Chapter 30
Even when Ines said she had no interest in horseback riding, Cedric showed no sign of backing down.
Rather, he stepped a little closer and spoke kindly.
“There are many fine horses in the Angel Ducal House. The horse you recommended today is called Sorrel. Sorrel is gentle and has a good temperament. He would probably let even Miss Ines comfortably ride on his back. If you wish, I could personally teach you how to ride.”
Cedric admired his own idea.
Ines disliked being the center of people’s attention.
Now that he thought about it, there was hardly anything more suitable than horseback riding for spending time alone together.
“No. I’m really fine.”
Ines’s polite refusal came once again.
However, Cedric did not give up this time either.
He would never act like this toward anyone else, but whenever it concerned Ines, he became more persistent than necessary.
Even while thinking he should not be doing this, Cedric once again said something that would likely burden her.
He had already realized that she was particularly weak against this kind of pressure, so he could not help but make use of it.
“To tell the truth, ever since our first date, I’ve been looking for an excuse to see you again.”
“…Pardon?”
Caught off guard by Cedric’s sudden confession, Ines once again lost control of the conversation.
“The head maid told me that contacting you too often might put you in a difficult position, so I endured it.”
“But honestly, I still wanted to see you.”
Cedric spoke calmly to Ines.
He told her how frustrated he had been during the period when the fierce blizzard prevented him from even sending letters.
He also spoke of how the noble council’s work, which had been paralyzed by the blizzard, kept him so busy afterward that he could barely find any free time.
“I was planning to use that painter as an excuse to visit you, but this time preparations for the hunting festival made things difficult.”
“To be honest, my self-control has been wearing thin during the time I couldn’t see you.”
“So from my perspective, it’s hard to give up such a reasonably good excuse to meet.”
Not knowing how to respond to Cedric’s words, Ines merely parted her lips.
Then Cedric’s voice reached her again.
“Miss Ines.”
“Mm… Yes.”
“You don’t have to give me an answer right away, so think about it a little more.”
“It feels strange to say this myself, but both my riding skills and my ability to teach someone are fairly decent.”
After cornering her into a position where she could not refuse, Cedric once again urged her.
As someone who spent every day wondering how to ask Ines out on another date, he could not help being persistent even if others called him so.
After all, he had finally found a clue to solving a problem that had troubled him for weeks.
There was no way he could retreat so easily.
☆☆☆
Soon, the loud sound of the preliminary hunting horn announcing the start of the hunting festival echoed through the area.
“Ah, my. It’s already time…”
Since there were many people targeting the snow fox, there was a risk of losing the prey if he did not rush ahead first.
“You should go.”
Unlike himself, who lingered because he did not want to leave, Ines showed no hesitation.
It almost looked as though she was relieved at the prospect of parting from him, which left Cedric feeling slightly disappointed.
However, there was no time to waste.
The servants were already placing a saddle on the white horse.
“Then I’ll see you again in a little while.”
Cedric said as he lightly vaulted over the fence.
Then he approached the servants and instructed them to place the saddle on Sorrel instead of the white horse, Augustine.
“Um… Duke Angel!”
Ines’s voice came from behind him.
Cedric immediately turned around.
There stood Ines, her cheeks rosy beneath the winter sunlight.
“Yes, Miss Ines.”
He retraced his steps and stood right in front of her.
He wondered if simply being called back by her should really make him feel this way, yet the corners of his mouth refused to come down.
“Please be careful.”
“There can be all sorts of accidents in the forest…”
“If you worry this much about me, then I’ll have no choice but to return safely.”
“If I get injured even a little, Miss Ines might lose trust in my riding skills.”
Smiling faintly, Cedric fastened her cloak more securely.
“I’m worried about your cold.”
“Wait somewhere warm.”
“I’ll catch the snow fox and return quickly.”
Even after offering his gentle farewell, Cedric seemed reluctant to leave her side.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
Only when he truly could not delay any longer did he finally turn away.
Ines watched his retreating figure from outside the fence.
Following his orders, the servants removed the saddle from Augustine and fastened it onto Sorel’s back instead.
Augustine stared blankly at his master for a moment.
