TVWD 25

Chapter 25

At the entrance to the imperial forest where the hunting competition was held, grandstands had been set up.

Those seats were reserved for the emperor and the nobles.

Inside the forest, imperial knights were stationed throughout the area. Using magical communication devices, they relayed updates to the headquarters at the forest entrance.

As the knights reported the progress of the hunt, spectators placed bets, chatted, and enjoyed the competition.

The hunting contest lasted from early morning until sunset.

“Let the 107th Hunting Competition commence!”

“Waaaaaaah!”

At the emperor’s declaration, thunderous cheers echoed through the forest.

The teams participating in the hunt waited at the various entrances leading into the woods.

“The rules of the hunting competition are the same as every year.”

Each animal carried a different point value—the more ferocious the beast, or the finer its fur, the higher the score.

“And this year’s special beast is the Silver Fox!”

The Silver Fox was about twice the size of a normal fox, but so swift it was notoriously difficult to catch.

At the same time, its beautiful fur made it a prized target that hunters fiercely competed for.

Most importantly, capturing the special beast of the year guaranteed an outright victory.

“A Silver Fox… I’m definitely catching it.”

Stella, her dazzling blond hair tied back neatly, waited with her fiancé.

“Let’s give it our all too.”

“Of course!”

With the single-minded determination of presenting Merina with a flower crown, Calvin burned with fighting spirit. To earn leave and participate in the hunting competition, he had taken on every unpleasant task without complaint.

“Start!”

At the signal, we rushed into the forest.

“You brought the sugar, right, Calvin?”

“Yeah.”

The Silver Fox had appeared as the special beast several times before, so we had prepared sugar—its known favorite.

“As you know, Silver Foxes are extremely cautious. Don’t approach recklessly. First, lure it by tossing the sugar.”

“Got it.”

Calvin and I hunted the animals we encountered, while the servants following behind loaded the captured game onto carts.

“Haha! Stop right there!”

“Stella, be careful!”

Stella laughed exuberantly as she tore through the forest, with Duke Stein scrambling after her in a panic.

“…That’s terrifying.”

“Right? Listen to Stella, Calvin.”

“Yeah, I should.”

When Stella nagged him, Calvin—who usually talked back—simply nodded.

Time passed, and the sun climbed high into the sky.

—Tooooooooot!

The sound of a horn rang out, blown by an imperial knight.

It was the signal for a mid-point inspection. Soon, palace knights attached themselves to each team, checking the animals they had captured.

Up until now, teams had to guard their prey carefully—but from this point on, losing a few animals was no longer an issue.

“Should we start exploring different directions? We need to look for the fox.”

“Okay. But… are you really sure, Sister? You’re taking all the knights with you?”

Each family was allowed to bring a set number of knights, and Calvin urged me to take them all.

“No. If I do that, we won’t even glimpse the tip of the fox’s tail. Foxes are less wary of women and children. I’m better off going alone.”

“But still—”

“It’s not a dangerous forest. Now give me another bow.”

“It’s shocking enough that you ride so well, but you’re good with a bow too? That’s genuinely surprising.”

Well, did he think I’d insist on joining the hunt without any skill?

Granted, my stamina was still poor—I’d had to swallow a pile of medicine Ted procured beforehand.

Thwack!

As Calvin and I checked our weapons, an arrow brushed past my side.

It was the Crown Prince.

“Your Highness, what do you think you’re doing? Were you trying to shoot my sister—Lady Levian?”

Calvin snapped, stepping forward, but the Crown Prince merely gave a greasy smile.

“No. I thought I sensed a beast nearby.”

Leaving only that remark behind, he spurred his horse and disappeared deeper into the forest.

Figures. There was no way the Crown Prince would just leave me alone.

When he’d let me go quietly in the slums, I’d wondered if lightning had struck him—but it seemed his mood had simply been unusually good that day.

Realizing the implication of the Crown Prince’s words belatedly, Calvin ground his teeth.

“Did he just compare you to a beast?”

My brother slashed at a nearby tree with his sword.

