Chapter 50

"Just now, the first participant crossed the finish line! The winner, Lady Lylis Rubinstein!"

The judge raised his voice to announce my victory. The award ceremony venue buzzed with surprise at the unexpected winner.

Reining in Zephir, I felt a daze of disbelief.

Next, Cheshire entered.

'Wow, did he... Did he deliberately not cross the finish line to let me win?'

That doesn't make sense. It would be harder to control a horse with a natural instinct to gallop like that.

It would require a level of communication almost as if we were one with the horse...

I clicked my tongue. Indeed, the protagonist.

"Congratulations on your win. I'll remove the anti-fall magic for you."

An official approached to help me dismount.

Then, he was surprised.

"Huh?"

The magic was already off, and upon closer inspection, my condition was...

Terrible.

My cheeks stung, and my body ached as if I had bruises all over.

I dangled my foot, which I had pulled out of the stirrup, and the people watching murmured.

"What's going on? Why is she so injured?"

"She must have fallen, right?"

"Are you kidding? Was the anti-fall magic not properly cast?"

"That's impossible! It was definitely checked before the start!"

The officials rushed over, their faces pale with shock.

They were all terrified.

It was understandable. I wasn't just an ordinary participant...

The youngest participant in my first equestrian event.

Moreover.

"Lylis!"

The daughter of the Duke Rubinstein.

As the officials parted like the Red Sea, my father approached with wide eyes.

Behind him was my grandfather.

"What is this...?"

"Dad..."

I reached out my arm. My father hugged me, his mouth agape as he checked me over.

"Why, why are you so injured? Did you fall? Why was the magic off?"

Before I could answer, my father turned around with an angry face. My grandfather's expression was already one of extreme anger.

"No, Dad. The magic was cast properly. It just came off in the middle."

"But why...!"

At that moment, Daemon crossed the finish line.

His face was pale as he realized the chaotic atmosphere.

'Only now worried? Tsk tsk.'

I sighed and got out of my father's embrace.

The award ceremony venue became eerily quiet, as if doused with cold water.

Everyone was focused on me.

Even the reporters, pens in hand, were watching with bright eyes.

"While riding on Course C with Lord Martini, he suddenly undid the magic on my saddle."

"Wow! That's impossible...!"

"My goodness!"

"Then, that's a foul, right?"

"Of course it's a foul! He must have done it impulsively because he thought he was going to lose!"

The reporters murmured.

Daemon, who had dismounted, stood there trembling pitifully.

"Without the magic, I'm still inexperienced in riding... I fell once. That's when I got injured."

My father glared at Daemon with anger.

Realizing their son had caused an accident, the Martini Count and Countess hurried over, flustered.

"This is shameful. We can't just let it go."

My grandfather turned to the Count and Countess and Daemon.

"Wait!"

I rushed over and grabbed my grandfather.

Then, I raised my voice for the reporters to get a good story.

"I'm fine, Grandfather."

"What?"

"I'm a bit sore, but I'm not seriously injured. And I understand Lord Martini's feelings. Everyone was only looking at him, so he must have really wanted to win."

"Oh my, goodness."

"What? You're forgiving this?"

The reporters' pens moved quickly.

"Grandfather, this was something Lord Martini did without realizing. Please don't punish him. I'm asking you."

My grandfather looked at me silently.

"Well, you're not just any Rubinstein."

"That is the virtue of a noble... but can this be forgiven?"

"Remarkable. She's still so young."

Listening to the murmurs of the reporters, I suppressed a smile.

Thanks to Cheshire's consideration, I would get everything I could from this moment.

The championship trophy.

The family's reputation.

And the image of a generous and magnanimous noble...

'I might have been a bit too lenient, but...'

Life is like that.

Although there was nothing wrong with my legs, I limped over to Daemon.

With each pitiful step, sighs of sympathy came from the crowd.

"Good match, Lord Martini."

Offering my hand, Daemon frowned and trembled, annoyed by my acting.

"Look, he's not shaking hands."

"Isn't that a bit much, even for a princess?"

"He must be upset about losing the trophy."

After hesitating, Daemon reluctantly shook my hand.

"Next time we meet, let's have a fair competition."

"...Yes, Princess. I, I'm sorry, I, I am."

