It was only later that I heard the baron had been put on trial.
For reasons unknown, his testimony left me as someone who had died in that mansion.
Or perhaps Baron Moss truly believed I had died inside. In any case, it was the only kindness the baron ever showed me. Thanks to being declared dead, I was able to live with at least some peace of mind.
However, I was tormented by guilt. Due to my arson, the red door the baron had kept hidden deep within his house and everything beyond it had been destroyed.
What if the victims’ bereaved families were desperately searching for them? What if the count was only paying the price for kidnapping and causing my death? Wasn’t it my fault for running away from fear, for failing to properly expose the case?
Because that guilt remained,
“It seems there were unspeakable atrocities hidden inside Baron Moss’s private residence.”
I think I paid more attention to Young Lady Lifros.
“Please keep this a secret from Lucia.”
I fully understood Leon’s wish that his sister not know about Baron Moss’s crimes. Sometimes just knowing you almost faced such danger becomes a deep wound. Seeing his pale complexion, I nodded. Leon smiled faintly and came to stand beside me.
“However, it’s taking quite a while. You must be bored, so I’ll keep you company while you wait.”
At his words trying to lighten the mood, I replied casually as well.
“I think you’ll have to stay by my side the whole time.”
“What do you mean?”
Up ahead, they were forming hunting groups.
The Empress was leading the white group, Princess Regemeritte the gold group, and Prince Benedict the blue group.
We had already reached the latter half of the festival, and the scale of events grew increasingly grand and splendid, presenting various variations.
Today was the day when nearly all the nobles who had come to the island would participate in a team battle. To prevent a situation where there were far too few prey compared to hunters, the principle was to bring only minimal escorts. Divided into three groups, the team that earned the most points would win.
House Meyer was assigned to the blue group. Benedict, the leader of the blue banner, was personally gathering those skilled in hunting.
Count Leroy, the prince’s chief attendant, offered an opinion.
“How about having a separate search team? They could focus solely on catching animals with silver ornaments.”
They said that for this hunt, particularly agile animals had been specially marked with tags. It was announced that catching marked animals would earn bonus points.
Several young nobles skilled in hunting began to volunteer.
“Since there are many, it would be good to divide into several groups. Please form sub-teams with those whose intentions align. —Mm, what will House Meyer do?”
Count Leroy asked me. Having no intention of joining the search team, I stepped back to indicate I would stay in the rear.
“I’ll be on the same team as Joachim.”
Saren suddenly interjected.
Count Leroy’s mustache immediately bunched up. He glanced toward the riders, toward where Prince Benedict was.
“No.”
I refused first.
“House Meyer will manage the caught animals in the rear.”
“What are you talking about? You’re saying you need a separate escort?”
Saren said.
For fairness, the number of participants allowed in each group was limited. If Sir Lifros participated as my escort, that would fill one spot.
“I don’t need an escort. There are plenty of people in the rear anyway.”
“Ah. Let’s just do it together.”
Saren grabbed my wrist.
“If Prince Rodiu is with him, we won’t need to worry separately.”
I was the only male omega in the blue group. Several nobles agreed, saying it was reasonable. Saren grinned and tightened his grip on my hand.
Count Leroy summarized the situation. “Very well. Then we’ll have the two houses form a team,” and while listening to his voice, I uncomfortably pulled my wrist free from his grip.
The forest path, heavily shaded by trees, was cool and well-maintained, making it pleasant to walk.
“Don’t grab me. —Why do you keep grabbing me?”
If only this guy weren’t here.
“Because you’re walking too fast?”
He acts gentle with Rilke but treats me carelessly. Well, that was always his nature. Even as a child, he was aggressive and said whatever he wanted.
“If you follow me, you won’t catch anything.”
“How does it make sense that I wouldn’t catch anything when I’m here? And why would I follow you? You should follow me.”
Yet despite saying that, I’d been leading the way the whole time.
I was walking aimlessly and no prey appeared. Only a single striped squirrel passed overhead.
“Do you even know where you’re going?”
Saren, who had been following silently, asked.
“Joachim, what do you think the silver-ornamented animal is?”
“A weasel.”
“A weasel?”
I vaguely recalled hearing in the past about someone catching a weasel with ornaments near the lakeside. Saren was following without knowing, but I was faithfully heading toward the lakeside anyway.
“For someone who came so confidently, it’s pretty empty.”
