CH 102

Keira: “If they’re going, I will, too.”

Keira put down her pen and said.

Arthur, half-laid on the sofa munching on snacks, answered.

Arthur: “Actually, it would look bad if only the Grand Duke and Lady Cosette would participate.”

In other people’s eyes, Cosette would definitely appear to be the daughter of this family. 

That’s never going to happen.

It was still painful to meet her, but she couldn’t just sit around.

Keira: “So, who’s attending? It’s a hunting competition.” 

Reina answered first.

Reina: “Um, I don’t want to run into my brothers…” 

Keira: “Did you fight?”

Reina: “No, but they keep talking to me about whether it’s time to get married soon.”

Keira: “Really? What about the others?” 

“I can’t go. His Grace the ordered us to guard the mansion.”

“I’m going.”

“As long as nothing else happens, me too.”

“Like Reina, I don’t want to run into my family…”

Keira murmured, putting her finger up. 

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Keira: “Then Sir Joseph can’t go, Dame Reina can’t go, Sir Dylan can go… Hmm, I don’t know about Zeke.”

Keira asked a servant to know her younger brother’s plans. After a while, the servant returned with Zeke.

His answer was firm. 

Zeke: “Of course, I have to go, too. I’m an adult now.”

Thus, the maids packed for the family of four. 

Since they would be staying at the hunting grounds outside the castle for three days, their outing might be considered a family tree. However, the atmosphere in the mansion was dreary, even though it was two days before the event. 

There was no excitement one would usually find ahead of the trip. 

And three out of four members stubbornly rejected Robert’s suggestion that he should prepare a carriage for four.

Keira: “I do not want to. Riding a carriage together twice is enough.”

Zeke: “I don’t want to either. Is there anything more than can ruin my mood before we even arrive?”

Ludwig: “I guess you didn’t see what the atmosphere was like during meal times.”

The only one who answered in favor was Cosette.

Cosette: “I think it would be fun if the four of us ride together!”

Of course, the majority vote didn’t accept it.

In the end, only Cosette, who was not good at horseback riding, agreed to ride on a carriage while the other three would go on their horses.

So, the party left the mansion on the day of the hunting competition.

‘I’m glad I don’t have to hear the chatter the whole way.’

But, to her disappointment, not long after leaving, a carriage approached Keira.

Keira: “Ah…”

She needed to move quickly.

But before she could speed up, the window of the carriage opened, and Cosette stuck out her head.

Cosette: “Is that a new riding outfit? How stylish!”

Keira: “It’s not.”

Cosette: “Oh, sorry. I got a new one, so I thought you did, too.”

Keira, who was about to move away, stopped at those words. 

Keira: “Did you get a riding outfit?”

Cosette: “Yes. I don’t have one, so I had to have one made.”

Keira: “…Why?”

Cosette: “Why? You can’t exactly wear a dress to participate in a hunting competition.”

Cosette tilted her head. 

Keira frowned and said.

Keira: “It sounds like you’re going to hunt directly and not just watch.”

Cosette: “It’s not just a one-day event; it’s three days. How can I endure it if I get bored because I’m just a spectator?”

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No, how are you going to hunt?

Instead of asking that question, Keira bit her lip.

‘It takes a lot of training to handle the bow proficiently.’

In fact, it was strange that a person who grew up with an elderly herbalist couple in the mountains all her life knew aristocratic etiquette.

Let’s say she learned it when Count Weinberg took her in and she stayed there for a few days.

‘But she couldn’t have done that with a bow.’

Rather than pointing out that fact, Keira chose to keep it to herself. 

Pulling on the reins, she said.

Keira: “Is that so? Do your best. Then, I’ll see you when I get there.”

Cosette: “Oh, wait. Keira, I’m bored, let’s talk…”

If Keira wanted to listen to her babble on, she wouldn’t have refused the carriage. 

Keira turned her head away and approached her younger brother ahead of her. He’d be a good riding partner until they reach their destination.

It didn’t take much time to get to the hunting ground outside the castle wall. 

When the party arrived, the already completed barracks greeted them. 

They were told it was prepared a few days before the event. A temporary stable for keeping the horses and a kitchen were also installed. 

Keira saw the flags with the emblems of the participating families fluttering in the wind. The largest flag displayed the Imperial insignia. 

She heard that the Crown Prince would attend on the Emperor’s behalf.

Once they’ve cleaned up and settled, they would have to go straight to greet him.

“That’s Her Ladyship’s barracks.”

Her attendant led her to the dark blue barracks.

Zeke: “Noonim, see you later.”

Zeke went on to follow the attendant leading him elsewhere. 

Keira had participated in hunting competitions a couple of times before her return, so she wasn’t reluctant to live in a barracks for three days.

However, there was a problem.

“Wow, it’s big!”

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Only two barracks were assigned to each family– one for women and one for men. That meant that she and Cosette had to spend three days in one barracks. 

Cosette, who got off the carriage, jumped and shouted.

Cosette: “I thought it was like a camping site because you said it was a hunting ground. It’s really big!”

Her voice was quite loud and drew attention from people around them. 

Since there weren’t any significant social events during the winter, it was the first time since Zeke’s birthday party that Cosette appeared in front of many people. 

People whispered as they watched the two ladies stand side-by-side.

“She was thinking of something like a campsite, a campsite.”

“It’s a hunting ground owned by the Imperial family…”

“Why? Isn’t it cute that she looks so innocent? It’s better than being annoying and stuck-up.”

Perhaps the murmurs had reached Cosette’s ears because she gave a rare, perplexed expression. 

Of course, Keira knew at once that it was all acting. After all, she had suffered a lot from it.

Cosette: “I guess I draw a lot of attention.”

Keira: “Of course. You screamed loudly.”

“…”

Then Cosette’s expression hardened subtly, the change invisible to the people standing behind her. 

Their eyes met, and it felt like there was an invisible spark of fire.

‘It’s going to be very interesting living together for three days.’

Keira already had that feeling. 

Just then, Cosette’s gaze shifted slightly, and her lips parted. Soon, she smiled again and said. 

Cosette: “Keira, I think you have a guest.”

Keira: “Hmm?”

Cosette: “Behind you.”

She didn’t seem to be pretending. When Keira looked back, a person was standing there.

‘Kka, that scared me.’

It was Erez. He should have at least given her a sign that he was coming.

The dark navy horseback riding suit went well with his blond hair, and it looked pretty cool. 

With a friendly smile, he reached out his hand.

Erez: “Nice to see you again, Your Ladyship.”

Keira: “It’s only been a few days.”

Keira grabbed his hand in the freezing cold.

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Erez mentioned that he was engrossed in magic research, and it would be hard to see him in the capital, so she wondered how he managed to attend such a place.

Then Cosette suddenly interrupted and said. 

Cosette: “You know him? How handsome. Can you introduce me?”

In light of past experiences, this was the first step Cosette made. Keira wondered if there was some kind of disease that could cause seizures if she didn’t make the young men she liked into her worker bees. 

However, Keira couldn’t say no, so she officially introduced them.

Keira: “This is Mr. Erez Shore, the magician of the Tower and the son of Viscount Shore.”

Cosette: “Oh, you’re the magician of the Tower! It’s my first time seeing one in person, so it’s fascinating! Oh, by the way. I’m Cosette Parvis. You’ve heard of my name, right? It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

And she extended a hand. Erez smiled softly and took it.

Erez: “It’s nice to meet you.”

Cosette: “I’m humbled.”

It was a standard greeting that could only be found in a conversation textbook. Except that the handshake between the two was getting long enough to be out of the ordinary.