Chapter 37

“What? Are you serious right now?”

Harold angrily threw off his leather gloves, glaring at the attendant who had just reported the recent events.

The attendant, watching Harold’s reaction carefully, continued with the rest of the message.

“…The Duke of Liwonoc took a small amount of the sedative, so its true nature will likely be revealed in about a week.”

No matter how one tried to explain it, having veterinary sedatives in the competition’s stable was suspicious.

“What does the head of the association plan to do?”

“It seems the competition will proceed as scheduled. It’s already tomorrow, and canceling it suddenly would raise even more suspicion.”

‘That foolish old man. He couldn’t even keep a sedative safe, and now this mess?’

The racetrack had gained so much popularity by using him as its poster boy.

“We’ll pretend we know nothing about this. After all, the sedative was found within the competition grounds, not at my estate, right?”

“…To show that you have nothing to do with the association’s sedative incident, you must win tomorrow, my lord.”

Harold picked up the gloves he had thrown and hurled them at the attendant’s face.

“Do you call that advice? Of course, I’ll win. I don’t need that damn sedative to do it.”

“…”

The attendant almost retorted, ‘Then why have you been feeding sedative-laced hay to the other participants’ horses all this time?’ but he held back and answered.

“Don’t worry about unnecessary things. Just make sure to destroy any documents exchanged with the head of the association.”

“…Understood.”

The attendant bowed and left the room.

* * *

Finally, the day of the equestrian competition dawned.

Dunswell seemed a bit nervous, but he didn’t look unwell.

Despite the unsettling events of yesterday, nothing had been revealed yet, so he decided to wait and see.

However, he couldn’t shake off the words Evelyn had said.

‘How could she be so certain it was a sedative?’

Dunswell glanced at Evelyn.

If what they found yesterday was indeed a veterinary sedative and the association had been tampering with the results, it would be a significant scandal.

It would mean that the association had been administering small doses of sedatives to the horses of everyone except for Earl Harold Conner, who had consistently placed first.

Thinking back, it seemed like the horses had been slightly sluggish during each competition.

But as Evelyn had said, today’s results would reveal the truth.

If Harold’s undefeated record were to break today, it would mean they hadn’t been able to sprinkle sedative on the hay.

In other words, today would be a fair competition.

“Are you nervous?”

Evelyn approached and asked. Her gentle voice dispelled Dunswell’s thoughts.

“I’m fine.”

Dunswell answered while thinking to himself.

‘She’s a hundred times better than my son.’

Dyffrin also decided to watch the equestrian competition today. Although he had made time for Dunswell, Evelyn’s warmth made Dunswell not find Dyffrin’s gesture particularly special.

“If you’re ready, let’s go.”

Dyffrin approached with an indifferent expression.

Dunswell clicked his tongue. He wondered who Dyffrin took after to be so taciturn, as if his voice were made of gold.

He considered telling Dyffrin about what happened at the stables last night but decided against it since Dyffrin hadn’t bothered to ask how things went.

“Ahem. Alright, let’s depart.”

Dunswell took the lead and climbed into the carriage.

The competition grounds were bustling with activity upon their arrival. Families supporting the participants, spectators there to watch the event, and street vendors following the crowd filled the area.

As Dunswell stepped out of the carriage, he drew the attention of the people. He was rarely seen in the capital, spending most of his time in his domain.

Dyffrin and Evelyn descended after him, followed by their attendants. The crowd’s eyes sparkled as they looked at the entourage of the Duke of Liwonoc. Each member seemed to exude an aura that captivated those around them.

Dunswell, having brought his horse from the stables, sat in the waiting room, anticipating the start of the competition.

“You two should head to the spectator seats now.”

“Understood.”

Dyffrin nodded and looked at Evelyn.

However, Evelyn did not leave; instead, she approached Dunswell. She pulled a neatly folded handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to him.

“What is this…?”

“It’s a handkerchief embroidered with laurel leaves, symbolizing victory and good luck. I made it with the hope that you, Your Grace, will win this time.”

“Ah.”