But even after arriving at the lakeside, for some reason, there wasn’t a shadow of an animal to be seen. No one else was coming to hunt in this direction either.
“Should we try putting out bait?”
Saren opened the pouch he’d brought and placed berries and chunks of meat along the path. I took the pouch from him too.
But even after wandering for a long while, no animals appeared. In the end, either I had misheard the information from the past, or the weasel hadn’t come to the lakeside yet—it was one of the two.
I sat down on the ground covered with soft fallen leaves. Saren also plopped down beside me. The dry leaves pressed down with a rustling sound.
“It’s nice sitting like this. Usually there’s nothing to do except go to salons or attend tedious heir lessons.”
Letting Saren’s soliloquy drift past, I removed the lightweight bow and quiver that had been pressing on my shoulder. After even putting down my dagger, I leaned my back against a tree trunk.
“We really didn’t catch anything by following you.”
Right, so why did you insist on being on the same team?
“Weren’t you making some bet with Rilke yesterday? With such bad luck, you must have lost. Don’t you have a conscience?”
Honestly, I wasn’t pleased about being like this with Saren.
“Can Rilke really not swim?”
Rilke didn’t attend today.
I remembered the two of them encountering each other yesterday. Saren and Rilke pretended not to know each other and didn’t exchange words.
“That day, after you left, I asked him. He told me he knew how to swim.”
“……”
“But I’d never actually seen him swim either. I suggested we go to the lake the very next day. And then—”
Saren, who had grown close to Rilke after childhood, hardly spoke to me. And now Saren, having grown distant from Rilke, wants to speak with me. It’s as if to be entangled with Saren in any way, it must involve Rilke.
I let Saren’s words, which sounded like a confession, drift past mixed with the sound of the wind. I’d rather think about the weasel. My confidence that I could catch the swift animal was gradually fading. I turned my head toward Saren to suggest we go back.
“……!”
“—Did I startle you? Mm. You just smell like grass.”
“Get away.”
“Hold still.”
“I said get away. —Uh,”
Pushing Saren away, I pointed deeper into the forest.
“You’re just messing around.”
“No, really. A weasel over there.”
There really was a slender, small beast beyond the small bushes, sniffing at the scent of tree berries. As if it heard our voices, the weasel raised its head. The silver ornament around its neck glinted.
Before the weasel could flee, Saren sprang to his feet. The startled weasel began running toward the opposite side of the lake. Saren quickly chased after it.
And then,
As if a curtain had suddenly been lifted, Benedict appeared.
“That’s disqualification.”
He pointed disapprovingly at Saren, who was running after the weasel.
“Abandoning you like that.”
Whether he’d used magic or not, Saren hadn’t noticed this side at all.
As if entranced, I followed Benedict without thinking.
When I thought of Saren, who would be surprised later at my disappearance, Benedict calmly said he’d left behind a knight to explain my whereabouts in that spot.
Benedict brought me to the lakeside.
The wide, blue lake spread out calmly, the sky gradually setting, and tree shadows that had stood silently for ages were serenely lush.
While admiring the breathtaking scenery, I wondered if it was alright for Benedict to be spending time with me like this.
“Your Highness is also famous for enjoying hunting.”
He only smiled without agreeing.
“I have something I’m curious about too.”
Benedict turned his body to face me completely.
“Even when you made that request, I never expected it at all.”
He mentioned what happened at the salon for Iota people a while ago.
—’Not everyone who uses the Church’s emblem gets their residence investigated.’
—’May I ask you for a favor?’
—’Anything.’
—’If Baron Green Moss is investigated at his residence, please search thoroughly.’
“As you said, since Baron Moss was taken under emergency decree, I ordered his private residence to be searched thoroughly.”
Benedict’s gaze darkened.
“If it weren’t for you, we might have let that bastard slip away. When the knights first searched that house, they said they found nothing.”
I was a bit surprised. I had thought everything would be revealed if they just searched the residence.
“But the knights had received my orders and couldn’t leave that house until they found something suspicious. They retraced their steps, and only then did they realize the rooms were a bit small compared to the length of the corridor.”
Though I hadn’t noticed it in the past, he said the exit I’d escaped through had been disguised to look like a wall.
“You only said that bastard was suspicious. But,”
“……”
“How did you know he was such a vicious and cruel person?”
I only smiled awkwardly.
Benedict didn’t ask further.
Like releasing prey, he deliberately turned his body leisurely.
