Chapter 8
Laughter from the nobles inside the room flowed out through the open window.
“How is anyone supposed to ride that thing?”
“Isn’t it going to stomp someone to death?”
“This should be fun to watch.”
Francesca kept up her act, whispering to Ashmia with a worried expression.
“Are you sure about this? Ordering something like that, when it’s your first time riding… you’re very brave.”
Her brow was furrowed, but no doubt she was smiling behind those demurely folded hands.
Ashmia simply gazed at her and offered a faint smile.
“I’m already curious to see how to tame something like that.”
Francesca was momentarily thrown off by the unexpected response but quickly shook her head and said,
“I could check with other riding clubs to find a better horse. If you ride something like that carelessly—”
Don’t pretend you’re fine.
This isn’t a place for someone like you, who doesn’t know her place.
So leave while I’m still being nice.
Otherwise—
“You might die.”
The nuance in Francesca’s final words was a direct reflection of her true intentions.
“Thank you for your concern. However…”
Ashmia raised her voice just enough to make sure those watching from the room could hear her.
“For scum like me, saving face is more important than staying alive.”
Staring down the now-stiff-faced Francesca, Ashmia touched her earlobe and called out,
“Vanessa!”
“Yes, my lady.”
“Go give them a hand.”
“As you wish.”
Vanessa began walking toward the white horse that was giving five men a hard time.
“It’s dangerous! Stay back!” one of them shouted.
Vanessa, expressionless, replied,
“Let go.”
“What?”
“I said let go of the horse. Are you deaf?”
The men instinctively loosened their grip at the menace in her tone. The white horse, sensing freedom, suddenly thrashed and flung off the ropes that had bound it.
Hiiiiieee!!
It reared its front legs at Vanessa. If one of those hooves hit her head, her skull would be shattered beyond recognition.
Screams erupted from the room, and even Francesca turned pale with shock.
But Vanessa, just as she had trained with Ashmia for the past two weeks, lightly dodged the horse’s hooves, leapt up, grabbed its neck with both arms, and hardened her entire body.
Crackkk!
Her hardened body not only grew denser but also heavier. The horse must have felt like a boulder had latched onto its neck.
Thud!
She gently pressed down on its neck, just enough to pin it without causing injury.
“My lady will be riding it, after all.”
“Take it down, but don’t hurt it. That’s the key.”
“This much should do.”
The horse thrashed, frothing at the mouth, but soon settled down, gasping for air, seemingly cowed by Vanessa’s unyielding presence.
“There, good boy.”
Vanessa stroked its mane a few times before looking over to Ashmia.
“My lady, it’s ready for you now.”
Everyone, Francesca included, stood frozen in shock at the scene.
Only Bayren Bernando watched Vanessa with a sharply focused gaze, while Ashmia nodded and said,
“Well done.”
Vanessa called the men back to help raise the horse. As soon as the white horse stood, it shook itself violently, causing the men to recoil again.
Tsk—
Vanessa clicked her tongue, and they quickly and silently began untying the ropes.
“Did you see that? What the hell is she?!”
“She just took that monster down?! How can a human—?!”
“Is she an esper? What kind of ability lets you do that?!”
What’s her name? Are all mafiosos like that? And most of all—
As expected of a Kalashniel.
The very thing Francesca didn’t want to hear was now buzzing among the members of Fleur.
“……!!”
Francesca glared at them, and the whispers died down, though their eyes still flicked toward Ashmia and Vanessa.
“We’ve brought the saddle!”
It was so large that it took two men to carry it.
Vanessa inspected their work carefully, and when Ashmia approached, she knelt on one knee, lacing her fingers together as a step.
They had practiced this move countless times, just like they had the takedown.
‘No matter how childish or outdated, this is the standard sabotage method at a riding club.’
Expecting something even larger, Ashmia effortlessly and gracefully mounted the horse with Vanessa’s help.
Ooooh—!
