Chapter 9.1 – Hunting Festival (Part 5)

Thanks to the new dessert, the atmosphere continued to be cheerful. Even the three people who had been anxious about Exie, who had brought them here almost forcibly and then taken no action, gradually assimilated into that atmosphere.

It was around that time when a dull sound suddenly came from the edge of the table. As it happened to be quiet around, the sound that was heard louder was enough to focus everyone’s attention.

“I-I’m sorry!”

In front of the table where the silver cup containing dark chocolate had been overturned, there was a woman wearing an old dress without any decorations. Startled by the sharp gazes that converged on her, she jumped up from her seat and apologized.

Her face had turned as white as a sheet of paper, and her body was trembling.

Because of that, the dish containing the dessert, which had been precariously placed, shook unsteadily and fell. Only after the traces of the dessert were imprinted on the old dress did the woman realize that she had knocked over the dish as well.

But no one was concerned for her. Rather, malicious words could be heard from here and there.

“Tsk, this is why commoners are no good.”

“Absolutely no class.”

“Isn’t she just a slave sold for money? Ah, well. If she were, she wouldn’t have been invited here in the first place.”

The woman, with her head bowed low, only fiddled with the hem of her dress. She should have been angry, but she couldn’t say anything. Ria, who was watching the situation, slightly furrowed her brow and quietly asked Katrina.

“Katrina, who is that person?”

“Ah, Ria wouldn’t have seen her before. She’s the Countess Figo. I heard she got married recently.”

“Recently?”

“Yes. I think she’s the fourth or so. All of Count Figo’s wives have had short lives.”

“Then the talk about her being a commoner…”

“All the wives Count Figo has taken have been young women, so there’s quite an age gap with the Count. The Count is almost an elderly middle-aged man. The face value is even worse. Anyway, that’s why rumors spread that the women he brings are either commoners or slaves bought with money. Still, since there was no concrete evidence, no one spoke openly about it. But as it happens, it was revealed that this Countess is a commoner.”

“Ah…”

“It’s a perfect topic to tear into, isn’t it? That’s probably why they’re acting like that. Even if the Countess had called a servant or maid to clean up as ordinary nobles would, they would have cursed her, saying a commoner doesn’t know her place and is acting like a noble.”

Ria turned her gaze back to Countess Figo.

Having grown up in a society without a class system, she always found it difficult to understand. Even if she tried to think of it as their culture, when such situations unfolded before her eyes, she couldn’t help but think it was unreasonable. What’s the difference between nobles and commoners? They’re all the same humans.

Having thought that far, Ria got up from her seat without hesitation and approached her. At her sudden action, not only the other nobles but also Katrina and Serena watched with wide eyes.

As she got closer to the Countess’s side, Ria took out the handkerchief she usually carried and handed it to her.

“Are you alright?”

“Gasp!”

But the Countess’s reaction was strange. As soon as she saw Ria, her already pale face turned even paler, and she was so shocked she almost stopped breathing. Ria tilted her head and asked once more.

“Countess Figo, are you alright?”

“…Ah, yes. Yes, yes!”

After a moment of silence, as if she had come to her senses a little, she managed to give an answer, but her face was still pale without a trace of blood. Her eyes trembled as if shaking as she took the handkerchief handed to her with trembling hands.

“Anyone can make mistakes, so you don’t need to bow your head like a criminal. You’ve already apologized, haven’t you?”

“Ah…”

“I’m glad you don’t seem to be hurt.”

At the kind voice, the Countess closed her eyes tightly and then opened them, raising her head to meet Ria’s eyes. As the gentle gaze touched her, the guilt that had been slowly building suddenly rushed in like a tidal wave.

‘If you carry out this task properly, I’ll release your father.’

At the same time, she remembered Count Figo threatening her. The wounds on her back throbbed madly. It was the part where deep scars had been engraved by the whip the Count wielded day and night.

