The Stepmother Has Left - Chapter 45

Several exercise schedules were added to the week.

 

On the first workout day, Sophie and Cassia rode in the carriage to the horseback riding arena.

 

The ground they were going to was located on the outskirts of the capital.

 

There was no reason to go outside the capital. It was because the riding arena in the capital was full of aristocrats.

 

A place where people gather for hobbies, aristocratic education, and sometimes to show-off or socialize.

 

It was a complicated place, the size of the riding area wasn’t large, and it was impossible to ride quietly.

 

Cassia didn’t want to be noticed by them. Because she wanted to learn to paint quietly.

 

It didn’t take long to arrive. After a reasonable amount of time passed, the carriage stopped.

 

When they got off the carriage and moved into the riding arena, they saw the owner of the riding arena was waiting for them.

 

“Nice to see you.”

 

“Hello.”

 

While Sophie talked to the owner instead of Cassia, she looked at a horse standing next to her.

 

A large, gallant white horse. It stood out more than anything Cassia had ever seen.

 

“It seems that the lady recognizes the horse.”

 

The owner of the riding ground came to talk to Cassia.

 

“I was asked to pay attention, so I took special care of it. It is the most pure-blooded horse. Besides, the colour of that fur doesn’t change with age, it was originally this white.”

 

“I see…”

 

Cassia heard it when she was learning to ride a horse.

 

Most white horses are said to have lost their colour due to ageing. It is said that it is very rare to be born as a white horse from the beginning.

 

“It has a smooth personality and gets along well with the group.”

 

As if looking at his beloved child, the owner of the horseback riding course said while looking at the horse.

 

“That’s a beautiful thing to say. Is it a male?”

 

“It’s a female.”

 

“How old is she?”

 

“Probably about ten this year.”

 

“Even as a horse, she’s just at her prime,” said the owner of the riding centre with a laugh.

 

Being a female…

 

Besides, when she was 10 years old, she was similar to Cassia in terms of human age.

 

As Cassia approached the horse, she could feel it breathing loudly. As she stroked the horse slowly, the horse accepted her touch.

 

“From now on, your name is ‘Agatha.’”

 

Cassia closed her eyes for a while, stroked the horse, and said the name that came to mind. When she opened my eyes, she felt as if the horse was making eye contact with her.

 

Cassia smiled at Agatha.

 

“My name is Cassia. Let’s get along well.”

 

Somehow it felt good.

 

* * *

 

Cassia started horseback riding with Agatha in earnest.

 

Because she knew how to ride a horse, she didn’t need any education on it. She just came here for horseback riding to exercise whenever she wanted.

 

She rode the horse alone in her riding clothes.

 

“Miss Cassia, you must ride carefully. You know?”

 

“Yes. Don’t worry, Sophie.”

 

Cassia smiled at Sophie, who was worried about her, and left with Agatha.

 

Certainly, because it was on the outskirts of the capital, the riding ground was very wide, and there were various courses for horseback riding in the middle of the mountain.

 

Climbing up and down the hills with Agatha.

 

Sometimes she spent time running through the middle plains.

 

She liked the feeling of the fresh air going to and from her lungs.

 

Agatha, who had a good first impression, was a good match for her.

 

Cassia hadn’t ridden a lot, but she felt it after riding a few different horses.

 

Some horses got along with her just like a person, and some didn’t, on a scale from one to ten.

 

Agatha was like a match made in heaven for Cassia.

 

Even though it had only been a few hours since they met, she felt affection for Agatha.

 

Cassia arrived in the middle of the course and got off at a place to rest for a while.

 

Cassia took a sip of the water Sophie had prepared for her to drink and gave Agatha a lump of sugar. Agatha licked the sugar cube with a pleasant sound.

 

Cassia looked at Agatha happily, stroked her once, and then looked forward.

 

It was a scenic place. Looking down from the mountainside, Cassia could see the capital in the distance at a glance.

 

“It’s really big.”

 

It was quite a distance from the centre of the capital, but it didn’t look very far, perhaps because the capital itself was so big.

 

She squinted her eyes and saw the Imperial palace standing in the middle of the capital.

 

“There it is, the Imperial palace.”

 

A golden building with a huge gothic style.

 

What would Adolf be doing by now?

 

Cassia remembered his face and smiled happily.

 

“But I’m glad I came up to the capital,” she said to Agatha in a whisper.

 

“I met Adolf again and I am learning how to draw well.”

 

She thought about it for a long time about Adolf’s suggestion to come up to the capital.

 

After seeing it, Cassia thought she did the right thing, really.

 

She became more and more confident in learning to draw, and also, miraculously, she met a lot of good people.

 

“And I met you, too.”

 

Of course, this included Agatha.

 

“Do you think so, too?” said Cassia, turning her head to face her.

 

Purreung

 

Agatha made a sound as if to answer. Cassia let out a small laugh.

