When My Enemies Began to Regret

“You’re late. Didn’t Aloken do something so there was no fox to catch?”

Fanora thought that the reason he was late was because he couldn’t find his prey. But what she heard was an unexpected answer.

“No? I took time to think about which fox I should catch to make Lady Fanora happy.”

“What?”

“But I finally found it!”

Then, Carl took out what he had been hiding behind his back for a while. It was a black fox.

“I think it will suit Lady Fanora the best.”

“Is that all you’ve caught until the sun sets?”

“I was curious about what hunting was like, but it looks like I don’t like hunting animals.”

“But you like hunting people…”

Fanora accepted the black fox, which he offered with both hands. Its glossy fur, like silk, was the color that Fanora found attractive.

“How did you hunt so clean?” Receiving the unscathed fox, she asked casually. Then Carl gladly told her the secret.

“You can catch it with your bare hands!”

“Wait. Explain it in detail.”

“Just strangle it from behind like this.”

When the red-haired man pretended to strangle the carotid artery in the air, Fanora looked down again at the gifted fox. It was larger than a decent adult dog.

“T-thank you for the present.”

At this moment, she remembered a rumor circulating in the kingdom. There was a brutal story about Marquis Andras fighting a lion with her bare hands during her coming-of-age ceremony, grabbing the lion’s tail and throwing it to the ground to kill it… Maybe it was true…

Let’s stop thinking about it.

Finally, the fox hunt of the fall came to an end. Even without the gift from Carl, the winner and the one receiving the present were decided just by the fox Aloken hunted, so the cleanup was quick.

“As expected, Lady Celsius will be the one who receives the present.”

“Among the nobles who debuted this year, except for Vasago, she is the best.”

Lady Fanora was named as the person who received the most presents. As soon as she stepped on the podium, the nobles gathered in their seat and applauded in unison.

“…”

Fanora frowned because she had no desire for fame. Still, she pretended to be moderately grateful because she couldn’t help but react.

“Congratulations, Aloken.”

“Yes.”

Unlike the jousting tournament, the hunting festival award ceremony was solemn. The winner was given a huge cape woven from fox fur, and a simple ceremony was held to end the event. However, receiving attention in a gathering of so many nobles wasn’t an ordinary opportunity.

“This year’s fox hunt winner is Duke Aloken Jalier!”

“Wooow!”

For nobles who didn’t go hunting, it was basic to prepare the most beautiful and colorful clothes in preparation for standing on the podium. However, Fanora didn’t expect that she would be in charge of the award, so she was in simple clothes.

“Which dressing room did she get it from?”

“The calm atmosphere is wonderful. Should I try that color too?”

But when a famous person wears it, even cheap things look shiny. The young ladies below the podium reacted with interest when they said she was wearing a dark brown dress under a thick green coat.

“Okay then. Now that the fox hunt is over let’s enjoy the banquet together!”

The next schedule was a banquet at the royal castle. As the night sky fell, they were invited to the royal castle. They started a banquet to celebrate the fall hunting festival. While the nobles ate and drank after the party, the servants who were busy running around all day barely took a break.

“Count Celsius!”

And the most popular topic of the banquet was arguably about the winner of the fox hunting.

“How have you been?”

“Hey~ It was amazing earlier, right? How good is Duke Jalier’s hunting skills that he can do such a feast.”

“Hoho.”

“In addition, the lady in charge of the honorable award, I heard that even Princess Guelder is close to your daughter! Really, you have nothing to envy in the world.”

As soon as the banquet began, Bael Celsius was surrounded by nobles. As much as Fanora had been on the rise in society, their interest in him had increased recently.

“That’s right. Lady Celsius is truly an example for young nobles.”

The gathered nobles had many questions for Bael Celsius. He said that he wasn’t interested in politics. Still, he suddenly made a connection with Duke Jalier, the head of the noble faction, and his daughter was close to Guelder.

“How on earth did you raise your daughter so well?”

Thanks to her daughter’s success, Bael gained an unexpected advantage. People were eager to do business with him these days, and they flattered him to look good.

“…There’s nothing special about it. My children are just growing up in the blink of an eye.”

“Hahaha.”

Bael treated them with a calm face.

“By any chance, what does the young lady like? Didn’t I benefit from the last business thanks to the Count? I want to give you a present as a token of my appreciation.”

But right after this. Bael’s hand, which was turning the wine glass, stopped when a noble asked a question.

“Right. I’ve heard from Madam Maquil that Lady Fanora is good at performing. What kind of musical instrument does she like the most?”

To the series of questions, Bael answered bluntly. “I don’t think… she has any favorite. Maybe something similar to the other noble ladies…”

When he blurted out the end of his words, the noble who was holding the fan next to him started the next sentence.

“Whoa, I really envy Count Celsius. If my child goes even half as Lady Fanora, I won’t have to wish anymore.”

