CHAPTER 51
Camel Beatrice, having felled a stag, carefully wiped the fresh deer blood from the blade of his sword.
The nobles accompanying him spoke up.
“We don’t see anyone.”
The invitation the Emperor had sent for this year’s royal hunting festival had specifically instructed Camel Beatrice to come to this location.
“Did His Majesty forget?”
If there had truly been something urgent to discuss, he could have at least sent a messenger.
The place they were waiting at was an island in the middle of the hunting grounds’ central lake.
There was only one way to reach the island—a suspension bridge.
Then, without warning—
Crack!
The bridge collapsed.
Camel Beatrice frowned.
There was no doubt someone had deliberately trapped him on the island.
“So someone tampered with the invitation.”
The winner of the hunting competition would receive the Emperor’s personal commendation.
Sometimes, the Emperor even bestowed one of the Imperial Family’s treasured heirlooms.
But Camel had never participated for the sake of those rewards.
Even if only as a formality, maintaining the minimum relationship with the Emperor ensured that his western territory would not suffer politically.
“Whoever did this… is rather pathetic.”
How insignificant must someone be to resort to such tricks just to keep him from competing?
Camel clicked his tongue in contempt.
“We’ll build a raft.”
One of his noble retainers had just made the suggestion when—
Whoosh!
An arrow flew from beyond the island and embedded itself in the tree beside Camel.
“It’s an ambush!”
Everyone immediately drew their swords and formed a protective circle around him.
Yet no second arrow followed.
Someone with sharp eyes shouted,
“Damn it! Over there! Someone just moved!”
But the bridge had already been destroyed.
There was no way to pursue someone who had already disappeared.
By the time someone grabbed a bow, the figure had long vanished into the forest.
Camel stared at the arrow lodged in the tree.
A small tube was tightly tied to its shaft.
As Camel reached toward it, one of the nobles hurriedly stopped him.
“Your Grace, it could be dangerous.”
“It’s fine.”
He calmly pulled the tube free and removed the rolled-up paper inside.
“This is…”
He recognized the paper immediately.
“Delus paper. Judging by its texture… it seems to be the same kind that was made twenty years ago.”
After all, the Delus trees used to make this paper grew in his own territory.
The forests there produced the highest-quality timber, allowing craftsmen to make paper of unmatched quality.
And more importantly…
He had memories connected to this paper.
There was no way he could mistake it.
As he thought of his late friend—and his former lord—
Camel unfolded the letter with a troubled expression.
“In the original story, the winner of this hunting festival was Duke Camel Beatrice.”
But today, Camel would abandon the competition halfway through and return to his duchy.
He needed to verify the authenticity of the letter he had just received and prepare a new course of action.
He wasn’t the type to discover something like that and continue hunting as though nothing had happened.
Which meant…
Who would become the next winner?
Since I had helped Eti discover the secret of the wolf-attracting badge, no one in these hunting grounds could surpass him anymore.
Even without relying on his shadow-like techniques, Etius was unmatched in pure swordsmanship.
Thinking about all the betting tickets I’d bought under his name, I smiled.
Just then—
Rustle… rustle…
A noise came from the bushes ahead.
“…Who’s there?”
Aside from Philios, who should have already been eliminated, no one here could pose much of a threat to me.
So I casually walked toward the sound.
The moment I saw what it was—
I instantly regretted that decision.
“…Damn.”
The word escaped my lips.
Standing right before me was the black bear worth the highest score in this year’s hunting festival.
The enormous beast stood there like a mountain.
It looked nearly three meters tall.
One swipe from those massive paws would be enough to tear a person apart.
Grrrr…
I instinctively stepped backward.
The distance was far too short to use my bow.
I’d probably be crushed before I could even raise it.
What do I do?
Wait…
Wasn’t this the black bear Camel was supposed to kill effortlessly in the original story?
“…Ah.”
The realization struck me.
Camel wasn’t here anymore.
The very person meant to kill the bear had left because of me.
By forcing Camel out of the competition…
I’d unknowingly created a butterfly effect.
Damn it.
