Chapter 11
At Lillian’s somewhat dejected tone, Madam Henshu gasped in surprise.
“Oh, my! No, of course not! How could it be an obligation when carriages exist? Do not worry yourself.”
“I see. Then, I look forward to today’s lesson. I am not very accustomed to outdoor activities, so I may be quite unskilled.”
“There’s no need to worry at all. Someone as intelligent as you will surely pick it up quickly.”
“Thank you for saying so. Still, I must admit—it’s rather amusing that horseback riding is the first thing I’m learning since coming to the estate. It’s certainly a unique experience.”
“His Highness must believe it is necessary for you. Well, there’s no harm in learning, after all!”
The madam then enthusiastically began listing the benefits of horseback riding—how it saved the trouble of constantly using a carriage, how it significantly shortened travel time, and so on.
“Hearing you say that makes me even more excited to begin.”
Eventually, Lillian found herself convinced, genuinely looking forward to the upcoming lesson.
The carriage gradually slowed until it came to a complete stop. Seeing this, Madam Henshu rose from her seat.
Lillian followed suit and stepped out of the carriage. The moment her feet touched the ground, she was met with an expansive, barren-looking land.
‘So that must be…’
So that was the riding arena.
From the way it was fenced in, it was unmistakably a training ground. But the sheer size of it was staggering—by her estimate, it was vast enough to accommodate at least twenty houses from the poorer districts.
“Now, shall we go meet the little ones?”
“The little ones?”
“My lady, you need to choose the horse you’ll be training with!”
Madam Henshu playfully winked as she spoke.
Even as she led the way to the stables, she could barely contain her excitement. Despite her noble and refined first impression, she had a surprisingly endearing side.
Upon arriving at the stables, a strong, musky odor welcomed them.
Instinctively, Lillian raised her fingers to her nose. It was an intense smell—far worse than anything she had encountered, even in the slums.
“You seem uncomfortable. That’s understandable—especially for someone like you, who enjoys the scent of flowers.”
To the madam and the knights, who were well accustomed to the stables, this was an entirely familiar environment. Watching Lillian struggle reminded them of their own first experiences, which they found rather endearing.
“Lady Mernard, please come this way.”
Madam Henshu, who had been carefully inspecting the row of horses, gestured for Lillian to approach.
“Take a look around. These horses seem to be the younger ones.”
Lillian moved to stand beside the madam and began observing the horses she pointed out.
“Is there a particular standard for choosing a horse?”
“Since you’re a beginner, a calm and gentle horse would be ideal. If one catches your eye, try reaching out to it. If it does not shy away from your touch, that’s a good sign that it has a docile temperament.”
Taking her advice to heart, Lillian carefully surveyed the horses.
Their large, gentle eyes followed her as she passed, and she couldn’t help but find their gaze utterly endearing.
She met the eyes of each one before finally locking eyes with a pair of striking blue irises.
“How beautiful…”
The words slipped out involuntarily.
A young, snow-white horse stood before her, as if it had been blessed by the heavens themselves.
Its soft golden-tinged coat, perfectly symmetrical ears, and elegantly curved body—there wasn’t a single flaw to be found.
She had intended to take a full tour and examine each horse thoroughly before making a decision, but that plan was quickly abandoned.
Lillian found herself rooted in place, unable to take her eyes off the white horse.
“It’s a purebred. Would you like to try touching it?”
Madam Henshu, noticing how captivated Lillian was, smiled knowingly.
“Would that be all right?”
“Of course! Ah, it’s best to stroke along its side, but given the distance, why not start with the neck instead?”
Gently guiding her wrist, the madam placed Lillian’s hand near the horse’s neck.
The moment her fingertips brushed against its coat, she felt the slightly rough texture of its fur. The unfamiliar sensation made her slender fingers tremble slightly.
“You’ll get used to it soon enough. Until then, just keep trying, all right?”
Lillian didn’t dislike the feeling, so she followed the madam’s advice and continued stroking the horse.
Seemingly enjoying the gentle touch, the horse let out a soft whinny and shook its mane.
Then, without warning, it suddenly leaned forward, pressing its face close to hers.
Had she not reflexively pulled back, their noses—or even lips—would have touched.
“Oh! The little one approached you first!”
“How adorable. It must really like you, Lady Mernard.”
