Chapter 11
Wolfgang was, quite literally, the embodiment of my ideal type.
A face that radiated coldness, decadence, and sex appeal—how could I not be drawn to that?
For someone like me, who had spent a lifetime ignoring the standard definition of a handsome man and fixated solely on cold and distant types, his face was straight out of a textbook.
“His personality… I’m not sure about that yet.”
“Prrr.”
“That’s fine. I don’t care about personality. I only look at the face.”
When I stated it firmly, Queensbury nodded in approval, as if to show support for my conviction.
“If you’re going to live with someone forever, looks matter the most,” she muttered, snorting softly.
“And his family is loaded. He looks like he has a ton of money.”
“Pfft.”
“Good?”
“Pfft, pfft.”
Okay, good.
I could feel satisfaction radiating from Queensbury. If she had fingers instead of hooves, she’d probably have given me two thumbs up.
“But actually, more important than all that…”
I lowered my voice and whispered into Queensbury’s ear.
“We’re destined to be.”
“Prrng?”
“Yeah, destiny.”
Wolfgang’s eldest son, just like in the novel, died at the young age of twenty-two.
It’s not as tragic as Asha dying at seventeen, but it was still clear he was born with more power than he needed.
That’s why we’re meant to be together. It’s destiny.
The stronger each of our powers, the more we’ll influence each other.
A true mutual salvation. That’s the phrase that applies here.
Sorry to the male lead, Mercedes, but I have to pursue this storyline.
I have to survive first, right? I refuse to play the role of a tragic character who disappears after leaving behind a trail of longing and frustration!
Just then, at the mention of “destiny,” Queensbury looked intrigued and asked,
“Hm? How did we meet?”
“Prrr.”
“We haven’t met yet.”
“Prrng?”
“He probably doesn’t even know I exist.”
Have you ever seen a horse’s expression instantly go cold?
I have. It was magical. Probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“…Pff.”
“Pff? Did you just go ‘pff’ at me?”
“Puh-huh.”
“Are you mocking me right now?”
Don’t look at me like I’m some delusional stalker. If you weren’t pregnant, I swear—
But then, Queensbury’s breathing suddenly changed.
“…Queensbury?”
“Prrrgh…”
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
I stood up in a panic and looked around—then realized.
Her underside was soaked. Her water had broken.
I tried to call Tony for help, but Queensbury shook her head adamantly—she didn’t want that.
So we stayed together. Sitting, standing, lying down, frantically circling the stable in chaos.
Finally, just as the morning star was fading, the foal’s head emerged.
“You’re doing great, Queensbury! Just a bit more!”
But the foal got stuck halfway out, and Queensbury staggered, completely exhausted.
Without thinking, I rushed behind her and pulled.
My strength wasn’t enough—but I kept pulling.
Again and again, until Queensbury, glancing at me with ragged breath, pushed with the last of her strength.
“Just a little more…!”
Splash!
Like a dam bursting, the foal slipped out.
It’s born! They’re both okay!
I was drenched in blood-tinged amniotic fluid and all sorts of goo, but joy overwhelmed everything.
I instinctively backed away to let Queensbury cut the umbilical cord and lick her baby clean. Then I rushed outside.
There was someone who’d want to hear this more than anyone.
“Tony, ah—!”
But then my breath caught.
And my feet froze.
I couldn’t breathe.
Because standing outside the stable, straddling a massive black horse, was a boy with eyes darker than the blood soaking me.
Backlit by the first light of dawn, he looked down at me like the Grim Reaper himself.
The first time I’d felt Wolfgang’s magic, I thought it was just a slight sting. But the energy from this boy? It burned like the flames of hell.
“Ignite.”
His voice was cold—so cold it felt like it could freeze fire itself.
With that voice, the boy gave his horse an order.
“Trample her.”
“Neighhh!”
The massive horse reared and lunged at my head.
I’m going to get trampled.
It was really going to happen.
I never imagined I’d be harmed by an animal—not in this body.
While I communicated with animals, this boy commanded them. And animals respond more quickly to domination than communication.
Trapped in the looming shadow of the horse, I closed my eyes tightly.
Thud!
“Levi.”
Instead of being crushed by hundreds of kilograms, I felt a familiar, sharp yet gentle magical energy.
I snapped my eyes open. The horse’s hoof had stopped just inches from my face.
Gasping, I scrambled backward. That was way too close—my face nearly got smashed in.
The muscular hoof thrashed in the air a few times before landing back on the ground.
On top of the horse stood the boy—and Wolfgang, who had somehow appeared and grabbed the reins.
Seeing the two of them in the same frame, my suspicion was confirmed.
They look alike!
That’s him. Wolfgang’s eldest son. My future husband candidate.
So his name is Levi?
Levi Bastion, whom I had waited for so long to meet, turned his sharp yet vaguely vacant eyes toward Wolfgang.
“…I’m back.”
“Yes.”
That’s it? In this situation?
After their curt exchange, Levi looked back at me.
