CH 29

“Rupert, I’m so happy to be with you on this eve.”

“Ah, yes.”

Chloe had been smiling and talking to him since earlier, but Rupert answered half-heartedly as if he had something else in mind.

It’s not that he didn’t care; he wasn’t able to listen to Chloe next to him because he had been focusing on the noise around him. Given his excellent skills, his hearing was much better than others.

“Heh, I heard your husband has a lover. If you continue acting so snobbish, you’ll end up sucking your own fingers, alone and discarded.”

He flinched.

The target of such an insult was none other than Erin.

Rupert, unknowingly, tried to turn in that direction. If it weren’t for Chloe, who was holding onto him, he certainly would have done so.

“Rupert?”

“No, no. It’s nothing.”

“There seems to be some noise over there. Shall we go?”

It was fortunate that Chloe wanted to go to the same place as he did. Rupert walked obediently to the direction she had pointed.

“You don’t really look in the mirror, do you? You’re not my type. I’d rather suck my pretty fingers than dance with some knight to get points.”

Advertisements

Erin’s shrill voice pierced his ears. Rupert swept his face with his hands. It was a genuinely unconscious act.

Who was that rude bastard? He wanted to confirm his identity, but wasn’t the man trying to take off his gloves?

Was he insane? It wasn’t enough that he made a fuss; he had to challenge a girl to a duel? And the future Duchess Clifford at that?

Rupert unconsciously untangled himself from Chloe and tried to step forward, but someone else got hit by the glove before he could, and he stopped.

It was Prince Enoch.

Again and again, the Crown Prince kept meddling in Erin’s affairs. Always a beat faster than Rupert. And he said he didn’t want her to be his mistress?

“Rupert, I think he’s really going to fight with His Highness.”

Only then did he remember that Chloe was still beside him. Rupert calmed down and patted her slender hands on his arm.

“If it’s hard to see, why don’t we go somewhere else?”

“No, it is a rare sight I want to take a look too.”

A man leading the bet and collecting money approached them. Chloe’s eyes twinkled, showing interest. She shook his arm slightly, so Rupert put a coin in one basket.

The place where he tossed the coin was Ron’s basket.

My heart was pounding the whole time I watched it.

The man named Ron continued to attack Enoch. Enoch avoided all of his attacks, twisting little by little without much movement.

People booed Ron from time to time, and cheers for the Crown Prince grew louder and louder. However, Enoch didn’t attack at all, so it looked like Ron was getting the upper hand at first glance.

While the duel took place, the music continued to play, and the women admired Enoch’s handsome face and criticized Ron for attacking.

I joined in and cheered for Enoch. Every time Ron clenched his fist and swung it, my eyes closed tightly. What if Enoch got hurt?

I was looking around nervously when I suddenly heard a pop. I stared in disbelief at what had happened in the blink of an eye.

Enoch’s legs were up, and Ron was lying around, cradling his chin.

“Uh, what?”

People were confused.

Advertisements

Rather than Enoch kicking Ron, it was more accurate to say that Ron, who was running to attack, collided with Enoch’s raised foot.

Anyway, Ron, who was rolling on the floor in pain, eventually lost consciousness.

The audience, who had been quietly trying to grasp the situation, burst into cheers.

“Waaaah! His Highness won!”

“You’re so cool, Crown Prince Enoch!”

Those who bet on the Crown Prince were especially happy and ran around the place. Those who cheered for Ron began to scatter, giving Ron an annoyed look. Nevertheless, they seemed to be having fun as well.

“Count.”

“Your Highness.”

As soon as I saw him, I curtsied, and Enoch bowed his head in response, his hand outstretched.

When our eyes met, he closed his emerald eyes and smiled. Then he raised one hand politely and said, “What do you think about my face? Do you like it?”

“That… You heard me?”

He shrugged and pointed to his hand with a wink. I quickly looked around. Then my eyes met Chloe, who waved her hand with a harmless smile.

What’s up with that? Was she looking at me and saying hello?

I turned my gaze back to Enoch. Standing there, he murmured with a slightly glum look, “If it doesn’t suit your taste either…”

“T-that’s not it!”

I hurriedly grabbed his retreating hand. Enoch’s face couldn’t be my cup of tea.

