Chapter 22
To Rachel, Killian’s polite front was pure hypocrisy. Tilting her head with a defiant air, she raised her chin. Their gazes locked at the height of her posture.
“I’m probably better than Your Majesty.”
“Oh? Drawing a bow repeatedly requires a good deal of physical training. The princess must be very confident.”
“Oh my, with the right technique, you don’t need that much strength. Your Majesty must be the type to judge people solely by appearances.”
“…You really do need to watch that mouth of yours.”
Killian dropped the formal tone. It was pointless trying to show respect when her attitude was like this. That woman was, without fail, beyond his understanding of what was reasonable.
Clicking his tongue inwardly, Killian turned his gaze away from Rachel and walked toward his horse, which had already been prepared by a knight. He stepped into the stirrup and mounted in one smooth motion. The horse neighed softly at the sudden weight.
Forming a bond with one’s steed was key to a successful hunt. Killian gently stroked the horse’s neck, calming it as he made his final preparations. Once the horse settled, he looked around, ready to signal the others to ride into the forest.
Hm?
A strange sight caught his attention. Rachel, who had so boldly claimed to be an expert archer, was hesitating by her horse. She hadn’t even mounted yet—and that alone irritated him further. Killian barked at her, his tone sharp.
“What are you doing, Princess? Everyone’s waiting.”
“Well, the thing is…”
Rachel faltered, sneaking glances at Killian. She had snapped at him earlier for being a hypocrite, but now she was facing a rather serious issue of her own.
She really was a skilled archer—something she could brag about with pride. But before she could even show it off, she had to deal with… this.
If only that had been the case—then she wouldn’t be this mortified. Rachel tried her best to ignore the heat burning in her cheeks as she stepped toward Killian.
The closer she got, the more confusion surfaced in his eyes. She managed to ignore that too and leaned in to whisper so only he could hear.
“…I can’t ride a horse.”
“What?”
“I… I don’t know how to ride.”
“Weren’t you going to participate in the hunt yourself?”
“I do every year. But… someone always rides with me.”
“…Ha.”
“If it’s not too much trouble, may my escort ride the horse instead? I’ll ride with him.”
Everyone has at least one thing they just can’t master, no matter how much they try. For Rachel, that thing was horseback riding.
Still, she loved hunting so much that she never missed the annual tournament. Every time, she’d participate by riding along with a knight who handled the horse for her. If anyone found it odd, she simply called it a romantic outing and left it at that.
Rachel was well aware that horseback riding was considered a basic skill for nobles. She’d been told this since she was a child, and she was reminded of it every hunting season. But she’d never really grasped the seriousness of it. No one ever scolded her for it, and so she never truly confronted the issue.
And now her father had assigned her as the emperor’s hunting partner—there was no backing out. The thought of exposing this weakness to a foreign sovereign made her hands tremble with shame. But at least… it was Killian.
He’d already seen everything, and they were well past the point of no return.
She spoke cautiously, hoping he’d offer even a shred of compassion to cover her disgrace.
“…Would that be alright?”
When Killian remained silent in the face of such an unexpected request, Rachel asked again. Her voice wavered faintly.
Killian stared at her with thinly veiled disdain but inwardly, he gave credit to the King of Porhen.
Naturally, the king must have known his daughter couldn’t ride. And yet, he’d still pushed her into becoming the emperor’s hunting assistant without so much as a heads-up. It meant he’d predicted how Killian would react.
Killian was a man who placed great importance on propriety especially in public settings. Even if he didn’t like the princess, he couldn’t humiliate her in front of the staff and soldiers.
No wonder he offered up a granary district. That was far too generous a price for mere hunting assistance.
He found himself mentally calculating the annual corn yield from that region.
After a moment’s thought, Killian extended his hand to Rachel.
“Get on.”
“…What?”
“I said, take my hand and get on.”
“Ah… Are you sure?”
“I won’t say it a third time.”
“…Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.