The day of the summer hunting competition.

Two carriages with gray wolves, the symbol of the Delgado family, painted on them stopped in front of the mansion’s main gate.

The carriages were decorated with lavish gold leaf.

Only direct members of the Delgado family were allowed to ride in these luxurious carriages.

Behind the ornate carriages were lined up ordinary brown carriages for the servants to ride in.

It seemed that selling just one piece of gold leaf from the golden carriage would be enough for people like us to live comfortably for 5 years.

The servants, glancing at the carriages while working, were busy marveling anew at the wealth of the Delgado family.

Normally, I too would have been wide-eyed in amazement at those carriages.

“What nonsense are you talking about now, Yurian! Taking a kitchen maid to the hunting competition! We can’t bring a kitchen maid of unknown origin to the imperial palace.”

The quietly angry words of the Duchess pierced my ears.

“But Mother, since the tutor ended up like that and we haven’t found another tutor yet, I need a servant to accompany me to the hunting competition.”

“Then why does it have to be that maid? There are other maids too.”

I was on pins and needles. I couldn’t run away, nor could I brazenly get into the carriage.

Cold sweat ran down my back.

Not knowing whether he understood my feelings or not, my baby angel Yurian firmly grasped my hand.

At the same time, the Duchess’s red eyes cooled coldly.

Fierce anger rose in her eyes.

It seemed to say, ‘How dare you reach out even to my son.’

Is it possible to hear sounds when nothing has been said yet?

The Duchess’s gaze seemed to have voice support function as well.

I wriggled my hand carefully, trying to remove Yurian’s grip.

It was too burdensome to be the center of attention of the servants passing by pretending not to notice.

The young master of the Duke’s family insisting on taking a maid to the imperial hunting competition.

It was just the kind of scene that could easily start strange rumors.

“Young master. First, let go of this hand…”

“If Heidi doesn’t come along, I won’t go to the hunting competition.”

“Yurian!”

A scream finally escaped from Leriana’s mouth, which usually didn’t raise her voice when servants were present.

As she staggered, holding her forehead, a maid standing nearby quickly supported Leriana.

“Yurian. Think of the face of the Delgado ducal family. If you bring a lowly kitchen maid, what will other nobles think of us? It’s clear as day that they’ll whisper about us being a family without noble dignity.”

Lowly kitchen maid.

At those words, the eyes of the maids passing by pretending not to hear slightly widened. But they soon lowered their heads and scurried away.

Yurian bit his lip hard. It seemed he was determined to persist until the end, even though the departure time was approaching.

The child firmly grasped my hand, which I had almost succeeded in pulling away, and said resolutely.

“No. There won’t be such nobles. I won’t stand idly by if anyone dares to gossip about the Delgado ducal family.”

“Still, it’s not allowed.”

“We’re going together.”

“Yurian, you really!”

“It might be better to let go of that hand, Yurian.”

It was Dietrich who neatly resolved the increasingly serious situation.

At the low but firm voice, both Yurian and the Duchess turned around at the same time.

Dressed in a jet-black uniform that resembled pitch darkness, Dietrich truly looked like the image of a god.

To be precise, the image of a male god.

“Damn.”

I hurriedly covered my mouth with my free hand at the profanity that escaped without my realizing.

Fortunately, it seemed no one had heard.

As I was admiring his beautiful figure once again, something at his waist caught my eye.

There was a black scabbard at Dietrich’s waist, and the sword handle inserted in that scabbard had a dark green jewel embedded in it.

‘Did you bring out Harpe?’

Surprised, I looked at him, but he was still staring intently at Yurian.

Despite being the focus of everyone’s attention, Dietrich calmly stretched out his hand and pointed at my hand.

“I said it would be better to let go of that hand.”

Startled by the icy tone, Yurian unknowingly loosened his grip.

Finally free, I clenched and unclenched my hand, letting out a sigh of relief.

I had been thinking that if I remained captive any longer, I might die of suffocation from the Duchess’s gaze.

Dietrich had appeared at just the right moment.

The Duchess greeted Dietrich in a tone that properly acknowledged the surrounding gazes.

“Dietrich. You look handsome today. You’re dressed very neatly.”

However, she was thoroughly ignored.

Dietrich didn’t even look at the Duchess and gestured to me with his eyes.

‘You want me to step back?’

When I mouthed the question, he nodded slightly.

Trusting Dietrich, I quietly took a step back.

Only then did Yurian realize he had let go of my hand and tried to follow me.

But even that was stopped by Dietrich.

“Yurian.”

“Yes?”

Yurian lifted his head abruptly at his name being called slowly.

Dietrich glanced at me and then asked Yurian again.

“Har… no, do you want to go to the hunting competition with Heidi?”

“Yes, yes! I want to go together.”

“Then go. Don’t hesitate.”

It was such a clean resolution that all the previous arguments seemed futile.

Yurian also slightly opened his mouth and looked up at him, probably thinking Dietrich would surely say it wasn’t allowed.

Dietrich frowned as if annoyed.

“Are we going to waste time here on such trivial matters?”

He strode towards the empty carriage.

Then he looked around at the people who had frozen in place and gestured to me.

“Hurry up and get in.”

As I stood there not knowing what to do, Dietrich nodded towards the carriage.

Huh? You want me to get in there?

I shook my head with a dumbfounded expression.

“No, young master. This isn’t the servants’ carriage.”

“I know.”

If you know, then why are you doing this!

I mouthed words to him, opening and closing my mouth.

“I should ride in that carriage. That brown carriage!”

“Really? Then are you going to hang from the roof of that carriage? The carriages were prepared to match the number of servants going to the hunting competition, so there won’t be a place for you to sit.”

“…Oh.”

I glanced at the brown carriages lined up behind the direct family’s carriage.

