at all. She felt like she could fall over and be crushed by him any moment.

“Hey! Stop staring and help us!”

In the end, Britia had to ask for help from the stableman who had been secretly observing the two from behind the carriage.

“Is Sig-nim gone?”

When Britia returned, Lord Lockheart asked.

“What’s with all the sweating? Is it hot?”

“Yes.”

“What did you go and do?”

Britia hesitated to answer, and Crave’s eyes sharpened.

“You didn’t go and do something weird again, did you?”

“No.”

“Then why are you like this?”

“I… hugged him and came back.”

“What!”

“Whom did you hug? The Duke of Turas?”

Crave’s wife joined in, her eyes widening as she interrogated Britia.

“I hugged… Duke-nim’s tail.”

“Seriously, Sig-nim? Huh? Wait, his tail?”

“Not Duke-nim, right?” Crave asked again.

“He asked if he could touch you, and then tempted you to hug him next time?”

“Tempted? I asked him.”

“What? Ah! Britia Lockheart, what are you doing?”

Crave couldn’t believe it and set the fork down on the table with a loud clatter, holding his belly as he burst into laughter.

“You always complain about his tail bothering you, so what’s with this sudden change? Begging him to let you touch it, to hug him here and there. I thought it was only for me and Lenny, but now you’re doing it to others too?”

“I-I didn’t do that to anyone else.”

“Sig Turas isn’t ‘anyone else,’ is he? Is that what you’re saying, Britia Turas?”

Britia pursed her lips and glared at Crave.

“How did you ask him? Tell me in detail. Did you even kneel?”

“No, I didn’t go that far.”

“Still, your face seems like you did something teasing.”

Britia couldn’t say anything. It was true that she had shouted, almost pleading, to let her hug his tail. If this fact were to be revealed to Crave, it would become a huge source of ridicule.

“We thought you were sad because you couldn’t meet Sig anytime soon.”

“I did feel sad about that.”

“It wasn’t about not being able to meet him, but because you couldn’t see his tail, right?”

“Ah, no…”

“Why are you stuttering then?” Crave chuckled mockingly.

“Is his tail that amazing? The slave to this tail!”

“Slave?!”

At the word “slave,” Britia flared up.

“I thought seeing his tail would be the last time, but I couldn’t resist.”

“So you didn’t even eat and were just waiting for a chance to touch his tail again?”

“No, no. If he had asked me if I wanted to touch it, I would have touched it.”

Britia retorted, but Lord Lockheart’s head bobbed excitedly.

“That was your plan all along, wasn’t it? Reject him first, then try to get something even bigger!”

As Crave found it amusing to tease Britia, his voice grew louder.

“Oh, poor Sig Turas! This bundle of desire is after nothing but your fluffy tail!”

Feeling sorry for his friend, Crave pounded his chest with his fist, saying it hurt his heart too much.

“Playing with him, holding him in your hands like a mad dog.”

“Stop it. It’s fine to tease me, but don’t tarnish his reputation like that.”

“Reputation?”

Crave, who had been teasing Britia merrily, suddenly stopped and turned to look at her.

“If someone hears this, they might think he likes me. Don’t make him feel unjustly accused. Keep quiet about it.”

While scolding Britia to eat her meal, she sat down again, trying to finish the cold food.

“…”

Crave turned to his wife with a quiet gaze.

“I thought the atmosphere between them was quite good all this time. They had tea parties together and exchanged letters.”

His wife cautiously brought up the topic. It was now widely known that Sig Turas never responded properly to invitations, let alone writing letters. Even Crave, who became his ‘friend,’ only received brief replies, if at all.

“But he might be cautious around strangers. Maybe he felt comfortable because I’m a member of the Crave family?”

Britia muttered quietly as she shrugged her shoulders and tried to eat the now-cold onions.

Hailey widened her eyes and looked at her husband. Everyone had noticed the difference, the signals that Sig had been sending, but perhaps Britia was the only one who didn’t catch on.

“After doing all that, you say that. It’s really amusing, isn’t it, my dear?”

Crave laughed falsely and whispered to his wife.