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At the equestrian grounds, not far from the Star Palace, was tranquil with its green grass and unnamed wildflowers.
It was the kind of summer field that would make anyone want to take a deep, refreshing inhale.
When the wind blew, the grass fluttered like a wave had passed, and the fresh air that came in was filled with the scent of grass.
Sera breathed in the verdant scent of nature, inhaling deeply without realizing it.
RosĂ© and Ferre, who were holding one each of Sera’s hands, glanced up at her.
They wondered what they should do here. Eventually, the twins copied Sera’s action.
“Huuuuuhp.”
“Haaaaahp.”
The children inhaled so much air to the point that their chests had puffed up a lot.
But perhaps because the air that they took in had been too much for them, they soon exhaled everything.
“Heeeehk.”
“Haaaahk.”
It was a strange-sounding deep breath.
Sera giggled at the sight that was really much too adorable. At their age, it was natural for them to imitate their teacher, and they were so cute while doing that.
Sera patted the twins on their heads a few times. Then, she gently pushed them on their backs to make them step forward.
“Your Highnesses can go run and play.”
The person they had planned to meet seemed to have already set off on horseback, so they couldn’t see neither hair nor hide of him anywhere.
So, Sera wanted to take this chance to let the children play. They’d have to wait for a while anyway.
As if they were waiting for her to say that, Rosé and Ferre leapt forward at once. The excited twins roamed the wide field like little bunny rabbits.
“Ferre! Come here! Over here!”
“Why? Is something there?”
“Worms!”
“I don’t like ‘em. They’re icky, RosĂ©.”
As the kids ran to their hearts’ content, Sera watched them.
Around the time that she was done making pretty bracelets out of clovers for Rosé and Ferre, Sera heard the galloping of a horse coming in.
“Heli Oppa’s here!”
“Hyung’s here!”
Helios then could be seen coming from a distance. The horse he was riding had a silver coat that was similar to his hair’s shade.
And when he found Rosé, Ferre and Sera there waiting for him, he urged the horse to go faster.
Soon enough, he landed in front of Sera and the children. Because his fine silver hair was tousled from the wind, he swept it up with one hand.
“Hyung!”
“Oppa!”
“What brings you both and Miss Popo all here?”
Bringing his younger siblings into a hug, Helios’ violet eyes were curved like two crescent moons. Like that, he raised his head and gave an eye crinkle to Sera.
That eye smile was too dangerous for her heart. Sera blushed for a brief moment.
“We came out for a short walk because it’s the prize that Their Highnesses want to get for doing well on their test today. They said that they also really want to see Your Majesty.”
“Ah, is that so?”
“By any chance, we’re not disturbing Your Majesty, are we?”
“Of course not. You’re just in time for my break from horseback riding anyway, since I need to catch my breath.”
While Helios and Sera conversed, Rosé and Ferre jumped up in front of Helios.
They each raised one arm up high, showing him their little wrists.
“Heli Oppa, look at this.”
“Hyung, look at what Sera gave us.”
The clover bracelets hung cutely on their plump little wrists.
“I’m guessing that Miss Popo made those for you?”
“Uh-huh! Sera picked some clovers and then made them for us. Pretty, right, Oppa?”
“Hyung’s jealous, right?”
“Oppa, ask Sera to make one for you, too. She’s so good at making them.”
“Yeah. It’ll be so pretty too if Hyung has a clover bracelet.”
“Really? It does seem like Miss Popo is very good at it.”
Helios gave the twins a relaxed smile, pretending to be envious of the small bracelets.
The twins looked to be serious about it, but they couldn’t talk about the bracelets anymore because Jean and Raphael arrived just in time.
Rather, when two big horses arrived—for a total of three big horses now!—RosĂ© and Ferre recalled their original purpose in coming here.
“Hyung, you know, can’t you give us a ride?”
“Yeah. Oppa, we came here because we want to ride the ponies. Can’t we?”
RosĂ© and Ferre clung to Helios’ riding boots. The twins both tightened their hold over him, as if they would never let go unless he’d give them a ride.
They wondered if their older brother would know how they’re feeling.
Of course, Helios also wants to play together with his younger siblings, as they came all the way here to see him. So, he carried Ferre up and sat him down on his horse.
“Oppa, just Ferre?”
Immediately, Rosé impatiently protested. However this time, Helios carried Rosé and brought her over to Jean and sat her down in front of the knight.
“Miss Popo, Raphael.”
Helios called Sera, then Raphael as well who was a short distance away.
“Miss Popo, please wait for a little while here with Raphael. We’ll go have a spin then come back.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Please take your time, we’ll wait here.”
In response to Sera’s answer, Helios mounted his horse and pulled its reins. Both Helios and Jean urged their horses forward with ease, and it looked like they were both so used to it.
The horses were so tall that it seemed dizzying to her to be riding one. Even so, the twins seemed happy enough that they were giggling in delight.
“Lord Raphael, are you and Sir Jean also going to participate in the upcoming hunting contest?”
Now alone with Raphael, Sera struck a conversation with him.
“Yes. I must, since His Majesty will also be participating.”
Raphael replied, watching Helios and Jean on horseback.
Like Helios, Raphael didn’t seem keen on participating in the hunting competition. His expression wasn’t very bright as he answered.
“Pardon me for saying this, but everyone seems to be reluctant about participating even though the hunting competition is a popular event.”
At Sera’s observation, Raphael sighed and nodded back.
“That’s surely the case, yes. Some time in the past, predators ran amok near the Imperial Palace, so the hunting competition started out as a way to reduce their numbers. Nowadays though, there aren’t any predators left, so the competition is just a game now.”
“I wasn’t aware that it’s like that.”
“Every year, whenever His Majesty participates, he would only roughly try to hit the animals. Well, when he was young, he even tried to use his divine power to save the dying powers, so these days, it’s fortunate that
”
“His Majesty did that?”
“Yes, it must have been when he was around ten years old.”
Ah.
Sera smiled quietly, imagining what Helios was like as a child.
As if Raphael liked the resounding empathy in Sera’s quiet tone, Raphael then went on to pour out a stream of praises for Helios once again.
He gladly spoke a lot, and it was like he was a fish that had come across water again for the first time in a long while.