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“Sure.”

Roan agreed more easily than I expected.

“Really? You promised me.”

I held out my pinky finger to him. Roan, who had been staring at it, hesitated but finally extended his hand to hook his finger with mine after I waved my hand at him. We sealed the promise.

“No take-backs.”

Roan laughed softly at my words.

Then suddenly, a serious look crossed his face as if he remembered something.

“I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?”

His serious expression made me nervous.

“…My mother will be returning from her retreat soon.”

…Mother? If it’s Roan’s mother, it couldn’t be his biological mother who passed away. As I realized the situation, my eyes widened.

“What?!”

The mother Roan mentioned was his stepmother, the wife of the former Duke Bannister. She had been staying at a villa in the east for health reasons.

In truth, it was more accurate to say she left because it was uncomfortable being alone with her stepson after the former duke’s death. I had vaguely thought we would meet someday, but hearing it now made me feel anxious and worried.

I didn’t know much about Delis and her relationship with Roan’s stepmother, but I knew that Roan and his stepmother had a very awkward relationship.

She didn’t openly show hostility towards Roan, but she had been almost indifferent to him since he was a child, even though she was his stepmother.

It might have been understandable. Even though she didn’t have a good relationship with her husband, it must have been a shock for her to suddenly have an illegitimate child brought into the family. She had been a devoted wife, and her pride must have been deeply hurt. But the child, Roan, was innocent, and it was heartbreaking to think he grew up without a family to lean on.

Understanding all of this made my mouth taste bitter.

In the novel, the duchess wasn’t mentioned often, so I didn’t know much about her character, but I remembered that she wasn’t particularly warm or kind.

I didn’t know how to deal with her. Technically, she would be my mother-in-law. The thought was even more confusing than when I suddenly got a husband. Right now, all I could think was that the former duke was a bastard.

“What should we do?”

“There’s no need to worry. Just act as you normally would.”

Roan, though his face looked a bit somber, spoke without much emotion. What was my normal behavior again?

“You haven’t seen your mother in a long time, have you?”

“Yes.”

Roan answered with a somewhat dry expression.

What was Roan really thinking about her? The novel never detailed the exact feelings they had for each other. There weren’t enough scenes with the duchess to elaborate on her feelings. Their relationship was only inferred from their brief conversations and past recollections.

***

A few days later, the much-anticipated hunting tournament day arrived. Though Roan’s long vacation made my wish for his victory unnecessary, the lively atmosphere of the event excited me.

There were quite a few people who seemed conscious of whether someone would receive a handkerchief during the tournament. On the other hand, some men were seriously warming up. Rarely, some women participated in the tournament, likely some of the few female knights in the empire.

Their well-toned figures exuded an impressive aura. They looked so cool! I wanted to participate too, but since I was still struggling with riding a horse, I decided to save that dream for later.

Just then, I saw a familiar face I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Recognizing me as well, she approached. I looked at the handkerchief she was holding and asked,

“Are you going to give that to the Crown Prince?”

“Well, yes. Who else would I give it to?”

It was Sophia. Her usual composed expression oddly made me feel at ease.

“Is that one for Duke Bannister?”

“Yes!”

Sophia glanced at my handkerchief.

“What are those black threads?”

“…It’s a name.”

Sophia seemed quite confused that what looked like a black blob was actually an embroidered name.

“…Is that really what it is?”

When I turned the handkerchief to show her, Sophia bluntly commented that it kind of looked like it from this angle, killing me twice with her honesty. Sigh. Even though only part of it was visible because it was folded, I could still sense Sophia’s exceptional embroidery skills.

Why are there so many people in this world who are good at embroidery? I mused idly.

“The Emperor and Empress are arriving!”

In fact, it was my first time seeing them.

The Emperor had the same red eyes as Cameron and Sophia, seemingly a genetic trait. However, contrary to my expectations, the Emperor’s face wasn’t as strikingly intense as that of the siblings. So, those striking features must come from the late Empress.

The current Empress, on the other hand, was certainly beautiful. Based on looks alone, it seemed more like Cameron and Sophia were her children rather than the Emperor’s. But even though she was incredibly beautiful, there was something about her that made you not want to approach her if you saw her in person. Yeah, she was like Delis.

She had striking violet eyes, and I felt an odd sense of familiarity with that color. What was it? This sense of recognition?

The Emperor began his speech for the hunting tournament.

“It seems the future of the empire is gathered here.”

Starting with those words, he spent a full ten minutes talking about the valiant spirit, etc. It was amazing how he could stretch out a message to hunt well for so long. It felt like I was back in school listening to a principal’s speech.

After the speech that made each second feel like a minute, people began to prepare for the hunt.

The winner would be decided by the number and rarity of the prey they brought back. I heard that there were even magical creatures living deep in this forest, seen but never caught.

Among the spectators, many young ladies, like me, were preparing to give handkerchiefs to their chosen hunters. I was also looking around for Roan to give him my handkerchief.

I spotted Roan from a distance. To be precise, I saw him surrounded by young ladies. I approached the scene.

“Duke, please take my handkerchief!”

“No, take mine!”

“I’m fine with being second, just please accept it!”

Well, they were making quite a fuss.

“I’m sorry, but I must decline all of them.”

“Oh…”

Embarrassed, the young ladies’ hands fell short of their target. Even such perfect embroidery was being rejected, so my poorly made one…

While I fidgeted with my handkerchief, Roan noticed me.

“Duchess.”

When Roan called me, the young ladies turned to look at me in surprise. It was like the parting of the Red Sea.

The young ladies hurriedly averted their eyes and discreetly left. It seemed that Delis’s reputation still left a strong impression on them.

“What’s that?”

“This… it’s a handkerchief.”

For some reason, I felt embarrassed to show it to Roan. Despite my resolve that it was good enough, I felt self-conscious.

My hand, holding the handkerchief, instinctively dropped. Roan’s gaze followed my hand down.

“Aren’t you giving that to me?”

“Yes, but… it’s not well-made.”

Roan extended his hand.

“Please give it to me.”

“What? Why?”

His sudden request made me stutter.

“Didn’t you say you brought it to give to me?”

“But there are many better-made ones. It’s a bit embarrassing.”

“It’s fine. Please give it to me.”

“Why do you want this one and not the others?”

“Because yours is the most valuable to me.”

“…….”

Roan’s unexpected words made me blush. Why did he say such things so nonchalantly and make my heart flutter?

“…Here. Don’t laugh when you see it.”

Roan took the handkerchief and looked at the embroidery for a moment before gently tracing it with his fingers. For some reason, that sight made my heart feel warm.

We moved to the starting point for the hunt. As the time for the event to begin approached, more people gathered. At that moment,

“Huh?”

A voice and a familiar face caught my attention. No, I was sure I had seen that face before.

“Gloves?”

Those mysterious violet eyes and playful voice were firmly etched in my memory. It was definitely the man I met near the slave market when I went to buy Roan’s gloves. But why was he here?

“Del?”

He called me by my nickname. Oh, right, I had introduced myself as Del.

“…Del?”

I heard Roan’s low voice.

TL NOTE: More advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories