The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 114

Chapter 114. The Truth Is (1)

She’s over there. My lovely woman.

His heart pounded wildly.

‘I love Emilia!’

The truth he had been denying until now suddenly surged like a tidal wave.

She’s within reach if I ride over from here.

‘Go to her. Go and confess.’

A voice inside him urged him on, but he remained where he stood and did not move.

***

But after that, instead of confessing, Louid became even more taciturn than before. Even after realizing that he loved Emilia, he still couldn’t trust his own feelings.

During the founding festival, various events such as theater performances, concerts, and circuses were held throughout the capital, and despite being busy, Louid went around watching the events together with Emilia.

Louid’s attitude was the same as usual, but at times he would suddenly stare at her intently. Emilia didn’t notice his change.

As the ten-day founding festival neared its end, the jousting tournament was held.

The jousting tournament was a match where male nobles rode horses and used long lances to strike or stab their opponents. It was a best-of-three contest, and the one who won two bouts first was declared the winner.

“Be careful.”

“Thank you.”

Before the match began, Emilia tied a lucky handkerchief around Louid’s left arm.

Standing face to face with her, Louid quietly gazed at Emilia. Standing under the sunlight, she looked like an angel sent to him from the heavens.

“What’s wrong?”

At Louid’s silent, lingering gaze, Emilia’s face flushed pink.

“No. It’s nothing.”

He turned his head and stepped back, entering the arena. For some reason, his steps were endlessly slow today. But his heart felt calm.

A faint smile spread across his lips as he entered the arena.

The jousting tournament could be watched by anyone, regardless of age, gender, or status, so the stands were packed with spectators. It felt as if everyone living in the capital had gathered there, and the roar of the crowd spread through the air like thunder.

Many young noblemen participated in the match. Noble ladies were also seated in the stands.

Though they cheered for the young men they favored, everyone’s attention was focused on the Crown Prince.

‘He’s amazing.’

Emilia couldn’t help but admire Louid’s dignified presence.

Even though he was last year’s champion and could have advanced by default, he participated from the preliminary rounds. Thanks to that, the spectators were able to see quite a lot of the Crown Prince.

In the jousting tournament, points were awarded when a contestant struck the opponent’s torso or face with a long lance and broke it. Unseating the opponent earned the highest score.

The participants competed wearing armor and helmets. It was that dangerous a match.

“Did you see His Highness the Crown Prince?”

“Yes. Just like the rumors say, he’s really incredible.”

Most of the women who came to watch the match had their eyes fixed on Louid.

‘What if he gets hurt?’

Meanwhile, Emilia was restless with worry that Louid might get injured.

“Please don’t worry, Your Highness. His Highness the Crown Prince has never lost in any competition he’s participated in so far. Every year, he wins in swordsmanship, archery, and lance tournaments.”

Despite Lucy’s reassurance, Emilia bit her lip anxiously. No matter how skilled he was, he was still human, and accidents could happen in an instant.

Even though she had decided to leave him, she didn’t want to see him get hurt.

From the preliminaries to the semifinals, she watched from the stands with her heart in her throat. Contrary to her worries, Louid advanced easily to the semifinals without conceding a single point.

‘How did Her Highness manage to buy so many handkerchiefs from Roe?’

Do they take special orders only from her?

Meanwhile, Lina’s attention was focused solely on the handkerchief Emilia had tied on Louid.

Not long ago, she had gone to Melissa’s Boutique, Madame Bella’s imperial branch, to have a dress made for a banquet.

“Show me Roe’s work.”

“Designer Roe’s works are no longer available. She retired due to poor health.”

Melissa, Bella’s younger sister, answered politely.

“Is that so? That’s unfortunate. Then could you take a look at this handkerchief and confirm if it’s Roe’s work?”

“This is authentic.”

After examining the handkerchief, Melissa answered immediately.

“I see? Her Highness gave these, and several young ladies received handkerchiefs that day. The designs are all different. Does Roe accept bulk orders?” Lina subtly probed.

“Yes. Her Highness said they were for gifts and purchased dozens of handkerchiefs. Those handkerchiefs are Roe’s final works.”

“I see. What a pity. I really liked the dresses designed by Roe.”

Lina truly felt regret that Roe had retired.

“Yes, we feel the same.”

So Her Highness and Roe must be close. Otherwise, there’s no way she could have purchased so many of such valuable items.