With everyone watching, he had to apologize, though he clearly didn't want to.

I smiled brightly and opened my arms for a hug.

"Really impressive. Not only your skills but also your composure."

"If you're the heir of the Rubinstein, you should be like that!"

Hugging Daemon's shoulders as he bowed, the crowd erupted in praise for me.

Ah...! This glorious spotlight!

Smiling, I whispered very quietly into Daemon's ear,

"Annoying, right? Completely infuriating, right?"

* * *

The May Spring Festival came to a magnificent close.

The highlight of the festival was undoubtedly the equestrian competition.

The newspaper articles poured in steadily.

<Youngest Equestrian Champion Born!>

<The Golden Leaf of the Rubinstein, Seizing the Equestrian Trophy!>

<Lady Rubinstein, "I Only Practiced for Five Hours the Day Before the Competition.">

<Duke Rubinstein, First Public Appearance Since the Return Ceremony>

<Second Place Also a Rubinstein? The Boy Sponsored by the Duke, Who Is He?>

<Lord Martini, Blinded by the Desire to Win, Commits a Foul>

<Lady Rubinstein, "I Understand Lord Martini's Feelings." Demonstrating Noble Virtue>

<Empire Equestrian Association, Permanently Banning Lord Martini from Future Competitions!>

<Lord Martini, Controversy Over the Retirement of the Famous Horse 'Zephir'>

<Lady Rubinstein, 'Zephir's Story Touches Her... Adopting the Injured Horse, More Good Deeds Emerge>

The headlines were quite satisfying.

"Zephir, smile! This is something that will last a lifetime!"

Another good thing happened.

While petting Zephir, I waved to Cheshire and Walter, who were approaching from a distance.

"Cheshire, come quickly!"

We posed side by side with the beautiful duke's garden as the backdrop.

A middle-aged man with a butterfly mustache, who had set up his easel, brush, and palette, nodded.

"Hold the reins with your right hand, and, hmm, let your left hand hang loosely."

"Like this?"

"Yes, that's perfect."

He was a court painter.

The emperor, upon hearing of my victory, had personally sent him to paint a commemorative portrait.

It was unusual for a high-ranking court painter to visit a noble family to paint a portrait.

"Cheshire, shall we hold hands?"

"..."

Cheshire looked at me for a moment before taking my hand first.

"Hehe."

On a warm spring day, with the weather beautiful and my heart pounding with excitement, I smiled broadly.

* * *

The young boy and girl in equestrian attire, holding hands affectionately.

Beside them stood a beautiful white horse and a black horse.

The court painter's portrait, which captured the moment as if it were preserved in time, hung in the center of the duke's living room.

Cheshire stared at it for a long time.

"Wow, that's amazing. I'm so jealous. I won the hunting competition, but why didn't they paint me?"

"Lylis was the youngest champion. It was a big deal. You can't compare the two."

At that moment, the twins approached, admiring the portrait.

Cheshire turned to see that each of them was carrying a box.

"...What's that?"

"Oh, this?"

Leon grinned and whispered quietly into Cheshire's ear.

"Princess Lala's dress."

"This is Princess Lala's tiara."

Theo also smiled.

Ah, it's a birthday gift. Cheshire realized.

The duke's residence was very busy, as Lylis's birthday was only four days away.

"Since it was finished this morning, I went to pick it up as soon as I woke up."

Leon boasted and slightly opened the box.

A red silk dress with dazzling gemstone decorations caught the eye.

"Originally, Princess Lala's dress doesn't have gems. So I specially ordered the costume shop to add a lot of gems."

"The tiara was also custom-made. When I looked at the ready-made ones, they were all fake gems. So I ordered a new one with 200 diamonds and 5 rubies."

"...I see."

The small, sparkling stones were diamonds, and the red gem in the center was a top-quality ruby.

"We have to keep it a secret until her birthday. Should we lie and say we didn't prepare anything?"

"She'll get upset if we do that."

"Hehe. Let's hide it, hide it."

Leon and Theo, who had been chatting, carried the boxes and disappeared, excited.

Cheshire, left behind, watched their backs for a moment before returning to her room.

'Birthday...'

Opening the drawer next to her bed, she found a small bundle.

Shaking the bundle over her palm, four silver coins rolled out.