IDIBC Chapter 67

Summer Hunt (5)

“Are you saying that you intend to elevate Lady Fennel to the rank of saintess?”

“Without a doubt. Count Sparrow.”

People inhaled sharply.

“Has Duke Rochester also permitted this?”

The Duke, who had remained silent until now, stood up holding the glass before him.

With an expression of utter ease that was a carbon copy of Ricardo’s, he smiled.

“A man who doesn’t listen to his wife doesn’t live long.”

Having finished speaking lightly, the Duke gently clinked his glass against the Duchess’s. The clear sound of glass striking glass rang out through the open forest.

“Now then, Rochester will handle the matter of the Rochester saintess ourselves, so you all go about your business.”

The Duke raised his glass toward the Emperor, then emptied it in one gulp. He raised the empty glass toward the sky with a brilliant smile.

“Don’t the beasts of the forest grow more ferocious after sunset?”

At these words declaring the gathering dismissed, the ducal house’s vassals moved first. Vassals were people who could pour out complaints about this and that toward the Duke within the household, but outside, they were those who unconditionally obeyed the head of the family.

As befitting the heads of the Rochester vassal families, they took the lead in the hunt first.

“Let’s go too.”

Ricardo, who had been maintaining eye contact with me until now, slowly closed his eyelids and lifted them again. Like a frog released from a spell, I bounced slightly on my horse.

“Yes…”

When I answered quietly like someone guilty of a crime, Ricardo slowly urged his horse toward where the vassals stood. I whispered to my horse’s ear once more. Since things had come to this, please walk gracefully.

As we approached the vassals side by side, the heads of the vassal families turned their horses’ heads and parted to either side. Ricardo and I moved to stand at the very front of them.

He smiled leisurely and spoke lightly to the people.

“This year’s victory will also go to Rochester.”

In the eyes of the men looking at Ricardo, there was certainty without a shred of doubt.

At the appearance of the next head of the family, even the dogs fell silent. Goosebumps rose on the back of my neck at the suddenly unfolding majestic atmosphere.

As he positioned himself toward the most treacherous forest, the dogs began barking as if that were permission.

At the same time, my insides, which had been staring at him blankly until now, clamored noisily.

‘Surely not…’

“Don’t even think about returning until you’ve run the fastest and caught the biggest beast.”

‘No, no. Rica. You’re not planning to run now, are you?’

I’d rather be burned at the stake. Better than falling off a horse while riding and breaking my neck to death.

Even if I didn’t die, I would die anyway. If I fell off in such a majestic atmosphere, I’d choke to death from shame anyway.

“Um, excuse me…”

When I called out in a dying voice, Ricardo glanced down at me. I clamped my mouth shut and desperately shook my head at him.

‘Please… I can’t ride horses. Hmm? You know that. You know, right? You’re doing this even though you know. You’re getting revenge now because I said I’d stay by your side on my own, aren’t you? Right?’

He closed his eyes briefly. Somehow it seemed like he was holding back laughter, but surely… that couldn’t be?

“Don’t worry.”

As Ricardo stretched and leaned his body long, his large shadow completely covered me.

“No matter what happens, I’ll catch you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, smack—he struck my horse’s rear. My body seemed to snap backward, then swung forward again with the recoil.

Instinctively gripping the reins tight, the creature carrying me began running forward. It was as if I had taken the lead among the vassals.

Ricardo immediately filled the space beside me, and the sound of hoofbeats carrying people filled the forest. As I flailed with a panicked expression, Ricardo reached out to take the reins, then used his horse to help mine move in the right direction.

Thanks to that, I only trembled in confusion for a moment.

Soon my movements synchronized with the horse, and before entering the rough forest path, the plain that spread out came into view. The wind that had felt muggy approached refreshingly. The breeze brushing past my nose scattered my hair and carried the forest’s fragrance.

“Ah…”

So riding horses is this fun.

When I had the leisure to look around, I looked at Ricardo first. My heart trembled anew at his smooth forehead fully revealed by the wind and his sharply extended profile.

Noble and graceful Ricardo.

Though I couldn’t know what words this beautiful man would soon say to me, this moment would surely become a memory to cherish.

****

Ricardo and I separated from the group and climbed the mountain path. We were heading to the highest point accessible on horseback.

