“Ah, this is fake.”

“Of course, I knew that. It’s obviously fake to anyone,” Second Lieutenant Walter replied, silently berating himself. He couldn’t fathom why on earth he had complimented a lady on her mustache.

“Still, thank you for the compliment. The Baron also said it suited me well.”

“Well, anything that suits you is a good thing,” Walter responded, inwardly questioning why he was having this conversation with his superior’s fiancée.

Yelodia smiled brightly and remarked, “Earning your salary must not be easy.”

“Yes… that’s certainly true…” Walter half-heartedly agreed, resigning himself to the odd exchange.

Running out of things to say, Walter stomped on Beyhern’s foot. Beyhern’s face flushed a deep red.

“Oh, he’s out,” Yelodia said, drawing both men’s attention to one spot. Edward was stepping out from behind the curtain.

“Ah…”

“…”

“…Wow.”

The three of them stared at Edward in stunned silence. His appearance was impeccable, as if he could have walked straight into a portrait session for a renowned artist.

The shirt and trousers clung to his lean yet solid frame as though tailored just for him. The dark brown leather guards and gloves exuded a luxurious air.

Beyhern and Walter suddenly realized, with wide eyes, that their superior was one of the most handsome men in the capital.

Clapping her hands in satisfaction, Yelodia declared, “You look fantastic. All that’s missing is a cape, and it would be perfect.”

“There are several capes back at the residence,” Edward replied.

“For hunting, something light and warm would be best…”

“I’m sure we have something like that as well,” Edward assured her. Though Yelodia felt slightly disappointed, she nodded, satisfied that it was sufficient.

“Then I doubt there’s anything else worth buying at this store.”

“That’s a relief,” Edward replied, his tone light. But his smile faltered at Yelodia’s next words.

“Shall we move on to the next store?”

***

Yelodia stole a glance at Edward.

After visiting five shops and successfully purchasing three sets of hunting attire, Edward now looked visibly tired as he ate his late lunch.

At the adjacent table, Beyhern and Walter devoured their food with such fervor it seemed they might break the table.

The food at this unfamiliar restaurant was better than expected, but Yelodia couldn’t focus on her meal.

Edward seemed to notice and asked, “Is the food not to your liking?”

“No, it’s quite good,” Yelodia replied, taking a bite of goose roast garnished with pickled onions.

The roast was rich and savory, while the onions added a tangy brightness. But Yelodia found more pleasure in watching Edward than eating.

After wiping his lips with a napkin, Edward said, “Once we’re done eating, I’ll escort you back to the residence.”

“So soon?”

“…Did you have other plans in mind?”

“Meeting like this is such a rare coincidence…” Yelodia trailed off, looking up at Edward. He wore the same expression her tutors often had when sighing in exasperation.

“Well, I suppose I should head back,” she relented.

“A wise decision,” Edward replied promptly. Yelodia let out a soft whine of frustration, realizing there was no alternative in Edward’s mind.

She idly split a dry-baked potato with her fork and asked, “Have you ever been hunting, Baron?”

“Aside from fishing, I’ve never caught any living creature,” Edward admitted.

“Fishing?” Yelodia’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You fished from a warship?”

“There wasn’t time aboard the ship, but I fished as a pastime when docked at the harbor,” Edward explained.

“So, you caught fish?”

Edward nodded. Yelodia leaned closer, her eyes sparkling with curiosity, prompting Edward to raise an eyebrow.

“What did you catch?”

“Fish whose names I don’t even know. I’ve never caught anything worth boasting about,” Edward replied.

“Still, it’s impressive that you caught fish! I’ve tried fishing in the pond at the estate because I wanted to catch some, but I’ve never succeeded.”

“Is that so?”

Edward couldn’t help but picture Yelodia rolling up her sleeves and casting a fishing line.

His fiancée was more curious than she appeared and wasn’t afraid to try new things.

Thinking of how she had overcome illness in her youth, Edward found her courage admirable.

“Hunting is a bit different from fishing. You have to shoot an arrow into the neck of a deer galloping away on horseback. It’s far more challenging than fishing.”

“So I’ve heard,” Edward replied indifferently. He still didn’t seem particularly interested in the upcoming hunting tournament.

Yelodia held an empty fork between her lips, rolling her eyes as she pondered, then asked, “Hmm… have you heard what His Majesty is offering as the prize for winning?”

“I’ve heard that he’s putting up The Hand of Zeus as the reward.”

At Edward’s reply, Yelodia let out an exasperated sigh.

“Sometimes I find it hard to understand my uncle.”

“I doubt there’s anyone in the Empire who fully understands him,” Edward said, offering a faint note of consolation.

It was an unprecedented move to offer an imperial treasure as a hunting competition prize.

The golden sculpture known as The Hand of Zeus was the work of the genius artist Hiancen and was said to be worth enough to purchase an entire castle.

On its index finger sat a 30-carat diamond ring, its band encrusted with rubies and sapphires, making the ring itself a masterpiece.

The extravagant prize His Majesty announced had sent shockwaves through the social circles.

“Will he really part with The Hand of Zeus? Shouldn’t someone try to stop him?”

“He’s not the type to listen to opposition,” Edward replied.

“That’s true.”

Their voices must have grown louder, as a violent cough came from the next table. It was Beyhern.

Glancing briefly at the table next to them, Yelodia popped a piece of potato into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. Then, with quiet elegance, she wiped her lips with a napkin. The graceful and natural motion left Beyhern unable to look away.

Yelodia seized the opportunity to ask a question she had been holding back.

“How long have you served the Baron, Lieutenant?”

“It’s been about five years since I was promoted to Lieutenant.”

“Five years? That’s quite a long time. Is Edward—no, the Baron—an easy superior to serve?”

“There’s no such thing as an easy superior, my lady.”

“Really? In what way?”

Curiosity sparked in Yelodia’s gaze, and Beyhern cleared his throat awkwardly.

Even in such an informal setting, it was unthinkable to openly evaluate one’s superior. Telling the truth might not bode well for his survival until tomorrow.

On the battlefield, Edward was not only a difficult superior to serve but a fearsome one.

The most terrifying moments were when Edward calmly drank tea in the middle of a battlefield under heavy enemy bombardment.

Or when he issued a firing command with a nonchalant demeanor as enemy ships loomed dangerously close. It was enough to send chills down one’s spine.

“Are there any special anecdotes about the Baron?” Yelodia pressed.

“What sort of…”

“Something worth boasting about, or a story you’re proud to share.”

“Ah… well… I’ll have to tell you another time,” Beyhern replied, avoiding Edward’s gaze.

There were countless stories about his superior, but recounting them unfiltered to the Baron’s fiancée was out of the question.

Stories of women flocking to Edward wherever they went… Or how managing the women was harder than managing Edward himself…

Beyhern pushed such memories from his mind and forced a grin as he changed the subject.

“It seems you’ve finished your meal. Shall we head out?”

“Ah… I suppose we should,” Yelodia replied glumly, standing up. She had hoped for some tea to finish the meal, but it seemed Edward wouldn’t allow it.

Beyhern turned to Yelodia and said courteously, “I’ll escort you to the estate.”

“I’ll handle that. You two may return now,” Edward interjected, rising from his seat.

Beyhern grinned. “Ah, of course. How thoughtless of me…”

“Then we’ll take our leave,” Second Lieutenant Walter said as he pinched Beyhern’s side. Beyhern barely stifled a yelp of pain.