/
There was a suitable tool in hand, there was an excuse, and it was also within Rosalyn’s field of vision, who was still near the arena.
‘Let’s try to make a fire.’
Selina pushed through the crowd and approached the Crown Prince. People looked around with curious eyes.
The Crown Prince raised his eyebrows in surprise. However, he soon put on a smile like a close friend that had met again after a few years.
“What’s going on, Miss Selina?”
“Thinking about it… There were things I should be thankful for, and I want to repay the kindness you have given me.”
“It was nothing. It wasn’t something I was hoping for a return.”
“Nevertheless. In hunting, I heard that presenting what was caught was a sign of the heart. It’s not a hunt, but I got it by myself…”
It’s been a while since she last acted properly. Selina blushed like a girl confessing to her first love and held out the ornament.
“Will you please accept…?”
It was just a tribute, but a smoke filled with hallucinations like, ‘If you receive this, you will start dating me now’ was overlaid in it.
“After all, this is the first harvest of the hunting competition. If you were to give me such a precious thing, how could I refuse? I will gladly accept it.”
The first step Selina took on her own was welcomed by the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince twisted his sword and held it in front of Selina. In this distance, Selina could draw the sword and stab him, he’s pretty gutsy.
“If possible, would you put it on yourself?”
“It is an honor.”
Selina deliberately clasped her hands and put the ornament on the end of the Crown Prince’s sword handle. It matched very well as if it was originally his.
The Crown Prince waved his sword and looked at the ornament as if he was more satisfied than he had expected.
“I didn’t know you had a talent for dancing as well as a talent for a bow.”
“This is the first time I know too. I learned it in a hurry because I heard that even people who don’t go hunting can shoot and play like this.”
“It’s amazing. You mean that you have developed so much in such a short amount of time?”
“I must have been a genius.”
She purposely smiled like a child, and the Crown Prince smiled wide in a genuinely happy air.
“I wonder how far your genius will extend. If you have time next time, why don’t you come to the palace and try it out?”
“What is it?”
“The royal family has an exam that was taken from generation to generation to find out what kind of talent they have. Pitch, aesthetics, all of that. It’s pretty fun.”
Selina has now only stepped into the door, and the Crown Prince is inviting her to his room. Everything was rushed and intense.
“May I take it?”
“Of course, you are always welcome. I’ll send you an invitation, so come at a time convenient for you.”
It was rather outrageous.
Is this really out of love or is this because he’s really crazy?
Or maybe it’s because of something he was really aiming for.
Selina gave the highest score in the third choice.
She turned around after finishing her verbal appointment with the Crown Prince, and the gazes directed towards her face stinged and she nearly closed her eyes.
Not one, but two.
One was predictable. It was Rosalyn with a lot of desire to tear Selina to death.
When Rosalyn saw Selina turn, she turned her body back in a haste, but she was already caught.
This was enough cross-validation.
A connection as to why Rosalyn was so heartless yet aiming for Duchess Renbird’s position.
‘The Crown Prince asked her for it.’
There was no reason other than that. And for that reason, everything was explainable.
If Rosalyn were to become the Duchess, the Crown Prince would plant his own man in Kalcion. He could use Rosalyn to destroy Duke Renbird’s family.
‘But does that woman like him that much?’
Trying to make a woman who likes him the wife of a man he hates like an enemy.
No matter how formal marriage in this world was and everyone has a separate lover, if they get married, they also have an obligation to produce successors. Like it or not, they had to touch bare skin, and she couldn’t understand that attitude as if that didn’t matter.
‘He’s either crazy, a real bad guy, or both.’
Selina groaned and turned her body to the other stinging gaze.
At least for giving him a gift like that, he wouldn’t think about whether she will revolt or commit murder.
Selina smiled and approached Kalcion amongst the piercing stinging gaze here and there.
“Why are you looking at me like that? That ornament doesn’t even have a good origin story.”
“But did you really have to do that to him in front of me?”
There was quite a bit of anger in Kalcion’s voice.
‘What. Are you really mad?’
She thought just looking at the Crown Prince made him throw a tantrum, but now that she sees it, there is something twisted about Selina too.
It’s a big deal if his eyes were turned upside down and he got really angry. There were still a lot of eyes watching the two of them.
“Duke!”
Selina hugged Kalcion’s neck tightly. Although she rushed at him without warning, Kalcion firmly embraced Selina’s body.