As befitting a hunting ground that had been used for grand hunts for a long time, the paths where horses could run were well-maintained. Though still a densely forested path, it was wide enough for two horses to walk side by side.

Yet I didn’t walk beside Ricardo but followed slightly behind, hesitating. Because I had an idea of why he had separated from the group to come here.

“Wow.”

But when we reached the middle of the mountain, I forgot all circumstances and simply admired it purely. Because of the beautiful scenery spread before the open view.

Standing on a rock that jutted out abruptly, the entire forest fit in one view. Far away at the entrance to the hunting grounds, people still remained here and there. It was high enough that you had to look carefully to know they were people.

Below the massive rock that fell away like a cliff, there was also a large lake.

I had only thought Dermeier’s forest was bigger and rougher than Resotia’s forest, but seeing it from above, even the densely packed spruce forest in the distance created an atmosphere that was somehow sad and mysterious rather than majestic.

“It’s a remarkably wonderful place.”

“Yes, and a place where the sun sets quickly.”

“Then… we should hurry down.”

“Lienne.”

Ricardo called my name quietly. I somehow wanted to run away, guessing what words would follow that call.

“When did you start thinking such things?”

“What do you mean by ‘such things’?”

Though he wasn’t interrogating me about wrongdoing, my tone became sharp.

“It didn’t seem like you were hearing the Duchess’s words for the first time today.”

“That’s right, it was all discussed beforehand. She asked if I wanted to stay by your side, Young Duke, and I said I did. You know well. That I like you, Young Duke.”

Seated higher than me, his emotionless gaze seemed to press down on me, so I raised my head more stiffly.

“I know, we’re making eye contact even now.”

“The Duchess told me to try it as long as I wanted. To stand up to you if I wanted you. That she would give me the qualification to do so.”

“…”

“When the Duchess said she would do that for me, what woman in the world could remain detached in front of such an offer? Don’t you think?”

Even to my question seeking agreement, Ricardo remained silent throughout. Before the meaning of his silence showed, my heart kept feeling wronged.

“You made me desire it. You gave me flowers, gave me smiles, covered me with your clothes.”

Ricardo locked his jaw tightly and tilted his head slightly. Whether he was angry or holding back something was indistinguishable, but like someone who had reached a dead end, I poured out words without fear.

“I’m not asking for much. I just want to be with you. To share gazes like sharing food, to mix laughter like mixing words, to be by your side like breathing—that’s all I want.”

I want to love and be loved. Though I didn’t say it aloud, there was no way he didn’t understand what my eyes were saying. Even so, he didn’t open his mouth.

“I’m not saying I’ll hold on completely. When the saintess appears and if, truly, she is your companion, Young Duke… then I’ll leave without regrets.”

“Lienne.”

Just my name being called made my heart collapse. Because I knew the sigh mixed in those three syllables was his answer.

“Then I’ll just watch to see if you become happy, if you smile happily, and then leave.”

“That won’t happen. You must board the ship as my fiancée no matter what. For now, that’s the safest method.”

“Really… it can’t be?”

And I finally clung to him.

Sabrina’s painful advice that a woman is finished the moment she clings was useless. Even knowing that if that man, cold as an ice wall, decided to push me away, I could do nothing.

Even knowing that with the faint warmth remaining at my fingertips, I couldn’t melt even a fingernail’s worth of that cold wall.

Because that was all I could do. Because I knew nothing else.

“It can’t be. You will leave Dermeier before the saintess arrives at the ducal estate. Together with your family.”

As expected, Ricardo had not a shred of hesitation. Doesn’t he know that words can be as sharp as knife blades?

“What if I don’t want to?”

“It’s not a matter of wanting or not wanting.”

“Even though the manifestation appeared, and with the awakening too?”

It was a decision made without even asking his opinion.

Shameless, thoughtless, irrational. The self-criticism I directed at myself stirred around in my head, but the resentful words didn’t stop.

“Do you hate me that much?”

“I never said that.”

While I was being tossed about like a sailboat beneath a storm, I resented this man who even in this situation displayed such smooth handling of his gaze.

“If you don’t hate me, why did you drag me up to such a high place just to interrogate me?”

“I never interrogated you.”