Chapter 20 – Part 2

"Again... you're frightened."

Although Raniero seemed to be in a good mood when I was trembling.

"How's your body?"

"...It's not bad."

"What will you do first when you enter the hunting ground?"

"I'm going to run to the center. To get a high position..."

"Haha."

...What is so funny?

"I'd like to avoid close combat..."

"Well. You didn't survive my dagger even for a minute."

"I was still alive for thirty seconds..."

"Do you know why? You're moving absurdly slow."

Yes... Thank you. Ah, even if he did not say that, I know that His Majesty is amazing.

Little by little, a clattering noise could be heard from outside. It was because my hearing was better now.

Today would be the first time I met the nobles other than the maids. No, would we even meet? It would be only at the evening banquet that I can 'meet' them and talk. If I did not survive, I would not be able to debut in the social world as an empress and would die.

'Ha...'

Upset. I am upset.

Not knowing how I felt, after he put me on his lap, he shut his eyes until the attendant came in and told us that we needed to get ready.

It must seem like we were a very good couple to anyone. In fact, it was nothing more than a relationship between a hunter who trained his prey and a prey who coveted a chance to escape.

A voice could be heard from outside as the Priest announced the start of the summer solstice festival. When Raniero got up and reached out to me, I placed my fingertips on his very lightly like a feather, being extremely careful not to offend him.

Seeing that, he turned his head at my funny look and smiled. Then, he and I slowly took a step forward in front of the balcony.

It was the beginning of summer solstice.

The dazzling sun rose high in the sky, and a large number of people gathered in the open space of the garden. Seeing them, I lightly placed my hand on the balcony railing and glanced down at them.

Why is Sylvia's face so prominent among so many people...?

I waved my hands to them.

After a brief greeting, the Priest gave a speech. In the meantime, we had to go down the stairs of the Main Palace and step out into the garden to sit in the seats reserved for us.

Today is going to be a hectic and long day...

I stepped forward with a tense smile on my face.

Raniero seemed quite happy until noon when he brought in the raging cow and slaughtered it alive. Nonetheless, when he reached the point where he recited a prayer and received the Priest's blessing, he looked bored to death.

I was terrified that he would ask me to stop eating lunch and start the entertaining hunt.

He is a human being who can do anything he wants.

Fortunately, however, he did not try to decapitate the Priest.

​​

While Raniero and I offered our prayers to the God Actilla, the slaughtered cows were skinned and roasted in the most primitive way imaginable. Its flesh, which had not even been seasoned, would be eaten by us, and the leftovers would be shared with people all throughout the Capital.

'They gave me food... Can this even be called food?'

The luncheon ceremony was held at a time when it was almost embarrassing to call it lunch. It was more like an outdoor dinner. There were obviously old-fashioned high-ranking aristocrats in a place where there was lively and loud music, and they had no qualms about destroying the etiquette of their meals.

Displaying rudeness, they were attacking each other with unimaginable obscenities in their mouths. At first glance, it was said that it was a deviation permitted only in the summer solstice festival. It was a day to commemorate God Actilla, so they would show their belligerent side to each other.

Of course, their aggression was not directed towards us, the Emperor and his wife.

To some extent, that was what they did with each other. Raniero and I, who were excluded from their aggression, seemed rather invisible at this luncheon. It was like being in another world with a transparent wall.

A glass of wine was poured in front of me, who was confused and did not know where to look or what to say. It was given to me by Raniero.

At that, I glanced at him involuntarily.

He then raised his own glass to it. There was a slight clink sound that resounded when the two glasses collided.

"It's a gift."

Raniero's glass was still overlapping mine. Although his liquor was transparent yellow—

Mine was...

It was as red as blood.

It was obviously not the same liquid as in Raniero's cup.

My heart started beating like crazy. But, as always, I had no right to refuse.

I grabbed the stem of the glass with trembling hands. It must be 'entertaining' for him to feed me like this...

I did not know if that would be good for me or terribly bad. However, one thing is certain. This alcohol would definitely cause some changes to my body. As long as I was in front of Raniero, every moment was a gamble.

I held up the glass and drank it all the way.

Beyond the viscosity of the alcohol smell, I could taste a strange, unpleasant bitterness.

"Drinking it all the way to the end, huh? I won't allow any leftovers."

Raniero put his lips close to my ear and whispered.

I did what I was told.

Seeing how obedient I was, he smiled a little and opened his mouth again.

"I guess you'll drink anything I give to you even if it's poison sweetly?"

"What kind of drink is this...?"

"Don't ask."

Saying so, he lifted his lips from my ear and emptied his glass. The next moment, he turned to me with his chin. Gazing at me, Raniero smiled with a beautiful face like a painting.

"You'll find out soon enough."