Like a doll.
Not just perfectly sculpted, but completely devoid of emotion.
Sticky, thick fluids dripped from my hair to the ground, mixing with cold sweat.
I never imagined our first meeting would be like this.
No, more than that… I didn’t expect him to be just a child.
He was only eleven—but calling him a child felt wrong.
How should I put it?
If Wolfgang was the alpha wolf—a majestic, commanding predator—Levi was the monster under the bed.
He radiated an inexplicable dread.
Even if I ran away screaming, he’d probably show up in my dreams to strangle me—just like he tried to crush me without blinking.
I took a deep breath. My heart and fingertips still trembled violently.
One, two, three, four…
I counted in my head.
A little ritual to get through moments I hated.
Slowly, the chaos in my chest settled.
But just as my shaking subsided, Levi pointed a finger at me and said flatly:
“I will kill her.”
“…What?”
First an attempted murder, now a murder declaration?
Stunned speechless, I turned to Wolfgang—who casually asked:
“Why?”
“She’s a face I’ve never seen at the mansion.”
“Then yes, she might be dangerous.”
“And she smells like Queensbury’s blood.”
“She may have harmed Queensbury, then.”
What the hell? Is my future father-in-law seriously going along with this?
Instead of stopping him, Wolfgang was actually encouraging this nonsense?
Oh, I swear, I’m asking Sanche to make them veggie soup bombs for breakfast tomorrow…
Wait. Queensbury’s blood scent?
Not just blood. He said specifically Queensbury’s.
How the hell did he know that? Is he really a monster…?
While I gawked in disbelief, Wolfgang calmly continued to Levi:
“But what if she didn’t harm Queensbury—but helped?”
Levi tilted his head as if such a scenario had never even crossed his mind.
“…Is that ‘normal’?”
“Probably.”
“Not ‘probably’—that’s what actually happened…”
Shouldn’t your first thought be that I helped if I’m covered in a pregnant mare’s blood and fluids?
I couldn’t hold back and raised my hand to speak up. Levi and Wolfgang turned their gazes to me simultaneously.
Visually, they were almost identical—only the eye color and a small mole under one eye distinguished them.
He looks like he’d never cry, but has a really pronounced teardrop mole.
While I blankly compared their faces, Levi’s horse suddenly whined.
More urgent than guilt—it looked like it had something important to do.
Wait, could it be…?
After a brief silent exchange with the horse, I spoke carefully.
“Um… Ignite says he wants to go see his wife and baby.”
“…Baby?”
Levi jumped down from the horse without a word.
Immediately, Ignite neighed loudly and bolted into the dark stable.
From inside came Queensbury’s gruff but loving greeting. Ignite was already sobbing.
While that emotional reunion played out, I witnessed an entirely different family reunion—one as dry and formal as could be.
“You’re back earlier than expected.”
“Yes.”
“I heard you’d arrive around lunchtime at the earliest.”
“I was worried about Ignite.”
“So you just rode a horse alone all night?”
“A shadow follows me anyway.”
“That’s not the point.”
“The term ended yesterday.”
“That’s not it either.”
Levi, replying to Wolfgang’s questions like a robot, finally paused, uncertain.
Then, like a confused student guessing on a test, he said:
“…I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I likely caused concern with my reckless behavior.”
“And?”
Levi furrowed his brow, as if wondering what else he could possibly apologize for. He looked like a wind-up doll that had stalled.
Wolfgang, watching quietly, turned the key one notch.
“There’s someone other than me you should be apologizing to.”
Basically spoon-feeding him the answer.
As expected, Levi turned his glassy eyes to me and said:
“Sorry.”
“…”
“I’ll be going now.”
Before I could say anything, Levi bowed politely to Wolfgang and walked away.
As if he’d completed his task. With clean, confident steps.
I was left completely dumbfounded.
Seriously? You nearly crushed me and now you just go?
…What the hell is with this ridiculously pretty garbage human?
As my face twisted with slow-building rage, Wolfgang shrugged.
“Told you the chances were slim.”
And he had the audacity to smirk.
I seriously started wondering how many years in prison I’d get for punching a duke and his son. I was ready to eat prison food with a smile.
But since that wasn’t an option, I could only look down at my pathetic state and let out a dumb laugh.
“Hahaha…”
This freaking life, I swear.
Wolfgang, rubbing his neck like someone half-asleep, asked:
“Are you giving up now?”
“Hahahaha.”
“…?”
“HAHAHAHAHAHA!”
Instead of answering, I just kept laughing—then abruptly stopped.
Wolfgang took a step back, startled. Like I was some crazy person on the street.
I gave him the sweetest, most gentle smile I could muster.
“Dear future father-in-law.”
“…What.”
“There’s no such word as give up in Asha’s dictionary.”
Sticky strands of blood dripped from my silver curls.
I told you, didn’t I? I can do anything, all on my own.
Whether it’s charming people with cuteness—or going completely unhinged and charming psychos.