‘To save my father, I must listen to the Count. But…’

Her wavering eyes stared intently at Ria. She saw her giving a warm smile that wasn’t artificial.

‘But I… I can’t do it.’

It was something she had thought impossible from the beginning. If he hadn’t threatened her by taking her only kind father hostage, she would never have accepted it. Even if it meant being beaten to death!

How could she touch a woman loved by two Dukes, no, confirmed to be loved even by the Crown Prince as of today!

Because she was certain there was no guarantee of success, she had been anxious from the start of the hunting festival. As the time for the third bell to ring approached, she became increasingly anxious, even making the mistake of dropping the small cup.

‘Should I ask her to save my father instead? If I tell her the truth that Count Figo is plotting something…’

Unlike other nobles, she had been kind even to her, a commoner. She might listen to her words well. If she told everything about the abuse she had suffered and the threats she had received, she might take pity on her and save her.

No, she didn’t even hope for that much. At least if she could escape from the Count’s grasp, that would be enough. If only she could forever escape from that bastard who had falsely accused her father, r*ped her, arbitrarily made her his wife, and abused her every day!

“My, My Lady!”

The deliberation was over. The Countess immediately grabbed Ria’s arm desperately with both hands. There wasn’t much time left now. Soon the third bell would ring. So before that happens, quickly…!

“My Lady, Count Figo…!”

However, at that moment, a heavy but clear sound flowed into her ears. Dong, dong. The third bell rang, signaling that the hunting festival had reached its midpoint.

Immediately after the bell sound ended, a huge roar erupted near the open space, loud enough to shake the ground. Everyone’s heads turned towards the source of the sound.

Except for one person, who wore an expression of despair with a face drained of all color.

***

Before the third bell rang, at the hunting grounds.

“Found it! Young master, it just ran away in that direction!”

“We must not let it escape!”

Three or four people who spotted the silver fox quickly disappearing into the bushes all turned their horses in that direction at once. After pushing through the bushes and riding a little, they saw the fox wandering, looking for a way out in a dead end.

They quietly dismounted and slowly approached, surrounding the fox. With its escape route blocked, the fox, unable to move either way, raised its fur on end and took a highly defensive posture.

Just as the noble in the center was about to draw his sword to strike at the fox, an arrow flew from somewhere, grazing the noble’s cheek and embedding itself in the high cliff behind the fox.

Feeling something trickling down his cheek, he wiped it with his hand and found red blood. The noble, trembling with anger that suddenly welled up, turned his head to find who had shot the arrow at him. And he met piercing golden eyes looking down at him from atop a white horse.

“I found that fox first… Is it your hobby to snatch what belongs to others?”

When he faced not only the Crown Prince but also the two Dukes behind him, his spine involuntarily chilled. Instinctively, as the noble bowed, the surrounding knights quickly knelt down.

The three men exchanged words among themselves in front of them as if they didn’t even care about their presence.

“Your Highness, I found it first.”

“Ah, I see. Then let’s say Carlisle and I saw it at the same time.”

“What? That’s not… Not everything you say becomes true.”

“What an insolent tone. It wouldn’t be out of place to arrest you for insulting royalty.”

Tsk. Cherta clicked his tongue, dismounted, and passed by the bowing noble. The noble inwardly sighed in relief at his silence. It wasn’t a pressure that someone like him could handle. With the two Dukes also present, who might do anything if their mood was upset, he had to be even more careful.

However, his relief was short-lived as the footsteps that had passed him stopped after creating about a step’s distance.

“You.”

At the low rumbling voice, cold sweat naturally flowed all over his body. The tense atmosphere felt only by him and his knights choked their breath. Just as their faces had turned not just white but as pale as a corpse without a trace of blood, a sharp voice cut through the air.

“Are you still not gone?”

Although they had done nothing wrong, they were already overwhelmed by the atmosphere. The instinct to survive made their stiff legs creak into motion, and they ran away at a speed that didn’t even leave an afterimage.