The affectionate interaction between Shioana and the Duke drew a huge reaction from those around them.
"Look at that girl clinging to Duke Bernhard."
"I heard rumors that she used to be a private tutor; that's really impressive."
"I heard she was a dancer, isn't she?"
Shioana was seething with anger at the whispering she could hear so clearly. She couldn't understand how anyone could tell such a story that wasn't true.
"Don't worry about things like that."
The Duke, holding her as if handling a treasure chest, whispered. Shioana felt only discomfort at this moment, as he was deliberately acting affectionately.
"What's left now?"
Shioana, sufficiently exhausted from disturbing the Grand Madam and becoming a spectacle for many people, asked quietly.
"I'm going to visit Marquis Calix just to say hello and then return. That concludes your work for today."
"...Ha."
It was undeniably welcome news.
After all, saying hello just once isn't that difficult.
The two soon came to the vicinity of Marquis Calix's tent. In front of the tent, hunted animals such as rabbits, deer, and foxes were already piled high.
"Greetings, Your Excellency!"
The highly disciplined guards immediately pulled back the curtain. As the two entered, Marquis Calix, who was drinking surrounded by beautiful women, welcomed them warmly.
"Was this the reason you couldn't concentrate on the hunt earlier?"
"I'm sorry I couldn't enjoy it with you, especially since you went out of your way to invite me."
"As for the hunt, isn't it something we can simply do again anytime? For a man, aren't beautiful women and war everything?"
The Marquis smiled sweetly after kissing the cheek of the woman sitting next to him.
As Shioana looked at the large-framed Marquis, she could easily recall someone. Except for the brown hair, he was exactly like Raul.
"The hunt is over, so how about we have a drink?"
Shioana, sitting on a long chair next to the Duke, bowed her head low, not knowing where to look. This was because the attire of the lady serving the Marquis was too revealing, and even the clothes she was wearing were see-through.
The Duke and the Marquis exchanged stories about today's hunt, while Shioana was lost in thought.
'I wonder if Martha and Harriet got back safely.'
Since they rode in a carriage, they probably didn't suffer from motion sickness like earlier. She wished she had heard the full details of her nephew's condition from the doctor.
'I asked you to write down the diagnosis on paper, so I'll just check it later.'
“Yes, what is your name?”
She reacted a little late to the Marquis's question because she was lost in thought.
"My name is Shioana. Your Excellency the Marquis."
Upon hearing her voice, the Marquis stood up and showed quite a bit of curiosity.
"Your vocal tone is quite unique. It seems like you would be quite good at singing. Am I right?"
"No. I'm not good at singing."
"I could help make it sound beautiful..."
Shioana's cheeks flushed bright red at the Marquis's subtle suggestion of a meeting. Her dress crumpled badly in her hands from shame.
If she were the Duke's real lover, it wouldn't have been such a surprise.
Some commoner women dated several nobles at once. Although they were not formally married or recognized, it was said that they were greatly loved by the nobles.
'But not me.'
She did not intend to criticize women who date wealthy nobles for money. It was simply that Shioana was not that kind of person.
While she hesitated, trying to find an answer, the Duke, having emptied his glass, kissed the back of Shioana's hand.
"She won't sing if it's not me."
When Duke Bernhard showed his displeasure, the Marquis feigned ignorance.
"The liquor I brought today tastes really good, doesn't it?"
A moment later, the Duke came out holding Shioana's hand tightly. As Shioana exhaled the breath she had been holding, the Duke gazed intently at her profile.
'My resolve remains unchanged.'
To witness the destruction of Shioana with these two eyes.
So, it is enjoyable to willingly watch her being ignored and looked down upon.
'But somehow...'
Every time this happened, it was not Shioana but his mood that got worse.
Especially when she saw Shioana's flushed cheeks stained with shame, or the dress she crushed because she could not endure the Marquis's insulting words.
"Sir, did I earn the equivalent of ten gold coins?"
There was a hint of moisture in Shioana's voice as she whispered to him, pretending to be cheerful for no reason.
"It seems roughly like that."
Etienne, trying hard to ignore his confused emotions, walked to where the horse was tied up with his arm around her shoulder.
***
Shioana let out a long sigh as she mounted her horse.
'I thought I was done with today's work...'
