Chapter 5: Dressage Competition
OUR annual school event was blessed with excellent weather this year. The dressage competition was a way of showcasing who, amongst the student body, could ride their horse the most elegantly. Any student confident in their riding skills could participate, but since dressage was considered an ideal gentleman’s hobby, all the noblemen throughout our school readily volunteered to join each year.
There were a few female participants as well, though I only planned to spectate myself.
“There, much better. Now you look good and handsome.”
Inside the venue, where everyone was rushing around to prepare for the event, my father was addressing none other than Siraiya. He’d brought some hair products in with him to sweep Siraiya’s long bangs back behind one ear, exposing his beautiful face for the world to see. Father was right—he was very handsome this way. I would use this look as a reference if I were to ever style Siraiya’s hair.
“Thank you very much…” Siraiya blushed and thanked Father. Today, I would get to see Siraiya’s bashful expressions without anything obscuring them.
“We’ll be watching you from the parents’ seats.”
“Good luck. We’ll be cheering you on.”
With those well-wishes, Mother and Father headed off for the parents’ seats.
“They’re taking such good care of me. I feel guilty,” Siraiya admitted.
“They are only looking out for their future family member,” I assured him. “It’s nothing to feel guilty about.”
“Family member…” Siraiya repeated my words with a faint smile and turned even redder.
I was so glad to see he’d accepted his future place in my family. Each time I thought about it, I couldn’t help but grin.
The two of us were smiling at each other, enjoying a moment of quiet happiness, when we were rudely interrupted.
“Hey, if you’re not competing, then head to the audience section already.”
The person who butted in, an unpleasant smile on his face, was none other than Pierre. I’d last seen him when he shrieked and fled from Siraiya’s menacing aura, but he seemed much more confident today—probably thanks to the group of friends standing behind him.
He’d ordered not just me but also Siraiya to leave for the audience section. Pierre and his friends ridiculed him under the assumption that he wouldn’t be competing.
“A man without a horse of his own would never know how to ride,” one scoffed.
“How can a duke’s son not even be able to ride a horse? It’s unthinkable!”
“Sit with the rest of the girls and watch us men compete, just like last year.”
The more they insulted him, the more my blood boiled.
Siraiya and I were both first-year students during the previous competition. I couldn’t recall how he’d spent last year’s event, but I attended to support Eddie as his fiancée, and I didn’t remember Siraiya participating in the race.
In fact, he’d only just learned to ride a horse a few days earlier at my house. Even if he’d managed to borrow a horse from the school, he never should have been able to participate in today’s event at his level.
I thought about getting in some sort of retort, but an even better response had just arrived at the perfect time.
“Thank you for bringing him here. He’s with us.”
A school employee was walking up behind the boys with Noah in tow, so I called out to him a bit louder than I usually would have. Noah gave a cheerful snort when he reached Siraiya, pressing his snout forward to be pet.
“Let’s do our best today, Noah.”
After giving him a thorough petting, Siraiya swiftly hopped onto Noah’s back as if he’d been practicing all his life. He looked so regal and beautiful with his silver hair sparkling in the sunlight.
“Here, take this ribbon, Siraiya.” I handed him a red ribbon made of high-quality silk.
I didn’t know when it started, but our school had a long-standing tradition where female students offered boys ribbons as good luck charms to bolster their chances of victory. These were usually exchanged between engaged couples, but the popular boys received many ribbons from their female admirers. Last year, Eddie received a mountain of ribbons in addition to my own.
“Lord Siraiya! I’ve come to give you a ribbon!”
“Lord Siraiya~! I had an expensive ribbon made just for you!”
The girls who’d gotten a look at Siraiya’s face—formerly Eddie’s followers—rushed up to him and offered ribbons in colors of their own choosing. Now that I thought of it, I hadn’t spotted Eddie at the venue. That was probably why they were coming for Siraiya instead.
Eddie would have definitely accepted every single one of them. However…
“Thank you, Cynthia. I’ll make sure to claim the prize for you.” Siraiya took my red ribbon, wrapped it around his wrist, and ignored the other girls.
“I’ll be praying for your victory,” I said with a bright smile.
Siraiya smiled and nodded back at me, then left on Noah to wait in the riders’ area.
“May we all enjoy a wonderful competition.”
My words weren’t malicious on their own, but combined with my bold villainess’ smile, every student present scowled at me, knowing they’d been defeated.
Few words were needed to get the better of these people.
✦ ✦ ✦
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THE racing area had rows of poles set up, tied together with string.
Our school’s dressage race was famous for being a bit different than most.
Normal dressage was held in large open spaces surrounded by a fence, but here, we set out many poles as obstacles for the horses. Supposedly, this was the remnant of the show jumping competitions held here long ago.
Too many nobles were injured because they fell from their horses, so those events were canceled. Dressage alone was much safer in comparison, but since gentlemen needed the skills to avoid obstacles in their paths, the school decided to set out poles across the field.
As a result, the competition was much more challenging than normal dressage, and the winner would walk away with a prize appealing to students from every social class. It was even famous enough to draw foreign exchange students to our school during this specific season.
Once the racing ground was prepared, the special judge—the crown prince himself—took his seat. Members of the royal family were given this role because it was essentially impossible to judge them fairly during the years they participated as riders.
Siraiya would probably have an easier time in high society if he made a good impression on the crown prince.
“Good luck, Siraiya and Noah.” I took my seat in the students’ section and whispered my prayer of support.