Gasps of awe rippled through the onlookers. Francesca bit her lower lip so hard the color drained from it.
“Get something that looks like a wild bull, half-starve it, and make it ornery. If it tramples her to death, that’d be perfect.”
That was the monstrous beast she had secretly bought with her own money.
And now it had been tamed using that absurd method—and even ridden?
“Wow… just look at that.”
The silver-haired girl with mysterious golden eyes, small and delicate, atop the towering white horse looked like a scene from a mythic painting.
Clop— clop—
“Lady Ashmia.”
Ashmia approached Francesca with a calm expression.
“Thank you for preparing such a fine horse for me.”
Francesca’s lips looked like they’d bleed if she bit any harder.
“Give me the reins. I’d like to take it for a run.”
“Of course, enjoy yourself.”
Taking the reins from Vanessa, Ashmia gently stroked the horse’s mane and spurred it forward.
“Hyah!”
Clop—clop—clop—!
The heavy but rhythmic sound of hooves echoed through the arena.
As the white horse picked up speed, a trail of silver light followed on Randolf Riding Club’s track.
Just riding it was like a painting. Now, it was a living legend in motion.
When the beautiful gallop finally ended, the audience watched with a sense of inexplicable longing.
Clop—clop—
Ashmia returned to stand before Francesca.
“Let’s ride together, Lady Francesca.”
“…?!”
Francesca couldn’t believe her ears.
Did this impudent girl just suggest riding alongside me?
“A lowlife like her wants to ride beside me?”
“Or we could just have a chat in front of everyone here. The choice is yours.”
“……”
Francesca glared at her, blue eyes blazing, then turned to Bayren Bernando.
“Bring my horse.”
Bayren soon returned with a well-bred black stallion. He assisted Francesca onto it the same way Vanessa had helped Ashmia.
Francesca didn’t respond to Ashmia and rode ahead without a word.
Ashmia let out a silent laugh but chose not to provoke Francesca’s shallow pride any further.
The white horse followed just half a step behind the black one as the two horses began to circle the track slowly.
“Where did you manage to find such a fine horse?”
Ashmia’s teasing question earned a huff from Francesca, who replied with a forced smile.
“I don’t know what you mean. I’ve never seen such a wild boar of a horse before in my life.”
“Ah, I see. Still, pretending not to know doesn’t erase what you did or absolve you of guilt.”
At those nonchalant words, Francesca whipped her head around to glare at her.
“Are you threatening me right now?!”
“I won’t deny it, but isn’t threatening what you did to me earlier?”
“All I did was offer Iven some advice and suggest it might be unsafe for you to ride. Hardly a crime.”
“Perhaps. Though, for the first part, we’ll have to ask Iven himself. He’s not the type to do anything that doesn’t benefit him. But I think you misunderstand. I’m not talking about the horse.”
“Then what—?!”
“I’m talking about your precious ‘Fleur.’”
Francesca quickly turned her head, clearly trying to hide her surprise.
“What about Fleur? We are a model of a wholesome and harmonious social club…”
“I nearly fainted from the stench before I even entered the building. Is marijuana really a vital part of wholesome socializing? You should go easy on the perfume too. All those smells mixed together made me nauseous.”
“T-That was just a few ignorant individuals acting out! It has nothing to do with Fleur itself.”
“So you knew, then. Whether it’s individuals or the whole club, the police will decide that.”
Francesca let out a laugh.
“What can the police in this country even do? They barely have time to worry about us, let alone investigate anything. Go ahead and call them—I’m curious what they’ll actually manage to find.”
“You never know. If someone powerful takes an interest, their attitude might change very quickly.”
“A funny joke. That would never—”
“It could happen. I’m not saying it’d be one family or one organization. Even Pandragon isn’t pressuring the royal family alone, is he?”
“Does the Kalashniel name come with nine lives? You’re bold, saying whatever you want just because I let you speak.”
Ashmia smiled unbothered and said,
“Shall we make a bet?”
