Shada froze, his green eyes piercing her.
Even if he was far away, she could easily feel the warmth of his eyes, no different from being close to him.
He looked at her with consistent regard and kind eyes throughout their relationship. Even when he first rescued Shada from the princess.
‘Nothing I have is more precious than Miss Shada.’
Her panting was gone, but her heart was still pounding.
Shada had already come down the stairs and slowly descended towards him and his outstretched hand waiting to escort her.
It was like crossing an irreversible bridge. With every step, the green eyes that did not move from her became closer.
Soon, when there was only one step left, Shada hesitated to place her hand on his hand.
It felt like handcuffs would be snapped on her wrists right away.
Huey kissed the back of her hand.
Just like a knight bowing to a lady.
From a distance, Shada had often seen many men greet Princess Julia that way.
It felt strange to receive such a greeting.
Huey raised his head from her hand and smiled at her stunned, blinking eyes.
“You are pretty.”
“T-Thank you.”
She stuttered and hesitated to say thank you.
Thank you, was it a weird reply?
As she fretted, Huey was slowly admiring Shada as she picked at her hands.
Unlike how it was typically neatly braided, her black hair was loose and she wore a pale blue dress. She looked fresh and extremely pretty, like a newly bloomed forget-me-not.
He stared at her lips that were a striking red.
Holding her hand, they exited the mansion.
Outside, a horse prepared by the butler Franc was waiting.
Shada’s eyes grew. She had never been so close to such a noble riding horse.
“Isn’t it pretty?”
“Yes.”
Exceeding so.
She nodded blankly, dazed.
It was a smooth, shiny black horse, except for the star-shaped white dot on her forehead and one white leg; it was jet black like ebony.
Even when she looked deep into the horse’s black eyes, it seemed to be a horse of good lineage, and the body was smooth, and the hooves looked solid like bronze.
The horse blinked its eyes and studied Shada.
Huey laughed as he watched Shada, who dared not get close even though she looked like she was possessed.
“You can touch it.”
“Really?”
Unknowingly, Shada approached Huey, who was smiling heavily, as she alternately looked at him and at the beautiful black horse.
The horse looked at her very gently, then stood still as Shada’s small hand swept aside the horse’s hair. In response, the horse tilted its head toward Shada.
When she met those soothing eyes, she laughed.
Shada asked Huey, who was looking at me, forgetting the tension.
“What is the name of this horse?”
“Shada.”
“Yes?”
“Shada.”
“What?”
Huey suddenly burst into laughter; Shada only blinked as if she couldn’t understand language anymore.
He chuckled, hugged her, and put her on the horse.
Meanwhile, the black horse was quiet. Huey climbed up behind her, took the reins, and whispered into Shada’s ear.
“This is Shada. The name of this horse.”
Shada was dumbfounded, wondering if her master was playing a prank on her.
However, Huey’s eyes, which met hers— although there was a playfulness—did not seem to be lying.
The horse’s name was the same as hers.
Was it a coincidence?
As she struggled, he hugged her waist and drove the horse.
It moved nimbly and lightly.
Shada was nervous and had to lean back on the man who took the reins from behind.
She could hear his low laughter above her head.
Suddenly, she remembered a conversation they had before.
‘Who named you?’
‘My father.’
‘He had a peculiar taste.’
‘I’ve heard several times that my name is unusual.’
‘No, it’s like a dog’s name.’
It wasn’t a dog’s name but a horse’s name.
“That… … .”
Shada opened her mouth with difficulty.
She wanted to ask a lot of things, but instead the only words that managed to come out of her mouth were simple and weren’t burdensome.
“Where are we going?”
Hmm, a quick thinking noise rang above her head that seem to say, I do not know.
“Where shall we go?”
“What?”
“Is there a place you want to go?”
Shada’s eyes searched for an answer as she felt the horse lightly running through Count Kirchner’s expansive estate.
Where do you want to go?
This is the simplest and most difficult question for a small citizen like her.
When she answered that she was not sure, a simple answer came back as if he hadn’t expected much of an answer anyways.
“Then let’s meander.”
I want to show you what I see every day.
Count Kirchner’s estate was beautiful.
Shada had also admired it before when she had glanced anxiously through the glass window while riding in the carriage after she was rescued from the princess.
But again, today, she admired the landscape.
Beautifully lush shrubs stood gracefully hanging over the pale green lawn.
There was a lush forest, well-groomed flowers, and lakes in several places, making it picture-perfect.
These beautiful lands belonged to this man escorting her on a horse.
***