“Wow, that’s really amazing.”
“It’s even cooler than I expected.”
“Don’t push, please.”
“Let’s just go a little closer. As long as we’re not on the grass, it’s fine.”
People behind me started pushing little by little. Everyone’s faces were flushed with excitement.
“Lady Cecilia, are you alright?”
There was not a trace of fear on the faces of those charging forward. They were unstoppable.
I’m trembling! It’s almost suffocating!
It felt like the ground was quaking. All the noise around me seemed to be growing distant.
Is this what it feels like to be absorbed in something?
It was nothing like the nights I forced myself to stay awake, studying etiquette just to be by Cecilia’s side.
The dust they kicked up galloped after them, rising noisily and spreading like smoke, leaving traces of their riding skills. They looked just like knights, racing forward with their cloaks billowing behind them. It was like seeing the cover illustration of a fairy tale book right in front of my eyes.
I didn’t care about the people pushing me from behind. I took a step or two forward, but I was still far from the grass.
If I didn’t lean my body forward, the horses would just race past me in an instant.
The rumbling from the ground was drawing closer. It felt like I was riding atop a horse myself, the earth pounding and my whole body thundering along with it.
The horses came almost right up to my nose. A strong gust of wind nearly knocked me off my feet.
“Huh…?”
A sudden rush of air swept my hair backward.
“Kyaaah!”
“Liana!”
“Oh my goodness!”
“Stop!”
Voices of panic and screams mixed in a confused jumble.
Thud.
Right in front of me… I saw a horse rearing up, its front legs flailing.
The horse’s hooves were right before my eyes, and then everything went black.
‘Ah. Am I dying again? It’s only been a few days since I came back….’
The pounding in my chest—maybe it was a warning, not excitement.
But it was already too late.
Yet, for some reason, a warm sensation suddenly surged up from beneath my feet, then vanished.
My blood, which had been rushing frantically, seemed to calm down…. Ah, maybe I was just fainting.
Ah, whatever. It felt like all the strength in my body drained out through my toes. How could I even feel this if I was fainting?
Somehow, my body felt warmer than usual, as if I was being jostled gently. Noisy, buzzing sounds battered my ears, but I couldn’t make out a single word.
Still, amid all that, it felt like I was faintly touching someone’s back.
*****
Evan passed by the riding arena purely by chance. He thought the weather was unusually nice today. With no classes scheduled, the thought of riding a horse crossed his mind, and before he knew it, he was already putting on his coat.
As he stepped out of the dormitory, bright sunlight enveloped him. The chilly air ruffled Evan’s blond hair.
Evan smiled pleasantly. He felt refreshed.
The cold air stabbed deep into his lungs. Evan liked this brisk temperature. It was like magic that swept away all idle thoughts.
“Hawkins, you’re late.”
As Evan strolled leisurely toward the dormitory’s front gate, Hawkins came running up behind him. Evan addressed Hawkins even though he hadn’t even seen him coming.
“I’m sorry.”
Hawkins fell into step just behind Evan, pulling on his academy jacket. Only then did Evan glance over at him. The dark circles under Hawkins’ eyes suggested he’d spent another night deep in thought.
“It’s fine. You always take jokes so seriously. Are you still upset?”
At Evan’s teasing, Hawkins’ face stiffened.
“No, Your Highness.”
“Come on. Did you ever run into Liana since then?”
By “since then,” Evan didn’t mean yesterday’s trip to the capital together, but the first day they met.
Hawkins remembered that day.
It had only been a few days ago, yet it already felt like a distant memory.
He’d decided to skip the noisy Academy entrance ceremony, but on a whim, Evan had gone there first.
“Why did you do that that day?”
Hawkins asked calmly, without any hint of accusation. He’d had a rough time because of Evan’s unexpected actions, so he figured he could at least ask a question in return.
“I just went to see the ‘Convenience Hall’. I heard there was something rare there.”
“Something rare?”
“Well, I didn’t get to see it anyway, so never mind.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“In any case, when I got there, there was a commotion.”
The two of them started walking slowly. Occasional gusts of wind ruffled their hair and stirred the leaves.
The Academy had an unusually large number of trees. Evan’s eyes followed the sunlit leaves, glittering and rustling, and for a moment he thought of Cecilia. Remembering the tears welling up in her clear, water-like eyes made him feel oddly uncomfortable.
“Margaretta’s voice really carries, even from far away.”
“Ah, so Lady Torrento was there as well, I see.”
Hawkins nodded as if he understood.
“It makes sense you would be there with your fiancée.”
“No, it wasn’t that. I ran into Cecilia.”
“Lady Cecilia?”
For the first time, Hawkins, who had answered calmly until now, seemed shaken. Evan smiled at Hawkins’ reaction.
“Yes. She and Margaretta were having an argument.”
“Did she cry?”
“More importantly, Margaretta isn’t my fiancée yet.”
Evan sighed. He wanted to make that point clear. His betrothal spot was still vacant. And maybe, it was because of a certain girl who had recently caught his eye.
Since they knew each other well, neither of them spoke that thought aloud. After all, the girl who had caught Evan’s eye was someone Hawkins had also come to care about.