Then, understanding the situation, he began hopping around energetically.
It was his way of showing dissatisfaction.
“Whoa. Don’t throw a tantrum, you rascal.”
Meanwhile, Sorrel, who had been leisurely grazing, reacted completely differently.
Compared to the other horses, Sorrel was chosen by his master less frequently.
Apparently delighted that his master had chosen him today, he neighed several times.
As though none of that concerned him, Tan approached Ines and nudged his head toward her.
“Tan.”
Amused by his childlike behavior, Ines smiled and stroked the black horse’s head.
Back when she had lived as the Duchess of Angel, these three horses had been precious to her as well.
The animals Cedric cherished most had personalities as distinct as the colors of their coats.
One servant, who had been watching Ines pet Tan, spoke in amazement.
“Your Grace, look over there.”
Having finished placing the bridle on Sorrel, the servant kept glancing toward Ines as though he could not believe what he was seeing.
Tan was not as ill-tempered as Augustine, but he was still a horse that took quite a long time to warm up to people.
Yet here he was, nudging his head toward a young lady he had never met before and acting spoiled, asking for more affection.
The servant had worked for the ducal household for many years, but this was the first time he had ever witnessed such a sight.
“He’s quick to catch on.”
At the servant’s words, Cedric turned toward Ines and chuckled.
It seemed Tan had already figured out that she would become the Duchess of Angel.
Wanting to preserve the peaceful, picture-like sight of Ines together with the horse he cherished, Cedric watched them for a long while with gentle eyes.
☆☆☆
After the preliminary horn sounded two more times, the drums announcing the beginning of the hunting festival finally erupted from every direction.
Seated atop Sorel, Cedric easily spotted Ines among the tents.
After giving her a light greeting, he was the first to dash forward like an arrow.
Cedric’s openly affectionate attitude was a considerable source of discomfort for her.
Since he rarely formed personal relationships, even the simple act of Cedric waving at her drew unpleasant looks from those around them.
No one approached the brazier where Ines was warming herself.
Even though everyone knew she would soon become the Duchess of Angel, rather than trying to curry favor or approach her, most people looked her up and down with dissatisfaction.
However, their reactions stirred no emotions within Ines.
They seemed like nothing more than childish jealousy.
It was only natural for unmarried young ladies to feel jealous of someone like Cedric.
After all, how many people could look at someone who naturally shone as brightly as Cedric and not admire him?
It was simply one of life’s natural courses.
Just as flowers bloom and butterflies flutter about in spring, these were feelings people experienced naturally at the appropriate stage of life.
Within a few years, everyone would find suitable partners and marry.
Those feelings would remain as nothing more than memories of youth.
Ines no longer had the leisure to concern herself with such things.
Her thoughts were filled entirely with Cedric.
One of the women who had been looking at her disapprovingly suddenly changed the atmosphere.
“Everyone, did you hear?”
She deliberately raised her voice.
Her intention was to make Ines feel awkward about being excluded.
“I heard that the Angel Ducal House has started sponsoring a new artist.”
The woman standing opposite her immediately chimed in.
“Ah, I heard that story too.”
“I heard they even bought him a house.”
“Oh my, really?”
“I knew the Angel family generously supported high-level artists, but isn’t that scale unprecedented?”
“What was his name again?”
“He must be a famous painter.”
“No!”
“That’s what makes it so interesting.”
“He’s a completely unknown painter.”
“His name was… Adrian, I think?”
“I don’t know how they discovered him, but it definitely seems that Duke Angel has very high expectations for him.”
Ines’s ears perked up.
If it was Adrian, then it was the painter for whom she had written the recommendation letter.
The moment she heard a familiar name, her attention naturally drifted toward the conversation.
Seeing Ines pretend not to care while clearly listening, the young ladies became even more spirited.
Just as they thought.
Even though she was about to become engaged to Duke Angel, that achievement was merely the result of her family’s influence.
There was no way Duke Angel had actually told her anything.
‘She calls herself his fiancée, yet she doesn’t know anything.’
Unaware of the connection between Adrian and Ines, the young ladies continued the conversation while looking smugly at her.
The fact that they knew something Ines did not know made them immensely pleased.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
