“Are you saying you want to elevate Pennel’s daughter to the rank of a saint?”

“Without a doubt, that is correct. Count Sparrow.”

People gasped, inhaling sharply.

“Is this something that the Duke of Rochester has also permitted?”

The duke, who had been silent until now, stood up holding the glass in front of him. Smiling with an extremely relaxed expression, almost identical to Ricardo’s.

“A man who doesn’t listen to his wife’s words doesn’t live long.”

The duke finished speaking lightly and gently clinked his glass against the duchess’s. The clear sound of glass touching resonated through the wide-open forest.

“Now, Rochester will take care of the Rochester saint’s matter, so you all can go about your own business.”

The duke raised his glass towards the emperor, then drained it in one gulp. Holding the empty glass high in the air, he laughed flamboyantly.

“Don’t the beasts of the forest become more ferocious when the sun sets?”

At these words signaling dismissal, the Rochester family’s retainers moved first. Retainers are those who can grumble and complain about the duke within the household, but must unconditionally obey the family head’s words outside.

Befitting the leaders of the Rochester vassal families, they took the vanguard of the hunt.

“Let’s go too.”

Ricardo, who had been maintaining eye contact with me until now, slowly closed his eyelids and opened them again. Like a frog released from a spell, I bounced slightly on the horse.

“Yes…”

As I responded softly like a guilty person, Ricardo slowly guided his horse towards where the retainers were standing. I whispered to the horse’s ear once more, asking it to walk gracefully since things had come to this.

As we approached the retainers alongside him, the heads of the vassal families turned their horses’ heads to make way on both sides. Ricardo and I went to the very front and stood there.

He smiled leisurely and spoke lightly to the people.

“This year’s victory will once again go to Rochester.”

The eyes of the men looking at Ricardo were filled with unwavering certainty.

Even the dogs fell silent at the appearance of the next head. The suddenly unfolded majestic atmosphere sent chills down my spine.

As he positioned himself towards the most treacherous part of the forest, the dogs began barking as if given permission.

Simultaneously, my insides, which had been staring blankly at him until now, began to clamor noisily.

‘Surely not…’

“Don’t even think about returning until you’ve ridden the fastest and caught the biggest beast.”

‘No, no. Rica. You’re not planning to run now, are you?’

I’d rather be burned at the stake. It’s better than falling off a horse while riding here and breaking my neck.

Even if I don’t die, I’ll die of shame if I fall off in such a grand atmosphere.

“Um… excuse me…”

As I called out in a dying voice, Ricardo looked down at me briefly. I clenched my mouth shut and desperately shook my head at him.

‘Please… I can’t ride a horse. Huh? You know that, right? You know? You’re doing this even though you know. You’re getting revenge now because I said I’d stay by your side on my own, right?’

He closed his eyes for a moment. For some reason, it seemed like he was trying to hold back laughter, but surely not… right?

“Don’t worry.”

Ricardo leaned over, stretching his body, and his large shadow completely covered me.

“No matter what happens, I’ll catch you.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he slapped my horse’s rump with a loud smack. My body jerked backward, then lurched forward from the rebound.

Instinctively gripping the reins tightly, the horse carrying me began to dash forward. It looked as if I was leading the vanguard of the retainers.

Ricardo immediately filled the space beside me, and the sound of hooves carrying people filled the forest. As I flailed with a panicked face, Ricardo reached out and grabbed my horse’s reins, using his own horse to help guide mine in the right direction.

Thanks to that, my trembling from shock only lasted for a moment.

Before long, as my movements synchronized with the horse, the plains that spread out before entering the rough forest path came into view. The wind that had felt stuffy now felt refreshing. The breeze that brushed my nose blew through my hair and carried the scent of the forest.

“Ah…”

So this is how fun horseback riding can be.

As I gained the composure to look around, I first turned to Ricardo. My heart fluttered anew at his smooth forehead exposed by the wind and his sharp side profile.

Noble and reserved Ricardo.

Though I couldn’t know what words this beautiful man was about to say to me, it was clear that this moment would become a memorable one.

Ricardo and I separated from the group and ascended the mountain path. It was to reach the highest point possible on horseback.