“Is your child a troublemaker?”

“Of course. My little one is already a troublemaker, so I don’t know how to educate her…”

The noble, who folded the fan and placed it on her lips, looked away quietly. At the end of her gaze stood Countess Celsius.

“So, Hanar, could you tell me the secret to finding such a wonderful godmother? Under Madam Maquil, I think my daughter will have room for improvement…”

“…”

“We live by helping each other~ Just like how I helped your son.”

Upon hearing the request, Hanar responded with a familiar noble smile. However, no matter how perfect her smile was, it couldn’t hide her unstable gaze.

“…I will try to speak to Madam.”

“Thank you! As expected from Hanar. You’re my idol.”

“Don’t expect too much.”

While his wife was talking to other madams, Bael was still talking to the other lords. But then, a tall stature gave a familiar look in Bael’s high field of vision.

“!”

Fanora, who was passing by from afar, looked this way. By chance, the two met eyes. However…

“…”

Fanora turned her head without saying a word and went on her way. Bael’s face, which had remained expressionless until now, was distorted by that action.

“Tsk.”

He thought while clicking his tongue. He heard that the daughters of other families came to greet their father every morning, but how did Fanora grow up so unfriendly? However, his displeasure didn’t last long. Soon after, the surrounding nobles started a new conversation, calling him a great tactician.

* * *

“Hohoho.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the banquet hall, Fanora, who was making a heartless laugh, stood. Her mind had been in a complicated state since earlier. I want to run away.

Naverius died in this building not long ago, and the king was insane to hold a banquet again. She still vividly remembers being slapped on the cheek by Vasago and being dragged out, so why is she still here?

Today, Vasago looked so happy. If she twisted her neck right now, maybe she would feel better. Such a sound to kill her resonated in her mind.

“If it’s hard, can’t you just go back?”

“Vasago hates friends who leave her first.”

“Husband comes first, not friend comes first.”

“You’re not my husband, so Vasago comes first.”

But she had a reason why she couldn’t leave her seat either. Fanora coldly cut off his fiancé even though he recommended her go rest. So Aloken was forced to rest alone.

“When it’s time to leave, come to the waiting room on the second floor.”

“Come to the second floor Two-Wallet when it’s time to go.”

“…You will wait for me?”

By the way, why did her fiancé’s smile before going up the second floor remains in her mind? She shook her head to concentrate on the banquet.

The banquet was held in the royal castle, so Carl was taken away by his brother. Vasago said she was going to fix her shoes. When is she coming back? Does she play card games with her relatives?

Coincidentally, there were no acquaintances by Fanora’s side. Also, at this moment, on one side of the banquet hall, there was a person who only stared at Fanora’s black hair.

“I-I’ve been waiting for this hunting festival…”

It was a young lady wearing a white dress with an elegant silhouette. She would have looked good if she hadn’t made her face the way she did now, but she was so angry that her fists trembled.

“Winning first place while receiving presents from only two or three people? Such a dirty trick…!”

She wasn’t poor, but she was the daughter of a baron who wasn’t particularly wealthy, so she came from a family that had a lot of trouble getting married. So, that lady was thinking about how to appeal her charm to many lords and decided to go on a fox hunt this time.

“I bet everything this time… There’s no next chance!”

Acquaintances, family, and many people who were kind to her, even promising financial compensation. She gathered as many people as she could and asked them to give their prey to her as a present. There were as many as 24 nobles gathered like that. So, the young lady thought this number was enough for her to enjoy receiving the award.

When I heard that Vasago would go hunting by herself, I thought God was helping me! But what was the result?

Aloken completely ruined this fox hunting, and the one who received the honor was decided with only his gifts. The hunting festival plan she had been preparing for a year was unsuccessful.

She’s already engaged, so why must she be so greedy and take it away? The lady was so angry at this situation that she wanted to cry. She clenched her teeth and walked in the direction of Fanora. It was an angry walk that everyone could tell.

“Lady Fanora.”

In time, the distance between the two narrowed, and faced each other. But what did the lady say after that?

“Congratulations on being given the award today. Even when I saw you from afar, how beautiful you were!”

“Thank you.”

Unexpectedly, there was a standard compliment. In a way, it was natural. No matter how angry and unfair she felt, her opponent was the duke’s fiancée.

“My name is Deria from the Duroc family, who received the most foxes after Lady Fanora earlier. Hoho, but no matter how much effort I put into it, it was still worse than the duke’s love for his fiancée.”

So the lady decided to change her way. She missed first place, but thanks for being second place, didn’t she get a conversation topic to talk about with Fanora? If she could have a conversation by Fanora’s side just for one day, it would be enough to create a topic.

“By receiving presents from three people, Lady Fanora… No, Lady Fanora became the Lady of the Year from the duke alone. It’s really amazing.”

But this time again, the world didn’t go her way.