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Chapter 25
At the entrance to the imperial forest where the hunting tournament was held, there were spectator stands.
That was where the emperor and the nobles sat.
Inside the forest the imperial knights were deployed, and they reported the situation to the headquarters at the forest entrance via magical communicators.
When they sent updates on the hunting tournament, the spectators made wagers and chatted as they enjoyed the event.
The hunting tournament ran from early morning until sundown.
“We will hold the 107th Hunting Tournament!”
“Waaaaaah!”
The emperor’s proclamation was met with a thunderous cheer that made the forest echo.
Teams participating in the hunt waited at the various entrances leading into the woods.
“The rules of the hunting tournament are the same as every year.”
Each beast carried a different point value — the fiercer the animal or the finer the fur, the higher the points.
“This year’s special beast is the silver fox!”
A silver fox is normally twice the size of an ordinary fox but moves very quickly, making it difficult to catch, right?
Still, its beautiful fur makes it a prized target that hunters salivate over.
Above all, whoever catches the year’s special beast automatically wins.
“A silver fox — I’ll catch one for sure.”
Stella, who had her flashy blonde hair tied back, was waiting with her fiancé.
“Let’s do our best too.”
“Of course!”
Calvin burned with determination out of a single-minded desire to give Merina a garland. He had even taken on unpleasant tasks and used up his leave to attend the hunting tournament.
“Start!”
At the signal they dashed into the forest.
“Did you pack the sugar, Calvin?”
“Yep.”
The silver fox had appeared as the special beast several times before, so they brought along the sugar the fox liked.
“As you know, the silver fox is very wary. Don’t approach it carelessly — first throw some sugar to lure it in.”
“Got it.”
Calvin and I hunted the visible animals, and the servants who were following loaded the beasts onto carts and trailed behind.
“Haha! Stop right there!”
“Tella, be careful!”
Stella laughed excitedly as she ran through the forest, and Prince Stein could be seen hurrying after her in a fluster.
“…Scary.”
“See? Listen to Stella, Calvin.”
“Right.”
When Stella scolded, Calvin — who usually talked back to her — nodded.
A lot of time passed until the sun was high in the sky.
— Tooooooot!
A royal knight blew his horn.
It was the signal for a mid-tournament inspection, and soon palace knights attached themselves to each team to check the captured beasts.
So far participants had to guard what they’d caught, but now losing a few animals didn’t matter.
“Shall we start searching different directions? I feel like we should find the fox.”
“Yeah. But sister, are you really okay? Take all the knights with you.”
Each household was allowed to bring a certain number of knights, and Calvin suggested I take them all.
“No, if you do that you won’t see so much as the tip of the fox’s tail. The fox is relatively less wary of women and children, so it’s better if I go alone.”
“Still, sis.”
“It’s not a dangerous forest, so what’s to worry about? Besides, give me more arrows.”
“I’m surprised you can ride well and surprised you can shoot well too — that’s really shocking.”
Of course — if I had no skill I wouldn’t even be participating in the hunting tournament. My stamina was still poor, so I had to take a lot of medicine Ted had gotten me before coming, but—
Bang!
As Calvin and I checked our weapons, an arrow whizzed past me.
It was the Crown Prince.
“Your Highness, what are you doing! Were you trying to shoot my sister, Lady Levian?”
Calvin bristled and stepped forward, and the Crown Prince gave a faint, bitter smile.
“No, I thought I saw a beast.”
With that one line, he spurred his horse and galloped deeper into the forest.
Of course — the Crown Prince would never leave me be.
I’d let him go once when we met in the slums; I must’ve been struck by lightning or something that day, because he wouldn’t usually pass me by without incident. Maybe he’d been in an unusually good mood that day.
Realizing the Crown Prince’s intent too late, Calvin ground his teeth.
“Did he just compare my sister to a beast?”
My brother struck a nearby tree with his sword.
