99. The Hunt

“What a coincidence! Wouldn’t you say, Prince Raphael?”

“Y-yes, Princess Clarisse. Haha, I thought you would be resting to prepare for the hunt tomorrow. Are you quite alright?”

“I became deeply fascinated by the history and traditions of Brentarion, as you presented them at the museum today. I simply had to come into the city and experience the living, breathing Brentarion for myself.”

“Is that so? If you had mentioned it to me, I would have been glad to provide an escort.”

“…….”

“…….”

Isaac and Dell watched the Prince and Princess, who before them exchanged pleasantries with the exaggerated flair of actors on a stage.

‘After all that coaching in etiquette…’

Isaac could only sigh as he watched Clarice, who couldn’t seem to apply herself when it truly mattered.

Regardless of the less-than-flattering display, as a nobleman and a subject, he needed to play along to preserve the dignity of the royal family.

“Since the two of you have come out here, it would be fitting to spend some time together.”

All three stared at Isaac, taken aback by his words.

Until moments ago, he had been empathizing with Dell, but his assigned role, after all, was to facilitate this marriage.

“Ah…….”

Clarice, seeing Isaac attempting to capitalize on even this situation, was thrown off balance.

“Forgive me, but…”

Conversely, Raphael slowly advanced a step, fist clenched tight.

His gaze held a certain resolve, a determination to protect his woman.

“I came to speak with Dell. In fact, I’m curious as to why *you* were speaking with her in the first place.”

“Are you truly going to make me say it aloud?”

“…….”

“I don’t believe anyone here is unaware of the reason, but speaking it gives it a certain weight, wouldn’t you agree?”

Isaac was pointing out that the Prince of one nation, in the midst of a courtship with the Princess of another…

…was in love with a different woman entirely.

“Are you truly going to spend time with this woman?”

Raphael, gazing at Isaac who pressed the question as an assault, squeezed his eyes shut, then seized Dell’s wrist and fled.

“Dell! This way!”

“Woah, Your Highness!”

Passersby must have thought a grand chase was underway.

But Isaac simply stood there, rooted to the spot, watching them disappear.

After they had gone some distance.

“Quite the romantic hero.”

Clarice shrugged, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Does Prince Raphael even realize the profound diplomatic faux pas he just committed?”

“He wouldn’t be ignorant of that. He isn’t an incompetent man, after all.”

He’d anticipated that Princess Clarisse wouldn’t yet be at the point of truly swaying Raphael.

More pressing than that, though.

“Why ever did you come here?”

Isaac sighed, and Clarisse flinched, grumbling.

“I… I just wanted to be out and about a bit.”

“You were shadowing him, weren’t you.”

“…I’ve never actually met this Dell woman. I wanted to see her.”

Her voice strengthened as she spoke. Which meant she was gradually convincing herself, even as she voiced it.

“I was curious what sort of woman it would take to make him restrain himself, even while I’m seducing Prince Raphael with all my might!”

Clarisse laughed, shaking her head, her hair scattering around her face.

“What did it look like to Isaac?”

“She was a good woman. I can understand why Prince Raphael would be drawn to her.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Clarisse pouted, clearly not pleased with his answer.

“Still, you needn’t worry. Considering the length of time, you are making significant inroads with Prince Raphael.”

“…”

Clarisse’s reaction remained unchanged, clearly not finding the comfort she desired.

“What does Isaac think? If it were me and Dell, who would you choose?”

“Is my opinion truly relevant?”

“You’re a man, aren’t you?”

“I will ask in return.”

Isaac replied, levelly.

“What are Princess Clarisse’s thoughts on Prince Raphael?”

“…A fool?”

A slightly better answer than he’d anticipated.

Isaac sighed, refocusing her on their objective.

“Princess, you haven’t forgotten why we’re going through all of this, have you?”

“To win Prince Raphael’s heart, in order to secure a political marriage.”

“That, yes, but you also said you wanted to show Princess Adeline, and Heyrad, a vision of you living happily.”

“Ah.”

I’d forgotten.

“Princess, you yourself must also strive to love Prince Raphael. Remember only this: the more sincere you are, the higher the success rate of the plan.”

Claris, her lips pouting, answered that she understood and spun around.

Not a word was spoken the entire way back.

Perhaps thirty minutes after returning to the palace…

“Crimson Blazeeee!”

Sharen, who had been abandoned at the bakery, ran at Isaac and unleashed her Crimson Blaze in a flurry.

* * *

The next day.

Claris sat upon a chair in a nearby field.

Today’s schedule included horseback riding and hunting, prepared by the Brentarion Kingdom.

As Isaac had said, she only needed to clap politely at Prince Raphael’s exploits, so she didn’t need to think much.

