Aristie’s cheeks, which had just cooled down, turned red again with embarrassment. Ryuel warned her with a sly lift of one corner of his mouth.

“If you keep being so tense, I might misunderstand. That you’re very excited because I’m too handsome.”

“What?”

‘Well, that’s… half true, but…’

Aristie looked at Ryuel with a troubled gaze before bursting into laughter. His unexpected cheekiness made her feel like all her tension had melted away.

Seeing Aristie seemingly more at ease, Ryuel quietly advised.

“I think you must have gathered great courage to ask me for a date. So that your courage doesn’t go to waste, be a proud queen just for today. I accepted your request, expecting a lady who would reign over me.”

‘Was he trying to ease my tension to say this…?’

Strangely, after hearing Ryuel’s words, she no longer felt nervous. Instead, a warm feeling seeped into Aristie’s heart.

Feeling that warmth, Aristie took in Ryuel with her eyes.

When she first saw his eyes, she had just helplessly fallen into them. But now, without giving up control, she was simply holding him within herself.

Because that was the value of herself that she desired, and it was also his wish.

“Alright. Shall we look around again?”

Aristie stood up with a lighter movement than before. Looking around, the parade event had just ended and various competitions were starting.

She noticed some ingenious and quirky contests that she had never heard of before. Normally she wouldn’t have dared, but she had decided to enjoy freely just for today.

“Let’s participate in a competition too.”

“Pardon? Are you serious?”

Ryuel asked as if it was unexpected. Although he was also dressed quite formally, Aristie’s attire was that of a noble lady through and through.

It was rare for haughty young ladies to join in such playful events.

“What’s wrong with that? You said you’d follow what I want, didn’t you?”

At Aristie’s provocative tone, Ryuel shrugged his shoulders.

“Of course.”

Then he asked with an even more cheerful expression.

“What shall we challenge first?”

“Let’s start with something I’m confident in.”

“And what might that be?”

“That.”

Aristie pointed to the event venue where archery was being held, smiling brightly. One of Ryuel’s eyebrows rose with interest.

“Do you know how to handle a bow?”

“I’ve learned some archery. And some basic self-defense too. By the way, I’m telling this to you for the first time except for my teacher and family.”

After this brief confession, Aristie narrowed her eyes and tested Ryuel.

“You don’t think of women as beings who just pin ribbons on the winning men, do you?”

“Of course not. I was planning to pin a ribbon on you, my lady.”

Ryuel rummaged through his pocket, pretending to look for a ribbon that wasn’t there, and eventually covered it up with a sheepish smile.

“I’ll make sure to prepare one next time. Anyway, I’m curious about your archery skills.”

“I’m curious too, how it will be. It’s my first time participating in such a competition.”

It was true. Aristie, who had been taught archery by the captain of the Yentrice Knights, had to hide this fact under her father’s strict orders. The reason was that if she, who was to become the Empress, focused on martial arts rather than supporting her husband, it could be used as a pretext for criticism.

She couldn’t understand at all how that could become a pretext for criticism, but within the family, her father’s word was law. There was no choice but to obey.

She thought she was fortunate to be able to hold a bow at least at home, but she never imagined she would have the opportunity to compete with someone.

“Then I’ll be cheering for you. Just enjoy it, regardless of the result.”

As they reached the competition venue, Ryuel stepped back with a gentle smile. Although he spoke lightly, Aristie, who had grasped his nature by now, could tell.

That he was worried she might be hurt by the result.

“Cheer for me enthusiastically. Who knows? I might enjoy the result as well.”

Somehow feeling competitive, Aristie put on an uncharacteristic show of bravado.

Although she felt she had gone too far, it was already too late. All she could do now was turn her bravado into reality.

* * *

“I’d like to try too. How can I participate?”

The man managing the list looked up at the sound of a delicate lady’s voice and was startled.

He was surprised by her face, then again by her dress, and finally looked around frantically. Then, fixing his eyes back on the woman, he asked.

