Chapter 96

Chapter 96

“Well, I was expecting to be able to hunt on horseback with you. But I can’t force a risk for my greed. There are many things to enjoy besides hunting, so I hope you enjoy it enough.”

“Thank… you.”

His eyes were sticky, but his actions were not. It was a strange balance that the Crown Prince maintained throughout. If it was a real relationship, it would drive people crazy.

Usually, when a person receives a signal from the other person’s eyes or attitude that they wanted themselves, they instinctively expect a friendly action. But if it doesn’t fit, it gets confusing.

An example was a person who says they want to see the other person but does not come. Sitting next to each other wherever, and smiles whenever they make eye contact but doesn’t say that they should do something together.

‘It’s innate, that’s his strategy.’

If a person who has the same appearance and status as the Crown Prince smiles like that, it would be mistaken as smiling at the other person. They would get confused as if the Crown Prince is giving them special treatment.

Kalcion clicked his tongue beside her.

“Do you still think the Crown Prince was sincere?”

His voice could not hide its displeasure.

“I said it seemed sincere, but I didn’t say it was true.”

“I can’t believe that seemed sincere.”

“Usually it is. The Duke should try it too.”

Discomfort spread from his voice to his eyebrows. The eyebrows were always the part of his expressionless face that showed his emotions well.

“I see.”

“What?”

Instead of answering her question, Kalcion hugged Selina’s shoulder tightly.

“I think I can do it if I try hard now.”

‘Uh… what is this hand?”

“Aren’t actions more certain than a hundred words?”

“….”

She knew for sure that he didn’t want to lose to the Crown Prince. How much does he despise the idea that his acting skills popped out?

“Why? You’re not sure of me?”

If he turned his head to look down at her while their sides were glued together like this, his face was close enough as if they could kiss right then. He kisses her cheek in the morning and evening, but Kalcion doesn’t kiss Selina.

As his face drew closer, she could even see the shadows of his eyelashes hanging over his eyes. The long eyelashes over his cool eyes. He has silver eyelashes. This is a foul.

Those long eyelashes fluttered up and down with each blink, and she thought she was about to get kissed. Her heart was rippling like a stone thrown into water.

When Selina didn’t say anything, Kalcion raised his head softly.

The moment that stretched like eternity was only a second that passed carelessly.

“…Hoo.”

As Kalcion’s face backed away, the breath that had been choked, burst out as if she had gotten off a roller coaster.

These days, a life where her heart was not respected continues. From the vaguely squirming Crown Prince, to a bull-like rushing Kalcion.

She knows that both of them were not sincere, yet her heart trembles.

‘Being handsome is a problem anyway.’

In the other world, this would not have happened unless she was engrossed in her role. She thought it was because she was good at sorting out private and public matters, but not really. It was just because the actors in the other roles were not that handsome.

Her trembling chest made her fingers restless and wiggling. Having seen it, Kalcion reached out his other hand and held it tightly to her hand.

“This is too ridiculous. I am not a sick person.”

“Am I being ridiculous?”

“There’s nothing wrong with it, but…”

Today is a hunting contest, so the ladies, who are like petals that are in danger of being knocked down by just a brush, are also showing off their lively appearance.

Holding her shoulder and escorting her by the hand is enough for a large party where she has to pretend to be a flower.

“You have to adapt to the time and place to some extent.”

“Do we have to choose different ways to express our feelings at different times and places?”

“If it goes too far, it’s not because I really love you, but because I want to show others.”

Kalcion, who had paused for a while, made an unexpected counterattack.

“In the beginning, I think you were also very fussy. Didn’t the people you met at that time notice that you were doing it as a show off?”

If there was physical power in his words, Selina had just been struck by Kalcion’s words and collapsed after losing too much blood.

Selina admits that her early acting was a bit forced. It was when she still couldn’t understand the situation well, and she had to force herself to settle down unconditionally. Besides, wasn’t it also when Kalcion couldn’t even find the seeds of his acting skills? Selina had no choice but to act strongly as she had to take the lead.

“I believe that those people would not have been able to afford to argue because it was shocking that the Duke did what I asked you to do.”

“Then would you know that it would be shocking just now that I’m doing this?”

“…It might be.”

It was Selina’s part to get embarrassed.

“To sum up, you mean if it’s something I’m willing to do, it won’t be a problem, right?”

“…What, what do you mean, you’re willing to do?”

“I’m willing to do this.”

As if to confirm that there was absolutely no way it would be misunderstood, Kalcion’s hand tightened on her. In the midst of this, he stopped so it wouldn’t hurt.

