Chapter 36
Moments later, soft squeals erupted throughout the gathering. The ladies blushed as if they had personally experienced the confession themselves.
“How bold.”
Only Epel Cordelia remained composed. If anything, her expression had become noticeably more rigid.
Diana responded with the same pleasant smile she always wore. There was no better way to bring this conversation to an end.
The tea party, which had started in the afternoon, did not conclude until late into the evening.
With only tea and refreshments provided, the guests had no choice but to occupy themselves with endless conversation.
Diana’s jaw was stiff from smiling and responding to the ceaseless chatter of the noble ladies.
Still, for all the idle talk, she had managed to gather some useful information—such as the fact that fur would be in fashion this winter and that violet was the most popular color of the season.
For someone with little interest in fashion, this was valuable knowledge.
At last, she dragged her exhausted body back to the barracks, relishing the long-awaited silence that welcomed her.
With the knights standing guard outside, the only ones inside were Daisy and herself.
And Daisy, having spent the entire afternoon attending to chores, had already collapsed into deep slumber.
Diana instinctively turned onto her side—only to feel a small object pressing against her chest.
Curious, she reached for the spot, her fingers brushing against the smooth handle of a dagger.
She pulled it out, eyeing the weapon that had been constantly weighing against her skin.
“Keep this with you at all times. Never part with it, not even for a moment.”
It was the self-defense dagger Ersivan had gifted her before departing for the hunt.
Beautiful enough to pass as an accessory, it had a dark, polished handle with a garnet gemstone embedded in the center—one that mirrored her own eyes.
Just then, the dagger moved on its own.
“Ah, ah—can you hear me?”
“……?”
“Judging by your stunned expression, I suppose I don’t need to wait for an answer.”
As Diana fumbled in surprise, a small screen appeared above the blade, displaying a familiar face—Ersivan.
Judging by his posture, he could likely see her just as clearly as she saw him.
“A self-defense dagger, you said… but it seems you’ve added an unusual feature to it?”
“Unusual? I would call it an excellent gift—it allows me to see my beloved’s face, after all.”
“Yes, yes. Very thoughtful indeed. So, have you slain many monsters yet?”
“More than I could count. You would be astounded.”
A vague, evasive answer.
If he had truly wanted to impress her, he would have given an exact number.
Recognizing his playfulness, Diana narrowed her eyes.
“For someone who has been fighting so intensely, your complexion looks… oddly flawless.”
“If I didn’t keep up appearances, my betrothed might be horrified by my unsightly state, don’t you think?”
For someone claiming to be concerned about his looks, he was certainly smirking like a man who knew how to make the most of his handsome face.
Diana sighed. He had been acting this way more frequently lately—putting on that annoyingly gentle facade.
The strangest part was that even though she knew it was an act, she still found herself affected by it.
“Just… don’t overexert yourself.”
Feigning concern, she quickly steered the conversation elsewhere.
“Your worry is an honor, but I assure you, a mere monster hunt is hardly enough to tire me. In fact, I’m far more worried about you, Lily.”
“…And I think you’re underestimating me.”
What was there to be concerned about?
All she did was eat, talk, and sleep.
Wrapped snugly in a blanket, their voices blended into the quiet night, exchanging meaningless words.
Diana did not realize when their conversation faded into silence.
By the time she did, it was already morning.
The second day of the hunt arrived.
But for Diana, her schedule remained unchanged.
After a simple breakfast in the barracks, she made her way to the banquet hall, where she took her seat among the same people, at the same table, discussing the same topics.
“Have you heard? Lady Raini Frentine—”
“Oh, she’s quite well-known! But I heard something else….”
“Really? I was told—”
For the second day in a row, the conversations were nothing new.
After last night’s pointless banter with Ersivan, Diana found herself even less engaged than before.
Then, suddenly—
“Oh my, the weather looks a bit gloomy.”
A lady’s offhand remark snapped Diana’s wandering mind back to attention.
All at once, every head turned toward the windows.
Just as the woman had said, the sky was cloudier than usual.
“At least it’ll be cooler.”
