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“The first contestant has just crossed the finish line! Victory, Princess Lilith Rubinstein!”
The judge raised his voice to announce my victory. The unexpected appearance of the winner shook the venue.
I felt bewildered as I pulled the reins to stop Zephyr.
Then Cheshire came.
‘Wow, could it be that he… purposely waiting for me to win without crossing the finish line?’
Does that make sense? With a racing instinct, it would be harder to control a horse like that.
Unless it’s almost at the same level of body communication with a horse—.
I stuck out my tongue. As expected, he was the main character.
“Congratulations on winning. I’ll dispel the fall prevention magic.”
The official came up to help me get off the horse.
Then he was surprised.
“Huh?”
The magic had already been dispelled, and my condition, which he checked up close was—.
Because it was horrible.
My cheek hurt, and I felt like I had bruises all over my body because of the throbbing pain.
I shook my foot, which I had pulled out of the saddle. The people who watched the scene were buzzing.
“What? Why did she get hurt like that?”
“S, she looks like she fell?”
“Are you crazy? Wasn’t the anti-fall magic applied properly?”
“It can’t be! I definitely checked before she left!”
Tournament officials poured out, all trembling with contemplative faces.
They were all terrified.
It deserves it. Because I’m not an ordinary person—.
The youngest participant in the first horseback riding.
What was worse is—.
“Lilith!”
Because I’m the daughter of the Duke of Rubinstein.
As the officials opened the way like the miracle of Moses, Dad strode forward with surprised eyes.
There was Grandfather behind him.
“What happened…”
“Dad…”
I stretched out my arms. Dad hugged me and checked everywhere without closing his mouth.
“Why, why are you so hurt? Did you fall? Why is the magic release?”
Without a chance to answer, Dad looked back angrily. Grandfather also already looked angry to the top of his head.
At the momentum of the two, the officials lowered their necks in unison.
“No, Dad. The magic worked well. It releases in the middle.”
“So why is that…!”
Then Damon crossed the finish line.
His face was blue as he recognized the chaotic atmosphere.
‘Are you worried now? Tsk tsk.’
I came down from Dad’s arms with a sigh.
The ceremony hall became quiet as if it had poured cold water.
All eyes were on me.
Even in the midst of it, I saw reporters holding pens with shining eyes.
“I was running with Young Master Martini on course C, and suddenly Young Master Martini released the magic on my saddle.”
“Huh! How can you…!”
“O, oh my!”
“T, that’s cheating, right?”
“Didn’t he know it was a foul? He must have done it impulsively because he was about to lose!”
I could hear the reporters whispering.
Damon got off his horse and stood there, trembling uncomfortably.
“Without magic, I’m still not good at horseback riding… so I fell once. That’s when I got hurt.”
Dad looked at Damon angrily.
Perhaps they knew that their son had had an accident, and Count Martini and his wife came running in a hurry, not knowing what to do.
“It’s a shame. I can’t just let it go.”
Grandfather turned to the Count, Count’s wife and Damon.
“Wait!”
I ran in a hurry and caught my grandfather.
And this time, I raised my voice again so reporters could write good articles.
“I’m fine, Grandfather.”
“What?”
“It hurts a little, but I’m not seriously injured. And I can understand Young Master Martini’s feeling. Everyone is watching Young Master Martini, so he must have wanted to win.”
“Oh my.”
“What? She forgives him for this?”
The reporter’s pens moved quickly.
“Grandfather, this is just Young Master Martini doing it without realizing, so please don’t scold him. I’m begging you.”
Grandfather looked down at me quietly.
“Hey, she’s not Rubinstein for no reason.”
“That’s the virtue of an aristocrat….”
“How can that be forgiven?”
“That’s amazing, she’s still young.”
I choked back my laughter as I listened to the reporters’ voices.
Having won the championship, thanks to Cheshire’s consideration, I will get everything I can get from here today.
Winning trophy.
Family reputation.
Even the image of a generous aristocrat…!
‘If I thought about it, it was a bit weak.’
This is how life is supposed to be.
There was nothing wrong with my leg, but I limped up to Damon.
Every time I took a pitiful step, there was a pitiful sigh around me.
“It was a good match, Young Master Martini.”
Damon, annoyed by how I acted when I tried to shake hands, rolled his eyes and tremble.
“Look at him not accepting a handshake.”
“No, the princess went so far, why is he like that?”
“I’m sure he’ll be upset because he lost the championship trophy.”
Damon, who was turning his head around due to the buzz around him, was forced to shake hands soon.
