The Distinguished Mr. Rose Chapter 146: Chapter 144: You Are My Hound

Read chapter 146 of The Distinguished Mr. Rose by QuiteTheSlacker on NovelPedia.

Chapter 144: You Are My Hound A cacophony of faint voices waded into the underground dungeon, along with the sounds of clashing steel, booms, and bloody struggle. Somewhere above in the castle, a fight was brewing, carried out by attackers yet to be seen. It would appear the villainess didn’t have complete control over this world. There were some people who still yet had the courage, or the desperation, to rebel. “Ohohoho! How silly of me.” Nicolina said, haughtily raising her wrist and laughing. “Normally, I don’t set two events on the same day. I do loathe when my plans go awry… oh, well. What else to do?” The villainess beckoned for her loyal knights and magicians to come to her side. Their leader, the wraith knight, Ivan, waited silently behind with his arms crossed and his umbral armor half-hidden in the shadows. “What do you think, my darlings?” Nicolina leaned down and caressed one of her minions’ cheeks. “Should I stay or should I go?” It was an odd sight for Lucius, watching how a grown man could grovel and fawn over someone so completely as if their mind and every thought was filled with her, for such was the scene unfolding before him. And really at first glance their devotion did seem to be caused by some manner of bewitchment or spell. Yet try as he might, the gentleman sensed nothing of the sort around him. The villainess’s subjects looked up to her, worshiped her, feared and adored her all in one breath. Was beauty’s wicked wiles really all that had subjugated them? Lucius didn’t know. He wanted to see. It was so very fascinating to him, the beauty she exuded both in appearance and guile. The knight whose cheek was caressed spoke, saying that the dungeon wasn’t safe and that she must be escorted to safety away from the rebels’ attack. Should she be ambushed here, there would be little way of escape. Nicolina asked the others and was met with the same answer. They begged for her to leave, to seek shelter elsewhere. “Oh, how can I refuse when you’re pleading so adorably?” the villainess giggled. With a wave of her hand, the knights and magicians then formed a protective ring around her, their bodies rigidly heightened in a tense resolve. They were ready to die for her. They would sacrifice their lives without a second thought, if it meant that she could tread an unblemished path. After being surrounded by her subjects’ love, Nicolina briefly peered at the knights’ commander and spoke to him with a bland drawl. “Stay here and monitor our guests, Ivan. It’d be a shame if they escaped after only just arriving.” “Mistress, I am your guard. It is my duty to be by your side.” Nicolina clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Ivan, oh stubborn little Ivan… you are my servant first and foremost. Your duty is to follow my orders.” “But your safety—” “Is mine to decide. Haven’t we gone through this already? Ugh, so tiring, so exhausting. I must have the patience of a saint to deal with a dunce like you.” Ivan lowered his head in the same, woeful manner as a wet dog would before an irritated owner. “Don’t give me that look,” Nicolina sighed. “Oh gosh, you’re so annoyingly pathetic. Every time we do this you just brood and act all pitiful. What an embarrassment. Are you really a man? What, are you going to cry next?” The knights’ commander remained silent. Even now whilst being humiliated in front of the players and the villainess’s subjects, he took not a step nor shouted in offense. He merely endured Nicolina’s brutal insults to the bitter end. “Ivan, stupid and ignorant Ivan. Don’t fool yourself. Being by my side is a privilege , especially for a miserable wriggling worm like you. I could kick you out anytime I wanted. Just looking at your depressing face ruins my mood… but still, I let you stay here. I give you far, far more than you deserve. I let you have the honor of attending to me out of all the other cuties in this wide castle. So the least you could do for me is obey .” Nicolina’s lips curled in an annoyed, frightening