The Abandoned Princess’ Secret Bedroom - Chapter 17

She didn’t know what Almondite was up to, so she didn’t want Tristan to leave. It must seem like she was avoiding a situation where they would be alone.

“Sir Jayad, are you familiar with horses?”

“Yes. I know them well.”

“Is it true that Zakats ride horses as soon as they walk?”

Tristan grinned at Llewelyn’s question. Llewelyn was perplexed. It was because it was the first time that the honest man showed such an expression.

“Everyone says that, but a baby who walks can’t ride a horse because their legs are weak.”

“I see.”

Llewelyn, embarrassed by his straightforward answer, nodded her head meekly.

“Then at what age do you start riding?”

At Almondite’s question, the smile on Tristan’s face disappeared in an instant. His face hardened subtly. Llewelyn did not notice it, but the change seemed obvious to Almondite.

“I was five years old.”

“Ohh…”

Riding a horse since birth was definitely an exaggeration, but riding a horse from the age of five? She didn’t think that was very different. Tristan smiled when he saw her perplexion.

“Sir Jayad.”

“Yes, Duke Biserk.”

“Sir is a very loyal knight.”

At Almondite’s words, Tristan’s face distorted. Llewelyn realized what Almondite was trying to say.

“I…”

“So, I want you to take good care of the princess.”

What a crazy thing to say all of a sudden! Then Llewelyn saw Tristan grin. That smile was close to a laugh. Llewelyn was shocked that his face, which she thought was made of stone, could move so freely.

“I am doing my duty well.”

At Tristan’s reply, the atmosphere became colder.

Did these two have a bad relationship? Did anything bad happen? Also…

Wasn’t it strange that Almondite was doing all the talking? Of course, Llewelyn had no intention of joining their conversation. So she quickly walked up to the tree where Almondite’s horse was tied.

“Circle!”

The golden horse with a white mane was definitely the horse she had ridden in the past. The gentle mare was excited as soon as Llewelyn arrived. The horse bowed its head and nudged its snout against her neck. She burst out laughing.

She embraced the horse with the energy of a child. The tip of her nose wrinkled. Llewelyn struggled to hide her emotions.

“Is this the foal of Circle?”

“Yes.”

Looking at the foal tied right next to Circle, Llewelyn smiled and held out her hand. The horse, which was slightly smaller than its mother, pressed its long snout to Llewelyn’s palm. Llewelyn laughed.

“Does the princess like horses?”

Tristan, who was silent, suddenly asked. Llewelyn nodded her head.

“I like all animals.”

“… Really?”

“Yes, I had birds, dogs, cats, and horses when I was young.”

Llewelyn smiled brightly. She smiled so wide that her cheeks ached a little. Her softly curved eyes turned to Tristan and then back to her horse. Seeing that smile, Tristan rubbed the back of his stiff neck and swallowed hard, fighting the lump lodged in his throat.

Then, Almondite said, “Princess, how about a ride?”

“Huh?”

“It seems that Circle wants to take the Princess for a ride.”

“I’m not even dressed properly… Still, I could ride one lap.”

Almondite reached out to her. Llewelyn looked at his hand and recalled the distant past. When her mother was alive and everything was happy. When she was happy to know that she was going to marry this man.

However, she couldn’t go back to those days. Llewelyn’s reality had changed so cruelly.

“Lord Tristan, can you help me?”

“Yes.”

Tristan politely reached out to her. His hands, unlike Almondite, had large palms and thick fingers. When she took that hand and mounted the horse, her emotions calmed down.

With her skirt rolled up, she straightened her spine and grabbed the bridle.

“Can you ride a horse?”

“Yes, I’ve been riding since I was little.”

“…”

“Of course, since I was thirteen, not five.”

Llewellyn unknowingly became a little more cheerful. She snorted at her joke and began to ride her horse, slowly rounding the yard. Two men were watching her intensely.

“Did I do my best for her?”

Tristan turned to Almondite’s murmur. Almondite was looking at Llewelyn’s back with the corners of his mouth raised.

Tristan followed Almondite’s gaze and looked at Llewelyn’s back. It was not a lie that she had ridden horses since she was young, her posture was quite stable. She was riding slowly, but soon began to urge her horse to go faster.

