101-88

Chapter 88

“Let’s set the engagement date as soon as possible. We should meet each other’s parents too, right?”

“We have plenty of time. Let’s take it slow.”

“No, I don’t want to wait. I want to marry you quickly.”

After the tea break, Becky clung to Lucas, pouting.

“Ah, it’s already this late. You have work, right? I’ll be going now.”

“Really? Then shall I accompany you to the carriage…?”

“No, it’s fine. You have a lot to do. Miss, um…”

Becky smiled and declined Lucas’s offer, then called Arista over.

Arista stared at her with an expressionless face.

“Could you escort me, Your Highness? I also have something I wish to say.”

“…Yes, I’ll do that.”

Arista nodded obediently, and Lucas unconsciously felt flustered.

“Wait, I can take you. Arista, you have work too…”

“No, brother. I’ll go to help digest my food and, besides, I also wanted to talk to the young lady.”

When Becky met her gaze with those cold violet eyes, she smiled slyly.

Soon, the two women left, and Lucas watched them disappear in disbelief.

“When did those two get so close? Have they ever met alone before?”

“…I don’t know either.”

“Why are you so down? You’re finally getting engaged! You should be happy! You’re acting strange today.”

“Maybe…”

“Don’t you want to get engaged to Becky?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s just… something’s bothering me a little.”

At Ares’ question, Lucas muttered to himself. His gaze lingered not on Becky but on the blonde woman beside her.

Meanwhile, the two women walked silently down the corridor until they were far from the office before speaking.

“Engaged… A person who was intimate with other men casually speaks the word ‘engagement.’”

“You knew that, yet you stayed silent, didn’t you, Your Highness?”

Arista stopped walking.

“What exactly are you thinking? Do you seriously intend to get engaged?”

“What’s stopping me? Lucas is guaranteed to become the next count, he won’t cheat, and he’s kind. Why wouldn’t I get engaged?”

Arista grimaced at the audacious answer.

“‘Won’t cheat’? You’re not in a position to say that after having been involved with more than one man.”

“Are you worried about Lucas?”

“Of course I am! How could I not be worried if you’re getting engaged to such a reckless woman?”

“Reckless… speak as you like.”

Becky let out a short laugh and then tilted her lips with a sly smile, stepping closer to Arista.

“Regardless, I’m the one marrying Lucas. You’ll never have him.”

“…”

“You don’t even have the courage to tell Lucas the truth, do you?”

Even though Arista clenched her fist with a cold expression, Becky turned away confident of her victory.

“Then we shall meet another time, Your Highness. Next time will be at our engagement ceremony.”

Becky smiled and gradually left. Arista, left alone, stared at the empty space Becky had left and slowly unclenched her hand.

The marks of her fingernails were clearly imprinted on her palm.

“No courage to speak, huh?”

Arista gradually smiled. Her expression transformed from that of a loser to that of a victor.

She hadn’t stayed silent because she was afraid to confess her feelings. She had been waiting for the perfect timing, preparing so that Becky could not escape.

Once all the pieces fell into place, she would tell Lucas the truth.

Lucas was far too precious to let him get engaged to Becky just like that. If Becky were an ordinary woman, Arista might have watched the engagement quietly.

Of course, she had no intention of doing nothing and letting her love remain unrequited.

“If I do nothing, I gain nothing.”

Arista repeated this resolve to herself and turned away. Her steps were no longer hesitant.

On the outskirts of the capital, in a small village…

Herwin, accompanied by the Royal Knights, scanned the area with a serious expression.

“This is more serious than I expected…”

“We were careless since this is outside the expected area of monster sightings.”

Herwin was in a village located in the northwest outskirts of the capital, relatively close to the royal palace.

According to previous investigations, the monsters’ main habitat was the western forest near the capital outskirts.

So far, damage in the village had been limited to crops, suggesting the monsters mainly lived in the forest. But this time, they had caught him completely off guard.

“It seems they’ve moved their territory.”

“Not expanded?”

“They haven’t been seen in the western area recently. If we investigate this area, we’ll find traces of monsters.”

Although the reason for moving territory was unknown, research showed that traces of monsters in the western forest had significantly decreased.

Herwin raised his head from the data. The village houses looked as if swept by a typhoon, broken in places. He was standing in front of a warehouse that had suffered monster damage.

