Summer Hunting Tournament.

It was literally a grand hunting tournament held to welcome the summer.

On the vast meadow spread out under the hot sun signaling the start of summer.

A glorious hunting tournament where the person who catches the rarest and largest animal can have the honor of holding the trophy.

It might seem like anyone good at hunting could participate, but the reality was different.

The Summer Hunting Tournament was a festival exclusively for nobles.

Nobles with titles and their children appear at the hunting grounds dressed in outfits that show off their robustness.

And they do their best to catch the rarest and largest animal. It’s a struggle to receive the attention of beautiful noble ladies.

Under the enormous tent decorated with gold, ladies and young ladies gathered to avoid the hot sun chat while watching the robust men.

The Summer Hunting Tournament, where love can blossom between men and women who exchange subtle glances.

‘They want me to go there with them?’

After finishing all the evening work, I fell into contemplation as I headed towards the hill to have a cool beer with Robert and Marie after a long time.

Yurian disappeared towards the main building without even waiting for my answer after his shy exclamation.

‘I didn’t know Yurian could run that fast.’

Is it because Yurian is also a descendant of the Delgado family?

Anyway, I arrived at the hill while thinking about useless things.

“Should I spread it here?”

“Robert. You’re about to drop all the french fries.”

Marie started nagging after preventing the clumsy Robert from spilling the french fries.

Robert, who seemed used to it, covered his ears and spread out the mat, then threw himself on it.

Then he quietly clicked his tongue at Marie.

“Marie. You don’t have a lover because you keep nagging like that.”

I slowly moved away from Robert, who was again saying something true.

Under the bright full moon, Marie’s freckled face began to turn red with anger.

“I could have one if I wanted to! Who has time for romance when we’re so busy making a living!”

Marie has a point too.

Yes, that’s right.

I nodded roughly and fell back into thought.

The invitation to go to the Summer Hunting Tournament together seemed sincere.

Seeing that he left without even hearing my answer, Yurian seemed to already have some kind of plan.

What if he forcibly drags me along?

What should I say to Dietrich?

While I was lost in thought, Robert and Marie were still bickering tirelessly beside me.

“Everyone dates even when they’re busy. I heard even Bill from the stable got a girlfriend.”

“Bill? Ha! Not my type, so I’m not even jealous!”

How can they get along so well?

In the midst of that, they even matched well in offering to clink glasses.

French fries, beer, and the calm atmosphere of a summer night.

It was a happy time that could be enjoyed after work was done.

Except that my worries hadn’t ended.

“What are you all doing here?”

However, a stranger appeared who would blow away all of our calm happiness and my worries.

Marie and Robert rose from their seats as quick as lightning and bowed their heads politely.

It was someone worth doing that for.

“Young Master Dietrich. What brings you here?”

Why is Dietrich coming out here?

The worries I had been having until just now disappeared like dust.

Dietrich’s blue-green eyes, resembling a blue tropical sea, were staring down at me.

It was only when Marie and Robert started to feel strange that he slowly looked around and asked.

“Is this a place I shouldn’t come to?”

“Ah, no, not at all!”

Robert exclaimed, waving his hands.

Marie and Robert were completely stiff from the fact that they had encountered Dietrich.

Robert’s black eyes shook anxiously.

I stepped forward in case Robert might make a mistake.

However, to Dietrich, this seemed like I was protecting Robert.

Dietrich’s smooth lips curled up crookedly.

It was a sign that anyone could see he was displeased.

“What, are you afraid I might eat this servant?”

“Of course not! Sir!”

As usual, informal speech slipped out. Realizing Marie and Robert were there, I hurriedly added formal speech.

Even though I said it wasn’t like that, Dietrich’s furrowed brow showed no signs of relaxing.

Rather, he started to look Robert up and down more blatantly than before.

When it seemed like Robert’s ears were about to burst, I finally stopped Dietrich.

“Um, Young Master. If you’re planning to rest here, we can make way for you.”

“That’s not it. I was just on my way back to the main building from the training ground when I saw servants drinking beer in the middle of the night, so I came over.”

It was clear he had no intention of scolding us.

He gestured vaguely after looking at the french fries cooling on the mat.