“Why is His Highness suddenly picking a fight with you? I heard you argued before, but that was clearly his fault.”

Fuming, Calvin gestured to the family’s knights.

“Sister, I’m worried. Take the knights with you.”

“No, Calvin. He won’t kill me.”

It wasn’t time for the Crown Prince to kill me yet.

“Sister!”

“We need to catch the fox. And if something happens, I’ll blow the whistle and you come save me.”

I tapped the silver whistle hanging around my neck.

It was enchanted—far louder and capable of carrying much farther than an ordinary one.

“You said you absolutely needed that flower crown.”

At the mention of something that would remind him of Merina, Calvin sighed and nodded in resignation.

“Even if you catch the fox, blow the whistle.”

“Be careful, Sister.”

I parted from my brother and urged my horse in the opposite direction of where the Crown Prince had gone.

If he went that way, he’d only run into a herd of wild boars.

In this forest, the Silver Fox always appeared in the same place—and I knew exactly where that was.

Deep inside the forest, near a tranquil lake shimmering with silvery light.

As I neared the lake, I dismounted and tied my horse to a nearby tree, then headed toward the water alone.

As I walked slowly around the lakeshore, I heard a faint rustle—something light stepping on fallen leaves.

Holding my breath and approaching carefully, my target revealed itself.

“Hello, little fox.”

I lowered the hand holding my bow and moved toward the fox very slowly.

Taking out a pouch of sugar, I tossed a sugar cube onto the ground. After hesitating, the fox licked the sugar placed before it.

“That’s it. Eat up. It’s good, right?”

Just as I extended another sugar cube toward it—

Bang!

Red petals scattered before my eyes.

They fell to the ground with dull, heavy thuds, and the silver figure vanished without a trace.

As if filling the fox’s absence, slow footsteps echoed ominously.

“Good afternoon, my lady.”

A figure in a robe with a hood appeared. Beneath the hood, his lips curved into a crescent smile.

“I hear you’ve been wanting to meet us?”

The man’s amused voice sent chills down my spine.

“Who are you?”

I swiftly drew an arrow and aimed it at him.

“Oh my, oh my. I heard you were looking for us—how disappointing that you don’t recognize me.”

He straightened his disheveled robe.

A blue bird emblem was embroidered on his chest.

“You’re Blue Bird.”

The Tower Master had burned down the information guild and declared he would kill me.

Since my request to the guild had concerned Blue Bird, it wasn’t hard to deduce a connection between that organization and the Tower Master.

Still, Ted’s recent reports hadn’t mentioned anything noteworthy about Blue Bird.

Had I become a threat simply by scratching the surface—enough that they decided to kill me preemptively?

“We were quite surprised that a noble young lady of a marquis’s house knew our identity.”

The lips beneath the hood twisted into an unpleasant smile.

“You’re someone whose death would cause quite a stir, so we were debating how to kill you. Thank you for coming all this way.”

So the Tower Master had decided to kill me after all. For a fickle man, a sudden change of heart wasn’t strange.

“Looks like you plan to shoot me, but that stance is convincing. Still, a sheltered young lady who’s never even seen blood—”

Whoosh.

Before he could finish, I loosed an arrow and immediately nocked another.

As the Blue Bird muttered something, the arrow burst into flames before reaching him.

Of all things—a mage. My luck was awful.

“Whew. Very sharp—ugh. Isn’t it rude to attack while someone’s talking?”

I’d never been permanently crippled, but I had been badly injured before. When that happened, I couldn’t move for a long time—and during that time, I couldn’t extend my life.

Which meant I’d die pointlessly.

Judging by his magic, he was skilled. I needed to escape first.

Somewhere crowded.

As I began to run, he gave chase.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

Keeping an eye on him, I blew the whistle as hard as I could.

—Piiiiiiiiiiiiik!

The sharp, piercing sound rang out across the forest—but no one came.

The man chasing me smiled lazily.

“Unfortunately, there’s no one nearby. No one will be coming to save you, my lady.”