章 216: I'm not blowing off important duties, I'm exploring nature

It's funny how something so seemingly mundane and commonplace as the feeling of sitting atop a horse could elicit a sense of satisfaction that runs throughout every fiber of one's body.

When Isabelle finally found herself settled on top of a gentle, dappled mare, it was as though every inch of her skin seemed to vibrate with delight.

Even the simple sensation of the sunlight warming her body was utterly euphoric after spending so long stuck inside, bent over paperwork.

As she looked back and forth between Lyov and Octavian, she realized belatedly that neither one of them had once made any kind of complaint or objection that she wanted to go riding for fun when they were dealing with such troubling affairs in court.

Of course, she knew that both men loved and respected her deeply - but even so, she was a little surprised that none of them had made so much as a single token objection when she expressed her desire to escape into the countryside.