“Yes?!”
We were gathering in the Duke’s cabana for breakfast.
I crumpled my face at the news of Derek’s return from questioning until late in the morning.
“Why, why? It happened yesterday, and why is it still going on?”
“How can Empire cancel the competition when the dead are not from here and even people from other countries are present too.”
Derick answer me bluntly.
‘What so important about the prestige of Empire when the beast appeared and ran around.’
I was dumbfounded, so I kept on twisting my lips.
“That’s good. We’ll only be looked down by the little ones if we show ourselves backing away for nothing.”
The Duke nodded earnestly and sympathized.
‘Ah. This is not what I think.’
I thought I’d sleep just one night and go home, but I didn’t know I’d really continue the damn hunt.
I bit my lips and came up with the best plan.
“...I don’t think I can attend the competition because I’m not feeling well.”
“Yes, you were overdoing it yesterday.”
Fortunately, the Duke gladly accepted.
“On this occasion, Penelope, you’d better get a new place in society. Just in time, Countess Dortea sent her maid early in the morning.”
“...what? the countess?””
“They asked you to join the tea party at the opening ceremony.”
I was puzzled by the invitation because I had never participated in a private tea party here..
But the Duke looked at me with a proud face for some reason.
“You’ll be bored if you’re stuck inside the cabana. Dress up nicely and join the tea party, and get along with your peers..”
“He only brought a bunch of hunting clothes, Father.”
Instead of eating, Leonard laughed and chatted.
‘How did he know?’
I didn’t feel bad because it was true.
How annoying would it be to come all the way to the woods and wear a fluffy dress?
Therefore, I had been instruct Emily to pack only simple clothes, including hunting clothes.
Unlike me, who looked at Leonard with a puzzled look, the Duke lashed out at him in a disapproving voice.
“That would be better. These days, enterprising women are the trend, you stupid! Ck.”
And added, choking to the tongue
“That’s why you’re not popular with women.”
“Who’s unpopular?”
Leonard countered in a fit of rage, but the Duke had already turned his face toward me.
I couldn’t help but sue him when I saw a man who couldn’t argue more.
“Don’t you know? What kind of thugs, who, in contrast to your bravery of yesterday, will be the queen of this hunt by biting their prey.”
“Father, that’s enough.”
Until then, Derek, who had eaten silently, sighed with a shallow sigh.
“Even if you’ve been acting arrogantly with such a vague expectation, it will lead to a worse rumor than before..”
He moved his blue pupil to me for a moment and then said:
“now, only a little of people will speak about it, isn’t it?”
“Hmm...”
Undeniable, the Duke resumed his meal again, murmured something.
I was beaten dumbfounded.
It was even more offensive than Leonard, who was busy sarcasm when he saw me.
‘Huh, a vague expectation?! I don’t want to be a queen.’
I was dumbfounded and glared at Derek, but there was no eye contact.
‘.......unfortunate man, you’re out.’
Holding my trembling fists under the table, I vowed revenge.
******
“Miss, are you sure you don’t mind going like this?”
Emily looked at my clothes with a bad look.
“Well, whatever. It’s a hunting competition. You don’t have to participate, but you have to keep up with the assortment.”
“But...”
She looked at me with eyes full of things to say.
I checked the mirror once again.
I had my hair tied together in a hunting suit I used to wear whenever I practiced the crossbow. The crimson hair curled over my back. The newly tailored dark gray jacket and shorts with the patterns of Eckart matched the hair very well.
‘It’s just pretty.’
I hold a crossbow equipped with beads in advance and set it around the back of the back.
“...why are you taking the crossbow again, miss? You said you weren’t feeling well...”
Emily asked with an anxious look. It seemed like she wanted to stop me.
“I heard there’s a separate area for women and children where they can set up their own animals. I’ll be there later.”
“You’re going to hunt yourself?”
“It’s boring to just sit still at a tea party.”
I answered back with a clear answer. At the same time, I thought of someone I left at home.
‘...I came out talking big, and if I don’t get a rabbit, I will lose my face.’
