Chapter 15: 15

Episode 15: Race

I tried to jump lightly, but it would look too skillful and as soon as I leaned gently, Isaac reached out his arm and grabbed me.

It was so fast that I fell from the saddle and managed to lean on his heavy arm.

Ahh I don’t like this. The chick’s condition is insecure.

There was a commotion. I laughed like a fool as I let out the annoying gossips from one ear.

“D-don’t fight.”

“What?”

“Don’t get angry. Your handsome face will be ruined.”

Isaac, who was persistent, stared at me in silence for a moment.

His eyes that glistened like the incarnation of Satan were very bloody. I wiggled my body in preparation for throwing me away if it was too late, but he finally growled.

“I’m not mad, damn it, Ellen, are you mad?”

“That’s not true.”

Ellenia, who gave a quick reply, looked at me softly.

Why are they such absurd siblings?

I was dumbfounded, but of course I didn’t show it and smiled broadly. When my feet touched the flat grass, I felt like I was going to live a little.

“Thank you for taking me. I won’t forget today.”

“…….”

“I’m going to write it in a diary too. Is that alright?”

“……do as you please.”

I said it with no sincerity, but that is a safe response.

It’s hard to be an interesting fan.

Likewise, Freya, who looked at me with a curious gaze, smiled softly.

“Come over here and sit down ma’am. Everyone was waiting.”

Thank you for your empty words.

I obediently approached the table and sat down, but the tea cup handle was a turtle-shaped decoration with jewel eyes.

Today has been pushing all the buttons.

“Well, Ellen…….”

“I’m sorry to show you such an unsightly side of me. We’re always like this, so don’t worry.”

Ellenia, who said in a businesslike tone, pushed a plate containing finger food toward me.

That was good, but well, there was a turtle headdress on the plate!

I tried not to look at the decorations as much as I could and drank the tea as hard as I could.

Freya, sitting next to me, murmured anxiously.

“Can we just leave him like that?”

“Leave him alone.”

Ellenia was coldhearted. Before I knew it, my husband was dragging his horse away.

I was glancing curiously at the sight of the tall men approaching him as if they were waiting around, and someone talked to me.

“Are you alright?”

“Oh, yes. Thank you…….”

“I was so surprised to hear that you collapsed at El Mos. I heard you even shed blood.”

I groaned and swallowed. Indeed, there were not one or two people present there at the time, so it was not unreasonable for rumors to spread around.

But do you have to point out here that I blew up my nosebleed in an ugly way? Huh?

Lady Consolacion or something. She’s been consistent since our last meeting.

“That’s right. I almost got in trouble. Thank you for your concern.”

A grin of sincere gratitude and Lady Consolacion made an ambiguous expression whether she was frowning or smiling, and tried again.

“I guess madam cares a lot about her figure.”

“What?”

“You’re already quite thin, but I haven’t seen you eat anything since last time. Do you not like the food here?”

Gray eyes sparkle with genuine concern.

I’m sure you didn’t see anything after only seeing me twice. It’s mean of you to point fingers at me for food.

“Did you notice that? I usually don’t eat a lot.”

“Well, no matter what southern fads are, health is essential to weather the climate here. As you know, it’s a place where all sorts of things happen, so we tend to behave in a way[1] so that we don’t become a nuisance to each other.”

I see. A lady like me is a nuisance. That’s funny.

Nevertheless, I continued to smile and my eyes sparkled.

“Oh, thank you for your concern. You’ve been so sweet since last time, can I consult you about other things from now on? As you know, I don’t know many people here, so I don’t have anyone to ask for.”

“……Well, any time.”

“Really?”

“……please.”

Lady Consolacion, who muttered tremblingly, turned her head dimly.

She seems to be annoyed for some reason.

I know, I understand. Insults were fun when it was taken directly—no scratching under the surface. Don’t worry, I’m not acting like an idiot because I like you.

“Ruby.”

“Yes…?”

“The castella is delicious.”

……Yes, the castella is delicious. Are you telling me to eat it?

Today’s Ellenia was somehow frightening, so I secretly started to gnaw at the bright yellow castella.

It’d be okay if I didn’t see this little tortoise.

“Relax. So why are you arguing all of a sudden over something that doesn’t matter? Such relationships are precious[2].”

“You’re the ones who have a good relationship.”

“Us? Lauren is nice, but he’s such a troublemaker. I wish I had an older brother who was a little more reliable…….”

Freya, who was playfully blurring the end of her words, looked at me and naturally turned the conversation around.

“By the way, I’ve heard that madam has a very good relationship with your brothers.”

There was only one person in my family[3]. Enzo was a knight, not a cardinal. It’s not important, though.

“It’s just normal. My brothers tend to put up with my foolishness a lot.”