“Yes, but the humidity will be unbearable.”
“Ugh, that means we’ll be stuck in the barracks tonight.”
The noblewomen quickly lost interest, returning to their tea with casual indifference.
Except for Diana.
“Are you all right, Lady Mernard?”
She must have looked troubled, for someone finally took notice of her blank stare.
Diana stood motionless, eyes fixed on the darkening sky.
Something felt off.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Epel’s voice pulled Diana out of her thoughts. She finally straightened her posture.
“Ah… no, I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong.”
“If that is the case, then I’m relieved.”
Satisfied with her answer, the noblewomen swiftly moved on to another topic.
“Tomorrow, we plan to venture deeper into the forest. Dark-dwelling creatures tend to lurk in the shadows.”
Even as Diana tried to focus on their conversation, Ersivan’s words from the previous night kept echoing in her mind.
The deeper they went, the farther they would be from the barracks. If the rain came, it would be difficult for them to find shelter.
“On rainy nights, I often struggle to sleep. Even if I block out the noise and cover my sight, the uneasiness lingers.”
Her thoughts strayed further back.
Unwanted memories surfaced with startling clarity, replaying the sound of his trembling voice.
“He’ll be fine.”
Yet, for some reason, she found herself worrying about him first, rather than herself.
That was the most ridiculous part of it all. No matter how much she tried, her anxiety refused to settle.
She quickly searched through her memories for reassurance.
He had mentioned that he carried medicine for such situations, something that helped ease his condition when he was forced to stay outdoors. If he had taken it, then maybe it wouldn’t be as bad this time.
Just then, Melinne, who had been grumbling about Viscountess Collen’s scandal, let out an annoyed sigh.
“It really must be about to rain. My back is already aching. …And I couldn’t even take my medicine, so I should probably turn in early tonight.”
“Why can’t you take it?”
“Because carrying medication is forbidden during the monster subjugation. Unless you have an official medical certificate, of course.”
Melinne waved a hand dismissively, saying she couldn’t be bothered with the hassle of obtaining one. The other noblewomen laughed heartily at her dramatic tone.
Diana forced a smile, blending in with the conversation.
But her unease deepened.
Ersivan had explicitly stated that he didn’t want anyone to know about his condition. There was no chance he would have sought out a physician for documentation, much less submitted one.
“But what can I even do?”
There was nothing she could offer him.
She didn’t even know where he was.
The best she could manage was to contact him through the communication device embedded in the dagger—just as she had last night.
And yet, for some reason, it felt as if she was avoiding him altogether.
They were nothing to each other. Their bond was a hollow illusion.
Even so, an inescapable sense of obligation gnawed at her, lingering like an unshakable shadow.
In the end, she could bear it no longer. Diana suddenly rose to her feet.
“There is somewhere I need to be. I must take my leave—please excuse my abrupt departure.”
The noblewomen, startled by her urgency, hesitated before nodding.
There was no reason to stop someone who seemed so determined.
Except for one.
“My apologies, but I don’t recall giving you permission to leave.”
Epel, who had been calmly sipping her tea, cut her off.
It was an unspoken rule that a guest could not depart without the host’s approval.
Diana recognized this as one of Epel’s petty games.
Normally, she would have played along, pretending not to notice.
But not today.
Her expression hardened with urgency, her patience running thin.
“I apologize, but this is truly important.”
“Then provide a reason.”
Epel, fully aware that Diana was deliberately withholding details, seemed intent on cornering her.
Diana struggled to find an acceptable excuse when she caught sight of the window.
The sky had darkened significantly.
If she didn’t leave now, she wouldn’t make it in time.
“Forgive me.”
“Lilian Mernard!”
“If my actions are a slight, you may hold my family responsible. I will accept whatever punishment follows.”
Ignoring Epel’s sharp call, Diana bolted from the room.
She could hear the hurried voices behind her, but she didn’t stop.
She ran straight for the stables.
“I need a horse—any from the Valencia stables will do. It’s urgent.”
She tossed a silver coin to the stable hand, who, startled, quickly freed a horse from its tether and led it forward.
