Chapter 51
* * *
Because of the Empress’s selfish desire to educate only her precious son, Lionel’s volunteer work—which had seemed like it would last forever—finally came to an end.
The reason was simple.
“A hunting competition?”
“Yes. Starting this year, I have been ordered to attend in His Majesty the Emperor’s place and achieve good results so as not to damage the honor of the imperial family.”
Lionel was eating cookies, and I was sipping tea. Even while doing that, we were holding hands tightly.
And because of the Empress’s orders, we were not allowed to be alone together in a private room, so the servants and maids of the Second Prince’s palace—and Eunice—were all watching us.
‘Why are they staring so hard? This is embarrassing.’
Embarrassing or not, mana was still mana. I casually moved the flowers in the vase on the desk with wind magic while taking another sip of tea.
‘Good! The efficiency increased!’
I carefully calculated in my head the amount of mana I used for the spell and the amount flowing into me through our joined hands, while continuing the conversation.
“So this is your first time attending the hunting competition? You didn’t even go to watch last year?”
“No. I have never attended.”
He looked and acted so mature that I kept forgetting, but last year Lionel had only been fifteen.
Honestly, even sixteen seemed a bit young to attend a hunting competition—but if the Emperor ordered it, what could he do?
‘More importantly, I think something big happened around this time in the novel…’
Since the novel began when Lionel ascended the throne, this point in time was part of the past.
Maybe that was why the events of this period were only briefly explained. My memory was vague.
While I was struggling to remember, Lionel asked me,
“Will you attend the hunting competition as well, Lili?”
“Me? No. I’m not going. I mean, I can’t.”
I hadn’t made my debut in high society yet, so I couldn’t attend official events like that.
More accurately, if I attended the hunting competition, it would become my social debut—so it was more correct to say I wouldn’t go.
‘Putting aside my opinion, my family would never allow it anyway…’
And there was one very important reason why I couldn’t go.
“I don’t like seeing blood. Whether it’s shooting with a bow or cutting with a sword… ugh.”
Just imagining it made my skin crawl and my hair stand on end.
When I wrapped an arm around myself and shivered, Lionel nodded as if he understood.
“Then it would be better for you not to attend, in many ways.”
“Yes. But I’ll hear the news, so you have to do well. Okay?”
“I understand.”
“Don’t shoot small birds. Only catch big, scary ones like bears or wolves.”
“I understand.”
No matter what I said, Lionel simply nodded obediently.
I was feeling pleased at how well my fiancé listened when I suddenly felt a strong gaze on me.
When I turned my head, Eunice was looking at me with eyes full of pity.
‘What?’
I mouthed the question, and she quickly shook her head, flustered.
As I tilted my head in confusion, I felt the warmth leave my hand.
I turned to see Lionel wiping cookie crumbs from his hand with a handkerchief.
“By the way, Lili. The cookie tastes a little different.”
“Wow, you can tell the difference? My mother baked these herself.”
Although the baker was different, the ingredients and recipe were the same, so the difference shouldn’t have been big. I was impressed he noticed.
“This one tastes better, right? My mother is really, really good at baking. Even the head chef can’t match her when it comes to cookies.”
I was proudly talking about my mother’s skills—about the rose tea and the cookies—when Lionel suddenly said something unexpected.
“Does the Duchess wish to build a closer relationship with me?”
“Huh?”
What was he talking about?
“Did you not say that baking cookies yourself was for the sake of strengthening our relationship?”
“What—?”
Ah!
“That cookie. I baked it.”
“Truly? Why would you do the chef’s work yourself?”
“Why else? To build a closer bond with my fiancé.”
“No! No! My mother’s cookies taste better, so I brought them on purpose so you could eat something tastier!”
“There are many delicious cookies in the imperial palace.”
“What? No? I think my mother’s are the best.”
I glared firmly, unwilling to give in on this point. But Lionel said something else entirely.
“Wasn’t the important thing that you baked them yourself for me, rather than the taste?”
“Well… yes?”
That was true. I had said that.
‘Still… that’s unexpected.’
I thought Lionel would naturally prefer the tastier cookies.
“Then… shall I bake them myself next time?”
“Yes.”
That answer came quickly.
“Cough. Alright. I’ll bring cookies I baked myself next time.”
Well, I give him plenty of mana every time we meet. Baking cookies isn’t too much to ask!
“It’s fine that I don’t go to the hunting competition, right?”
“Yes. It’s fine.”
“Good. I’ll pray from afar that you achieve good results.”
“Thank you.”
Since Lionel simply nodded without saying anything else, I truly believed I didn’t have to attend.
I found out that wasn’t the case while riding home in the carriage.
* * *
“What? A handkerchief?”
“Yes. Before the hunting competition begins, you must personally tie it to his bow. Anyone who goes hunting without anything tied to their bow—man or woman—will be humiliated.”
At Eunice’s explanation, I could only stare with my mouth open.
No one told me that!
“Then what about people who don’t have fiancés?”
“In that case, they receive a handkerchief from another family member.”
“What if they have no family?”
“A friend or a relative… But honestly, someone that lonely usually doesn’t attend the hunting competition at all. They would only be mocked.”
That’s so harsh. What if someone has no family, no friends, no fiancé—but still wants to hunt?
“But Lionel is the Second Prince. Wouldn’t there be at least one person around him who could tie a handkerchief?”
“My lady. If he has a fiancée but carries a bow tied with another woman’s handkerchief, that would be an even bigger problem.”
“Why? …Don’t tell me it’s basically announcing to the world that I’m cheating?”
“Yes.”
Ah, social life is so difficult!
“Then if he has a fiancée but goes with nothing tied to his bow, couldn’t people just think, ‘Oh, his fiancée didn’t attend’?”
“No. They would think their relationship is so bad that she didn’t even come to support him.”
Eunice looked at me with a complicated expression, as if thinking, I thought our young lady was smart. How does she not know this?
“But I’m only sixteen and haven’t even debuted in society yet.”
If Lionel attending the competition as a minor was unusual, then shouldn’t it also be unusual for his same-aged fiancée not to attend?
“There is a way. You could go before the official start and secretly tie it for him.”
“So I just need to not be there after it officially begins?”
“For now, yes. In your case, people will understand if you say you came only to tie your fiancé’s handkerchief.”
“So I have to go either way…”
I hugged the bouquet Lionel had given me and sank deep into the soft carriage seat.
‘A hunting ground.’
I really, really didn’t want to go. I sighed deeply.
But what choice did I have? My fiancé’s reputation was at stake.
“By the way, my lady… Earlier you told His Highness not to shoot small birds.”
“Yes. Why?”
“No reason. I was just wondering if there was a special reason you specifically mentioned not shooting small birds.”