The sound of the wind blowing low. The gray eyes, with a slight mixture of laughter, were still evident.
‘You laughed at me, didn’t you? Just wait. This Noona is getting your muffler in order.’
It was when I was firmly reciting myself.
“Hey, are you still not done?”
Outside the tent, a call came from Leonard.
I hurried to greet Emily, squeezing a cloth and a velvet box of crossbow bullets into my pocket.
“I’ll be right back.”
Coming out of Cabana, the Dukedom’s men were already all set.
“Why are you coming out so late!”
Leonard was angry at me.
‘Oh.’
Normally I would have ignored him, but I looked him up and down unconsciously.
Dressed in a dark brown uniform, he looked very stylish.
So was Derek, wearing an elegant all-black uniform next to him.
As the ML, their tall height and good looks stood out even more when they met with their nice hunting suits.
I think it’s good enough to offset those nasty personalities.
‘.....I would have cheered more if I just watching the game.’
I have to say that this is a grim reality.
“Dress up nicely! Why don’t you dress up prettily?”
The Duke frowned at the crossbow to see if he didn’t like my appearance very much.
“As someone said, I don’t want to have a false sense of expectation.”
I glanced back at someone.
The person involved did not bat an eye, but the Duke coughed greatly in vain to see if he was being stabbed for no reason.
“Hmm! ...didn’t you say you wouldn’t hunt?” I’m not feeling well either.”
“Since I’m here, I’d like to see some animal hunting grounds.”
The Duke flinched at the words, and suddenly bowed down to me.
And whispered secretly to his sons so that they could not hear.
“...do you remember what this father said?”
“Yes?”
“If you really want to shoot, go to a rare place.”
“Ah...”
I remembered the conversation I had with the crossbow the other day.
Not an arrow, but a magic bead.
“Do you understand? Huh?”
The blue eyes urging an answer shook with distrust and anxiety.
It was similar to Emily’s eyes when she saw me carrying a crossbow a little while ago.
I answered with a smile.
“Of course.”
******
Many aristocrats were already gathered when I reached the entrance to the forest where the ceremony was held.
“I’ll be back after I see the horses.”
The Duke and the two men disappeared among the crowd.
I moved to a gathering people who were seen off, avoiding the crowds preparing to go hunting.
Most of them were women sitting under the sun screen.
The calm atmosphere immediately buzzed when I showed up. I could feel the eyes that were beginning to blossom toward me one by one.
I didn’t mind already cause what I went through yesterday.
‘The evil girl is a superstar wherever she goes.’
But not long after, I noticed that the chatter toward me was not just about curiosity or contempt.
Looking around, I could see why Emily looked at me with that grumpy face.
‘I’m the only woman in a hunting suit.’
All around was a feast of colorful dresses. Young girls my age or noble ladies.
Like a peacock blowing its feathers, it seemed to be a race to see who was blowing its skirt more abundantly.
What they had in their hands was not hunting weapons, but fans and parasol.
In the meantime, I was forced to see myself wearing a hunting suit and carrying a majestic crossbow.
The pupils shook like an earthquake.
‘It’s a hunting competition where you can participate regardless of gender....!’
But why am I the only one like this?
I had a belated regret that I should have listened to Emily.
‘No, they don’t even get around as comfortable as I do.’
I tried hard to think positively of my outfit.
“When you’re ready, gather at the center!”
At that time, a loud shout came from the podium that hosted the competition.
Before I knew it, it was close to race time. After the dot sword, the nobles began to gather one by one.
I could quickly find the Duke.
It is because even the lightest ones in line are made up of sequences and were at the forefront.
Sitting on a horse with a majestic, colorful harness, as the head of a family, he was busy talking to the person next to him.
The two sons did not seem to have come yet.
“Huh...?”
I unconsciously looking for Derek and Leonard.
I soon opened my eyes wide, checking out the man next to the Duke.
“Huh, look over there. It’s the Marquis!”
“He didn’t attend last year, but I think he’s going to hunt this year. He’s carrying a bow! It’s so cool.....”
I heard a thrilling noise from a nearby place.
Not because of the Duke, but Vuinter.
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