The servants were busily loading luggage.

“If you want to draw attention, just stay here.”

“No!”

I wanted to get out of this situation as quickly as possible.

But why are there two direct family carriages?

Dietrich, who keenly noticed my puzzlement, briefly explained.

“I usually ride in a separate carriage from that woman. So ride comfortably. No need to worry.”

It seemed that Dietrich, who disliked even being in the same space as the Duchess, usually rode a horse or took a separate carriage when there were such events.

‘Ah, so that’s why there are two direct family carriages.’

While I was relieved at the thought of not having to ride with the Duchess, I couldn’t help but be conscious of the surrounding gazes.

However, Dietrich seemed unconcerned.

As I was about to get into the carriage, Yurian followed closely behind me.

The child’s expression, which had been serious throughout, was now brightly lit up.

He must be happy to be able to take me to the hunting competition, but.

‘He seems happy that Dietrich took his side?’

It was obvious from the way he was grinning at Dietrich, who had already gotten into the carriage.

Yurian’s transparent emotions made me feel excited as well.

Yurian, who was about to get into the golden carriage where Dietrich and I were, hesitated for a moment and looked back at the Duchess standing blankly behind.

Then he asked nervously in front of the golden carriage.

“Um, Heidi. How about riding in the same carriage with me?”

At those words, Dietrich’s eyes narrowed.

“I’ll explain the hunting competition well so you won’t be bored. How about it?”

“Ah, that’s, young master…”

“That’s enough, you should take care of your mother.”

At Dietrich’s curt refusal, Yurian immediately became dejected.

Seeing his drooping shoulders, I hurriedly consoled him.

“When we arrive at the hunting competition grounds, I’ll follow only you the whole time, young master.”

“…Really?”

Although he tried not to show a pleased expression, the twitching corners of his mouth suggested he was satisfied.

Nevertheless, Yurian, who had been lingering by the carriage for a while, suddenly got into the carriage we were riding.

“I’ll just ride here too.”

“What?”

“…”

Dietrich’s dissatisfied sigh could be heard, but Yurian sat down snugly next to me.

It seemed his desire to go with me had won over his fear of Dietrich.

The Duchess’s shocked cry could be heard from behind, but Yurian told the coachman to close the door.

“If you do this, your mother won’t leave you alone.”

“It’s alright, elder brother.”

Just as the carriage door was about to close.

“Just a moment. Today, this mother should also ride here.”

The Duchess, who had somehow appeared in front of the carriage door, smiled with trembling lips.

For a moment, cracks appeared in Dietrich’s expressionless face. His furrowed brow, unable to hide his dislike, revealed his mood.

…Ah, it seems this will be a terrible journey.

And that premonition was not wrong.

“We’re departing!”

With the coachman’s loud cry, the carriage began to move smoothly.

There was no bumpy ride feeling.

The carriage rolled so smoothly that it was hard to tell if we were riding in a carriage or floating on a cloud, truly befitting its top-class status.

“Ahem, Heidi. This is our family’s carriage. It’s very spacious compared to other families’ carriages. Moreover, the sofa in our carriage is made with the highest quality fabric, so it’s extremely soft.”

Yurian, who had been listing off his boasts, puffed up his shoulders slightly with pride.

My goodness, how could he be so cute.

Although he always tried to use a dignified adult-like tone, at times like this, he was unmistakably a young child.

“Oh my, really? Then, let me give you my impression.”

I tried to ignore the Duchess’s intense glare from across the carriage.

The comfort I felt as soon as I sat down was certainly worth boasting about.

Yurian, sitting close to my side, gazed at me with his teal eyes sparkling.

He seemed to be waiting for my review.

I smiled brightly and gave a thumbs up instead of a verbal assessment.

Satisfied with just that, Yurian let out a pleased laugh.

A warm breeze entered through the slightly open window.

The Duchess was the Duchess, and I was starting to get excited.

As Dietrich had mentioned yesterday, this was my first outing since being possessed here.

And that outing was none other than the imperial hunting competition.

My heart fluttered with excitement as I thought about the people I would meet there.

However, there was a cold and elegant voice that broke my reverie.

“Maid Heidi.”

The Duchess, who had called my name, leaned back on the carriage sofa. The fan in her hand, covered with white gloves, moved steadily.

She couldn’t hide her disapproving expression.

“Yes, my lady.”

“You’ve come this far on a whim, so let me give you a piece of advice.”

“Please do.”

She looked me up and down.

“I hope you don’t misunderstand that you’ve become special just because you’re riding here. It’s advice I’m giving because I know too well what the end of greedy servants has been like.”

In other words, it meant ‘Know your place and be careful.’

Amusingly, I knew my place all too well.

I didn’t want to do anything to hasten my demise unnecessarily.

The reason I was working hard as a maid here was to survive until the end and escape from the sword spirit.

So the Duchess’s words didn’t particularly upset or anger me.

They were just obvious statements.

I just planned to stay quiet like the other maids accompanying the hunting competition and return.

Without catching anyone’s eye.

I smiled brightly, closing my eyes.

“Yes, of course, I understand well! I’ll stay as quiet as a mouse at today’s hunting competition unless young master Yurian calls for me.”

“Good. Since you’re going anyway, I won’t say more. But Dietrich.”

The Duchess turned to look at him, sitting far from her own seat.

“Your behavior earlier was rude. I’ll handle my son’s matters myself.”

At those words, he, who had been expressionlessly looking out the window, smirked and looked at the Duchess.

“Go ahead. I’m not particularly interested anyway.”

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interfere in Yurian’s affairs from now on.”

Hearing her draw a firm line, Dietrich turned his gaze back to the window.

Then he added one last comment.

“But does Yurian want that too?”