“…….”
With his eyes, Hawkins pressed Evan for an answer to his earlier question. Evan let out a short sigh and spoke.
“She did.”
“…….”
“It was nothing special. I ended up taking Cecilia’s side without even realizing it.”
Evan let out a small laugh.
He probably should have just walked by. But for some reason, he wanted to help her.
No, before he even had time to think he wanted to help, Evan’s body had already moved, standing protectively in front of Cecilia.
All the curiosity Evan had left had probably withered away when he was about eight years old, so it was a wonder.
Maybe it just felt fresh to see a young lady from a lower-ranking family standing up to someone like Torrento, the daughter of a duke. Even if she was trembling.
That’s why Evan acted impulsively, even though he knew he shouldn’t have humiliated Margaretta like that.
Originally, that day was supposed to be spent wandering around the ‘Convenience Hall’, finishing up at the auction, and then paying respects to the Emperor. It was a pretext to delay the entrance ceremony, but there were things he wanted to say before entering the Academy as well.
But forgetting all of that, he ended up comforting the crying Cecilia and suddenly heading to the Academy. His luggage was already moved to his dorm room at the Academy, but the real problem was Hawkins, who was supposed to travel with him.
Shaking off those thoughts, Evan patted Hawkins’ shoulder.
“Sorry about that. I completely forgot.”
To use the Academy portal, a pass was required, and it took at least three days to issue one. The portal between the Empire’s capital and the Academy had strict standards. Being a few days late wouldn’t have been a big deal, but getting caught up in rumors about being separated from the Crown Prince even before enrollment would have been a real nuisance.
Thinking there was nothing he could do, Hawkins had just sat blankly in the Convenience Hall. Meeting Liana there had been lucky for him.
Unlike himself, he’d actually gone up and spoken to that noble girl he inwardly resented.
Thinking about it always made Hawkins uncomfortable. Even worse was that he kept running into Liana, whom he thought would just be a one-off acquaintance.
They’d run into each other again yesterday in the capital and spent quite a while together. Of course, it was because of Cecilia, but surely there would be more encounters to come.
Instead of dwelling on his first meeting with Liana, he changed the subject.
“Did His Majesty scold you as well?”
“That’s right.”
Hawkins, how did you show up at just the right moment?
Just as Evan was about to ask the question he’d forgotten in the rush of that eventful meeting, Hawkins beat him to it. Evan furrowed his brow with a wry smile. Even thinking about it now gave him a headache.
The Emperor’s letter had arrived immediately. After dropping Cecilia off at the dormitory, just as he was opening his own door, thinking the whole incident had been a funny little mishap, he’d seen a page standing there with the Emperor’s letter—and he’d nearly screamed, forgetting all sense of propriety. But, thanks to years of experience in managing his expressions, he’d managed to greet the page with a smile.
“A four-word letter from His Majesty, and my legs almost gave out.”
The way he said it so casually made it hard to believe.
“What did it—”
“Don’t ask about it. I told you, it was nothing.”
Hawkins fell silent. He clearly had more questions, but Hawkins always obeyed his master’s wishes.
He kept quiet until they had walked all the way down from the boys’ dormitory, then finally spoke.
“Where are you headed, Your Highness?”
“I’m not sure. The weather’s so nice, I thought I might go riding for the first time in a while.”
“The first-year students are probably having an observation lesson right now.”
“Oh, that’s true. Well, it should be fine if I ride quietly off to the side.”
“…….”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Hawkins looked at Evan as if to say, “Do you really think that’s possible?”
“Your Highness’s blond hair is too eye-catching for you to ‘ride quietly’ anywhere.”
Evan certainly had a striking appearance.
Though not yet of age, he was taller and broader-shouldered than his peers. His radiant golden hair made him stand out in any crowd.
And that wasn’t all. Even if he had black hair, his status as Crown Prince would draw attention wherever he went.
Ha ha. Evan laughed softly.
“Hawkins. Don’t you have to attend the observation lesson as well?”
A mischievous smile filled Evan’s face. He paused for a moment, as if considering, then turned down the forest path that led past the girls’ dormitory. The crunch of grass beneath his feet was pleasant.
The forest path was lined with trees on both sides, making it perfect for a stroll. The cool shade felt soothing after the sun’s glare.
“I can attend whatever lesson I like.”
Hawkins had entered the Academy solely for Evan’s sake. His duty was to serve at Evan’s side, watching over him and ensuring nothing untoward happened.
Despite always seeming relaxed and calm, Evan would act on impulse at unexpected moments. The biggest problem was that Evan knew this about himself and still followed those impulses.
“That’s not good, Hawkins. You shouldn’t do ‘whatever’—you should always do your best.”
Evan’s deep green eyes flashed seriously. Every time Hawkins saw those eyes, he felt reassured that he’d made the right choice.
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
“But let’s not get too serious.”
“Are you really going to ride?”
The sound of commotion seemed to carry on the wind. It sounded like students had gathered at the riding arena for their observation class.
If they kept going up this forest path, they would reach the main building where the major theory classes were held; below that was the central library, and above, the riding arena nestled among the trees.
“I am. It’s too nice a day to waste.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
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