Chapter 12
Even after the lesson had ended, Diana continued asking various questions.
She inquired about what horses typically ate as treats, how to build a bond with them, and other related matters.
It seemed she had thoroughly enjoyed the lesson.
“I’m relieved to see that you found it interesting. To be honest, I was a little worried.”
“Are there any other lessons available?”
“Hmm, it’s not under my charge, but… I did hear that His Highness requested another lesson.”
“I’m curious. What kind of lesson is it?”
Madam Henshu confidently relayed what she had overheard, presenting Diana with two options.
One was magic, and the other was swordsmanship.
Handling magic seemed far easier than wielding a sword. Without hesitation, Diana chose magic.
“Magic, is it? Well, I suppose magic does seem more appealing. Would you like me to give you a little test, just as a preview?”
“A… test? Is it difficult?”
“Not at all! It’s a very simple test—all you need to do is close your eyes.”
Madam Henshu waved her fingers reassuringly, putting Diana at ease.
Curious, Diana agreed and followed Madam Henshu’s instructions, closing her eyes.
“Please, allow me to hold your hand.”
Madam Henshu gently took Diana’s hand as she remained with her eyes shut.
“Now, I want you to think about what an illusion means to you.”
“An illusion…?”
“For example, a future you dream of, or something you know is unattainable yet still find yourself longing for.”
A future that would never come to pass, yet remained a dream.
To Diana, such a mirage was a life where she was truly recognized by everyone.
Not as an imposter, but as Diana Mernard.
“It’s done.”
Following Madam Henshu’s guidance, Diana opened her eyes. Momentarily blinded by the light, she took a few seconds to adjust back to reality.
However, when she glanced at Madam Henshu’s face, she found her expression strangely somber.
Before she could ask if something was wrong, Madam Henshu quickly regained her usual bright demeanor.
“Oh dear, now that I think about it, His Highness had already made the decision, and it seems I relayed the wrong information. I’m terribly sorry!”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. But since Lady Mernard wishes to learn magic, the lessons will proceed as soon as there’s an opening in the schedule.”
Madam Henshu pursed her lips, seemingly blaming herself for her earlier mistake.
She looked as if she might burst into tears at any moment.
Feeling the need to reassure her, Diana waved off the matter, completely forgetting about the lingering questions that had crossed her mind moments before.
With some free time on their hands, the two decided to visit the training grounds for a tour.
Madam Henshu swung open the entrance to the training hall with great enthusiasm—only to mutter in dismay.
“I never imagined His Highness would be here.”
The familiar title caught Diana’s attention. She turned her gaze and saw Ersivan standing there.
Now that she thought about it, Daisy had mentioned that he had skipped lunch to train all day.
“I ended up staying at the training grounds longer than expected today.”
“So it wasn’t official business keeping you away, but training? On the very day of your fiancée’s first lesson? How could you be so indifferent?”
Madam Henshu scolded him as if she were the one personally affronted, chastising him for commissioning the lesson yet failing to attend and observe his fiancée’s progress.
She went on about how, as Diana’s future husband, he should have been present, cheering her on and boosting her morale.
What started as a simple reprimand quickly spiraled into a long-winded tirade, linking one complaint to another.
She spoke as if Diana had been genuinely expecting such things.
What was even more surprising was that Ersivan quietly listened to her.
Under normal circumstances, he would have dismissed her outright, yet he remained still, letting her words wash over him. It was an odd sight.
“Were you disappointed that I didn’t come?”
“Pardon?”
Once Madam Henshu’s scolding finally ended, he posed the question as if to confirm things for himself.
Both Ersivan and Madam Henshu turned their gazes toward Diana.
One look was filled with curiosity, the other expectant, urging her to nod in agreement.
‘Disappointed?’
Their engagement was merely contractual—a relationship that held no real substance.
And yet, for the daughter of a mere count to express discontent toward the empire’s small sun, the duke himself?
“Not at all…”
Diana had been about to deny it outright when she hesitated.
If she did, Madam Henshu would be left hanging.
Even if Diana hadn’t expected anything, Madam Henshu had passionately defended her honor. Denying it outright might make her feel embarrassed.
In the end, Diana opted for a safer middle ground.
“Yes… a little. I had hoped you would come.”
Lying was easy, yet, for some reason, uttering this falsehood to him felt oddly uncomfortable.
“I feared my presence might be burdensome. Next time, I shall accompany you.”
Ersivan then promised to be there in the future.
‘No, you really don’t have to…’
It was an utterly unexpected promise. Diana had assumed he would simply nod indifferently and leave it at that.
