Looking at the darkening Duke, Lina spoke to reassure him, as if it were nothing. Of course, that statement only deepened Bellige’s frown.

Expressing his gratitude to Bleteus, who approached him, the Duke spoke politely.

“…Thank you, Your Highness. I will repay this favor someday.”

“Repaying favors, huh. It’s okay, Duke. In fact, I might owe you an apology.”

“…Excuse me?”

When the Duke questioned the meaning of the man’s words, which seemed incomprehensible, soldiers in the forest were bringing a huge bear on a cart.
“Such a bear was in the forest.”

“Yes, it could have been a really big problem.”

The testimony of the man who was attacked by a bear a while ago seemed not to be false, judging by the overflowing size of the bear in the cart.

While everyone sighed at the sight of the giant bear, Bleteus approached the bear.

Then, he pulled out the arrow lodged in the bear’s body.

“As you can see, I am the one who hunted this bear. Shouldn’t we compete again to determine the winner?”

At that, everyone started to buzz.

“Then, does the winner of the hunting competition change?”

“Yes, that’s right. I thought Duke Fermannes would surely win.”

Everyone predicted the winner by weighing the game in Bellige’s cart and Bleteus’s bear.

Since the winner of the hunting competition was determined by weight, not the number of game, the result was still unknown.

And a little later.

The inspector who measured the game brought by the two declared.

“Duke Fermannes’s cart weighs 578kg, and His Highness the Second Prince’s cart weighs 582kg. Therefore, the winner of this hunting competition is His Highness the Second Prince…!”

It was a result that no one had expected. Duke Fermannes was the overwhelming favorite for the victory in this hunting competition.

Looking at that scene, Lina, who had been watching, said to Bellige.

“Now, let’s go back. Duke.”

“Sure.”

The Duke never wished for victory in the hunting competition in the first place, so he had no lingering feelings. He was just grateful that Lina was safe.

As the two were about to leave, Bleteus approached.

“Duchess Dernamis.”

At the sudden call of her name, Lina turned around.

“What would you like to say…?”

With a puzzled look at the Second Prince, she looked at Bleteus, who extended his hand in front of her.

“Would you be my partner for the festival?”

“!!!”

The surroundings chilled at Bleteus’s words. To ask the fiancee of Duke Fermannes to be his partner.

And that, too, from the Second Prince.

“I…”

Lina, with a gaze of bewilderment, looked at the Duke. He, too, was just frowning without expecting such a thing.

“A little while ago, Duke, you said you wouldn’t forget the favor of saving Duchess Dernamis. I remember that. I want to attend the party with Duchess Dernamis as a return.”

With a gaze that seemed to seek approval, the Second Prince looked at Bellige.

“But you said Your Highness doesn’t need a return.”

“But my mind has changed.”

There was a tense atmosphere between the two. Amid everyone’s attention, an unprecedented Lina stood in front of the two.

“Being Your Highness’s partner is a position too honorable for me. I’m worried that I might make a mistake there. So, please consider my feelings.”

A polite rejection.

When Lina said that, Bleteus nodded as if he had nothing more to say.
“If Your Highness says so.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Then, the first dance is okay, right?”

“Yes?”

A first dance, it is customary for partners to dance the first dance.

However, Lina could not refuse the request of Prince Bleteus, an imperial prince. After a brief hesitation, Lina replied.

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

“Then. I will look forward to that day. Please go safely.”

Perhaps by tomorrow morning, a rumor would spread throughout the empire. A ridiculous rumor that Duke Fermannes and the Second Prince became rivals over a woman.

“Come here, On [Dash].”

As the Empress reached out in the swaying grass, a small fox raised its head.

A cream-colored fox with pointed ears.

It was the fox that had bitten Lina and escaped into the forest during the day.

Dodge [Dash].

The fox nestled in the Empress’s arms as if it were familiar. Lovingly, Eugenie swept the fox’s fur as if it were cute.

“You did well. Good job.”
Gently tapping as if finding it cute. Then, as usual, Eugenie looked at Bleteus, who was standing next to her with softly curved eyes.

“So, will you explain what happened earlier, Bleteus?”

Her voice remained cool. It was surprising that he suddenly went to the hunting competition without saying a word. He even brought back strange rumors from there.

“There’s not much difference from what you saw.”

“Bleteus.”

With an indifferent and nonchalant attitude as if asking if there was a problem, Eugenie deliberately ignored Lina’s tense expression.

“You’ve messed up more than one or two things because of you. What exactly were you doing, helping that woman in the forest? Thanks to you, I couldn’t even verify her magic power.”

The fox that Lina held earlier today was a fox trained by the Empress since it was a cub.

‘I intended to observe when the magic power amplifying poison applied to the fox’s teeth would open, but.’

The magic power of a person poisoned by the toxin could explode at any time and anywhere. That’s why she deliberately exposed her to a dangerous situation to quickly confirm.

Until Bleteus ruins everything.

‘Tsk.’

With the poison still infiltrating her body, there was no longer a dangerous situation. Now, no one knew when the magic power would open.

She clicked her tongue, expressing her dissatisfaction with the disrupted plan. As if not liking that, Empress Eugenie approached Bleteus.

“You’ve done something unnecessary.”

“Unnecessary? All of this was for you…”

“Not for me, but for my mother.”

As if mocking the Empress’s words, Bleteus’s mouth curled up.

“No, Mother. Don’t touch Lina.”

Because only I can make you unhappy.

A reddish glow flickered in his eyes.