# 79
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Elinor hesitated for a moment.
Cornelia is working inside the office preparing for the child's birthday party. Is it appropriate for her to go out for a walk alone?
But staying here won't help her focus on work more.
On the contrary, it might make her head more complicated as she tries to connect Agares's words to Cornelia's statements.
"Good."
Let's go out and get some fresh air.
“Will it take a long time to arrive?”
“We will arrive quickly.”
Matthias' face lit up.
“If we take the carriage, we will arrive in an hour.”
“What if we ride horses?”
"What?"
“Will we get there faster?”
“Of course, but you don't know how to ride a horse, do you? And even though the weather is getting warm, it's still winter-”
“Can't you take me on your horse?”
If we run on the horse, won't this heavy feeling in my heart go away?
She had ridden Matthias's horse as she rode back and forth across the valley into the border.
Sometimes, when Matthias urged the horse to run fast, she felt her chest open and refresh.
She never expressed her feelings to the other party, of course.
“...Did you ask something difficult?”
“No, it's not difficult!”
Matthias said excitedly.
“Should we go now? If we're going to ride, it might be cold because of the wind, so you'd better dress warmly.”
He thought it was good luck to go out together, but to ride a horse together?
Is this an early birthday present?
For the first time in his life, Matthias offered thanks to a ruler he had never believed in before.
* * *
Twenty minutes after they set out for the lake, accompanied by servants.
“Acho!”
Elinor sneezed hard while on the horse, then pulled her nose.
The breeze was so cool.
The wind wasn't as bitter as in Boundary Valley, so why did I feel so cold?
“I told you to wear more clothes.”
“I thought wearing more would make me feel suffocated.”
Elinor hugged her trembling body.
All I wanted was to breathe some cool air and think clearly.
This way, she'll catch a cold before her head clears.
The baby's birthday is coming soon, and if she gets sick, it will be tough on the baby...
“Hey!”
Matthias stopped the horse.
Elinor looked at him in surprise.
Matthias looked at her, her nose red,
“We'd better go to the lake another time.”
"What? But aren't we almost there?"
“If we continue the same distance, we will arrive. But before that, you will become a snow doll.”
How could there be no warmth in her body?
Matthias clicked his tongue as he fiddled with his black robe and said:
“This is what you brought on yourf, so don't complain too much.”
“Ha, okay.”
It was my fault for not wearing more clothes when he told me.
As Elinor humbly accepted her fate, a black robe was wrapped around her body.
“Your Highness the Duke?”
Elinor's eyes widened.
Mathias had wrapped her in the robe he was wearing.
But the problem was that he opened his robe while he was still wearing it to cover her body.
As they shared the same robe on the horse, they naturally grew closer.
Elinor stammered in confusion.
“What, what, what are you doing?”
“Save a lady who is about to freeze.”
Matthias answered calmly.
“Stay still, you might fall off the horse.”
“No, but, it's pretty close.”
“I told you, I asked you first. And you agreed.”
She thought he was talking about going back to the palace instead of going to the lake.
Elinor couldn't speak and only opened her mouth.
Meanwhile, Matthias started moving the horse again.
"Yes!"
When her body suddenly shook, Elinor quickly grabbed Matthias's arm.
Matthias laughed softly.
“Sorry, did you get scared?”
“Just give me the robe.”
Elinor looked at him sharply.
“Like I said, it's really cold, so I have to wear it.”
“This is embarrassing. I only had a wool coat underneath.”
Matthias smiled with his handsome face.
“It's big, let's share it. Isn't this warmer to conserve body heat?”
"Oh my god. You scolded me for wearing more when you only wore one wool coat?"
Is anyone freezing in this weather?
“Were you trying to impress someone?”
“Hmm...”
Mathias raised the corner of his mouth slyly, and instead of answering, he changed the subject.
“How does the process of choosing a baby name go?”
A cool breeze blew past Elinor's cheek.
Elinor instinctively looked for warmth within the gown and said:
“I'm looking in the dictionary for good meanings, but I haven't decided yet.”
“Do you have any candidates?”
“Hmm, Arsene?”
“Sounds like the name of someone who would become a master thief.”
"Thief? Why would you say something bad?"
"I'm just saying it gives that feeling. Aren't there other names?"
“There is, but I won't tell you.”
When Elinor turned her head irritably, faint laughter could be heard above her head.
"Well, I'm sure you'll pick a good name. It's your precious nephew's name."
“Uh, shall we stop here for a moment?”
Matthias stopped the horse, which seemed to be returning to the palace.
Elinor got off the horse with his help and looked around.
She thought they were going back to where they came from, but the place looked different now.
“It's not as beautiful as the place we were going to, but it's worth seeing.”
Matthias, whom he had insisted on sharing on the horse, wrapped the gown around Elinor and said:
“Going back directly would be a waste, let’s take a look.”
He walked in front of her, fastening his dark blue coat.
There was a turquoise lake located among a forest of tall birch trees.
A pure white and blue place. Branched birch trees like a spider's web were reflected in the clear water.
The snow that had accumulated all winter was still around the lake, adding a mysterious atmosphere.
"wow."
Elinor made a sound of admiration.
“It's beautiful.”
"Do you like it?"
“Yes, it's really cool.”
“Hilliard is full of places like this.”
Matthias said proudly.
“Since we have banned outsiders for a long time, many places still maintain their old appearance. The place we intended to go today, you would have liked it too.”
“I should have dressed warmer.”
“We can go next time.”
Matthias smiled gently.
“If you say you want to go, we can go anytime.”
“If I say I want to go.”
The Magic Tower Master, who left Hilliard a few days ago, must have planted poison in her heart.
Even Matthias's friendly words seemed twisted in her ears.
Elinor kicked the ground with her sole and asked:
“With the baby too?”
"Of course. The baby will definitely love it. What if we set a day for a picnic when the weather gets warmer? Now it's still too cold for the baby to spend much time outside."
“…Even if I don’t stay at Hilliard, can we go?”
"What? What do you mean?"
Elinor bit her lip.
Matthias felt something strange and approached her.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?"
“Why are you suddenly saying you won't stay at Hilliard?”
"You're making me worry. Can't you tell me what happened?"