Veronica tried to spend some time alone with Cassian during the rest of the birthday banquet.

But the man who left on the pretext of feeling dizzy did not show his face afterwards.

Veronica also did not need to attend the banquet again after achieving her goal on the first day.

So she asked for a meeting separately the next day, but only received several rejections in response.

Meanwhile, the birthday banquet concluded grandly, and immediately after, the imperial hunting competition was held.

In fact, the competition was just entertainment among the imperial family, but it was still an occasion to determine a winner by comparing the hunted game.

The winner receives a reward directly from the emperor. The hunting competition was held in the hunting grounds, which are private property of the imperial family.

Veronica, who had prepared, arrived at the hunting grounds. Participants of the competition were gathered on a hill near the entrance of the forest. For an imperial feast, there was quite a number of nobles.

With fewer people attending compared to the previous birthday banquet, it would be a good opportunity to gain the emperor’s favor. One could guess what kind of solicitations had been exchanged to attend this event.

On top of the hill, groups of nobles formed around the princes.

From the crown prince to the young prince who had just started walking, all appeared at the hunting competition, but there was a noticeable difference in the number of people flocking around them.

“They say the biggest game this time is a bear.”

“Then we just need to avoid that.”

Information about the hunting competition was also exchanged secretly. It was the most important information in this gathering.

The winner of the hunting competition was the emperor every year. The emperor’s hunting skills were good, but there was obviously an intentional aspect as well.

As this was an occasion to enjoy the emperor’s entertainment, there was an unspoken rule that the biggest game released for the hunting competition should not be caught in order to boost his mood.

So the emperor won every year, and the runner-up received the emperor’s reward. This place was no different from the birthday banquet.

Veronica sighed and gathered up her skirt. She was used to horseback riding, but riding in a skirt was very uncomfortable.

Soothing the horse that wanted to bolt right away, she glanced at Cassian in front of her. He must have felt her gaze, but he did not look back.

Soon after, amidst noisy commotion, the emperor appeared. The emperor, who liked to be the center of attention, always appeared later than the scheduled time.

The emperor truly enjoyed receiving everyone’s interest and attention at once.

People flocked to greet the emperor, making things a bit chaotic.

“Then let the competition begin!”

With the emperor’s arrival, a flag was raised to signal the start of the competition. Trumpets sounded, and people began to lead their horses into the forest, which was the hunting ground.

Cassian moved belatedly. He slowly led his horse after watching everyone enter the hunting grounds.

Veronica followed him. Her horse was led by Cassian’s servant.

“Lady Hardness. Please let me know if there’s anything uncomfortable.”

“I will.”

She attended this hunt without any servants.

Although maids and guards could have accompanied her, she refused. The servants she brought waited in the carriage.

As a result, a servant from Cassian’s side ended up taking care of her. He too, unlike others, had only one accompanying person.

In fact, this wasn’t necessary, but Veronica obediently accepted the protection.

The method of conducting the hunting competition was simple. Game animals were first released into the hunting grounds, then participants caught them using their own methods.

When the ending signal sounded, they would return to where they started and compare their catches to determine the winner.

Cassian, who entered the forest, moved leisurely along the path. His appearance was as if he had come out for a nearby stroll.

While others were moving quickly to catch good game, Cassian was riding his horse at a relaxed pace. He showed not even a speck of enthusiasm.

“Your Highness. If we don’t find game quickly, we’ll miss our chance.”

“……”

“Your Highness?”

“Prince Theron is usually not very interested in hunting competitions.”

The servant beside them answered on his behalf. Veronica glanced at him and pulled on her reins.

The horse moved quickly to Cassian’s side. The servant followed, flustered.

“I’ve barely seen your face, and you won’t even talk to me?”

“……”

“Prince Cassian.”

“Talking with Miss Hardness only makes me angry, so let’s just go quietly.”

“Is this because of our conversation last time?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. More importantly, you’re too close.”

“It’s because Your Highness was too far away.”

“I’ll keep my distance as I see fit.”

Cassian pulled on his reins to distance his horse from Veronica’s.

She wanted to get close again, but the servant blocked her, not knowing what to do. Instead, Veronica leaned her body towards Cassian. Cassian frowned.

“That’s dangerous.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“I’m just advising you that it’s dangerous.”

“You’re advising me because you’re worried, aren’t you?”

“Miss Hardness, I think it would be better if you just kept your mouth shut.”

“What do you want to do with me when my mouth is shut?”

“Then I’ll just keep my mouth shut.”

With that, Cassian tightly closed his mouth. Veronica ignored this and continued to speak to him.

She rambled on with useless chatter like: The weather is so nice today. It must be fun to hunt on a day like this. What do you usually do, Your Highness? How will you spend your time here? Where are you planning to go? What are you thinking of catching?

Cassian did not respond to any of it. After being ignored continuously, Veronica finally closed her mouth. This was the first time she had been ignored like this.

There were no such difficulties when talking with Asher. He basically listened to her words and showed an attitude of responding.

But Cassian not only blatantly ignored her words, he didn’t even look at her.

Looking at his expressionless face, she thought he was truly an uninteresting man.

“Your Highness. Over there! I think there’s something.”

