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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: The Start of the Hunting Festival
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Giving a handkerchief to someone usually signifies encouragement, so if they were on equal footing, there would be no need to bother.
Moreover, if Aracilla were to win the Hunting Festival as a mage...
'Wouldn't it also be a chance to achieve an external feat that would humble Travis?'
Travis had talent comparable to Aracilla's in the field of magic research, but in offensive capabilities, he couldn't even begin to compare.
He couldn't even hold a candle to her.
He had never achieved any external public recognition. Since he couldn't go out and fight, he stayed cooped up in the Magic Tower, repeatedly researching and inventing.
'If I win the Hunting Festival as the Magic Tower's representative, everyone will shut up.'
It was a good opportunity to avoid giving Demian a personally embroidered handkerchief and to gain public recognition to proudly present to the Magic Tower.
"Paula, there's no rule saying women can't participate in the Hunting Festival, is there?"
"Huh? No, not that I know of. But why? You, surely..."
Aracilla grinned at her astonished friend.
"How could I send my husband to the Hunting Festival alone? As you said, I should participate with him."
"No, I meant you should come as a spectator."
"When's the deadline for submitting applications? I need to declare my intention to participate right away."
Half-listening to her friend, Aracilla called Audrey and ordered her to find out about participating in the Hunting Festival.
Paula rubbed her temples and shook her head.
"Many couples come to the Hunting Festival together, but you two participating together would be the first."
"Really? Good. I like the word 'first'."
Aracilla, who had already made up her mind to participate in the Hunting Festival, smiled brightly.
* * *
Aracilla officially submitted her application for the Hunting Festival. When she informed Demian of this fact, he raised an eyebrow and said,
"That does seem more fitting for my wife."
That was all. He didn't try to dissuade her or make light of her participation.
Instead, the problem arose elsewhere.
As interest focused on the news that the couple would be the first to participate together in the Hunting Festival, a mage versus knight rivalry inadvertently formed.
"Did you hear? The Duchess Vandermir is participating in the Hunting Festival as the Magic Tower's representative this year! Will it be the first time a woman wins?"
"Oh, come on, Sir Vandermir, that amazing knight, is also participating! Knights are usually better at hunting than mages, aren't they?"
"No, they say the Duchess Vandermir is a mage with unexpected talent in offensive magic."
"Still, I think Sir Vandermir's chances of winning are higher, don't you? He's a Sword Master, after all!"
This external atmosphere naturally permeated into the Magic Tower and the Knights Order.
Aracilla's juniors and the members of the Red Hawk Knights badgered their respective superiors, demanding a win at the Hunting Festival.
"Senior! You absolutely cannot go easy on your husband! You must win and come back!"
"Commander! You must not lose, even if it's your wife! You must win since this is your first time participating!"
The two, who hadn't given it much thought, found their competitive spirits subtly flaring as they repeatedly heard such remarks.
Since they were originally members of the Cetron Empire's representative rival organizations, it was impossible for a sense of competition not to arise.
The competitive spirit they had suppressed for the sake of their contract marriage, each pursuing their own goals, slowly crept out.
"Are you preparing well for the Hunting Festival, wife?"
Demian, who had returned from training in preparation for the Hunting Festival, met Aracilla at the entrance and asked.
Aracilla, who had also returned home late for the same reason, nodded vaguely.
"Yes, well. Just doing alright. What about you, Demian?"
"I just swing my sword around in my spare time."
It was like a conversation between academy students who studied all night for an exam but pretended to their friends the next day that they'd gone to bed early.
"Then work hard, Demian."
"Well, I don't think it's something I need to put that much effort into. You work hard too, wife."
"It's not something I need to put immense effort into either."
The two, who had returned to their respective bedrooms and studies, thought:
*I'll do extra practice starting tomorrow.*
And so, on the day of the Hunting Festival.
A strange tension flowed between the couple as their carriage traveled to Panther Forest on the outskirts of the capital, where the Hunting Festival was being held.
Demian subtly glanced at Aracilla. Her hair was tied high in a single ponytail, and she was dressed in a dark blue checkered hunting outfit.
Her fair neck was coolly exposed.
In her hand was a long, massive staff she didn't usually carry. The large, blue spherical magic stone embedded at the top sparkled.
'She came prepared.'
Meanwhile, Aracilla also subtly scrutinized her husband with a side glance. His hunting attire, based on black and gray, accentuated his already fine physique more than usual.
His hair was neatly swept back so as not to obstruct his vision, revealing his well-defined features.
Aracilla narrowed her eyes when she saw the sword with a hawk emblem at his waist.
'Isn't he a bit too dressed up?'
Perhaps because he possessed a body and face that could look splendid even in rags, wearing hunting attire that clung to his body made him seem dressed up.
"Will you be able to run in that outfit? What if it tears if it catches on a branch?"
Aracilla broke the silence and spoke first. Her tone implied he should take it easy, as his attire seemed uncomfortable for running.
"You, wife, your boots look uncomfortable. Be careful. You might trip."
Demian replied calmly. His tone implied she shouldn't trip and should take it easy.
Sparks flew as their gazes met in the air.
'I'll definitely win.'
'I'm the one who'll win the Hunting Festival.'
The two, who happened to desire the same thing at the same moment, were, in a way, a perfectly matched couple.
