Olivia felt as though her nose might reach the very edge of the sky.
Dressed in a magnificent gown specially commissioned from the capital’s most celebrated designer, she had arrived at the Hunting Festival with her chin tilted just so, her gaze drifting downward in practiced disdain.
Everyone is looking at me.
The cluster of noble children gravitating toward her as if drawn by some unspoken agreement filled her with deep satisfaction.
Once enough people had gathered, Olivia gave Anna a subtle glance.
Anna was from the Yoker Count’s family — a girl useful enough to keep around for moments like this.
The instant Anna caught Olivia’s signal, she stepped forward with a show of warmth and opened her mouth.
“Olivia. I heard a rumor that you’re going to be Prince Isierd’s companion. Is that true?”
“Yes, that’s right. I’ve agreed to serve as his companion for this occasion.”
“And His Majesty approved it personally? That’s incredible, Olivia. It must be because the Willias family has such a distinguished and exceptional history… I’m so envious.”
“There’s really nothing to be envious of. I feel a great sense of responsibility toward what I’ll be doing.”
When Olivia answered with quiet gravity, a chorus of admiration sprang up around her. Oh, how like Olivia — she’s so thoughtful. She’s simply on a different level from the rest of us.
“…Isierd’s companion?”
Just then, a young voice floated in from beyond the circle of gathered children.
Olivia turned toward the sound, and the crowd parted to either side.
At the end of that parting stood a girl with pink hair and crimson eyes—
That girl…
Olivia’s brow twitched with sharp unease.
A red alert screamed somewhere in the back of her mind.
That’s Riersha Arachrene.
The one girl who could match her in terms of backing and standing.
Father never said anything about her attending.
Olivia forcibly smoothed her frozen expression and stepped toward Riersha. After all, every child here was on her side.
“Hello, Miss Arachrene.”
“Hello there.”
“This is your first time attending the Hunting Festival, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to ask me. This is my third time participating.”
Olivia smiled brightly, placing deliberate emphasis on first time. Her intention was to crush Riersha’s confidence right from the start.
After all, everyone is awkward and nervous when facing something for the first time.
And the higher one’s standing, the harder it is to accept being less capable than another.
Olivia knew that well — because it was exactly how she herself was.
Whatever thoughts were running through her mind, Riersha simply stood still for a moment, studying Olivia.
But what came next was the complete opposite of what Olivia had expected.
“I’ll gratefully accept your kindness, Miss Willias.”
“…Pardon?”
“You see, the Emperor himself arranged a guide for me for this Hunting Festival.” Riersha tilted her head slightly and glanced around. “…I assumed everyone had been given the same, but I suppose not.”
At the mention that the Emperor had personally taken the trouble to assign someone to her, every face around them turned toward Riersha in undisguised astonishment.
Anna, disbelieving, ventured cautiously, “W-wait. Are you saying His Majesty the Emperor truly assigned someone to you directly? …And not to Olivia?”
They had all assumed it would be Olivia — Prince Isierd’s future companion — who would receive such attention.
Murmuring broke out through the group.
Young children have little patience when it comes to suppressing curiosity.
“Come to think of it, she said the First Prince’s name without any hesitation at all. …What exactly is going on?”
“Well, it was the Arachrene Ducal family that found the First Prince, so naturally His Majesty would regard them as special.”
“Then if Prince Isierd wins today… don’t tell me the flower crown is going to the Arachrene young lady?”
“Oh, surely not…”
“Shh, everyone be quiet.”
The oldest-looking noble child among them shot a pointed look around and reined in the whispers.
Under Olivia’s watchful gaze, the murmuring mouths fell shut one by one.
Olivia, who felt as though she had been defeated in an instant, curled her fingers into a fist and bit down on her lip.
Riersha, who had understood Olivia’s intentions from the very beginning, did not look away. She met Olivia’s gaze directly.
Hmph. I won’t just sit here and take it.
The truth was that while Pernoa went about inspecting the condition of the magical beasts throughout the hunting grounds, the Imperial Household had assigned someone as a substitute guardian as a gesture of gratitude — but that particular detail didn’t need to be shared with anyone.
