The Duke & His Haughty Fiance ((~Taekook~))
Atheria
In the mystical realm, Atheria a proud empire nestled within the Elemental World and bound by ancient secrets and pacts with legendary Beasts..
Chaos and uncertainty loomed after the sudden death of the last emperor—who left no heir to the throne.. With the royal bloodline severed, the House of Representatives rose as the governing force, their voices now guiding the fate of the empire..
Amidst political tension and rising threats from neighboring realms, a beacon of hope emerged in the form of Marshal Jeon Jungkook—the son of the late Duke, yet to be officially instated..
A warrior forged in fire and storm, he led Atheria’s armies with the strength of titans and the heart of a lion, becoming a national hero whispered in legend.. Though he is no King the people saw in him the soul of a ruler—one destined not by blood, but by battle and honor..
But currently the people of the Atheria Empire were heartbroken..
A month ago, their Duke who is also Marshal of the Military Unit was poisoned by the Zen King during the war against the Zen..
Two days ago, the doctor said his condition had become critical.. This news made everyone in the Empire feel like the sky had turned dark..
People started flooding the Empire’s online forum the "Star Network" with emotional messages..
The online discussions about the Empire’s possible collapse even reached Lunor where the seriously injured Duke was taken..
Rowoon sneezed, standing on the top floor of the building..
He had been driving for over 70 hours without rest..Even though he was exhausted, he pulled himself together for 12 more minutes.. He looked at the cage in his hand and straightened up..
He was at a big hospital on the Planet Lunor ..
When the war began, this place was used to treat people poisoned by the Zen... But after the Duke and his army beat the Zen a month ago, things calmed down, and fewer patients stayed.. Most had already been moved to other places..
Now the Duke’s soldiers were guarding the hospital.. And Rowoon had to go through a lot of security to get in..
If he hadn’t met Lieutenant General Jung Hoseok while he was on patrol, he probably wouldn’t have been allowed inside..
The Lieutenant General was wearing his uniform, with a special pin on his jacket..The pin on Hoseok’s chest was a special one.. It honored those who had served in Jeon Jungkook's Legion. It shined in the sunlight, just like Jeon Jungkook’s strong will..
At first he gave Rowoon a cold look and took him to a meeting room..Then he looked at the cage in Rowoon’s arms and said angrily..
Hoseok (Lieutenant General)
A Spiritual beast? Are you saying the Marshal should make a contract with a beast right now?!
The members of the army mostly address the Duke as Marshal because that's how their leader prefers it..
Rowoon felt nervous.. He stood tall, saluted properly, and said firmly..
Rowoon
Yes, sir! I really believe this is the best way to help the Empire..
Hoseok stared at him..For a long time, he said nothing..Then he suddenly shouted and slammed the table..
Hoseok (Lieutenant General)
Best way, my foot!
Rowoon stayed quiet and waited for Hoseok to calm down..
When he looked up again, he saw that Hoseok’s eyes were red.. This tough soldier, known for yelling and fighting, looked like he was about to cry..
Rowoon knew this wasn’t just because of the Zen... Hoseok wasn’t afraid of war.. There was only one person who could make him act like this...
Rowoon
Sir... the Marshal, is he...?
Rowoon voice stopped.. He stood still, shocked..The rumors he’d heard before rushed through his mind.. He looked at Hoseok’s face and felt like his heart was breaking..
Just then, a calm voice said..
Someone
Let’s give it a try...
They turned and saw a man in a white military uniform at the door..
It was Suga! Rowoon’s eyes lit up and he quickly saluted..
Rowoon
Major General Suga !
Suga was Jungkook’s childhood friend and a top military doctor..He had fought in the war and was now taking care of Jungkook on Liberec..
Rowoon remembered the four words the Major General had just said—"Give it a try"—and he felt a small spark of hope..
Suga walked over, ignoring Hoseok’s worried look..
He tapped on the black cage, and the special glass turned clear.. Inside was a small animal, lying still and wounded..
Suga (Major General)
A fox!?
