Ludving smiled cheerfully.
“Who are you giving it to? If I had known you were coming, I would have participated in the equestrian tournament.”
“I have no one to give it to. I am merely a spectator, Your Highness.”
When I answered coldly, he shook his head sadly, like an actor on stage.
"Have you ever seen a woman so cruel? It would pain a loyal knight's heart that he would risk his life fighting for his miss's honor, without even a token of sympathy."
What? Did the Crown Prince also know that Carlex was fighting for me?
This is the worst.
If the talkative Crown Prince knew, it was only a matter of time until the entire population of the kingdom knew.
“By the way, it's been a long time since I've seen you too.”
Ludving turned his gaze to Michael, and gently patted his head.
It was an intimate gesture, as if he was treating him like a younger brother.
“Michael, watch your brother’s game carefully and learn from it. It is the path you should take in the future.”
“I will keep that in mind, Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
Michael answered firmly.
His face showed clear pride for his brother.
“Okay, let's get started.”
When Ludving sat in the main seat, the hunting horn sounded again, loud and loud.
Before the start of the equestrian competition, the participants appeared before the audience.
The knights, armored in luxurious suits and armor, and carrying shields painted with their family crests, paraded through the arena on their horses.
The audience cheered them enthusiastically.
Michael explained to me what was happening in detail as he watched the scene.
“Only the elite knights of families participate in the equestrian tournament. It is such an honorable competition that a noble title is awarded to the winner.”
“So, the Shadow Knights also participated?”
“Yes. They all passed the qualifiers and my brother Carlex represents them in the finals.”
The knights proudly raised their spears high into the sky.
On her head were fluttering handkerchiefs, which were undoubtedly symbols of sympathy.
They were offering tributes to those who supported them, and a gesture of wishing victory.
At that time, the last knight appeared in the competition arena.
It was a knight wearing a silver helmet, sitting on the back of a white armored horse.
His mere presence exudes a noble aura and powerful dignity, and on his shield is an engraving of a lion's emblem.
Duke Carlex was a member of the Reinhardt family.
A wave of excitement and astonishment swept through the crowd.
Almost at the same moment, rousing cheers filled the competition arena.
“For the glory of Reinhardt!”
“Victory belongs to the Lion Knight, Duke Carlex!”
Even the knights of other families looked at Carlex with eyes overflowing with boundless respect.
Suddenly, I was curious to know Franz's reaction, so I glanced at him furtively.
Among the nobles wishing the hero's victory with eyes full of expectation, he sat alone, haughty.
His gaze at Carlex was calm, but his thin, white hands were holding the handle of the chair as if they were about to smash it.
Carlex's horse slowly advanced towards the platform.
His sharp gaze from behind the helmet examined the young women sitting in the guest section.
Everyone's eyes turned to the tip of his spear.
He slowly raised his spear high towards the sky.
On its sharp tip, the handkerchief was flapping like a bird's wing.
For some reason, my heart stopped beating.
Who gave him the tissue anyway?
A wave of shock and astonishment swept through the ranks of the young women.
All faces look in disbelief.
Before the confusion dissipated, Carlex moved his horse's reins and stopped in front of me.
When he raised the front of the silver helmet, his sparkling blue eyes stared back at me.
Finally, I could clearly see the handkerchief hanging on the tip of his shaft.
E.D.
Handkerchief embroidered with Erica's initials.
It was the handkerchief I used to wipe away Michael's sweat when he fell while we went looking for the magic book earlier.
I thought I lost it later, how did it get there?
At that moment, my eyes met Carlex's.
The noise of the competition arena, full of cheers and enthusiasm, suddenly disappeared.
It was just him and me.
as always.
His strong breaths combine with my shuddering breaths.
His strong heartbeat mixed with my confused heartbeat.
The brave knight's spear points straight to my heart.
Carlex announced to me with his eyes:
I will definitely win. For you.
I bit my lip hard as if I was tearing it apart to keep the tears from falling.
I was afraid that I would jump off the stage and rush into his arms, so I grabbed the handle of the chair tightly.
How can your heart always remain steadfast toward Me?
While I'm always busy running away from you.
“Oh my God, was that Miss Rubel the one with the handkerchief?”
Oh, my God, did Miss Rubel give the Duke a token of sympathy...?”
The young women's passionately shrieking voices hurled into my ears like stones.
Then the roaring noise of the competition arena came back like a huge wave.
Some of them whisper with expressions full of jealousy and envy, while others groan with regret.
As for the main character, Freesia, she has her beautiful lips tightly closed, looking embarrassed.
Under her long eyelashes, her beautiful amethyst eyes turned softly toward Carlex.
I rubbed the corner of my eye and tried to force the flow of my thoughts to change.
Ignoring the stinging pain in my chest.
Is this help from heaven?
That the nobles misunderstood Lady Carlex as a freesia is pure luck.
Anyway, doesn't it work similarly to the original script?
Carlex returned to the center of the platform where the knights were standing.
Then Michael entered my field of vision.
The boy's little pink lips moved several times, but in the end they closed tightly.
