Chapter 5 (Part 11)

Beonar recalled Anthus’s words at Madam Clairira’s dress shop

‘Young Lord Beonar Fedeurus, you now have only two chances left. So, watch your mouth.’

“If you didn’t want to receive gifts, you shouldn’t have spread those trashy rumors that Lia was two-timing me and you before your breakup. I plan to keep sending gifts in the future, so I hope you accept them well.”

“How did you…”

Anthus withdrew his killing intent.

“If you don’t want to collapse again, run away. Otherwise, you might get hunted by me in this place.”

Clicking his tongue, Anthus glared at the fleeing Beonar once more. He wanted to beat him up right there, but what he needed now was a gift to bring to Yuliana.

“Damn… Because of this hostile atmosphere, the gift ran away.”

Even though he had only directed his killing intent at Beonar, all the small and precious gifts for Yuliana had vanished.

“Anyway… Not helpful.”

Clicking his tongue, Anthus started moving again on his horse. Not long after, he found another gift in a tree that Yuliana would like.

Anthus gently secured the gift from the tree and headed toward the tent where Yuliana was. He felt very cheerful at the thought of seeing Yuliana again. But the cheerful mood didn’t last long.

“What are you doing here with such a scheming face?”

On the way, Anthus met Cloud, who was escorting Monica to the tent, and slightly furrowed his brow.

“Your Majesty the Emperor. And Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Where are you going and not hunting?”

“I’m going to see my lover in the tent.”

“Have you finished hunting?”

“To be honest, I haven’t mentioned it before, but the hunting competition where lives are taken without reason is very scary to me.”

Cloud was dumbfounded by Anthus’s statement. And he blinked and stared at Anthus, who was holding something precious in both hands.

“But what’s that in your arms? Duke, you’re holding something very carefully.”

“It’s a gift to show my lover.”

“A gift?”

“Yes.”

“You’re very devoted. See you in the audience chamber after the hunting competition.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Upon arriving near the tent, Anthus asked a servant to call Yuliana out separately.

Hearing that Anthus had come, Yuliana came out immediately.

“Lia.”

Even though they had been apart for a short while, Anthus approached Yuliana with a longing heart. Yuliana looked Anthus over.

“You’re not hurt anywhere… You returned safely.”

“Not having any attachment to first place, I just took a round of the hunting ground and came back.”

“Yes. Don’t be attached to it.”

“This is truly the first time I’ve felt so at ease during a hunting competition.”

Anthus said shyly, blushing.

“I wanted to win the first prize and dedicate it to you, Lia.”

“It’s okay.”

“Thank you, Lia… For telling me I didn’t have to hunt forcibly…”

“My first prize is that you returned unharmed, Yan”

“Ah… Lia, what am I supposed to do if you keep saying such cute things!”

Anthus liked hearing Yuliana’s words of concern.

People don’t worry much about him because he is a Sword Master. But he felt touched by the fact that Yuliana worried about him not because she didn’t know his strength but because she genuinely cared for him as a lover.

It was a worry that felt almost addictive.

“But what is that you’re holding in your hands?”

Anthus opened his hands to show her. In his hands was a sleeping squirrel.

Yuliana let out a small cheer at the sight of the cute squirrel, which she had never seen before. It was one of the animals that was rarely seen.

“Isn’t it a squirrel?”

“I saved it just before it was attacked by a snake.”

At Anthus’s words, Yuliana was both surprised and touched by his kindness.

“You saved the squirrel?”

“I sent a bit of mana to the snake that was about to eat the squirrel on the tree, and both the snake and the squirrel fainted. So I brought the squirrel to you. Could you take a look at it?”

“Of course.”

Yuliana carefully examined the squirrel in Anthus’s hands.

“It seems to be fine except for being stiff from shock. It should recover soon.”

Anthus let out a sigh of relief.

“Yan, you have such a kind heart. I’m proud that such a warm person is my lover.”

Yuliana gently placed her hand on Anthus’s cheek.

“Did you have a pleasant tea time with the others in the tent?”

At Anthus’s question, Yuliana’s expression began to darken. Seeing her darkened expression, Anthus felt his insides churning. 

Who had made Yuliana make such an expression?

“Did something happen, Lia?”

“I sympathized with what you said, Yan.”

“Pardon?”

“Today, I felt that the word ‘lover’ is truly sad.”

“Please tell me.”

Recalling what had happened in the tent, Yuliana began to speak.

After Anthus left, she entered the tent and sat at the table and chair with her family’s name on it.

When Yuliana entered, Ophelia, who had arrived first, glared at her openly with a frown. Yuliana tried to ignore it and exchanged a friendly glance with Selenia.

<Lady Loengrin.>

<Yes, Princess Ophelia.>

<Bring out your spirits and let them perform some tricks.>

<I’m sorry, but spirits are not for entertainment, so I must refuse that request.>

Yuliana refused immediately. At her refusal, people began to whisper.

<I didn’t make an unreasonable request! What’s so hard about showing off your spirits?>

<Princess Ophelia. I can show them, but asking the spirits to perform tricks is indeed an unreasonable request.>

<What? What did you say?>

<No matter how much you ask, I cannot comply.>

<As a member of the Imperial Family, I command you again. Bring out your spirits and let them perform tricks, Lady Loengrin.>

Ophelia spoke again, looking displeased.

<If I bring out the spirits for such a reason, I will lose their trust.>

Yuliana thought it was better to be hated by the Imperial Family than to make the spirits, who had protected and loved her all her life, a laughingstock in front of people. She firmly refused Ophelia’s demand, ready to accept any punishment.

<A spirit mage who loses the trust of their spirits loses their affinity.>

<You dare defy the command of the Imperial Family over such trivial affinity!>

<Even if you punish me, I cannot do it.>

<Lady Loengrin, you seem to be acting arrogantly because you trust Duke Rockbellion too much in a relationship that could end at any time.>

Yuliana began to get angry. She couldn’t help but think of Anthus, who had said that the word ‘lover’ was sad.

<Don’t worry. In a relationship that could end at any time, I will soon bring you good news, Princess Ophelia.>

Drinking the cold tea in one gulp, Yuliana continued speaking.

<Her Majesty the Empress is entering.>

At the servant’s announcement, Yuliana closed her mouth. She had to suppress the emotions that were welling up inside her at Ophelia’s words that a relationship would end and they would become strangers.

“They tried to make my spirits a laughingstock. And even said that being lovers means it’s easy to break up… I was so upset.”

Hearing what Yuliana had gone through in the tent, Anthus was dumbfounded.

He gritted his teeth inwardly. He felt the need to pressure Cloud once again to get rid of Ophelia as soon as possible.

“It upsets me that you felt the same emotions I did, Lia.”

Contrary to his words, Anthus felt happy at Yuliana’s words. It meant that she liked him enough to empathize with his feelings.

To hide the smile that kept creeping up, Anthus hugged Yuliana and whispered in a voice full of tenderness into her ear.

“These are words that will naturally disappear once we’re engaged.”

“I suppose so.”

With a gentle gaze, Anthus held Yuliana’s waist with one hand and lowered his head to kiss her cheek.

“After the hunting competition, I will definitely talk to Father about our engagement.”

Anthus, forgetting even to blink, looked at Yuliana and spoke with a smile that reached the sky.

“Then I will go and release the squirrel.”

“Be careful. And thank you for saving the squirrel, bringing it carefully to show me, Yan.”

“Is it something to be thankful for?”

Anthus tilted his head.

“You could have just passed by… but you saved it. I’m thankful because your kind and gentle heart is so beautiful.”

Anthus’s lips curved up to the sky once again.