An arrow was shot to announce the opening of the tournament.
A blue ribbon symbolizing the blessing of the gods was tied to the flagpole.
Mikhail, whom I briefly saw from afar, seemed so focused on Rilke that he didn’t even notice I was gone. He’d notice soon enough, but now I had become a discarded card, so he wouldn’t scold me too harshly.
In one corner of the grand mansion, there was a place with many cats.
I heard it was because Count Quina’s sister didn’t chase the cats away and let them roam freely, which was rare for a noble family’s estate.
Behind the mansion, beneath an oak tree situated along a path, there was a soft space where sunlight slanted in. As I slowly approached, the cats lying down glanced up to check. They swished their tails gently, then stretched out their legs and lay down, as if deciding I was nothing special.
After soaking up the light beside them for quite a while, I ended up sitting with my backside touching three cats. Even though all sorts of noise occasionally assaulted us from beyond the mansion, the cats were remarkably peaceful.
“Magnificent cats.”
Someone came over from the path.
It was a man I’d never seen before.
“May I pet them?”
Judging by his attire, he was a nobleman.
Except for me, this was the first time a visitor had shown interest in the cats at this mansion, so I felt pleased.
When I gave up the popular spot I’d been occupying, the man sat down beside me. Only then did I realize there was a strong smell of alcohol coming from him.
“Why aren’t you answering my question?”
The man asked. I could feel his gaze on me rather than on the cats the whole time.
“Shouldn’t you be asking their permission rather than mine?”
Stop looking at me and look at the cats. I indicated with my eyes.
The man chuckled and spoke to the cats. Meow meow, as he wiggled his feet and spoke halfheartedly, the cats reacted as if wondering where a hunting dog was barking.
After doing that a few times, the man suddenly reached out his hand.
“What—”
I almost got caught.
The cats, startled by my sudden movement, raised their heads sharply.
“They gave me permission though? They said I could touch.”
The man shouted as he tried to grab me again.
“Come here! There’s a Whipflail here!”
That was the name of a circus troupe that trained animals.
My face hardened. The man’s reddish face was smiling unpleasantly with a feeling I’d experienced before.
In an instant, four or five more people appeared. They were all staggering, as if drunk.
The cats were already far away, as if on guard.
“A clown appeared? Where’s the whip—is it?”
Laughter burst out. They bantered with each other in slurred speech, looking this way with interest and mockery.
The more fun they were having, the calmer my mind became.
First of all, there are no alphas.
And I can’t let myself be surrounded.
Fortunately, they were drunkards. If I just stayed calm, I was confident I could easily escape. As I was pondering which of the many empty gaps to target, footsteps were heard again from the path.
“Sir Lifros?”
It didn’t take long for the men, who seemed to know him since he’d recently become famous, to run away.
“How did you come here?”
I expressed my gratitude to Sir Lifros and asked.
The knight, who had his hand on his sword hilt, turned to look at me. He appeared to have come straight from the hunting grounds, wearing a navy blue uniform with silver ornaments. Sir Lifros was smiling, but I was slightly startled because there was a momentary coldness remaining in his purple eyes.
“Since the person who entrusted me with their gloves disappeared, I had no choice but to go looking.”
The knight sat down first with a thump in the spot where the man had been sitting, with his characteristic refreshing smile.
“Thank you for helping me. I feel like I’ve made you worry unnecessarily.”
“Not at all.”
Sir Lifros, who had been checking the direction where the men had disappeared, asked.
“Are you hurt anywhere? Weren’t you upset?”
He examined my complexion as I sat down beside him, then cheerfully added,
“I happen to know those guys well—they think it’s polite to fawn over anyone beautiful.”
I laughed a little at the joke that doubled as consolation. Straightening my crumpled collar, I didn’t want to get serious either, so I imitated his manner of speech.
“I’ll believe it if that guy fawns over His Highness the Prince too.”
Sir Lifros burst out laughing.
In the past, he had ranked in this hunting tournament.
I remember being anxious the whole time I waited in the tent because I was both happy and worried that such a great knight had volunteered to escort me first.
“Did I ruin your hunting tournament?”
“Not at all. I caught as much as I needed. Rather, it was harder to find you than a rare beast.”
Sir Lifros, who had been grinning for a while, suddenly became serious.
“If you need it, I will testify about the group that disappeared.”
He even mentioned a trial. It was a serious and careful proposal, but I really hadn’t thought much of it, so I declined and changed the subject to ask.
“Don’t you have to go back?”
The characteristically healthy tanned skin of someone from Iota, the face that always smiled brightly. Like his smooth appearance, Sir Lifros was also famous for his vigorous social activities. He even earned his reputation in Imperial, which was a foreign language to him, so you could tell how much he liked people.
“Sometimes when you radiate too much, you get exhausted. There are times when you want to quietly replenish yourself.”
Sir Lifros pointed toward the narrow path where he had appeared.
“Actually, I discovered you some time ago. Over there beyond that corner. I’ve been leaning there since earlier because I wanted to rest. The cats’ meowing was peaceful, wasn’t it?”
He readily revealed that he had been sharing a space close to me with only the plaster wall between us.
As we sat side by side exchanging trivial conversation, the surroundings became quiet. The cats returned. We watched the languid-looking small creatures together.
Before we knew it, the sun was slowly setting.
“Instead of humans, those guys are going hunting.”
One by one, the cats’ rear ends nimbly disappeared into the blue darkness. Finally, Sir Lifros stood up.
“Let’s go in together. Night cats would be charming too, but you might run into those guys again.”
