Chapter : 11
The lady was startled by the dejected tone of his voice.
“Oh my, no. It’s not a duty! The carriage is right here, so there’s no way it’s a duty. Please don’t worry.”
“I see. I’ll be counting on you today. Since outdoor activities are rare for me, I might be quite inexperienced.”
“There’s no need to worry already. Someone as clever as you will learn quickly.”
“I appreciate your confidence. By the way, it seems the first thing I’ll learn in this mansion is horseback riding. It will definitely be a unique experience.”
“It seems His Highness thinks horseback riding is necessary for you. That’s good. There’s nothing bad about learning to ride!”
After that, the lady enthusiastically listed the advantages of horseback riding: no need to bother with the carriage, saving effort, and reducing travel time.
“Since you say so, I’m already looking forward to it.”
Eventually, persuaded, Diana eagerly anticipated the upcoming lesson.
The carriage began to slow significantly. Soon, it stopped entirely, and the lady stood up.
Diana also got out of the carriage. As she stepped down, she saw barren, desolate land stretching out.
‘So that’s…’
So this must be the riding arena.
The fence around it confirmed it was indeed a riding ground, but the scale was enormous. Roughly estimated, it was as large as twenty houses in a poor neighborhood combined.
“Shall we go see the children now?”
“Children?”
“You must choose the horses you will practice with!”
The lady winked charmingly with her right eye.
As she headed to the stables, she couldn’t hide her excitement. Despite her dignified first impression, she had a surprisingly lovable side.
When they arrived at the stables, the strong smell greeted them.
Diana instinctively brought her fingers to her nose. The stench was far worse than anything she had smelled even in the poorest districts.
“You seem uncomfortable. Especially for you, who loves floral scents, this must be an unusual smell.”
For the lady and the knights who frequently visited the stables, it was a familiar environment. Diana struggling in it reminded them of their younger selves, and it was endearingly cute.
“Lady Mernard, would you come over here?”
The lady gestured to Diana, pointing at the horses lined up in a row.
“Take a look around. These horses seem more like young ones, suitable for beginners.”
Diana approached and carefully examined each group of horses indicated by the lady.
“Are there specific criteria for choosing a horse?”
“For a beginner, calm and gentle horses are best. If one catches your eye, try petting it. If it doesn’t resist, that’s a sign it’s gentle.”
Diana considered the advice and began choosing.
Every horse that followed her gaze seemed irresistibly charming.
Finally, she met the eyes of a horse with striking blue irises.
“So beautiful…”
She couldn’t help but marvel the moment she looked into its eyes.
The young horse, as white as winter snow, seemed to be born with all the blessings of the world.
From its soft golden fur to its perfectly upright ears and smoothly curved body, there was not a flaw in sight.
She had planned to make a full round and then inspect each horse again, but her plan was disrupted.
Diana stood still by the white horse, losing track of time.
“Purebred. Would you like to touch it?”
The lady, noticing Diana had fallen for this horse, approached.
“May I?”
“Of course! The best is to stroke its sides, but it may be hard given the distance. Try gently stroking near its neck.”
The lady guided Diana’s hand to the horse’s neck.
Diana felt the rough texture under her fingertips. Her slender fingers twitched at the unfamiliar sensation.
“You’ll get used to it soon. Just be patient and keep trying.”
Since the feeling wasn’t entirely unpleasant, Diana followed the suggestion.
Gaining confidence, she carefully stroked the horse. The horse responded with small whinnies and shook its coat.
Suddenly, the horse nudged her face. If Diana hadn’t pulled back, their noses—or even lips—might have touched.
“Ah, it came to me first!”
“How cute. It seems to like Lady Mernard.”
Her surprise quickly turned into joy.
She happily stroked it in other places, gradually getting used to the subtle vibrations through her small palm.
“Ah, this horse was personally brought by His Highness from the royal stables for you.”
One of the accompanying knights announced the surprising fact loudly.
“What a coincidence! That’s wonderful! Right, Lady Mernard?”
The lady was unusually delighted even though it wasn’t her task. Diana nodded in amazement.
The horse Diana had taken a liking to had already been prepared for her. From the first moment, she felt it was special—perhaps destiny.
The horse’s deep blue eyes blinked repeatedly. Diana copied the motion.
When its eyes closed, she closed hers too. When it looked at the world, she captured the little horse in her eyes.
“This is the one. I’ll take this horse.”
Once her heart was set, she didn’t need to look at the others.
“It suits you perfectly. Knights, you may release the horse now.”
The knights followed instructions and released the horse.
As soon as the wooden gate opened, the horse moved forward. Confined in the small space, it shook its body repeatedly.
When it noticed Diana, it moved toward her slowly, sending happy tremors through her heart.
Finally, the horse stopped and leaned gently into her arms. Its soft fur brushed against her skin.
“Lady Mernard, now you may choose its name!”
“A name, you say…”
“It’s a nickname. Owners usually give the name.”
Ah, right. She needed to give a name to her new horse. Calling it just ‘horse’ felt too plain.
The lady’s expectant face added pressure. Diana had no expertise in naming, so she wasn’t sure she could meet the expectation.
“You don’t need to overthink it. Choose a word you like, something easy to call, or with a lovely meaning. Whatever name Lady Mernard chooses is special.”
The hint eased the tension in Diana’s face.
A name with a pleasant sound and beautiful meaning.
“…Diane?”
The name slipped out unconsciously. The horse seemed to understand, nudging her slightly, as if asking her to say it again.
“You just gave it a name, didn’t you? If it’s alright, I’d like to hear it too!”
“Ah, Diane just came to mind suddenly…”
“Oh, Diane? How cute. May I ask what it means?”
The lady praised the name, saying it was a cute nickname that fit perfectly.
“Well…”
Diana thought about the meaning behind her own name.
Since minor characters can’t have grand names, she borrowed the name of a goddess from mythology.
“It’s a nickname from the goddess Diana.”
“Oh, I’ve never heard of that goddess.”
The lady tilted her head in curiosity. Even a book lover like her hadn’t known this goddess.
It was unfamiliar, not very famous. Probably the count and his wife had only encountered the name once.
Embarrassed, Diana explained that it wasn’t a famous goddess.
“Diane.”
Diana gave the horse her chosen name. The horse, understanding, nuzzled its owner’s face.
“Grow beautifully.”
She hesitated. Names usually carry destiny, and she feared giving her own flawed fate to this lovely horse.
“Grow beautifully, be a fine horse.”
Still, she decided to entrust it. She hoped Diane would grow safely into a beautiful adult horse and achieve great things.
“…No, just be happy.”
No, that was enough. Living a happy life was sufficient.
A free being able to run on its four legs anytime.
‘Live Diana’s life in my place.’
Perhaps Diana unconsciously wished the horse would fulfill the life she herself could not.
