Chapter 73
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Chapter 73
Time flowed swiftly, and before long, the day of the Hunting Festival arrived.
After finishing my preparations and descending to the Central Hall, the Duke was already waiting for me.
The Duke gazed at my outfit for a moment in contemplation, then offered his assessment with a rather serious expression.
"Whoever bought this for you has excellent taste."
I felt pleased by the Duke's generous praise—he was rarely one to compliment—but that was all.
Anxiety gnawed at me as I carefully broached the subject.
"But no matter how I think about it, this dress seems far too extravagant for someone like me."
"Why? It's beautiful on you."
"I'm a commoner, though. If a mere commoner attends a noble's event dressed in such an elaborate gown...."
"Who's to say you don't harbor some secret of noble birth? Perhaps you're actually the daughter of some aristocratic house, unknown even to yourself?"
It was a preposterous notion, but I recognized it as an attempt to lift my dampened spirits, so I couldn't help but smile.
The Duke then continued, as if to reassure me further.
"Besides, I must consider my own reputation. The Imperial Princess herself extended this invitation—it would be disrespectful to her if I brought you looking anything less than your best, wouldn't it?"
"I suppose that's true, but...."
"Let's go now. We'll be late."
Before I could mount further objections, the Duke cut off the conversation decisively.
In the end, I boarded the carriage with the Duke's escort.
Soon the carriage began its journey.
I glanced sidelong at the empty seat beside me.
'Under normal circumstances, Lahedis would have come with us.'
Lahedis's absence had extended longer than expected, and he still hadn't returned even on the day of the Hunting Festival.
The fact that I hadn't heard from Rachel either suggested he might have gone to see Rachel.
The Kingdom where Rachel currently resided was quite a distance away.
'Still, it would have been nice if he could have come along on this rare outing.'
I felt a slight disappointment that Lahedis couldn't join us, yet I found myself growing anticipatory about attending the Hunting Festival itself.
'To think I'd actually attend a noble's event that I've only ever read about in novels!'
I was a commoner, and I had no intention of becoming entangled with Allen as the original story dictated, so I'd assumed I'd never participate in such aristocratic gatherings....
But wait.
'Does that mean... I'm going to meet Allen for the first time today?'
Ever since I'd resolved to learn my duties as the Marquis's Aide, I'd been prepared for the possibility of encountering Allen.
Fortunately, it hadn't happened yet....
But it seemed today would be that day.
'I absolutely must not even make eye contact with him.'
As I steeled myself with that resolve, I suddenly recalled the incident from the original story alongside Allen's existence.
'Now that I think about it, monsters ran rampant at this Hunting Festival.'
The reason I recalled that incident together with Allen was because he would sustain a grave injury from it on this very day.
And that incident would serve as a catalyst to further ignite the romance between Allen and Vivian.
'But that incident is suspected to have been orchestrated by Rachel....'
Though it was never definitively revealed who had summoned the monsters to the Imperial Hunting Grounds, Allen had suspected Rachel as the mastermind based on the circumstances.
However, Rachel is currently in a foreign kingdom.
'Our child(?) doesn't do such things anymore.'
The Rachel of now was not a villain who would sacrifice innocent people for his own purposes.
So the incident from the original story would never occur.
With that certainty, I savored the clear weather beyond the window.
Half worry, half anticipation. The thrilling Hunting Festival was already underway.
* * *
By the time we arrived at the Imperial Hunting Grounds, many nobles were already there.
Among them were the Marquis and the Aide.
The two of them spotted the Duke and me and approached.
"You always complained it was bothersome and never attended, but what wind blew in this year?"
"A dear friend came visiting from afar, so I thought I'd give them some fresh air."
Vivian has done quite a feat. To summon you when even the Emperor himself couldn't."
While the Marquis and Duke exchanged greetings, my face grew increasingly flushed standing beside them.
All because of the stares directed at this suspicious commoner girl caught between a nation's Prime Minister and a Duke who once stood at the pinnacle of power!
"My, who is that young lady?"
"That must be the commoner girl the Duke has been taking around."
"Ah, the one the Duke placed in the Prime Minister's Office?"
It wasn't quite gossip, but pretending not to hear all these conversations about me was decidedly unpleasant.
'I shouldn't have come after all!'
Of course, I knew that noble ladies and the like were no match for me, whether in words or strength.
But....
'This is a filthy class-based society, isn't it?'
It meant that commoners openly defying nobles was strictly prohibited by Imperial law.
'Of course, the Duke stands behind me....'
Considering the various interests at stake, it was best not to act rashly.
Only then did I feel foolish for being so delighted an hour ago about witnessing this web novel event with my own eyes. Sigh.
As if reading my heart, the Aide added fuel to the fire.
"Now, now. Is our newcomer going to stoke the Ladies' anxieties?"
"This won't do. I should leave first...."
"Then what about the Imperial Princess?"
I, who had been quietly heading toward the carriage, froze at the words "Imperial Princess" that spilled from the Aide's mouth.
'Right. I came here because the Imperial Princess summoned me.'
...Damn, there's no escaping now.
The Aide lightly tapped my shoulder, which was stiff with all the stares directed at me, and spoke.
"Don't be afraid. Just do what you always do."
"...What I always do?"
"If someone has prejudice against you, make them your ally. If someone treats you unfairly, overturn them."
"...."
"You're good at that sort of thing, aren't you?"
In the end, it was advice that made me reflect on my actions—how I'd brought the Aide over to my side and then completely overturned the Guard Post during an inspection.
As the tension in my heart eased at the half-joking, half-serious counsel, a small laugh escaped me.
By the time the gazes directed at me had become somewhat bearable.
"His Imperial Majesty has arrived!"
Three carriages from the Imperial Family pulled up.
At that, all the eyes that had been fixed on me shifted toward them.
I exhaled a silent sigh of relief and watched the man descending from the carriage.
"Your Imperial Majesty."
A middle-aged man with the same brilliant golden hair as the Imperial Princess, but with crimson eyes.
'So this is the bastard who tried to kill his innocent young nephew?'
It was still hard to believe that such a person was the Imperial Princess's father.
I observed the Emperor with half-lidded eyes, then shifted my gaze to the man descending from the carriage next.
He too bore the golden hair that marked the Imperial bloodline, with eyes of a muted gray—a man my age.
I instantly recognized him as Allen, the male protagonist of this novel.
Yet contrary to my inner anxiety that my heart might waver upon meeting my destined male lead, my heart remained utterly unmoved.
'Well, he's handsome enough for being the male protagonist. Though Lahedis is more handsome―'
As I thought this carelessly, I froze in alarm and stopped myself.
'Wait. Why am I using Lahedis as my standard?!'
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org