Chapter 78

Chapter 78

Beyond the ramparts, the forest hosting the hunting tournament spread out below. But finding the young marquis in that dense woodland seemed unlikely. Even if I somehow spotted him, he’d be no bigger than mythumbnail.

“Your Grace, all I can see from here is trees. How am I supposed to find the young marquis?”

“Use this.”

At my words, the duke produced a long, tubular telescope and handed it to me. I took it with both hands.

Where did this even come from?

It struck me as oddly out of place. The thing was far too bulky to have been carried around — I couldn’t figure out where it had materialized from. I just blinked, staring at the duke as if waiting for an answer.

“A telescope? What’s this doing here?”

“It’s always been here. I use it to keep an eye on the border.”

“But is it all right for me to use it?”

“Go ahead. No problem.”

“Hmm…”

I lifted the old, battered telescope and examined it from every angle, then brought my eye to the narrow lens. A blurry shape in deep green swam into view.

“Hmm… it’s just hazy, I can’t see well.”

“Try turning the outer lens left and right. You can adjust the focus.”

“Ah, I can see now.”

The milky blur sharpened into crisp leaves. I swept the telescope around, and soon spotted nameless birds flitting through a thicket of dense trees. But as I’d expected, the young marquis was nowhere in sight.

“Still, all I see is trees.”

“Look for the forest path. The participants won’t stray entirely off the trail.”

The duke replied. Following his advice, I traced the path with my gaze. About halfway down the forest road, I managed to spot the young marquis riding a white horse. He was chasing a massive bear alongside His Majesty the Emperor.

“I see him! I found him!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, he’s chasing a bear right now. Do you want to take a look too, Your Grace?”

“No need. Why would I want to see that brat.”

The duke’s flat voice lingered in my ears. “Is that so?” I murmured back, continuing to watch the young marquis.

He galloped forward on his horse, looking quite gallant. In a way, he resembled a prince from a fairytale — his neatly tailored uniform and bright hair gleaming in the sunlight helped conjure that very image.

“Whoa… He’s really handsome.”

An involuntary gasp of admiration escaped me. The young marquis was truly handsome, and on top of that, his hunting skill was outstanding—he looked almost unrealistically splendid.

But right at that moment, the duke suddenly snatched the telescope away from me. At the same time, the young marquis vanished from my sight.

“Huh? I thought you weren’t interested?”

I felt a bit aggrieved as I turned to look at the duke. It was just when the young marquis was aiming his gun at the bear. If he hadn’t taken the telescope, I would have seen the great beast fall.

“……Suddenly, I’m curious.”

The duke answered curtly, then brought the telescope to his eye. I pouted and sidled up next to him. A little flustered, but I decided to graciously accept his whim with a generous heart.

What can you do? The one who likes more has to put up with it…….

“The young marquis was about halfway down the forest path. Can you see him?”

I tapped the duke’s shoulder as I spoke. He then began to turn his head this way and that. At one point, he stopped moving. Seeming to have finally spotted his friend.

“How is it? Did he get the bear?”

“…….”

“What’s wrong? Is the bear not caught yet?”

“…….”

But something was off. Despite my barrage of questions, he gave no reaction at all. He just stared silently into the telescope with a rigid expression.

“Why…… are you acting like this, Your Grace?”

“Laura…… wait here.”

He slowly lowered the telescope from his eye and turned to me. His face was etched with confusion. That’s when I knew something had happened beyond the telescope’s lens.

“Did something…… happen?”

“……Benat fell from his horse.”

He practically threw the telescope down. Then he quickened his pace and started descending the wall. I ran after him. But I couldn’t catch up as he hurried away. In that moment, he disappeared behind the ramparts. And I was left alone.

I looked down and saw the telescope had rolled to a stop, touching the tip of my foot. My mood plummeted instantly. My mind replayed the last image I had of the young marquis.

Just now…… we parted awkwardly…… What was his expression then? Was he flustered? He seemed about to say something, but I just ran away…….

But of all times…… why did he have to fall from his horse right now?

I recalled reading somewhere that falls from horses are especially dangerous because you usually strike your head first. I’d heard that broken spines or snapped necks were common. If that was true, the young marquis might be seriously injured too.