Riersha kept that part to herself and smiled brightly.
“Well, I’ll be off then. Oh — and if anyone wants something delicious to snack on, you’re welcome at my tent anytime!”
She made sure to leave the door open for the other noble children as well.
Having said everything she’d wanted to say with perfect satisfaction, Riersha turned and walked away.
But almost immediately, her expression settled into something quieter and more composed.
She hadn’t anticipated that the Willias family would reach this far during the succession examination.
Riersha let out a soft sigh as she arrived back at her tent.
“Miss Riersha, you’re back already?”
“Mm. Didn’t seem like it’d be much fun, so I came back for now. Oh — if any children come by a little later, don’t turn them away. Share some snacks with them.”
“Of course, Miss Riersha.”
Sona nodded her understanding and began setting aside a few extra treats.
Riersha decided to sink deep into her chair and rest until the Imperial family arrived.
“Ahh… it’s warm.”
She wrapped herself in a blanket and lifted a cup of cocoa to her lips with both hands. Cocoa in winter truly was the best thing in the world.
The warmth spreading through her cold body as the drink traveled down her throat made her shiver with pleasure beneath the blanket — and then—
A chill.
“Mm…?”
In an instant, a wave of cold dread swept across her entire body, raising every hair on her skin.
Clatter.
The cup slipped from her fingers.
Sona rushed over in alarm.
“Goodness, Miss Riersha! Are you all right?!”
Sona checked her quickly for burns, turning her this way and that, then pressed a hand to her own chest in relief when she found no injury.
“Thank goodness — it looks like it only spilled on the floor. I’ll clean this up, so you should move to a different seat.”
“……”
“Miss Riersha?”
Sona had started to move the cup aside, but she looked up in puzzlement when Riersha said nothing.
Riersha was staring into the distance, her gaze completely unfocused.
“Miss Riersha?”
“……”
“Miss Riersha!”
“…Mm?”
Riersha blinked and turned to look at Sona.
Sona’s expression was now thoroughly worried.
“…Aren’t you pushing yourself too hard lately? You’ve come straight from the succession examination to the Hunting Festival without any rest… Please, let’s go back to the Arachrene Duchy right now, Miss. All right?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“But…”
Sona couldn’t bring herself to say aloud what she was thinking — that no matter how she looked at it, the young miss was not in good shape.
Instead, she watched Riersha carefully.
Riersha kept glancing around as though searching for someone.
“Are you looking for someone?”
“…No. I must have imagined it. I think I’ll step inside the tent for a bit.”
“Yes, please do.”
Riersha rose from the chair and stepped into the tent.
Relieved to hear it, Sona quickly tidied up the seat outside.
What was that just now?
Inside the tent, Riersha rubbed her arms, still feeling the ghost of that bone-deep, murderous sensation she’d just experienced.
Who was looking at me like that?
No matter how hard she thought, she couldn’t pin down who it might have been.
As far as she could tell, there was no one attending this Hunting Festival who held any particular grudge against Riersha.
And for someone to project killing intent this intense without even Sona noticing…
That means they’re far stronger than Sona.
She hadn’t noticed any especially striking names on the list of attendees for this Hunting Festival.
Riersha sank into quiet, measured thought.
⁂
“What are you doing standing here? His Majesty will be arriving soon. You did place the magical beast crates at their designated positions, didn’t you?”
A man who had been standing some distance away with his arms crossed, staring at the Arachrene family’s tent, turned around awkwardly at the voice behind him.
“Huh? Oh…”
“Where on earth is your head — no, wait, why is this crate still here?!”
Hansen, who had been tasked with placing the supplied magical beasts at their designated locations throughout the forest, stared at the man in disbelief.
The dazed-looking man jolted as if snapping back to himself and quickly snatched up the crate.
“O-oh, I’ll go right now!”
“Yes. Go. Quickly.”
The man disappeared rapidly into the forest.
And then, the moment he was swallowed by the trees, his vacant expression twisted and fell away — revealing beneath it a man with black hair and violet eyes.
Abel Senuart looked down at the magical beast in his hands and smiled a smile that gave nothing away.
