Chapter 23
“So its sense of smell isn’t developed, huh?”
Count Morin murmured as though he had finally grasped the situation.
“You sprayed the scent all over the place like a fool just because you heard it helped with taming. No wonder it didn’t work.”
“You’re exactly right. The scent of the Mero flower only works in a calm environment with the creature blindfolded. Just for the record.”
I continued speaking, watching Anthony’s expression twist with frustration.
“Pegasi can’t be tamed through force. Even if you cling to its back until you’re nothing but bones, it’ll never obey.”
“But His Majesty the Emperor of Bakenon…”
“The Emperor of Bakenon is a legend.”
Anthony cut in as if protesting an injustice, but I quickly silenced him.
“It happened more than a hundred years ago—we can’t know exactly what took place. But one thing’s clear.”
I glanced past him toward his younger brother, Nael.
“If a Pegasus ever had a master, it meant it chose one. And I highly doubt it was through brute force like the Young Lord attempted.”
“……”
Anthony had nothing left to say. He simply clenched his fists and glared at me and the Pegasus.
Count Morin let out a sigh, signaling with a wave to a servant who had been waiting at a distance.
“Adam, bring fifty thousand gold coins for the Lady.”
“Yes, my lord.”
I opened my mouth, startled, but the Count spoke before I could.
“My son might’ve arranged this, but I made the promise under the name of the Morin family. Fifty thousand gold to whoever could tame that beast.”
Soon, the servant returned, presenting me with a hefty chest brimming with gold coins.
“Don’t bother refusing. I won’t take no for an answer.”
“…If you insist, I’ll accept it. Thank you, Your Excellency.”
Honestly, I hadn’t planned on turning it down. I had forgotten about the prize, but technically, I did win.
Thanks to my past life of managing various businesses, I’d learned that humility wasn’t always the smartest play.
Fifty thousand gold—what a windfall.
I’d been desperate for money lately, so inwardly, I let out a triumphant cheer.
“Adam, fetch the contract for the Pegasus.”
The Count addressed the same servant again.
“F-Father, why do you need that?” Anthony asked in alarm.
The Count responded with a heavy sigh.
“Our family has no one capable of handling that creature. I intend to give it to the Lady—as a token of gratitude and an apology.”
“You can’t!”
Anthony’s outburst was loud enough to make even the resting Pegasus open one eye, visibly irritated.
“This horse is incredibly valuable! Even if it can’t be tamed, we could put it in a cage and make it an attraction! If we advertise it as a magical beast—”
“You insolent fool! Do you think the Morin family is in the circus business?!”
Even the Count finally raised his voice in fury. Fortunately, the Pegasus calmed again when I gently stroked its mane.
“We may be merchants, but we supply warhorses! Who told you to bring back a showpiece for a cage?”
His face twisted with more than just anger—it was disappointment.
“You want to stand in front of a cage and do what? Entertain people? Are we clowns now?”
“I-I was wrong…”
Anthony’s face turned ashen.
“She saved your mother and your brother. Are you really that stingy about giving her a single magical beast?”
“N-No, sir…”
In front of the entire audience, Anthony lowered his head, his body trembling in humiliation.
Off in the distance, Demeyra—who had retreated with other noble ladies during the commotion—also looked pale and embarrassed.
“Lady, please accept it.”
“I appreciate the sentiment, but I must decline.”
“You’re declining? A Pegasus?”
The Count furrowed his brow in disbelief.
“Why in the world?”
“Because I never wanted one.”
I answered calmly—but truthfully, that was a lie.
Riding the Pegasus had felt incredible. But the cost of raising and feeding it was too high. As a half-blood noblewoman, I simply couldn’t afford it.
Still, I couldn’t exactly say that, so I gave another reason.
“Besides, your family already has someone who has been chosen by the Pegasus.”
“…What did you say?”
Anthony’s head jerked up. Despite causing all this mess, he still hadn’t let go of his greed—it showed plainly on his face.
“The Count’s second son.”
I pointed at Nael, who still stood close to the Countess. Everyone’s eyes widened.
“W-What, Nael?”
“Young Lord Nael, are you still scared?”
Ignoring Anthony’s now grotesquely twisted face, I gestured toward Nael, gently stroking the now-docile Pegasus with my free hand.
“…I’m not afraid.”
