ATPL 23

“Shh, quiet.”

Abelard calmed the hunting dogs.

The grass rustled again. Abelard spotted something moving in the distance.

The hunting dogs growled, but Abelard raised his palm, signaling for them to lie down.

“No.”

There was a reason to keep the hunting dogs from running off. Abelard drew his bow from his back and nocked an arrow.

The dogs whimpered but fell silent as they saw Abelard drawing the bowstring. At that moment, he spotted someone peering through the grass.

With a snap, he released the string. Whoosh. The arrow cut through the air and struck a tree with a solid thud.

“Eek!”

Tsk. Abelard clicked his tongue. As he had feared, it was indeed a woman.

He had known from the start that the movement in the grass was human. It wasn’t the movement of a four-legged beast.

The hunting dogs whimpered again. They likely wanted to finish off the creature Abelard had just shot down.

But if he sent the dogs after her, he’d truly have to take responsibility for the foolish woman lying there.

Abelard tied up the dogs and then turned, walking away with them in the opposite direction.

This sort of thing happened often. Women from such gatherings would deliberately slip away to lurk around Abelard.

‘Don’t they value their lives?’

Why didn’t they realize it would be smarter to pretend to be mad and throw themselves into his arms? Romance novels really do ruin people.

Thinking this, Abelard quickened his pace.

Women who jumped in front of his arrows always assumed he’d help them up in these situations. But Abelard had absolutely no intention of doing so.

His approach was simple—issue a warning with an arrow, and then leave.

After all, there was no guarantee that sleeping with a woman foolish enough to run into a hunting ground unarmed wouldn’t lead to another case like with Mia Zelen.

“Excuse me!”

As expected, the fallen woman called out to Abelard. But he continued walking without so much as a glance.

The problem, however, was the dogs. Woof woof woof, woof woof. They barked unusually loudly and ignored Abelard’s commands.

It was strange for dogs that usually obeyed him so well.

“Good boys.”

“What do you mean, ‘good boys’!”

The next moment, the woman emerged from the bushes behind Abelard, speaking loudly. The dogs barked even louder.

Abelard frowned, turning to look at the woman.

“For an Imperial Crown Prince, your manners are terrible! What is the world coming to, honestly?”

Was she mad?

Abelard thought as he studied the woman before him. Not only did she not bow to him, but the woman who appeared from the forest was quite different from what he’d imagined.

Normally, women who ventured into the forest wore elaborate dresses of unbelievable length, adorned with so many jewels that even crows would be justified in attacking them.

But this woman appeared with dirt and grass in her short hair, presumably from falling. Though her gleaming blonde hair was beautiful, it was cut short like a man’s, ending at the nape of her neck.

Even more peculiar was her attire. It didn’t quite add up.

While her clothing suggested a status any reasonably knowledgeable imperial citizen would recognize, she wore a mask to conceal her identity.

The butterfly-shaped mask extended down to her cheeks.

Abelard glanced at her indifferently before speaking.

“These days, the Dragon Knight Order’s entry requirements include wearing one’s liver on the outside. Show your respect.”

“Ha!”

At those words, the woman crossed her arms and strutted proudly.

“Anais knew you’d be like this! Anais doesn’t need to show respect to Your Highness because she’s a proud member of the Dragon Knight Order!”

“That’s true.”

“So why are you suddenly demanding respect?”

Abelard strode toward the woman, who stood there proudly with her arms crossed. She flinched.

Abelard smiled and reached out to grab her arm.

“Ah.”

The woman tried to dodge in surprise, but it was too late.

She, who called herself Anais, was instantly restrained by Abelard.

Holding Anais tightly in his arms, Abelard whispered in her ear.

“Your insolence is truly remarkable.”

“What are you talking about! Let go!”

“Impersonating the Dragon Knight Order with such delicate limbs. Have you never even seen a knight?”

“I’m not impersonating!”

Anais struggled in Abelard’s arms, but it was futile. Abelard asked with a mischievous grin.

“If that’s the case, you’re saying you’re a knight, but how did someone who can’t even mask their presence manage to join the Dragon Knight Order?”