Tristan flinched involuntarily. Since he became a knight, the princess had never rode. How could someone who hasn’t ridden a horse in a long time ride a horse at such a speed? It was dangerous.

“Princess…!”

“Leave her be.”

“Princess!”

“The princess takes care of her body.”

“…”

“Five years ago, you said you were deployed?”

The blunt knight nodded his head. Almondite felt pleasure at the look of young worry in those eyes. He knew more about her than this foolish knight. He said, feeling childish superiority.

“You probably don’t know, but everyone will remember.”

“…”

“In a place like this, the princess has always been the main character.”

The sound of running horses resounded. When he looked up, he saw a golden horse sprinting around the track. All of a sudden, everyone in the yard watched her as if possessed. It was a magical sight. Tristan saw Almondite looking ecstatically at Llewelyn, worshiping her.

Soon Almondite looked around the lost people with a cold smile.

‘Look, it’s his favorite jewel.’

It was as if he was showing off the most precious thing in his jewelry box. Tristan looked at her again.

Bright red hair contrasted the green grass and blue sky. At high speed, the hem of her long skirt flapped hard in the wind. She didn’t move elegantly, but there was definitely beauty in her lively figure.

Llewelyn’s expression was more beautiful than anything else. As if possessed by magic, people watched the princess with awe. If it wasn’t for what happened five years ago, then the abandoned princess would have risen to the highest position in society, even if she had been abandoned by her father.

*

Pamela bit her lip. There was a burning rage in her blue eyes. She trembled. At this equestrian meeting, she had carefully chosen the main character. The daughter of the Countess Emporet, who was under Pamela.

By making her stand out, she tried to entice the stiff Count Emporet to her side! Before Duke Brion returned, Pamela wanted to make her power bigger.

However, when Llewelyn showed off her presence riding the horse she used to ride often, people’s eyes turned to her.

Although her clothes were old and shabby, it did not obscure her brilliance. Even the nobles would remember the past. How beautiful and shiny she was when she was everyone’s beloved princess.

‘Look, isn’t the princess smiling like that time?’

It was the clear face that Pamela hated so much. In addition, the figure of her skillfully driving a large horse was a glimpse of her royalty.

Llewelyn’s appearance was thoroughly imprinted onto the nobles. After five years of solitude, the princess was still a princess. As Pamela bit her lip again, she saw Bastian standing up, and her eyes widened. Her heart was pounding.

Even Bastian was fascinated by Llewelyn. He watched Llewelyn on horseback with twinkling eyes. Pamela’s heart raced dangerously at that heated gaze.

‘What if I don’t…’

Pamela bit her lip. She couldn’t kill Llewelyn. If she were killed, it would upset the country. Moreover, didn’t the Duke of Biserk go out of his way to protect her every single time? Pamela had limited connections with the Duke of Biserk.

“Almondite Biserk….”

Pamela murmured grimly. Wouldn’t it be best to chase him away? However, the Duke of Biserk was the only family honorable enough to compete with Duke Brion and his half-brother.

Even though she really wanted to get rid of Almondite Biserk, she couldn’t. A member of the five noble families decided to settle down in the capital, and if the duke was expelled, the heads of other families wouldn’t stand still. Pamela knew that the vulture-like Marquis Gertlinger was watching her.

What’s more, the fact that the Duke of Biserk, who received Patron’s blessing, was in the capital, calmed the public sentiment that had been stirred by the slum cleaning.

Should she take Llewelyn and press her? It could be under the guise of “education”.

“Mother.”

At that moment, Pamela snapped out of her thoughts to a man’s voice. Bastian looked at his mother with clear blue eyes.

“… Your Majesty.”

“When are you going to show off Llewelyn like this again?”

“…”

“I want to see more of those old days.”

Bastian looked intently into Pamela’s eyes. Bastian was a son who obeyed his mother. However, there was no compromise when it came to Llewelyn. It was for that reason that Pamela did not threaten Llewelyn’s life.

“Is that girl so precious? Even better than this mother?”

“How could I compare them?”

Bastian put on an embarrassed expression. Pamela’s heart was pounding.

What should I supposed to do with this b*tch?

She decided to find a way.