His facial expressions grew darker, and I worried whether his health was not well.
“What's wrong?”
“Miss Dale, when I grow up and participate in the equestrian tournament, will you give me a sympathy token?”
But the answer that came to me was unexpected.
But, it seems that the name he calls me has changed somehow.
In any case, I will strongly oppose this delicate and beautiful little prince participating in the dreaded equestrian tournament.
I feel like I understand a mother's torn heart when sending her son to the army.
"Of course. Even if any other pretty lady offers you her handkerchief, you must only accept mine, understand?"
Michael's pale face turned rosy like a peach.
Wow! This look as he pursed his lips tightly and nodded vigorously!
He was so cute that I wanted to hug him so hard, but I had to hold myself together and pinch the back of my hand.
Boo!
At that moment, when the announcer blew the trumpet forcefully, the crowd's eyes turned to the stage.
Crown Prince Ludfing rose from his seat and raised his arms reverently.
The loud noise died down in the blink of an eye.
Everyone looks at the young sun of Ruberia with admiration.
The four knights lined up below the platform also bowed their heads deeply to the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince looked at his people and shouted in his serious and strong voice:
“I now declare the start of today's Equestrian Tournament, and wish Ruperia eternal prosperity and blessings! Brave Knights of Ruperia, fight with holy courage and nobility for victory!”
When the Crown Prince's speech ended, the voices of the crowd flooded the arena, phoning in unison:
“For the eternal prosperity and blessings of Ruberia!”
“For His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince!”
“For the victory of the brave knights!”
The jubilant horses rose with tremendous cheers on their hind legs.
The faces of the four knights preparing for the final match showed great tension.
As if they were on guard, as if they were about to start a battle.
The end of my gaze was directed towards the silver helmeted Carlex.
It's okay if he doesn't become a hero, just come back safe please.
In the first match, the two knights prepared on both sides of the arena, on their horses, taking a defensive position with shields.
The first match was between the knights of Duke Reinhardt's family and the family of Count Lanyen.
“Waah!”
As Carlex took his position, a barrage of enthusiastic cheers of encouragement rained down on him.
The nobles, with tense faces, also focused on the match of the Duke, who spreads a heroic aura like a silver lion.
“Boo!”
The sound of the horn announcing the start split the atmosphere of the place.
The two knights advanced simultaneously, rushing their horses forward.
Just before the collision, the two knights aimed their spears at the opponent's shield.
Kwaaang!
Carlex's spear accurately hit the opponent's armor.
Due to the force of the impact, the opposing rider fell from his horse with amazing ease.
Amidst a cloud of thick dust, the competition arena fell silent for a few seconds.
Then cheers exploded that shook the competition arena.
“Victory for the Reinhardt family!”
“Long live Duke Carlex!!”
Carlex raised the front of his helmet, bowed in salute to the fallen knight, and turned his horse's head toward the waiting room.
Amid the cheers, joy, and shouts of the large crowd, I clasped my hands and thanked God.
It's a happy coincidence that he wasn't injured.
When the spear and shield collided, I thought my heart would stop.
Michael also watched with a tense face and clenched fists, then let out an exhale of relief.
“My brother won. This is pure luck.”
“Yes. The Duke’s skill is truly amazing. But if I watch that again, I won’t live long.”
The servants took the knight who had fallen from his horse.
This was then followed by a short rest period to prepare for the next match.
“Wasn't the previous match great?”
I tried to calm my trembling heart by speaking gently to Freesia next to me.
But she didn't reply.
No, it was right to say that she was in no condition to respond.
Freesia closed her eyes tightly and trembled like a frightened deer.
Her sight was very pitiful.
“Friesia, the match is over. Duke Reinhardt has won.”
Only then did she cautiously open her big eyes.
“Really? The Duke is really cool.”
Then she smiled brightly, as if she had been relieved of a great worry.
But soon her cheeks turned a little red, as if she was embarrassed because she closed her eyes.
“I was worried that the Duke would be hurt, so I closed my eyes without realizing it.”
I gently held the hand of the beautiful Freesia and said to her tenderly:
“It's okay. It's a competition between knights fighting for honor. Support and encourage them with all your heart. Any knight would be willing to sacrifice their life fighting for Freesia's smile.”
Perhaps my words gave her strength, so she nodded vigorously.
“Thank you, Erica. Next match, I will watch until the end and wish him luck.”
We held hands and watched the next match.
The second match was between the knights of the Duke of Spern's family and the family of Count Lawrence.
The two knights' spears attacked the opponent's shield, but only broke without either of them falling.
It was a close contest that made fists sweat, as elite knights should.
After exchanging spears, the two knights began the match again.
The Spirn Knight pointed his spear at the opponent's chest.
The opposing knight tried to quickly counter, but that was after the spear had already hit his chest.
“K-hak!”
With a dying cry, Lawrence's knight fell from his horse and rolled to the ground.
Blood seeped through his armor.
Wait, he intentionally targeted his chest, not the armor?
My reaction was to turn and stare at Franz.
“To be continued in the next chapter”
Loving translation