Chapter Title: A Dangerous Hand
*I'm going on a date with a girl I met yesterday.*
Cesare stood stroking the horse, and as soon as he saw Adelaide, he furrowed his brow and smiled.
"Did you crawl out?"
Adelaide, already accustomed to his temper, smiled.
"I'm sorry. I wanted to look pretty for my brother, so I was late preparing."
Cesare raised one eyebrow in disapproval. She'd thought about it before, but he secretly liked being flattered by his subordinates. Maybe it was because he was a pervert.
"It doesn't matter. You'll ride with me today. After all, Aegir can't enter the temple."
Upon closer inspection, Cesare's horse had an additional saddle attached beside it. Perhaps a sidesaddle would have been better...
While Adelaide was thinking this, Aegir unexpectedly hesitated, holding Adelaide in his arms. He said softly, expressionless.
"But if the two of you ride together, in case of an emergency..."
"I'll take you with me."
Aegir stood in silence, then spoke dryly.
"I'll follow from the rear."
He handed Adelaide over to Cesare and turned to find his horse. Cesare looked at his back and smiled with a strange annoyance. Suddenly, he hoisted Adelaide into the saddle.
"...!"
Adelaide let out a silent cry and grabbed the saddle.
Immediately afterward, Cesare swung up onto his horse.
"Let's go."
"..."
Adelaide kept her mouth shut, resisting the urge to teach him Kimora peace diplomacy.
The black horse began to walk down a narrow road paved with sand-colored stones. The air was a bit cold and dry. Down the hill, the windows of the bright yellow buildings of Ador Beach glistened one after another in the sun.
Cesare, whom she thought would speak to her, was surprisingly quiet. Occasionally he would reach out and pat the horse's neck—a loving touch. Perhaps because of this, the seven-hundred-pound four-legged beast seemed to be in a very good mood.
Adelaide was a little nervous.
*Sir Aegir must have heard about the argument with Lady Ravenna, so why is he so silent...?*
She thought he'd say it was an un-aristocratic statement. Adelaide hesitated, then turned to Cesare.
The young prodigal, who was unusually sparkling today, was lost in thought, his nose standing tall. His expression didn't irritate her as usual but seemed quite complicated.
He belatedly noticed Adelaide's gaze and smiled slightly.
"What?"
"...Nothing."
Adelaide turned her head. She could only hope that his worries had nothing to do with how to dispose of the cheeky shoe shiner.
They quickly reached the temple of Ador. Cesare jumped off his horse first and lifted Adelaide down. The escorts said they would stay with them until the entrance of the temple and then leave to keep watch over the surroundings.
Aegir stood at the entrance, expressionless, watching Adelaide as she entered the chapel.
The chapel inside the temple was dotted with black velvet sofas and stools instead of long, hard wooden pews. Beside each sofa was a small, round mahogany table, on which were placed spumante, brandy, cigars, simple antipasti, newspapers, and books according to individual tastes. There was also a corner for playing cards or billiards.
*It's a temple.*
That was when someone sitting on a couch suddenly jumped up from their seat and began to approach Adelaide and Cesare without hesitation.
Adelaide looked at her in surprise. She was a well-groomed and attractive woman with curly purple hair.
*Is her name Charlotte Yvrea?*
This was the woman who had greeted Cesare in passing at his birthday banquet.
Cesare saw Charlotte approaching and looked down at Adelaide, a little flustered.
"Keep your head down."
Just then Charlotte reached Cesare. She slapped him across the face.
Adelaide's eyes widened in surprise at the resounding *smack* in front of her. What was even more alarming was that the people around them only glanced over briefly, then continued doing what they were doing with the same expressions.
Charlotte said, her voice dripping with coldness.
"Cesare Bonaparte. What the hell was yesterday?"
"...I don't think that's something we should discuss here."
Cesare's lips parted slightly. He frowned, but fortunately he didn't strike Charlotte. *No, he can't hit her because he's holding me...*
With that in mind, Adelaide had another epiphany. Maybe it was because he'd been drinking yesterday—he was a little more human.
"Ha! Run away right before the main event and say, 'That's not something we should discuss here'?"
*It wasn't...?*
Adelaide's gaze at Cesare blurred. Cesare smiled as if swallowing his annoyance and turned to Charlotte.
"You need to be accurate. When did we do it?"
At that, Charlotte Yvrea raised her hand once more. Cesare didn't greet it this time and took a step back.
"That's enough."
Charlotte swung at the air and staggered. Her eyes glazed over.
"Are you that good?"
"We'll talk about it later."
"Sounds like 'later' never comes!"
The conversation that followed sounded more like lovers than she'd expected. Adelaide managed to relax. He said he didn't like Lucrezia, but maybe he liked the sensual Charlotte. Whatever it was, it wasn't her place to interfere.
Adelaide spoke cautiously.
"Brother. Miss Charlotte. I'll step aside..."
"No. What are you stepping aside for?"
"Well, what's 'no'? Do you want to save face in front of your sister? Oh, I'm sorry to make you see this, Miss Adelaide."
Charlotte changed her tone halfway through and smiled at Adelaide. Then she looked at Cesare again, her eyes blazing.
"I'm going to get an apology for this. Is Bonaparte all that great? Do you think only Bonapartes have money? If you're going to be a rogue, you should at least have good morals!"
Then someone leaned out from the other entrance to the chapel.
"Miss Charlotte. I don't think that's something the sheep are looking for..."
Charlotte paused at the sound of the voice. Then, as if she'd just remembered something, she laughed with burning eyes.
"But even if I get an apology, I can't just let my pride be hurt. So—oh, I've brought the person who's most uncomfortable for Bonaparte. Are you going to play with me?"
"Miss Adelaide?"
Behind her appeared a hard-faced Ezra.
---
In the corner of the large red-carpeted chapel was a mahogany table big enough for five people. Seated around it were Ezra, Charlotte, Adelaide, Cesare, and Jude Rossi, who had been summoned to ease the mood.
Jude Rossi, who had his brown hair neatly slicked back as always, was surprised to see Ezra as soon as he was summoned.
"Good goddess! Who is this? Isn't that Lord Ezra? What brings you here... er..."
He laughed awkwardly at the angry Charlotte and the cold-faced Cesare.
"Well... Shall we play cards?"
The poor Rossi heir was put to the test of moderation today. However, this had happened once or twice before, and he seemed quite skilled at getting the attendant to bring out drinks and cards.
"I'll be the dealer."
Jude said as he shuffled a new deck. Cesare suddenly leaned very close to Adelaide.
"What about cards?"
Adelaide flinched at the breath that tickled her earlobe.
"I can do it."
Cesare chuckled and bit his lip. Adelaide noticed with a sideways glance that Ezra was staring at her.
*It's... uncomfortable.*
Adelaide's back straightened for no reason. She pretended not to notice and simply watched Jude shuffle the cards. It was a normal overhand shuffle with no special sleight-of-hand techniques.
"If you enjoy it sometimes, that's fine."
Adelaide glanced around her surroundings. Elderly nobles sat on the couches, watching the young people's quarrel with pleasure. Adelaide didn't miss Palmira Ginoble, whom Geneviève had mentioned.
*"You'll know her when you see her. She looks like a grumpy old lady from a storybook."*
*"Is she actually grumpy?"*
*"Ha ha."*
*"That's good. The answer is yes."*
Palmira Ginoble had been interested from the moment Jude Rossi brought up the word "cards."
*She must be a real gambler.*
In the chilly atmosphere, everyone held cards in their hands. The game was Hold'em. Ezra was the first to speak, with a sullen face.
"You have quite nice cheeks, Duke Cesare."