Befitting a hunting ground that had been used for grand hunts for a long time, the path was well-maintained for horses to run. Although it was still a densely wooded trail, it was wide enough for two horses to walk side by side.

Nevertheless, I didn’t walk beside Ricardo but followed behind a bit hesitantly. I could guess why he had separated from the group and come here.

“Wow.”

But when we reached the middle of the mountain, I forgot all circumstances and simply marveled purely. Because of the beautiful scenery that unfolded before the wide-open view.

Standing on a protruding rock, the entire forest was visible at a glance. Far away at the entrance of the hunting ground, some people still remained. It was high enough that one had to look closely to tell they were people.

Below the giant rock that was cut like a cliff, there was also a large lake.

I had only thought that the Dermayer Forest was larger and rougher than the Lesotian Forest, but seen from above, even the dense fir forest in the distance evoked a sad and mysterious atmosphere rather than a majestic one.

“It’s an incredibly wonderful place.”

“Yes, it’s also a place where the sun sets quickly.”

“Then… we should hurry back down.”

“Lienne.”

Ricardo called my name softly. Guessing the words that would follow that call, I somehow wanted to run away.

“Since when did you have such thoughts?”

“What do you mean by ‘such thoughts’?”

Even though he wasn’t accusing me of wrongdoing, my tone became sharp.

“It doesn’t seem like you heard the duchess’s words for the first time today.”

“That’s right, it was all discussed in advance. The young lord asked if I wanted to stay by your side, and I said I did. You know well. That I like you.”

I raised my head even more stiffly, as if his emotionless gaze, seated higher than me, was pressing down on me.

“I know, we’re making eye contact even now.”

“The duchess said to try until I wanted to. To confront you if I desired you. That she would give me the qualification to do so.”

“…”

“When the duchess offered to do that, what woman in the world could remain indifferent to such a proposal? Don’t you agree?”

Ricardo remained silent throughout, even to my question seeking agreement. In the face of the meaning shown by his silence, my heart kept feeling more and more wronged.

“You made me greedy, you know. By giving flowers, giving smiles, covering me with clothes.”

Ricardo clenched his jaw tightly and tilted his head up slightly. Whether he was angry or holding something back was indistinguishable, but like someone who had reached a dead end, I poured out words without fear.

“I’m not asking for much. I just want to be with you. To share gazes like sharing food, to mix laughter like mixing words, to be by your side as naturally as breathing.”

I want to love and be loved. Though I didn’t say it out loud, he couldn’t have missed the words spoken through my eyes. Yet, he didn’t open his mouth.

“I’m not saying I’ll hold on completely. If the saint appears and truly, truly is your companion… then I’ll leave without any lingering attachments.”

“Lienne.”

It was just my name being called, but my heart crumbled. Because I knew the sigh mixed in those three syllables was the answer.

“Then I’ll just see if you become happy, if you smile happily, before I go.”

“That won’t happen. You must board the ship as my fiancée unconditionally. For now, that’s the safest way.”

“Really… is it not possible?”

And finally, I clung on.

Even Sabrina’s painful advice that a woman is finished the moment she clings was of no use. Even knowing that nothing could be done if that cold, ice wall-like man decided to push me away.

Even knowing that the faint warmth remaining at the tips of my fingers couldn’t melt that cold wall even by a fingernail’s width.

Because there was nothing else I could do. Because I didn’t know how to do anything else.

“It’s not possible. You will leave Dermayer before the saint arrives at the duke’s residence. With your family.”

As expected, Ricardo showed no hesitation. Did he not know that words could be as sharp as a blade?

“What if I refuse?”

“This isn’t a matter of liking or disliking.”

“You said I could manifest, I could awaken.”

It was a decision made without even asking for his opinion.

Shameless, thoughtless, irrational. The self-criticism I gave myself swirled around in my head, but the resentful words didn’t stop.

“Do you dislike me that much?”

“I never said such a thing.”

While I was being tossed about like a sailboat under a storm, I hated this man who still managed to maintain smooth eye contact.

“If you don’t dislike me, why did you bring me all the way up here to interrogate me?”

“I never interrogated you either.”