The hardest part remained: returning on horseback with the Duke.
She was bothered by the fact that her body, swaying along with the horse's movements, kept touching the Duke. As if noticing Shioana's condition, he quietly opened his mouth.
"I'll call a carriage for you when you get to District 5, so just bear with it a little longer."
She didn't know why he was being considerate of her, but Shioana pretended not to hear and kept her eyes fixed straight ahead. As she passed through the narrow path winding through the forest, the setting sun hung at the end of the road. A red glow seeped along the path, staining the entire mountain.
"...Ah."
As she gazed at the forest dyed with flower petals, she felt a sudden sense of sadness rather than beauty. It reminded me of the sunset she watched with Etienne on Mt. Regbell.
It was then.
A flock of crows flew up into the tree with a loud noise, and the Duke tightly hugged Shioana's waist and let out a rough breath. Startled, she twisted her body and resisted.
"Why, why are you doing this?"
"...Sshh."
Shioana, noticing an ominous aura in the Duke's voice, also scanned her surroundings. Though she couldn't see anything, it seemed as though someone was moving among the trees.
He reached out his hand to signal the guard following behind, then whispered very low.
"Slowly turn around and hug me."
Shioana tried to turn her body as the Duke had suggested. However, moving on a galloping horse while wearing a dress was not an easy task.
“...Hurry”
As Shioana was about to move at the Duke's urging, he pulled the horse's reins tight. In an instant, arrows began to fly over the two of them, and a group of hidden assassins revealed themselves.
Startled by the unimaginable situation, Shioana clung tightly to his body, and a fight broke out between the knight and the assassins led by Cedric, who was following behind.
Hehe~!
Just then, a man holding a sword appeared beside the horse the Duke was riding.
"...Shit!"
He gritted his teeth as he swung his sword while holding the reins of the horse. It was then that Shioana recalled that he had received treatment at the hospital earlier in the day.
'The Duke is hurt right now.'
Even for someone as skilled as him, it was a disadvantageous situation. Shioana straightened her back and gripped the reins tightly.
“Hold me.”
The one attacking the Duke risked his life and lunged at the two men. As Shioana crouched low and lightly kicked the horse's flank, the horse sped up. The Duke, having completely let go of the reins, swung his sword at the man following beside him.
With an archer still shooting arrows up in the tree, he looked disoriented as he had to deflect the arrows and fend off the opponent's sword.
'It's disadvantageous like this.'
Since she was unable to look back, she had no way of knowing how many allies, including Viscount Conrad, remained. There were far too many enemies visible to Shioana. It was impossible for the Duke, with an injured arm, to continue fighting them.
'There is too much blood.'
It was impossible to tell whether he had been hit by an arrow or pricked by a sword, but the Duke's blood continued to flow down her dress. If the bleeding wasn't stopped quickly, he would die from excessive blood loss.
'I need to hide for now.'
Shioana suddenly turned the horse and charged into the forest. Startled by the sudden change of course, the Duke tried to snatch the reins back.
“...What is this doing?”
"Your Excellency, please bow."
From a young age, Shioana roamed the fields and mountains of Regbell, making them her friends. She knew very well where and how to hide to protect herself.
Shioana, who was riding her horse while avoiding bushes and a long fallen tree, stopped when she spotted flowing water.
“Get down quickly.”
Shioana jumped off the horse and gathered the luggage attached to its back. The Duke staggered and struggled to dismount.
Shioana slapped the horse's hindquarters, making it run in the opposite direction.
"...Ugh."
Shioana supported the Duke, who was barely standing on his sword, and quickly crossed the shallow water. Regbell's harsh winter had offered the opportunity to read every book in the study. It was also then that she learned that it would be difficult to track their tracks further due to the water.
The forest was so deep that not a single ray of moonlight could penetrate.
Shioana opened her eyes as wide as possible and looked for a place to hide. Not long after, Shioana discovered a small cave behind the thorny bushes and took the Duke inside.
Although the inside was not clearly visible, judging by the silence, it seemed like an unoccupied cave.
Shioana slumped onto the floor and gasped for breath. She was so confused that she couldn't even comprehend what on earth had happened.
'I almost died just now.'
As she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, only then did her fingertips begin to tremble.
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