A month flew by in no time.
During this period, attending noble classes disguised as bride lessons every single day, I really felt my demeanor change significantly.
From basic dining etiquette to the proper posture while conversing, everything was covered.
“Please watch your step. With such a stride, you might easily twist your ankle.”
…Though it seems I’m still a bit far from mastering it. Still, now I can wear high heels of this height, which I think counts as tremendous progress.
After checking my posture a few times, Allen finally smiled with satisfaction.
“You’ve improved a lot. I can barely remember how you were during our first meeting.”
“Aha, thank you.”
When he mentioned our first meeting, he must have been referring to the moment I proposed a contract marriage to Abel. At that time, I probably didn’t have the leisure to think about noble etiquette or anything else.
“This much is… sufficient.”
“What a surprise. I never imagined you’d earn Allen’s approval.”
Abel, having come out of his office, spoke those words. He looked slightly surprised, as if he didn’t expect me to gain Allen’s recognition in such a short time.
Well, if there’s anything I excel at, it’s learning quickly.
“Hmm.”
Clearing his throat and crossing his arms slightly, Abel chuckled.
“Feeling smug is fine, but we should start preparing to leave soon, you know?”
“Oh, right.”
Maybe because I was a little too excited, I had almost forgotten. Today was the day of the Hunt Festival! No matter how close the Everlasting Snow Mountain is to the House of Hardenberg, if I don’t start preparing now, I might be late.
“Miss Adele!”
Lily approached, calling my name in a loud voice. Perhaps because she got scolded by Laura for tripping last time, she was hurrying along.
“It’s time to get ready!”
“Got it, Lily.”
As I followed Lily, I suddenly felt a gaze on me and turned my head back. There was Abel, waving at me with a significant smile. His slightly playful expression brought a sense of unease.
It’s the kind of ominous feeling I always get before something big goes wrong. Even though I frowned slightly, he continued to look at me with that cryptic smile.
‘…Why do I feel uneasy?’
I wish it were simply because I thought he might cause a disaster. But just in case, it’s better to be prepared. It would be nice if it turned out to be just an unfounded worry, but you know what they say: ‘Forewarned is forearmed.’
With that thought in mind, I followed Lily again.
§
“Whoo…”
Is it really as cold as the name ‘Snow Mountain’ implies? Despite wearing quite a few outer layers, my teeth were chattering. Even inside the carriage, the vapor coming from my breath was white, emphasizing just how cold it was.
Abel, sitting across from me, glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and snapped his fingers.
“It seems quite cold.”
“Really. How can you wear such attire…”
His outfit wasn’t very different from his usual uniform. Although it was splendidly appropriate, it wasn’t clothing suitable for this snowy mountain.
Honestly, I even worried a bit that he might catch a cold.
“It’s magic.”
Ah, right.
I’m so envious of his magic spoon!
Hearing that made me feel guilty for worrying about him. For someone like me, who would be out of breath after using minor spells like tracking or shielding just a couple of times, it seemed downright unfair.
“Are you still cold?”
“Of course… wait, huh?”
Thinking about it, I no longer felt cold at all. In fact, I felt slightly warm. Confused about how that happened, I looked up and saw Abel wearing a mask-like smile.
Did he use magic for me?
I didn’t ask for it, but seeing him so willingly do it felt a bit unfamiliar. After all, it might be somewhat problematic for him if his fiancée ended up catching a cold.
Still, it was a fact that I received help…
“..Thank you.”
“Eh? I can’t hear you well.”
This guy, he’s acting like he can’t hear me on purpose again. Just looking at that playful expression was a dead giveaway. Of course, I wasn’t stingy about expressing my gratitude, so it wasn’t difficult to say it again in a louder voice.
“Thank you, Abel.”
“You’re welcome.”
After saying that, Abel turned his attention back to the documents, as if he had lost interest. His behavior made me slightly annoyed, so I let out a sigh and turned my head away.