“I’m jealous. I’m the kind of person who takes care of the baby of the family…… You must miss them a lot.”

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“Honestly, I don’t even think about it.  I’m already liking this place so much.”

Freya was one of the closest people to Isaac.

Even if it’s not her, since there’s a lot of rumors about me, I have to be careful about what I say…….

“Will Cardinal Valentino visit Earendil this year?”

It was a question asked by the lady who had been on a trip to Romagna the other day and had a hard time because the food was not to her taste.

Ugh, apart from the rumors, I forgot how popular Cesare was.

Please don’t come. I don’t want you to come, but it’s painful because I know he’s already coming.

“I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything yet.”

Since the gladiatorial match was around late autumn, there were still a few months left before his arrival, but the future before my eyes already darkened.

Both Cesare and Isaac were quite neck to neck in power, if this body is going to die then I want to pit them against each other.

* * *

After the chatty brunch time was over, everyone started riding horses in a good atmosphere.

Fortunately, my husband left the horse behind before disappearing, so I got on the snob animal and joined them.

Then it happened that Freya and I were walking slowly toward the forest road near the shore.

“Don’t worry about Lady Consolacion.”

“What?”

“It’s just that she’s grumpy. She has been chasing Iz for a long time.  But you know, she’s not that bad.”

It didn’t really matter, but I smiled as a sign of understanding.

“I don’t think she’s a bad person. Lord Isaac is a wonderful man, so it’s no wonder there are so many people who like him.”

“You’re so sweet, ma’am”

Freya tilted her head to one side with her eyes fixed forward.

Sitting on a stallion as white as snow and slowly driving the horse, she was like a goddess jumping out of a masterpiece.

“I don’t know what you have heard the rumour, but I thought you were a very picky person.”

“Me? Why?”

“You are the princess of Romagna. It’s natural to be nervous around you.”

As she added playfully, she grinned, showing her white teeth.

If I was the original Rudbeckia, it wouldn’t have been just a rumor. Phew. I still feel a little pity for Rudbeckia in the original…….

“Can we go this way?”

“As long as you don’t go too far in, that’s fine. It’s the safest place for outdoor gatherings, so we always get together like this.”

“Oh…….”

“But you seem to be very good at riding horses than I thought.”

“It’s nothing compared to you, milady. There are good things to say.”

“Well, I don’t think so at all. Speaking of which, shall we have a game?”

“A game?”

“If you go straight in that direction and run on the side road on the right, we will end up at the opposite side of the road we came from. That’s the game. What do you think?”

I nodded my head because there was no reason to refuse.

It’s a great thing for me to get closer to Freya. Should I win or lose?

“Then madam will go first.”

“Are you going easy on me?”

“I’m a little more used to this road, so it’s only natural for me to yield.”

And that’s how I started first.

As soon as I sped up, the horse began to run vigorously as if it had been waiting. I don’t know how I’ve endured it.

My braid fluttered wildly. Surprisingly, I felt pretty good.

Maybe it’s because it’s been too long since I ran as much as I wanted without looking at anything, and perhaps I even wanted to show off my skills for the first time in a while.

In the midst of running like that, the side road that Freya was talking about appeared.

As I was running along the side road, I suddenly stopped galloping for a while due to a strange feeling, but I did not hear a sound following me.

Where is Freya by now? Or maybe she took a different path?

It happened when I was listening to my surroundings.

Something literally popped out of the bushes, wrapped around my ankle. I thought it was a snake for a moment and screamed in surprise.

The horse, startled by the momentum, also raised its front legs with a howling sound!

“Kyaaa!”

My hands slipped and my body jerked into the air.

Soon after, there was a tingling shock all over my body, and I felt like I was being dragged away.

I didn’t know if it was a vine wrapped around my ankle or something, and it was winding up all the way to the top of my body, pulling me into the bush.

I didn’t even realize I was screaming.

I didn’t know until I hit my head hard at something blunt.

For a moment, the blackout came.

* * *

“Hngh….”

My head was heavy. And as I lifted my heavy eyelids, the whole place was dark and quiet.

The pure white moonlight was dimly illuminating the surroundings.

Where is this place? What happened at the end?

“………Akh!”

As I struggled to get my act together, I gasped when I saw a pair of eyes.

Assuming that’s it’s eyes.

It stood right next to me staring down at me.

I don’t know how to express what it looks like.

It looks like a black giant monster rabbit, or a raccoon

Its ears that rose on top of the penguin-like torso were pointed like rabbits, and a pair of green lights that looked like eyeballs were shining in the dark. Below that…….

If that huge hole in the stomach was the mouth, I must be destined to die like this.

***

[1] This is referring to their meal intake

[2] Talking about Ellen and Isaac’s relationship. Freya is trying to say that they should cherish it more.

[3] with whom she has good relationship

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