It's Too Late for Regrets - Chapter 10.2

As if she were the most precious and beloved woman in the world.

 

Her eyes were too absorbed for just seeing a close friend with a sad story…

 

Before she knew it, the young ladies who had moved far away from them covered their mouths and quietly whispered among themselves.

 

Even outsiders could clearly see it.

 

“…It feels like a whole novel about us is already finished, Your Majesty.”

 

She carefully stepped back one step, aware of the surrounding gazes.

 

But it was no use because he immediately took her hand and pulled her back.

 

“I wish they would write a first, second, and even a sequel.”

 

Edgar naturally led her toward him. Ines purposely looked away from the countess behind them, who was clenching her fist tightly.

 

“You should catch at least one yourself. What do you want to hunt?”

 

“I’m okay just watching.”

 

“Oh, it’s not like I’m going to make you ride just to watch.”

 

Edgar held her hand firmly and helped her mount the horse.

 

The well-trained white horse moved calmly, making only a few quick steps despite carrying a stranger. She sat on the horse a bit clumsily.

 

Edgar glanced at the young attendant and then climbed up behind her.

 

“If you’re scared, tell me. I’ll take you around once and then get you down.”

 

“No… no.”

 

She denied it for now but awkwardly placed one hand on the horse’s back.

 

She was brave but it was her first time riding such a big horse, and the distance from the ground made her feel a little dizzy.

 

Her body kept wobbling.

 

With a low laugh, Edgar wrapped one arm around her waist.

 

“Lean back. Relax.”

 

“Sorry. The horses I used to ride weren’t this tall.”

 

“You apologize for everything.”

 

When Edgar pulled the whip, the horse started walking forward with the sound of its hooves clicking.

 

Ines muttered, unable to hide her embarrassment.

 

“I’ve been the grand duchess for six years, but I don’t know what I was doing if I never learned how to ride a horse.”

 

“Of course they wouldn’t teach you.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Ines looked at him with wide eyes, but Edgar didn’t answer and pulled the reins.

 

Her cousin wouldn’t allow his wife to ride a horse.

 

Worrying she might run away, he had already clipped her wings, so horseback riding was out of the question.

 

As the emperor’s horse began moving, the nobles joining the hunt started mounting their horses one by one and moved toward the entrance.

 

Ines casually glanced at their faces as they came closer.

 

Maybe Caesar came too.

 

She saw many young noble boys attending earlier…

 

But even after looking around carefully, no one from Eleanor’s house was there.

 

The nobles entered the forest in order, starting with the highest rank; after the emperor, it should be the grand duke, followed by Duke Heselid.

 

“Maybe he’s sick…”

 

Worry gnawed at her heart as the forest entrance neared.

 

Edgar lit the bronze torch standing at the entrance.

 

The hunting tournament had officially begun.

 

 

At that moment, Caesar was being scolded strictly by Leon in a corner of the luxurious tent set for the nobles.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“Well…”

 

“I told you not to keep hiding things from your father, Caesar.”

 

Leon rarely scolded his son. He was more the forgiving type.

 

But even he couldn’t ignore when his son hid that he was sick.

 

Caesar pouted sadly.

 

“I wanted to go hunting with you…”

 

A small cough mixed in his words.

 

He had tried to hold back the cough, but it burst out badly and Leon noticed.

 

Leon bit his lip hard.

 

The boy had been sick often lately.

 

Though it was just minor illnesses and Robert said nothing serious, every time Caesar acted a bit different, Leon felt like going through hell.

 

Leon grabbed the boy’s shoulders firmly.

 

“Let’s go home.”

 

“Ugh, no. I want to stay here longer.”

 

“If you keep riding horses while coughing like this, you’ll be sick for a whole week. You don’t want that, right? Listen to me, Caesar.”

 

“You said you’d catch a squirrel for me…”

 

Caesar clung tightly to his thigh, determined not to return to the mansion like this.

 

Tears welled up in his clear green eyes. Leon tried to comfort the coughing, sniffling boy.

 

“The squirrel can wait. You can ask Kian to catch one later. Let’s go back to Eleanor and go hunting with your father.”

 

“Sniff…”

 

After sweating a lot, it didn’t work well.

