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Chapter : 14
Kaiden surveyed his surroundings the moment he stepped into the hunting grounds, skillfully grasping the terrain.
Although he hadn’t been able to participate in the tournament before his regression, his experiences living in the North proved helpful now.
‘The monsters are likely to be in the open fields.’
The terrain was divided clearly between dense forest and wide, empty plains.
Most monsters were low in intelligence and incapable of thinking like humans, but they instinctively sought comfortable places.
For example, they preferred areas without obstructive trees rather than ones crowded with them.
Herbivores that lived on grass or fruit were one thing, but creatures that harmed humans and preyed on other beasts were rarely found near trees—unless they were nesting or hibernating.
‘I should head toward the plains first.’
If winning the tournament were his only goal, it would be far better to lie in ambush within the forest and quietly hunt monsters.
But Kaiden was aiming for more than just points.
He wanted an achievement that would draw everyone’s attention.
Jenaida’s words suddenly crossed his mind.
“Please do your best.”
Encouragement that sounded as though she hoped for his victory.
And the nobles and Felix who had overheard that exchange.
Though he had sworn not to love her, outwardly they still needed to appear as a harmonious couple.
Only if there were no major issues between them could Jenaida continue to remain as his wife.
‘If I stop the monster rampage and present a remarkable trophy to Jenaida…’
If they then made it safely back to the North, and if he were to die by her hand, Felix would surely keep her by his side.
Even if it meant Kaiden’s own death.
A bitter smile flickered across Kaiden’s lips before fading away.
There was no time for pointless sentimentality. He needed to find prey worthy of offering to his wife.
As time passed, the nobles who had gathered near the VIP seating began to disperse in small groups.
Jenaida, who had been drinking tea and socializing, quietly rose once the atmosphere loosened as expected.
Everyone was too busy talking among themselves to notice her.
Just as Jenaida suppressed the sound of her footsteps and tried to slip away toward a less crowded area—
“Grand Duchess.”
Felix had approached without her noticing and called out to her. At the Emperor’s voice, Jenaida hurriedly bowed her head.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Where do you think you’re going?”
She recited an excuse she had prepared beforehand.
“The sunlight seems too strong, so I was going to rest inside the tent.”
It was a reasonable explanation, but the Emperor merely stared at her, showing no intention of letting her go.
As the meaningless silence dragged on, anxiety crept over Jenaida.
‘I need to call Ellen and enter the hunting grounds.’
The surrounding barrier had been erected by priests dispatched from the Papal State. To pass through it unnoticed, she needed Ellen’s help.
Her plan to assist Kaiden was beginning to unravel.
Just as Jenaida parted her lips to say something—anything—Felix spoke first.
“Come here and sit beside me.”
He had a seat prepared next to him. Flustered, she tried to refuse.
“I’m fine. This place should be for other nobles—”
“Enough. Sit.”
At the firm command, Jenaida had no choice but to sit down.
Felix didn’t stop there. He ordered the head attendant to provide shade and even served her a chilled juice.
After being shown such consideration, Jenaida couldn’t bring herself to say she was leaving.
“Thank you.”
“Drink.”
She forced her dry lips apart and took a sip.
A sweet grapefruit flavor spread through her mouth, yet she tasted nothing at all.
‘I need to get to Kaiden quickly.’
She had assumed that, given the nature of the hunting grounds—dense forest and participants scattered everywhere—she’d be able to slip in unnoticed.
It was a miscalculation.
With the Emperor watching her closely, she couldn’t act recklessly.
Jenaida almost bit her nails again before barely restraining the habit.
As she calmed herself with a deep breath, Felix leaned in and whispered lowly.
“I believe I told you to do well. Why do you keep disappointing me, Lady Jenaida?”
Her lips stiffened at his words. A sudden sense of dread flashed through her mind.
Suppressing her agitation, she asked as though unaware.
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
“I hate lies. Is there something you’re hiding?”
She paused briefly at his question.