“Uh, I think you might have come to the wrong place?”

“Isn’t this where we register for archery?”

“Well, yes, but… Are you really going to do it?”

“Yes. Why?”

As Aristie nodded, the man scratched his head and held out the ledger.

“Then write your name here… Yes, like that. When your name is called, come out and challenge the winner. The rules are…”

Aristie listened to the explanation of both the participation method and the competition rules. Usually, aiming for the center of the target is the general rule, but here it was different.

The method was for the challenger to attack the arrow shot by the previous player. If they touched the opponent’s arrow, it was 3 points; if they touched and damaged it, it was 5 points. The first person to reach 30 points would be the winner.

They said there was also a prize for winning three consecutive matches. Aristie quickly grasped the rules and quietly waited for her turn.

There were other women too. However, most were spectators, and even if they participated, it was mostly just pulling the bowstring following their boyfriends.

Above all, there was not a single woman dressed like her. So it was natural that people around were glancing and staring at her.

Aristie, ignoring the gazes directed at her, only repeated the words Ryuel had told her.

—Just for today, be a proud queen.

…he had said.

“Uh, the next challenger is… Miss Alice?”

When her name was finally called, Aristie stepped forward. She closed her eyes to calm her nervous heart, then opened them again to focus on her target.

Mocking voices could be heard from here and there. A woman who knows nothing, does she even have the strength, what’s the point of shooting, and so on.

But that only lasted until her first arrow hit the target.

Swoosh─ Thwack!

The arrow that left the string flew like a beam of light and accurately pierced the tip of the opponent’s arrow, knocking it away.

The next one too, and the one after that, all of them that she shot.

She wasn’t just knocking them away. Some even shattered the opponent’s arrows. Some fell split in half. She attacked in various ways, but the success was consistent.

The match didn’t even take 10 minutes to end. And that was because the opponent, stunned, had trouble aiming, which delayed the time.

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

“Unbelievable. How can she hit every single shot?”

“With skills like that, she could join the army, haha!”

The mockery turned into praise and buzzed around the competition venue. Ryuel greeted Aristie, who was coming out with her prize money after achieving three consecutive wins, with a moved expression.

“Honestly, I think wasting Your Ladyship’s skills is a national loss.”

“Then should I really join the army? Hehe.”

“Frankly, I didn’t know you were this good. I feel foolish for having been so anxious inside.”

“It’s thanks to the easy competition style. When I learned from my teacher, I had to shoot blindfolded.”

“Pardon…?”

Surprise filled Ryuel’s amethyst eyes. Then they soon sparkled elegantly with even greater favor than before.

‘This is troublesome. If I keep liking him more…’

Unaware of Ryuel’s inner thoughts, Aristie gestured to him to hurry along.

Once outside, Aristie put all of her prize money into a nearby charity collection box.

It wasn’t a large sum anyway. For her, sharing this joyful feeling with others was a greater pleasure.

“Now it’s your turn, right?”

Aristie turned back after donating the prize money and grinned at Ryuel. Thinking that her golden hair rippling in the sunlight was dazzling, Ryuel answered.

“You decide, my lady. Whatever it is, I’m not confident I can do as well as you.”

“Are you giving me the right to decide?”

“That’s right.”

“Why?”

“Because I think it will be more fun that way. Isn’t today that kind of day?”

“Hmm, you might regret it…”

Aristie warned subtly but looked at other events with mischievous eyes.

The arm wrestling competition had just ended, and besides that, there was only fighting matches, cooking contests, Ferzen folk dance and such…

“Pfft!”

She burst out laughing at the thought of Ryuel performing the Ferzen folk dance, known for its intensity. Seeing her reaction, a flash of unease crossed Ryuel’s face.

“…Should I just decide myself?”

“No, no. That won’t do.”

Aristie barely suppressed her laughter and suggested.

“How about the cooking contest?”