Chapter 35: 35

“Let’s split up and look for it for now.”

 

At Charter’s words, Luiden nodded and held out something.

 

“That would be great. When you find it, let me know with this signal.”

 

Before heading to the hunting ground, he was in a hurry, but he had time to pack what seemed to be a signal flare. Luiden was thoughtful and intelligent even in an urgent situation, even though his look didn’t seem like that.

 

“Then let’s hurry.”

 

At the end of Charter’s words, they split up and entered the forest without looking back. It wasn’t long before Arianne and Luiden met.

 

I was walking toward the entrance of the hunting grounds, holding the precious white weasel in my arms. On the way, I encountered some people. Still, everyone was busy looking for the special animal with the golden ribbon, so they didn’t pay attention to me, which made my way easier.

 

“They have no idea that you’re the owner of the golden ribbon, right? It’s a relief that you’re in the size I can carry around like this. If it was a wolf or a deer, they might have taken it away while I was bringing it. Of course, I’m not the person who will be taken away that easily.”

 

I would never forgive anyone who dared to stop me, even if that person was the emperor. Then, someone appeared before me as if testing my determination.

 

“Lady Arianne?”

 

I frowned as I looked at who dared to stand in my way.

 

“Second Prince?”

 

Luiden looked pleased for some reason. He said to me, who was tilting my head, wondering if it was such a joy to meet me. “Emily. No, please hand that white weasel to me.”

 

What bullshit is this again? I never see him that way… It was a moment when I wondered if the second prince was a shameless human being who tried to steal the prey I had managed to catch after going through hardships.

 

Luiden reached out even though Arianne’s permission wasn’t granted because he couldn’t wait anymore. Slap. Arianne hit his hand without hesitation.

 

“Lady?”

 

I spoke coldly to Luiden, who was looking at me bewildered. “This is my hunt. No matter how much you tell me, you can’t take this away from me.”

 

“Ah! Lady Arianne, Emily is not ‘this.’ Please… give it back to me.”

 

Only then did I feel strange. Emily? Did this white weasel have a name?

 

Thinking that Luiden knew the name of this weasel, I spoke again since this weasel was probably an animal raised by the imperial family. “Your Highness, this… Emily is my hunt. Again, I will say that I can’t give it to Your Highness.”

 

My repeated rejection seemed to drive Luiden mad. I had to get out of the hunting grounds quickly before anyone noticed. Still, it seemed Luiden was doing this because he didn’t know my situation.

 

“Lady Arianne, listen carefully. This weasel is my family. And… it’s probably wearing a gold ribbon… Huh? There’s no… ribbon?”

 

Contrary to Luiden’s expectation, there was no gold ribbon around Emily’s neck. What the hell is going on here? Why did he let Emily loose on the hunting grounds if he didn’t tie the golden ribbon to Emily?

 

The crown prince’s action didn’t match the current situation. Luiden became confused by the incomprehensible situation.

 

“Golden ribbon? It’s here.”

 

I took the golden ribbon from my chest and showed it to Luiden. Then please stop now, Your Highness. After all, the title of Baron, the winning prize, was completely useless to the second prince. There was no reason for him to stop me.

 

It didn’t matter if Emily was his family or his pet. The white weasel was the ticket to winning the prize. That was the end of my calculation.  

 

I already get too much on my plate, so I have no reason to take care of other people’s situations.

 

However, contrary to my thought, Luiden didn’t back down and spoke solemnly. No, he gave an order.

 

“Lady Arianne, in the name of the second prince, I order you to give that weasel now.”

 

Oh my… even the emperor wouldn’t do that, but the second prince came and ordered me to give it to him?

 

I agonized over the unpleasant situation. Should I just knock him out? Even if it’s embarrassing, he couldn’t go anywhere and say that he passed out after being beaten by me.

 

Feeling the seriousness of the situation from Arianne’s expression, Luiden realized that he had made a mistake and hurriedly said, “I’m sorry, Lady Arianne. I apologize if you felt offended.”

 

Arianne was the one who held control. Luiden sighed and continued. “That white weasel is my precious family. It got caught up in this, but I was trying to get it out of the hunting ground before people saw it. Don’t you know what happens to the animals in the hunting ground? Even more to the animal that wears a golden ribbon? I beg you earnestly. Please, could you return Emily back?”

 

I felt that his words were not fake, as I could see he really cared about this white weasel. However,

 

“Your Highness, I’m sorry, but I will say something too. I’m risking my all to come here. Do you know that I participated in this hunting competition against everyone’s objections about whether women could participate? Do you know why?”

 

“Your Highness, I’m sorry, but I’ll say something, too. I’m here with everything on the line. Do you know I participated in this hunting contest with a woman’s body against everyone’s opposition? Do you know why?”

 

Luiden couldn’t bear to answer. Yes, I knew why. Clearly, he knew that Arianne hadn’t participated in this hunting competition just out of curiosity or repulsion. She entered with the goal of winning this competition. Even when others cursed, ridiculed, and ignored Arianne’s deviation, only he and the emperor knew her purpose.

 

However, if the emperor was in a position to support Arianne, Luiden was in the position that regarded it as nothing more than a noble young lady’s rebellion. It was unlikely, but even if she won, the odds of her being crowned Baroness were close to zero.

 

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And now, the owner of the golden ribbon in the current situation was her. Luiden, who had been silent for a long time, opened his mouth. “Lady Arianne, even if you win… you won’t receive a title.”

