Chapter 10: A Swift Journey

It seems that Raymond and the others are ultimately venturing out from the Marquis’s mansion as their starting point.

When Eva casually asked about it when we met inside the mansion, they mentioned that there is a rose garden here, and everyone finds it comfortable to stay because they can gain vitality from the roses. It appears that there are other vampires here as well.

Since the evening meal on the first day they arrived at the mansion, Eva has not been invited to dinner when Raymond is present.

Eva no longer cares about how Raymond feels about it or how her uncles explain it.

There are only a few days left until she goes to the capital.

Her uncle said that she would be engaged to Count Burke at the ball. If the rumors are true, Eva will not return to her territory anymore. It seems that her uncle has no intention of bringing Eva back, and that’s why she will be engaged in the capital.

Preparing for the possibility that she may never return, Eva packed her belongings.

She asked Annie to secretly store the remaining dresses of her mother that haven’t been altered and books from the Dacian Empire. She hopes to come back for them someday.

Annie, perhaps understanding Eva’s determination, accepted with a tearful expression.

Since learning about her mother’s origins from Raymond, Eva has become even more interested in the Dacian Empire. She has been reading books containing the history and information about the nobles of the Dacian Empire that she cannot take to the capital. However, since she still hasn’t asked about her mother’s maiden name, she remains in the dark about her maternal family.

If the Queen, who is Raymond’s mother and was supposedly close to Eva’s grandmother, was indeed close, then they must be relatively high-ranking nobles.

Raymond might tell her if she asks, but Eva is afraid to know. Despite her curiosity, she still hasn’t brought herself to ask.

She hasn’t spoken to Lucas since that night in the rose garden. Sometimes, she sees Lucas from a distance when she goes out to the garden. Conversely, there are times when she feels Lucas’s gaze on her.

Seeing Lucas’s unchanged expression even when their eyes meet makes Eva wonder if the events in the rose garden were just a dream.

Before going to tend to the rose garden, Eva has made it a habit to stop by the stables to greet Roch and the other horses. This morning, as usual, she entered the stables.

It seems that Raymond and the others have not yet left this morning.

Roch and the Dacian Empire’s horses were relaxing in their respective stalls.

“Roch.”

When she called softly, Roch looked back at her with gentle eyes.

“Did you sleep well? Have you had breakfast yet?”

As if asking to be petted, Roch rubbed his nose against her. Eva couldn’t help but find Roch cute and start petting him.

“Hey Roch, I wonder what kind of country you were born in. Is it more comfortable to live there than here? How do I look from Roch’s perspective? Am I no different from others? There are many people here who think they know me just because of the color of my hair and eyes. This morning, my cousin called me a witch. I wish I could really become a witch. I would use magic to go to a place other than this country. Yeah, I want to see the country where Roch was born. After visiting various countries, I would live in a place where I felt comfortable. What does Roch want to do? Do you want to run freely? I want to ride on Roch’s back someday, but it’s just a dream that may never come true.”

“In that case, want to give it a try?”

“Eh?”

Startled by the low voice, she turned around, and Lucas was standing a little way off.

He heard all that?

She felt embarrassed. Heat gathered on her cheeks.

“Lucas… Your Highness.”

“I’m just Lucas, a mere attendant to the Viscount for now.”

“Lord Lucas.”

Lucas nodded satisfactorily, and she couldn’t help but ask.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Perhaps from asking if you slept well.”

not from the beginning.

“It’s embarrassing… If you were here, you should have said something.”

She covered her reddened cheeks with both hands as if to hide her embarrassment.

She remembered talking about childish things when she thought no one was listening.

Embarrassed, she couldn’t bring herself to look at Lucas.

“I thought Roch seemed comfortable, so I didn’t want to disturb.”

“No, please disturb!”

A muffled chuckle could be heard.

Is he really laughing?

Unconsciously, she removed her hands from her face and looked up at Lucas.

Lucas, whose expression is usually unreadable, had raised the corners of his mouth, and his red eyes were smiling like a crescent moon as he looked at Eva.

