However, since returning from the debutante ball, other than a single letter that had arrived shortly after, confirming his safe return to the palace, no contact had come from Alfonso.

‘What could be the matter.’

Or, did he simply grow tired of me?

Whenever she was left alone, Ariadne mulled over her moments with Alfonso.

Was he upset because I didn’t warn him in advance that “Victoria Nike” at the Viscount Chibo auction was a fake? Was it too presumptuous of me to ask for a wish grant? Or, did my large and awkward body at the debutante ball hurt his feelings?

The mere thought of it filled her with uncontrollable depression. To shake off her thoughts, Ariadne lowered her head.

“Miss, there’s also a letter.”

The servant in charge of the mail hurried the dazedfaced Ariadne.

Always, ‘the mail has arrived,’ at the signal, she would look at the servant in charge of the mail in anticipation of the prince’s letter, but what he would present was not a gold leaf letter, but a huge red rose and a letter envelope adorned with silver leaf from the Count of De Como’s family.

Today was no different. Inside the letter envelope sealed with red wax and adorned with silver, was a note, written in Cesare’s beautiful handwriting, almost like a letter.

‘From your debutante partner,

I intend to win this hunting competition. If I become the winner who catches the golden deer, won’t you give me your handkerchief?

Count Cesare.’

Ariadne had been responding to all the notes from Count Cesare with silence. That is, she hadn’t sent a single reply.

But upon seeing this note, she was so irritated she almost wrote a reply telling him to shut up.

Ariadne, who had even picked up a pen over a piece of parchment, managed to restrain herself just before she began to write the first word and put the pen down on the desk with a thud.

“Such an audacious person.”

Then she tore up Count Cesare’s letter and threw it into the trash bin. She could not eat something that was not food, no matter how hungry she was.

It was a moment when Count Cesare’s handwritten letter, which the children of the clergy dreamed of receiving even once, became trash and was thrown away.

On the day of the hunting competition, it was a clear day with a blue autumn sky. Invited guests, who participated with their own expectations, gathered in a huge white tent set up at the entrance of the Orte forest and shared stories about today’s hunting competition.

“Who do you think will be this year’s winner?”

“I heard diplomats from the Kingdom of Gallico are here, perhaps one of their entourage members?”

“Well, the nobles of San Carlo are a bit weak in martial arts.”

“Still, it would be nice if an Etruscan person won.”

“That’s true.”

Prince Alfonso was renowned for his excellence in swordsmanship, horseback lance competitions, and hunting.

However, he had been a boy until last year, and as Queen Marguerite cherished her son like gold, she had prevented the prince from participating in any dangerous activities, hence he had never participated in the hunting competition.

He was supposed to make his debut this year, but due to the arrival of the diplomatic corps from the Kingdom of Gallico, the prince had backtoback appointments with foreign dignitaries and couldn’t participate in this year’s hunting competition.

Today, Prince Alfonso’s place was not on the hunting ground but in the tent where the guests gathered.

“You’ve got to plunder an empty house to enjoy it.”

Cesare de Como, the Count, was eyeing the spot left by the promising winner.

He was weak in physical skills that required physical strength, such as horseback spear competitions, but he was proficient in archery and horse riding, which required more technique than strength. The hunting competition, where the game is decided by a bow, was the perfect venue for Cesare to shine.

“Is it like a fox is king in a forest without a tiger?”

“Quiet, who are you calling a fox?”

Cesare, annoyed by the snickering Octavio next to him, shook the reins once and trotted ahead alone.

Even if Octavio hadn’t irritated him, he had planned to be alone today. If he accompanied other aristocratic children, he had to share when he found game.

Cesare had only the hunting dogs and servants who could beat the game with him today. He planned to go deep into the forest to catch wild boars, bears, or the legendary ‘golden deer’.

“Hey, you guys. Be careful not to hurt the ‘golden deer’.”

“Hey, Count young master. Do you really think there is a ‘golden deer’? It’s more realistic to aim for a bear.”

Chezare cheerfully shouted at his ridiculing subordinates.

“I saw it for real in the past! Life is a oneshot, if we find the ‘golden deer’, the win is guaranteed. Open your eyes wide and look!”

“Yes!”