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Chapter 65

"For giving me the chance to protect a certain child."

"Ah..."

A small sigh escaped Selena's lips.

"Thanks to the letter you sent, I was able to protect Ivan."

Emilia spoke with sincere gratitude.

"So his name is Ivan."

Selena quietly repeated the name she'd heard for the first time.

"I..."

She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her gaze and continued softly.

"I only delivered the letter."

She didn't want to be overpraised for what she'd done.

After all, she hadn't personally confronted her mother.

Even her decision to help the child wasn't entirely born of pure goodwill.

It stemmed from guilt she'd carried for a long time.

But even so.

"I'm glad the child is safe."

Selena smiled slowly.

"Truly."

Even if it had been a small act, knowing it had helped protect someone made her happy.

Above all, this time she wouldn't have to regret it.

But Selena's brightened expression soon dimmed.

"Duchess, my mother won't give up on that child."

Selena knew better than anyone what kind of person her mother was.

When it came to Aron, she would stop at nothing.

Moreover, the child Ivan was her father's illegitimate son. His very existence threatened Aron's position.

Unlike Selena, who could be left alone as long as she didn't cause trouble, Ivan was different.

At her concerned words, the Duchess nodded.

"Yes, I'll keep that in mind."

It was a gentle yet unwavering answer.

Selena smiled faintly in relief.

At first, she'd thought of the Duchess as a pitiful woman who had simply been swept into the position.

But that was her misconception.

Even in this short time, she'd seen that the Duchess had an inner strength stronger than anyone.

Meanwhile, Emilia listened at the door of the reception room.

Fortunately, there was still no sign of the maids returning.

She recalled the moment they'd headed to the reception room.

"I think I should cool the swelling—could you take me somewhere inside?"

Though she'd asked the Princess, normally the maids would have guided her.

But the maids at the tea party had all hesitated, exchanging glances.

They didn't even seem to know where the reception room was.

Information a maid in the Princess's palace should naturally know.

Just then, Lucas—who had been on escort duty—crossed her mind.

The maids didn't seem much different from that knight.

They must all be the Empress's people.

That was why she'd deliberately sent the maids out of the room, using the excuse of fetching ice, so she could speak with the Princess alone.

"Your Highness."

Emilia spoke cautiously.

"I know this is sudden, but could you answer one question for me?"

Selena looked puzzled for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes, if it's something I can answer."

"Is there a hunting competition planned by the imperial household this year?"

"A hunting competition?"

It was such an unexpected question that Selena repeated it.

The hunting competition was a major event hosted by the imperial household, and the prize for the winner changed each year.

And in one particular year, an unimaginable prize had been offered—

The hand of the Princess in marriage.

Incredibly, that had been the winner's prize.

Emilia recalled a brief conversation from the original story.

"Last year's hunting prize was amazing."

"Ah, right. Who would've thought the Princess herself would be the prize?"

The young lords chuckled.

"Everyone went crazy back then. They all had their eyes on it."

"In the end, it was Marquess Monstera who won, wasn't it?"

"Yep."

Another lord shrugged.

"Lucky. If the Duke of Valen had participated, the outcome would have been different."

At that, everyone nodded.

"What do you think this year's prize will be?"

"Who knows. But didn't things get messy last time? Even the Princess's knight who resisted got killed. So they'll probably pick something safer this time."

"What's there to wonder about? This year's winner is already decided anyway."

"True enough. Man, I should have participated when the Duke wasn't there. Could've aimed for the Princess too."

In the original story, Kayden participates in the imperial hunting competition next year.

Which meant the hunting competition offering the Princess as a prize should be held this year...

"Pardon? There's no hunting competition scheduled this year?"

"Yes, as far as I know."

That was the answer Herald had given when she'd asked about it.

So Emilia had also asked about Marquess Monstera.

"Marquess Monstera... he's not a good person."

He had recently lost his wife, and his temperament was known to be brutal.

Above all, he was classified as part of the Empress's faction.

"Ah, come to think of it—"

Selena said, as if remembering.

"Since last week, Aron—I mean, the Prince—has been preparing for a hunting competition."

At that, Emilia's gaze darkened.

As I thought—it just hasn't been announced publicly yet.

A hunting competition hosted by the Prince, with Marquess Monstera, a man of the Empress's faction, set to win...

It was too neatly orchestrated to be a coincidence.

This year's winner was already predetermined to be Marquess Monstera.

Driving the game toward him would be easy enough.

Emilia studied Selena's puzzled face.

As expected, this clearly wasn't something Selena had agreed to.

If she knew she herself was the prize, she wouldn't be so calm.

In the original story, Selena's life after marrying Marquess Monstera wasn't shown.

But did it really need to be spelled out?

Then another thought crossed her mind.

If that's the case, could the knight who died resisting have been Lucas?

Just then, Selena noticed Emilia's darkened expression and asked with concern.

"Are you alright, Duchess?"

"Ah, yes. I'm fine."

Emilia quickly smiled.

And inwardly, she made a decision.

She had no intention of letting this kind-hearted girl—who had risked herself for a child she didn't even know—end up like the original story.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the reception room.

Ah, already.

Selena, also sensing the maids' presence, whispered to Emilia.

"Duchess, thank you for telling me this."

As her soft voice faded, the reception room door opened and the maids entered.

"We've brought ice and towels."

"Thank you."

Emilia smiled as if nothing had happened and accepted the ice pack.

As she placed it on her arm, a cool sensation spread through her skin.

While the heat in her reddened skin subsided, Selena spoke to one of the maids.

"Please fetch Sir Lucas to escort our guest."

"Y-yes!"

It was the same maid who had spilled the tea earlier and had been anxious ever since.

She quickly bowed and left the room.

Meanwhile, Emilia inwardly cheered.

I was just thinking of how to meet Lucas alone.

Before long, Lucas arrived.

Emilia set aside the ice pack with a composed expression.

But the moment she looked up and met Lucas's eyes, she couldn't help but raise a mental question mark.

Why does he look like that?

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