“Just continue what you were doing comfortably. I’ll be on my way.”

And then he turned around after staring blatantly at Robert until the end.

As I blankly stared at Dietrich’s broad back getting farther away, I suddenly thought I should tell him about the offer Yurian had made.

The hunting tournament is tomorrow, so if I don’t say it today, there won’t be another chance to speak.

I told my friends who were sitting down with relief to wait a moment, and then hurriedly chased after him.

“Dietrich! Young Master!”

“……”

He stopped abruptly and turned slightly.

His silver-gray hair flowed down like it was crumbling under the moonlight, tilting slightly to the side.

As I stood in front of him, grabbing my fluttering maid’s uniform, Dietrich grumbled grumpily.

“Why don’t you keep playing with that guy from earlier, why are you following me?”

“Huh? What?”

“Never mind, forget it.”

Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear what Dietrich said. But what’s important now is to talk about the Summer Hunting Tournament.

However, when I actually tried to speak, I was overwhelmed with worry about how to say it.

If I tell Dietrich, who doesn’t get along very well with Yurian, that I received an offer to go to the Summer Hunting Tournament together, won’t he get angry?

‘But I can’t just keep my mouth shut and not say anything.’

We’ll end up running into Dietrich at the Summer Hunting Tournament anyway if I go.

“Didn’t you have something to say?”

I jerked my head up and gripped my skirt even tighter.

Looking around lightly, I saw that only Dietrich and I were here.

“Dietrich. I was asked to go to the Summer Hunting Tournament together.”

“By whom?”

His languid gaze sharpened.

Who else? Your brother, of course.

‘This is really driving me crazy!’

I knew that the prim and proper Yurian was following me around, but I never thought he’d make an offer like this!

I hesitated before continuing.

“Young Master Yurian.”

“…I must have heard wrong. Who did you say?”

My pronunciation wasn’t slurred, nor was my voice drowned out by other sounds.

However, Dietrich seemed to think he had misheard.

I said it once again with clearer pronunciation.

“Young Master Yurian Delgado.”

Dumbfounded, Dietrich exclaimed “Ha!” and touched his forehead. He naturally ran his hand through his hair and folded his arms before asking.

“I’ve been wanting to ask for a while, but how did you become close with Yurian?”

“We just met by chance a few times.”

“Are you saying that someone you met by chance said they would take you to the royal Summer Hunting Tournament?”

“That’s why I’m troubled. He just said it out of the blue and disappeared before I could say no.”

“Why do you always!”

Always?

His voice cracked and rose high.

Since Dietrich usually had a calm and low voice, I opened my eyes wide.

However, Dietrich quickly regained his composure.

Returning to his original emotionless and languid expression, he replied stiffly.

“Follow me.”

Oh, this is a development I hadn’t expected.

This time, I scratched my ear as if I had misheard.

“Wait. I think I heard wrong. You meant to say I should stay quietly in the mansion, right?”

“You didn’t hear wrong. I said follow me.”

To think Dietrich would tell me to follow him.

I blinked blankly before furrowing my brows.

“Why? Why am I allowed to follow?”

“You must be feeling cooped up after being confined to the mansion all this time since you came here. Just think of it as a short outing.”

“But……”

“Yurian must have had a plan anyway. With the tutor dead, there’s a vacant position for someone to look after that child. It won’t be difficult to squeeze you in and take you along. The problem will be the Duchess.”

I could vividly imagine the Duchess’s fierce opposition without even trying.

“Anyway, I’d rather you go to the hunting tournament with us than cause trouble in the mansion.”

Dietrich disappeared towards the mansion without looking back, seemingly having finished what he wanted to say.

I stood stupidly in place, mulling over Dietrich’s words.

‘He’d rather I go to the hunting tournament than cause trouble?’

Honestly, I did make mistakes occasionally, but did I really cause that much trouble!

“He could at least say it nicely!”

The summer evening breeze kept tickling my face as it gently blew my hair.

But I didn’t feel bad.

It was Dietrich’s way of saying he’d rather take me along than leave me behind.

But how could Yurian, who obeys everything his mother says, go against her words and take me along?

However, the next day.

I ended up admiring Dietrich’s surprisingly forceful way of handling things.