“Relax. You said you’d let me ride Gardwell…!”

When Shed raised his voice, Eve’s lips trembled as though on the verge of tears.

It was Shed who had broken the promise—Eve only wanted to claim the wish she had cherished so dearly.

“Eve, you shouldn’t pester His Grace like that… ah!”

Flustered, Luise stepped forward to soothe her daughter, but before she could do so, Gardwell stretched his neck and rubbed his head against her.

Startled, she pulled on the reins, but the stallion merely lifted his head towards the sky in delight before leaning back towards Luise and nuzzling her playfully.

Luise froze at the massive head looming close to her, but the horse’s affectionate gesture softened her surprise. Carefully, she lifted her hand and stroked Gardwell’s face.

As her palm brushed over his sleek black coat, he released a low, playful sound and exhaled in satisfaction.

“Gardwell…!”

Both Shed and the handler stared in astonishment.

“Good boy…”

Luise laughed gently as she stroked the stallion that had approached her so warmly.

Even for the handler, it had taken over a month to earn Gardwell’s trust.

The horse was not fond of human touch—he would usually shy away from strangers, or else bite and lash out with ferocity.

But now, that same beast was the one pressing his head forward of his own accord.

The handler felt almost betrayed after so many years with Gardwell.

“See? Gardwell’s nice!”

Eve pummeled Shed’s shoulder with her little fists, delighted by the sight of her mother playing with the horse.

Shed watched Luise and Gardwell a moment longer.

Though a part of him worried the horse might suddenly turn on her, biting the hand that touched him, his fears proved baseless. Wherever Luise moved, Gardwell followed.

“Unbelievable…”

The handler shook his head, muttering in disbelief.

“Bad man!”

“…Fine.”

At last, Shed nodded. He had promised to grant her wish—so at the very least, he had to let her try.

“Just once. If it gets dangerous, you’re coming down.”

“Okay!”

Still holding Eve, Shed tightened his grip on the reins, focusing Gardwell’s attention.

At the serious command, the stallion immediately lifted his head, shifting into a disciplined stance like the well-trained warhorse he was.

“Hold tight.”

At his low warning, Eve clutched his collar with all the strength in her tiny hands.

Once Shed judged the moment right, he mounted smoothly with Eve in his arms.

Gardwell matched his rider’s rhythm without resistance, settling into place with practiced ease.

‘He isn’t balking… he isn’t even restless…?’

She was startled by Gardwell’s unusual behaviour. Even on the battlefield, when carrying wounded soldiers, the stallion had been hard to control.

‘Is he simply in a good mood today… or is it because Eve is so light?’

Still surprised, Shed fastened the child securely to himself with a leather strap to keep her from falling.

Perched high on the great horse, Eve drew in a deep breath, her chest rising and falling in excitement.

“M-Mommy…! I’m riding a horse!”

Remembering that Gardwell disliked loud noises, she whispered the words to Luise instead of shouting them.

Luise nodded, her smile warm as she congratulated her daughter on her very first ride.

Yet despite her joy, Eve’s little body was stiff, betraying the tension running through her. That nervousness even reached Shed. For all her fearlessness, she had a surprisingly endearing side.

“Then, let’s take a lap.”

At Gardwell’s signal, his massive frame shifted forward and his heavy hooves began to move in a steady rhythm.

Eve gripped the front of the saddle, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly. She wanted to scream with glee, but remained silent for Gardwell’s sake.

“Don’t fidget. Sit still.”

“Okay!”

Guiding Gardwell, Shed led them slowly into the open fields. From the ridge, Luise stood watching as the pair on horseback grew smaller in the distance.

Beyond them, the castle of Recherdam rose against the horizon, and the Leche River shimmered with light.

The rustle of wheat swayed in the breeze, while birds, fat with autumn, sang their contented songs.

Ideana’s land. And Shed.

She was surrounded by all that she had once longed to flee from—yet paradoxically, here was where she felt most wholly alive.

The reason for this impossible contradiction was clear: once, she had loved them more deeply than anything.

Luise took deep breaths of the crisp autumn air as she strolled slowly among the cypress trees.

From afar, she saw Gardwell descend the ridge at an easy pace. Her steps halted, eyes fixed on the sight. What caught her gaze most was the way Shed’s hand held Eve protectively.

Across the distance came the sound of Eve’s ringing laughter. And suddenly, an inexplicable wave of happiness engulfed her.

It was a scene she had never imagined. That here, in Ideana, Eve would spend time together with Shed like this…

The happiness was so fierce it made her chest ache.

Luise clutched her br*ast tightly, overwhelmed.

