Translator: Lea
Chapter 68
The horses tied to the wagon caught her eye.
Shiny black fur, straight legs, long mane. They looked too beautiful to waste their appearance on dragging a carriage.
"Do we have to ride on a carriage?""What are you talking about?"
Selena pointed her hand at the horses.
"Can't we reach there on that horse?"
Only then did Kalcion, who figured out her intention, smile.
"It's not unprecedented. Most noblemen ride a horse to show off their masculinity.""We already decided that we wouldn't take care of such manners or procedures. Let's ride on a horse, then.""Are you going to be okay in that dress?""The horse will jump, not me.""Prepare the horse."
Thanks to her cheerful response, Kalcion ordered happily.
Dion helped the coachman to loosen the reins that tied the horse to the wagon.
Naturally, Selena asked Dion as he handed over the reins to Kalcion.
"What about mine?""What? You're not going with His Excellency?""Then why did you bring two of them?""I have to go to the palace, too. I'm an escort!""Oh, just bring one more. I don't have time."
Dion ultimately accepted defeat as she urged.
"Do you know how to ride a horse?"
Kalcion looked at her curiously.
As soon as Dion handed her the reins, she climbed up on the horse.
It was a bit unstable because there was no saddle, but it wasn't like she had never ridden a horse without a saddle. She was taught everything during her career.
Kalcion also climbed up on the horse, admiring the sleek movements she did just now.
"You know how to do everything.""I'm good at everything one can do with their body."
She smiled as she began.
Thanks to the slit of her bottoms, she was able to ride in that dress.
"This is probably the first time that a lady appeared like this since Count Orien 10 years ago.""You said men ride like this someti-……. Oh, was the Count a girl?"
Kalcion once again admired Selena, who was comfortable enough to talk on a running horse.
"Yeah. She's been different since she was young. It is said that she was the most deserved child of the previous Count of Orien. She even went to the battlefield and wielded a sword.""Wow…… She went to fight herself? Such amazing dignity.""I heard, even if she has aged a little, there's no one born to defeat her spirit.""I think this is my first time learning about someone so cool in this world. Would she be present today?""I hope so. However, she doesn't like crowds. She always stands quietly in one corner and is among the first to leave a gathering."
It may have nothing to do with catching the criminal, but Selena developed a personal curiosity towards the woman.
'At this rate, I'll be having regrets anytime soon.'
She was worried about the distant future of leaving this world behind where she was learning interesting things one after another.
"Would we be able to arrive on time?""Yes. With this speed."
Time was brief since no other carriages were running behind them. Minutes passed and they finally arrived at the palace.
The royal guards were startled to welcome a man and a woman on a horse, not a wagon, but when they recognized Kalcion, they looked less surprised.
"Here, invitation.""Yes! It's confirmed! Is this your escort?""Hmm.""Escorts can accompany you up to here!""I know. Dion, you should send for another carriage and wait for us.""Yes, My Lord."
Selena, as his companion, was passed without any special inspection.
After putting the invitation back in his coat, he pulled the reins of the horse to catch the same speed again.
"Why are we still speeding up when we're inside the palace gates?""It's a long way to reach the entrance of the palace hall.""Oh."
She didn't waste a minute thinking.
Selena quickly followed Kalcion. In the distance, she could see wagons lined up one after the other.
Just in time, the door was creaking open for the last carriage.
"I can't say who it is, but I'm sure they're very excited to think they're the last to arrive, but I feel sorry for them."
Selena could have lost this ridiculous opportunity to brag about money.
Selena's horse sprinted to the right time when the wagon left the spot.
A guard thought it was the last visitor when there was no more carriage after that, but when he was about to close the door, the magnificent sound of the horseshoe rang out in the air as if preluding a war.
"Wait, wait! Don't close the door!"
The urgent cry of the guard rang the party hall. Immediately, it diverted the attention of people from the person who just entered the hall.
Selena pulled on the reins to stop the horse.
Whine—
The surprised horse cried out as it lifted its front limbs.
At the sound, everyone turned their head towards the entrance.
Selena flashed a smile at them, still sitting on the horse.
Her jewels sparkled under the colorful lights at the entrance of the hall. Shining quietly in the rain of light, she momentarily created an illusion of bringing everyone into a land of mystery.
Kalcion was the only one unaffected among her spectators. He climbed down the horse, approached Selena, and stretched out his arm.
As in a basic courtesy to be escorted inside by her partner, Selena clasped his hand.
When his eyes met her shining ones, Kalcion felt her giving his hand a quick squeeze, as if telling him to do it on his own.
When she leaned down a little, he wrapped his arm around her waist and gently lifted her off the horse. She was so light in his arms.
Not many men actually tried this fairy tale scene. His masculine appearance hugging a woman with one arm with such grace attracted even more attention.
Selena smiled satisfactorily as if she had stepped down on the red carpet of an awards ceremony with Kalcion's arm supporting her.
The scene felt so natural.
If he was interested in her, she didn't need to have become an actor in the first place.
The pair never lost a single attention from the hall.
"I'm with the Duke of Renbird.""Yes, welcome."
The guard bowed his head without paying attention to the invitation.
"His Excellency is here at the banquet!"
People were once again shaken by the booming voice of the royal guard. Needless to say, there were quite a few people who were not familiar with Kalcion because he was almost invisible at a gathering.
'Is that the Duke of Renbird?''Wow, he's taller than I thought.''He lifted her with one arm! Like magic!'
Some began to gossip based on what the rumors said about Kalcion.
Many of them were also curious about Selena.
'Who is she? What happened to his fiancée? Are they engaged?''What are you saying, she's already dead.''Then, who is that girl?''I'm not sure, but she's really pretty……..'
As she entered the hall, her eyes skimmed around for the person who wanted to be the last one to enter.
Since it hasn't been long since the carriage entered, they'll be right near the entrance…….
"Lady Fionel?"
Selena wasn't even surprised.
Yeah, only Fionel would struggle like that.
Her eyes grew wide in surprise as she looked back at Selena and Kalcion.
"Ack, oh my gosh!"
Fionel - who hurriedly came to her senses - abandoned his partner and ran to Kalcion. She grimaced her face at Selena, but it quickly revived when she spotted him.
"Did something happen to the carriage? I didn't know His Excellency would come riding a horse like this."
Unlike the one who sent the assassin, the criminal in the wagon case came out too easily.
"How did you know that something was wrong with our carriage…..."
Selena chuckled under her breath.
Fionel stared at Selena before she tried to take a step closer toward Kalcion. Sweetening her voice, she said,
"It's so nice to see His Excellency at this banquet. Let us dance to a song of his choice…...""The Duke came with me today. Lady Fionel, please don't keep your partner waiting."
Selena chirped, deliberately squeezing Kalcion's arm with both hands. In order to defeat Fionel, Selena needed to become as childish as possible.
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