He pretended to be calm but said his legs had been trembling earlier, spouting ridiculous nonsense.
The conclusion of the hunting tournament was a ball held inside the grand mansion. As we entered the crowded place, Sir Lifros said he’d see me later and returned to his group of knights.
I had no choice but to follow him in, but I had nothing particular to do. I wandered around avoiding places where Mikhail might be and just looked at the food in a corner.
Five years ago, whenever I came to a banquet hall, I always tried the food.
After I turned 11, I hadn’t eaten the food I wanted. Because I was a patient. Porridge, bread, meat with reduced spices, vegetables. Those were my staples. I don’t know how much of an ordeal those foods were in my parched mouth from high fever. Now I was eating those foods quite deliciously, but back then I did.
Around the time I was sick and tired of the bland food in the mansion. At social gatherings outside the mansion, I could choose whatever food I wanted.
The sweet desserts generously drenched in sugar were especially shocking.
‘The promiscuous deer of House Count Meyer.’
‘Did you see? How uncultured, going for the food first.’
‘They say omegas with gluttony are vigorous in bed too.’
‘Seeing how they like sugar, they must prefer rough bedding.’
At some point, I started hearing such talk. It was blatant noise from behind, made loud enough for me to hear.
I was upset. Food at social gatherings was something everyone enjoyed. Sweet food was the same. Many people enjoyed the ball while taking food or enjoying desserts as soon as the ball started. It felt unfair that only I had to hear such things.
I didn’t do anything wrong. Once again, a childish battle of nerves began. If I didn’t eat the food, it would seem like I was conscious of their words, so I stubbornly did the same.
Rumors and contemptuous glances began to follow me like a custom every time I entered a banquet hall.
‘If you dare stuff your face one more time at a banquet hall!’
Eventually Mikhail stepped in.
My brother, with a face that showed his head was splitting, wouldn’t even let me go near the food. I felt like I had lost, but I was also relieved. I thought the rumors would be dispelled.
That day was when I had a mild fever after getting an earful from Mikhail. My head was hot, so I wanted to eat something cool. Since my brother had threatened me, I avoided desserts when choosing.
‘Strawberries!’
‘Did you see?’
‘They just ate a straawberry, a straawberry!’
A familiar voice followed like a spell.
I had just picked any fruit.
What on earth was the problem? What was certain was that even those who spoke probably didn’t know what they were actually saying. I finally realized that the problem itself was just having a bad reputation in high society and being easy prey. To them, I was just an easy toy that anyone could treat carelessly.
After that, I didn’t even go near the food table.
“What are you doing not eating?”
It was Stefan.
“Huh? You’re just leaving?”
Now I know that half the rumors are consumed meaninglessly like appetizers laid out at a party. People don’t even care what kind of food the easy morsel they chewed on was. Still, I didn’t particularly want to become a snack.
“Yeah. I don’t eat outside. Where’s Mikhail?”
“What are you talking about. The Count is, well, somewhere.”
Stefan jerked his chin toward one side of the hall.
“Did you see over there?”
It was a place where people were gathered. I naturally thought Prince Benedict would be there. When I shrugged, Stefan personally took me there.
“Oh my, it’s really too adorable!”
The noblewomen’s exclamations kept bursting out.
There certainly was a surprisingly cute child there.
Big eyes, golden hair shining and sparkling like honey, rosy cheeks.
“It’s Princess Regemeritte’s son.”
Stefan explained.
Next to the little one stood a tall noblewoman, Princess Regemeritte, the current Marchioness Nord.
Princess Regemeritte was in a position roughly equivalent to Prince Benedict’s aunt, but since there were no princesses in the current prince’s generation, she was commonly honored as princess at unofficial occasions.
“It’s like seeing His Highness the Prince’s childhood!”
No. The Prince was prettier.
“Since my beloved nephew and I resemble each other, it can’t be helped.”
Still, he was pretty.
The Princess sent an affectionate smile to one side.
Prince Benedict, who received his aunt’s greeting, gave a brief eye greeting. The Prince was standing off to one side of the crowd so that his lovely nephew could receive undivided attention.
“Isn’t it too late a banquet for a young child?”
Unable to take my eyes off the child, I whispered to Stefan.
“Everyone’s probably thinking that deep down. But what does it matter? He’s that cute.”
Actually, I thought so too. The child is too cute to nitpick.
“Such a lovable son, soft as cotton. You must be happy.”
Perhaps burdened by the noblewomen’s praise, the child was fidgeting. It was such a lovable sight that a smile naturally slipped out just from watching.
The conversation continued about who the child resembled.
“Please don’t only talk about Benedict. His hair color and eyes definitely resemble my husband!”
“He seems to resemble the young Count Meyer too.”
The golden hair and vivid eyes. Someone’s voice was heard. Probably one of Rilke’s followers.
“…That could be. The young Count Meyer is famous for his outstanding appearance.”
“Oh my.”
“Standing side by side doubles the radiance!”
Before I knew it, Rilke was standing where the Princess had stepped back. The child’s eyes widened, as if surprised by the unfamiliar person.
Rilke matched eye level and asked something.
Though hesitant, the child mustered courage and opened their lips. After exchanging a few words, they smiled bashfully.
It was so cute that my mouth kept loosening. Probably everyone felt the same way. So cute. The child’s characteristic gentle movements tickled my insides. Feeling like I’d been receiving gazes since earlier, I raised my puzzled eyes while still smiling.
The chandelier light was bright. And,
Ah.
My heart dropped with a thud.
It felt like someone had snatched my heart away.