Suga (Major General)
You don’t see these often..It looks healthy..
Suga study the little creature who was asleep, with clear injuries..
Rowoon
It’s a weak contract beast...
Rowoon
The genes aren’t great, but it’s the only one that matches the Marshal..I was just hoping... maybe a miracle...
His voice cracked, and then he couldn’t help asking..
Rowoon
Major General Suga, how is the Marshal doing!?
Suga didn’t answer right away.. He looked at the little fox in the cage for a while, then finally said..
Suga (Major General)
He’s stable for now, but... not for long. The poison is spreading fast.. We’ve tried everything, but nothing works. He doesn’t have much time left..
Rowoon’s heart sank.. Even though he was expecting bad news, hearing it still hurt him deeply..
Suga (Major General)
The connection between a contract beast and a human might help.. It’s risky, but it’s the only option left.. And this beast... it’s small and injured, but maybe it’s enough to give the Marshal a chance...
Hoseok stayed quiet, clenching his fists.. He looked at Jungkook’s pin on his chest, then slowly closed his eyes..
Suga (Major General)
I will arrange the connection process..We don’t have much time.. If we wait longer... we will lose him..
Suga said and Rowoon nodded
He looked at the little fox again. It was still asleep, breathing softly. Even though it was small and weak, it was now their only hope..
Spiritual Beast
Hoseok (Lieutenant General)
Suga, are you sure this is going to work!?
Hoseok's eyes show sadness Suga glanced at him for a second turning away he replied..
Suga (Major General)
In two hours, the poison will reach his heart..
As he spoke, he looked out the window..A colorful bird flew through the sky—it was Suga’s own contract beast, one that had stayed with him for over twenty years..
Suga (Major General)
The barrier we forced into his body to hold the poison back has failed..Now the poison is moving into his heart.. His organs are already damaged, and his energy and powers are unstable.. When it all hits at once... he won’t survive.. There’s nothing else we can do..
Suga exhaled then added in a low voice..
Suga (Major General)
The elders have decided to stop all life-saving efforts....
After he spoke the room fell silent for a second..
Rowoon
Stop? Why ? How can we give up on him just like that?
After holding in his feelings for over a month, Rowoon finally exploded.. He forgot his rank and clenched his fists, getting angry..
Rowoon
This is the Marshal we’re talking about! He fought all his life for the Empire.. Even after being poisoned, he never gave up..How can we stop now, when he hasn’t?
Hoseok (Lieutenant General)
Rowoon..
Hoseok shouted cutting off Rowoon..
Hoseok (Lieutenant General)
We will never give up on Marshall..
Suga paused, then looked down at the cage Rowoon was holding..There was a firm look in his eyes as he said..
Suga (Major General)
I don’t want to give up either...
After a few seconds of silence the three of them looked at each other, then walked out of the conference room together..
Rowoon was now sitting with Hoseok in a special observation room that Suga had arranged for them..
They couldn’t go into the room where Jungkook was resting unless they were fully protected from the poison.. Even with protective suits, they could only stay in there for a short time.. That’s why this observation room existed—it let people safely watch what was happening inside..
Through the glass, they could see Marshal Jungkook lying quietly on the medical bed, hooked up to many machines..His face was pale, and he looked very weak, like he could stop breathing at any moment..
Rowoon felt like he was going crazy.. He didn’t know how Major Suga had convinced the elders to agree to this, but he knew it must have taken a lot of effort—and pressure..
Looking back, Rowoon realized he had acted on impulse..He rushed in the moment he heard the little beast’s genes were similar to the Marshal’s.. It wasn’t the most logical thing to do..
But over the past month, the Marshal’s critical condition had weighed heavily on everyone..They had all started to lose hope..
Most people only knew how terrifying the Zen were from stories.. But the soldiers who had actually fought them knew the truth.. the Zen were ahead of the Empire in weapons and technology..Their poison, combined with their monstrous bodies, made them almost impossible to fight.. Even the bravest soldiers carried scars in their hearts after facing them..
