Chapter 53
VII. Once an Adult…
Years ago—
The fields of May, welcoming the queen of seasons, were lush with green grass and blooming flowers. At the entrance of the wide forest, brimming with the scent of spring, tents were being set up everywhere. Servants dispatched from the imperial palace were moving picnic tables and chairs in front of the tents, each adorned with the emblems of their respective families.
The annual hunting competition held under the auspices of the imperial family.
An old event held on the imperial family’s private estate, being invited was an honor in itself.
In name, it was called a hunting competition, but it was more of a festival, a social event meant to foster camaraderie. The participants were limited to young unmarried nobles around the age of adulthood, with the intent of allowing them to build connections as the future of the empire.
Participants could bring one partner to wish them luck, typically a fiancée, lover, or sister. Before the actual hunting began, the attendees enjoyed the pleasant spring weather near the set-up tents.
“After the competition, there will be a banquet again, right? What kind of food will they serve?”
“The first dance must be with the partner you came with, but after that, you can dance with others! I wonder which noble will ask me to dance…”
Young ladies who had followed their brothers to cheer them on finished their lunches early and gathered in groups under the shade of the canopies, chatting away. Most were girls around sixteen years old, the age recognized as adulthood in the empire.
The history of the hunting competition was long and many had fallen in love at first sight here, some even becoming couples. Such romantic stories were enough to make their hearts flutter at an age when they were just beginning to be aware of the opposite s*x.
Perhaps today, they would meet someone who would change their destiny… A large banquet was planned after the hunting competition, serving as an after-party. The anticipation was higher this year as the event had been skipped the previous two years due to ongoing wars and famine. The young ladies, who had grown up listening to their older sisters’ fantastical stories about the hunting competition, were filled with excitement.
“Look, it’s her.”
A girl in a light green checkered dress with ribbon decorations whispered to her friend next to her.
“Where, where?”
“There, the tent with the navy blue flag.”
The girl, poked in the side by her friend’s finger, looked around. All eyes turned to one place.
A large tent, noticeably different from the others. The golden sword and lion crest on the high-flying flag was the emblem of the Grand Duchy of Lutèce, recognizable to any noble in the empire.
“Ah, the Grand Duke of Lutèce…”
“So he really is participating in this year’s hunting competition.”
Grand Duke Iscarion was an idol-like figure to the young debutantes of high society, not just because of the prestige of his family.
The biggest reason was undoubtedly his strikingly handsome appearance. Additionally, having inherited the grand dukedom at a young age and becoming the master of an illustrious noble house added to his allure.
Unlike their unimpressive peers, his mature demeanor, coupled with the background of losing his parents early, made him an object of admiration for those dreaming of a destined romance.
“Then, could that little girl next to him be…?”
“Yes, that’s right. The Grand Duke’s fiancée.”
All eyes turned to the outdoor table set up in front of the Lutèce tent. The nineteen-year-old Grand Duke, as handsome as rumored, and his young little fiancée… The sight of the pretty girl sitting on Iscarion’s lap caught everyone’s attention.
“Rosie, say ‘ah.'”
“Ah—”
“Good girl. It’s still hot, so eat slowly.”
“Okay, Brother.”
Despite the presence of attendants from the imperial palace and a nanny, Iscarion personally fed Rosen. Sitting her on his lap, he cut the food into bite-sized pieces and fed her, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
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