Chapter 56

"Do you not want to catch it?"

Ariadne whispered to Cesare. - The one who catches the 'Golden Deer' approaches the throne. Cesare de Como, a marquis of royal blood, caught the 'Golden Deer.' It was a story that Cesare would surely love. If Cesare caught the 'Golden Deer' and returned to the tent today, it would undoubtedly be the most notable event of the hunting competition. Ariadne prepared to dismount quietly from Cesare's horse. The strong bow that Cesare brought required both hands to shoot, so it was useless now that he could only use one arm. At least, it was more feasible to charge forward on horseback and throw a spear. He needed to give up the horse to catch the 'Golden Deer.' She knew very well how much Cesare enjoyed being the center of attention. Moreover, she had heard his constant talk about the 'Golden Deer' in both her past and present lives. Therefore, Ariadne naturally thought that Cesare would leave her behind and rush to catch the 'Golden Deer.'

"I'll give you the horse. I'll get off on the left, and you jump up from the right."

Cesare replied calmly to her whisper.

"No, I won't catch it."

"Huh?"

In response to Ariadne's question, Cesare looked up at her and said,

"To catch that, I'd have to leave you and run into the forest. How can I do that?"

He added an excuse.

"If I lose you in the forest, it will be a headache. Let's just go."

Ariadne was surprised by the unexpected situation and momentarily forgot what to say. Though it was a silly question, she couldn't help but ask,

"Didn't you really want to catch it? You only talked about the 'Golden Deer' in your letters."

"I did want to catch it, but..."

He glanced at Ariadne. He wanted to catch the 'Golden Deer,' but a bigger prize, the maiden he desired, was right in front of him. Winning her heart seemed like a better deal than the 'Golden Deer's skin.'

"It's not just today, right?"

The 'Golden Deer' perked its ears and glared at the people. After a brief stare-down, the 'Golden Deer' shivered and fled into the bushes.

"Damn, we missed it today."

Cesare stretched his back, half disappointed and half relieved. Though he said it was fine, he had been internally conflicted. With the 'Golden Deer' fleeing, there was no more to worry about. He felt refreshed and happily led the horse to the stream where the 'Golden Deer' had been drinking.

"Even though we didn't catch the 'Golden Deer,' let's consider this stream water as the 'Fountain of Youth.'"

He gestured for Ariadne to dismount. As she tried to get off the horse, he helped her with his one good arm and added,

"Let's refresh ourselves here. Who knows, maybe your ugly face will become beautiful with the 'Fountain of Youth' water?"

Ariadne glared at Cesare and dismounted. The water in the canteen was almost gone, and she was very thirsty. She cupped her hands and drank a mouthful of the stream water, which was sharply cold.

"By the way, Miss, you seem to read my letters regularly?"

"Huh?"

"Since I never got a reply, I thought you didn't read them and tore them up! I'm so excited, I'll send more in the future!"

You did tear them up... Ariadne turned her head awkwardly. As Ariadne remained silent, Cesare scooped up some stream water and washed his left face. There was a long scratch. It seemed he had scraped it when he fell to the ground. The dirt and blood washed away in the cold stream water.

"Ouch, it must hurt."

"Yeah, it hurts."

"You don't know, but saying 'I'm fine' in such situations is much cooler."

"I'm always cool, so I'm fine."

Ariadne shook her head and looked at Cesare. Suddenly, she realized his disheveled appearance. They had rolled in the dirt, so her face was probably dirty too. She carefully washed her face with the stream water, being careful not to smudge the makeup the maid had applied in the morning.

As she was washing her face, she suddenly felt a warm human body near her forehead.

- *kiss*

Cesare had kissed Ariadne's forehead. She jumped up in surprise.

"What are you doing!"

Cesare lowered his broken left hand and raised his right hand in a surrender pose, taking a step back.

"Sorry, sorry, you looked so beautiful after washing your face with the 'Fountain of Youth' water!"

"Really, stop it, really!"

"Can't I even do this much for the knight who saved me from a falling horse?"

They bickered as they walked down the stream. Cesare led the horse, and they walked side by side. The sun was slowly setting in the late afternoon.

