The beat of drums, the clatter of hoofbeats, and the rhythmic hollering of beaters signaled the start of the drive hunt. Beyond the tents, near the forest's edge, beaters lined up in a staggered formation. Each carried thick sticks bound together with bamboo, ready to corral the game towards the waiting hunters.

Participants gathered in high spirits, chatting animatedly as they moved into position. Even the lord himself seemed eager to partake, riding down from the hilltop where the tents were set.

“Rafa, have you ever witnessed a drive hunt before?” Paul asked in a pleasant tone.

When I shook my head, he gestured invitingly. “In that case, come this way. If we head behind the tents, you'll get a better view. Watching the hunters and beaters gradually converge is quite a spectacle. I'm sure Tatiana will enjoy it as well.”

Paul’s polite smile didn’t hide his underlying intent. However, while the hunt sounded interesting, I had something far more pressing on my mind.

I was about to confess my feelings.

I was just opening my mouth to decline his offer when a flustered servant from the Dusty household came rushing over.

“Sir Paul, you’re needed on the field immediately.”

Paul glanced at Tatiana and me apologetically. “I’m sorry, but it seems I must leave you now. I had hoped for a bit more time… My deepest apologies.”

Without further ado, Paul turned and headed off.

Wait, why is he going alone?

I’d assumed he would take Rira along, but instead, he left her standing there, hand still outstretched as if waiting for someone to take it.

Oh no, don’t tell me…

Her posture and expression made it clear—she expected me to take her hand.

I promptly turned my back on her.

I have no time for this nonsense. I need to confess, and I need to do it now.

Rumors about Helga were already starting to circulate, which meant it wouldn’t be long before enemies—or worse, the royal family—took action. If I wanted Tatiana to be with me no matter what happened, I needed her answer today.

As long as she said yes, she’d be my partner. We’d leave this place together—whether to the forest, another country, or anywhere else.

But if I delayed…

We were only party members now, bound by convenience. Should anything happen, we’d go our separate ways. That thought alone made my chest tighten.

There’s nothing holding us back—no parents to seek permission from, no elaborate customs. As long as she agrees, we could marry within days, maybe even hours.

The mere thought made my heart race.

“T-Tatiana, let’s step over there for a moment. I have something important to tell you,” I said, meeting her eyes.

“Uh… sure.”

Tatiana glanced uncertainly between Rira and me, her voice hesitant. Rira, meanwhile, remained rooted to the spot, her hand still suspended mid-air. Her pride or something like it must have kept her standing there.

Her arm had to be getting sore.

Determined, I reached out and gently took Tatiana’s hand. She flinched, her eyes wide with shock.

It’s okay. Don’t be startled.

Physical contact between men and women, especially among commoners, was rare in this world, but noblewomen were accustomed to being escorted this way. Even for party members like us, it wasn’t entirely improper.

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I mimicked the escort etiquette my father had once taught me, lightly supporting her hand with my fingers as I led her forward.

“Um… uh…”

Tatiana stammered nervously as I gently tugged her along.

From behind us came a low, guttural noise—like a growl of rage rising from the depths of someone’s soul.

I glanced back to see Rira’s face twisted into something monstrous. Her cheeks were flushed a furious red, and her expression promised imminent combustion.

So much for her newfound grace.

While her demeanor had appeared polished earlier, it seemed her core personality hadn’t changed at all.

“Unhand her, you brute!” a male voice shouted.

I turned, expecting Rira to have found her voice, but the protest came from someone else—a man approaching us with purposeful strides.

He was around forty, and I immediately recognized him.

The baron.

The man who had been glaring daggers at me earlier, likely someone with a personal vendetta against my mother. His face was taut with anger, his every step radiating hostility.

The onlookers around us paused, curious murmurs rippling through the gathering. Some who had been heading towards the hunt turned back to see what the commotion was about.

The baron’s eyes flicked briefly to Tatiana before he raised his voice, clearly intending to make a scene.

“It is the duty of every man to escort a lady with honor! To leave one woman disgraced while attending to another—such boorish behavior is unbecoming of any man!”

