The Duchesses

Chapter 5 : The Huntress

Duchess' work can be tedious, but after a few days, she has some spare time to spend with Count Harren. Since the Count usually pays his visits to the Duchess of Light, he is taken aback by her unexpected appearance. It's very unusual behaviour on her part. He's worried that the Duchess has discovered the double agent. Could it be that the Duchess has plans to have him put to death?

"Your Grace, welcome to my humble home. What do I owe this pleasure? Please come in," the Count smiled. Natalie feels disgusted by his fakeness.

"It did look humble. But no, I'm just passing through for a moment. I heard you did not enter the upcoming hunting competition," the Duchess of Light's ruby eyes wander at his manor, except for the person she is talking about.

His nervousness is visible enough to see when he gulps loudly, but his eyes display that his ego was crushed by the Duchess, who downgraded the House of Lykaios.

"It's because the doctor told me not to overexert my right leg because it's still healing from the fall. So His Highness has granted my request in this matter," the Duchess just nodded at him, looking him back and forth, before letting out a sinister smile.

"Impossible," Aurora thought.

"Will Your Grace participate in the competition?" the man asks, lowering his head to meet the ruby gaze.

"Probably," Natalie answers in short, forcing Harren to be more anxious.

Instead, his eyes twinkled at that time but soon vanished that the Duchess thought she saw things. Or, it did really happen.

"I think the Smiths will prevail this time, and I hope that Your Grace is feeling great on that particular day," he clasps his hand, flashing his smile.

The Duchess of Light tilts her head to the side, "Harren, you sound as if a disaster is on the way," she lets out a grin that causes Harren to stop in his track.

He gulps for the next time that everyone can see that he is terrible at lying.

"He knows about it, then."

"No, Your Grace. What could happen on that day?" he lets out a nervous laugh, but the Duchess suppress her urge to smack this man.

"Well, it's such a shame you couldn't join us. I was hoping to see your
hunting skills," Natalie left him dumbfounded at the door.

"Farewell, Your Grace," is the only thing Count Harren manages to say to the head of Smith before her rider closes the carriage's door.

Count Harren's comment about his right leg keeps running through the Duchess's head. Moreover, it defies the logic that Ares would grant his request so quickly. Her gut tells her that there's something she's missing, but she has no idea what it is.

"He looks fine. Harren is known to be a coward in the novel, but avoiding the Hunting Competition is something peculiar enough for him," Aurora rubs his chin, watching the scenery outside.

Is it regarding the assassination plan? The Duchess of Light isn't aware of the plan's specifics, though. Only Ares knows. Should she ask him? Won't it raise some suspicion?

"This is stressing me out. I need to practice my swordsmanship," Natalie walks out and prepares herself for it.

The Hunting Day

It's finally time to go hunting. The tents belonging to the Duchess of Light have moved slightly away from the main camp per her request. The Crown Prince finds this behaviour odd at first. Most of the time, Duchess Natalie pleaded to pitch her tent adjacent to his. To avoid Ares' suspicion, Natalie said she would keep an eye on Duchess Medea. So there is a chance that the leader of Valimos has some sort of plan for him. Although Ares knew Natalie was right, his ego and arrogance caused him to laugh it off. They would be foolish to underrate her abilities.