Chapter 30
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Dear, I believe you may be misunderstanding.
Episode 30
The Black Family Plains stretched endlessly before me.
I had never imagined such vast, boundless grassland could exist just beyond the inner walls of the Capital. As it turned out, nearly all of the western reaches of the Capital were said to be private holdings of the Black Family.
I galloped across the expansive flatland until I reached the magnificent Umtine Lake, which sprawled beneath a low cliff.
"Hah, hah! Whew!"
Unable to catch my ragged breath, I collapsed forward onto the horse's back.
Startled by my sudden movement, the horse trembled beneath me, and I felt the vibrations ripple through its chest.
I gently stroked the horse's heated skin and whispered soothingly to calm it.
"I'm sorry. I'm just... whew... so out of breath. That's strange—you're the one who ran, so why am I the one struggling?"
As I laughed softly and scratched the horse's neck gently, it seemed to understand my words, settling into place and pawing the ground obediently. The gentle swaying, as if reassuring me that all was well, brought a delighted smile to my face.
"Thank you. I'll just rest here for a moment."
Leaning against the horse's hot, solid back and feeling the breeze wash over me, my mind began to spin pleasantly.
It was remarkably exhilarating.
I had never realized that feeling the wind could be such a magnificent sensation. My entire body trembled with a pleasure I had never experienced before.
'I become someone other than myself. My instincts, not my mind, take control of my body, and at some point, the fatigue in my limbs vanishes. In that moment... it's hard to describe, but I feel as though I've transcended the limits of my flesh. A kind of exhilaration, I suppose.'
Was this the exhilaration that Cassia, my escort, had spoken of?
'...We also call that state a second wind.'
Cassia had called that state a second wind.
A second wind.
I loved that phrase.
I adored both the word "second" and the word "wind."
I exhaled contentedly and played with the horse's mane.
The soft sensation of the mane slipping through my fingers felt wonderful.
Though I felt the horse flinch slightly, it remained docile, so it didn't seem to dislike it.
"But you really are fast. How did you manage to run this entire distance without stopping once? That's impressive."
The black horse shook its head as if pleased.
Then, as if to demonstrate that it could still run further, it began to prance in circles with spirited energy.
I burst out laughing at the exaggerated gait and barely managed to calm the horse.
"No, no. I can't run anymore right now! Let's rest a little before we go, alright?"
Pffft!
The horse whinnied in acknowledgment and stopped moving.
It was a clever and remarkable creature.
It didn't seem trained, yet it understood human speech.
'Where did this horse come from? Perhaps because it belongs to the Duke, it's truly exceptional.'
Just then, Lucas's voice reached me.
-Grace?
"Yes, Your Grace."
-How was it? Was it worth the ride?
He asked in a delighted tone.
Even without Lucas at her side, Grace nodded and answered.
"Yes, it was an even more wonderful experience than I expected. This horse... oh, what's the horse's name?"
—Ah, the horse's name. The horse's name is...
Lucas faltered for a moment, caught off guard.
—Well, the horse's name is Ru...
"Ru? Is that all?"
—...ki?
"Ru... ki?"
—Yes, well... We call him Ruki, or just Ru.
"Ah, I see. Ruki, you did wonderfully. Thank you for carrying me so safely."
She praised the horse while embracing its neck tightly.
The horse seemed pleased by her praise, moving with evident contentment.
Its tail swayed gently, and it exhaled rough breaths—all unmistakable signs of joy.
'How adorable.'
Despite its massive frame, the horse behaved with endearing affection. Even docile, almost.
"Your Excellency was right—Ruki truly is a magnificent steed. Fast, strong, and gentle."
—Thank you.
...?
Why was he thanking her? Ah, because it was his horse?
Grace, having made sense of it, gazed around the lakeside, which sparkled beautifully as if scattered with glass beads.
This lake too was said to be the Black Family's private property. And all the land beyond it as well.
Just how vast was the Black Family's wealth?
She knew the Black Family was wealthy, but no one truly knew the extent of their fortune.
Grace felt a sudden spark of curiosity.
"Your Excellency, do you perhaps own any islands?"
—Do you wish to visit an island? I own five or six of them.
'Wow... he really does. He actually does.'
Grace marveled silently, then laughed helplessly and shook her head.
"No, I was merely asking."
—If you wish to visit, simply say so anytime. And if you desire a different island, tell me that as well.
"A different island? Why?"
—I'll buy it for you.
...Pardon?
Wondering if he was serious, she rolled her eyes before simply closing her mouth.
