“Good heavens!”
People covered their mouths in surprise. Fortunately, it was far from the camp so the probability of the fire spreading here seemed small, but the fire appeared large enough to see smoke even from a distance. Everyone murmured with anxious faces, saying wouldn’t it be better to end the hunt here.
“Calm down, everyone.”
Rohan Ramus stood up from his seat and said while looking around the chaotic venue. Among the Seven Dukes, only Evernight and Bluoa had participated in this hunt. Usually such hunts were nothing more than amusement for the great nobles, and even if one greedily participated, it was obvious they would be relegated to the imperial princes’ supporting roles. For that reason, most great nobles only enjoyed banquets under the pretext of giving opportunities to lower classes.
Bluoa was exceptional. Of course, Evernight also hadn’t wished to participate, but… he had registered his name as a participant in the hunt and equestrian tournament for some reason.
‘I can’t tell what that fellow is thinking. Did he set up this stage aiming for the red earrings from the start? Tildyen is… in a difficult situation anyway, so those earrings might be a good breakthrough.’
Rohan Ramus narrowed his eyes thinly and stole a glance at Evernight’s back as he gazed beyond the forest shrouded in darkness. A young knight named Sisou could be seen reporting something to him with a serious face.
“Lord Ramus. Bluoa still hasn’t come.”
Montrose stood beside Rohan and said. Though he was showing irritation on the surface, Canon Montrose was now worried about Bluoa Shonda’s whereabouts. The two always growled at each other whenever they met with completely opposite dispositions, but in fact, the heirs of Runfield in the south and Rivercastle in the east had been close friends who grew up together since childhood.
“Don’t worry. That fire probably has nothing to do with Bluoa. His Majesty the Emperor will soon give orders.”
The venue was still unsettled, and everyone only watched the Emperor’s mood. Because this hunt was a gathering to commemorate none other than the Emperor’s birthday, there was no one who dared to step forward saying the hunt should end immediately while receiving the Emperor’s glare.
“Chamberlain.”
The Emperor finally opened his heavy mouth. At his gesture, the chamberlain quickly stood ready before him.
“The weather is foul and there’s even a fire in the forest, so if we continue the hunt any longer, it seems I’ll only earn resentment from my loyal subjects. Is there anyone who hasn’t returned yet?”
The chamberlain quickly scanned the list. Everyone’s gaze focused on the chamberlain’s mouth.
“Yes, Your Majesty. Duke Bluoa Shonda and His Highness Prince Anya Evernight have not yet returned.”
Glances were exchanged here and there. An ominous feeling that something must be happening deep in that White Forest spread in an instant. The musicians also seemed to read this atmosphere as they quietly stopped playing.
“How much time remains until the hunt closes?”
The chamberlain carefully took out the pocket watch the Emperor had bestowed for this year’s competition and checked.
“30 minutes remain, Your Majesty.”
“For fairness, the hunt shall close at the promised midnight.”
At Emperor Luksus’s declaration, everyone sighed but had no choice but to return to their seats and sit down. However, the mood had already sunk irreversibly to exchange light conversation as before. They exchanged secretive talk about what connection those who hadn’t returned yet might have with that fire.
“However… I cannot overlook the danger looming before our eyes. Imperial Knights.”
At the Emperor’s command, those who had been standing guard in the shadows revealed themselves. As knights wearing golden cloaks knelt, the Emperor pointed to the forest.
“Go investigate the situation.”
They bowed their heads and soon disappeared beyond the darkness without delay. Only then did people relax a bit and begin drinking again. The musicians also cautiously started playing.
“Commander!”
Riario, who had slipped out of the tent, ran toward Evernight and Sisou. His cheeks were flushed red from however much he had drunk. Sisou stepped back one step while covering his nose at the sour smell of alcohol.
Riario bent his body halfway and asked urgently while calming his breath that had risen to his throat from running.
“What about His Highness? Didn’t he go with you?”
“…He was going around with Duke Shonda.”
Was it because of intense hunting? Evernight’s armor had red blood stained here and there, and his hair was also disheveled messily compared to usual. That untidy appearance somehow seemed to represent his psychological state.
‘Just how much hunting did he do?’
Just as Riario frowned at the blood covering him for the first time since the barrier war, he was alarmed at the answer that Bluoa and Anya had really been together.
“Good Lord! Then is their story true that His Highness and Lord Shonda are in that fire right now?”
“Master Mage. That’s roughly the northernmost part of the forest, there’s no way they went that far. Perhaps for some other reason……”
Sisou quickly refuted as if wanting to avoid reality, but trailed off as he himself wasn’t certain. When they encountered Anya and Bluoa in the middle of the forest, they looked like they were heading somewhere chasing something.