Ah. So, he thinks Rira and I are engaged.

Or perhaps he wanted others to think so.

My father had once explained how such things worked in noble society. For an unmarried noblewoman, the man escorting her was almost always a relative, or someone unofficially promised to her.

No unmarried noblewoman would attend an event like this without an appropriate escort.

By assigning me to escort Rira, Paul had inadvertently (or deliberately) created the impression that we were betrothed.

But why?

For a moment, I wondered if this was some underhanded attempt to tie me to Rira. But no, that made no sense. Paul already knew I was Helga’s son. To formally align me with their family would only invite trouble.

He probably just didn’t care how it looked.

The baron, however, had seized the opportunity to stir up trouble. His vendetta against my mother had blinded him to the consequences.

As if to confirm his intent, he removed one of his gloves and threw it at my feet.

“For the sake of Lady Rira’s honor, I challenge you to a duel!”

What? Why am I being challenged?

The baron stepped toward Rira, took her outstretched hand, and spoke dramatically.

“Lady Rira, I could not stand idly by. Grant me permission to defend your honor!”

Rira cast me a quick glance before lowering her gaze, her lips curling into a faint smile.

“Thank you for standing up for me. I was so distressed… Truly, I am grateful.”

The baron kissed her hand, then turned to glare at me triumphantly.

Charming.

This man thought he’d outmaneuvered me.

But two could play this game.

I bent slightly at the waist, bowing toward both of them.

“What a romantic proposal. Lady Rira, your pure-hearted love has moved me deeply. Rest assured, I would never dream of interfering with such a noble union. I withdraw from this duel.”

“What?!”

“Excuse me?!”

Rira and the baron’s voices overlapped in shocked exclamation.

“B-But this duel is for Lady Rira’s honor—” the baron began.

“Honor?” I cut him off smoothly. “Surely you wouldn’t duel over a woman you have no intention of marrying. After all, in noble society, defending a woman’s honor like this is tantamount to a proposal, isn’t it?”

The baron’s face went pale.

In one move, I’d flipped the narrative. What might have been a simple duel between two men had now been framed as a public declaration of love.

People were already whispering and chuckling around us.

“W-Wait,” Rira stammered. “This man is over forty! And a widower!”

“Truly?” I said, feigning surprise. “How remarkable to see love transcend such boundaries. Your union will surely inspire poets and playwrights for generations to come.”

The baron spluttered, unable to form a coherent rebuttal.

Paul arrived just in time, sweat dotting his brow. “What in the world is going on here?”

“Perfect timing,” I said, smiling. “I was just congratulating the baron on his heartfelt proposal to your sister. Truly a match made in heaven.”

“Proposal?!”

Paul’s face froze, then turned to stone as he glanced between the baron and Rira.

“I… I didn’t…”

Rira’s wide, unblinking eyes suggested she was on the verge of fainting.

Perfect.

As Paul began berating the baron, I took Tatiana’s hand and led her away.

“Are you sure this is okay?” she asked, glancing back. “It seems like things got… messy.”

“It’s fine,” I said with a grin. “At worst, they’ll marry each other. At best, they’ll still end up married.”

Tatiana gave me a curious look. “You’re sharper than I thought, Rafa. You laid a trap for them, didn’t you?”

“Hardly. They set the trap themselves.”

We reached a quiet spot beneath a tree, far from the chaos.

“I have something to say,” I told her, turning to meet her gaze.

Tatiana tilted her head slightly, her curious expression softening. “What is it?”

Taking a deep breath, I blurted out, “Will you marry me?”

Wait, no. That wasn’t what I’d meant to say. I’d intended to ask her to date me first, but the thought of marriage had been swirling in my mind, and somehow it came out wrong.

Tatiana froze, her eyes wide in shock.

Had she not heard me? Or was she too stunned to answer?

I tried again, more clearly this time. “Tatiana, will you marry me?”

This time, her reaction was immediate. Her eyes blinked rapidly as if she’d just snapped out of a trance.

“I-I’m a witch!” she blurted.

I know that. But… is that a yes or a no?