Veronica pointed to some bushes that showed small movements. Cassian ignored it and passed by.

“I think I heard a sound over there. Ah, people are flocking there too.”

He ignored that as well.

“There are footprints on the ground here. It seems to be quite a large animal. Do you know the biggest game today is a bear? His Majesty must be very pleased.”

“……”

There was no response even to her words spoken with a smile.

Cassian stubbornly stared straight ahead. Nevertheless, Veronica did not lose her smile.

That appearance rather gave off a sharp atmosphere. The servant watching the two from the side sweated profusely as he observed the situation.

“Um, Your Highness! How about getting off here?! I think we’ve come quite far in.”

“Alright.”

At the servant’s words, Cassian stopped his horse. Veronica also prepared to get off. As the atmosphere seemed to calm for a moment, the servant secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Veronica, who got off the horse with the servant’s support, shook out her crumpled skirt. Then she glared at the black head of hair that showed no interest in her. There was a fork in the road ahead of him.

“Your Highness. Which way are you going?”

“……”

Again, no response.

The servant hurriedly intervened.

“Y-Your Highness. Which way are you thinking of going?”

“Let’s go this way.”

Answering the servant’s question, Cassian walked towards the right path.

The servant looked at Veronica nervously again. Veronica quietly glared at the man who was chewing on her words.

“L-Lady Hardness. Please go this way.”

“……”

Sharp eyes turned towards him. The servant flinched.

“You must be tired.”

“Pardon?”

“You must be tired, right?”

“Uh, yes? Uh, uh.”

“I don’t need assistance, so rest here. I’ll go with His Highness alone.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

Overwhelmed by her aura, the servant bowed his head. Veronica immediately followed Cassian. The servant anxiously watched the two people walking away.

Cassian, who had been walking far ahead, stopped.

There was a presence felt in the bushes. Game? He had no interest in the reward, but he had to pretend to participate. Reluctantly, he drew his sword.

Hoping it would be suitable game, he looked to the side and frowned. Veronica was standing alone.

“Where did the servant go?”

“He said he was tired, so I told him to rest for a while.”

“He was tired?”

“Yes, he must have been tired from being caught between us and reading the atmosphere.”

Cassian turned his head away, looking embarrassed as if he understood.

“We’re finally alone.”

“……”

Those words gave him goosebumps. Cassian quickly hardened his expression.

“I need to go catch some game.”

“I thought you weren’t interested in the hunting competition.”

“When did I say that? I won’t be able to pay attention to you, so please stay with the servant.”

“You do your thing, Your Highness. I’m going to catch my own game.”

“Then why do you keep coming closer!”

Veronica had been trying to inch closer to Cassian since earlier.

“Because Your Highness keeps running away?”

Veronica answered nonchalantly.

Cassian, who had been backing away, soon found his back against a tree.

He looked around. In the forest surrounded by trees, there was essentially nowhere to hide. Cassian swallowed his annoyance.

“Don’t come close while I’m holding a sword.”

“Are you going to swing it at me if necessary?”

“Why does the conversation always take a strange turn? I’m saying don’t come close because it’s dangerous when I use the sword.”

“I don’t mind.”

“I mind.”

“So you are worried about me after all.”

“Ha- Fine. What conversation could I possibly have with Miss Hardness? It won’t be fun to watch from the side anyway, so please go back and wait quietly.”

“I don’t want to.”

“What did you say?”

“I said I don’t want to. Don’t I have the right to refuse?”

Veronica declared boldly.

“If you don’t want to talk, you don’t have to. It’s okay if watching you hunt is boring. If I’m in the way, I’ll follow at a distance. I want to be by Your Highness’s side.”

“I don’t want that either.”

“……”

“According to Miss Hardness’s words, I have rights too. I don’t want Miss Hardness by my side, so I refuse as well.”

“Why do you dislike me?”

“I think I’ve already answered that sufficiently.”

“Your Highness has disliked me from before. Even before I rejected Prince Roel’s proposal. Did I do something wrong to you?”

“Do you have to do something wrong to dislike someone? From the moment I first saw Miss Hardness, I didn’t particularly like you. Especially after you troubled Asher, I couldn’t have any good feelings.”

“Your love for your brother is extreme.”

“I’m glad it appears that way. Now you’ve realized your rudeness.”

Soon after, Veronica closed her mouth, and Cassian stopped talking. Their gazes clashed fiercely. It was a battle of wills without an inch of concession.

As neither had any intention of backing down, it was even more tense. The more they talked, the more Cassian thought he would never get along with her.

“I’ll leave right after catching some game, so please go back.”

Cassian turned his body as if he no longer wanted to talk.

His resolute steps were the same as at the banquet last time. Veronica did not stop him. Her crimson eyes intently followed Cassian.

Cassian did not look back. Only when he was far enough away that his features could not be distinguished did he glance back once.

Thirty minutes later, Cassian caught two foxes. Thinking it was enough to show sincerity in participating in the competition, he returned.

The servant sitting on a rock near the fork in the road greeted him. As Cassian handed over the caught foxes to the servant, he looked around.

“Where is Miss Hardness?”

“Huh? Wasn’t she with Your Highness?”

“…What?”