Really, he was such a worry in many ways.
Through the carriage window, I saw a mountain range covered in pristine white snow. As someone who claimed to be a hiking fanatic before getting transported, I couldn’t help but marvel at the size of the Snow Mountain. It might even be taller than the famous Seoraksan.
‘To think we could reach this height in just a carriage.’
Medieval magical engineering truly was a fascinating technology.
Even with the existence of magic, it was astonishing how we could ride to such high altitudes. It sparked thoughts that being a carriage driver must be a pretty extreme job.
Clunk, clunk.
Of course, that bumpy ride was something the so-called amazing magical engineering couldn’t fix—I’m still not used to it. It’s odd how Abel sits there reading documents comfortably despite all this jostling.
If asked, I’m sure he’d say it was thanks to magic.
Lost in thought, the carriage finally came to a stop with a jolt.
“We’ve arrived.”
Saying that, Abel put down the papers and stood up. He extended his hand, escorting me as I stepped out of the carriage.
Outside, I was greeted by a snow-covered wasteland. In the center, as if a barrier had been cast, there was a patch of ground where the snow melted.
I could see a variety of noble ladies and gentlemen, even some royals. Among them were a few familiar faces that I had really rather not seen again.
‘The Crown Prince, Tower Master, the head of the imperial knights, and even dukes…’
A lineup of names that would leave anyone speechless.
It’s practically all the types of handsome male leads you’d find in a romantic fantasy novel gathered here. Even at the Hunt Festival, one of the most important events in the empire, it was unusual for so many high-profile guests to attend.
Could it be because of the protagonist herself?
Turning my head, I caught sight of Estelle not far away. Her silver hair sparkled in the sunlight, and those golden eyes added an air of mystery. Her beauty radiated to the point that anyone could tell she was a true beauty.
Estelle von Louis.
The protagonist from the original story, the charming figure who ensnares every handsome male lead. Even for a romance fantasy, seeing so many men drawn to her felt unrealistic.
No matter how realistic it may seem, witnessing such unabashed advances made me feel the world was still a fantasy realm.
‘Oh, we made eye contact.’
She looked slightly surprised with her eyes widened, but then she smiled softly and waved at me. I was startled and awkwardly waved back, trying to appear calm.
Seeing such a pure reaction made me uncomfortably self-conscious…
‘She actually seemed like a genuinely nice person.’
I’ve heard that before the possession, Adele caused all sorts of trouble. Despite this, she offered her heartfelt congratulations and even handed me an invitation to continue our conversation after the engagement ceremony.
As I began to recall the rumors about the misdeeds Adele had committed against Estelle,
Pretending to trip, spilling wine on her dress, subtly mocking the past of the Louis Count family, and even leading the bullying during parties…
‘Was Adele really halfway out of her mind?’
The more I thought about it, the less I understood why Estelle displayed kindness towards Adele.
If she truly endured such treatment and still invites me, wouldn’t that make her a living Bodhisattva? Even after such blatant disrespect and humiliation, how could she give me an invitation?
It would be far more rational to assume she had some hidden ulterior motive.
“You seem deep in thought.”
It was only then I noticed Abel extending his hand toward me. I must have been so absorbed in my thoughts that I hadn’t even noticed he was trying to take my hand first.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
“Nothing to apologize for. However, worrying about problems that can’t be solved right now is exhausting.”
His tone was significantly softer than usual. It must be because there are others around.
Though it felt slightly scolding, he was entirely correct. Overthinking wouldn’t reveal any clever insights about Estelle’s intentions. Instead, it would be far better to focus on the task at hand.
Taking a deep breath, I began to untangle the complicated thoughts in my head. Doing so eased my mind a bit.
“Thanks for the advice.”
“Anytime.”
Abel responded with a smile.
His smile seemed unusually artificial and gave me chills, but I tried not to show it. In contrast, his usual playful grin was much more pleasant to see.
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