Chapter 21: 20

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Vivian’s POV

“A hunting competition?”

Something heavy thumped onto my shoulder. It was Edmund.

While he whined about being tired, he placed his chin onto my shoulder from behind. As the hair around my neck was itchy, I grabbed Edmund’s hair. 

With my fingers, I gestured for him to stand up, and his slicked back hair became a little messy in my hands. 

“…His Highness wants me to participate in the hunting competition.”

“You?”

So there’s still a hunting competition here.

It was surprising that it remained even after 200 years, especially since it was also a product of the olden era during my time. Edmund shook his head, and pointed once towards me, and another time towards himself.

“You and I. Both of us.”

“Why? I don’t want to.”

“I don’t want to either, but this time the Imperial family had simply just sent the both of us invitations, so we can’t. We have to participate.”

With a look of genuine unwillingness, he leaned onto me again. The instant I started to wobble under his weight, Edmund pulled me into a tight embrace.

“Originally, I participated during the fall, and not the summer hunting competition. I’m not sure why the people who’re aware are doing this.”

All of a sudden, the small war of nerves I had with the crown prince came to mind. When I said that I didn’t want to prove my existence, the crown prince warned that I would regret it. The remark suddenly weighed on my mind.

I wondered if that would have any connection with the hunting competition, but there wasn’t sufficient reason for him to pay attention to me by doing so. His concern wasn’t purely because I’m an impersonator pestering Edmund, but held some discomfort.  

“By the way, Mr. Deer. If it’s the hunting competition, isn’t it during mid-June?”

“To be exact, it’s held in the third week of June.”

“…There’s just under a month’s time left.”

When I mentioned that it’s alright for me to wear Morgan Summer’s clothes after the hunting competition, Alice shook her head and said that she couldn’t allow that to happen. It was an Imperial hunting competition, which seemed to mean that she couldn’t let such a good opportunity be taken away by someone else. 

She seemed to have toiled greatly in order to make my dress in a short period of time, but now, she’ll have to work hard for another month. 

“I’ll make sure that you’re satisfied this time too.”

“I’ll look forward to it.”

“From the moment I first saw you, the number of things I wanted to make have overflowed.”

I tried my best to give a faint smile to Alice, who spoke triumphantly, before letting out a sigh.

How am I to participate in the Imperial hunting competition, when such a short party has left me so tired? I wanted to take back my words that it was frustrating to stay in the mansion only right away.

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There were many draining incidents today.

It was tiring to watch the auction in an anxious state throughout, and I was absent minded from the alcohol that I drank in small sips as I craved for something. I unintentionally used magic there, and met many people.

Right. It’s no wonder that my body is so exhausted right now.

While the fact that Edmund purchased my sister’s portrait or that painting simply because I whispered it was something I had to revisit, my day today wasn’t so bad.

It would be great to return back to the mansion in this satisfied mood. From the beginning, Edmund kept saying to leave after the first dance, worried about the noise, and fussed even more after I used magic. 

“Rest for a while. I’ll just greet His Highness and return.”

“Don’t I have to go?”

I took a breather on a seat in the VIP lounge that was located upstairs. Blisters seem to have formed on my feet as I have been wearing these heels for quite a while, and Edmund rested my toes on a new pair of shoes that he had ordered someone to purchase. 

“Why would you have to greet him? You don’t have to.”

“Very well then.”

Since Imperial power had fallen to the floor, it was comfortable and great for aristocrats. Of course, I wasn’t sure if my current status is that of an aristocrat.

As I leaned on the couch’s cushion instantly, Edmund laughed and approached me. He tucked the hair that fell out while I was walking around the party hall behind my ear, and placed his hand on my forehead like he was checking for a fever. 

“You don’t seem to have a fever–”

Muah. 

“In that case, I’ll be back.”

Leaving me, who was stiff, Edmund waved as if nothing had happened and disappeared from my view. Of course, I remained stiff for a long time, even after he disappeared.

“…W, what…”

He had only placed his hand onto my forehead and kissed the back of his hand. But, but.

“Ugh…”

That’s why it’s weird. The only thing that touched my forehead was his finger, but strangely enough my forehead was hot.

I recalled my sister’s portrait that I saw a while ago. Soon after, the moment I called his name, Edmund, who offered astronomical money, came to mind. I remembered Edmund’s gaze at me and the portrait, before my thoughts returned to the sensation that didn’t touch my forehead again. 

I swallowed dryly.

What should I do? What in the world should I do?

I slowly lowered my hand to the couch and closed my eyes while laying onto my side. I had many thoughts in my mind, but they weren’t organised, and nothing was left as a result. 

Knock, knock.

Just then, a knock could be heard on the door before the door opened. He returned that quickly? He couldn’t have called the crown prince, who’s at furthest end from him, and waved his hand once, could he?

“You’re already back?”

