Chapter 171 Miguel Gives a Gift

Chapter 171 Miguel Gives a Gift

In the front hall, Miguel stood in the center wearing a long black robe with silver threading.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he gazed at the tapestry of mountains and deer on the wall. Patrick hovered around him, enthusiastically offering compliments. Miguel responded coolly, never giving him a proper look.

Noah walked in with Cressida.

"Your Highness."

Hearing her voice, Miguel finally turned around. "Finally here?"

He walked toward Cressida. "I brought you something."

Servants carried in an oak chest. Inside was a complete set of horse tack. The saddle was made of leather, black and supple, with silver thread embroidered with the pattern of a falcon clutching a cross.

Patrick, being from a military background himself, recognized it immediately.

He was greatly shocked. He had only heard of such things, never seen them with his own eyes, knowing that only high-ranking nobles could afford this kind of horse tack. He reached out to touch the equipment, but heard Miguel's cold voice.

"Patrick, I came specifically to see Lady Cressida. If you have nothing else, you may leave."

"Huh?" Patrick froze, then quickly caught on. "Yes."

As he left, he gave Cressida a look—seize this opportunity well. If Miguel came in person, he must have taken a liking to her.

Cressida's delicate face remained calm throughout. Only after Patrick left did she place her hand on her chest and curtsy. "Thank you, Your Highness. But . . . Your Highness, why do you keep giving me things?"

Miguel's eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"I give because I want to. I have plenty of these saddles, so I'm giving you one. Cressida, don't always see everything as an exchange of interests. The relationship between us isn't about me only responding when you give something."

Cressida was silent for a moment, then curtsied again. "Thank you, Your Highness. Then I'll accept it."

Their eyes met, and for a moment neither spoke. Cressida thought to herself, the gift has been delivered, why isn't he leaving yet?

Miguel suddenly spoke. "Won't you show me your warhorse Starlight?"

Cressida paused, then nodded. "Your Highness, this way please."

She led Miguel to the stables. The servants panicked at Miguel's arrival. Cressida dismissed everyone and led him alone to Starlight.

Seeing its master, Starlight snorted, its hooves stamping the ground excitedly. Cressida let the horse out, and together with Miguel, fitted it with the new tack. Once the gleaming saddle was in place, the warhorse looked even more imposing, its black coat shimmering in the sunlight.

Miguel raised his hand and stroked its mane. "It seems to like my gift more than you do."

Cressida replied without thinking, "Because the saddle is for it."

As soon as the words left her mouth, their eyes met. Miguel chuckled. "Blaming me for not bringing you something?"

"Your Highness, that's not what I meant . . ."

Before Cressida could finish, Miguel had already pulled a jeweled curved dagger from his sleeve. A cross-star pattern was engraved above the handle, said to ward off all misfortune.

"For you," Miguel said. "Also extra from the storeroom, no need to thank me."

Cressida received it with both hands and drew the dagger. The blade reflected her dark, cool eyes. It was indeed a fine blade, light and easy to carry, especially comfortable to grip.

"Thank you, Your Highness. I like this knife very much," Cressida said calmly.

Miguel knew she wasn't talkative and didn't show her emotions, but he believed she liked it, otherwise she wouldn't have accepted it.

"Starlight is a warhorse after all. It's a real shame to keep it cooped up in the stable. Find a chance to take it out for a run."

"Yes, I understand."

Cressida chatted with Miguel for a few more moments, and soon he was ready to leave. She personally saw him to the door. After the carriage had driven far away, Miguel asked James.

"Did what I said just now make her feel my sincerity?"

"I don't know."

"Speak honestly, it's fine." Miguel crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

James said, "It was terrible."

Miguel wanted to give gifts, yet insisted on saying they were extras. How could a woman accept such sentiment? Although Cressida wasn't an ordinary woman, Miguel clearly didn't know how to interact naturally with her either.

Miguel's stern expression didn't change at all. He only said, "You should learn to shut up."

James shut up. He knew it—when the prince told him to speak honestly, that's when he should lie.

Although Miguel had left, Cressida had indeed taken his words to heart. When no one was around, she lovingly stroked the exquisite saddle. Starlight had followed her on the battlefield before and never had a good life. Warhorses were of course equipped with armor, but because she always charged at the front, Starlight's armor was always the first to break.

Cressida gently stroked the saddle, then touched its mane.

"Starlight, you like it too, don't you?"

Starlight stamped its hooves and nuzzled its head into her palm. She finally showed a faint smile.

Cressida fitted the reins properly, changed into practical riding clothes, tied her long hair back, mounted Starlight, and left through the back door, heading all the way to the tournament grounds in the city.

It was a place for both martial practice and horse riding, with an open field. For just a few dozen dollars, you could ride all afternoon.

When she arrived at the tournament grounds, probably just past noon, there were few people at the riding field. Cressida led Starlight over, but saw the Royal Huntsman with both arms raised high, holding up a long spear with a bucket of horse manure hanging from each end.

The old man's face was flushed red. On this autumn day, his graying temples were already beaded with sweat, and his arms kept trembling.

Cressida couldn't help but ask, "What's this about?"

The Royal Huntsman managed to speak. "Miss, I'm fine. Just put the money over there."

Just as Cressida put the money down and turned around, she saw two rich young men on horseback circling around the Royal Huntsman.

"You lost to us fair and square because your skills weren't good enough. You'd better hold it steady—two hours, not a minute less."

"If you drop it, you'll face the consequences."

The nearly sixty-year-old Royal Huntsman smiled apologetically. "I'll definitely hold on . . ."

Seeing this scene, Cressida frowned deeply. She had heard from Ivan that this Royal Huntsman at the tournament grounds was one of the soldiers who survived the great battle forty years ago.

After returning to Emerald City, such people without connections mostly didn't get anywhere. Some, like this Royal Huntsman, managed to get low-level positions, becoming supervisors at places like tournament grounds and martial training fields.

He shouldn't be humiliated like this.

Just as Cressida was about to intervene, an unexpected voice came from beside her.

"Cressida?"

She turned her head and saw Joseph riding over, followed by four or five spoiled rich kids, including the two who had just been tormenting the Royal Huntsman.

Joseph frowned. "Are you following me?"

Author's Note:

Thank you to everyone who’s read this far. We invite you to join us for more stories!

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