 

“I’m going to work really hard.”

 

There’s more to come.

 

‘I wish I could draw better pictures by working harder.’

 

‘Just, I thought.’

 

* * *

 

How long had it been?

 

Cassia got up from her seat. She couldn’t spend a lot of time here. Sophie was worried, as Cassia had a lot to do when learning to draw. It was time to go back.

 

“Agatha, it’s time for us to go back.”

 

Agatha also clearly wanted to run again. Cassia stroked Agatha once, then mounted the horse again.

 

It was time to hold on to the reins again to start slowly. A loud sound came from somewhere.

 

What was it?

 

Cassia pricked her ears to the identity of the sound. It was the sound of a huge horse galloping. The identity of the sound was coming towards this place. The closer the sound came, the more the ground shook.

 

As Cassia raised her head, something passed in front of her.

 

In the blink of an eye, a horse and a rider passed by.

 

“…”

 

The shaking of the earth moved away. The sound also went away. Cassia stared blankly at the backs of the passing horse and rider.

 

‘…Wow, that was really fast.’

 

Admiring the speed, I noticed something shiny on the ground.

 

It was a small necklace.

 

* * *

 

I rode Agatha and slowly returned to the starting point. When I arrived, Sophie called me from afar.

 

“Miss Cassia!”

 

She looked cute when she walked in a rush.

 

Cassia grinned at her and got off the horse.

 

“Did you wait for a long time, Sophie? The scenery was nice for a while in the middle, so I looked around, and then it was late.”

 

“No, we can go home now.”

 

The owner of the riding ground saw Cassia’s arrival and came over to pick up Agatha.

 

“Did you enjoy your first horseback riding session at this centre?”

 

“Yes, the riding ground is spacious and nice. I should come often.”

 

“I am glad that you were satisfied with horseback riding here.”

 

The owner of the riding hall received Agatha’s reins from Cassia. Agatha would be taken care of by him here until she came for her next ride.

 

It was a lot of fun riding.

 

Cassia turned to Agatha and stroked her.

 

“I enjoyed today, Agatha. I will come to see you again.”

 

She thought that she should come to the horse riding field to exercise more often, just to see Agatha.

 

The owner of the riding ground took Agatha and went into the stable.

 

Belatedly, she felt her whole body wet with sweat.

 

Even if she went home and washed up, it felt like she would have to change into a normal dress, even if it was riding clothes.

 

“Sophie, I’ll change my clothes and come out.”

 

“May I help you?”

 

“No. What about changing clothes? I can do it alone.”

 

Sophie tried to help, but at her persuasion, she decided to wait in the carriage.

 

Cassia went back to the locker room and started to change. She took off her sweaty riding clothes and put on her dress.

 

It was when she put her foot in the skirt, lifted it up, buttoned it up, changed her clothes, and adjusted her dress.

 

She found someone next to her.

 

A woman in riding clothes was looking for something of her own.

 

Drenched in sweat, she turned her pocket of her riding clothes inside and out, searching her body for something.

 

‘Oh, that’s her.’

 

Cassia recognized her

 

She was the one who was riding at breakneck speed.

 

Come to think of it…

 

Cassia rummaged through the pockets of her riding clothes.

 

It was the necklace she had picked up at a spot she passed by earlier.

 

Cassia thought she might have dropped it. She tried to give it to the owner of the stable as a lost item, but she forgot to take it out.

 

“Excuse me…”

 

When she called to her, the woman with a white face raised her head.

 

“Are you looking for this?”

 

“…!”

 

Her eyes widened when she saw the necklace Cassia was holding.

 

Hah!

 

As if her tension had been released, the woman sat down in her seat. Tears started pouring from her eyes.

 

“Ugh.”

 

With a childlike sound, she burst into tears.

 

Cassia was taken aback, but she brought her a tissue and patted her on the back.

 

The woman must be very surprised. It must have been a really precious necklace.

 

Soon she stopped her tears and rose from her seat.

 

“…Sorry for surprising you with my crying.”

 

“It’s okay.”

 

“May I ask where you found it?”

 

“You dropped it while riding a horse earlier. I picked it up just in case, but I think I did the right thing.”

 

“Thank you so much,” said the woman sniffling.

 

“It is a very precious necklace to me. It is a keepsake of my deceased mother.”

 

“…From now on, I think it would be better not to wear unnecessary accessories when riding a horse. I saw earlier that you ride fast. I’m worried.”

 

“Thank you. I really should.”

 

The woman let out a sigh of relief as she trailed off her words, then opened her eyes wide and looked at her watch. Then, she quickly packed her belongings, including the necklace.

 

“It’s late. I have to go back soon.”

 

“…”

 

“I’ll repay the favour today somehow next time. Thank you so much!”

 

As she shouted at Cassia, she quickly disappeared before her eyes.

 

Looking at the place where she disappeared, Cassia tilted her head.

 

…Something felt familiar.

***