“Back then… I should have stopped them. No, at least I should have asked where they were going.”
Sisou blamed himself in anguish.
“Commander, is what they’re saying truly fact?”
“Don’t make a fuss and think rationally. The Emperor sent the knights, and since rain is still falling, the flames will die down. And no one can guarantee that fellow is in those flames. If there’s one optimistic point….”
He stopped speaking momentarily and took an empty breath.
“It’s that the fellow is with Bluoa Shonda. The Emperor can never turn away from the Shonda family.”
Evernight firmly summarized this situation. Though it was correct, his words contained no worry about Anya at all. Somehow the feeling was strong that he was rather being sarcastic. Sisou felt sad even though he wasn’t Anya, for no reason, and spoke as if reproaching Evernight.
“What will you do if His Highness is hurt… what if by any chance he’s badly hurt?”
Evernight let out a short snort.
“Don’t you think participating while thinking you won’t get hurt at a hunt doesn’t make sense? He participated knowing that.”
A cynical sneer lingered on Evernight’s lips. He suddenly recalled what he had said to that groveling brat when bringing Anya to Tildyen.
‘From now on in Tildyen, you’ll have to choose one of two things. Either stay quietly holed up, or choose a dog’s death.’
Right. He no longer needed to protect that damn little brat who always chose a dog’s death.
Evernight looked down at his moleskin gloves caked with beast blood. Catching just one would have been enough. Without needing to waste energy. The Bearwolf he caught was the highest apex predator in this White Forest. So he had deliberately gone to find and kill it in the cave where Bearwolves dwelled.
‘Catching just one would have been enough.’
But the moment he swung his sword, a terribly unpleasant feeling surrounded him. These emotions were clearly the musty things he had vowed to abandon in front of the brothel burning and crumbling when leaving Redcoast.
‘Commander! Stop, please stop! At this rate these creatures’ lineage will dry up and die!’
Sisou stood blocking the one remaining Bearwolf mother and cubs beneath her while shouting. When he came to his senses for a moment, the Bearwolf habitat was terribly covered in blood everywhere. The Bearwolf, whose aggression ranked among the strongest even among predators, was trembling with its tail down as if frightened.
Nevertheless, Evernight’s displeasure didn’t fade. Over that whimpering beast, the image of his partner trembling small behind Bluoa overlapped.
He let out a small laugh and eventually annihilated even the remaining adult completely.
This was what he was originally like. His appearance now trying to act human seemed disgusting like a corpse full of maggots.
“10 minutes left now.”
Royster smiled while chewing a grape. He seemed very excited about the current situation.
“Could it be Prince Royster’s doing?”
Sisou said angrily while quietly glaring at Royster.
“I don’t know. There’s too little information right now.”
Riario sighed and looked back at Evernight. As Evernight walked toward the tent, people screamed and stepped back. It was probably because his aura was very ferocious. As he passed, young ladies who had praised Evernight’s beauty until just before retreated in fear.
“What happened in the forest?”
At Riario’s question, Sisou shook his head.
“Don’t even mention it. I completely broke out in a cold sweat trying to stop the Commander. I feel like I came to Maneregia for nothing… Lorea should have come instead of me. Because of me… hah… His Highness didn’t need to participate in this hunt from the start. It’s all because of me.”
Sisou muttered with a drooping, about-to-cry expression. Riario patted the young knight’s shoulder.
“It’s Prince Royster’s fault. Not yours. When time’s up, let’s go into the forest together with me. I can’t trust the Imperial Knights.”
Riario whispered quietly while glancing at the Emperor. And don’t worry. Sabelli, the first person to pass that senile old man’s training besides the Commander was His Highness.
Somehow those words encouraged Sisou. Perhaps it was because he himself had nearly died after following to receive Sabelli’s training.
“That’s right. Prince Anya’s swordsmanship was very remarkable.”
Sisou could naturally recall when he sparred with Anya a few days ago. With that level of skill… he won’t be easily hurt.
He decided to shake off his anxiety and trust Anya. He thought he at least should trust Anya.
“Now, shall everyone stand up?”
Royster, who had checked the time, stood up laughing triumphantly. At his words, people stood up all at once as if they had been waiting.
“Wait!”
Just then, someone pointed their finger toward the forest entrance. Some small figures were staggering toward them. Everyone hesitated backward in fear, wondering if they might be assailants related to that fire.
“Bluoa! It’s Lord Bluoa!”
Montrose shouted first. Only then did people cheer and applaud. But soon that applause gradually died down at the wretched appearance of the two revealed under torchlight.
“A healer, call a healer!”
