Chapter 36

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 36

Chapter Title: The Star Festival and the Ashen Wolf (8)

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The Lenadro Viscount's mansion was not too far from the Grand Duke's palace. It was a modest, tidy building with a training ground and garden, nothing extravagant.

"Ahahaha!"

Even before stepping inside, a man's booming laughter echoed from within.

"Kyaaaa!"

"Nooooo!"

The children's screams followed, making Roxiana freeze in her tracks. She turned to Percy, who sighed and shook her head.

"He's at it again, playing around like that."

Playing around?

Sure enough, once they entered, that's exactly what was happening.

Hexston had thrown a white bedsheet over himself, letting out eerie growls like "Uahaha!" and "Graaaar!" as he lumbered about. The kids shrieked and scattered, fleeing from their rampaging dad.

Blind under the sheet, Hexston flailed his arms wildly until he crashed right into Roxiana.

"Whoa! Who's this big kid getting in my way?"

He tossed off the sheet and flushed red upon seeing Roxiana standing there, eyes wide.

"Ah... P-Princess... W-When? Why? No, I mean... um. Welcome."

It was amusing to see the burly man, who resembled a golden lion, fumbling like that. Roxiana nearly laughed and quickly covered her mouth.

"Ah, yes. Thank you for the warm welcome."

"Princess!"

The children, spotting her late, rushed over and hugged her fiercely before suddenly stepping back and bowing politely.

"Greetings to the Princess."

"Greetings."

Dennis tried to act all grown-up with his bow, and Jewelry mimicked her big brother—it was utterly adorable. Roxiana smiled faintly without realizing it.

Seeing Roxiana's smile for the first time, Hexston's eyes widened. He nudged Percy's side with his elbow. Percy stood on tiptoe and whispered to her husband.

"Well, apparently His Grace invited her to the circus together."

"What?!"

Hexston bellowed, then laughed heartily as Roxiana turned, slinging an arm around Percy's shoulders.

"I was just so stunned by my wife's beauty."

"Ah... I see."

Thankfully, the kids each grabbed one of Roxiana's hands and led her off somewhere. The moment she was out of earshot, Hexston bent low and whispered urgently.

"You sure you didn't get it wrong?"

"No way I'd misread something like this. It's real."

"Our lord suggested going to the circus first?"

"You think the Princess asked to go to the circus?"

"No, probably not. But still..."

Hexston thought of Floyd. He remembered how brutally cold and ruthless Floyd was with women who approached him.

"I told you, didn't I? His Grace has feelings for the Princess. Romantic feelings."

Hexston stared down at his wife in bewilderment. Ever since hearing Floyd had brought Roxiana to the Lily Palace, Percy had casually remarked now and then, "His Grace must like her."

Of course, if it were any other man, Hexston would've agreed. But with Floyd as the man in question, it wasn't so simple.

Floyd didn't just dislike women—he despised them. Once, when Princess Drashel of Enilta Kingdom "accidentally" brushed against Floyd's arm, he'd irritably wiped the spot and made a face like he was holding back vomit.

So those close to Floyd, like Hexston, hadn't interpreted his kindness toward Roxiana as romantic interest.

They suspected camaraderie, gratitude to a benefactor, or perhaps using her as a tool against something Prince Lucas despised...

"No way."

"Why not? If it's just gratitude or camaraderie like you say, there's no need to go out to the circus together."

"Well... it's so she can experience all sorts of things..."

"Then he could've just ordered me or a maid to take her out."

"True, but... love? Our lord?"

"Maybe not full-blown love, but he definitely likes her. Have I ever been wrong?"

Hexston gazed down at his resolute wife.

'You've been wrong plenty. Remember last time? You swore that cheese was made from goat milk, but it was cow! And before that, you said the meat was ptarmigan, but it was swan!'

Percy had been wrong countless times, but Hexston had the manners not to point out his beloved wife's mistakes. Instead, he lifted her hand and kissed the back.

"Never. My wife is always right."

Roxiana was admiring the wooden figurines the children had carved themselves. Watching her, Hexston grinned.

"Something fun just came to mind."

Roxiana had borrowed heaps of hats, gloves, shoes, and jewelry from the maids—perfect matches for her dress—and was about to leave when Hexston tagged along.

"You're heading to the circus today, right? I'll escort you."

"No need, Sir Lenadro. How could the Knight Order Captain himself..."

"I swore to protect you, Princess. It's my duty."

"But going to the circus isn't dangerous."

"Not dangerous? Festival streets are packed—extremely hazardous. Turn your head for a second, and you could get your nose sliced off."

That dangerous? A festival?

Roxiana was baffled, but Hexston's eyes were dead serious.

"So I must accompany you, Princess. I'm on leave until next week anyway—no duties. Let's go together."

She couldn't refuse after that. Roxiana nodded, and Hexston beamed, fetching his horse and galloping alongside her carriage.

Watching from the window, Dennis said,

"Dad's super excited."

"Yeah. Looks like he's thrilled at the chance to tease His Grace."

"Why would Dad tease our lord? He's cool and strong."

Jewelry explained to her puzzled brother,

"He's teasing because our lord's going out to play with the Princess. You tease Kevin when he plays with Yunas sister, right?"

Crimson sunlight spilled across the desk in the study. Floyd set down his papers, swiveled his chair, and gazed out the window.

The afternoon clouds had parted by sunset, leaving a clear sky. Good. Rain would've made wandering around with Roxiana miserable.

Floyd had spent the morning puzzling over why he'd suggested the circus to her.

Festivals drew sightseers from other countries, merchants, and mercenaries from afar. Taking her somewhere someone might recognize her face could be risky.

'Should I cancel?'

Roxiana had accepted, but he couldn't tell if she truly wanted to go. Her nod had been expressionless, her eyes still vacant.

Yet canceling felt wrong.

He decided not to overthink the reason. Not every action or mood needs an explanation.

Want to? Do it. Don't? Skip it.

Floyd shot to his feet, summoning a servant to prepare for departure.

"Riding out, sir?"

"Yeah. Two horses... no, prepare a carriage."

He hated the stuffiness of carriages, but Roxiana probably couldn't ride yet. And there was no guarantee she even knew how. Sharing a horse was out too.

His crimson steed 'Red' was infamous for its foul temper—even skilled knight captains struggled near it. Riding double? Unthinkable.

'Come to think of it, back then...'

When he'd rescued Roxiana from the merchant ship, Floyd had held her and mounted Red. In the chaos, he hadn't considered the horse's mood, but looking back, Red had tolerated her without fuss.

'Did it stay calm because I held her steady? Or did it sense my urgency and hold back?'

He briefly considered testing it with someone else but shook his head. No one to hold—no way he'd embrace a knight, and hugging Roxiana for no reason was impossible.

Lost in such thoughts, Floyd headed to the Lily Palace.

Guided by a maid to the first-floor parlor, he spotted Roxiana waiting—and his breath caught.

Floyd knew nothing of women's dress fashions or their worth.

But he could tell the Roxiana before him was utterly...

-"Take this. You'll catch a cold if you get wet."

...just like that girl who'd handed him an umbrella.

Not the woman barely breathing, shattered and longing only for death. It was as if the warm, endearing girl from his childhood had grown up and stood before him now.

White hat with lace ribbons, braided hair tied back, sparkling white dress, gloves rising just above her wrists, bracelet studded with blue gems.

Adorned so elegantly, Roxiana resembled the Princess from his long-lost past—the only one Floyd had ever known. He felt a profound relief.

Unsure why he felt so at ease, he stood frozen, unable to tear his gaze from her.