Richard backed away hesitantly and muttered with a distorted face.
“Whether this boar conceives late or not, how could I know? This was an accident.”
Dorothea lightly agreed with his mumbling words, unable to even look at the Emperor.
“I think it was an accident, too.”
It is highly unlikely that Richard would have deliberately caught a pregnant boar, or thought that it would attract a male.
It's a given.
Even Dorothea would not have known this if she had not heard the last words of the baby that died without being able to emerge from its mother's womb.
Poor Richard, who was cornered by a few words, cried out like a cornered rat struggling.
“But why are you pushing me by bringing up my name as if I were the culprit of this accident?!”
Dorothea, who had been staring blankly at the Prince's face flushed with shame, answered slowly and softly.
“I wonder how you, Your Highness, who doesn’t even know if your prey is pregnant, could know that something happened between me and the 7th Prince. When you aimed your bow to catch that wild boar, you were careful to measure it and didn’t know, but when it came to me and the 7th Prince, you made a judgment without even looking.”
If rumors are not put to rest in time, they will fan the flames again.
Although Dorothea had some ties to Luke, she never agreed to be in the same gang.
Moreover, the gazes that made it seem as if there was some kind of 'affection' between the two were even more unpleasant.
Dorothea was just there to cheer on her father.
“Five years ago, when a rumor about me was circulating, my grandfather, the Marquis, asked for your help. At that time, the Prince saw that I was in trouble one after another and sent me a letter out of kindness, but it was only a passing favor.”
“...”
“I’m rather curious, how on earth did the Third Prince know about the existence of that escort knight? I didn’t even tell His Majesty that the Seventh Prince had sent him.”
“...”
Either someone was planted in the mansion, or there was a spy of the 3rd Prince next to the 7th Prince.
Either way, it was clear that this was not a fact that could be known honestly.
The nobles who had grasped the situation quickly collected their expressions and blinked.
There would have been no one who failed to anticipate that the Third Prince, who had never hidden his ambitions, was engaged in a fierce battle behind the scenes.
It was one thing to assume that something like that would happen, but it was another thing for the dispute in question to surface and be exposed for everyone to see.
The nobles each glanced at Richard, who was speechless as if he had been slapped in the face.
As his brother's long silence continued, William spoke in a soft voice as if to sort out the situation.
“Your Majesty, although the incident was started by a wild boar Richard had hunted, it was just a mistake. Thea, don’t take it too seriously. He was just too absorbed in the fun of the hunt and for a moment forgot what he had to be careful of.”
“Who am I to dare to decide whether or not to take the Prince’s actions to heart? I am merely a noble lady.”
The nobles stuck out their tongues as they watched Dorothea bend her attitude as if her fierce pressure just a moment ago had been a lie.
Even though she was still young, her skills were outstanding.
With just a few words, didn't she treat the Prince like a beast to everyone in this hunting ground?
Although Richard is violent and often loses his temper, he is by no means a pushover.
Behind Dorothea, who had taken the example by slightly bending her knees, Marilyn, who had just come out of the barracks after changing and calming down, returned to the table.
The nobles' eyes were focused on her.
Although they have already nailed it down as an accident, if you look at it one way, isn't she the 'real victim'?
Marilyn looked around in confusion at the sudden gaze directed at her.
'What? Why is everyone looking at me?'
Then William advised Richard in a soft voice.
“It wasn’t intentional, but how about offering some prey to Yeong Lady who suffered because of the spark you created?”
Disgrace is a disgrace, and the prey ends up being passed on to the wrong people.
Richard glared at Marilyn as if he was going to devour her.
“Okay, I’ll offer half of the prey to Young Lady.”
Marilyn froze at the sound of his voice and was forced to say this.
Why is the Third Prince suddenly offering me prey?
At that time, she saw the scene where Dane Highclere, who had brought a bunch of prey late in, swore that the 3rd Prince would hand over the prey to Young Lady, who had been marked as Dorothea's 'good friend'.
'She was a young lady of such high reputation that the Prince personally handed her the prey.'
Moreover, she liked the fact that Dorothea didn't seem too happy or proud even after receiving so much prey.
As his desire to become more and more of Thea's friend grew stronger, the thought that he had to give her something to show her that he would take good care of her also made Dane open his mouth.
“I, too, will offer half of the prey to Lady Marilyn Lea/hr.”
"...?!”
A look of horror appeared on Marilyn's face.
Suddenly, Dane Highclere went crazy.
How can you suddenly offer up your prey after seeing so much of yourself?
Dane looked at her with a pleased face and whispered a few words to his uncle, Aiden, who was following him.
“Huh? She's Thea’s friend? Really? Then I’ll give you this as a gift too.”
Aiden put down the large bear he was carrying with a loud noise.
Kuung!
Marilyn, who received the most prey that day and was the center of attention, was not happy, but rather anxious and gasped for breath until she fainted.
When she opened her eyes, Marilyn was already nailed as best friends with Dorothea Highclere.
***
It was an unspoken rule of the hunting competition not to kill a pregnant mother or a cub that needed protection from its mother, but this time, even the Third Prince could not help but say that he was unlucky.
It was difficult to predict that a wild boar would be pregnant at this late date, even though it was not yet the time for childbirth.
