The jousting is the most popular competition in the Empire, with the largest scale tournament being held in mid-August, on the birthday of the first emperor.
It is also a time when the floating population of the Horun District increases, as people flock to the capital to watch the matches played by famous warriors.
This summer, while the academy east gate square was unusually crowded due to Armand, a refreshing breeze swept through the surroundings occasionally to cool off the heat.
"Wow."
"That's crazy."
As a result, the splendid blonde hair of the man with an unrealistic appearance got scattered over his slightly curved forehead.
Every time his white shirt fluttered, his smooth body line and thick muscles were exposed, creating the illusion of seeing a statue of a god that was carefully sculpted by a craftsman.
"Oh my, for a moment I really thought a sculpture was moving…"
"I can't believe there's someone perfect from head to toe. He looks even better than the rumors."
"How can he be shining like a star when it's not even night?"
"Isn't it because his existence itself is bright?"
Everyone's gazes were snatched once in a while by the angelic man sitting in front of the fountain in the square.
The golden ratio of features seemed to have been carefully crafted by God with a ruler.
His appearance made even the astonished young gentlemen, who were asking how a man could be the flower of the year, surrender.
Suddenly.
Isidor, who was sitting in front of the fountain with his long legs crossed as if waiting for someone, raised a cup.
‘Is he going to drink here?'
After that, more strange and surprising scenes occurred.
He took the cup and walked slowly to somewhere.
‘He's walking?'
And, at the place he arrived, there stood an unimaginable person.
***
As I watched Isidor naturally promoting the takeout, I thought that there was no one more suitable for sponsorship than him.
‘He's no different than a big billboard in this world.'
As expected, he presented a new type of service in a very cool and attractive way.
Even I, who knows it's an , want to try it for no reason.
"Here, the peach smoothie that Princess Deborah wanted to drink."
Isidor smiled playfully and held out the cup of smoothie.
"Thank you."
When I accepted the cup he held out, people's eyes grew more intense.
"I'll drink it well."
I took a step towards the Epsilon Frat House, ostentatiously sipping the smoothie without paying any attention.
I pretend to be calm on the outside, but in reality, my heart was beating violently at 150 bpm.
‘I can't believe I'm using this world's third-generation chaebol as a drink delivery boy.'
Maybe the reputation around you makes a person.
‘I… I feel like I'm getting more and more impudent somehow.'
I couldn't even imagine how embarrassed Isidor must have been when I asked him to drink a smoothie while walking along the Frat House promenade.
"It's romantic and nice to drink tea while taking a walk."
Not only did he buy a smoothie and wait for me, but seeing him in a good mood, I had to feel complicated again.
What I thought last time, that he l-l-lik… Anyway, it's because that narcissist assumption keeps coming to my mind.
But no matter how hard I think about it, there doesn't seem to be any reason for him to like me.
‘Of course, I have a very pretty face.'
However, if the reason was simply her looks, when Deborah appeared in the novel, Isidor would have appeared as her supporter.
While I was deep in thought, Isidor called me.
"Princess?"
"Ah, yes?"
"What are you thinking about so seriously? Are you worried about something?"
"I-I was thinking about what to have for dinner."
The beautiful angel-like face in front of me pushed out the subject that took over my brain, and a strange excuse came out unconsciously.
Embarrassment flashed through his emerald eyes.
"It's a bit sad that I'm no match for a meal. Well, food is important after all. What kind of food does the Princess like?"
He quickly erased his embarrassment and changed the topic.
"I eat anything and everything."
"Me too. I'm not picky."
Isidor continued speaking naturally and asked small questions.
Do you like opera or plays, what kind of animals do you like, what are your hobbies, etc.
‘So Isidor likes cats.'
I exchanged an inquisitive conversation with him while sipping on the peach smoothie that spread sweetly in my mouth.
Then, he approached a bench under a flowering tree.
"Would you like to take a break?"
I liked having high visibility, so I always wore high heels.
However, it seemed a little uncomfortable to him.
Isidor spread a handkerchief on the bench and I sat down on it, feeling a little embarrassed.
‘Did the men of the Empire always have such good manners?'
Feeling embarrassed for no reason, I bit the tip of the cup and threw my gaze towards a distant place.
Due to the lush greenery, there was a fresh scent coming from all directions.
While looking up at the little birds chirping on the tree, Isidor suddenly spoke.
"Princess. You're going to watch the upcoming jousting competition, right?"