“Then call out its name.”
The Count and Countess looked puzzled, unsure of what I meant.
Nael hesitated for a moment before following my instruction.
“…Peggy.”
Prrrhh—
The Pegasus—no, Peggy—twitched its ears and softly nodded its head toward Nael.
“As you can see, Young Lord Nael gave this one a name, and it’s responding to it. I confirmed it when I calmed it earlier.”
“And what does that signify?”
“In simple terms, Peggy has already chosen its master. The two were too young to handle each other, that’s all.”
I smiled as I answered the Count.
I had sensed the bond between them from the moment things calmed down. And at that instant, I knew.
The rumors from my past life were true—Pegasus, the one thought untamable, had in fact chosen the second son of the Morin family.
There was even a story that when war broke out and the Imperial Palace tried to mobilize the Pegasus, the boy secretly set it free.
“N-No way…!”
Anthony gritted his teeth.
“You’re telling me that stupid name—!”
“Peggy likes that name.”
I coolly shot back.
“Come closer, Young Lord. You can touch it now.”
Nael hesitated, then picked something up from the ground—a water bottle the stablehand had dropped during the chaos—and slowly approached.
“Peggy.”
As he quietly poured water from the bottle in front of Peggy’s nose, she eagerly drank it down, clearly happy.
“Oh my…!”
The Countess gasped, nearly in tears, covering her mouth with both hands. Even the Count looked deeply moved.
“You’ll probably be able to ride Peggy within six months.”
“R-Really?”
Nael asked, eyes wide.
“Do you want to ride her?”
“I do… but if Peggy doesn’t like it, I wouldn’t want to.”
“Correct answer. Now, stroke her mane.”
I took his hand and guided it to where mine had been resting.
“Peggy is now your horse, and you are her person. Take good care of each other.”
“Yes, Lady!”
Nael nodded with tears in his eyes, and Peggy neighed softly in agreement.
Sigh… such a pity. I’d dreamed of having a Pegasus since I was ten. Still, winning this much favor from the Morin family wasn’t a bad deal.
With a twinge of regret in my heart, I left the pair and stepped back toward the Count.
The flapping of wings broke through the quiet moment.
When I turned my head, I saw a group of white birds flying over the forest canopy. It felt like even the world was celebrating the new bond between Nael and Peggy.
Count Mohrin looked at me with an expression that was hard to read, somewhere between deep contemplation and faint admiration.
“You’re an unusual child.”
He spoke slowly, almost as if trying to understand me better.
“You clearly know how to handle people. And beasts too, apparently.”
“I only did what was right.”
I responded calmly. There was no need to elaborate further. Let them think whatever they wanted.
The Count gave a short laugh, but there was no mockery in it this time.
“I’ll remember today for a long time.”
With those words, he placed his hand on my shoulder—an unexpectedly heavy gesture, filled with the weight of trust.
“Father!”
Nael, still holding the empty water bottle, ran up to the Count, his eyes sparkling. Peggy followed him leisurely, no longer wild or wary. The once-feared beast was now just a companion to the small boy.
“I’ll take good care of Peggy!”
Nael declared firmly, holding Peggy’s mane with both hands.
“Of course you will.”
The Count’s voice was unusually gentle.
“And we will support you with everything you need to do so.”
“Really?!”
“Really.”
Watching the warm exchange between father and son, I felt an unexpected warmth in my chest.
Then, I felt a sharp gaze from the side.
Anthony.
His face twisted with suppressed rage and humiliation, he looked as if he was about to explode at any moment.
But he didn’t say anything.
He couldn’t.
Because this time, he had lost completely.
“Shall we go back, Your Grace?”
I turned back to the Count and gave him a polite smile.
“I think we’ve caused enough of a commotion for one day.”
“Yes, yes. Let’s return.”
He nodded, still gazing at Nael and Peggy.
And so, the procession began to move again.
As I walked beside the Count, I couldn’t help but think—
I hadn’t expected this at all.
That I would leave today not just with prize money, but also with goodwill from one of the most powerful noble houses.
Peggy wasn’t mine, but in the end, I had gained far more.
In the distance, the academy’s spires came into view again.
The sun was already starting to sink, casting golden light over the city.
A perfect ending to an eventful day.
But something in my gut told me this was just the beginning.
