~Chapter 110~
Going hunting with her ex-husband…
At those words, Riden’s face briefly turned serious.
‘Since I’m a beginner, even if I miss with a crossbow, no one would suspect me, right?’
No, that’s going too far, Riden McCurry. Get a hold of yourself.
The ridiculous thought made her laugh softly to herself, and Ethan, watching her curiously, answered.
“Of course there’s no reason not to. Let it be so.”
“Thank you, Your Excellency.”
Damian bowed his head in gratitude, looking slightly awkward.
“To be honest, I don’t have much experience with hunting, so I thought I’d only be a burden… I found it hard to ask for another team to take me, but thanks to your consideration, I’m relieved.”
“Don’t worry about it. The hunting festival isn’t a war, it’s a celebration. And…”
Ethan gave a short laugh and placed a hand on Riden’s shoulder.
“We already have quite the burden with us, so adding one more won’t make much difference.”
Yes! I’m the burden.
Even being treated like baggage didn’t bother Riden in the least.
Instead, she bent gracefully at the waist, as if she were being praised as someone important.
“Welcome, Sir Damian. I was embarrassed to be the only burden, but now that there’s more, I’m glad.”
She hadn’t expected to end up with her ex-husband in the same team. It was going to be a little troublesome.
But in the cheerful atmosphere, there was no justification for opposing his transfer.
Riden glanced at the many handkerchiefs Damian was carrying and smiled faintly.
‘It’ll be fine. He must be too busy living his new life to recognize any trace of his former wife.’
And just as Ethan had said, she decided to focus on her own role.
To act as the future duchess.
To find the holy relic hidden in this place.
By then, the hunting festival would pass in the blink of an eye.
Riden linked her arm with Ethan’s and smiled brightly.
“I’m really looking forward to the hunting festival.”
They set out after a hearty lunch.
“Return with the glory of Travium!”
With the lord’s booming voice and the sharp blast of a horn, the start of the great march to the Silver Hunting Grounds was announced.
Flags of each hunting team rose high and fluttered in the wind. From her horse, Riden glanced back.
Some waved handkerchiefs high from inside their tents, wishing hunters well, while others climbed the walls to watch the grand procession.
The sight from above must have been spectacular.
‘It feels just like going to war.’
The pounding of hooves shook the ground, and the great beating of drums thundered in the air, making the moment even more solemn.
“Doesn’t it feel just like marching into battle, my lady?”
Ack!
Startled by Damian’s voice so close by, Riden turned her head quickly.
She had been placed toward the safer rear center of the formation as someone to be protected, and Damian was given the same treatment.
‘Don’t speak as if you can read my mind, you scared me.’
Her heart pounded wildly.
The drums echoing in the sky only made it worse.
Now with his ash-gray hair and violet eyes, Damian waited calmly for her answer.
“Yes, it really does. I feel like a soldier heading to war.”
Calm down. He doesn’t know who I really am.
Besides, hadn’t she even brought Mari as bait to divert his attention?
Riden steadied her heart and continued naturally.
“But seeing that you came to the rear, you don’t seem too ambitious. Among the young ladies who gave you their handkerchiefs, quite a few must be hoping you’ll bring back prey for them. Don’t you want to meet their expectations?”
In other words: stop standing near me and go to the front.
But he only smiled.
“A man needs someone worth pleasing to feel that way. A handkerchief alone isn’t enough to stir my heart.”
So… he doesn’t have anyone he’s interested in?
At those words, Riden looked toward the supply wagons.
Since the hunting festival lasted more than a day, wagons carried food, tents, and supplies.
And Mari was riding in one of them.
Mari had no interest in the actual hunt. Like other noble ladies, she came to give a handkerchief to a man she liked and wait for someone to dedicate prey to her. Riden had encouraged her to attend.
If Mari was here, Damian would focus on her instead of bothering Riden.
‘He still doesn’t know Mari is the manager? Even while living in the same house?’
Even if he didn’t know, shouldn’t his eyes naturally be drawn to her? Shouldn’t his heart stir, seeing the very woman he once had an affair with?
‘Your great love is right there in front of you, Hwang Sung-min. Recognize her already.’
She wanted to sneer at him like that, but she held back.
Riden’s mood slowly settled.
Was it better if his feelings for the manager were overwhelming, or if they were trivial? She wasn’t sure which would hurt less.
Either way, both options were awful.
When she first found out about their affair, it had felt sudden.
Even though they fought often, she had never once suspected he might cheat.
Why? Why had she never doubted him?
‘I was just stupid, that’s all.’
They met in college and only ever looked at each other.
Many couples break up once or twice before marrying, but not them.
So she never even imagined another person could stand beside her “family.”
“…….”
Riden glanced at Damian with self-mockery hidden in her smile.
To him, it would just look like an ordinary smile.
“Those young ladies who gave you handkerchiefs would be sad to hear that.”
“Would they really? They don’t truly know me, yet they like me.”
She had no desire to share deep words with him, so she answered lightly.
“You must be the type who takes a long time to fall in love. You need to know a lot about the person first, right?”
Damian gazed into the air for a moment, his violet eyes sinking into memories. Soon they brightened again, and he spoke with a shy expression.
“Actually… no, I don’t need to know everything before I fall in love. Because…”
He rolled his eyes, stopped, and firmed his face again.
“I’m talking too much nonsense. Anyway, what matters to me is that the other person truly understands me.”
“Why don’t you ever understand me? How long will you pretend not to, Da-in?”
In an instant, Riden remembered the words he used to say after their fights.
‘Back then, I thought I knew you. But if you went so far as to cheat, then I guess I never did. I really believed you weren’t the worst.’
Riden smiled at him again—but this time not in self-mockery.
Because now, she realized she would never hear those words from him again.
“Sir Damian, I truly hope you find such a person one day. I mean it.”
“……”
Until now, he had smiled easily, but at her sincere words, his smile faded. He only blinked quietly.
“…Thank you, my lady.”
After a moment of thought, he smiled again.
“But… I think I just realized why His Excellency fell for you. Do you want me to tell you?”
‘What nonsense. No, I don’t!’
For a second, she almost snapped at him.
Instead, Riden widened her eyes in mock surprise and shook her head.
“What would be the point of hearing that from you? I’ll hear it directly from His Excellency.”
Don’t lose your cool—it’ll show.
She forced a smile to her lips.
“When you fall for someone, Sir Damian, tell her instead. She’ll want to know. As for me, I’m fine.”
“……”
“Well then, I should return to His Excellency. He’s very jealous, so I have to be careful.”
She nudged her horse’s side with her calf and urged it forward.
“And Sir Damian… why not go see Mari? She can’t ride, so she’s in the wagon. She must be bored.”
Riden’s horse carried her quickly toward Ethan at the front.
For some reason, Damian couldn’t help but keep his gaze fixed on her retreating figure.
Riden McCurry was a woman who conveyed many emotions through her eyes.
She reminded him of Da-in, who used to say more with her gaze than with words.
‘She’s the protagonist, after all.’
Of course she stirred people’s hearts—protagonists were made to be captivating, to shake those around them.
Even knowing that, Damian thought bitterly to himself as he followed her trace with his eyes:
To be moved by someone inside a novel when I’m not even part of it… how foolish.