“Why would the Crown Prince pick a fight with you all of a sudden? I heard you two quarreled, but that was his fault.”
Huffing and puffing, my brother motioned to the household knights.
“Sis, I’m worried — take the knights with you.”
“No, Calvin. I won’t die.”
It wasn’t yet the time for the Crown Prince to kill me.
“Sis!”
“If worse comes to worst, I’ll blow the whistle and you can come rescue me.”
I tapped the silver whistle hanging at my neck.
It was a magic whistle that made a sound much louder and farther-reaching than an ordinary one.
“You said the garland is important.”
At the mention of anything that would remind him of Merina, Calvin reluctantly nodded.
“If you catch the fox, blow the whistle.”
“Be careful, sis.”
I parted from my brother and rode in the opposite direction from where the Crown Prince had gone.
If the Crown Prince was heading that way, he’d probably only run into a herd of boars.
There was always a specific place in the forest where the silver fox tended to appear, and I knew exactly where it was.
Deeper into the woods, there was a tranquil silvery lake where the fox often showed up.
As the lake grew near, I tied my horse to a tree and went to the water’s edge alone.
I walked slowly around the lake and heard a light rustle — something stepping on the fallen leaves.
I silenced my presence and moved cautiously closer; the target appeared.
“Hello, fox.”
I lowered my bow hand and approached the fox very slowly.
I took a pouch of sugar from my bosom and tossed a sugar cube; after a brief hesitation the fox lapped it up.
“Good, you eat well. Tasty, isn’t it?”
I offered another cube, coaxing it to come closer for more, when—
Bang!
Red petals scattered before my eyes.
They fell with a heavy thud and settled to the ground; the silver had vanished entirely.
Filling the spot where the fox had been, the crunch of human footsteps sounded eerily.
“Hello, miss.”
A figure in a hooded robe had appeared. His face beneath the hood formed a sharp line.
“We heard you wanted to meet us, didn’t you?” His voice, tinged with amusement, was extremely creepy.
“Who are you?”
I snatched an arrow and took aim quickly.
“Oh my, my. I heard you were looking for us, but you don’t recognize me? How disappointing.”
He smoothed the ruffled robe.
A blue bird emblem gleamed on his chest.
“You’re the Blue Bird.”
The Archmage had burned the Information Guild and sworn to kill me.
I had hired the Information Guild to investigate the Blue Bird, so it wasn’t hard to suspect a connection between that organization and the Archmage.
But Ted’s recent reports had no substantial information about the Blue Bird — nothing deep. If the Archmage thought the group might be a threat and decided to kill preemptively, that would explain this.
“Lady of a noble marquis family recognizing our identity — how surprising.” The lips beneath the hood curved into a sickly smile.
“I was wondering how to kill you without causing trouble. Thanks for coming all the way to me.”
Did the Archmage decide to kill me? He was temperamental, so it wouldn’t be odd for his mind to change suddenly.
“So you meant to shoot me and kill me — you have quite the posture for it. But a lady who looks like she can’t even see blood—”
Swish.
While he babbled on, I shot an arrow and notched another.
When the Blue Bird muttered something, the arrow ignited before it could reach him.
Of course — a mage. Bad luck.
“Whoops. That’s sharp — ugh. Isn’t it rude to attack while someone’s speaking?”
I’d never been maimed, though I’d been seriously injured before. Then I would be unable to move for a long time and wouldn’t be able to take actions to prolong my life.
In the end, I would meet a pointless death.
His spell was quite good, so for now I had to run.
I needed to get to a place with people.
I started to run, and the man following me began to give chase.
“Where are you going!”
Scanning for the Blue Bird, I blew the whistle quickly.
— Piiiiiiiiiiik!
A sharp, shrill sound rang out, but there was no sign anyone was coming.
The man trailing me laughed and twirled.
“Sadly, there are no people nearby, so there won’t be anyone coming to save the lady.”