 

Caesar was not a kid who easily threw tantrums. He usually said he was fine and never said what he really wanted.

 

“Squirrel…”

 

Hearing his son beg while on the edge of tears, Leon couldn’t say no.

 

He sighed deeply and hugged the boy.

 

“Alright. Let’s catch only one squirrel. Promise me.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Leon carefully helped Caesar onto his black horse and lightly tapped the horse to mount behind the boy.

 

Just before pulling the reins, he nodded to the attendant and shaman Lim accompanying them.

 

“Kian, you follow us. The rest wait here. We’ll be back in half an hour.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

The grand duke and prince disappeared beyond the forest entrance.

 

Lim, a man with long black hair tied up, watched them leave and then turned around.

 

“…I’ll rest a little. I’ll come back in half an hour.”

 

“Do that. Ugh, my body feels stiff…”

 

The attendant stretched and slowly walked away.

 

After a few minutes, the shaman, who had been standing still, began to move.

 

 

The bowstring was pulled tight.

 

As Edgar’s breath grew quiet beside her ear, Ines held her breath without thinking.

 

The target was a small squirrel picking up acorns from a tree stump with a rustle.

 

“Too cute to kill…”

 

But they had to catch at least one, and she didn’t have the courage to hunt big animals like deer.

 

Ines bit her lip nervously, staring at where the arrow pointed.

 

Edgar’s hand lay on top of hers pulling the bowstring. Actually, it was more like Edgar shooting, and she just placed her hands there.

 

“Focus, Ines.”

 

He whispered, his breath tickling the back of her neck.

 

Ines swallowed hard but closed her eyes tightly when releasing the bowstring.

 

The arrow flew with a chilling whistle toward the target.

 

Lowering the bow, Edgar muttered seriously.

 

“Shall we go see it up close…?”

 

He dropped the reins and jumped down. The servants who carried the hunted animals followed but Edgar stopped them with a gesture.

 

Ines watched with a complicated expression as he approached the spot where the arrow stuck.

 

It was just a small, insignificant animal, but somehow she felt like the arrow had pierced her own neck.

 

Edgar returned soon.

 

Ines, who was ready to see a bloodied squirrel’s corpse with wide eyes, was surprised by the unexpected sight.

 

“Uh…”

 

In his hand was a squirrel about the size of two fists. It had its cheeks full of acorns and its tail curled cutely.

 

Seeing her dumbfounded face, Edgar burst out laughing.

 

“You must have been very nervous. Did you really think I would catch the squirrel?”

 

“Ah… well…”

 

“It’s normal to feel uneasy if you’re not used to hunting. It’s okay. Want to touch it?”

 

Ines carefully reached out and took the squirrel from him. The wild squirrel raised its tail as a sign of caution.

 

“Normally, you should catch one and offer it to the ritual for good luck…”

 

Edgar teased with a playful tone and a boyish smile looking up at her.

 

“Well, bad luck is okay too, right?”

 

“Yes… I’m fine. The count will provide what the Irope family needs.”

 

“Alright then.”

 

Edgar agreed lightly and climbed behind her again. They were still at the forest entrance.

 

“Go back and play with the squirrel. I think I have to wish good luck for all the empire’s people. To catch that much, I’ll have to move quickly from now on.”

 

“Oh, okay. Then I’ll go back to the countess.”

 

“No, you should go to the prince.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Because the horse was moving, Ines didn’t see his face, but his voice near her ear was still kind.

 

“I know you kept looking for the prince. I saw him near the tent earlier. The grand duke went into the forest, so he’s probably with his nurse or guard now.”

 

“Oh…”

 

“You should meet him quickly now.”

 

While Ines was stunned by his unexpected words, they were already outside the forest entrance.

 

With the help of a servant, Ines got off the white horse. She thought long about what to say, but in the end only managed a simple thank you.

 

“Thank you for letting me watch, Your Majesty. Because of you, I held a bow for the first time… and touched a squirrel for the first time too.”

 

Edgar always took her to new places and gave her new experiences. When she was with him, Ines didn’t need to worry, fear, or be nervous.

 

With him, she could always smile and live peaceful days.

 

“It feels like Your Majesty is widening my world… You might think it’s nothing, but to someone like me, everything is so new and amazing.”