Somehow, she sensed that if she asked whether he meant it, he would answer yes.
This man spoke jests with a grave face and serious tone as though they were nothing.
Yet even when he spoke with a laughing tone, his words sounded sincere.
It was still difficult to gauge him fully, but one thing was certain—he was a man capable of turning what others would dismiss as jokes into reality.
'Would he really buy an island? Just because I said I wanted to visit one?'
It was a peculiar train of thought.
Her father, Marquess Capren Oellin, was meticulous and timid.
Especially when it came to money.
When Grace made her debut in High Society, he provided only two modest dresses. Naturally, there were no accessories.
People saw Grace's austere and unadorned appearance and called it elegant, but....
'I didn't choose to be elegant—circumstances forced it upon me.'
Grace laughed softly, fingering the thin gold ring on her hand.
It was the only piece of jewelry her mother had left behind.
-Grace?
"Oh, yes. Wait, I was just thinking of something else. What were you asking?"
-I asked if you'd ever traveled across the border.
"Unfortunately, I've never crossed the border. My health was frail from childhood, so I haven't done much traveling at all...."
Grace leaned against the horse's neck and exchanged casual conversation with Lucas.
The comfortable dialogue continued—something she couldn't have managed while meeting his gaze directly.
She laughed and expressed surprise at his voice, which resonated close to her ear, and they talked for quite some time.
Eventually, watching the sun begin to set over the lake, she turned the horse toward the Estate.
Lucki—or rather, Lu—carried her back to the Estate at the same breathtaking speed as when they had departed.
* * *
"Oh! It seems the young lady of the Oellin Family has been riding!"
Cotti, stepping out of the Kitchen to fetch ingredients, called out a bravo at the sight visible through the open window.
Grace could be seen crossing the spacious Garden as she entered.
Sitting stably atop the black horse.
"Huh."
Haem, who had been searching for something in the ingredient storage, was left speechless at the sight.
The bag of dried fruit he was holding tumbled to the ground.
"Good heavens, this is insane...."
Haem, covering his mouth with trembling hands, involuntarily stepped backward at the unbelievable sight.
Grace was truly riding on a horse.
And it was a black horse!
Lucas Black himself!
"Wow, this is really, truly...."
It was impossible.
The men of the Black Family all loved their wives.
Especially those who inherited the curse cherished their families even more.
But they never carelessly allowed anyone to ride upon their backs.
Even for family, it was not easy to offer one's back as a beast to another.
There was almost no record or history of them doing so.
Ah! Except for that record of the previous Duke rescuing and bringing back his lady after she was kidnapped in a barbarian raid.
It was a story Haem had heard from Lora, his mother, who served the current Duchess.
'I shall never forget the sight of Lady Selena riding toward us on that magnificent and beautiful dark horse. Though she was covered in ash and looked haggard, the joy radiating from her smile as she returned mounted upon her beloved steed—that image remains etched in my memory.'
This anecdote was the sole example of the unusually close bond between the previous Duke and Duchess.
Yet now, Lucas was performing this very act with such casual indifference!
'That person whose pride reaches the heavens...!'
Haem gazed in admiration at Grace as she approached elegantly seated upon the black horse.
But Cotti was different.
Cotti Amon watched with reverent eyes as the black horse and Grace galloped toward him against the twilight backdrop.
Cotti's homeland, Coreano, was a remarkably bold and spirited nation.
Since ancient times, both men and women had been skilled riders, and there existed a custom of hunting together.
As a result, all of his ancestors possessed exceptional equestrian talent.
In particular, the men of Coreano felt a profound attraction whenever women demonstrated superior horsemanship.
The noblewomen would eagerly display their riding prowess, and such displays stirred the hearts of Coreano's men.
"Truly, this sight reminds me of my distant homeland."
Cotti murmured in a nostalgic voice, his eyes following Grace's form.
Haem, whose mind had been elsewhere, responded vaguely.
"Yes...? Suddenly thinking of home?"
"In our country, there is an affectionate term for a beautiful noblewoman who rides. Horses are such precious creatures that we do not use them for food—we regard them as companions."
"Ah, yes, I see...."
"Lubderma de Bruin!"
His native tongue burst forth suddenly, and Haem turned to look at him.
It was always a rather sensual pronunciation whenever he spoke it.
"What, what does that mean?"
"Ah, this. In the language of Zeronium... well. Yes, I can express it this way!"
Cotti struck his fist down cheerfully, as though he had found the perfect words.
"A lady of noble steeds!"
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