Chapter 41

“…? Excuse me, what did you just say…?”

"Oh, this guy. What he's saying is really something!"

"Ah. Yes, what is it?"

Cesear firmly grabbed my arm and Leon's, preventing us from lunging forward.

He gave us a silent pressure to stay back and whispered in my ear.

"I have to go to the training ground anyway. See you later."

"Wait, Cesear…!"

And before we could stop him, he was already gone.

"Alright, shall we go now?"

At the sound of Daemon's voice from behind, I clenched my small fists and gritted my teeth.

'Wow, this guy is really a pain in the neck…'

* * *

In the opulent reception room, a sophisticated tea table was set up, which seemed quite out of place for a group of children.

I exchanged greetings with the other children who had arrived late, but none of them stood out.

They were typical third-generation heirs of wealthy families, raised in comfort.

And.

"…so, I won the equestrian competition trophy last year."

Daemon Martini, a character who could ruin one's appetite, had been boasting for the past 30 minutes.

'No one seems to be listening, but he's really going at it.'

All the children seated around the table looked bored.

"By the way, are the two of you from Antres going to participate in the equestrian competition this time?"

"No. We're planning to go hunting this time."

When Daemon asked, Theo, who was shoving the dessert Erica offered into his mouth, replied.

"Pfft. Why? Don't tell me you both gave up on equestrian because you can't beat me? Well, it is a wise choice."

Leon, who was slouching, muttered, "What a pain in the neck…"

"No one can match the equestrian skills of the Martini heir."

"This time, the Martini heir will win again, no doubt. I plan to just recite a poem this time."

Jean Weber and Bruno Pensler chimed in.

'Hmm, it doesn't seem like he's just showing off.'

The equestrian competition that Daemon had been boasting about for a while was one of the noble events during the festival.

At this time, young nobles aged 6 to 15 would participate in various refined competitions.

Equestrian, hunting, performance, poetry recitation, etc.

Parents would invest generously in any area where their children showed even a little talent and encourage them to participate.

In reality, for the nobles, it was not just a festival to enjoy but a competitive arena that came around once a year.

"Are you going to participate this time, Miss? In which category?"

Charlotte Meyer, with her cute short pink hair, asked me.

"Um… I haven't thought about it yet."

"Lilith, haven't you learned any instruments? The performance competition is the easiest. Let's participate together."

Erica suggested affectionately.

'Now that I think about it, I should do something. But I don't have any talent…'

Since this event greatly influenced the reputation of the family, I couldn't avoid it.

"Miss, even if you don't participate in anything else, you should definitely come to watch the equestrian competition. There's no tension since the winner is already decided."

"Tension? What tension…"

When Leon openly mocked him, Erica laughed.

"Oh, why is Theo acting like that today? He's as cute as Leon."

Leon, on the other hand….

No matter how much he mocked, Daemon continued to boast.

"I've acquired a new fine horse this time. I finally found a horse that matches my level."

"Huh? Daemon, did you change your horse?"

Theo asked.

"Why did you replace it? You won last year thanks to that white horse."

"No, it's my skill."

When Leon said this, Daemon rarely flared up.

"That horse was weak. It couldn't keep up with the training. …Anyway, Miss, will you definitely come to watch? Hahaha!"

Seeing Daemon's raised nose, a twisted sense of competition within me flared up.

Yes, I want to see it.

I want to see it intensely.

The villainous extra grinding his teeth and saying, "Ugh, how frustrating! I lost!" as he exits the stage.

'Yeah, I should participate in the equestrian competition with Cesear.'

I nodded to myself.

* * *

"Dad, Dad, Dad!"

"Whoa! Princess!"

As soon as I saw Dad's carriage returning, I ran out to greet him.

Dad, with a wide grin, picked me up.

"What, Princess. Did you miss Dad so much? It's touching that you couldn't wait and came all the way here?"

"That's not it, I have something to say…"

"Our Princess looks fine, thank goodness. Are you okay? You must have been surprised to wake up without Dad. Oh, the captain of the knights called me this morning because of yesterday's incident."

"Aha, I see. But I have something to say…"

"Mmmmm."

While walking across the garden, Dad kissed my cheeks mercilessly.

"Ha."

"By the way, why are you so pretty today, Princess? Are you trying to get kidnapped again?"