“I’d like to meet Roe once. Could you arrange it?”

“That would be difficult. We receive sketches delivered through intermediaries and make the clothes from those, so we’ve never met Roe in person either,” Melissa replied with a troubled expression.

If only she could meet Roe and win her over… but she doesn’t even know who she is. Whether it’s true or not, that Melissa woman is quite skilled at evasion, and she seems tight-lipped as well.

“Jack!”

After returning to the marquess’s residence, Lina called for Jack.

“Yes, my lady.”

“Look into Roe. I heard she retired. Investigate everything in detail, her age, birthplace, family, where she lives.”

“Yes, understood.”

Despite Ian’s warning not to touch the Crown Princess, Lina was habitually plotting ways to harm Emilia.

Waaa—

As Lina was lost in her thoughts, the final match of the jousting tournament began.

Louid’s opponent in the final was Ian. He lacked confidence in swordsmanship, but he believed his riding skill was on par with Louid’s.

However, aside from his quick reflexes, his strength was lacking.

‘Even I can’t handle the strength of that monster.’

The lance was extremely heavy, and simply holding and aiming it required great strength.

So Ian had pre-weakened the tip of his lance so that it would break even with a slight graze against the opponent’s body. Thanks to that, he had advanced to the finals without difficulty.

Waaa—

“Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

The crowd overwhelmingly cheered for Louid. Emilia watched the match with her heart in her throat.

It felt like her blood was drying up.

The two horses charged toward the center from opposite sides at high speed.

‘Ah, what should I do?’

Ian’s lance grazed Louid’s left shoulder and struck him. Louid’s body swayed slightly.

“One point.”

The announcer raised a brown flag and shouted loudly. Even if you stab your opponent, you don’t score unless the lance breaks, but the lance snapped, so Ian scored first.

Of all places….

To thrust hard enough to snap the lance in two. Emilia, who was watching the match, covered her mouth with one hand. Louid’s left shoulder was the very place where he was struck by a poisoned arrow in the gorge on the day they traveled from the castle to the capital.

The prince of a neighboring country couldn’t possibly know where Louid had been injured, so he couldn’t have aimed for it on purpose….

She wanted to check how Louid was, but she couldn’t see his expression behind the helmet.

“Start!”

In the second bout, Louid struck Ian’s torso with his lance. From the impact, Ian dropped his lance. The lance that fell to the ground had snapped cleanly in two, the cut surface smooth as if it had been sliced.

“One point.”

The referee raised a black flag and shouted. He had struck the opponent’s torso, and the tip of Louid’s lance had broken, so he earned a point.

“…?”

“What is this?”

“The prince is raising both hands?”

“Why is he doing that?”

Murmurs spread through the stands.

Before the referee could even announce the start of the next round in the tied situation, Ian raised both hands to signal his surrender.

“Victory goes to His Highness the Crown Prince!”

In the end, the final match concluded with Louid’s victory.

After the match ended, the two men encountered each other in the passageway leading out.

“Someday, let’s have a proper match. That day will come soon,” Ian said first in an informal tone, provoking him.

“Sure. Next time, pay a bit more attention to your weapon. It snapped before I could even ask who made it.”

“….”

At his words, the corner of Ian’s eye twitched. He tried to say something, but he had nothing to say in response.

The reason he gave up the match was because the lance he dropped had broken so badly it split cleanly in two. The cut was so precise, as if it had been sliced by a blade, that it could raise suspicions of foul play.

“I’d like to see your real skill next time.”

“I hope so too,” Ian answered through gritted teeth.

After Louid disappeared, he threw his helmet onto the ground and let out a furious shout.

How dare he mock the future King of Billiot?

A thick vein bulged on his reddened forehead from the surge of emotion. But soon, he looked around and composed his expression.

‘He won’t tell Emilia that I cheated, will he?’

Though he rarely followed principles in his life, when it came to Emilia, he wanted to appear admirable.

At that same time, Lina was receiving a report from Jack.

“I heard this from an employee who recently got a job at Melissa’s Boutique. Roe is a woman in her twenties and works serving a noble lady. That’s how she became interested in dresses, and apparently, she came from the Grand Duke’s northern territory not long ago.”

That’s right. Roe originally belonged to Madame Bella. Then she worked at the imperial branch.

A woman like that….

Lina’s face turned pale with shock.