Before Jungkook became commander of the Zen front, the Empire kept losing.. Many soldiers died, and even their defense lines were falling apart.. It was only because Jungkook took control that they were able to hold the line and stop things from getting worse..
Rowoon let out a long sigh and looked at the report Suga had written about the little fox..
The fox was badly hurt, had a weak healing ability, and was close to dying.. Rowoon should’ve known this when the fox was first sent to the Genetic Survey Center..Most of its wounds came from rough handling when it was caught..The vet had said the Empire’s animal care wasn’t very good..
Rowoon
🗯️Did I made a mistake..
Trying to save a powerful, dying Marshal with a small, injured beast? Rowoon finally started to realize just how crazy that idea sounded..
Rowoon remembered during the long seventy-hour trip, the fox stayed unconscious the whole time..Even when it was placed in the medical room, It never opened its eyes or moved just curled up and slept..
The observation room was quiet—too quiet..The silence made everything feel heavier.. Then Rowoon looked up from the report and noticed something on the screen moving...
Suga wearing a full protective gear walked slowly toward the bed after checking Jungkook’s condition he moved the little fox near to Jungkook..
The engry in the room slightly changed and as soon as the fox was placed near Jungkook… it stood up..
In the observation room, Rowoon jumped up..
Rowoon stared hard at the screen..When he saw the tiny fox slowly walking toward Jungkook, his heart skipped a beat..
Hoseok stood too, staring at the screen without saying a word..
The little fox looked so small and weak, its fluffy tail dragging behind..It looked like it could fall over at any moment..But then it stopped and stared at Jungkook with big, watery eyes..
Eyes that didn’t look scared..They looked angry..
Rowoon was surprised.. How could a weak, low-level beast not be afraid of someone as powerful as Jungkook? And it's not just that it looked mad... Like fire was burning in its eye..
Then, right in that moment, the fox lifted its little paw.. Rowoon could even see the soft pink pads under its white fur through the screen..
Suddenly, the weak little fox jumped up with surprising strength—and smacked Jungkook right across the face!
Blood
Hoseok and Rowoon wasn’t the only one staring wide-eyed at the screen..
Suga stood frozen at the door with several guards, not daring to speak..
As the little fox slowly got closer to Jungkook Suga almost rushed in but stopped himself..
When the fox raised its paw again, a loud crash came from behind someone had accidentally knocked something over...
But Suga didn’t look back.. He held his breath, eyes fixed on the room through the glass.. afraid to even remove his protective gear in case he missed something..
Then, right in front of him, the fox smacked Jungkook’s face..its paw ended up in Jungkook's mouth..
Then the little fox just stared blankly, as if confused by what it had done..
Suga heard a few frustrated voices behind him, but he didn’t move..
Someone stepped forward and said with disappointment..
Someone
Major General, let’s take the contract beast out.. If the bond worked, there should’ve been a reaction.. But there’s nothing.. The beast’s level is too low..
Another person muttered..
Random
A beast shouldn’t have been counted on in the first place.. No beast is worthy of our Duke, especially not one this weak..
Having said that the person began removing their protective suit, but Suga remained frozen..
Staring into the room..His brow furrowed..something felt wrong..
Then, suddenly Suga’s eyes widened.. Under the little fox’s paw Jungkook’s chest stirred slightly..
A few seconds later, he coughed up a mouthful of poisonous blood..
Then slowly, his eyes opened—bloodshot, but showing clear black irises...
Everyone behind Suga was stunned. while he rushed into the room like a storm..
The little fox who had slapped his paw over Jungkook’s mouth was clearly upset—he hadn’t been able to dodge the cough, and now the fur on his paw was stained with blood..
At first, he tried to hold back, but he couldn’t help it and let out an angry curse...
He clearly hated the blood and looked like he wanted revenge..
After that little outburst, the fox used all his strength trying to clean the blood off his paw...
Struggling for a while, he finally fainted and Just before passing out, he stared sadly at his dirty paw, full of frustration and decided to take revenge on the future..
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