* * *

The meaningless chitchat between Leo III and the Duke of Mirayeu was very long and largely inappropriate. They engaged in lewd talk in front of Queen Marguerite and discussed the sexual customs of older nobles, despite being there to represent the future bride. Alfonso, completely bored, kept scanning the outside of the tent with his eyes. His seat was in the center of the tent, so he could see most people entering. Ariadne had not been seen since a brief glimpse in the morning.

'Could she have gone hunting? She doesn't seem to enjoy physical activities that much.'

Most ladies were drinking tea and chatting in the tent. Only a few went hunting.

'Maybe she went for a walk with another man?'

The hunting competition was a place where attractive men and women often paired up. Every year, couples would claim they went to hunt but return empty-handed after hours in the forest. Alfonso's clenched fist tightened unconsciously, but he shook his head to dispel the ominous thoughts. Ariadne didn't have any particularly close male friends.

'That's unlikely. She's such a picky girl.'

Her laughter, her jokes, her feigned toughness, and the fragile vulnerability that showed through were known only to him.

But as evening approached and hunters began to return, the awards ceremony started at five o'clock. A knight who caught the largest wild boar received praise from Leo III, boasted of Etruscan bravery in front of the Duke of Mirayeu, and received a laurel wreath from Queen Marguerite. Throughout this process, the black-haired girl was nowhere to be seen.

'Did she go home early?'

He had a bad feeling but tried to convince himself otherwise. Ariadne's wicked stepmother and venomous half-sister were still in the tent, but since Ariadne wasn't close to them, she could have left early.

"Your Majesty, Marquis Cesare has not returned yet."

Leo III's secretary whispered to him, avoiding the eyes of Queen Marguerite and the Gallico delegation. However, Leo III, as if to assert his authority in front of his wife and the delegation, loudly called out,

"Cesare?"

The familiar name made Queen Marguerite and the Gallico delegation stiffen. Queen Marguerite was embarrassed to reveal the poor treatment she received from her husband to her family, and the Gallico delegation was concerned about the future of the princess they were sending to Etrusca, fearing she might end up like Queen Marguerite. The treatment of a married woman from a noble family was her own problem, but the succession of the throne by a child not of her blood was a matter of gain and loss. Leo III, however, acted even more loudly than usual to assert his authority.

"Send people into the forest! Find him quickly! The sun is almost down!"

"Your Majesty! Someone is coming out of the forest!"

At someone's voice, everyone looked in the direction they pointed. The bushes rustled, and Cesare emerged, swinging his hunting knife. Ariadne, holding the horse's reins, followed behind. Both were scratched and disheveled from the fall.

"Marquis de Como!"

Leo III called out loudly upon seeing Cesare. Fortunately, he didn't call him by his first name in front of the Gallico delegation, who were watching closely. Leo III's secretary sighed in relief. This was also a line Leo III had drawn for himself. He adored Cesare, who resembled his mother, but he had no intention of giving him the right to the throne. In formal settings, Cesare's title was still 'Marquis,' and he had no proper hereditary fief.

Upon hearing Leo III's call, Cesare, despite his wobbly state, knelt on one knee and bowed.

"Your loyal subject greets the sun of the kingdom, His Majesty Leo III."

After a brief, flawless greeting, Cesare smiled and raised his left arm.

"I fell off the horse and broke my arm, so please exempt me from placing my arm on my knee during the greeting."

Leo III was surprised.

"Marquis de Como, what happened? Did you fall off your horse?"

"It was to save a lady in danger."

As a man, I couldn't just stand by, he added in a low voice.

"In danger? Who?"

Leo III's gaze immediately turned to Ariadne, who had come out with him.

"A rogue tried to attack Lady de Mare with a hunting crossbow, putting her in danger. If I hadn't arrived in time, it could have been a serious incident."

Cesare was deliberately exaggerating the situation in front of the king.

"What? Who would dare such a reckless act at a sacred hunting competition?"

"A nephew of Lucretia, the mistress of Cardinal de Mare. He is a squire, a young man who should be honing his skills to become a knight, but he seems to lack chivalry."

People began to murmur. Lucretia's nephew was an