#073. I Really Don’t Know When This Country’s Crime of Insulting Royalty is Supposed to Apply
With the announcement of my engagement at the Hunting Festival’s eve banquet fast approaching, I was already being treated inside the imperial palace as the Grand Duke’s betrothed.
Being invited to the emperor and empress’s continuous dinner gatherings with the Grand Duke was one part of that treatment.
“Was your ranking the highest again this time, brother?”
Apparently, it was tradition that official duties weren’t discussed during dinner.
I, for one, couldn’t understand why they wasted such precious time. Well, since I’d already decided in this life to just eat, drink, and idle away comfortably while keeping a low profile, I didn’t really care.
“What ranking?”
So, I simply enjoyed my meal and joined in their family chatter.
“Oh, there’s betting during the Hunting Festival. On who will bring back the most game, the biggest prey, or the most dangerous one.”
“What?”
They place wagers on a state ceremony? And judging from the Grand Duke’s tone, even the emperor himself was often included in those bets. Then when exactly is this so-called “crime of insulting the royal family” ever enforced in this country?
From what I observed, perhaps because their imperial authority was so overwhelming, this imperial family was strangely lenient toward climbing nobles.
The Marquis of Chase was the same. In the Jin Empire, such brazen gambling would’ve been unthinkable.
Then again… if it were His Majesty, maybe he would’ve actually enjoyed it. Though he ascended the throne, he’d never cared much for showing off authority.
The thought suddenly brought on a headache. I let my gaze drift into the distance, a method that often helped ease the pain.
“Hahaha! Did I bring up too shocking a topic for a princess raised so delicately in the palace?”
The emperor roared with laughter at my expression.
“Don’t tease Blanche, brother.”
The Grand Duke gave an exaggerated sigh, then softened his tone to explain to me.
“I don’t know what kind of image you have of gambling, but the Hunting Festival bets aren’t shady or sordid. Only the participants themselves can take part. No one enters hoping to get rich. It’s just a diversion for those who can’t or don’t want to actually join the hunt.”
Hmm. Hearing it that way, the image of destitute men pawning their families away in an opium-filled den disappeared somewhat.
“Then, Your Highness, have you ever taken part?”
“Me?”
The Grand Duke gave a playful smile.
“Oh, right. I suppose I could. Wouldn’t be so bad.”
So, he hadn’t bothered before. Perhaps even among royalty it was considered undignified to participate, even if it was entertainment. Maybe it was just an unspoken rule.
Should I also refrain, then? I hesitated.
“Who would you bet on?”
The emperor asked with a chuckle, and the Grand Duke raised his chin.
“Obviously, myself.”
…Aiming for the top on his very first attempt? Could it be that the Grand Duke actually liked hunting? Hopefully, it was just a joke.
I wasn’t fond of hunting at all. Sparring, perhaps—but facing dumb beasts that couldn’t even talk? What if one got hurt?
Hunting might make sense for professional hunters who rid the land of harmful predators, but nobles treating it as a hobby was utterly reckless.
Especially since the enthusiasts always went after large carnivores, which only made it more dangerous.
I had repeatedly advised His Majesty against hunting, but he never listened.
That damned tiger hunt. With no crown prince yet established, what would happen if he were injured? And yet he relished it so much.
No wonder I grew uneasy seeing even the crown prince—now the Grand Duke—show enthusiasm for hunting.
“Blanche, do you not enjoy hunting?”
Perhaps my face betrayed my thoughts, because the empress, Riana, asked gently.
“In that case, you can just attend the eve banquet and then stay with me at headquarters on the hunting day itself. Would you like that?”
“Pardon? Your Majesty the Empress, you don’t hunt?”
My eyes widened in surprise.
After all, while not all good warriors were hunters, skilled warriors usually hunted well. Come to think of it, didn’t the emperor say her betting odds were the highest?
The Grand Duke answered briskly.
