Chapter 52
Armin Wilhelm sneered at Walter. Without even properly looking at him, he took a pair of leather gloves from Esben and slipped them on.
“Did you sleep well, Your Majesty?”
The words were polite, but the attitude was far from it.
Armin pulled me closer to his side—so much so that even our fingertips wouldn’t brush against Walter.
We walked toward the horses prepared just before the Iron Forest, the designated hunting ground.
“Well. I don’t know if it was because the castle walls are so thin, or because the pre-festival stirred up the mood, but there was so much chatter I couldn’t sleep well.”
Of course, the “chatter” included gossip about me and Armin.
In any case, for the lord and lady of the castle to disappear in the middle of the pre-festival for a tryst was nearly a scandal.
So the people would have pretended to gossip, but really, they were whispering about the couple’s passionate affection.
That would’ve reached Walter’s ears as well—and he probably got the answer to the question he asked me yesterday.
[Whether he’s had you.]
Disgusting bastard.
“Did you sleep well, My Lady?”
I saw the glint in Walter’s golden eyes as he looked at me.
Because of what happened last night, his gaze toward me burned with intense desire.
That damned man has no interest in things he believes are his. But if it’s not his—especially if it’s someone else’s, especially Armin’s—he gets obsessed.
I could see that greedy curiosity clearly in his eyes.
It was a deliberate attempt to provoke Armin.
“I had no reason not to sleep well, Your Majesty.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Walter narrowed his eyes.
By then, the three of us had arrived at the horses and come to a stop.
Walter was the first to step onto a servant’s thigh and mount his horse.
Then he deliberately turned his horse toward me and Armin, rode closer, and smiled down at us.
“I wish you luck. You heard the announcement, right? The one who brings back the most wolf heads will have one of their wishes granted by me personally. I’m hoping for a surprise winner this time.”
Then, as if threatening us, he whipped his horse and passed by Armin and me, heading straight into the woods behind us.
His servants and knights quickly followed.
I furrowed my brows watching him go.
“A wish? Was that really a thing?”
At my question, Armin let out a small chuckle.
“My Lady. When the Emperor speaks in the banquet hall, you should pay attention.”
“Well, at the time…”
I had just met Walter in Diana Isla’s body for the first time. I was too overwhelmed.
Instead of saying that, I just looked silently at Armin.
“Are you going to stick close to the Emperor?”
Armin tilted his head at my question.
“Why?”
“Because I’m worried.”
“Worried he’ll ‘accidentally’ shoot an arrow at me?”
“No. I’m worried you’ll ‘accidentally’ kill the Emperor.”
And then calmly bring back the Emperor’s head, mistaking it for a wolf’s. That’s exactly what Armin Wilhelm would do.
Armin laughed aloud at my remark.
The laugh was so genuine that it eased some of my tension without me realizing it.
“Alright. I’ll be careful, My Lady.”
“…It’s nearly evening.”
Armin glanced at the setting sun and nodded.
“It is.”
“You have to be careful around the Emperor. You know that, right?”
This time, I meant it. Walter was cunning. In the dark forest, who knew what he might try? Even if “Gram” had given us some insight, too many unknowns remained.
Of course, if Armin were to be injured or killed in this forest, even Walter—who hadn’t brought many private troops—would be at risk. But I wasn’t willing to trade Armin’s life for Walter’s.
Honestly, a few months ago, I might’ve done exactly that. But not anymore.
“I know. By the way, I think a blue moon might rise tomorrow night.”
Armin frowned and looked up at the sky.
At his words, I looked up too.
It was just a normal sky—so what exactly did he see that made him think a blue moon would appear? Still, Esben and Hanna both looked up and nodded.
These Northerners…
I furrowed my brows at the thought.
“Do you believe in legends about the blue moon?”
As I asked, Armin knelt in front of me. I looked down at him in surprise. Then he placed a hand on his thigh and pointed at it with his chin.
Was he telling me to step on it?
Seeing that, both Esben and Hanna looked scandalized.
The lord acting as his wife’s footstool?
Definitely something they didn’t want to see.
But considering the rumors from last night, wasn’t this much to be expected?
And besides, there’s something annoying about him today.
He looked completely fine while I was tense and anxious.
Thinking that, I nonchalantly placed my foot on his thigh. He grabbed my leg and lifted me onto his shoulder before helping me mount the horse.
It happened so fast that I widened my eyes in surprise as I looked down at him.
Without breaking a sweat, he climbed onto his own horse and took the reins.
“The legend of the blue moon… I do believe in one. If you enter the Iron Forest and pray under the blue moon, the moon goddess Diana will show you the face of the one you’re destined to love for the rest of your life.”
As he said the name “Diana,” he looked right at me—teasingly.
I let out a dry laugh and grabbed the reins.
“Sounds like the perfect excuse for lovers to have a secret rendezvous.”
“Is that so?”
He smiled and waited for his servant and knight to mount their horses. Watching his profile, I said:
“You’ll win.”
“Again with that?”
Armin squinted as he handed me the reins.
“To you, everything is a matter of winning or losing, isn’t it?”
Of course.
Because my life had only ever been full of losses.
“This time I mean the hunting festival. You will win.”
“Well, of course, My Lady. Recognizing my true—”
He began to answer smugly, but I cut him off.
“Your hands barely shake anymore.”
His brows furrowed.
I turned away from him and looked at the Iron Forest. The dense, shadowy woods that seemed like they could swallow everything whole.
Who holds a hunting competition in a place like that? Northern people really are insane.
And yet…
Despite everything…
Armin would be able to swing his sword easily, even under a sliver of moonlight in that forest.
Why?
Because I had just confirmed it when I held Leon’s longsword.
His hands didn’t tremble.
Once I realized that, the anxiety that had been boiling inside me seemed to vanish.
Now I understood why Armin hadn’t drunk at the pre-festival.
And why he’d spent so much time outside the castle recently.
He’s been using inspections as an excuse to train with his sword.
“You don’t need alcohol anymore, do you?”
I smiled at him. I must’ve looked confident—like I was the greatest swordmaster in the Empire.
Which, frankly, wasn’t far from the truth.
Even when his hands trembled, Armin was the Empire’s top swordmaster.
And now, he was recovering.
I was the blacksmith who would forge the Empire’s best blade, and he was that blade. No one could surpass us.
Before he could reply, I clicked my tongue and started my horse forward.
