Chapter 16
As she arrived at the entrance, a palace knight assigned to security stepped forward and stopped the carriage.
“Please show your invitation.”
Around the entrance to the hunting grounds, tall fences had been erected. Isabella lowered the carriage window and showed her invitation to the knight.
After checking it, the knight handed the invitation back to her and signaled to the other knights guarding the entrance to clear the way.
As the carriage moved further inside, a vast open meadow spread out before her eyes. Selly, who had been looking out the window with her, tilted her head and asked,
“Miss, do you really hunt in a place this wide open? It seems perfect for rabbits to just run away.”
“You hunt in the forest. This place is used as a resting area as well.”
After getting off the carriage, Isabella entered a small tent prepared for her and Selly.
Though modest in size, the inside of the tent was neatly organized. Selly busied herself tidying their belongings, moving around in small, quick steps. Isabella was cleaning and inspecting her crossbow when an unexpected guest arrived.
It was Meryl Dalson, the daughter of Viscount Dalson’s household. She too was wearing hunting attire, suggesting she was also participating in the hunt.
“Lady Redia. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too, Lady Dalson.”
Isabella was already aware of the rumors that Meryl had been desperately trying to become one of Princess Elena’s close aides.
“I was told there are still about 30 minutes until the hunt begins.”
As Isabella asked, trying to gauge Meryl’s intentions in coming to her tent first, Meryl smiled slightly, lifting the corners of her lips.
“Her Highness the Princess said she wanted to speak with Lady Redia.”
“Right now?”
“Yes. She gave me the order to guide you, saying she had something important to discuss.”
Meryl tilted her head once, gesturing for Isabella to follow her.
Isabella, as if assessing something, fell into thought for a moment, then picked up her readied crossbow.
She knew well that there were no people here who were friendly toward her. Still, if Elena was the one who sought her out, that was actually an advantage. It was a good opportunity to try using her special ability on Elena.
Isabella motioned to Selly to stop her from following.
“Selly, stay here. Don’t go anywhere.”
“Yes, miss.”
Without hesitation, Isabella stood in front of Meryl.
“Then shall we go where Her Highness is?”
“Alright.”
The two left the tent and crossed the meadow into a forest thick with trees. As they walked, Meryl occasionally glanced back at Isabella, who followed behind her while casually conversing.
But unlike her smiling lips, her eyes were dull and clouded. Meryl clenched her fist and thought to herself.
‘If this is what it takes to earn the Princess’s favor, I’ll do anything.’
Ever since she had been dismissed by Elena at her birthday party, she had been nearly ostracized from high society.
Desperate to restore her reputation, Meryl—blinded by ambition—led Isabella, who had just arrived at the imperial hunting grounds, away from others into a secluded place.
If she could eliminate Isabella, Elena’s rival, with her own hands, she believed she would regain the princess’s favor.
A voice echoed endlessly in her ear.
—If you want to secure your place in high society, you have to do it, Meryl.—
It felt as though someone was whispering into her ear. As if possessed by those voices, her gaze grew even more unfocused.
Only when they had gone deep into the forest did Meryl finally stop walking. She turned around and looked around with a troubled expression.
There was no sign of Elena—or anyone else—anywhere nearby. It was a desolate place where even human presence could not be felt.
Isabella slowly raised her crossbow and scanned her surroundings.
“I was told Her Highness would be waiting around here.”
“Maybe we took a wrong turn?”
“No, that can’t be. Please wait here for a moment.”
Meryl said she would go look for Elena herself, then quickly left. Watching her receding figure, one of Isabella’s eyebrows twitched upward.
“Feels like a lie to me…”
The place they had been led to was clearly unsuitable for any kind of meeting. The eerie atmosphere, where anything could jump out at any moment, made Isabella grip her crossbow tightly.
“Not off to a great start.”
No matter how long she waited, neither the princess nor Meryl returned. Having carefully memorized the path while following Meryl, Isabella decided to turn back.
Only the rustling of leaves swayed by the wind and her own footsteps could be heard in the silent forest.
Although sunlight poured through the early morning woods, the excessive stillness made the atmosphere strangely chilling.
Isabella quickened her pace, intending to return to the tent where Selly was waiting, because she felt like someone was watching her from within the bushes.
‘Don’t tell me it’s not a wild beast.’
The imperial forest was managed, so there shouldn’t be predators—but there were occasional reports of stray wild dogs. One alone might be manageable, but a pack would be dangerous.
As she walked while staying alert, she realized she had somehow ended up in a different area than the path she had taken earlier.
It seemed she had gotten lost.
“Where is this…?”
In a small clearing overgrown with weeds, there stood an old fountain that had long fallen out of use.
The moment she lowered her crossbow slightly, she heard the sound of branches being stepped on behind her ear.
She immediately turned toward the sound—and saw a large wild dog baring its teeth.
Facing the feared situation, Isabella quickly raised her crossbow.
The wild dog drooled heavily from its mouth and let out a threatening growl. Just as it crouched as if about to lunge—
it suddenly stood back up, whimpered, and ran away.
Isabella, unable to hide her disbelief at the anticlimactic encounter, lowered her crossbow.
And then—
“Isabella!”
“Your Highness the Crown Prince?”
Turning around, she saw Kairus a short distance away, walking toward her.
Though she didn’t know why he was participating in a social hunt, she had narrowly avoided the wild dog thanks to him. Isabella politely lowered her head.
“I greet the Empire’s little sun. Your Highness, good morning.”
“Good morning, Isabella.”
Kairus looked around carefully before meeting her eyes and smiling. Noticing her hunting outfit and crossbow, he spoke first.
“You’re attending Elena’s hunt.”
“Yes. Her Highness invited me.”
“But this place seems far from rabbit hunting grounds.”
At his question, Isabella let out a small sigh.
“I’ll just say it was the result of a childish prank.”
“A prank, but that seems excessive. You could have been bitten by that wild dog.”
Kairus added that this area was known for packs of wild dogs. Hearing that, Isabella’s lips parted slightly.
‘Ha… I knew I shouldn’t have come.’
As expected. So much for a friendly hunt—the “rabbit” they spoke of was likely her.
Thanks to Kairus, she had narrowly avoided danger. Isabella bowed her head in gratitude.
“Thanks to Your Highness, I was able to stay safe. Thank you.”
“I didn’t really do anything.”
“Are you participating in the hunt as well, Your Highness?”
He shook his head slightly and raised both hands to show he carried no hunting equipment. His somewhat lazy gaze drifted toward the fountain in the clearing.
“I just came to show my face for a bit, but then old memories brought me here.”
A bitter light flickered in his eyes as he recalled the past. Isabella chose not to ask and quietly waited.
“It’s not something to be gloomy about. When I was a child, I used to come to the hunting grounds with my late mother and visit this place often. I stopped coming after she passed away.”
So that’s why it was left unmanaged, Isabella thought, nodding slightly in understanding.
Kairus shrugged lightly and changed the subject, raising one finger at a time playfully.
“There’s a saying—if you meet once, it’s coincidence; twice, fate; and three times, destiny.”
His hand, with three fingers raised, gestured toward Isabella.
“Then is this a fated encounter?”
The first meeting was only three days ago, after all. While Kairus looked cheerful, Isabella tilted her head in confusion.
“I don’t mean to contradict Your Highness, but I believe this is our second meeting.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
Kairus trailed off, a meaningful smile forming on his lips.
“It doesn’t seem like it to me.”