“Oh, my sister-in-law is banned from competing. The beasts sense her killing intent, so they either hide or freeze up trembling. Makes a proper hunt impossible.”
“Ah…”
An extraordinary talent, no matter how often I heard of it. If the Retile Empire ever launched a conquest war, she would be a devastating threat to their enemies.
“Well, it’s fine. Hunting isn’t all that fun anyway.”
Her words belied the dissatisfaction on her face. Was she upset about not being able to hunt, or simply excluded from the event? Hard to say.
Then, as if switching masks, Riana replaced her pout with a smile and spoke kindly to me.
“Sit with me in headquarters and drink tea. It’s far more comfortable and enjoyable than galloping around on horseback.”
A good suggestion. I could avoid a distasteful hunt and also strengthen ties with her.
But I recalled her sulky face from moments ago. Would idle chatter really ease that resentment? Likely not.
So, I chose a different form of flattery.
“No, I’ll join the hunt. I’ll present the beast I catch to Your Majesty the Empress.”
Traditionally, game from the hunt was offered to one’s partner or lord.
I wasn’t her consort or sworn retainer, but as her sword pupil, offering my catch as a disciple honoring a teacher wouldn’t seem too odd.
And since the Grand Duke himself would also be hunting, no one could really criticize me for presenting my quarry to her instead.
Still, thanks to all those rumors of discord, even this choice of recipient required such careful consideration. The thought irritated me, and I forced my annoyance down.
“Oh my. Just the thought makes me happy.”
Riana looked genuinely pleased at my unexpected words.
Her fondness for me had begun with being the only child who followed her, and thankfully, it had lasted through these ten years.
“But the forest is dangerous—there are stray arrows and hunting dogs. If you want to try hunting, I’ll arrange a private outing later.”
“Yes, I’ll offer the beast to my lady, so Princess, you should remain at headquarters,” the emperor added, echoing her concern.
But unlike what they thought, I wasn’t inexperienced.
His Majesty had often led massive hunts, dragging all the officials along. As his favorite, I’d been conscripted frequently.
So, Riana’s concern was unnecessary.
“Oh, don’t worry. Thanks to my master, I’ve trained well enough to protect myself.”
After five years of training under Pavella, I had begun wielding a sword in earnest. With both my past-life memories and an excellent teacher, my skills had improved quickly. A stray arrow wasn’t going to fell me.
“Hm. Your determination is commendable.”
The Grand Duke cleared his throat and cut in.
“Do you even know how to shoot a bow?”
A basic question—but one irrelevant to me.
“I don’t need a bow. I’ll set traps.”
“…Huh?”
All three royals blinked at me.
“I read through the hunting festival’s rules. The means of capture aren’t specified. So using traps should count, shouldn’t it?”
Indeed. I had no intention of personally wrestling with beasts. If I were injured, assigning blame would become far too messy. Why risk it?
“That’s true, but… do you even know how to handle traps?”
The emperor looked doubtful. I answered with a composed smile.
“I’ve studied a little.”
Of course, that was a lie. In truth, I was quite familiar with trap hunting. Not from firsthand use, but from watching it countless times.
During hunts with His Majesty, I’d had little interest in chasing game myself. Instead, I spent my time talking with the conscripted hunters in the rear, asking whether they could come to my fief in winter to catch pests.
It was then I learned how trap-hunting worked—where to set them, where not to, and what kinds of beasts they were best for.
Though the traps here differed slightly from those in the Jin Empire, I had studied enough of the local methods to manage.
“Well then, I suppose we can let her do as she wishes, can’t we?”
The Grand Duke rested his chin in his hand and agreed lazily, then shot me a sly smile.
“Then you’ll be my rival. Shall we wager on who comes out on top?”
It didn’t sound much like a joke. But I laughed brightly as if it were the funniest one I’d heard.
The last thing I wanted was a bet with the Grand Duke. If his earlier claim about taking first place was serious, then I would avoid competing in his category at all costs.
