Chapter 39

Hunting Contest (7)

After giving a nod, Roelin tried on the hat at Silloa’s request.

“As expected, it looks good on you, Empress. Right, ma’am?”

Lucy, who had been helping out Roelin quietly from behind until then, eventually nodded at Silloa’s words and opened her mouth to Roelin in return.

“What do you think, Empress? Please let me know if you feel uncomfortable or if you don’t like anything at all.”

“No. It’s very comfortable and nice. I’ve never worn pants before, but they are really comfortable.”

“A dress would probably be a rather stagnant piece of clothing.”

Lucy replied with a relieved look at Roelin’s words as she smiled. Roelin then looked at herself in the mirror once again.

The way she appeared and felt in a dress was absolutely very different. Should she say that she had become a little more energetic and active instead?

It was unfamiliar to her, but she didn’t hate it. Perhaps for that very reason, she wasn’t aware how difficult it had been to take her eyes off the mirror.

‘I’m not even a child.’

While looking in the mirror, Roelin turned slightly red as she turned somewhat embarrassed. It was because of her own impression that thought how she was just like a ‘young child’ who was all excited to wear new clothes.

At that time, she could hear the sound of a servant calling out from outside the door.

“Empress, His Majesty is here.”

“Oh! Let us welcome him then.”

Roelin hurriedly turned towards the door. At the same time, the door eventually opened and Kergel entered inside. He was holding onto a rather ‘long box’.

Lucy hurriedly approached to accept the box he was holding. However, Kergel just waved at her before closing in towards Roelin instead. Then, he looked up and down all over her as he began to open his mouth in a calm voice.

“It looks good on you.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Roelin bowed her head and greeted him. Then, Kergel looked at Roelin with such dazzling eyes and soon held out the box in his hand.

“……?”

Roelin looked at him puzzlingly at his sudden act that was handing over the box. Kergel then said as if he was just decoding the question for her.

“It’s your own bow.”

“My, very own personal bow?”

Her eyes instantly became round. Kergel nodded and opened the lid of the box. Her expression had looked excited somehow.

“It’s the first hunting competition for the Empress to attend, so of course, we need at least this much. It was completed just a little while ago. I was thinking about sending it to you, but I still had some time left, so I simply wanted to bring it over myself.”

“…Oh, thank you.”

Roelin stared at him blankly while lowering her gaze as she looked into the box and thanked him, albeit belatedly. But as she was just looking inside the box, she began to think of not wanting to accept that box. It seemed like she couldn’t even imagine such a thing in the first place.

Kergel took out a bow, an arrow box containing arrows and something that was in the shape of a ring from that very box. Then, he handed over the empty box to Lucy.

“I made it for you. You must have had a hard time practicing with a big bow in comparison to your size, but now, you will be much more comfortable. And also, put this on your finger that will be pulling the bow.”

“……?”

“Your skin is so weak until I thought that a bow could actually hurt you.”

Kergel added a few words of explanation when he saw Roelin’s strange expression. A few days ago, while teaching Roelin how to shoot an arrow, he accidentally saw a mark on her finger. There was a red gash on her finger as she had shot the bow before.

It was not that big of a deal to actually look at it. No, even considering it as a wound was nothing more than a funny and trivial thing altogether.

But, why?

Kergel just couldn’t stop thinking about that abrasion on her finger. The next day and the very next, he still couldn’t get rid of it.

So, when Lucy brought up an idea about her own exclusive bow, he thought that this was the time and started ordering the preparation of the finger protective gear as well.

And as soon as the finger protector was completed along with the bow today, he then came over with those things to her like this.

Kergel looked back on himself and made a faint cough since he became rather embarrassed. He didn’t even know it was all because Lucy, who was aware of these circumstances, had been merely watching.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you going to take it?”

He put everything in her arms to hide his own embarrassment. Roelin looked puzzled as she accepted them all. But she had to immediately lean downwards. This was because the weight of those things she had inadvertently received was quite considerable.

“Oh my! Allow me to hold it, Empress!”

Silloa quickly approached and she was handed over the bow along with the arrow box from Roelin. And as soon as Silloa was about to take over the finger protector as well, Roelin shook her head.

“No, it’s okay. I can try this on right now.”

She put on protective gear at her index and middle finger. A circular ring that was even wider than the ring itself slowly wrapped around Roelin’s finger. Certainly, she instantly thought that she could now protect her fingers when pulling after the bow.

“Is it okay?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. It fits just as well. Thank you.”

Roelin looked down at the protective gear that enveloped around her finger before looking up and gazed at Kergel. Kergel was also looking at her hand as he nodded when he made eye contact with her.

“Oh, that bow and arrow should also be shot as a test… That’s great. Let’s just go out like this.”

“What?”

“Since you’re already wearing those hunting clothes as well. Isn’t it perfect then?”

Kergel slowly raised the corners of his mouth as he saw Roelin’s current outfit.

***