The Arrow of Destiny Cuts Through the Night

#71

She’s four years younger than me, if I remember correctly. Jersian recalled the information in his head while smiling gently at the girl.

“…You flatter me.”

The princess’s gaze immediately turned to Kain Starchis, standing tall right next to the smiling Jersian. Due to their significant height difference, she had to tilt her head back completely to meet the eyes of the rumored elf.

“So this must be…”

Moon-like white hair, soft light green eyes, and a tall, slender body. He was an elf befitting the description of a beautiful being meticulously crafted by the World Tree.

However.

‘…Usually, one would bow first to make it easier to greet.’

Princess Teiran grumbled inwardly. This was the very person who had single-handedly overturned the marriage she had so desired with the Marquis family of the continent. There was no way such an elf could look good in Princess Teiran’s eyes. She opened her fan with a snap and covered her mouth as she spoke.

“I heard that you’ve already become engaged to someone else. That’s truly a pity. It would have been wonderful if you had chosen our Tesena Kingdom.”

Jersian and Kain were both wearing engagement rings, as if to show off to others. Usually, the social circles of the Arkner Empire are so lax that it’s permissible to have lovers even after engagement or marriage. That’s why most nobles remove their rings when attending parties, not wanting to miss out on the grand meeting place that is the hunting competition.

“…”

Yet they came wearing their rings; this was clearly meant to show off. Both of them. Princess Teiran coldly eyed the platinum ring snugly fitted on Jersian Gerold’s left hand. To think he chose an elf over her. No matter what, she was still a proper princess of a country. No matter how mysterious elves might be, she could pride herself on the fact that the Tesena family could give Jersian Gerold everything he needed.

However, unfortunately for her, Jersian could read all of her inner thoughts. Usually in these social circles, people try their best to hide such true feelings to avoid creating weaknesses, but Princess Teiran’s complete transparency made her seem almost pure by comparison.

‘She must be too young to be familiar with court speech.’

Jersian thought to himself while responding nonchalantly.

“I had no idea Your Highness would be so heartbroken. I should have sent a personal message, but I was too caught up in engagement preparations.”

“…”

Jersian’s attitude was so polite that Princess Teiran, who had been speaking sarcastically as if venting her dissatisfaction, seemed to realize her own mistake. She fanned herself lightly in front of her face and said:

“…Congratulations on your engagement, Jersian Gerold.”

Princess Teiran reluctantly offered her congratulations after a long pause. Her gaze was still fixed on their engagement rings. Still, this was a relatively quick recovery. Hearing her congratulations, Jersian replied with a slight smile, pulling up the corners of his mouth.

“Thank you for your congratulations. I hope you enjoy the rest of the eve of the festival.”

“…Yes. I hope you do the same, Jersian.”

With that, Jersian, having finished his conversation with Princess Teiran, gave a subtle glance to Kain standing beside him, intending to move on. However, Kain Starchis was quietly looking down at the princess, not noticing Jersian’s signal.

“…”

Princess Teiran was much younger and smaller than Kain had imagined.

‘So these two were originally supposed to be engaged.’

While his face appeared indifferent, he was inwardly amazed. The engagement of the youngest son of an imperial marquis family and a princess from another kingdom. If the engagement had been realized, it would have been a meeting of the century, like something out of a fairy tale.

In reality, the two did look very well-matched on the surface. The girl with her voluminous wavy brown hair tied with a turquoise ribbon seemed to have a lively personality, in contrast to the all-black, cold-looking Jersian. Neither of them had grown up in ordinary circumstances. They probably would have fought a lot at first, trying to adjust to each other’s personalities… but in the end, they would have become a good couple.

If I hadn’t suddenly appeared before him and said I was his ‘destined partner’, that’s surely what would have happened.

It was then.

Tap, the heel of Jersian’s shoe lightly hit the side of Kain’s shoe. Hm? Kain, who had been lost in thought, turned his gaze to Jersian, who asked with a grumpy face.

“What were you thinking about that you couldn’t even hear me?”

I called your name several times, Jersian’s sharp eyes turned up.

“…It’s nothing important.”

Kain answered, taking his eyes off the princess and her subordinates who were walking away in the distance. It wasn’t a very detailed answer, so a wrinkle formed between Jersian’s brows.

Normally, he would have probed further until he got the answer he wanted, but today it seemed impossible.

“Jersian Gerold.”

Marchioness Elmerila’s voice cut between the two. Jersian immediately turned his head towards the Marchioness. From her dress with minimal decorations to her hair neatly arranged without a single strand out of place, it was a perfect outfit suitable for the eve of the imperial hunting competition. She greeted them with her wrinkled mouth drooping.

“And Kain Starchis too. You both arrived safely.”

Jersian spoke while standing close to Kain.

“Yes, did you just arrive?”

Jersian asked, noticing the untouched champagne glass in the Marchioness’s hand.

To that question, Marchioness Elmerila answered with a raised corner of her mouth.

“No, I arrived in Whinicer a few hours ago. I just had some business to attend to elsewhere. Have you been enjoying the eve of the festival enough in my stead?”

“Not yet. We’ve just arrived ourselves.”

The Marchioness took a sip of the champagne she was holding, then gestured behind her and said.

“I saw you talking with the princess of Tesena Kingdom earlier, what were you talking about?”

It was a question that could touch a nerve for Jersian.

“…”

What’s the intention behind choosing that conversation topic when Kain is here? Even if it was forced, the Marchioness should know that Kain is Jersian’s fiancé. As it was, Kain’s expression hadn’t been good after talking with Princess Teiran, which had been bothering Jersian.

Jersian glanced at Kain standing beside him. His face was still so indifferent that it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Jersian opened his mouth.

“…She seemed to regret that I had called off the engagement on my side.”

At his answer, Marchioness Elmerila said with a satisfied face.

“Ha, that’s understandable. There wouldn’t be a place that wouldn’t want an engagement with our Gerold family.”

Then she looked up at the elf standing tall next to Jersian and said.

“Kain Starchis, you should fully realize during this hunting competition just how remarkable a partner you’ve become engaged to.”

An elf, a being only seen in legends, joining the family is certainly something to be welcomed even for a Marchioness. But Elmerila thought that Kain Starchis should be fully aware of what the Marquis family had to give up to engage him to Jersian.

He should at least offer to show us the shortcut across the Fiokhim Mountains, or introduce trade with the Harmens Kingdom. Otherwise, it’s not a good deal for us. Anyway, it’s not like Jersian could really be in love with that elf…

It was then.

“…!”

Swish, Kain Starchis’s unique light green eyes turned towards Marchioness Elmerila. Under his straight gaze, bright even in the slightly dark banquet hall of the eve of the festival, the corners of the Marchioness’s confidently raised lips trembled slightly.

Wasn’t it said in some book that nothing can be hidden from an elf’s gaze? In front of Kain’s gaze, it felt like every thought in her mind was being thoroughly exposed.

Kain Starchis, about a head taller than other humans, looked down at Marchioness Elmerila with an authoritative gaze and opened his lips.

“I will keep that in mind.”

His clear voice carried an inexplicable weight.

“I intend to be sufficiently helpful to him as his fiancé.”

After speaking impeccably politely, Kain lightly placed his palm on Jersian’s shoulder beside him. Tap, Jersian’s red eyes quickly turned to Kain’s cold face.

At the same time, he was slightly surprised.

‘…So that’s the expression he makes when he’s angry.’

It was the first time Jersian had seen Kain’s angry face.