I pushed Dad's chin, which was almost sucking my cheek.

"Ah, I have something to say!"

"What? What is it?"

"Buy me a horse! A baby horse!"

"Horse? What's this sudden request?"

"It's for the festival. I want to participate in the equestrian competition. With Cesear."

Dad frowned.

"Equestrian?"

"Yes!"

"What equestrian? It's harder than you think. Try something else. And you don't have to participate if you don't want to."

"What are you talking about? Everyone is trying to win prizes. As the head of the family, shouldn't you think about the family's honor?"

"…Hehe. Grandpa would be pleased to hear that."

"That's exactly it! Anyway, I want to do equestrian. Can Cesear participate too?"

"That's fine, but…"

Dad looked reluctant, but seeing my determined eyes, he finally gave in.

"Alright, then."

* * *

Dad immediately took me and Cesear to the most famous stable in the city.

Cesear, who had come along unexpectedly, hesitated when asked to choose a horse.

"Can I participate in the competition too?"

"Of course. Since I'm your guardian, if you win, it will count as our family's achievement."

"Ah, then I'll do my best."

As expected, Cesear's eyes sparkled with a hidden competitive spirit.

'Hehe. I knew it.'

The protagonist doesn't hold back.

Although Cesear, with his quiet personality, had never given a verbal thrashing to the minor villains, he had always outperformed them in every aspect.

"Choose a horse you like."

"Yes."

Watching Cesear's back as he went to choose a horse, I smiled.

'Unchanging rule of the original work 1: There is no second place in the protagonist's dictionary!'

Although Cesear had never ridden a horse before, he would ultimately win.

This equestrian competition would not only bring down the arrogant nose of the appetite-ruining Daemon but also showcase Cesear's talent and name.

A grand plan that would achieve multiple goals at once!

"Princess, you should choose one too?"

"Ah. I'll, um, just pick one…"

Of course, I plan to just watch and eat cake by Cesear's side.

I've never ridden a horse, and with only two weeks left until the competition, there's no hope of practicing enough.

"Hmm."

I casually looked around the stable.

There were many small breeds suitable for children.

"Huh?"

Then.

A corner particularly caught my eye.

"Wow…! Dad, look at that one!"

I ran over, entranced by the unique appearance of the horse standing alone.

"Wow!"

"Oh, it's beautiful."

It was a beautiful white horse.

Well-groomed, with a lustrous white coat and a mane that shimmered with a subtle blue hue.

Most importantly, under the long, fluttering eyelashes… the eyes!

Those eyes were the killer point!

"Hey, its eyes are blue!"

It had a regal, noble aura, like a high-born human. The blue eyes were proud yet filled with melancholy.

I pointed at the white horse.

"I want this one!"

"Ah, Miss."

At that moment, the owner, who had been lurking behind us, spoke with an apologetic smile.

"Are you looking for a horse to participate in the equestrian competition this spring? If so, I'm sorry, but this one is not available."

"Why not? Is there a problem?"

When Dad asked, the owner scratched his cheek.

"This one is Zephir. The horse that won the equestrian competition last year with the Martini heir."

"Ah? Yes, I've heard of it. This one was the Martini heir's horse? But why is a horse with an owner here?"

"It suffered a leg injury during training. Although it's almost healed now, it won't perform as well as before."

"Really? So, did the Martini heir abandon it?"

The owner laughed awkwardly.

"Well… usually, horses raised for racing are considered to have reached the end of their life when they get injured."

"So, you did abandon it… But, didn't you have an attachment to it? Even if you don't participate in the competition together, shouldn't you still take responsibility…?"

"Ha ha. There must have been some reason."

What reason?

Considering the character of the villainous extra, Daemon, it was obvious.

He abandoned it. A friend he had shared hardships with for over a year.

A horse that had even won a trophy for him last year.

"His character is really bad…."

"Excuse me?"

"Uncle, so what will happen to Zephir? If no one buys it, will it stay here?"

"No. Since it was raised as a racing horse, it won't be sold. Horses with no commercial value are usually…"

"…?"

"Usually sent to the slaughterhouse."

What? My mind went blank.

'Killed? This perfectly fine horse?'

I lost my words and stared at Zephir with my mouth agape.

The eyes, which I had thought were filled with melancholy like a human's, now seemed truly sad.

As if it were hurt.

"This can't be…."