Even if she hunted diligently, it would only steal the spotlight from Prince Raphael.

‘Tch, couldn’t they hide it better?’

It was almost unbearable pretending not to notice the knights and prepared huntsmen, assigned as escorts, deliberately driving the game towards Prince Raphael.

Raphael hit his mark with every shot, without fail.

“Truly, the Prince!”

“Magnificent!”

“A master archer, indeed.”

A torrent of praise rained down from all around.

Claris, too, maintained a smile as she clapped, but her mind was elsewhere.

‘I have to like him.’

It was true.

As Isaac had said, she herself had to love Raphael, but…

Though she knew Prince Raphael was a good man, for some reason, she felt more repulsion than she had when she didn’t know him.

‘His appearance isn’t bad.’

Even if one disregarded his title as a prince of a kingdom, Prince Raphael was undeniably handsome.

Wasn’t he a strikingly handsome man with the distinct features unique to Brentarion?

‘Well, still a ways off from Isaac, though.’

Perhaps the bar was set too high?

Compared to Isaac’s looks, even Prince Raphael had to concede a step back.

Probably, he knew it himself, which is why he was so wary of Del and Isaac talking yesterday.

‘Raphael isn’t so bad in terms of personality either.’

He tended to be driven by emotion, but that meant he was her opposite, allowing them to complement each other.

That was definitely a plus.

‘…Of course, not as much as Isaac, though.’

Isaac was someone she could share even the most trivial things with, without any hesitation.

Entangled in the various incidents caused by Hellmunt and the Transcendent Race, a certain camaraderie had blossomed.

“……”

Clarice subtly turned her head to the side.

There, stood Isaac, his expression unreadable.

In Brentarion, he was accompanying her as a guard in place of Heiraad.

Whack!

“Ugh?!”

Isaac, suddenly struck in the side, looked at Clarice with a bewildered expression.

“Is something the matter?”

“I think it’s because of you.”

“Pardon?”

“I think my standards have gotten too high.”

She couldn’t continue the thought.

Prince Raphael had ridden up to Clarice.

“Princess, would you care to join me on a hunt?”

Raphael extended his hand from atop his horse.

Quickly, Isaac stepped between them, kneeling on one knee to act as a mounting block.

Almost pushed onto the horse with Prince Raphael, Clarice found herself riding beside him.

As he guided the horse forward, Prince Raphael whispered softly.

“I apologize for yesterday. For tending to Del in your presence, Princess Clarice.”

“Ah… It’s alright. It’s understandable.”

“Actually, I summoned you here to apologize for that.”

*He told me not to hide the budding affection I feel while praising the prince.*

Recalling the advice, Clarice spoke the thought that immediately came to mind.

“A pure devotion. As a woman, it’s quite an admirable quality to behold.”

“Is, is that so?”

“Yes.”

A gust of wind whipped through her hair, causing her head to turn back momentarily.

Guards trailed behind, urging their steeds forward.

Among them, Isaac, riding at the front, immediately caught her eye.

“To move forward with only the heart to love another… truly admirable.”

Clarice slowly turned her gaze forward, whispering with the hope that her words would dissipate in the wind.

“Yes, I find it quite charming.”

“…I hadn’t expected you to see it so favorably.”

*Until now, I never thought Clarice was being insincere during our conversations.*

The genuine sincerity in her voice just now caused Prince Raphael to pause, bewildered for a moment.

*Did he think the atmosphere was pleasant?*

Prince Raphael gripped the reins a bit tighter and cautiously began to speak.

“Princess Clarice, actually, Del made a proposition to me yesterday-“

“Your Highness!”

Perhaps he had been distracted by the princess’s earnestness. The urgent voices of the guards following behind.

And the horse raising its forelegs.

*Heeiigh!*

Though the reins should have turned to avoid the boulder ahead, they didn’t, causing the horse to halt abruptly, lifting its legs in alarm.

“Ah!”

As a result, Clarice and Raphael, who were seated, tilted backward and fell.

In the midst of the world suddenly spinning, Clarice braced for a harsh fall and significant injury.

But, instead, a familiar, comforting warmth enveloped her.

Isaac, emanating a subtle, eerie energy from his body, had leaped from his horse and caught Clarice.

* * *

Fortunately, Clarice was uninjured. However, perhaps from the shock, her legs had given out, and she was being carried on the back of her guard, Isaac.

“It’s my fault, so I shall carry you.”

Prince Raphael offered, his words laced with apology.

Isaac, sensing a chance to improve the atmosphere, readily moved to hand Clarisse over, but.

“Today…”

Clarisse, now on his back, quietly pleaded with Isaac.

“I don’t think I can manage any more today.”

“……”

Isaac glanced back at her, then offered a deep bow, replying that he would carry her himself.