 

Arianne looked at Luiden with a blank face. Luiden also looked at her without avoiding her eyes. However, the corners of Arianne’s mouth began to slowly rise. Why? Why is she smiling?

 

While Luiden couldn’t understand my sudden change of attitude, I opened my mouth. “No, I’m going to be crowned. Because Your Highness will help me.”

 

Luiden pointed to himself and said, “I…? You mean?”

 

“Yes. Your Highness,” said me with a smile around my mouth.

 

Looking at him with a face that he didn’t understand, I thought that the rumors of the second prince, who was famous for his intelligence and thoughtfulness, were false.

 

Just like he said, it was unclear whether I would get the title. That was the perception  of women in the Harpion Empire. Even the most distinguished woman from a prestigious family couldn’t inherit the title. They would rather pass it to the baby boy who couldn’t even write his name rather than pass it to a woman. That was the means by which these imperial male nobles solidified their position.

 

In fact, I wasn’t even sure that I would get the title even if I won. However, I wanted to at least give a blow to everyone in this empire who was bound by those customs. I would rebel against the customs that you have suppressed and accepted.

 

What I wanted was to prove that I didn’t exist only as a man’s possession, but that I was capable of doing something on my own, and that I wasn’t incompetent woman that had to be protected. That was what I thought at first. However, the opportunity came to me first.

 

First of all, the emperor is on my side. And if I take advantage of the power of the second prince faction… With that crazy thought, the corners of my mouth  went up automatically.

 

“If Your Highness promises to give me strength in getting my title, I will return Emiy. Ah! Of course, after I showed this ‘Emily’ in front of His Majesty the Emperor.”

 

Luiden had no intention of doing that. Why would he do such a thing? He must be crazy to turn all the male nobles of the empire into his enemies while fighting a war of nerves with the crown prince over the throne.

 

When Luiden showed signs of refusal, I was the first to open my mouth. “If Your Highness refuses… I’m going to put this ribbon around Emily’s neck right now and release it back to the hunting grounds. Your Highness knows, right? What would happen to the animals in the hunting grounds? I was lucky enough to catch Emily alive. But… will others catch it in the state of being alive too?” said me, stroking Emily. Emily was pleasantly accepting my touch without rejecting it.

 

Luiden was stunned. What this woman was saying now would turn the empire upside down. He wanted to just watch on the sidelines, but this woman was telling him to be her ally, taking his precious family as her hostage.

 

“Ha. Ahahahaha.” Luiden began to laugh loudly. Whether he knew it or not, Arianne was tyign the ribbon carefully around Emily’s neck. Seeing this, Luiden stopped laughing and grabbed Arianne’s wrist.

 

“I haven’t answered yet. You’re so impatient.”

 

At Luiden’s words, I tilted my head and said. “Time is on my side. And let go of my hand.”

 

At my cold words, Luiden withdrew his hand and apologized. “I’m sorry, Lady Arianne. As you said, I don’t have time. Alright! I will empower you. But you will give me back Emily, right?”

 

“Even if it’s annoying, I won’t say it twice. Also, I hate uncertainty.”

 

Strangely enough, Luiden liked Arianne, who spoke boldly in front of him, a prince. He could understand why Charter, who had been reluctant to get married, decided to marry her.

 

The contract was also the reason, but perhaps Arianne’s personality had gained his trust. What a refreshing shock it must have been for him, who was tired of lame appeals and sophistry.

 

And before he knew it, Luiden admitted that he too had developed a crush on this woman. What an interesting woman.

 

Luiden also thought that the current system had to be changed for the future of the Harpion Empire. There were a large number of young nobles who followed him, but most of them only wanted to improve the situation of not receiving a title as the second son, not to improve the treatment for women.

 

However, Luiden thought that his mother had lived in vain because she was a woman, and she only existed as the property of the emperor. He was thinking of changing not only the second son but also the treatment of women.

 

Since his position was still at stake, he concealed that fact and intended to take care of it later after he ascended to the throne. But… It seemed he needed to change that plan a little.

 

In fact, it would take a lot of time for him to plan and execute everything. However, since this woman had laid the table, he just had to help her. It was a little early, but it was worth a try. And there was someone else who would suffer the most from this incident.

 

“Prince, you will have to take responsibility for what you’ve done.”

 

This time, it would be hard trusting this on his mother’s family power. Because it was such a serious matter.

 

“Will this be enough? It’s a token of my pact.”

 

Luiden took out the ring with the imperial family’s seal from his hand and held it out to Arianne.

 

A ring of the imperial family. It was a proof that anyone, even a slave, could have an audience with the emperor directly by visiting the imperial palace and showed that ring. The emperor even had to grant one wish for the person who brought that ring unconditionally.

 

In other words, if he failed to keep his promise, go to the emperor and ask for it. That was what Luiden meant. He somehow got the idea that this woman might ask for more than a title, but he found it interesting too. Of course, he won’t let her visit the emperor.

 

“The contract is established.”

 

“You seem to like contracts,” replied Luiden to Arianne’s words.

 

At that, Arianne raised her left eyebrow. “As expected, you knew about it.”

 

Luiden said with a smile, “Because there are no secrets between us.”

 

“You didn’t know we were that close?” Charter appeared through the bushes.

 

Seeing Arianne with Luiden, Charter made an incomprehensible expression. Then he saw Emily in her arms. “Emily?”

 

Arianne held up Emily and said, “Yes, I won. I did a good job, right?”

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