Brooke's Priority
Chapter 23

The day I was waiting for arrived.

I'm combing Light's feathers, the stallions I'll ride on when I hunt. I hummed cheerfully and asked Light to speak.

“We don't need to win. We just need to have fun,” my chatter on Light.

“You just need to follow us from behind,” Alex appears and grumbles at me. “You don't want to change your mind?”

Alex and Lucas advised me to ride with them.

“No,” annoyed me. “I've long imagined walking in the forest while riding a horse.”

I was inspired by the flim-flim action I used to find. Riding in the forest, down the river and looking at the trees feels so good in flim. I'd like to try it.

“Truck it.”

“I didn't tell you to take care of me.”

We ended up arguing like normal days.

I then saw Grace and Alyson coming over to us. Hunting events are usually attended by female royals and become one of the popular social events after the dance.

Alyson is hiding behind Grace.

“Hoo, Alex. Your potential fiancee came,” I said with the intention of teasing Alex while elbowing her arm.

I've heard before about Alexrod Bartos' match with Alyson Chamberlain. As I looked more seriously at the two people, I found no match between them. I feel sorry for Alyson.

“Alyson wants to give you something,” Grace told Alex as she glanced at me.

Grace was the first to tell me the news of the match. He's worried because Alyson doesn't feel comfortable being around Alex. Alex was cold to Alyson, far different from his attitude towards me and Grace.

“Happy?” I said as I watched Alyson slowly walk out from behind Grace's back. He held out the handkerchief with trembling hands.

Alex is a tiger and Alyson is a rabbit.

I am reminded of Darshan who did not participate in the hunting event today. Darshan dodged and I respect his decision. He prefers to study in the library. Regarding his father's response, Darshan said he was hit several times. I feel sorry for Darshan.

I feel sorry for Alyson and Darshan.

“Very good. You're talented.” I give Alyson a sincere compliment. “Alex view this.”

Alex looked at the handkerchief without any intention of picking it up and said, “Thank you.”

After that, Alex just left. I wanted to yell at him but I saw Alyson breathing a sigh of relief until he sat down on the grass. He looks very scared of Alex and Grace calming him down.

“What is your matchmaking can not be canceled?”

I can't imagine how awkward it would be for the two of them to actually get married. It must have been hard for Alyson to live with Alex who was blatantly showing dislike for him. Of course, I'm the cause. I feel guilty for Alyson but can't tell the truth about Alex actually liking me (i'm sure Alex will reveal his heart one day).

“Brooke, you can't say that,” Grace counsels me.

“Sorry.”

Grace asked me to be careful in the woods and took Alyson away. Lucas and Fanita approached me shortly after.

“Alyson okay?” ask Lucas. “I didn't want to bother you guys earlier.”

“As we know, Alex hates his matchmaking,” I replied as if not caring. I don't feel obligated to explain Alex's attitude to Lucas and Fanita. Let them ask themselves.

“If so Alex I wouldn't like it either,” Fanita said cynically.

“Cih.”

“See the attitude, Oppa.”

Lucas just smiled. “I'll check the bridle Light.”

Fanita doesn't lie when she says they're friends because they understand each other.

“I don't hate all women. Just to be specific,” Fanita invited me to talk after we saw Lucas already holding Light's harness.

“Specific?”

Fanita looked at me from top to bottom. Not answering my questions and changing the topic.

“Carlo leave something for you.”

Fanita took out a handkerchief from her pocket. “He gave the order that I hand this to you secretly.”

I accepted it with a surprised expression. “Why did he give me a handkerchief?”

“You ask yourself,” Fanita says ketus. “I warned you not to cause any problems today. Don't lose sight of Lucas or Alex.”

After threatening me for my own good, Fanita walked past me to where Lucas was standing. For a moment I was grateful that we were in a different team so I didn't have to prepare for the emotional nature of it.

I watched the handkerchief closely. Surprisingly, I did not feel any palpitations or pleasure.

I have a guess.

All this time, I've been dreaming about Brooke's memories of the next few years where Carlo, the Crown Prince, always smiled at Brooke (or I saw him smile at Grace). And I saw her crying over Grace who was killed. There's nothing as special as my dream of Levin.

There are certain feelings I feel only for Carlo and Levin.

To me this is like a secret message from Brooke (i stopped calling it a love curse and went back to using the term Brooke effect).

What I'm guessing is I'm pounding like I'm in love just when Carlo smiles.

“That's why I'm not comfortable seeing Carlo smile continuously,”. “In addition because I feel that smile is fake.”

Carlo's fake smile looked pitiful in my eyes.

In my old life, I shared many stories with my friends while drinking soju. We often demonstrate how we pretend to smile in front of our annoying bosses or co-workers.

Did Brooke expect anything from Carlo's smile? What kind of love does he really feel?

“I must prove my conjecture,” my resolve while looking at the handkerchief from Carlo. “He should have left a journal or just met me in a dream,” I complained later. I didn't know life reincarnated turned out to be this difficult.

The sound of the trumpet sounded, the sign of the official hunting event began.

Me, Lucas and Alex entered the forest. We parted ways with Fanita who was engaged in a squad that Sir Oswald selected. As I went deeper, I felt calm looking at the trees while talking to Lucas who was riding beside me while Alex who was behind me just quietly listened to us. I'm guessing Alex's mood took a turn for the worse after meeting Alyson.

Tasi Forest has high trees and wet dirt roads. I asked Haley if the Tasi Forest bears any resemblance to the Sebenius Forest and Haley said the two are not at all similar.

Sebenius forests have much taller trees and wetter soils. If you're unlucky, you'll meet with suction mud. The forest lies between the north and south. It was about six days away from the capital of the Morrow Kingdom. If it had been about two days from the Forest, you would have clearly seen greenish trees and snow-covered trees. Therefore, the Sebenius Forest is called a four-season forest because only the forest experiences a total of four seasons from each region.

In less than three years, I'm going through that forest.

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