It seemed the warehouse had stored village food, and reports indicated the villagers lacked immediate food supplies.

Herwin entered the ruined warehouse. Sunlight shone through the crumbling walls.

Aside from the food, little else was missing.

“How’s the village damage?”

“Fortunately, no casualties. According to the villagers, there was a loud noise around 3 a.m.”

“Did the monsters avoid other houses?”

“Yes, apart from this warehouse, there were no other signs of attacks. Luckily, I suppose.”

“Really?”

Herwin muttered, and the knight beside him tilted his head.

‘It’s fortunate that no one was hurt.’

Yet the lack of casualties was unsettling. Taking only food suggested hunger or intentional hoarding. Normally, monsters would abduct or eat humans.

But these monsters accurately located the food storage, avoided attacking humans, and still achieved their goal.

‘They’re smarter than I thought.’

If they approached thinking these were ordinary monsters, they’d be in trouble.

Outside, villagers murmured as Herwin looked through a hole in the wall.

He noticed something unusual.

“Many of the villagers are unusually strong.”

“Huh?”

“Most villagers in remote areas are older; the youth ratio is low. But here, there are many young people.”

“Oh, perhaps because the royal palace is nearby. Most of them probably work for the crown, like forest managers.”

“Exactly. That man over there even wears a badge marking him as a royal servant.”

Indeed, a broad-shouldered man had a badge of the crown.

The monsters had likely noticed the villagers’ strength and avoided confrontation deliberately.

To get clearer information, Herwin approached the man. Villagers greeted him respectfully.

“Prince Feneus, we greet you.”

Herwin raised his hand, gesturing them to stand.

“I want to ask about the recent monster incident. Can you help?”

“Yes. If it’s about capturing the monsters, we will cooperate.”

“You seem to work for the crown?”

“Yes, I am Adam, a royal forest manager.”

“So most of you live here due to work, not in the city?”

“Yes, due to the nature of our job, most live on the outskirts, like me.”

“What are your duties?”

“Three shifts. I start at 4 p.m. and finish at midnight. We manage the forest and monitor the flora and fauna. With the summer festival approaching, we’re gathering more beasts from external forests.”

“Deer, foxes?”

“Yes. Hunting festivals will begin soon, so we’re trying to meet the nobles’ expectations.”

“So the beasts come from nearby forests.”

“Yes, we recently brought some from the east and west.”

Herwin realized why the monsters moved—they were likely starving due to reduced prey.

‘The royal forest is in the north…’

If left unchecked, the monsters might enter the royal forest following the scent of prey.

“Prince, is it serious? Luckily, the monsters haven’t attacked people, but what if they do…”

Herwin snapped out of thought at the fearful words.

“Don’t worry. We’ll deploy new forces here. In the meantime, always go out in pairs with protective weapons. The monsters might strike.”

“Yes, I’ll inform the villagers.”

The man relayed Herwin’s instructions.

“Prince! We found monster traces in the forest!”

Herwin immediately headed to the location.

A deer carcass was found far from the village, skewered on a long branch as usual.

The knights were silent at the gruesome sight.

“No matter how you look at it, this is disturbing.”

“Must they kill the beasts like this?”

“Prince, are many monsters known to hunt this way?”

“Quite a few. Mainly humanoid monsters, like ogres, trolls, or orcs. But not goblins.”

“Why not goblins?”

“Goblins travel in groups and are small. Judging by the circumstances, this monster is alone and bigger than a human.”

“Then, what are these?”

A knight pointed to prints on the ground. Herwin frowned.

“…Footprints.”

“Size seems human-like, but no one walks barefoot here.”

The prints were unlike anything previously seen. Herwin bent down to examine them, noticing smaller nearby prints, probably another monster.

“Could it be…”

Herwin’s face darkened.

“Return to the palace immediately!”

He gathered the knights and rode toward the palace, reins soaking with sweat.

‘It must be a young one.’

Now he understood why the monster was cautious and avoided humans—it had a child.

Monsters with young are even more cautious and ferocious if their offspring are threatened.

There might be others. The monster had to be eliminated quickly before harming humans or multiplying.

“Move out!”

Seeing the palace approach, Herwin urged the horses onward.