“Let’s compete fair and square next time we meet.”
“Y, yes, p, princess… I, I’m sorry….”
Damon clenched his teeth as if he were said, “Since everyone was looking at me, I had to apologize.”
I smiled brightly and opened my arms to signify a hug.
“That’s really great. Skills are skills and distribution is amazing.”
“If you’re an heir to Rubinstein, you have to do that!”
As I hugged Damon’s shoulder as he lowered his body, exclamations of praise erupted from the surroundings.
Ah…! This fancy spotlight!
I laughed and told Damon very, very quietly,
“You’re mad, right~? You’re mad~?”
I whispered.
******
May’s Spring Festival came to an end splendidly.
The biggest issue during the festival is definitely the horse riding competition.
Newspaper articles poured out steadily.
<The youngest winner of the horse riding competition is born!>
<Rubinstein’s precious child wins the horse riding competition trophy!>
<Princess Rubinstein, “I only practiced five hours the day before the competition.”>
<The Duke of Rubinstein appears in public for the first time since his return ceremony>
<2nd place also Rubinstein? The boy under the guardianship of the Duke, who is he?>
<Count Martini’s Young Master, a foul commotion blinded to victory>
<Princess Rubinstein, “I understand Young Master Martini’s feelings.” display the virtues of the aristocracy>
<Imperial Equestrian Association permanently deprives Count Martini’s Young Master of future equestrian competitions!>
<Controversy over Count Martini’s Young Master’s dissolution of the previous year’s partner, the famous horse Zephyr.>
<Princess Rubinstein, I feel sorry for the story of ‘Zephyr’…. Adopting an injured horse, a good story that waves out>
I was pretty satisfied with newspapers that had good headlines.
“Zephyr, smile! This will last a lifetime!”
Another good thing happened.
I stroked Zephyr and waved to Cheshire and Walter approaching from afar.
“Cheshire, come quickly!”
We posed side by side in front of the beautiful ducal garden.
Then, a middle-aged man with an easel, brushes, and palettes twitched his butterfly-shaped mustache.
“Take the reins with your right hand, um. Put your left hand down lightly.”
“Like this?”
“Yes, that posture is perfect now.”
He was a court painter.
After hearing about my victory, the Emperor personally ordered him to draw a commemorative portrait.
It was unusual for a high-ranking court painter to visit and paint a portrait of an aristocratic family personally.
“Cheshire, shall we hold hands?”
“…”
Cheshire looked down at me and took my hand first.
“Hehe.”
A warm spring day.
The weather was nice, and my heart was pounding.
I smiled broadly.
* * *
A boy and a girl in equestrian clothes are holding hands affectionately.
A beautiful white horse and a black horse stood next to it.
The portrait of the court painter, which looked like it had been frozen in time, was hung in the middle of the Duke’s living room.
Cheshire looked at it for a long time.
“Wow, I’m so envious. I won the hunting contest too, so why don’t they draw it?”
“Lilith was the youngest winner. It’s a huge deal. Would you two be the same?”
At that time, the twins who approached looked at the portrait and admired it.
Cheshire turned around and saw that each of them was holding a box.
“…What is that?”
“Ah, this?”
Leon smiled and whispered quietly in Cheshire’s ear.
“Princess Lara’s dress.”
“This is Princess Lala’s tiara.”
Theo smiled too.
Oh, it’s a birthday present. Cheshire realized.
The Duke’s residence was very busy right now, because of Lilith’s birthday, which was approaching in three days.
“I heard that production was finished this morning, so I went to pick it up as soon as I woke up.”
Leon showed off and opened the box slightly.
A red silk dress was decorated with jewels that hurt his eyes.
“Originally, Princess Lara’s dress didn’t have any jewels on it. So I made a special order to put a lot of jewels in the dressing room.”
“I also made a tiara separately. When I tried to buy ready-made goods, they all imitated fake jewelry. That’s why I ordered a new one. 200 diamonds and 5 rubies.”
“…I see.”
The small things shining brightly were diamonds, and the red jewel in the middle was a top-quality ruby.
“I have to hide it until my birthday. Are you going to lie about not preparing anything?”
“And Lilith will be upset.”
“Pft. First, hide it, hide it.”
Leon and Theo, who had been exchanging, took the box and disappeared excitedly.
Cheshire, who was left behind, watched the two of them quietly and then returned to his room.
‘Birthday…’
There was a small package when he opened the desk drawer next to the bed.
When he flipped the package over and brushed it on his palm, four silver coins rolled out.