Chapter 51

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing. I’m just happy to think that I inherited a pretty dress.”

Her voice sounded like she was crying without even realizing it because the words were caught in her throat. Fortunately, the Marchioness seemed to accept that it was because Yurina was emotional.

“He’s so- what are you doing? Oh, okay. Since you’re here, take the jewelry that goes well with that dress. Let’s see. There was a set of pearls that I used to enjoy wearing.”

When the Marchioness lightly clapped her hands, the maids who were organizing the dresses entered the dressing room and began unpacking jewelry boxes. She took the pieces one by one and put everything on Yurina’s neck and ears.

“Oh, you’re pretty no matter what you wear. Of course, parents say that their children are the prettiest, but you would have looked pretty even if you were not my daughter. Pearls look good on you, but these diamond earrings look better on you.”

Yurina barely lifted up the corners of her mouth by moving the muscles she was trying to harden, but it felt more difficult than lifting a big rock. The Marchioness, who had no idea of her feelings, handed three boxes to the maid waiting next to Yurina.

“Take it all. It’s better for you to have it than for me.”

Yurina nodded silently at her bright smile.

Seven years ago, when she first fell into this strange world till now, the Marchioness had given her warm love.

When she first fell into this world she was confused and the Marchioness held her hand at her bedside all night and sang a lullaby for her.

Not long after, despite the dissuasion of her family and employees, the Marchioness stood by Yurina suffering from a fever, wiping her face and body constantly with a cold wet towel.

Perhaps that was why Yurina relied the most on the Marchioness when she first came to the world and was very confused. It took quite a long time to recognize her as a mother, but as a person she was the most open-minded to her.

Because she was reminded of her mother who always smiled and took care of her warmly.

‘If I hadn’t turned to her, I would have died from loneliness.’

At first, she had no choice but to rely on the Marchioness even more after Raynald, who she could rely on, left.

Seven years with her. At first, she was just a caring and kind lady, but she quickly became a friend who she could rely on with her heart. Now the Marchioness was her one and only beloved mother.

It wasn’t just the Marchioness. Marquis Carthia, who was a little strict and friendly, and her three brothers, who couldn’t spend time properly while at the academy when she first came here, gave too much affection. They became annoying but comfortable brothers when they were together.

The stranger, who had been shaken by the inability to establish her identity for the past seven years, finally became ‘Yurina Carthia’.

But still, whenever Yurina saw her bright smile like a child, her heart ached.

Even if she was not the Marchioness’ real daughter, would she still look at Yurina like she did now?

It was a question that Yurina desperately wanted to ask, but she could never ask. She had never thought that before, not even in passing. This was why she was afraid of what would happen after thinking that.

Yurina swallowed down what was stuck in her throat and asked another question instead.

“By the way, what brought you here?”

“Oh, my. Look where my mind is at.”

The Marchioness clapped her hands so that the maids, who were busy organizing dresses and accessories, could hear it. They put down what was in their hands and left the room.

“Is it serious?”

“No, it’s not like that. I just wanted to talk comfortably with you.”

The Marchioness picked up the teapot left by the maids and poured tea into Yurina’s cup.

“There will be a hunting contest soon.”

“It’s already that time.”

Yurina nodded as she quickly counted the days in her head.

In the month of sprouts from winter to spring, the Imperial Family hosted a hunting competition in the Jenus Mountains, which was said to have been blessed by the goddess. There was only about two months left.

The origin of this hunting competition dated back to the founding of the Empire.

At that time, the boundary magic protecting the Empire was not as developed as it was now. So at the beginning of spring, animals that awoke from hibernation frequently attacked houses to find food.

It was the most basic duty of the nobleman to keep the people safe. To this end, the origin of the hunting competition was that in early spring, a group of knights were set up in all villages to start hunting around the mountains so that animals did not attack them.

Now that the boundary magic was so well developed that there was no reason to go hunting, Emperor Leander II, feeling sorry for the loss of the tradition that had been passed down for a long time, held the hunting competition.

There was a grand cause for continuing tradition, but the competition created was very different from the spring hunting from the early days of the Empire. Now, only the nobles or knights belonging to the nobles were allowed to participate.

“It’s like a picnic for nobles.”

In the past, there were quite a few people who were bitten or killed by animals, so it was said that the whole empire was engulfed in tension in early spring, but now it was different.

The dangerous animals, such as bears and wolves, were handled by professional hunters in advance. Only animals such as deer and foxes ran around when nobles participated. It had been a long time since it turned into an annual event with nothing at risk.

The meaning of the hunting competition was also focused on raising the honor of the family by catching many prey rather than protecting the Empire.

“Why are we talking about the hunting contest so suddenly?

“As you know, I get tired these days. I don’t think my body will recover completely until the hunting competition.”

“Don’t say things like that. You’ll get better soon.”

“I want to think so, but I know my body best.  If I went to the hunting contest with a body like this, I’d be nothing but a burden.”

Yurina wanted to comfort the Marchioness more, but she couldn’t help but talk. She was nervous that the Marchioness health would not improve and that it would only worsen.

“So, why don’t you participate in the hunting contest instead of me this year?”

