* * *

“Ah!”

Startled, Ronen giggled as Aran nudged his hand with his tail.

Finding the fluffy fur fascinating, Ronen smiled, and the Grand Duke turned to Ed.

“It seemed like you liked Aran earlier. What do you think?”

When Ed cautiously reached out, Aran, who had been bonding with Ronen, tilted his head at Ed’s outstretched hand but stayed still, making Ed a bit disappointed.

“I guess he doesn’t like me as much.”

“Aran, don’t tease him.”

Finally, Aran approached and rubbed his cheek against Ed’s hand.

Feeling like he was petting the husky he had always wanted as a child, Ed smiled, enchanted.

“Ed, isn’t his fur incredibly soft? It feels so nice.”

“Yeah, it’s warm and cozy.”

“Aran seems even more excited today because of you and Ronen.”

Watching Aran happily swish his large tail, the Grand Duke gave an order to Tens.

“Make sure the merchant gets a warm drink and a place to rest. And check on his companions and their supplies still on the mountainside. Help them up safely with the knights.”

Tens bowed and responded, “Yes, Your Grace.”

With everything settled, the Grand Duke approached Aran.

“Sadly, it’s time for you to return, Aran. But don’t worry, we’ll have another chance to play soon.”

Ronen, having grown attached, looked a bit sad but nodded.

“Okay, Brother. Let me play with Aran again next time!”

He waved at Aran, who disappeared, and said goodbye.

“See you, Aran. Until next time.”

Ed also waved, stepping back with Ronen as Aran faded from view.

The Grand Duke then asked Ronen,

“Would you like to head to the VIP seats before the event starts, or stay in the camp with me until then?”

Ronen thought for a moment and replied,

“I’ll stay in the camp.”

---

As people began arriving to watch the martial arts tournament, Ed and Jaynon stood at the entrance of the clearing, checking invitations.

Every person entering was a northern noble or someone of notable reputation.

Ed guided the guests with verified invitations to their designated section of the base camp.

As the reserved seats gradually filled up, a few individuals approached Ed, asking about Ronen’s whereabouts.

“By the way, isn’t Young Master Ronen attending today’s event?”

“I haven’t seen His Highness or the Grand Duke yet either. Are they perhaps busy with event preparations?”

Ed thought of Ronen, still resting in the tent.

Ronen was still a bit shy about stepping into large crowds alone.

“The young master is resting for a bit, worn out from preparing for the event.”

“Well, he’s still quite young, after all. If he overexerts himself and catches a cold, that would be serious.”

“It’s a pity. The last time I saw him was when he was very young, alongside the former Grand Duke and Duchess. I’d hoped to catch a glimpse of him today.”

“He’ll make an appearance when the event starts, so I ask for your patience. In the meantime, we have hot tea and snacks prepared to keep you warm. Please let us know if you need anything.”

“Climbing up the mountain has made me feel a bit chilled, so I’m grateful for the thoughtfulness.”

“Would you be able to bring them to our seats?”

“Yes, if you take your seats, the attendants will prepare and serve the snacks and tea shortly.”

Ed skillfully redirected the conversation, steering attention away from Ronen.

After informing the attendants of the guests’ seating and their request for refreshments, Ed headed back to the tent, thinking about Ronen, who was likely waiting alone.

However, when he arrived at the tent, Ronen was nowhere to be found.

Instead, the Grand Duke was there, placing snacks from a small basket onto a tray, organizing them.

“Ed, I’ve told you that you don’t need to move around so much.”

“The number of guests is overwhelming for the attendants to manage alone.”

“According to Jaynon, it’s going much smoother this year thanks to you,” the Grand Duke said with a smile.

Ed rolled his eyes slightly at the compliment.

“…Where did Young Master Ronen go?”

“He went out to look at the horses with Tens.”

“Ah, I see.”

The Grand Duke smiled and grabbed Ed’s wrist.

“Forget trying to deflect. Come sit here and rest for a bit.”

Realizing the Grand Duke had seen through his distraction tactics, Ed made one last attempt to resist.

“Oh, about the snacks that ran out for the VIP section—”

The Grand Duke calmly responded, “Jaynon just took some over, so it’s fine.”

After persuading Ed to take a break, the Grand Duke eventually led him outside when it was time for the tournament to begin.

“The Grand Duke has arrived,” Irtel announced.

The bustling base camp gradually fell into a hush.

As the Grand Duke appeared, everyone rose from their seats to pay their respects.

The knights, positioned on either side in orderly formations, bowed deeply to greet him.

The Grand Duke exchanged brief glances with Ed, who stood beside Jaynon at the base of the platform, before stepping up onto it.

Standing on the platform covered in a red carpet, the Grand Duke scanned the crowd with a gentle gaze.

“Though I see many familiar faces each year, this event feels especially meaningful, being the first since reuniting with my younger brother. Despite the recent rains making travel difficult, I’m grateful for everyone’s attendance. Now, let’s proceed with the order of events for this year’s martial arts tournament…”

The Grand Duke’s steady and commanding voice resonated across the base camp, capturing everyone’s attention.

Many attendees, who had supported the Grand Duke since his predecessor’s time, discreetly dabbed at their eyes with handkerchiefs when Ronen was mentioned.

The Grand Duke concluded with a smile that held a touch of resignation.

“If there’s anything you need, feel free to approach any nearby attendants. Jaynon and Ed will handle things accordingly. I hope you all enjoy the tournament this year.”

---

The first event of the tournament was a sword duel.

Tension filled the air as the knights stepped into the circular arena outlined on the ground.

As the competitors introduced themselves, cheers erupted from their respective supporters.

“The first knight for the Lion Team is Jess!”

“And for the Eagle Team, we have Revno!”

Once introductions were made and they raised their wooden swords toward each other, encouragement rang out from every corner.

“Jess, you can do it!”

“Revno, just do what you always do!”

Ed, seated behind the platform, watched with sweaty palms.

Beside him, the Grand Duke observed the match alongside Ronen.

To keep Ronen from feeling self-conscious under the crowd’s eyes, the Grand Duke had opted for this spot instead of the prominent central VIP seats.

The dull clash of wooden swords resounded as the two knights moved swiftly and fiercely.

“That’s incredible,” Ronen, who had unconsciously leaned against the Grand Duke, straightened up, eyes shining with excitement.

Ed found himself silently agreeing, noticing Ronen’s rapt expression, utterly engrossed in the knights’ disciplined swordsmanship.

“Lion Team wins the first round!”

Caught up in the excitement, Ed applauded when the referee announced the victory.

The arena, once filled with shouts rooting for their favorites, was now awash with praise and admiration for both competitors.

---

Fortunately, the tournament, which included spear combat, archery, and mounted games, concluded without any significant injuries.

As night fell on the second day of the tournament, with only the final hunting event left for the next morning, Ronen, still half-asleep, called out to Ed in a drowsy voice.

“Ed, do you prefer black horses or white horses?”

Earlier that day, Ronen had watched the equestrian event with wide-eyed wonder.

After some fierce negotiating, he’d won the right to start horseback riding lessons with Tens once the tournament concluded.

The Grand Duke had been a bit worried about his still-young brother learning to ride a knight’s horse rather than a pony.

“Ronen’s still a bit too small for such a large horse,” he’d argued.

But even the Grand Duke’s resolve had crumbled once Tens and Ed joined forces to persuade him.

* * *