At this moment, she wanted to voice her true thoughts—that Madam Henshu’s opinion and hers were most definitely not the same!
But the man before her was none other than Ersivan Valencia. He was infamous for never reversing a decision once made.
Even if she were to confess her honest feelings now, he would likely brush them off as nothing more than a joke.
“It was merely a passing remark. You don’t need to make time for me when you’re busy.”
“I’m not so busy that I would leave my fiancée alone. You needn’t worry.”
“No, really. It’s fine. Just… if you ever happen to think of me, you could stop by for a moment now and then.”
She made one last feeble attempt to push him away. It wasn’t much of a resistance, but still, she tried.
“If I do that, Madam Henshu might have a hard time. After all, that would make two students in her class, wouldn’t it?”
“I’m not sure I follow…”
“Because I’d find myself paying attention to the lesson as well.”
His voice was laced with an effortless charm, sending a shiver down her spine.
‘There he goes again with his sweet-talking.’
If nothing else, he was the best in the world at putting on an act.
Diana shot him a glare, but Ersivan only responded with a smirk.
“Isn’t that how it should be?”
She wouldn’t have been surprised if two animal ears perked up on his head—or if a tail swayed lazily behind him.
“You’ve worked hard. From now on, I’ll be handling your lessons myself.”
Without waiting for her response, Ersivan placed a firm hand on her shoulder and gently turned her around to face Madam Henshu.
Caught off guard, Diana blinked at her.
“Oh my, Your Highness is personally going to teach Lady Diana?”
“My dear fiancée was disappointed, so I must make an effort as well.”
Madam Henshu’s face gradually lit up with delight, while Diana’s, on the other hand, darkened.
What kind of disaster was this?!
“Ersivan, I was hoping to speak with Madam Henshu a little longer.”
“You’ll see her again soon enough, so there’s no need to worry.”
“But I’m not quite ready to part with her yet.”
“Then let’s take care of that now.”
Diana desperately tried to protest, but—as expected—her resistance was swiftly dismissed.
“Say your farewells. Since you weren’t ready, I’ll allow you some time to see her off.”
“I said I wasn’t ready, not that I wanted to say goodbye!”
“Surely, you wouldn’t disregard my sincerity?”
“….”
“I’d like to spend the rest of the afternoon with you, after all.”
The more she struggled, the deeper she sank into the trap he had set.
“Isn’t that right, Madam?”
His final strike was deadly. At the sound of that word, Diana’s entire body stiffened.
Was he referring to Madam Henshu? Or had he just given her that title?
Either way, she had failed to escape the abyss that was Ersivan. She had no choice but to surrender.
“…I had a lovely time today.”
“Truly! I’m already looking forward to the next lesson!”
“Thank you for taking the time for me. I’ll make sure to be better prepared next time.”
Even in her defeat, Diana refused to lose hope. She sent Madam Henshu an urgent look from across the way, willing her to understand.
She even mouthed silent pleas, but, unfortunately, it seemed Madam Henshu didn’t notice.
Or perhaps she chose not to. After all, she left without looking back, as if she had been instructed to do so.
“Shall we go in?”
Diana, having resigned herself to her fate, finally relented. Just as she was about to step into the training hall, she was stopped.
“Oh, there’s no need for you to enter the training grounds.”
His words were so baffling that she instinctively turned to face him.
‘Then where else would one learn swordsmanship if not in the training grounds?’
Ersivan took one look at her puzzled expression and let out a low chuckle.
For someone who tried so hard to mask their emotions, her face always gave her away.
“It’s your first lesson. Wouldn’t it be better for us to train alone?”
“But observing others while they practice could be beneficial too.”
“No. It would be much better for us to train in private. We can tour the training grounds another time.”
“…And what exactly is your reasoning for that?”
Ersivan’s gaze landed on her.
Her neatly tied hair revealed smooth, fair skin, and the fitted blouse she wore subtly accentuated her delicate frame.
Her attire was entirely modest, yet for some reason, it kept drawing his attention.
Considering that most of the people in the training hall were men, he decided that he didn’t want her going in there.
“Truthfully, I just wanted to get some fresh air.”
Sure, it could have been amusing to watch people eye her curiously, but outright admitting his true thoughts was out of the question.
“…Fine. Then hurry up and show the way.”
“I will be more than happy to.”
Her dejected expression and reluctant steps made it clear—she had been looking forward to watching the knights train.
He almost felt bad. Almost.
But there was no helping it. He had no intention of changing his mind.
