A Baby Hostage Spoiled by the Hostile Noble family _ Chapter 05
Leon looked down at Mia, who had grabbed his leg with her tiny forepaw.
Rub—rub—
Mia began rubbing her face against his leg.
‘I won’t act arrogant anymore! Please don’t kill me!’
This was a gesture used by northern beastfolk to appease someone. From Mia’s perspective, she believed this would be enough for the dragons to understand her feelings.
But the moment Leon saw this, his body trembled slightly. Max, too, froze even more stiffly than before—his face turning pale.
“L–Lord… what is this…?”
Max spoke with a trembling voice.
“S–she’s… asking to be hugged this time…”
Among dragons, rubbing one’s body against another meant “please hold me.”
Leon and Max stared blankly at Mia as she continued rubbing against him.
Mia, still pressing her face against him, looked up at them with sparkling, desperate eyes and let out a soft cry.
“Meow…”
To them, it sounded like:
Please hold me tight!
Max unconsciously covered his mouth and muttered,
“Ha… this is dangerous… honestly, she’s too cute…”
Leon shot him a sharp glare, and Max immediately straightened his expression.
“N–No, my lord! It’s nothing! But… why is this child acting like this toward us?”
Leon fell into thought, watching Mia as she continued rubbing against his leg. After a moment, his eyes gleamed sharply.
“Max, I understand now why this brat is acting like this.”
“Pardon?”
Leon lowered his voice.
“Alec must have ordered her to do this.”
“Alec…?”
“Yes. He likely told her to act like this—to stir sympathy and soften our hearts. Just like you almost were.”
“W–What? But why…?”
“He must’ve thought we’d pity her and ease the hostage conditions… or reduce the compensation.”
Max’s eyes widened.
“That must be it! I knew something felt strange! So that’s why this child suddenly approached us like this. To think he’d make such a young daughter do something like this…”
“He’s the kind of man who’d do anything to gain an advantage in a negotiation.”
Max clicked his tongue in disbelief.
“This is outrageous. He starts a war, then instead of paying the price, he pushes forward his young child to appeal to our emotions? Shameless beyond belief.”
Then, in a cold voice, he suggested:
“If we let this slide, they’ll only grow more brazen. My lord, perhaps we should take this chance to completely pull out the tigers’ fangs.”
“I agree.”
Leon’s violet eyes flashed dangerously.
Soon after…
“My lords of the dragon clan, you summoned me?”
Alec entered the reception room again, bowing deeply—almost enough to break his spine.
But the moment he saw Mia in Max’s arms, his face froze.
“H–Huh?!”
It was clear he was wondering how she had gotten there.
Leon answered coldly:
“She’s your only daughter, is she not?”
A daughter? That wretched kitten? What nonsense is this?
Alec was about to deny it—but at that moment, Mia stared straight at him.
‘Please… stay quiet!’
Alec flinched. Then his eyes flickered as he quickly calculated.
‘If they’re mistaken… I can send that brat as the hostage instead of Caroline.’
He made his decision instantly and nodded.
“That’s correct! She’s my most precious only daughter, Mia!”
Mia felt relief wash over her.
Leon, however, looked at Alec with undisguised contempt.
“Let’s begin with the hostage matter. We will take this child for twenty years. No objections.”
“T–This child is the most precious thing to me! Please, anyone but her—!”
Alec even put on a tearful act.
Leon snapped coldly:
“As expected. A master at emotional manipulation. Did you think I’d fall for such a cheap performance?”
Alec stiffened. Mia trembled as well.
Did they figure it out?
“You think I wouldn’t notice? Using the child to provoke sympathy so I’d let her stay? Or reduce the compensation?”
Mia and Alec both tilted their heads in confusion.
What is he talking about?
But fortunately, her illegitimate status hadn’t been exposed.
Then—
RIP—!
Leon tore the thick treaty document on the table to shreds.
“W–What are you doing?!”
“That is no longer needed. We’ll draft a new treaty. Listen carefully.”
Max set Mia down and prepared to write.
Leon spoke firmly:
“First, the compensation: 50 billion gold.”
“F–Fifty billion?!”
That was fifty times more than before.
But Leon continued coldly:
“Half of the northern territory will be ceded to the south. The most fertile half. All logging rights will also belong to the south.”
Alec’s face hardened.
“And the trade rights of Elm Port will be transferred. All trade authority belongs to the south. Additionally, northern labor will be supplied whenever required for southern mining operations.”
Even Mia was shocked.
Was it this bad in my previous life…?
“And if any of these terms are violated, it will be considered a breach of treaty—and the south will immediately declare war.”
Alec finally snapped, standing up.
“Are you trying to devour the entire north?! This is too much!”
But Leon smirked.
“You speak of fairness, yet you never intended to pay your dues properly.”
“I will never sign—”
Suddenly—
Alec froze.
A terrifying black aura began pouring out of Leon.
“Then I suppose we’ll resume the war.”
RUMBLE—!!
The entire room shook violently.
Glass shattered. Chandeliers crashed.
Leon’s aura took shape—
A massive black dragon.
Alec’s face turned pale. He remembered it—the very creature that had wiped out half his army.
“…Alec Chigr.”
Leon’s voice pressed down like death itself.
“The south is not a place you can take lightly.”
“Ghh…!”
The dragon aura loomed over him.
Alec collapsed flat onto the floor.
“I–I accept! Everything you demand!”
Only then did Leon withdraw his aura.
“Good. Then we’ll be returning to the south.”
Afterward…
I’m really going as a hostage.
Warm sunlight streamed through the carriage window, gently tickling Mia’s fur.
A luxury she had never known in that dark basement.
She rolled happily on the cushion.
I still don’t know why things changed so much…
But honestly—
He deserved it.
Seeing Alec humiliated felt incredibly satisfying.
Now… what should I do next?
She had to survive twenty years in the south.
The most important thing is not to offend the dragons.
Be quiet. Be obedient. Always please them.
Even if they don’t understand my words, I can communicate through gestures.
After all, her gestures had worked—she was now on this carriage.
Sleepiness slowly crept in as she basked in the sunlight.
Just as she curled up to sleep—
BANG—
“Meow?!”
The carriage door burst open.
Mia’s tail bristled instinctively.
Standing there—
Alec, glaring at her viciously.
What is he doing here?