Dunswell was touched by Evelyn’s thoughtful gesture. Managing a household must have been challenging enough, yet she had taken the time to prepare such a heartfelt gift.

“And…”

Evelyn hesitated, looking at Dunswell.

“If it’s alright, may I offer a piece of advice regarding the competition?”

Dunswell tilted his head. What could she be so hesitant to say?

“Go ahead.”

“A long time ago, I watched Earl Conner’s race at the racetrack. His tactic is to move menacingly.”

“That’s right. He’s a bold man, often intimidating other riders by getting very close to them.”

“But that’s not the whole story.”

“…What do you mean?”

“People like him often have a lot of fear inside. They act threateningly to hide their weakness.”

Evelyn whispered into Dunswell’s ear.

“If you counterattack, he might be startled and hesitate. So if he tries to intimidate you, get even closer with your horse.”

“…How can you be so sure?”

“I can’t be certain, but I think changing your strategy for this competition might be worth considering. Of course, the choice is yours, Your Grace.”

With those words, Evelyn stepped back.

“Now, I’ll head to the spectator seats with my husband.”

Left alone, Dunswell looked at the handkerchief in his hand and unfolded it. Two laurel branches were beautifully embroidered on it.

‘This is the first time I’ve received such a heartfelt gift.’

No, he had received one long ago from Chloe. Even after all these years, her face remained vividly in his memory.

If only he had had a bit more courage back then, he might have been able to save her.

Momentarily lost in old emotions, he felt melancholic, but receiving such a gift motivated him to win this year.

Dunswell carefully folded the handkerchief and placed it in his back pocket, then led his horse outside.

As he calmed his horse at the starting line, a shadow fell over him.

“I heard there was a bit of a commotion in the stables yesterday.”

Harold, still mounted on his horse, spoke to Dunswell. Dunswell, calming his horse, responded indifferently.

“The rumor has already reached you? Only the stable master should know about it; it’s strange.”

“…I found out by chance. If there were any unfortunate events in this competition, it would be truly sad.”

“Why would you be sad? Regardless of any unfortunate events, you’ve always been first.”

Harold, flustered, replied.

“It seems you misunderstand, Your Grace. I have nothing to do with this incident.”

“What did I say? Nothing has been revealed yet, but you seem to be worrying prematurely, Earl.”

At that moment, the referee stepped forward and announced that the race was about to start, asking everyone to prepare.

As the participants lined up at the starting line, the referee raised the flag.

“Ready, start!”

As the flag went up, the horses began to gallop. Harold, with his characteristic menacing movements, quickly gained speed, intimidating those around him.

The other riders hesitated, fearing a collision, and fell back.

In the meantime, Dunswell surged to the front.

‘The horse’s condition is definitely different.’

Usually, there was no need for such a full sprint, so if the horse seemed slightly weak on race day, he just accepted it. But now, being aware, it was clear the horse had much more energy compared to last year’s competition.

It was evident that the association members had been meddling.

Thud, thud-!

Fueled by a mix of anger and confidence, Dunswell continued to lead. However, soon Harold caught up and was running neck and neck with him.

Harold approached menacingly, closing the distance as if he intended to make Dunswell falter.

Just as Dunswell was about to pull back in surprise, Evelyn’s advice came to mind.

‘People like him often have a lot of fear inside. They act threateningly to hide their weakness.’

‘So if he tries to intimidate you, get even closer with your horse.’

Yes, always avoiding him had been the norm, but acting differently this time might not be a bad idea.

Dunswell did not evade Harold’s approaching horse; instead, he moved even closer.

Harold’s eyes widened in surprise. Startled, he quickly pulled the reins and changed his horse’s direction.

The startled horse neighed loudly, rearing up on its hind legs.

“Oh, oh!”

Harold, unable to maintain his balance, wobbled and ultimately fell off the horse.

The spectators gasped, covering their mouths in shock. But soon, their attention shifted as Dunswell crossed the finish line.

The referee shouted loudly.

“The winner of this competition is the Duke of Liwonoc, Dunswell!”

It was the first victory in ten years.