‘The young marquis is a knight. Someone who needs his body. If he’s badly hurt, then… what would happen…’

I stared down at the abandoned telescope, thinking. Then I lifted my head again and looked toward where the duke had passed. My mind was too dazed to focus. But there was no time to think further. I had to confirm whether he was alright.

I hurried my steps down to the base of the wall. As I reached the gate, I spotted a white tent pitched in the clearing. Around it, the Imperial Palace physicians were huddled in serious conversation. Intuitively, I knew the young marquis was inside.

I walked toward the tent in a daze. Then I peered through the gap between the thick canvas drapes. As expected, he was there. But he didn’t look good. His head was wrapped in bandages, his body lying on a cot. A dizzying wave washed over me. Almost instinctively, I studied his lips—half expecting his soul to slip out on his next breath.

“What is this? You can’t be here.”

One of the palace physicians stepped in front of me. I tried to ask him if the young marquis was alright.

“She’s my guest. Let her in.”

Before I could get a word out, a familiar voice cut in. I turned my gaze to see the young marquis trying to sit up.

“Young marquis. Don’t get up. Lie down. Right now.”

I scurried over to him as I spoke.

“I’m fine. Nothing to worry about, really. Illiaje and Laura worry too much.”

He waved one hand dismissively in reply. His tone was playful, even in this situation. It seemed like he was trying to ease my concern.

“Stop being stubborn and lie down. The doctor told you to rest.”

The duke appeared right after, pressing firmly on his shoulder. That pinned the young marquis back onto the bed with a soft thud.

“Hey! I’m a patient! That hurts!”

The young marquis grabbed his arm and yelled. I rushed over to the bedside in a panic.

“Are… are you in a lot of pain?! Are you okay?!”

“I’m in terrible pain, Laura. Yell at Illiaje for me. Manhandling a patient like that—he’s so mean.”

“Uh, um… Your Excellency. Please let go of the young marquis. He’s a patient.”

I was still gripping the Duke’s arm—the one pressing down on the young marquis’s shoulder—as I spoke. At my words, the Duke’s brow furrowed for a moment, then he slowly released him. The young marquis, finding the Duke’s behavior rather amusing, burst into a hearty laugh. But that didn’t last long. He immediately winced, grabbing his left arm tightly.

“Your arm—does it hurt badly? I saw a physician outside earlier; should I call him in? Have you already been treated?”

“It’s fine. I was just exaggerating a little. I’ve already had treatment.”

“But it’s wrapped up in all those bandages… It looks like you were really hurt…”

“Just a scratch that tore open. Nothing’s broken. Really, I’m fine. Knights get hurt all the time, don’t they? Well… this is the first time I’ve been injured during a hunt… Though I hate to say it myself, my hunting skills are excellent, you know? This time… hmm, maybe it’s because I didn’t get a handkerchief…”

He added that with an embarrassed tone. I recalled the superstition that a knight who doesn’t receive a handkerchief is bound to get hurt. I’d always thought it was just a silly story, but it seemed to have applied to the young marquis this time.

“Th-that’s a joke, right? Young marquis… you seem like you’d be popular. So I thought you’d have received tons of handkerchiefs…”

“Do I look popular? I don’t think so. So, I didn’t get any.”

“…”

“Next time, will you give me a handkerchief you made, Laura? So I won’t get hurt.”

“…I don’t know how to embroider handkerchiefs… That’s such a refined hobby.”

I replied in a gloomy tone. Then it struck me—he still had my hair ribbon.

“That hair ribbon you have of mine—it’s not a handkerchief, but I did make it myself… I guess since it’s not a handkerchief, it didn’t work… I wish it could have acted as a talisman.”

“Maybe it’s because of it that I only got hurt this much instead of worse. Or maybe it’s because you didn’t give it to me directly. Hmm… Laura, will you give me that ribbon, then?”

“…I don’t have a problem giving it to you, but you’re already—”

He was already hurt. So there was no point in offering the ribbon now.

“Of course, I’m already hurt, but I still have the recovery process ahead, don’t I? Who knows—maybe that ribbon will act as a talisman and help me get through it?”

The young marquis said that. His voice laced with a smile, I just nodded quietly. He smiled softly in return and replied, “Thank you.”