* * *
Numerous tents were set up near the entrance of Panther Forest. The higher a family's prestige, the larger their tent, and the closer it was to the tents where the imperial family stayed.
This year's Hunting Festival participants and spectators gathered in groups of three or five. Since it was a Hunting Festival hosted by the Imperial Family, all renowned nobles were in attendance.
Naturally, the Vandermir Ducal Family was among these renowned noble houses. Besides Demian, Oscar had also been confirmed as a participant in the Hunting Festival.
"Oscar, have you practiced hunting? Demian is participating this year, so you must also produce a result you won't be ashamed of."
The Duke Vandermir glared at his eldest son, who was strolling in like a leisurely idler. Oscar subtly hid behind his mother and replied,
"I'll do my best, Father."
"Don't just try, bring results! I'm not even asking for the golden laurel wreath, just make it into the top three!"
The winner of the Hunting Festival was given a laurel wreath made of pure gold. And the Hunting Festival Queen, to whom the game was offered, was bestowed with a wreath made of imperishable flowers.
The Duke Vandermir knew that his eldest son's swordsmanship talent was inferior to his second son's. Therefore, he didn't make the absurd demand for Oscar to beat Demian.
He merely badgered him to bring results comparable to Demian's. Even that was an excessive demand for Oscar.
"If Demian wins, he'll surely offer the game to his wife. Then wouldn't those two become the representative couple receiving the laurel wreath and the floral wreath? If that happens—"
"How wonderful that would be."
An amiable voice interrupted the Duke's impassioned speech to his unreliable eldest son.
Startled, the Vandermir family turned their heads to see their in-laws, the Marquis and Marchioness Hugo, standing there, smiling brightly.
"It's been a while, Duke. Duchess."
"Yes, it has. Have you been well?"
The Duchess accepted the greeting reluctantly. The Marchioness, arm in arm with her husband, nodded gracefully.
"We've been well. How are you, Duchess? I heard the Grand Duchess injured her leg on her way down to the ducal territory. It must be difficult nursing her."
At that, the corner of the Duchess's mouth twitched as if she had a great deal to say.
The Grand Duchess, who had injured her leg trying to hit Aracilla, vented all her anger and stress on her daughter-in-law, the Duchess.
The old woman, confined to her bed, ranted and raved so much that the Duchess had even lost weight.
Thanks to this, her animosity towards Aracilla deepened day by day. Even though it was the Grand Duchess who tormented her, she blamed and hated Aracilla.
However, she couldn't reveal such inner thoughts in front of Aracilla's parents. So, the Duchess had no choice but to force a smile.
"No, not at all. Thank you for your concern."
"Don't mention it. Our children are married now, so we must worry about each other and live well."
Despite her plain and gentle demeanor, the Marchioness, with her bright smile, exuded an aura that was difficult to ignore.
The Duchess thought that mentioning the Grand Duchess first, knowing about the controversy between her and Aracilla, showed that she was not an ordinary personality.
The Marquis, standing tall like a gentle giraffe beside his wife, burst into hearty laughter.
"Haha! By the way, I'm truly glad that the Duke and Duchess also seem to view our Aracilla and Sir Vandermir so favorably."
"...We view them favorably?"
The Duke questioned, thinking, 'What kind of nonsense is this?' They hated them to death, so how could they possibly view them favorably?
The Marquis, whose face strongly resembled his second daughter's, replied with a radiant smile.
"Didn't you just say you hoped Sir Vandermir would win so that the two of them could share the laurel wreath and floral wreath? We feel the same way."
"..."
The Duke, who had been about to say that such a situation would be even more unbearable, was speechless with embarrassment.
How could he deny this?
His lips twitched, and he managed to squeeze out a reply.
"But there's no guarantee that Demian will win. He might not even make it into the top three. It would be best not to have too high expectations."
At the end of his indirect rebuttal, the Duke added,
"Oscar is also participating in the Hunting Festival, and there are many other skilled participants."
It was a subtle attempt to suggest Oscar was also a contender for the win, but Marquis Hugo, mistaking it for false modesty, said cheerfully,
"Oh, come now, my friend. You're being overly modest about a Sword Master and a Mage."
"..."
"Of course, I know you said that to avoid burdening the children. But if you've raised your children so splendidly, it's perfectly fine to be a little arrogant."
Not a speck of malice could be felt from the Marquis, who surprisingly picked out only the most uncomfortable things to say to the Ducal Family.
For the first time in his life, the Duke realized that an opponent without malice was harder to deal with than one with it.
Fortunately for the Vandermir family, who were barely managing to maintain their composure, Aracilla and Demian arrived at the forest just then.
Upon seeing the two conversing with Iris and Adrian, the Marquis and Marchioness Hugo concluded their conversation with the Ducal Family to go greet them.
"Haha, well, we'll take our leave now. We'll see you again."
Marquis Hugo, halfway turned, patted Oscar's shoulder one last time.
"Young Master, you're participating in the Hunting Festival too, aren't you? Good luck."
Oscar felt a slight pique at the ambiguous "good luck," but before he could even ask what he was supposed to "try hard" for, the Marquis, with a pleasant expression, departed with his wife.
The remaining Vandermir family were utterly exasperated.