Selina wrapped her legs around his waist. It was as stable as sitting in a chair, hanging like a sloth, thanks to Kalcion’s arms that supported her waist and thighs.
“I did it on purpose to see how Rosalyn would react.”
Selina hugged his neck and whispered in his ear, pretending to press her lips against Kalcion’s neck.
Kalcion’s hand gripped her waist tightly. It felt a little painful this time because he had unknowingly strengthened his arm.
“…It, it hurts.”
“Sorry.”
Kalcion apologized hastily and released the strength.
As she stood down on the ground, Selina saw his earlobe, the only red thing on Kalcion’s face, and sighed. She whispered all over his ear, blowing in her breath, so he must have been surprised like being harassed.
She apologized, but it didn’t relieve the mood. Kalcion kept his mouth shut with a puzzled face the whole time.
She knew he hated being compared to the Crown Prince, but she had a reason, and she didn’t expect it to be so blatant.
The hunting contest might start soon. As she was contemplating on how to fix this, one of the people, who was overjoyed, placed another prize.
“Me! I’ll do it too!”
Selina didn’t even hear what was being played or what the prize was, and just unconditionally raised her hand and ran away.
“This time, I’ll win it for the Duke. Please!”
* * *
“Ah… Umm…”
Selina couldn’t hide her embarrassment as she looked down at the prize in her hand.
They presented anything they had as a prize in a game that was playfully conducted by people even when it was a hunting contest.
Of course, in terms of the monetary value on the market, the items were of the same value as the price of a commoner’s house, but in the noble’s concept, it was like a toy.
And as Selina threw Fionel out, the prize of the ugly scuffle was a tiny jewel-studded ring.
“I was thinking of giving it… to the Duke…”
It fits snugly into Selina’s fingers, but is too small for Kalcion’s fingers. Moreover, there was no way that a slender ring studded with delicate jewels would suit Kalcion’s hand.
Taking this as a gift for him, Kalcion reached out to Selina, who couldn’t hold it out herself.
“Give it to me.”
“Can it fit?”
“If it’s mine, I should keep it for now.”
Selina quietly offered the ring because he insisted on having it whether it fit or not.
Kalcion looked at the ring, which he would refuse even if they gave him money as consolation, then took off the gauntlet of his left hand.
Of course in the index, middle, ring fingers, it was caught in the joints. The last attempt, it fit his little finger.
“Oh!”
Selina shouted and grabbed Kalcion’s hand, amazed that the ring has fitted well on his finger.
A thin ring on a strong man’s hand with thick joints and veins protruding from it seemed very fragile, but thanks to the pure white back of his hand and long fingers, it suited him well.
“It’s prettier than I thought. The Duke didn’t originally wear jewelry, so I didn’t even think that a ring would look good on your hand.”
As he looked down at Selina, who was clasping his hand, Kalcion’s face finally loosened. Gradually, it was time for the hunting contest to start, and people were busy. So, very few people saw Kalcion’s relaxed face. It was the same with Selina, who was lost in his hands.
“It’s time to start.… I’ll just say I’m hurt.”
“Why?”
“If I have come this far, I have shown enough loyalty. Whether or not to do more than this is personal choice.”
“Well… But why? If the Duke is next to me, I don’t need to spend time here either.”
She turned it around nicely, but in the end, things might not go well even if he was there, so she actually meant for him to stay away a little bit.
However, Kalcion did not blink an eye.
“No matter how I think about it, it is dangerous to leave you alone.”
“Everyone with weapons will go out hunting, so what are you worried about? Also, there is an escort, so what are you worried about?”
She was not alone in the middle of the field.
The number of people going out hunting was rather small, so it was more crowded with people in the party-like atmosphere. No matter how many weapons were brought, it was not much different from a normal party. Kalcion’s worries were excessive.
“I’ll be digging here well, so you go hunting, Duke. Your name is Northern Duke, so shouldn’t you be out hunting?”
“You’re not doing this because you’re not sure of me, are you?”
“I don’t think that’s possible, but others don’t know that.”
Kalcion thought that it doesn’t matter what others thought, but he can’t help but turn around to prepare.
Selina, who was standing in front of the tent where Kalcion entered, suddenly thought. Isn’t it a lover’s job to take care of his armor or clothes at this time? It will be even more difficult when other people ask why she was waiting outside.
Selina opened the tent back and entered the barracks.
“…Ah.”
As soon as Selina entered, she saw his half-naked state, and her eyes met with Kalcion’s, who had stood frozen.