Chapter 8


    —


    This was unexpected, so even I was a little surprised.


    There was amotion. Whether others were seeing or not, Izek grabbed me and turned me around


    to see for himself. Caught in his giant grasp, I felt like a chick trapped inside an eagle’s w.


    Was he going to hit me?


    I didn’t care as long as I didn’t die.


    “Say it again. Hiding…What are you going to do while hiding?”


    “I-I’ll just hide and watch. Even if I follow you, you won’t know…”


    “Do you want to die?”


    His tone sounded pretty odd for a threat.


    Of course, I was doing this so I wouldn’t die, so I shook my head.


    “Then, why would you do that?”


    “I, I…would like to see you, but I don’t want to be a nuisance…”


    Like a cute fan.


    Surely, he wouldn’t think his weak wife would try to assassinate him. There’s a saying that the only


    person brave enough to assassinate a pdin is a suicide lovers.


    As I tried to make the eyes as teary as possible, my husband, who was staring at me with an unknown


    look, suddenly let out a sound simr to a sigh and touched his temple. At the same time, Sir Ivan, who


    was watching us with a somewhat absent-minded look, coughed, “Lady Rudbeckia, that’s a very


    dangerous act.”


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    “What?”


    “I don’t mean that he’ll mistake his wife for an assassin. As you know, the North is a dangerous ce,


    so we’re a little different from the knights who grew up in the South. It’s not as safe as thest time, but


    if you’re near us when we’re tracking down the monsters, we may kill you without knowing what’s going


    on.


    I see.  Who knows what they would do if they were at their peak? Maybe they’ll be as hyperactive as


    humans would be on drugs. Naturally, I didn’t want to pretend to chase except where safety was


    guaranteed. But, I guess, I do look like a fangirl from their reactions. Thank you for misunderstanding,


    you delusional patients.


    (T/N: ??? is the term used here, apparently it’s a disease where the patient believes everybody has


    a crush on him/her xDDD)


    “Oh, I’m in such trouble. I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m from the South…”


    “Don’t say that. No wonder you don’t know. It’s fine, right? Hey, say something.”


    Izek, who didn’t budge, was silent. He just stared at me with a strange look, chewing on his bottom lip.


    He seemed to be thinking about how he’d get annoyed to death.


    I stuttered with a glum expression, as much as possible.


    “D-Don’t worry. I’ll never get you in trouble…”


    “If the schedule had changed, you should have told me in advance.”


    The chilling voice belonged to Ellenia.


    Ellenia came close to us and looked at her brother with that impassive look on her face.


    “Ellen’s right. You could have stopped by. You don’t even know how to be grateful for the beauty at


    home.”


    Freya changed the atmosphere by hitting Izek’s arm, who was still busy staring at me, with a slightly


    yful blow using the tip of her fan.


    It seemed to be a very natural move.


    An atmosphere where you would usually hear a reply like ‘Where is the beauty?’ was made, but by


    maintaining an unmoving figure, Izek was making this barely cheerful atmosphere awkward again. By


    the way, his tight grip still had my poor shoulder trapped.


    Such a narrow-minded b*stard.


    This response was interesting, though. I thought he’d just walk away likest time.


    “You…”


    “Your Majesty The King has arrived!”


    Just when he had finally opened his mouth, a magnificent horn sounded.


    It was indeed the most appropriate time.


    King Feanol spoke.


    The King of the North, with a gentle and gracious impression, said in a moderate yet business-like


    tone, “You must have taken troubleing a long way, but I’m happy to have your presence, Lady


    Rudbeckia.”


    “I also appreciate your hospitality, Your Majesty.”


    “It’s rare for my nephew to appear on time for a banquet, but it seems like after getting married, little


    boys really do grow up. Isn’t that right, Lord Izek?”


    Apparently, King Feanol had a considerable amount of money made by his nephew.


    Likewise, Izek, who would have gotten enough money due to his marriage with me, responded with a


    polite attitude to the jab, “The son will only follow his father’s steps, after all.”


    The king’s expression became distorted.


    It was not an angry look, but one of strange bitterness.


    “Is this why you never listen to me, even after I kept requesting for so long?”


    “What can I even say, and whom can I even me? Since I was the one who brought this on myself.”


    His cynical tone was so cold that everyone who listened to it felt chills run down their spine.


    Izek nced at me, looking at me carefully once, before leaving like a storm, clicking his tongue in


    displeasure.


    His child-like behaviour ovepped with Cesare’s.


    Laughter rang out from all over the ce.


    Yes, yes,ugh as much as you can. I will be the fool smiling even when my husband throws me away.


