I’m In Trouble Because My Husband Is So Cute - Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Then, there was chaos in the arena.

“Uh-oh, he’s falling—!”

“Kyaaaa!”

“Not good!”

As a rider fell to the ground with his horse amid the people’s startled shouts, the knight on the brown horse was the rider that the Wester family had put in earlier.

Iellie’s eyes widened wide.

‘Zachary…!’

The biggest problem was when the rider fell, the horse was confused. The horse skidded in the direction Zachary was running. Fortunately, it did not touch his horse directly. However, the knights who were chasing closely behind him fell in shock.

The horses neighed loudly.

“Neighhh!”

“Uwaak!”

While horses and riders were tangled up, people’s faces turned white. It was the same with Iellie.

“That’s not good!”

“I don’t know if everyone was seriously injured!”

She swallowed a gasp.

People with worried faces bowed their heads and looked down at the stadium. Meanwhile, the Princess bit her lip. It was too blatant to say that it was a lack of skill in handling horses.

‘It’s like it was targeting the Young Duke…’

The horses that fell are struggling, unable to calm their agitation. The thrown riders let out a moan, and people rushed to clear the situation.

The Princess uttered with a worried face.

“If they had fallen tangled like that, it might have been seriously injured.”

“Is it very dangerous?”

“That is… Some riders seem to have hit their heads when they fell.”

The servant hurriedly ran upstairs. It must be to inquire of the Emperor’s intentions whether the match would continue or not. Of course, in this case, it would be better to stop the game.

Nevertheless, the Emperor shook his head.

“Continue the game!”

Hearing the Emperor’s answer, the servant shouted loudly. Zachary, who had escaped from among the riders and horses tangled with godly skill, watched the ruined stadium with a frown on his forehead. It was the same with Sir Kyle.

‘He really wants the game to go on…?’

Thinking that, Zachary bit his lip. Kyle looked at him with a puzzled expression. He must be contemplating whether or not to continue the game.

But then, the flag to announce the departure fluttered again.

“….”

The two of them, with stiff expressions, eventually got on their horses again. The two accelerated and started running towards the next ring. Amidst the crowds, the Emperor stared at the arena with a cold, hardened face.

“Sh*t.”

He let out a small swear word from his mouth. It was the Emperor himself who deliberately inserted the Wester family knight. As soon as he heard that Zachary was going to a jousting match, he was trying to get in his way.

“You can’t even handle things properly.”

What the Emperor was aiming for was for the Wester’s knight to fall along with Zachary. If he got seriously injured, that was fine, and if he didn’t, it was okay because it would mean that he wouldn’t become the owner of the Asha flower branch.

However…

“…Rather, it was like helping the Young Duke.”

The fallen Zachary would be a decoration that would brighten the Emperor’s victory. Nonetheless, because of the Emperor’s own mischief, only the other riders got tangled and fell. Because of that, Zachary was steadily moving towards victory.

“If he goes on like this, I will not be able to offer Asha flowers to Lady Hessenweitz.”

The Emperor felt a little annoyed.

It was him who prepared this match for the vanity of the moment when his knight brought Asha flower branches and offered them to Iellie. With how things were right now, his plan was going awry.

“The riders shouldn’t have been seriously injured.”

Iellie whispered softly. A pale green gaze rested on the rider, who was carried on a stretcher with concern.

“Still, the medical staff will be right next to them, so it will be fine.”

The Princess sighed and answered. Hearing those words, Iellie suddenly felt a cool sensation rubbing her spine.

‘…Is His Majesty possibly intervening in this matter?’

Was it an illusion? At first glance, it seems that the Wester knight earlier was trying to disturb Zachary.

‘No way… Isn’t it?’

With that thought, Iellie glanced up at him.

The Emperor, who was staring at the stadium with an expressionless face, suddenly lowered his gaze, and their eyes met his. For a moment, his gray eyes widened before he smiled brightly.

“….”

As soon as he saw the Emperor’s smile, her spirit flashed as if she had been drenched in cold water.

The feeling came…

…The feeling that the Emperor deliberately put the Wester’s knight into harm Zachary. Suddenly, the Princess whispered a little.

“Lady Hessenweitz. I’m sure you will feel uncomfortable, but now it is the end of the match.”

“Ah, yes.”

Iellie, who suddenly came to her senses, looked down at the stadium. Zachary was piercing the eighth loop. Zachary lowered his body to the top and sprinted across the arena at high speed, clutching the spear.

“Wow—!”

A great cheer rang out. Nevertheless, since the Emperor ordered the game to continue, people had an obligation to enjoy the game.

Now, there was only one loop left.

The Princess nodded her head and opened her mouth, “Grand Duke Enhard has obtained the eighth loop.”

“Is there anyone who didn’t get the loop?”

“Most riders do. The further they go, the smaller the loop becomes.”

The Princess turned her gaze and glanced at Zachary. He was also running towards the loop.

“Actually, if you don’t have delicate skills and the ability to measure distance, it’s difficult to thread the spear through the loop.”

“Then, how much can Sir Kyle do?”

“I do not know. He can probably do a little bit of looping it in.”

As if the Princess was judging Sir Kyle’s skills, her eyes were wide open. The Princess soon declared.

“Though it seems impossible to do it while maintaining that speed like the Young Duke.”

In fact, Zachary was terrifying — A man with a flair for combat and a commander’s power was one of the most effective and surefire ways to boost the morale of his soldiers.