"Yeah."
Deborah liked jousting, so she attended every year.
"I will participate as a player."
After having been relaxed for a while because of the delicious drink and the cute birds, I felt out of place again due to his words.
There was a jousting competition in the novel, but Isidor didn't appear in it.
‘Was it omitted because Diera Orgo played an active part in it?'
At this point in time, the flow of the original novel was roughly like this.
Deborah's harassment reached its peak, and Philap comforted Mia with all kinds of gifts, but did not give her proper protection.
‘On the contrary, he was trying to make Mia rely on him mentally by using Deborah's viciousness.'
It was the time when readers complained in earnest that Philap was trash.
Mia only thanked Philap in her words, but she was surprisingly cold and did not give her heart to him, and the character who squeezed in at this time was exactly Diera Orgo.
Philap and Diera.
The fight between the two handsome men was fun, so the other narrative may have been cut short.
However, it was a bit strange that Isidor did not appear at all, no matter how much Diera Orgo was a part of it.
‘If Isidor is an excellent swordsman who is as good as Diera as per the Master's investigation, then he should appear as Diera's opponent in the competition, right?'
I faced him, swallowing the complicated questions that came to my mind.
"Do you think I will lose?"
I shook my head at Isidor's question.
"No. Sir Isidor will be fine. You will have good results in your match."
Although I know that the winner of the jousting competition is Diera, I spoke politely to Isidor.
‘Since he did the PPL, I have to do this level of lip service.'
"Then cheer me on at the competition."
He smiled so much that his eye bags were slightly folded under his eyes.
"It would be even better if you gave me a handkerchief as a sign of cheering for me."
Seeing the golden eyelashes fluttering like butterflies, I felt pressured to give him everything I had, not just the handkerchief.
My pushover instinct was screaming to give it to him right away, so I hurriedly bit the tender flesh inside my mouth.
Get a hold of yourself!
‘I think he's secretly telling me to give him a handkerchief in return for buying me a smoothie. Right?'
In the jousting competition, the ladies handed a handkerchief to the warriors they were cheering for.
How many handkerchiefs one received was also a measure of the skill and popularity of a knight.
‘As expected, nothing is free.'
In the end, I took out my favorite high-quality handkerchief embroidered with roses and handed it to him as a gift.
"Thank you. I think I will be able to win thanks to the Princess."
He took the handkerchief and smiled brightly.
It felt like my heart was going to fall somewhere at his gentle smile, but I tried to ignore that feeling and squeezed my hands tightly.
***
"Prince. Are you going to participate in the jousting competition?"
"Yes."
"Why? Weren't you disgusted by the dust and the smell of sweat?"
His master came in after training for a jousting match out of nowhere, and Miguel asked with a puzzled face.
Isidor lightly rubbed his sharp, sweaty chin.
He had no intention of participating in the match, but he submitted the application on an impulse.
"If I win the competition, the imperial family will give me a decent treasure."
Isidor told Miguel a half-hearted lie while stroking the paws of Cookie, which had turned into a tiny cat.
"Ahhh!"
As soon as he let go of Cookie, which was floundering while getting angry, it snatched the Princess' handkerchief that was sitting on the desk and started sniffing it.
Looking at Cookie, opening its mouth to reveal its sharp teeth, Isidor hurriedly stretched out his arms.
"Cookie, no!"
"Arrr!"
"If you bite it, there is no snack."
Miguel disappeared towards the back while staring with blurred eyes at his master fighting over a handkerchief with his pet.
Isidor, who managed to protect the handkerchief by taking out dried fish and coaxing Cookie with it, sighed briefly and leaned back on the chair.
He looked at the handkerchief embroidered with gorgeous roses, which resembled the Princess, and then folded it neatly.
‘The jousting competition…'
A game that is just disorderly, noisy, and annoying.
But his intention to stand back as usual was twisted.
The knights who participated in the jousting competition were focused on the attention of the ladies watching from the podium, and if they play well, they will rise to stardom.
Simply put, it means that it is a good stage to pretend to be cool.
Moreover, he had read in a past report that the Seymour Princess likes jousting.
The Princess would also want to hand a handkerchief to a knight that she liked while watching the competition, and he didn't like that for some reason.
‘It hurts my pride for an irrelevant guy to receive something that I didn't.'
Isidor stroked the snack-biting Cookie, trying to shake off his childish thoughts.
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