Selina looked up at Kalcion again, repeating her breath, as she couldn’t even take a deep breath. She told him to do it like the Crown Prince, but she was lost in agony for saying the wrong things.

“…I am a little scared.”

“Scared of me?”

“It’s scary when someone who hasn’t been like this suddenly be like this. It seems really crazy.”

“Right, it’s really crazy.”

Even Kalcion himself doesn’t know why he’s doing this.

“…I don’t know. Now that it happened, please go crazy.”

It is better to accept the incomprehensible than to try to understand it. Selina was willing to welcome Kalcion’s new world of acting. Isn’t it commendable that she pioneered his acting performance? It’s a bit hard to accept, but there’s no reason to stop him if his acting becomes more and more natural.

When Kalcion got Selina’s permission, he pushed her body closer and walked towards the tent.

In a hunting contest that lasts for several days, each family builds a barracks to eat, sleep, and live in, but today, as it will be held for only one day, only chairs and tables were prepared in the open tent.

The Renbird’s tent was placed in front, visible from the central vacant lot. On either side of it were flags of other families fluttering above and in front of the tent, but not many people were seated under the tent of their own family.

“Now that we are here, let’s go and give our greetings.”

Just then, Lirel caught her eye. Perhaps Lirel was on her way somewhere, and she had been separated from the Rosalyn gang.

“Hello, Miss Lirel.”

“Ah, yes…”

Lirel smirked and tried to get past the rough greetings.

Lirel got the letter back through Juna, so there’s no reason for her any longer, is it? A smirk crossed Selina’s lips.

It was Selina’s bait that she returned the letter to through Juna. She doesn’t know which fish she will catch, but she definitely caught something. Now it was time to pull up the fishing rod.

“Did you receive the ‘it’ I returned?”

“What?!”

As soon as Lirell heard her words, she was astonished. It seems she didn’t know yet that Juna had been caught.

“Come to think of it, I think that Miss Lirel’s position may become difficult if other people see it. I showed it to the Duke and made sure to return it right away.”

Selina especially gave an emphasis to ‘other’.

Selina said that she thought of Lirel that was tied to Rosalyn and returned it, but the gist was ‘she returned it’. Lirel would have thought Juna had ‘stolen’ it and got it back.

Lirel nearly fainted on the spot.

It wasn’t a problem that she now lost a single letter. Was she caught? That fact was the most important. But for Lirel to confirm this, she had to meet Juna in person.

“Ah, such consideration… Thank you. By the way, did you not bring a dedicated maid with you?”

Lirel looked behind Selina.

Since it’s not a party held at the palace today, she had to bring her own people. The Renbird also brought maids and servants out. But there was no one behind Selina.

“Oh, I couldn’t bring my dedicated maid along because she has a lot to do at the mansion today.”

Juna is now polishing all the silverware in the mansion under strict surveillance. The silverware in the mansion was endless. Even after Selina returns from the hunting contest, Juna will still have to polish for a while. As long as it doesn’t end, the one who watches Juna won’t go away. Making it impossible to leave for a moment or even contact Lirel’s maid.

“Ah, I see… Wouldn’t it be inconvenient to not have a dedicated maid? I can lend my maid if you need to.”

“If I need it later. I appreciate your words.”

“Yes, yes…”

Lirel’s head got entangled like drops of ink that expanded in the water.

Was she caught? Was it a coincidence?

If she had been caught, would Selina have locked her up too and tried to figure out something? How far did Juna tell Selina? Juna didn’t just confide in everything she’s been up to, right? Then why does Selina laugh and secretly tell Lirel about it? Is it a threat to do something?

Juna, who brought the letter, said nothing. As if she had stolen the letter as Lirel ordered. In fact, Selina may have told Juna to run an errand to ‘return it’. It could be that Juna lied because saying that she stole it made more sense…

The assumptions in her head branched endlessly, but nothing was certain.

She needs to listen more and get information to understand the situation. Lirel opened her mouth, showing her impatience.

“It seemed like you were busy on your way somewhere, but I took too much of your time.”

But Selina didn’t let her take a breather.

“Well then, see you later.”

“Ah, yes? Ah…!”

While Lirel frowned, Selina had already passed her.

“What, what to do? What should I do!”

Lirel, who was left behind, stomped her feet and bit her lips.

What if Juna’s identity was revealed and she’s being held by the Renbird? It will be a domino effect. Lirel gave her maid a stern order to stand by her.

“…Tell them to catch it. If they can’t, kill it.”

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