I Reincarnated as the Daughter of a Runaway Sub Heroine - Chapter 76
The nobles gathered around me and Hyperion immediately dispersed. Shortly after, Persis and Princess Cassia walked towards us.
“Greetings to the prince and princess.”
Led by me and Hyperion, all the nobles paid their respects.
As the princess scanned her surroundings, she was the first to speak to us.
“Lady Iskas and Lord Acanthus, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”
Unlike the princess, who appeared as usual, Persis was completely turning her head away, ignoring us. The princess glanced at Persis for a moment before smiling at us again.
“I’ve heard that you both have some good news. First, I should extend my congratulations, right?”
At that, Hyperion and I bowed our heads together.
“Thank you for your kind words.”
“However, this will surely leave many ladies and gentlemen in despair. They are at risk of missing out on the best husband and bride of this season. Isn’t that so, my lord?”
As she pointed to Hyperion, all eyes turned to the two of them.
It was common knowledge that the princess wanted a political marriage with Hyperion to secure the throne. Coincidentally, what the princess had just said also applied to her. Thus, everyone was naturally focused on Hyperion’s response.
Yet, before Hyperion could answer, the princess spoke again.
“Oh, thinking it over, I realize I was too hasty. You aren’t married yet, after all.”
The princess smiled as she looked at us.
“For now, let’s leave it at this, and when you officially hold your wedding, I will extend my proper congratulations then.”
Was she saying she would congratulate us now, or was it a curse for us to break apart? Or, thinking about it differently, was it a sophisticated way of delivering both? She managed to convey congratulations and a curse simultaneously.
Wow, this is quite new.
While I was somewhat impressed by the princess’s dazzling rhetoric, Hyperion spoke up.
“You don’t need to hold back your words. The princess will be attending our wedding in the near future.”
At those words, I widened my eyes in surprise and looked at him. How could he say that? He should have just brushed it off! What was he planning to say later?
“I look forward to hearing the rest of your congratulations that you couldn’t give today on that day.”
“…Indeed.”
Despite the coldness in her gaze, the princess maintained her composed smile and turned to address everyone.
“Well then, shall we start riding right away?”
The attendees began to mount their horses. As usual, I was about to ride alone when Hyperion reached out to help me.
“Oh, thank you.”
After getting on the horse with Hyperion’s assistance, Bell approached and gracefully arranged my skirt. After checking my gloves and hat carefully, she leaned in and quietly said to me.
“Lady Ar, please don’t engage in any races to see who can run faster. It would be a disaster if you fell.”
I pointed to my dress with my finger.
“How could I possibly race in this outfit? Don’t worry. I’ll just ride quietly.”
Bell narrowed her eyes slightly.
“Whenever Lady Ar is so compliant, I can’t help but feel more anxious.”
“Stop worrying unnecessarily and enjoy some delicious food. If anyone bothers you, just tell me later. I’ll take care of it.”
At my words, Bell’s eyes widened, and she burst into laughter.
“After what happened at the last debutante ball, the nobles avoided me like the plague, so who could possibly bother me? That’s truly an unnecessary worry. Well then, have fun!”
After that, Bell turned to Hyperion and spoke in a gentle voice.
“My Lord, please take good care of our lady. Keep an eye on her so she doesn’t wander off too far. If you take your eyes off her for even a moment, she could disappear immediately, so please don’t let your guard down. If all else fails, just hold onto Lady Ar’s reins yourself!”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Hyperion burst into laughter, and I snapped in anger.
“What? Watching over me? Holding onto my reins? Come here!”
Bell quickly dodged my hand and ran over to Derek. This time, she spoke to him.
“Derek, you’re not seriously going to follow them around without a clue, are you?”
“But I’m supposed to guard Lady Ar—”
“With the Duke here, what’s there to worry about? Today is their official outing together, so absolutely no approaching allowed!”
As Bell insisted firmly, Derek eventually nodded in agreement.
That little mouse was completely manipulating the high nobles.
“Well then, shall we set off?”
At Hyperion’s question, I lightly kicked my horse.
Hyperion and I moved at a leisurely pace, not in a hurry. Being outdoors like this suited my personality much better than being cooped up indoors. Though I exchanged brief conversations with others passing by, the relentless questions from earlier had ceased.
As we entered a path lined with dense trees, I checked to ensure there were no people around and spoke to him in a low voice.
“I’ve been thinking, and we need to agree on a few things in advance. We should share information that a couple would naturally know about each other.”
Hyperion nodded in agreement.
“I agree with that.”
“Then let’s start with this. Let’s say you liked me from the very beginning, and I…”
I paused for a moment, gazing at Hyperion’s handsome face before nodding.
“I’ll say I fell for your face again when we met.”
“What?”
“I saw everyone thinking it was a lie when I said I was charmed by your character earlier. So let’s just go with your looks. Your face is basically the basis for our story, so it’s fine.”
This morning, the Duchess marveled at my mother, asking how she could have given birth to a daughter like me, but the true masterpiece presented to the world was none other than the Duchess herself.
While beauty standards vary from person to person, there are undeniable absolute standards of beauty. Hyperion’s face was proof of that.
His beauty couldn’t be fully expressed through simple descriptions like his cobalt-blue eyes, which looked as if paint had been poured out, or his high, elegant nose, meticulously carved like a statue.
The reason was that his facial features were so harmoniously close to the golden ratio that he exuded an otherworldly aura.
It’s likely that this is why people feel an inexplicable fear when they see him. Sometimes, humans can feel fear from something that is too beautiful.
So when he asked me to paint his portrait last time, I was secretly thrilled. Being able to paint such a beautiful subject is something every artist dreams of.
“Now let’s share some information that couples would naturally know about each other—hobbies, favorite foods, preferences, that sort of thing.”
“How about we take turns asking each other questions?”
I welcomed Hyperion’s suggestion with a smile.
“Sure! Then I’ll ask first. What’s my favorite food?”
“Anything meat-related. But among those, you like beef the most.”
“That’s right.”
How did he know that? Did I eat too much meat at the Duke’s residence? As I pondered this, Hyperion suddenly scolded me sharply.
“And you don’t like vegetables. You always leave them behind at every meal. You need to eat a more balanced diet.”
“W-well, that’s because I didn’t get to eat much meat when I was a child!”
In reality, when I lived with just my mother, meat was a distant dream. My meals always consisted of coarse bread and a pale stew with mushy vegetables.
One of the good things about moving to the Grand Duke’s residence was not only living with my father but also being able to eat as much meat as I wanted. So this was unavoidable.
Next, it was Hyperion’s turn to ask a question.
“Arcadia, now it’s your turn to answer. What’s my favorite food?”
Unlike him, who answered immediately with his question, I found myself engulfed in thought. This was because, during our meals, Hyperion didn’t seem to have any particular favorite food. He always ate everything in moderation.
“…Seafood?”
Hyperion looked at me with an expression that seemed to say he expected that answer and scolded me.
“You really have no interest in me at all, do you?”
“That’s not true, but I’m sorry anyway.”
But why did I have to apologize for this?
