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CHAPTER 66:
The Hunting Tournament (1)
“Those two went outside the palace?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Leaning on one arm, Ileon cast his gaze toward the window at the report from his subordinate.
A gentle breeze, sunlight just right.
Although the emperor had many duties, Ileon handled them with ease.
No one held grudges against the new emperor, who was competent and of impeccable lineage.
Everything was going smoothly.
Truly, tediously smooth.
‘…Balt has been acting suspicious lately.’
Not long after Ileon became emperor, Balt left the palace.
And he hadn’t returned since.
Ileon had tried to investigate Balt’s whereabouts, sending people, but they all returned as bodies, slashed by swords.
Ileon narrowed his eyes.
“Where are those two, and what are they doing right now?”
“Well…”
The subordinate hesitated, quickly adding under Ileon’s cold stare:
“They’re at a blacksmith in the capital streets.”
“…A blacksmith?”
“Yes, it seems Duke Calypso is trying to craft a sword for the woman.”
“A sword…”
Ileon pictured Celia’s delicate, pale wrist.
A fragile wrist that seemed too weak even to hold a spoon, let alone a sword.
Yet, it was that same hand that had killed the lecherous old emperor.
She hadn’t done it out of mere hatred, but as revenge for her fallen kingdom.
Did Celia know she was truly an enemy?
“Probably… she does.”
Ileon muttered lazily.
He remembered the hatred and resentment reflected in her vivid green eyes.
He wasn’t displeased by the emotions in them.
Dark and deep, those eyes filled a void inside him when they were turned on him.
A truly strange sensation.
If she was the person from the prophecy, he should be killing her now.
Yet, Ileon hesitated.
‘What for.’
Even thinking about it gave no answer.
He felt he needed to meet her once more to satisfy this curiosity.
Once his curiosity was satisfied, he could eliminate her in front of Dietrich.
It might draw some criticism, but people forget such things easily when given a scandalous spectacle.
“I’ll hold a hunting tournament.”
At Ileon’s words, his subordinate raised his head.
“A hunting tournament, Your Majesty?”
“Yes.”
Ileon lifted the corners of his lips.
“A tournament where anything happening wouldn’t be strange at all.”
“Understood. Where shall we hold it?”
“Behind the palace, there’s a royal-owned forest. That should suffice.”
“…The forest only has small animals. Shall we release monsters?”
“Monsters…”
Muttering the word, Ileon finally recalled his younger sister.
“By the way… what happened to Reina?”
“Duke Cervantes killed her. Truly, she became monster food. There wasn’t even a piece of flesh left when found.”
At this report, Ileon burst into hearty laughter.
There was not a trace of affection for his sister in that booming laughter.
“Release monsters into the forest. Nothing handles a corpse better than monsters.”
“Whom shall we send the invitations to?”
“All the nearby nobles. Every last one of them.”
“Understood.”
A few days later, the hunting tournament hosted by the palace began.
The densely packed royal forest piqued curiosity about what lay within.
All invitees attended—except for Balt.
Ileon, dressed in polished hunting attire, smiled and explained the rules.
“Thank you all for taking time from your busy lives. The purpose of this tournament is to hunt monsters. Bring back proof of the monsters you kill, from the weak to the strong. The one who brings back the most or the most dangerous monsters will be declared the winner.”
Some murmured, perhaps unsure if they could even hunt monsters. But the murmurs died down quickly.
“Do not worry. I, the emperor, will also participate. And a grand prize awaits the winner.”
“Your Majesty, may we know what the prize is?”
Ileon whispered to his aide. Soon, the aide appeared from under a red canopy, carrying a box wrapped in expensive fabric with both hands.
Ileon accepted the box and revealed its contents.
Click.
“Ah!”
Exclamations rose.
Inside the box were dazzling, luxurious jewels.
Unlike common jewels, these were of exceptional quality—highly polished diamonds, rubies, emeralds overflowing in the box.
One jewel alone could fund several mansions in the capital.
“These are the treasures buried beneath the fallen Shan Kingdom, destroyed ten years ago. Consider this a bonus for the winner, who may also have one wish granted.”
Celia’s eyes flared red.
As a princess of the Shan Kingdom, she knew Ileon’s words were lies.
The day her kingdom fell, everything—jewels, treasures, living things—was reduced to ashes.
Ileon was intentionally provoking her.
As expected, his gaze lingered on Celia after finishing his explanation.
He stared intensely at her furious eyes.
Her eyes burned with hatred and resentment toward Ileon.
He smiled, satisfied as he watched her.
But Dietrich, standing beside her, covered her view with his large hand.
Ileon lifted one corner of his mouth at Dietrich’s dry expression.
As Grand Master of the Royal Knights, Dietrich could not openly disobey the emperor.
If Celia hadn’t been present, perhaps Dietrich wouldn’t have attended the tournament.
But he had someone to protect, so he showed up despite his displeasure.
Ileon found this amusing.
Though not a real lover, he behaved as if she were something precious.
And yet, he couldn’t leave her alone—even bringing her to the hunting tournament.
Seeing the two of them holding hands, Ileon ordered a large box brought forward.
“Open the box.”
Thunk!
With a heavy sound, weapons appeared inside.
Bows, long swords, axes, maces—every kind of lethal weapon filled the box.
Dietrich’s eyes remained expressionless as he stared at Ileon.
He understood Ileon’s intentions.
This tournament wasn’t truly for hunting monsters.
It was, under the guise of a hunting tournament, a chance to ‘kill’ someone.
That someone could be Celia—or even Dietrich.
Had Dietrich not been present, Ileon would likely have employed another scheme.
Ileon was that kind of man.
If Arthur was reckless and chaotic, Ileon was methodical and meticulous, always moving according to plan.
“Take whichever weapon you wish and hunt the monsters.”
“….”
“If you lack a weapon, speak up anytime.”
Ileon smiled faintly, the green of his eyes deepening in the narrow slits.
Ladies accompanying their husbands were stunned by Ileon’s smile.
Eventually…
“Madam! Where are you going?!”
They handed handkerchiefs intended for their husbands to Ileon.
“Your Majesty, would you accept these?”
“Thank you.”
Ileon’s hands filled with handkerchiefs—embroidered in gold thread or crudely made, each reflecting different effort and skill.
Some ladies had intended to give them to Dietrich, but he ignored them completely, focusing solely on Celia.
His usually dry, almost arid gaze became infinitely gentle when looking at her.
“Why on earth does Duke Calypso stick so closely to that woman?”
“They say she brings misfortune wherever she goes…”
“Look. She’s the Duke’s lover, yet he doesn’t even receive a handkerchief. I suppose he doesn’t wish for the well-being of his men.”
The ladies whispered behind Celia’s back.
Dietrich shot them a cold glare.
Under his sharp eyes, their mouths all shut.
“I’ve summoned Anderson. He’ll be here soon.”
Celia thought Dietrich was overly protective.
She had her abilities.
And the stylish dagger Dietrich had recently gifted her.
Yet he worried as if she were a child left by the water’s edge.
“For this hunting tournament, it would be best if Duke Calypso, Grand Master of the Royal Knights, departs first.”
At Ileon’s words, Dietrich’s brows narrowed.
“Go. So many are waiting.”
Ileon nudged Dietrich forward.
“…Take care. Don’t get hurt.”
Celia greeted him.
“Of course.”
Dietrich drew a long sword from the box and smiled gently at Celia.
“I’ll be back.”
Celia waved at him as he moved away.
Her heart ached at his kind smile—it must be because she had come to like him.
