Aiden’s sudden question made me blink.
Can I truly say I caught the beast?
Arsene appeared out of nowhere and dragged me over to a fallen beast during the first hunting game I had with Cameron when I was young and foolish.
I didn’t even know what it was. I was just following him, but he flattened Cameron’s nose for me. I pounced on him without really knowing what I was doing.
Hmm, wait a minute.
Will Arsene come and help me once more?
What a lazy thought.
Who exactly is Arsene, by the way? Why does he keep saving me and acting like a hero every time I’m in a tight spot?
When Arsene appeared, even the god of the underworld, who is hell-bent on killing Grand Duke Estin, vanished without Arsene having to do anything. He described Arsene as a “disturbance”.
I wish Arsene would stick by my side so the underworld god wouldn’t find me.
“Mary Conler.”
“Yes, uh, yes?”
“You’re not answering my question and just lost in thought.”
Aiden lightly taps my cheek with his index finger. I stopped thinking and smiled slightly at his playful touch and tone.
Looking at me like that, Aiden seems to have trouble remembering what happened back then. He got up from his seat and reached out his hand as if to help me up.
I stared blankly at Aiden’s outstretched hand and blurted out:
“I got help from the black dog I told you about back then.”
“The one who resembles Arsene?”
Don’t talk like that. It makes me want to say more. Aiden slumped again in front of me.
After clenching his jaw and giving it some more thought, Aiden raised his head and questioned me.
“The dog. Does it show up whenever you’re in trouble?”
“Well, I suppose so.”
“In that case, do you think it’ll show up again this time?”
He and I both thought the same thing.
“I’m not sure about that….”
Since Arsene was a creature who appeared and vanished without warning, it was difficult to predict when he would reappear.
When Theodore learned about Arsene, he questioned why he kept appearing, and he speculated that perhaps it was because I was pretty.
When I heard that, I punched Theodore in the side in retaliation, but I was also curious.
Why does Arsene always appear just when I need him?
“Sister! Brother Aiden!”
Rex came running towards us from a distance as we were lost in thought, panting hard and holding a picnic box in his hands. In a place like this, where there isn’t much grass, it was encouraging to see a picnic basket.
“I brought lunch because it looks like you won’t be able to come at lunchtime.”
Rex started opening the picnic box and removing the beautifully wrapped lunch boxes. A sandwich that was ready to eat was brought out.
When I sat down on the picnic mat laid out by Rex, he took my hand and wiped it all over with a handkerchief that appeared to have been soaked in the mansion.
I patiently waited for Rex to finish wiping my hand.
“How is the practice going for you?”
After Rex had finished wiping my hand, I hastily grabbed a sandwich because I was starving.
I looked at Aiden with a sandwich in my mouth when Rex asked me a pure and innocent question.
“It’s not working.”
“Oh no!”
Rex opened his eyes wide and covered his mouth with his hands after hearing Aiden’s direct response.
In front of my younger brother, couldn’t you phrase it better? I just focused on chewing a sandwich.
Rex, who had only heard vaguely about the practice progress from Aiden, expressed concern, saying,
“Sister, can you really catch a beast?”
“Of course! Don’t you trust me?”
“Yes. Actually, I’m not sure.”
You’re so damn straightforward.
I was speechless in response to Rex’s directness as I munched on a sandwich. After a brief pause, Rex murmured,
“Should I go?”
“What?”
“Won’t I clumsily fool them if I put on the robe?”
“Cameron will find out in some way…”
I spoke awkwardly and smiled as Rex’s lower lip started to tremble. It felt like something was holding him back.
“I really despise Cameron.”
“That would be the case for everyone in our family…….”
“Why can’t they leave you alone? Honestly…….”
Rex’s bright blue eyes flashed with a new emotion I had never seen before.
Although Rex couldn’t finish his sentence, I could guess what kind of feeling he had towards Cameron.
“Sister?”