‘Besides, the Young Duke is said to have a knack for tactics, military studies, and handling soldiers… If there was such an officer, I would want to hire him directly.’

The Princess thought and smiled bitterly.

‘But, what’s the use of thinking like this?’

Right now, she didn’t know when she would lose her life to her brother, as she was a Princess who had lived with her breath on the line the whole time. Even though she couldn’t overcome her curiosity, she studied on her own. It had been a long time since she gave up on that for fear that she might look annoying to her brother.

‘It’s not my business.’

The Princess brushed off her thoughts. However, a slight resentment remained, and she held onto it.

‘I’m a little more than my brother… I could do well.’

On the other hand, Zachary’s praise from the Princess’ mouth made Iellie feel good. With blushing cheeks, she gazed at the stadium intently. As he safely obtained the ninth loop, he was already accelerating.

“This is how the winner is decided.”

“Still, it’s a jousting contest to commemorate the coronation of His Majesty the Emperor…”

“His Majesty must be in a bad mood.”

At that moment, the sound of whispering conversations reached her ears. Yes, of course, it is. Iellie sighed again.

“Wow—!”

“Oh my God, the Young Duke has got the last loop!”

At the loud shout, Iellie was instantly startled. When she hurriedly looked out at the stadium, Zachary, who had a thin ring worn by a woman on the spear, was spinning round and round the stadium on horseback.

‘…Zachary.’

Zachary lifted his head as if he had heard the voice calling him. The deep blue eyes beneath the leather hat gleam vividly. He immediately found Iellie and smiled.

‘Len.’

He opened his lips and called her out. Seeing that, Iellie nodded her head broadly. Her heart was pounding.

“The winner is Young Duke Zachary Hessenweitz!”

The attendant shouted the winner’s name in a loud voice. Sir Kyle, who immediately followed Zachary, had a rather complicated face. The winner and runner-up went round the stadium over and over again, picking up the pouring flowers.

“Congratulations!”

Under the scattered pieces of colored paper, Zachary’s fresh face with a bouquet of flowers was dazzling.

“…Zachary, you really kept your promise.”

Iellie stared for a long time as he jumped off his horse with swiftness. She couldn’t take her eyes off of his movements and even his gaze.

The winner and runner-up walked up to the podium where the Emperor was standing.

“Young Duke Hessenweitz, you have proven that you are the sharpest sword through your strong ability.”

The Emperor opened his mouth, barely suppressing his displeasure. The Asha flower branch was held in his hand.

“Congratulations on becoming the owner of the Asha flower branch.”

“Thank you.”

Zachary bowed his head down in a stylish gesture. The brilliant Asha flower branch was adorned with imperial gold ribbons. However, Iellie thought that his appearance was more gorgeous than the Asha flower branch.

“Have you decided which lady to offer the flower branch to?”

“Of course.”

It was a resolute answer without a single hesitation. A knight from the north who defeated even the Emperor’s knight and grabbed the victory… The ladies struggled to hide their beating hearts, and the young nobles cheered with reverence.

“Hessenweitz!”

“Hessenweitz…!”

The Duchy’s name rang out in chants in the Emperor’s jousting contest. In a lively atmosphere like a festival, he was the only one who had a contorted expression.

Zachary carefully took the Asha flower branch.

‘…Len.’

After receiving the flower branch, he moved on without hesitation. At the end of his steps was Iellie.

“My Lady.”

At his call, Iellie smiled happily. The first thing that caught her eye was the fresh Asha flower branch in his hand.

“To the Lady whom I gave my body and soul… I would like to offer this Asha flower branch.”

Zachary whispered in a sweet voice. Clear eyes like the sky filled Iellie’s vision.

“Will you take it?”

“Of course.”

Without even the slightest hesitation, she answered. The Asha branch was clasped proudly in her tiny hand. Zachary, who was watching that, smiled brightly. At that moment, the servant opened his mouth.

“The owner of the Asha flower branch is given the opportunity to say one wish.”

At those words, Iellie glanced at him for a moment. Zachary nodded his head slightly and whispered.

“You can say anything you want.”

At that, she straightened her back. Actually, there was one problem that bothered her the whole time before.

“Promise me the best treatment and adequate compensation to the riders injured in today’s jousting.”

Hearing that, the Emperor narrowed his brows.

Amidst the low noise of the people, Iellie continued, “Actually, I think this jousting should have ended at the time that such an accident happened.”

She touched the Asha flower branch in her hand. The pink flowers bloomed profusely. There were so many things they had to go through because of this one flower branch.

Iellie continued her words.

“However, the jousting went on, and I had the honor of becoming the owner of the Asha flower branch.”

At the same time, the atmosphere was a little gloomy and heavy. It was because the faces of the riders who had just been wounded and carried away were shimmering in front.

“So, I think we should treat the people who made this match the best we can.”

Having said that, Iellie looked straight at the Emperor. She wrinkled her brow and declared to the Emperor.

“This is my wish.”

“…Yes. The Lady’s wish will come true.”

“Thank you.”

Iellie greeted with a broad smile and wrapped Zachary’s hand, and she went straight out of the stadium.

Seeing this, the Emperor felt his stomach boil.

He should have been the person who held the Asha flower branch to her and the person who saw her smile…

But, he had lost all of the positions.

* * *

In the evening after the jousting competition, Annerose rarely visited the Emperor. The Princess cautiously called the Emperor.

“Your Majesty.”

“You are arrogant, Annerose.”

__