‘Am I even allowed to feel this happy?’

What would happen if she discovered the truth? What if he found out that he was Eve’s real father?

Her hand pressed harder against her chest as pain mingled with joy.

The longer she stayed with him, the more the unspoken secret built up around them like grains of sand in an hourglass, bearing down on her.

“Faster, mister!”

Meanwhile, Eve had already forgotten her first nervousness, beaming as she urged him on.

Shed looked down at the child clinging firmly to him, enduring the ride with surprising skill.

The child held the slackened reins in the middle, careful not to hinder Shed, keeping her balance well.

After a moment’s hesitation, Shed tightened the belt, securing Eve close against him. At his signal, Gardwell picked up speed.

With the pounding of hooves, Eve’s body rose and dipped in rhythm with Shed’s. Her hair fluttered lightly in the wind.

“This is fun!”

As the pace quickened, Eve’s eyes lit up, taking in the scenery with delight. Though the jolts were strong, she quickly learned the rhythm of the horse, letting her body move naturally with its gait.

Shed studied her steady expression.

‘Is it because she inherited black magic…?’

Ordinary children would have grown frightened, their balance easily lost. Eve, however, showed far better coordination than others her age.

‘Just like when she climbed that tree…’

Her natural physical ability weighed on his mind.

He calculated the time of her birth. It was uncertain, but if she had been conceived that night… If Eve was his child?

He looked down at the little one nestled against him. Truth be told, he had always suspected as much.

After they had spent the night together, he had left at once to hunt down heretics. Soon after, Luise had left for Scizlon with Eclace. It was entirely possible the child was his.

And yet, Eve called Eclace her father. She lived with him.

But why was he still plagued by doubt? Why did he have an instinctive feeling that this child was his? Was it because he felt in his gut that their one night together had resulted in her conception?

If the girl, who looked so much like Luise as a child, was their daughter…

Shed shook his head.

A mirage borne of the wind, nothing more.

If she truly were his, she would be the perfect chain to bind Luise forever. He considered the resemblances between Eve and Eclace.

Outwardly? Hardly any. No matter how he looked, nothing of Eclace came to mind—beyond the obvious eyes, nose, mouth, ears.

Well, perhaps one thing: Eve, like Eclace, was sociable and endlessly talkative.

She had a knack for warming hearts, slipping easily into others’ favor.

So even if she was that bastard’s daughter, she was still… adorable. Even when she caused trouble, cried, or threw tantrums—he could not hate her.

If she were truly his, she would not have been blessed with such a gift.

Feeling the warmth of her small body against him, Shed let the thought linger.

After their brisk gallop across the open plain, they soon returned to where Luise was waiting.

Dismounting from Gardwell, Shed loosened the belt that had held Eve secure.

“Did you have fun, Eve?”

Luise smoothed back her daughter’s wind-tossed hair as she asked.

“It was fun! Mommy, you should try too!”

Having dismounted, Eve tugged at Luise’s hem, her face glowing. She desperately wanted to share her new, thrilling experience with her mother.

“No, Mommy can’t ride.”

“No! I did it, so Mommy can too!”

Eve tapped at her mother’s leg insistently, as if to say, If I can, then you certainly can. Luise shook her head with a faintly troubled look. She was grateful enough that Shed had let Eve ride; she couldn’t ask more of him.

But then Gardwell nudged her shoulder with his muzzle.

When she turned, the stallion was playfully pressing against her.

“Would you try?”

Shed, astride Gardwell, extended his hand.

Luise quickly shook her head, stepping back.

“No, Your Grace, I—oh!”

Gardwell sidled up to her and suddenly she found herself lifted off the ground. He had scooped her up with ease, like a raider abducting a princess, and placed her in the saddle in front of him.

He let out a long, low whinny, then stood steady until she had settled into place.

“…Remarkable.”

Shed had been holding her tightly, ready to restrain her if the stallion reared up. However, when Gardwell remained calm, he slowly eased his grip.

“Perhaps, being born of Ideana, he recognizes one of his own.”

Luise turned around instinctively when she heard a voice murmur behind her, only to quickly face forward again, startled.

He was too close to her. If she moved her head even slightly, her nose would touch the fabric of his white shirt.

“Hold on. Unless you want to fall.”

At his warning, Luise clutched the front of the saddle.

Shed pressed the reins into her hands.

“You won’t last long gripping that.”

“I’ve never ridden before…”

She cast a nervous glance downwards. From this height, Gardwell seemed much taller than she had anticipated. Even the slightest movement made her fear that the stallion might rear up. Her body went rigid.

“Relax.”

His breath brushed her ear as he whispered the words.