MFWSP 22

Chapter 22

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Fwoosh- Hee-hee!

It was more difficult than I expected to hold onto the neck of a running horse covered in cloth.

The grass below my feet was rougher than I anticipated, and my legs were quickly scratched by the gravel, leaving them covered in wounds.

Hee-hee-hee!

The Pegasus continued running, still excited, and I kept silent, waiting without saying a word.

Occasionally, I could hear voices from outside the cloth, but the fabric was so wide and thick that it only sounded like buzzing.

With my vision blocked, I couldn’t see the dozens of people moving busily around.

As my senses of sight and hearing were limited, a subtle fragrance began to fill the air. It was a bitter scent, unlike any flower or perfume I had ever encountered. It was the scent of Meron flowers.

“How does it feel?”

I whispered as I observed the Pegasus’ face. As expected, the creature’s nose twitched slightly.

Fwoosh-

“Slowly, take a good sniff.”

I could feel the Pegasus’ speed drop to about half of what it was before.

I took a deep breath and recalled the melody Kyle, a former member of the hunting guild, had taught me.

The Pegasus, a female, had responded to this very melody when the guild found her.

‘It’s not about being wrong. The melody itself isn’t what matters.’

Kyle had said.

‘She likes low, calm tones.’

Fwoosh-

I whistled a low note, just like Kyle had taught me.

Fweee-

Though my breathing was uneven and the melody was a bit off, the sound was somewhat similar to the one Kyle had made.

The Pegasus’ ears perked up, and her speed slowed even more, to the point where it was closer to walking than running.

Fweee- Whoosh-

Tap, tap, tap, thud.

She stopped.

I quietly cheered in my mind, straightening my body that had been dragged along.

The weight pressing on my neck disappeared, and the Pegasus halted completely, focusing only on the melody escaping from my lips and the scent emanating from the cloth.

“It’s okay, Peg.”

I whispered softly and gently stroked the Pegasus’ pure white mane. The tense muscles in my neck relaxed as if they had melted away.

“It’s okay.”

Repeating those words, the whistle, and the soothing strokes of her mane, the Pegasus quickly calmed down.

Her silver-blue eyes, which had been filled with excitement, were now soft and serene.

As time passed, the Meron flower scent from the cloth grew stronger.

As I continued to whistle, the Pegasus’ large eyes began to droop.

“Good girl.”

I hugged the Pegasus’ neck. Even underneath the cloth, her white wings, which had remained spread out, slowly wrapped around me.

Thud.

At the same time, both the Pegasus and I lost strength in our legs.

The Pegasus collapsed onto the grass, and I sat down, leaning against her neck, still holding onto it with one arm.

Shhrk-

Slowly, I moved just one hand to pull down the cloth.

My vision cleared, and people began to gather around us, but the Pegasus didn’t seem excited anymore.

A long silence fell over the courtyard. Although spectators had already surrounded me and the Pegasus, the stillness persisted for a while.

“Did… did you tame it?”

Finally, someone asked cautiously.

“Could it be that Lady Apellemion tamed the Pegasus?”

“I- incredible! The horse’s wings are wrapping around the lady.”

“Just tie it now…”

“Shh.”

I put my finger to my lips, signaling them to be quiet.

To my surprise, everyone obeyed. Even Balthazar and his group, who had been standing some distance away, were now silent, their faces stern.

The noise wasn’t entirely gone, but no more loud shouts were heard to provoke the Pegasus.

I reached out and grabbed the rope protruding from the Pegasus’ side. Soon, the saddle fell to the ground. I then unfastened the device that had been holding one of its wings.

Fwoosh-

The Pegasus gently nudged my forehead with its head, as if in a pleasant mood.

“Lady, please hold on.”

A familiar male voice called out. I looked up to see Anthony, his face flushed, approaching with a rope in his hand.

“If I tie the reins to that post…”

“Stop.”

Before I could speak, Karshiel’s voice stopped Anthony.

“Why, why are you doing this, Your Highness?”

“It’s a precaution. It’s dangerous to approach it without the tamer’s permission.”

Karshiel’s voice was calm as he spoke. The Pegasus’ ears perked up, seemingly in agreement with his words.

“It seems that the Pegasus particularly dislikes the young baron. It’s dangerous to get close without the tamer’s consent.”

“B-but that’s our family’s horse.”

Anthony retorted.

“We have the obligation to secure the safety of the guests by tying it immediately.”

“And hasn’t it been proven that Lady Apellemion is the only one who knows how to handle it?”

“Still, this is the Count’s household!”

Anthony said, his face turning red as he tried to justify himself.

“I’m grateful for your help, but from now on, I’ll handle it myself…”

“Enough, Anthony.”

A heavy voice cut through the tension, and Anthony jumped, dropping the rope.

“F-Father.”

Count Morin was standing there, his eyes glaring at Anthony while his arm wrapped protectively around his trembling wife and Nael.

The Count’s face, identical to Anthony’s, twisted in anger. His gaze, filled with fury, shot at his son.

“Father…”

“Do you still have anything to say after causing this mess?”

He spoke in a low, simmering voice.

“It was you who insisted on purchasing the Pegasus. You handled the transaction, the management, and the preparations for today’s event.”

“…”

“I entrusted it to you because I thought you were capable of handling such responsibility. But now you’ve stained your father’s reputation?”

The force of Count Morin’s anger was so overwhelming that I could feel it even from where I was standing.

“You boasted about finding a way to tame it, yet you put so many people in danger?”

“But it was an accident…”

“His Highness and Lord Balthazar were here!”

The Count growled, switching his gaze between Karshiel and Balthazar.

“Your mother and your sister nearly died!”

“I-I’m sorry, Father!”

Anthony knelt and began to cry.

“I-I don’t understand how it happened…”

“Of course you don’t. It’s clear you never understood anything.”

Count Morin glared at his son, then turned to face me.

“Lady Apellemion.”

He sighed before speaking to me.

“First, I apologize for how I raised my son.”

“…”

“If you don’t mind, could you explain how you managed to tame it? How did you handle that creature?”

He asked politely. I nodded and opened my mouth.

“The young baron prepared Meron flower perfume, I believe. It’s not well-known, but it’s true that Meron flowers can have a taming effect on Pegasi.”

At my words, Anthony nodded stiffly. Count Morin furrowed his brow even deeper.

“And how much did you spend on this? But why did your son fail?”

“It’s because he handled it roughly and carelessly.”

At my words, Anthony’s face twitched. His frown was familiar, but ironically, the target of his anger was different.

“This Pegasus is still a baby.”

“A baby?”

The Count looked confused, as the term seemed ill-fitting for such a muscular creature.

“Yes.”

I continued.

 

“Its sense of smell is underdeveloped, and while its sight and hearing are sharp, it’s still not mature enough for a human to ride.”