Damn it!
Grrr…
The bear took one step.
Then another.
I knew perfectly well why it approached so slowly despite being capable of killing me instantly.
It wasn’t because it liked me.
Those eyes…
They wanted to toy with me before finishing me off.
Katrin… stay calm…
Before I could gather my thoughts—
The bear’s massive paw swung toward me.
So this is how I die…?
I shut my eyes tightly.
Slash—!
Something sharp sliced through the air.
A hot, sticky liquid splattered across my body.
“ROOOAAARRRR!!”
The black bear let out an agonized howl that shook the entire hunting ground.
A strong hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me behind its owner.
I opened my eyes.
Clear blue eyes met mine.
“…Eti.”
Ignoring the bear roaring in pain after losing one of its forelegs—
Etius charged straight at it.
His beautiful sword traced dazzling arcs.
From the beast’s weakest points to the strongest—
His blade carved through them all.
Slash!
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Etius stepped onto the bear’s shoulder, reversed his grip—
And drove the sword straight into its skull.
Thud!
A sickening crack echoed as the blade pierced bone.
The giant bear collapsed heavily onto the forest floor.
I could only stare blankly, my heart pounding so violently it felt ready to burst.
“I told you to be careful.”
Etius pulled his sword from the shattered skull.
His low voice drifted into my ears like a dream.
“Katrin.”
Then he lifted the blood-dripping blade and calmly wrote a number across the bear’s hide.
The instant I saw it—
I flinched.
Number 97… That’s me!
“Your Highness, you’re the one who killed it.”
“No.”
“You did.”
His voice carried absolute certainty.
I couldn’t think of anything to say in response.
A breeze brushed past us, gently stirring his black hair.
Beneath it…
Those brilliant sapphire-blue eyes remained fixed on me.
“And this is only the beginning, Katrin.”
“I still have countless debts to repay.”
My heart began racing again.
What are you talking about, Eti…?
Before I could ask—
A loud hunting horn echoed through the forest.
The hunt was over.
If Eti hadn’t appeared…
I would have been nothing more than the bear’s meal.
Still breathing hard, I looked at him with trembling eyes.
Yet no words came out.
I didn’t know what to say.
His gaze…
It feels different somehow.
Back when he’d handed me the badge earlier…
He’d looked at me the same way.
Since when has he been looking at me like this?
“You’ve made quite a mess of yourself. Here.”
Eti held out a handkerchief.
One of my shoulders had been soaked with the bear’s blood.
The old Eti would never have done something like this for me.
Never for Katrin Elemore.
This isn’t good.
We couldn’t let others think we were close.
Even though I knew that…
“…Eti.”
Clutching the handkerchief, I simply stood there.
My heart refused to stop pounding.
The hunting festival came to an end.
All the participants returned, while soldiers spread throughout the hunting grounds to record the numbers carved onto each slain animal.
Several officials gathered together, tallying the scores of every contestant.
“So there were several withdrawals this year, along with one elimination.”
“Besides Duke Beatrice and his retainers, someone else was eliminated?”
“Philios Regalo.”
“Oh? That Philios Regalo?”
“I heard wolves mauled him so badly he was barely recognizable.”
Hearing the officials’ conversation, several noblewomen snickered.
“I heard he wore three whole layers of padded armor.”
“My goodness. And this is the same man who claimed he’d protect his former fiancée?”
“He’s even more disgraceful than the newspapers described. A filthy man who resorted to love potions… perhaps the wolves simply delivered justice.”
Listening to them gossip, I brushed my sweat-soaked bangs away from my forehead.
“My lady, would you like some water?”
“I can escort you to your carriage shortly.”
Unfortunately, the moment everyone relaxed, several opportunistic young nobles began hovering around me.
When I silently ran my fingers along the tip of one of my arrows and met their eyes—
They immediately shut their mouths and hurried back to where they belonged.
I’d like to give them a piece of my mind.
But I was simply too exhausted today.
As I reached up to rub my aching shoulder, an official’s voice rang out.
“Now then… we shall announce the winner of this year’s hunting festival!”