“Even though the prey was the cause of the trouble, there is no need to punish them.”
The Emperor added with a generous face.
“However, the Third Prince’s words could have been uncomfortable for the young lady who had just appeared in front of people. As a member of the royal family, his behavior was not exemplary.”
Third Prince Richard lowered his head while gnashing his teeth.
It would have been okay if he had just let the dispute pass, but he couldn't let it get bigger and give the impression that he was despising his brother and treating women rudely.
“I think I spoke too much in the excitement of hunting. I will reflect on this.”
Dorothea smiled faintly as she saw Richard's attitude of trying to suppress his anger and bow first.
A noble lady would usually say something like, 'I will accept the Prince's will' or 'Don't mind it' out of courtesy.
Richard frowned as he saw Dorothea smiling brightly at him.
As expected, the words that came out of her cherry-like lips were different from what he had expected.
“His Highness the Third Prince is willing to admit his own faults and reflect on himself. I find it difficult to refuse His Highness’s sincerity.”
“..."
Richard, who had been left completely wounded by a few words, flinched.
For the first time, he experienced the sensation of his whole body freezing with tension the moment someone's lips were about to open.
As if his ominous premonition had come true, Dorothea said with a bright smile.
“I would be very grateful if you could grant the girl one small favor later.”
“...”
All the game he had hunted with great effort was taken away as a reward by a girl he was meeting for the first time, and on top of that, he had to accept a favor from a girl who was like his enemy.
Richard asked, barely able to muster up his remaining sanity.
“What do you want?”
“I will try my best to think about it from now on.”
Are you saying that you left a message asking for a favor without even thinking about it?
Everyone who heard it looked at Dorothea in amazement, as it was obvious that she was thinking, 'I want to pay off the Prince with one debt.'
Just a moment ago, she had cornered the Prince with such thorough logic and planning, and now she has such transparent calculations.
She was a girl who was completely difficult to understand.
As Dorothea, who had conveyed everything she wanted, turned around without hesitation, Dane, who had come up to her side, whispered urgently.
“There’s no need to fight with the Prince. Why get in debt when you can just let it go?”
“He’s a Prince. If he were a person with nothing, I would have given up on him, but he's a person with a lot."
Ben, who was next to her, sighed at Dorothea's very realistic words about not being generous because there was too much to unravel.
'Poverty has made my child very stingy.'
It was fortunate that she knew how to give to those who had nothing.
However, it is not desirable to tear something away from someone who has it.
The father's concern grew for his daughter, who seemed to be strangely off track, but Dorothea herself headed home happily, as if she had no worries, along with the chest containing the treasures bestowed by the Emperor.
***
News of the hunting festival soon spread from place to place through the lips of the nobles.
Although there were some exaggerated parts along the way, most of the plot ultimately led back to the scandal between the Seventh Prince and Dorothea.
They are exchanging escorts.
Moreover, the escort's skills were no less than those of the imperial guard, and they even rescued a noble lady from the hunting grounds.
The knight's beautiful appearance, which is hard to forget once seen, also played a part.
Every time people look at her, they will think of the beautiful escort knight who stands behind her like a shadow.
7th Prince, how much favor Luke has shown her.
Before the rumors had even died down, Dorothea visited the Third Prince's Palace.
Although it was unknown what she had asked for, word spread among the courtiers that after her visit, Richard had broken expensive furniture and destroyed parts of the palace.
Soon after, three huge carriages, packed tightly with something, arrived at the Marquis' residence from the Third Prince's palace.
Everyone seemed curious and listened to the news, but due to the servants' heavy lips and the Marquis's tight security, no one knew what kind of request she had made or how the Third Prince had granted it.
“There was no need to scratch it like that.”
“I just asked him to keep his promise.”
“You created the situation to make that promise.”
Edwin, who was always generous when it came to Dorothea, continued to nag her infrequently.
She answered his questions faithfully, half-listening to them.
“If I hadn’t explained myself on the spot, Richard’s few words would have ruined my reputation. It’s better to deal with it properly than to have a false rumor spread.”
“...”
Edwin's worried gaze lingered on her for a while.
Dorothea felt the persistent gaze directed at her but pretended not to notice and kept her mouth shut.
Even if she returns Freed to Luke now, it will only seem to people that she is conscious of the rumors.
Richard's work was not to be viewed as so simple.
The fact that he was able to know about even the most private conversations and situations between Luke and Dorothea must mean that someone's mouth and ears were roaming around her again.
“So, what are you going to do with all these treasures?”
Dorothea smiled.
“I have to use it.”
“I’m telling you, these are items that were in the Third Prince’s palace. If you use these, the usage and flow of your money will be completely reported to him.”
“That’s what I’m going to write.”
Dorothea nodded.
“I really like Richard because he’s brave.”
Edwin was speechless at the sudden remark.
Richard the Lionheart.
As his name was recorded in the history of her previous life, Richard was extremely brave, as he was said to be unrivaled in bravery.
No matter how many times you fall or get caught in a trap, don't you give up and do your best to be drawn to me like a moth to a flame?
“Thanks to him, I was able to easily accomplish the things I wanted to do.”
“Please don’t get hurt.”
Edwin, who knew his cousin's eccentricities well, could only say so.
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