In a hunting ground where weapons are allowed, even a moment of carelessness could lead to a serious accident.

The knights accompanying a careless master couldn’t afford to let their guard down as well.

At that moment, a man suddenly emerged from behind the shadow of a towering cedar tree, and Hester’s face lit up.

“Baron Adrian!”

“Ah, Lord Hester.”

Edward, mounted on his horse, gazed down at the three with a curious expression.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh, I’m not particularly interested in hunting. I was just exploring the forest for a bit before heading out.”

“…I see.”

Edward cleared his throat, his expression subtly peculiar.

“And what brings you here, Baron? If you’re planning to hunt in earnest, shouldn’t you venture deeper into the forest?”

“I’m not particularly skilled at hunting myself.”

Just then, a sudden chirp broke the silence, and something furry and red poked out of Edward’s coat.

It was a tiny paw.

“What is that?” Hester exclaimed in surprise.

Edward hesitated, a slightly troubled expression on his face, before gently tucking the small creature back into his coat.

“It’s a fox cub. It seems to have lost its mother.”

“Wow, you’ve already caught a fox cub?” Hester said, astonished.

The officers behind Edward stifled their laughter, their chuckles escaping in low murmurs.

Edward frowned slightly but replied calmly, “I didn’t hunt it. It followed me, and I couldn’t just leave it behind. I’m planning to take it back to the tent before returning to the forest.”

“Oh… I see. In that case, may I join you? I think I’ve gotten myself lost.”

“Ah, yes,” Edward replied, slightly flustered. He couldn’t fathom how Hester could get lost so close to an open clearing.

Glancing down at Hester’s nonchalant face, Edward eventually nodded.

“…Follow me.”

Hester beamed and mounted his horse. As usual, he needed the knights’ assistance and swayed precariously before settling into the saddle.

“Yedi will love the fox cub. She’s always wanted a puppy since she was little.”

“Lady Yedi?” Edward asked, intrigued.

Hester glanced at the fox cub stirring in Edward’s coat and continued, “You’ve heard Yedi was often unwell as a child, right? Our father forbade her from even dreaming of raising a pet, saying she could barely take care of herself. He feared the pet would be devastated if its owner suddenly passed away.”

“I see,” Edward murmured, his tone thoughtful.

“After hearing that, Yedi stopped asking for a dog. She hasn’t mentioned it since,” Hester said with a faint smile, his gaze soft as if reminiscing.

Edward sighed inwardly, finding the family increasingly fascinating with every encounter.

The fox cub, nestled in Edward’s coat, stopped wriggling and seemed to have fallen asleep, its tiny body completely at ease.

“But how did—oh…!”

Hester’s words were abruptly cut off as Edward drew his sword without warning.

The ground trembled, and an arrow thudded into a nearby cedar tree with a sharp crack.

“Ah!” Hester cried out, losing his balance in alarm. “Lord Edward! Help me!”

Hester clung desperately to Sir Calter’s arm as he nearly toppled from his saddle.

Thanks to Calter’s quick reflexes, Hester managed to stay upright, though barely. Regaining his composure, Hester glared in the direction of the hoofbeats now approaching.

Soon, four riders emerged from the forest.

Edward’s sharp gaze narrowed as he recognized the man leading the group—Theodore Kesley, whom he had encountered on Ionnel Street not long ago.

However, it was Hester who erupted with volcanic anger.

“Theodore Kesley!”

“Oh, Lord Hester! How did you end up here? Are you all right?” Theodore stammered, his head bobbing in a flustered attempt to assess the situation. Realizing Hester was unharmed, he exhaled in visible relief.

Hester’s face was rigid as he glared at the arrow embedded in the tree.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I deeply apologize. I heard a noise from this direction and thought it might be game,” Theodore stammered.

Wounding the third son of the Ducal House of Xavier would ruin his reputation in high society, no matter how successful his hunt.

Hester’s voice was razor-sharp. “Shooting an arrow without confirming your target? What were you thinking? What if it had hit a person?”

“That would never…”

Theodore trailed off, unable to complete his sentence under Hester’s icy glare.

“How can you be so sure after having already loosed the arrow?”

A cold sweat ran down Theodore’s back. He hadn’t expected Hester to be with Edward when he decided to follow him.

Even more, he never imagined that Hester, known for his gentle demeanor, could become so fiercely angry.

“You should apologize immediately. Unless, of course, you’d prefer that I lodge a formal complaint with your family?”

“No, that’s… I’m truly sorry.”

Theodore hurriedly dismounted and knelt on one knee. The other knights followed suit, dismounting and bowing respectfully.

‘Damn it. This is all because of that wretched bastard.’

Theodore cursed inwardly, gritting his teeth. Nothing seemed to go right, all thanks to that common-born nuisance.

Hester looked down at Theodore coldly, then turned his gaze to Edward, whose expression remained indifferent.

“Do you have anything to add, Baron? If you wish to send a formal letter of protest to the Kesley family, I won’t interfere.”

“…There’s no need for that. No one was hurt, after all.”

“In that case, let us move on.”

“Yes.”

Hester rode his horse more slowly than before. Edward sheathed his sword and followed him.

After a long silence, Hester suddenly asked Edward, “How did you know Theodore Kesley was approaching? Martial artists are truly remarkable.”

“I believe you’re far more remarkable, Lord Hester,” Edward replied with a faint smile. He had thought it before, but every member of the Ducal House of Xavier seemed full of surprises.

Hester, looking a bit bashful, changed the subject.

“If you’re calling Fabian by name now, you may as well address me casually too.”

“…Very well.”

Edward agreed immediately, and Hester’s expression relaxed noticeably as he guided his horse forward.

Before long, the two exited the hunting grounds and returned to the clearing where they had started.

Spotting them, Yelodia, who had been lingering near the tents, rushed over, her dress fluttering.

“Brother, are you all right? You’re not hurt, are you?”

“Not a scratch on me. You should’ve stayed in the tent and rested.”

“I was worried about you. But….”

Yelodia’s curious gaze shifted to Edward, who had followed Hester back.

“Baron, you’ve come back with him? What about the hunt?”

“I had to stop by the tent briefly,” Edward replied, dismounting smoothly.

As Yelodia moved closer to Edward with a puzzled expression, something furry and red popped out of his coat. A pair of pointed ears twitched.

Yelodia’s eyes widened.

“What… what is that?”

“It’s a fox cub. It seems to have lost its mother, so I brought it along.”

“Oh my!”

Yelodia, practically bouncing with excitement, stared at the cub and tentatively reached out a hand. She didn’t dare touch it, instead looking up at Edward with hopeful eyes.

Suppressing a smile, Edward said, “If it’s not too much trouble, may I leave the cub in your tent? I have no one to look after it in mine.”

“Of course! Please, come in!”

Yelodia hurriedly led Edward toward the tent, signaling for the servants to open the entrance curtain wide.

Watching them from a distance, Hester chuckled softly and waved.

“I’ll go rest in my tent. Riding after so long has worn me out.”

“…Do as you please.”

Yelodia held back a sigh at her brother’s fatigue after barely an hour of riding. Not even the Duke of Xavier would expect Hester to catch so much as a rabbit.

Besides, all her attention was focused on the wriggling fox cub in Edward’s arms.

“See you tonight, perhaps?”

“Sounds good.”

Suppressing a yawn, Hester disappeared into his tent.

“Shall we go in as well?”

At Yelodia’s nod, the servants held the tent curtain open, making it easy for them to enter.