It shouldn’t suit my taste. I thought I’d be full just by looking at his face.

“Your Highness is handsome.”

It made no sense for Enoch to be depressed because of his looks. I said that to him without realizing it, and it was only when I saw Enoch’s strange expression that I realized what I had said.

My face heated up.

“I mean, my taste… that…”

The more I spoke, the more flustered I felt. I just chose to keep my mouth shut, and Enoch, who was staring at me, finally burst out laughing.

Advertisements

“Hahaha, that’s a relief.”

He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. I thought I’d bump into his chest, but he clasped my hands and turned me around.

“Your Highness, Your Highness…!”

Lively music has been playing since earlier. I ended up dancing to his lead, and people’s attention soon drifted to their respective partners.

From a distance, I could see Marchioness Raphael dancing with a young man who had just been given a knighthood.

It was fun. I’ve never been here before.

After playing for a long time, I was exhausted, gulped down the beer someone gave me, then Enoch led me to someplace quiet.

Maybe it was because I drank too quickly, or maybe Erin’s body had a low tolerance to alcohol, but soon I felt tipsy.

“You look a little drunk, Count.”

“Ah… that’s right. But it’s been a long time since I had fun.”

Enoch took me to a large tree in the middle of the mountain. The thick branches of the tree stretched out to the side just enough to sit on.

He climbed up first and reached out to me, and I glanced down before looking at his hand. I wouldn’t die if I fell, but it was high enough that I might break a leg.

“It’s okay. Look at me, not below.”

Enoch’s voice was soft, but it had the power to move people.

Eventually, I climbed up the tree. Or course, I had to rely mostly on the strength of Enoch’s arms. He was stronger than he looked as he lifted me without much effort.

Sitting on the tree, I could see the night sky.

It was a bit disappointing that it was cloudy today, so I couldn’t see the stars. The only good thing about coming here was that the sky was clear, and I could see the stars well.

“Count Spilet.”

Enoch, who was quiet, called for me and held up his index finger as if to look here. Then, after confirming that I was looking at his fingertips, he drew a circle in the air.

“Ah…”

I looked at his fingers in brief admiration. Glittering light flowed from his fingertips, and the light quickly went up, scattering widely and decorating the night sky.

And it started exploding like fireworks.

Those who were still chatting below shouted joyfully when someone pointed to the night sky.

My mouth was ajar as I stared at the scene before me. Even without looking at Enoch, I could feel his gaze on me.

But I still couldn’t answer him. So, aware of Enoch’s gaze, I fixed my eyes only on the sky. I felt sorry for the emerald eyes falling for me, but I let it be.

Ron woke up in his barracks.

The moment the prince’s kick hit him, it hurt so much he couldn’t make a sound. He seemed to have been carried here after he lost consciousness, forgetting the feeling of shame.

“Ugh, I’m crazy.”

At first, he tried to be gentle since his opponent was the Crown Prince. But his pride wouldn’t let him lose.

But the Crown Prince was faster than he looked, and he never ceased to catch him off guard. It was inevitable for him to faint when he ran at him with all his might and was hit with a force equal to that speed.

Ron thought the Crown Prince might be better than expected, but half thought it was just luck. He blamed himself for not showing off his skills properly due to his drunkenness and excitement.

“It’s a shame. It was a chance to defeat the Crown Prince once.”

Advertisements

Scratching his head, Ron got up and walked out of the barracks. His stomach still throbbed.

Before long, the eve of the hunt was almost over, and only a few people gathered outside since most had returned to their barracks.

As he went into the gloomy forest to relieve himself, someone blocked his way.

“Who…” Ron looked at the stranger’s face and stopped. “Lord Clifford…”

“That’s right. You flirted with my wife and challenged her to a duel.”

“That, it’s not like that–Ack!”

Ron shrieked at the kick that went straight to his shin, and he keeled over in pain. But a gloomy voice from above him shut his mouth.

“Don’t make a sound. I’ll add one more each time I hear a sound.”

After a few hits, Rupert shook his hands and went back to his tent. Ron was beaten without making a single sound, and the next day he had to rush back to the capital.

Rumors that his ugly face looked even uglier because of swelling circulated for a while but soon disappeared.