CH 167

In the place where the hunting competition was now being held, the middle of the mountain was abuzz with a mixture of people’s excited murmurs and the neighing of many horses.

With their long magic rifles in tow, the nobles wore hats regardless of gender, and they greeted each other excitedly beneath the many flags bearing each households’ coat of arms.

Rosé and Ferre were sitting in a brightly decorated tent, watching those people from some distance away.

Perhaps affected by the others’ fervor and bright energies, the twins bounced a little on their bums, excited as well.

“Sera, will we see a unicorn with a big horn and huge wings today?”

“I wanna see a leopard today. Or a humongous lion!”

As they said this, Rosé and Ferre turned their heads to look at Sera, who was behind them.

They were both wearing hats—with peacock feathers each—to match the hunting suits that they were wearing, and as they turned to look behind them, the hats drooped crookedly over the children’s foreheads.

“I’m not very sure.”

As Sera was just one step behind them, she quietly came closer to them and fixed the hats on the children’s hats.

“You’re not sure?!”

“Can we see them or not?”

“Umm… Can you see it or not, you ask?”

Sera found it difficult to answer truthfully, so she answered rather ambiguously instead.

“Sera, you really don’t know? What? But Sera knows everything. C’mon, tell us.”

“Can we see a leopard or a lion?”

“Can we see a unicorn? I read a book yesterday and I learned that good kids can see one. I really, really want to see one—a unicorn.”

The twins didn’t let Sera get away with her ambiguous answer. They looked at her with very serious eyes, as if saying that they wouldn’t let this go.

“Hmm.”

Knowing that she was in trouble now, Sera smiled awkwardly. Still, Rosé and Ferre would not let go of her dress’ skirt until they’d be given an answer.

As Sera wracked her head for a good enough answer, she held the children’s hands tightly.

“Your Highness Rosé, I don’t think it’s going to be easy to meet a unicorn with a big horn and huge wings.”

The excuse that Sera gave was vague enough that Rosé’s belief in unicorns wouldn’t immediately be shot down.

”Whyyy? How come!”

“Well… Unicorns are difficult to meet because there’s not many of them in the Empire.”

At this, Rosé’s chubby fists dropped limply from Sera’s dress. Then, as the look in her eyes became subdued, she muttered.

“Difficult to meet… I guess that’s why only the main character in the book was the one who could see it.”

The way Rosé sulked was just so so cute that Sera couldn’t help the smile that started tugging up on the corners of her lips, even though she knew she shouldn’t smile.

“Sera, then can I see a leopard and a lion? Or a cheetah!”

Still not discouraged, Ferre was convinced that he could see the animals that he just mentioned, and he interjected cheerfully.

However, Sera shook her head again this time, giving him a disappointed expression.

“Huh? I can’t even see a leopard?”

Tears started to form in Ferre’s eyes.

“What about a lion?”

“Um…”

“Cheetah, too?”

“Ummm…”

“Then where can I see them!”

“…Another country…? Leopards, lions and cheetahs also don’t live in this forest. They live in warm countries with wide grasslands.”

After Sera said that he wouldn’t be able to see any of them at all, Ferre became devastated by this. He buried his plump face into both his hands, which couldn’t really fit his entire face.

Sera patted the twins on their shoulders because they looked so disappointed.

“You’ll see them next time. Please don’t be too disappointed.”

Right then, Helios, Jean and Raphael approached. Each of them had magic rifles slung across their hunting suits. The opening ceremony was over.

Sera was suddenly reminded of something—wasn’t there a saying that what would complete a look was the face?

For some reason, an aggressive weapon like this rifle seemed out of place, but other than that, Helios was dazzling as always.

“Heli Oppa!”

“Heli Hyung!”

And if Rosé and Ferre hadn’t jumped up excitedly at that moment, Sera might’ve just continued staring blankly at him, mesmerized.

“Oppa, Sera said it’s gonna be hard to see a unicorn. Can’t you just catch one?”

As Rosé was carried up in his arms, she asked him at once, still unable to give up on her wish to see a unicorn.

“Hyung, let’s go travel to another country. Sera said that there’s many different animals living in those places. Let’s not go to the Imperial Villa anymore, okay? Let’s go to another country.”

Not knowing where the imperial villa was exactly, Ferre also pleaded with Helios, pressing his chubby cheek against his older brother’s cheek.

Helios looked up a little and met Sera’s gaze. Nothing was said between them, but they both laughed because the situation was so funny.

“I’ll try to arrange for that.”

Helios firmly said these words. He smiled brightly as he returned the children to Sera’s side.

“Please take good care of my siblings.”

“Yes, don’t worry, Your Majesty. Please be careful out there.”

Sera bowed her head towards him as Rosé and Ferre waved their hands at Helios and his hunting party.

* * *

“Haaaaa.”

“Haaaaaaa.”

Less than three hours after the hunting competition officially commenced, just as expected, Rosé and Ferre started sighing out of boredom.

It seemed like it was very hard work to sit still without anything to do.

It would have been less boring if there were other kids here that were their age. But perhaps due to the nature of the event being a hunting competition, most kids in attendance were five or six years older than them.

There was one exception though: Jerome Brunner, the eldest son of Marquis Brunner. He’s nine years old, and he’s the closest in age with Rosé and Ferre here.

However, compared to the boys and girls who were older than him, he was waiting more primly in his seat.

It’s worth asking him to hang out with them at least once. However, there’s one reason that Rosé and Ferre couldn’t approach Jerome.

“My tummy’s full, and there’s nothing to do. Ferre, I’m so bored.”

“Me too, Rosé.”

The twins stroked their protruding, melon-like tummies.

Earlier, Ferre said that the best way they’d time here was to eat yummy food, so they went on to eat all the snacks and fruits that were on the table.

“Sera, when are we going back to the Star Palace?”

Ferre asked, drooping his golden eyebrows as if to express just how much he didn’t want to stay here anymore.

“We have to stay a little longer, Your Highness. We only need to stay seated in the first division until before lunch, so please wait until then. They should be back soon enough.”

Sera answered as she took out her pocket watch and checked the time.

“Haaa. I hope Oppa comes back soon. It’s so hard to stay still.”