Eva was captivated by the first smile directed at her by Lucas.

“What are you smiling at?”

She unintentionally asked in a somewhat sulky voice.

“Oh, nothing… I was just thinking that I’d like to use magic too.”

Eva, embarrassed and unable to endure it, was filled with a strong desire to escape.

“I apologize!” With a quick bow of her head, Eva headed briskly outside the stables.

As she tried to pass in front of Lucas, head bowed, he gently grabbed her arm.

Surprised, she looked at Lucas, who, with a calm expression, asked once again, “Want to try riding on Roch’s back?”

“Is it okay?”

“Yeah, of course. Roch seems to like it too.”

Turning to look at Roch, she saw him gazing at her with teary, adorable eyes. It was so cute that Eva couldn’t help but smile.

She turned her gaze back to Lucas. The look in his eyes as he watched Eva was gentle.

“Please, let me ride!”

When Lucas brought a saddle for two, he skillfully placed Eva on Roch’s back. Admiring his efficiency, he said, “Alright, let’s go,” as he quickly mounted Roch.

As a war horse, Roch was slightly larger than the horses Eva had ridden before. Looking up at Lucas on her back, Eva’s body was lifted up by the quickly extending arm, and she found herself sitting sideways in front of Lucas in no time.

What just happened?

Surprised, Eva turned her body towards Lucas, and her face accidentally hit his chest. Looking up, she found Lucas’s face positioned just above her head. From behind, Lucas held the reins like cradling Eva in his arms.

Eva, caught off guard by the sudden closeness, was struck speechless by Lucas’s exquisite beauty.

Unfazed by Eva’s fluster, Lucas said, “Look forward,” and gave the signal to Roch.

“Y-yes!”

Panicking, Eva quickly turned her body forward. When Lucas signaled Roch, they smoothly began to move.

This feels amazing!

As expected of a war horse, Roch’s pace was fast. In no time, they left the Marquis’s mansion grounds and smoothly advanced into the forest.

“Is the speed okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Eva surrendered herself to the sensation of cutting through the wind, enjoying Roch’s powerful strides.

When they reached an open area, Lucas slowed Roch down.

“Wow, Lord Lucas! The flowers are in full bloom, and it’s so beautiful!”

Seeing the scenery of colorful flowers, Eva couldn’t help but exclaim in delight.

After allowing Roch to drink water from a pond near the flower field and graze freely, Eva noticed that Lucas had created a place to sit by pulling his cloak in the shade of the trees.

“Thank you so much for letting me ride Roch and showing me such a beautiful view. This is my first time coming to this place.”

Sitting next to Lucas, Eva expressed her gratitude while watching a flock of butterflies flutter from flower to flower.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I found this place when Roch and I came here for a swift ride before. I wanted to show it to you.”

“To me?”

Surprised, Eva stared back at Lucas.

“I thought you’d appreciate this scenery.”

“Yes! I’m very happy. And I’m also grateful that you remembered me when you went out.”

Lucas gently turned his gaze away. Eva felt like his eyes, as he looked sideways, were slightly reddened.

Is he embarrassed?

The moment she thought that, Eva suddenly felt a rush of embarrassment.

Why did I say something like that?

“Ah… I’m sorry! I, um, said something that might have been a misunderstanding…”

“No, it’s not a misunderstanding. I did remember you, indeed.”

With a smirk, Lucas spoke while looking at Eva. Uncertain how to interpret Lucas’s words, Eva awkwardly turned her gaze forward.

“Can you ride a horse?”

In a murmured tone, Lucas changed the subject. Seizing the opportunity, Eva responded, “Yes! My father taught me when I was a child.”

“So, that’s why you weren’t afraid of Roch’s speed.”

“I had a period of admiring knights. I used to practice riding on a horse and shooting arrows while riding with my father. But it was more like play at the level of childhood. I haven’t ridden a horse recently, so it was really fun to be able to ride again.”

“Come to think of it, the first time I met you, you were shooting arrows too.”