    “If only he hadn’t been Isis’ child…”


    “Calm down, Your Majesty. The new bride will be surprised.” The queen gently calmed down the king,


    who was about to burst into a fit. She smiled kindly toward me.


    Rich reddish-brown hair. Lemon-colored eyes with a mole underneath her eye. Light coffee-colored


    skin, which was rare for royalty. She stood out. I remember someone said that she was a ve from


    the East, and my memory seemed to be correct.


    “Now, princess, it’s daring of you to look at me like that. Let’s say hello with an example.”


    She looked six or seven years old.


    With brilliant turquoise eyes, the princess, who was staring at me, looked up at the queen, who slightly


    pushed her back. Her long braided reddish-brown hair swayed as she moved.


    “…wee to Angvan Pce, Lady Rudbeckia.”


    “Thank you. Princess Ari.”


    As I greeted her with a big smile, the princess, who hid herself behind the queen’s skirt, quickly averted


    her eyes.


    It was like a kitten hiding.


    Now, it was clear why the existence of the princess was so insignificant in the original work.


    King Feanol was a good enough lover to give the crown to a former Pagan ve, that too, a dancer.


    But he could not give his daughter, who resembled her mother and had those familiar pagan


    characteristics, the same position as any other princess.


    It was inevitable no matter how hard the king tried. Furthermore, with cousins   like Izek and Ellenia, Ari


    would be an eternal stranger in Brittania’s aristocratic society.


    I was never in a position to sympathise with anyone, but I held a bit of pity for her.


    Damn it, this world and that world are not much different after all.


    Anyway, after the greeting, the banquet was carried forward in earnest.


    The music the bands yed, the sound of people talking, theughter and the sses clinking was all


    that could be heard.


    It filled the huge banquet hall.


    “These sleeves are unique. Is it a Southern fad?”


    “Ahaha, I’m still waiting for a new dress.”


    “Did you get your new clothes tailored?”


    “Do you like the food here? I visited Romagna before, but I had a hard time because the southern food


    didn’t fit my pte.”


    Sitting at the dinner table with Ellenia, many questions poured in.


    It was expected that they would nce at me with a mixed look ofpassion and ridicule.


    Yeah, look at me more like that! I’m a fool who can’t even think about hurting anyone.


    “Ah, Ellen.”


    “Frey? Where have you been?” Freya, whose whereabouts had been unknown, finally reappeared and


    joined our table. It was refreshing to see her flushedplexion, it seemed as if she had been riding a


    horse in that short time.


    Freya sat on the right side of Ellenia and immediately said to me, “I’m sorry, my Lady. I was going to


    bring him back in, but now he’s ignoring my words. Just where did his chivalry go?..”


    “You’ve done something useless. Did he ever even pretend to listen to us?”


    “I know…Haaa. My Lady, do you like horseback riding? Ellen and I host horseback riding meetings


    every summer.”


    “I don’t ride very well, but I like it.”


    “Don’t worry, all you have to do is like it.”


    As a matter of fact, it was the other way around. In my previous life I was pretty good at it, but I didn’t


    like horseback riding itself. Now that I think about it, I just didn’t like horseback riding clubs. That was


    the only way to get around there, so I couldn’t help it.


    “Horseback riding skills are hard to keep up with. Lord Izek helped you, of course. How about asking


    your husband for help, my Lady?”


    One of the women sitting across from me smiled widely. Her round gray eyes sparkled provocatively.


    Before I could open my mouth, Freya cut in quickly, “That was when I was a kid. Besides, I wasn’t that


    good at it.”


    “Of course. Don’t get me wrong, Lady Furiana.”


    Lady Conce apologized coolly and exchanged nces with people around her. She looked like she


    was dying of joy. Why was there always one such person like that everywhere?


    “Thank you for your concern. But I can’t take his time for such a trivial matter.”


    There was a moment of silence when I spoke with a smile.


    She gaped at my smiling face as if it were absurd, and soon cleared her throat and responded with an


    awkward smile, as if she lost all her excitement, “By the way, summer ising to an end. This year’s


    sword fight will be held earlier thanst time, right?”


    “Will Sir Izek attend this year’s game?”


    “Well, I’m looking forward to it, but if Lord Izek is present, the winner will be too obvious.”


    “I don’t know what’s going to happen this year. I wonder who the flower of glory will be.”


    The conversation quickly shifted, and I felt sick when this topic came up.


    This was because Cesare would visit this season.


    The sword match, held every three years in Elendale, was thergest event with the longest history on


    the continent, attracting participants and visitors from all over the world.