Her initial surprise quickly melted into delight.
Lillian, overjoyed, eagerly stroked the horse in more places, growing accustomed to the sensation of its firm yet warm body beneath her palm.
“Ah, this horse was actually brought here directly from the royal stables, chosen personally by His Highness for the young lady.”
One of the knights standing nearby delivered this unexpected piece of news in a loud, steady voice.
“What an incredible coincidence! How wonderful, don’t you think, Lady Mernard?”
Madam Henshu was positively elated, despite it not being her own horse.
Lillian, who normally would have taken such matters lightly, found herself equally astonished.
To think that the very horse she was drawn to had already been chosen for her.
From the moment she first laid eyes on it, she had felt something special—but could this be fate?
The deep navy-blue eyes of the horse fluttered open and closed, and without realizing it, Lillian mimicked the motion.
As the deep blue eyes of the young horse slowly closed, Diana instinctively lowered her own eyelids. And when the horse opened its eyes to take in the world once more, she, too, gazed at the small creature before her.
According to books, this was how a horse and its owner formed a bond.
“I… I’ll choose this one.”
Now that she had found one that truly captivated her, there was no reason to consider any other.
“Oh my, what a perfect match. Knights, please release the horse.”
Following Madam Henshu’s instructions, the knights unfastened the restraints.
The moment the wooden gate swung open, the horse stepped forward eagerly. Having been confined in a small space, it must have felt incredibly restless, as it shook its body vigorously.
Upon spotting Diana, the horse immediately began approaching her. Its slow, deliberate steps sent a thrilling sense of anticipation through her.
Finally, as it reached her, the young horse instinctively nuzzled into her embrace. Its soft fur brushed gently against her skin.
“Lady Mernard, now you must give it a name!”
“A name…?”
“A nickname, of course. It is tradition for an owner to name their horse.”
Ah, right. Now that this horse belonged to her, she needed to give it a proper name. Calling it simply ‘horse’ felt far too impersonal.
The expectant look on Madam Henshu’s face was rather overwhelming. Unfortunately, Diana had never learned the art of naming. She wasn’t confident she could meet the madam’s high expectations.
What do names even mean?
“There’s no need to overthink it. It could be a word you like, a pleasant-sounding name, or something with a beautiful meaning. As long as it holds significance to you, Lady Mernard, it will be a special name.”
Hearing this, Diana’s previously tense expression relaxed.
A name that was pleasant to say and carried a beautiful meaning…
“…Diana?”
Without thinking, she spoke a name she had long forbidden herself from uttering.
Strangely enough, the horse gave a small, responsive nudge, as if it had understood.
As if it wanted to hear the name again.
“Did you just name it? If you don’t mind, may I ask what it means?”
“Oh, it just… suddenly came to mind.”
“Diana… how adorable. It sounds like a charming little name. Does it have a special meaning?”
Madam Henshu praised the name, saying it was a sweet and fitting choice.
Diana hesitated, lost in thought.
It was only natural that an insignificant side character like her wouldn’t have a grand name.
Her name had been borrowed from that of a minor deity in an old myth—one that few even remembered.
“It’s a name derived from the goddess Diana.”
“Oh my, I’ve never heard of that deity before.”
The madam tilted her head in curiosity. For someone as well-read as her to be unfamiliar with it, the name must have been truly obscure.
That was understandable. It was not a well-known goddess. Even Count Mernard and his wife had likely only encountered the name once in passing.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Diana simply explained that it wasn’t a particularly famous deity.
“Diana.”
Diana softly repeated the name, addressing the horse that now belonged to her.
As if recognizing its new identity, the horse pressed its face affectionately against her.
“Grow up well.”
For a moment, she wondered if it was right to give it her name.
Names often carried destiny, after all. Would she be cursing this beautiful creature with her own misfortune?
“Grow up well. Become a fine, strong horse.”
Still, she chose to trust in fate.
She wished for Diana to grow up healthy and strong, to one day achieve great things.
“…No, just be happy.”
No. That wasn’t quite right.
It didn’t need to accomplish anything grand. Simply living a happy life would be more than enough.
She hoped it would grow into a free-spirited being, always able to run wherever its legs carried it.
“Live the life that I could not, Diana.”
Perhaps, deep down, she wished for this horse to live the life she had been denied.