Yurina blinked blankly, which was advantageous for the sudden proposal, and belatedly opened her mouth.

“What? But mother, I…”

“I know. You’re not an adult yet. But you’ll be seventeen soon. With the permission of your father, you are old enough to participate in the hunting contest on behalf of our family.”

Yurina had not participated in official social activities because she was not an adult. She took part in private gatherings and birthday parties, but nothing in the name of her family.

It wasn’t particularly impossible, but she was reluctant to come out and meet Curtis, the Crown Prince. Until the beginning of the original novel, Yurina didn’t want to be exposed to society as much as possible.

During the hunting competition, she would spend time leisurely at the villa in the Jenus Mountains without officially showing her face. The only thing she had to do throughout the hunting competition was to stay locked up in the villa and play with the maid and hear the news from the servants in real-time.

‘Will it be okay for me to go?’

Yurina could not readily answer.

Curtis was the Crown Prince, but he also did not show his face outwardly before the original work began.

It would be nice to know if “Yurina” participated in the competition around this time in the original work.

It was not mentioned at all because it was a story before the beginning of the original work.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

Little things might have changed when she brought Raynald, but the big picture hadn’t changed yet. She thought that she must have participated in a hunting contest even in the original.

After a brief thought, Yurina nodded.

“Yes, I’ll go instead.”

The answer to this question had already been decided anyway.

What noblewomen did in hunting competitions was boost the morale of families and interact with other families if they did not participate.

Nothing particularly strained your body, but you had to spend a few days in the sun.

If you were healthy, there would be no problem, but it could have been poisonous to the Marchioness, who had to stay indoors comfortably if possible.

Even though Yurina knew that, she couldn’t accept it heartily.

Marchioness Carthia was now the most precious mother to Yurina.

‘Well, nothing’s going to happen.’

Yurina smiled calmly and held the Marchioness’ hand tightly.

“I don’t know if I can do it well, but I’ll do my best.”

“You’re my daughter, so you’ll do well.”

Yurina had to smile brighter to swallow the guilt that came to mind again.

* * *

The decision to participate in the hunting competition was somewhat abrupt, but after that, Yurina began to make necessary preparations quickly. Along with Bessie and other maids, she chose dresses to wear throughout the hunting competition and accessories that match them. The Marchioness educated her to appear externally to people during the hunting competition.

Marquis Carthia informed her of the main contents of the family that frequently interacted with the Carthia family and the family that needed exchanges in the future.

Even though Yurina had more than a month of preparation, she was so busy that she didn’t even know how her days passed. There had been many times when she wished she had two bodies.

Among them, what Yurina paid the most attention to was handkerchiefs for the Marquis and three older brothers during the hunting competition.

‘It’s a classic event of a hunting contest.’

The young knight vowed in front of the Lady, saying he would catch the best prey and make them shine the most, and the lady handed over a carefully embroidered handkerchief to pray for the safe return of such a knight.

Usually, these handkerchiefs are given to lovers or fiancees, but people who did not have lovers or fiancees, such as Yurina, used to give them to their families.

She was making four handkerchiefs in all because she was not confident that one wouldn’t get it. She was worried that if she made the embroidery pattern different, there would be another fight, so she decided to embroider the family crest.

“But I didn’t know it would be this hard.”

Yurina sighed, pressing down her stiff eyes.

Objectively, Yurina’s embroidery skills were pretty good. Her embroidery teacher said that she was sarcastic, but she was praised for being one of the best in the empire. She only found that her family crest was too difficult.

It was a perceived notion that the more prestigious a family was, the more complex the family crest was.

An eagle holding a sword was nice. But having four in the crest made it difficult.

‘When will I finish making it?’

It had already been a week since she started embroidering, but hadn’t completed a single handkerchief. Yurina lifted her embroidered handkerchief to her eye level and observed it, then sighed. At this hour, she thought she had to keep going, so she picked up the needle again but heard a knock.

“Yurina, what are you doing?”

“Can I come in?”

A familiar voice flowed into the room with the sound of the door opening. Yurina quickly hid her handkerchief and embroidery tools behind her back. At the same time, Edwin and Justin Carthia came close to her.

‘I would have gotten caught if I was a little late.’

Yurina smiled in relief.

“What’s wrong?”

Edwin and Justin were Yurina’s second and third brothers, respectively. They were twins so Yurina tied them together and called them “little brothers.”

“Just wanted to see your face.”

“We couldn’t have dinner together because we came late today.”

The two men sat opposite of Yurina and laughed with the same expression. It was only after a brief look that Yurina noticed that the person sitting on the left was Edwin and the person sitting on the right was Justin.

They were so alike that it was hard for their families to recognize them, but if you looked closely, Edwin’s eyes were slightly more droopy than Justin’s.

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning anyway. Why are you here? You must be tired, go to your room and rest.”

Yurina said this because she was worried that the two couldn’t even change their outdoor clothes, but rather, the two eyes were wild as if they were shocked. The blue-gray eyes inherited from Marquis Carthia shook like an earthquake.

“Yurina, you aren’t…happy to see your brothers?”

“Are we bothering you?”

Whew. Yurina inadvertently tried to sigh, but belatedly swallowed it in her throat.