Then, a few seconds later, she spoke.
“To be honest, I haven’t been feeling well. After Your Majesty admonished me before, I felt so ashamed that I couldn’t sleep properly. Though I am the Grand Duchess, my heart has always been with Your Majesty and His Holiness the Pope. I hope Your Majesty will trust my loyalty once more.”
She mixed a bit of flattery into her response.
Felix let out a short burst of laughter.
But when the laughter ended, his voice sank low.
“Is that so? Your heart is always with me. Then you’re saying you can do anything for my sake?”
“Of course.”
As she answered confidently, the Emperor once again gave an order to the head attendant.
Soon after, the attendant returned with a mage belonging to the Imperial Palace.
Upon receiving the Emperor’s command, the mage began chanting.
A small, blue, band-shaped light formed in his palm.
The moment Jenaida saw it, her hand tightened around the armrest.
At first glance, it looked like a collar—but she knew exactly what it was.
A spell of subjugation.
When she was growing up in Bethez, it was one of the punishments she received if she made a mistake.
Anyone bound by the spell had every action and movement transmitted to the caster.
What they ate, who they spoke with—everything could be monitored.
It was a spell typically used by masters on slaves.
Having suffered under that spell for most of her time in the Papal State, Jenaida failed to control her expression.
The abuse was over, but the memories—scars that would never fade—tightened around her entire body.
Only when she became an imperial guard after serving as a holy knight had she finally gained freedom.
And now, to be shackled again.
Though it was warm spring, the air around her felt freezing.
The Emperor, observing her reaction, smiled gently and sneered.
“What is it? You said you’d do anything. Is that all your loyalty amounts to?”
“…I’m s-sorry…”
As she stammered, Felix cut her off.
“The monsters in the hunting grounds will soon go berserk. Dozens of them will target only Kaiden.”
Staring straight ahead, he continued muttering.
“Let’s have you prove your loyalty after Kaiden is dead.”
‘Where is he?’
Meanwhile, Ellen—who had secretly entered the imperial hunting grounds—searched feverishly for Kaiden.
‘If his goal is to win the tournament, then he’d head where the monsters are…’
From above, the land was starkly divided between dense forest and open plains.
‘If survival mattered most, he wouldn’t have gone to the plains. But…’
Ellen recalled the conversation between Jenaida and Kaiden that he had overheard.
“Please do your best.”
“I will, my lady.”
‘If he answered like that in a public setting…’
Ellen headed toward the plains rather than the forest.
That Kaiden would have chosen the plains, not the forest.
Even if he didn’t love her, he still needed to keep up appearances.
That was the nature of royalty and nobility.
Idiots who staked their lives on pointless honor—even to the point of death.
From Ellen’s perspective, that was fortunate.
Because he had come here today to kill Kaiden.
‘Kaiden must die.’
He was a man of great power—certain to obstruct the restoration of the Kingdom of Bain.
And most importantly—
‘Jenaida loves him.’
Their conversation had been cold, but the way they looked at each other overflowed with affection.
Why neither of them took a step closer, why they only exchanged foolish words—he didn’t know.
‘As long as he’s alive, Jenaida won’t come to me… no, to us.’
Kaiden had to die.
And he must never know that it was Ellen who killed him.
For example, dying because of a monster rampage.
Only then would she come to their side without resistance.
Ellen needed Jenaida.
She resembled the savior described in the kingdom’s prophecy.
Seek the one who bears both spirit and god, for they spring from the same root. Only that one shall save us in times of crisis.
Now that the Kingdom of Bain had fallen, its people needed that savior.
After wandering for some time, Ellen’s vision caught sight of dozens of monsters gathered together.
It was an uncommon sight, so he descended to take a closer look.
Then he saw a man he did not wish to see.
Kaiden.
Kaiden was holding his ground, cutting down monster after monster.
Every single beast had bloodshot, crimson eyes.
Seeing that, Ellen muttered in disbelief.
“What the hell… they’ve gone berserk?”