“I’m not… a knight!”

It was absurd. Just a moment ago she claimed she wasn’t impersonating, yet now she insisted she wasn’t even a knight.

‘So, she’s trying to approach me differently to steal my heart, but the stupidity shows through.’

Still, Abelard found himself intrigued. The woman squirming in his arms had a pleasant scent.

He held her waist with one arm and used his other hand to lift her chin forcefully, meeting her gaze. Behind the mask, her green eyes were filled with bewilderment, but there was also something fresh about them.

“Your eyes are pretty. You must be beautiful.”

The woman gaped in disbelief. Abelard smiled at her speechless expression.

“I’ll allow you to become my lover.”

“All of a sudden?”

“But if you’re aiming to become the Crown Princess, forget it.”

“Good heavens…”

Her voice trembled.

“What do you take Anais for, saying such things?”

Abelard smirked and lightly swept her legs out from under her. The powerless woman fell backward with a yelp.

Of course, there was no loud thud. Abelard’s thick arm served as a cushion.

Trapped in Abelard’s arms as she lay on the ground, the woman twisted in bewilderment.

Though her eyes behind the mask darted wildly, Abelard paid no mind as he examined her closely.

Curious about why she had impersonated the Dragon Knight Order, he noticed scars on her face that were unbefitting of a lady.

Yet, she still gave the impression of beauty. Abelard whispered in her ear.

“What do I take you for? A woman who wants to be my lover?”

“No, I don’t!”

Being so close meant their lips nearly touched.

Anais let out a loud shriek, and Abelard furrowed his brow.

Now was her chance. Anais didn’t miss the opportunity.

SLAP!

The sharp sound echoed through the air, sending birds fluttering away. The hunting dogs barked loudly.

* * *

The Empress clicked her tongue.

“I knew this would happen.”

The Crown Prince, with a red handprint on one side of his face, took a sip of cold tea, clearly disgruntled.

Lord Resaloniki, who had come to the estate to meet the Crown Prince of Brosuhart, had set out with his servant to find the prince around lunchtime.

About an hour later, the short-haired woman, who they had thought was Lord Resaloniki’s young male servant, returned, fuming.

And Abelard, who had clearly been slapped, followed behind her with a sour expression.

The Empress immediately grasped the situation upon seeing the two and quickly dismissed the gathering.

Outside the gazebo, where the four had gathered, nobles were bustling about preparing to leave.

“To think you would harass even a lady wearing the Dragon Knight Order’s uniform. I cannot hold my head up, my lord.”

“…This is quite unexpected for me as well.”

Elliot Resaloniki rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. Behind him, Anais continued to glare at Abelard with fierce eyes.

The Empress apologetically addressed Anais.

“As I’ve said before, I’m truly sorry. Um… Anais? Your family name?”

“Ah. This is Florence.”

Elliot cut in to answer, giving Anais a pointed look.

‘Didn’t you say you didn’t want to reveal your name?’

‘Anais didn’t mean to!’

‘That’s why I told you to stop referring to yourself by name.’

‘No!’

‘Why not?’

‘Because it’s cute!’

Anais was adamant about not letting anyone know about her messy appearance.

“You wouldn’t want rumors spreading about Lord Resaloniki traveling alone with Anais either!” she had said, even coming up with a plausible fake name.

But due to Anais’s peculiar habit of referring to herself in the third person, Abelard had already discovered her name.

So they had no choice but to use Florence as her family name.

It was the first time he’d experienced communicating through just eye contact, but why did it have to be with this immature young lady?

Suppressing a sigh, Elliot turned back to face the Empress. The Empress clicked her tongue and continued.

“I sincerely apologize to Lady Florence. It’s my fault for raising my son poorly.”

“It’s alright, Your Majesty. Anais also behaved rudely toward His Highness, so I should be the one begging forgiveness.”

“To such a kind and admirable young lady… Abelard, won’t you apologize immediately?”

Kind and admirable, my foot.

Abelard rolled his eyes. For such delicate arms, her hand had packed quite a sting—his cheek was still burning.