I had just settled into a comfortable posture, so I spoke from my position in that cozy spot. 

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Edmund stood at the door for a moment without answering, before striding towards me.

My eyes were closing out of weariness, and I stared at Edmund, who was trudging towards me, with some effort.  

As my visibility was low, I couldn’t see his face and didn’t notice anything strange at first. However, the thought that he was someone else appeared as he was approaching me.

It was just the slight mana that vibrated along with his movements. It seems that there’s nothing special…?

Wait, magical power?

“……!”

Edmund doesn’t have mana. I got up immediately upon realising that fact. I hastily pulled mana from my mana heart in order to use magic. 

But the opponent grabbed my wrist to stop my actions. Just like that, the mana that I had pulled was blocked, and my breathing was stopped all of a sudden. This opponent was someone that could move mana freely.

“Heob.”

I couldn’t catch my breath, and my vision flickered. Along with tinnitus, hot liquid drenched under my nose. The mana I pulled was suddenly cut off in the middle, and I could feel that it was tangled inside. 

Mana kept fluctuating, causing my breathing to be uneven. I coughed, unable to breath, and in that instant, all my senses stopped working. 

I tried to reach my hand to my mouth in order to catch a breath, but my hand was blocked. 

“I’m sorry, I made a mistake. I’ll straighten out your magic. Breathe in.”

“Keuh, what—”

In the midst of the chaos, weak mana entered through the hand that was cupping my chin. Just that amount of mana gave me a breather. As the mana in my heart was still tangled, I kept reaching a hand towards my neck, but such a hand was forcibly grabbed by the opponent. 

I coughed and took a deep breath, holding onto that breath for a little more. Although my darkened vision was returning gradually, my heart pounded violently under the situation where I had no idea who the other person was.

Currently, magic has vanished to the point where people would be full of admiration just with raining flowers. 

But there’s someone that can use mana to overpower me like this?

There was a voice humming beyond the tinnitus, as if I was hearing it while underwater.

One of my hands was held tightly to the seat of my chair, and the other hand…… I’m not sure. My body doesn’t feel like it’s mine at the moment. 

I could only open my mouth to speak after I calmed down a little. My heart was still pounding though, like it was about to explode. 

“You, who are you?”

“……”

Of course, he didn’t answer.

It’s obvious that he’s a mage. Putting me aside, if Edmund would be in danger if he returns like this. Can I even use magic? My head hurts. As I blinked anxiously, my vision became even more blurry than before.

I was startled by the figure of a human right in front of me.

I leaned backwards without realising it, but of course, the only thing that my back touched was the backrest.

The firm hand remained motionless. I couldn’t exert strength in my body, perhaps because of the fluctuation and impact due to the mana. 

My vision was blurry, but my stinging nose began to function properly. It was a scent that’s both familiar and nostalgic. As soon as my longing feelings began to surge, I stilled. 

My heart pounded.

A field covered in snow and a black horse that’s galloping over it. And when the long robe was discarded, faded, wheat-colored hair appeared. Sasha Summers, the Young Lord of the Summers.

What’s it?

The instant its scent entered my nose, I opened my eyes, which had closed without my realisation. I could only discern the shape in front of me, but I couldn’t recognize who it was. I could only assume that he’s a man, from his gripping power and his distant voice.

However, perhaps due to the strange anticipation and slight longing that bloomed in my mind, I was reminded of a scent I smelled before falling here. 

I closed my eyes again, and he slowly began to take shape as soon as I opened them. 

Black hair and a pure white mask.

My eyes met the blue pupils that could be seen through the eyeholes on his pure white mask. It surprised me, causing me to scream inadvertently, but his hand was faster than my voice. The other hand that wasn’t pressing to the chair, gently pressed against my lips. 

My heart throbbed.

If he had black hair and a white mask that covered the entire face, it would be the person that I saw during the auction earlier. He also happened to be the person that bidded fiercely over my sister’s portrait. 

When he let up his hand that pressed on my mouth, I uttered an idea that came to mind.

“……Painting?”

Was he attacking me because of the painting? Well, if he grabs me and threatens Edmund, he might be able to gain the painting.

But I immediately retracted that thought. It was too much to say that he acted solely because of the painting.

The fact that he managed to overpower me meant that this person is a mage. What’s the reason behind a mage spending an astronomical amount of money to purchase my sister’s portrait?

I could acutely feel the throbbing of my pulse at my neck throughout my body. It felt like a bug was crawling around. I wanted to scratch it away with my fingertips immediately. The old habit that I thought I had fixed suddenly appeared in this manner. 

“Seriously, who are you?”

“…You’re quick at asking questions.”

The man in front of me spoke in a mild voice.  

Oh.

My heart raced. Earlier, I was so distracted, but now I could clearly hear the voice that I couldn’t properly hear previously.

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Yurision.

“Vivian.”

No, Yuriel.

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