“Don’t worry too much about me, Rex. I’ll teach Cameron a lesson. It’s all right.”
“But, sister,”
“Yes, Rex. This is Mary’s problem. You can intervene later.”
When Aiden stopped him, Rex nodded helplessly.
I became more concerned about Rex right in front of me than about the upcoming hunting game.
This is not right.
Rex continuing to harbor animosity toward someone bothered me, even if it was Cameron.
***
Jasper finished talking to Cameron and sprinted to Demimore’s side. Demimore’s demeanor was surprisingly gentle, and he was even smiling.
Jasper, however, who had long been Demimore’s closest confidant, was aware of how much the latter was currently holding back.
Demimore’s expression did indeed get colder as they walked away from Cameron’s room, just like the morning air.
This aspect of Demimore appealed to Jasper. As much as possible, he wanted Cameron to enrage Demimore.
Anger is the best food for fostering growth and change in people.
“What’s wrong?”
Eventually, Jasper couldn’t help but wonder, and asked Demimore even though he tried to wait until he spoke.
Demimore abruptly stopped his quiet stroll and turned to survey his surroundings. He asked Jasper after raising an eyebrow.
“Where are we going?”
“What? I was following you.”
Demimore rubbed his head nervously, having been lost in thought for so long that he didn’t know where he was going.
After looking around again and confirming that there was no one around, Demimore spoke to Jasper in a low voice.
“There will be a hunting bet with the Grand Duchy of Conler.”
“Again?”
It’s really annoying.
Jasper appeared openly frustrated. He’d already been screwed over by Mary as a child, and now Cameron was doing it again.
Demimore’s grim expression was understandable given that his brother and his fiancée were about to place another bet, even if it was only for a show.
“Should we investigate what Count Stein is doing at the moment?”
“No, it doesn’t appear to be at Count Stein’s place this time.”
“Then where…….”
“He told me to participate.”
Jasper was about to inquire, “If they’re not going to do it at Count Stein’s, where are they going to do it?” But Demimore’s words froze him in place.
“Why are you participating in it? Did he give you his consent?”
“I heard that my mother was in danger of being poisoned.”
Jasper was a little taken aback, but it wasn’t really that shocking.
“My brother knows that.”
“And the empress…….”
Jasper then smacks his lips and scans the area. What a blasphemous thing to say, even if he was sure the Empress was the culprit!
“He said it wasn’t her……. Oh, I don’t know, actually.”
Demimore said that with a very perplexed expression on his face.
It was an awkward feeling, but they had to solve the immediate issue if they wanted to get information about the poisoning from Cameron, so Demimore and Jasper decided to focus on finishing the hunt that was about to take place.
“For now………. I’ll give Cameron the nuance that I’m actually glad I’m in the hunting bet because it gives me a chance to, um, charm Mary?”
“Well, that’s not really a lie, is it?”
“It’s actually a good thing because I can keep Mary safe if I’m around.”
“But why does the first prince want to team up with you?”
“Therefore.”
Demimore grabbed Jasper’s arm and led him into a room as they continued down the hallway.
He hurriedly entered the room, where there was a large window through which he could see the magnificent and expansive garden of the imperial family.
“I need to know what Cameron is up to.”
“You don’t even call him brother anymore.”
“He doesn’t even think of me as his brother, either.”
Demimore laughed in vain.
“Without being discovered by Cameron, we must set up a scenario that benefits Mary; it would be even better if we knew what Cameron was preparing.”
“I’ll do my best to find out.”
Demimore leaned against the glass window and gazed out at the garden to clear his head. He suddenly made a sound. Jasper turned around as he prepared to leave.
“What’s wrong?”
“Isn’t that Cameron’s aide?”
“I know. It’s been a while since I saw him.”
When Demimore pointed with his finger, Max, Cameron’s assistant, was indeed doing something suspicious in the garden. When Demimore made a gesture, Jasper nodded and immediately went outside.
