“Thank you all for attending until the end of the Hunting Festival.”
As the Emperor, standing on the dais, uttered these words, the crowd reacted in various ways. Some people feigned indifference by looking elsewhere, while others listened intently, determined to commit every gesture of his to memory.
Unaware or unmindful of these reactions, the Emperor continued slowly.
“I feel that the effort of preparing gifts for this Hunting Festival was worthwhile. I sincerely hope you all enjoyed it.”
By his side lay heaps of various monsters that had been collected. Each heap had a tag noting the name of the person who had captured the creature along with the name of the noblewoman who received it.
He glanced casually at the heaps of trophies.
“There were particularly many rare monster offerings this time.”
The Emperor then stopped in front of three heaps, noting how these were significantly larger than the others, his voice betraying a tone of admiration.
From griffins to ganesha and white lions, all sorts piled high like houses, these calamity-class monsters boasted impressive sizes.
People began murmuring in awe as they stared at the towering heaps of creatures stacked so high that they had to crane their necks to see the tops.
“I aimed to rank participants, but these three seemed impossible to differentiate.”
Signboards marked each of the three piles with the names “Lev,” “Leo von Schpenheim,” and “Abel von Hardenberg.” There was a buzz of conversation when people looked at Abel’s sign, given the duke had never before displayed his strength until this Hunting Festival.
“However, the impression left on me came from watching Duke Hardenberg personally deal with calamity-level monsters for his noblewoman’s honor.”
The Emperor then placed a nearly torn-apart monster beside Abel’s pile. The monster, which previously boasted castle-sized proportions and massive horns, now lay in a sorry state with only its lower half remaining.
“Arguably, this can be counted as an offering made in the name of his noblewoman as well.”
With that, the Emperor paused for effect before continuing.
“Therefore, the stars of this Hunting Festival are Abel von Hardenberg and Adelle von Esteilse.”
Despite his pronouncement, no applause or cheers followed. Given Adelle’s reputation before the current events, this was somewhat expected.
Suddenly, a solitary clap echoed through the crowd.
Turning the heads of many bystanders, there stood Estelle smiling as she clapped. Her gesture prompted those around her to join in, until the applause grew loud enough to ring in everyone’s ears.
Amidst this, Abel gently took my hand and gave a subtle smile. I steadied my trembling heart and followed him to the dais where the Emperor awaited with a friendly grin.
“This is the promised gift.”
From the hands of the attendant emerged a box, emanating a peculiar Mana resonance. This must be the royal artifact that has passed down through the generations.
Abel bowed his head and accepted the box. Following his lead, I also bowed in respect.
“You have done well, and your deeds were very impressive.”
“It is an honor.”
“Haha! That is excellent news!”
The Emperor chuckled heartily, ending the polite exchange before Abel and I descended from the dais.
Even after receiving the title of “Queen,” the reality still felt dreamlike to me; it was inconceivable that someone who faced numerous deaths could end up here.
“I never expected this.”
“Things will get busy from now on. The title of Queen is a keyword that places you at the center of the social scene.”
The Queen of the Hunting Festival — according to Abel, this title would suffice to overshadow one’s ill reputation, yet somehow, I felt a sense of futility at being thrust back into the spotlight.
Why did Abel participate in the Hunting Festival?
As far as I knew, Abel had never taken part in any such festival before — a fact I learned in passing from Estelle.
Still, why choose to participate this year?
“Could the reason be—”
“Of course, it’s because of the contract.”
“Is that so…”
Abel von Hardenberg will act as the fiancé of Adelle von Este for one year and provide all possible support.
Yes, there was that contract. A faint feeling of disappointment, mixed with a sense of yearning, stirred within me.
What exactly was I hoping for? That everything he did was entirely for me?
It was clear that at no point had I felt any excitement from Abel—it was more like being in the company of a beautiful doll.
Then why did this strange emotion arise?
Did Abel sense the turmoil within me? He smirked and questioned,
“Are you disappointed?”
“What? Me?”
Disappointment?
I had no reason to feel that way. On the contrary, I should be grateful to him.
I refuted Abel’s question immediately, but he offered a knowing smile.
“Hmm… if you say so then that’s that.”
Thereafter, the conversation ceased as we returned to the duke’s residence, leaving me with an odd sense of silence. Yet, despite the awkwardness, I did not show it openly, as Abel had certainly fulfilled his role as a fiancé admirably.
§
As Abel predicted, I indeed became busier in the following days.
Navigating endless waves of invitations, deciding which to accept and reject. It seemed straightforward but proved complicated due to the intricate relationships between the noble families.
If not for Allan’s advice, I might have unknowingly caused all sorts of trouble.
The seasoned butler’s guidance allowed me, even with little knowledge of politics, to understand the nuances of family relations.
I picked up a new letter and opened it, only to see the sender’s name before I could marvel at the elegant and luxurious paper.
“Estelle?”
Upon recalling, Estelle did mention sending me an invitation. This must be it. I continued reading the letter.
[To the esteemed Miss Adelle,
How have you been? Congratulations on claiming the Queen’s title at the Hunting Festival. I am formally sending the invitation we previously discussed.
Sorry for the delay. I hope you can forgive me, as I’ve been quite preoccupied.
I would be delighted if you could attend the tea party I am hosting and grace the occasion with your presence.
As it is a tea party, there’s no need to worry too much—please feel free to come at your own ease.
– Your Friend, Estelle von Louis.]
A simple message with a straightforward purpose—this stood in stark contrast to the other grandiose and overwrought invitations I had received.
What exactly did Estelle intend by inviting me?
Despite my suspicions, I saw no reason or pretext to decline, given that refusing the invitation from someone as influential as Estelle could have unforeseen consequences. And being at the center of the social scene, she could certainly provide me with valuable information.
With her help, I could learn more about Abel—his background, his character, and the details about the children he took in, as Evan had mentioned.
“Alan, is it okay to accept this invitation?”
“Miss Adelle.”
Speaking in a measured tone, Alan pointed out something I should’ve already realized.
“Though you should take my advice into consideration, the decisions you must make ultimately rest with you.”
“I understand.”
How many times had I been reminded of this? It was a hard-to-break habit, one that stemmed from the past sufferings and deaths caused by the infamous reputation of an evildoer.
“By the way, Princess Aria has also extended an invitation.”
True to Alan’s word, the official seal of the royal family was embossed on the invitation. The golden insignia of the royal emblem left no doubt about its authenticity.
Aria von Schpenheim.
The only royal princess of the empire who relinquished her inheritance rights and was known for her solitary nature, often compared to an unfading flower.
“Why would she extend an invitation to me?”