Lucas’s teasing smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“In the Dacian Empire, are noblewomen allowed to carry bows, ride horses, or engage in such activities?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“In the Tifris Kingdom, it’s not considered praise for noblewomen to ride horses. It’s rather frowned upon as indecent behavior. Moreover, engaging in activities like archery, swordsmanship, or martial arts is not seen as suitable for women. It’s a closed-minded country that thinks that way.”

“I see. Do you know about the different races in the Dacian Empire? Each race has unique traits that can be seen as strengths. For example, if you’re a vampire, you have strong physical abilities, regardless of gender. Depending on the lineage, beastmen vary, with some being physically strong and others having agility and speed as strengths. Dwarves are often skilled at crafting, so there are female blacksmiths as well as male jewelers. In the Dacian Empire, there’s no distinction between men and women in pursuing activities. By the way, many female knights are vampires and beastmen.”

The more she hears the conversation, the more she is struck by the differences in perspectives between the two countries.

“Women can be active there. I envy that.”

“Indeed, there are few female knights in the Marquis’s knight order.”

Eva must have conveyed her surprise at why he knew about it.

“Oh, when I have time, I participate in the Marquis’s knight order training.”

“I see. I’ve heard that there are female guards for high-ranking women in the capital… My uncle, however, holds outdated views.”

“The amount of training seems different now compared to the time of the previous lord, when my older brother visited.”

“That’s…”

“Oh, sorry. Those weren’t words meant for you.”

“No, it’s okay. Honestly, how was it?”

“Well, there was a clear difference from the knight order in my place. Well, I might be pushing them too hard.”

“My father often said that the amount of training in peacetime leads to preparedness in times of crisis.”

“Oh, I think the same way.”

Eva was glad to know that Lucas shared the same views as her father. At the same time, she felt a chill at having inadvertently revealed the extent of the knight order guarding the border of another country’s royal family. After all, was it her fault for not telling his uncle that Raymond and the others were members of the Dacian Empire’s royal family?

“Lord Lucas, are you a knight in the Dacian Empire?”

“Yeah, I’m the commander of the Dacian Empire’s knight order.”

(Knight Commander? Why would the strongest person in the Dacian Empire come to the Tifris Kingdom? Is there going to be a war?)

Lucas, who answered casually, seemed to have noticed why Eva’s complexion had turned pale.

“Don’t worry. There are no plans to invade this country at the moment.”

“At the moment…?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Lucas’s deep red eyes softened.

“By the way, don’t you have a longing for knights anymore?”

“Now…”

Suddenly, the conversation shifted, and Eva pondered again.

What is it now?

Since her parents were gone, she felt she hadn’t thought about wanting to be something… She had just been searching for her place.

“I don’t dream of anything now. If there’s something I wish for, it’s to find my place in marriage with my future husband.”

“Marriage?”

“Yes, on the day of the upcoming royal ball, I’m supposed to exchange engagement documents with my prospective partner.”

“…Is the person your sweetheart?”

“I haven’t met him even once. He supposedly said he wanted a second wife.”

“A second wife? For the daughter of the Marquis, finding a partner shouldn’t be a problem.”

“Many dislike the color of my hair and eyes, so…”

Eva smiled self-deprecatingly, and Lucas looked at her with a complex expression.

“Even in marriage, if I could cultivate roses and flowers like here… that would be enough for me.”

“Did you grow the roses in that rose garden?”

“Yes, although I still have a lot to learn from the gardener I call my mentor.”

“I see… I think that rose garden is splendid. Even among the noble gardens in the Dacian Empire, not many can cultivate such a variety of roses so well.”

“Thank you for saying that. My mother was skilled at growing flowers, so I’m working hard to become like her.”

“You mentioned it to Roch, but do you want to go to the Dacian Empire?”

“Yes, if there’s an opportunity, I would like to go someday.”

Recalling her childish remark, Eva blushed as she said, “This country feels closed-minded.”

Lucas casually muttered with a carefree demeanor, “There’s discrimination in the Dacian Empire too.”