Chapter 64
The use of magical tools was prohibited in the hunting festival. Accordingly, inspections were thoroughly conducted in advance.
But given that they sent an absurd bill of exchange claiming it was made 500 years ago, it wouldn’t be strange if they had something that even magicians’ detection couldn’t catch.
Edenber, letting out a light sigh, said.
“Let’s test it. I’ll stay here, so go catch the Arcs and come back. If there’s no interference from the Skya Ducal House, blow the horn three times; if there’s interference this time too, blow it four times.”
With this experiment, it would be clear who the Skya Duke was targeting.
And shortly after, the horn rang three times.
It was the signal that they had caught even the leader Arc without any interference.
Ednber bit his lip tightly.
‘As expected, the target is me.’
If it continued like this, not only him but everyone affiliated with Monlepe would have scores at the bottom.
He pondered for a moment on how to handle this, then calmly gave orders to the knights who returned shortly after.
“I’ll move alone. You all go separately.”
“….”
Even though it was an individual competition, the whole family not scoring well was another matter.
Since this hunting festival was a good opportunity to restore Monlepe’s shattered image so far, Dylan could only grit his molars and say nothing.
‘With the duke’s skill, he won’t be in danger alone, but……’
He wouldn’t be able to properly demonstrate his skills due to the interference from the Skya Ducal House.
That weighed heavily on his mind.
However, since Edenber’s conclusion was the best, he had no choice but to leave in the opposite direction with the other knights.
Edenber, left alone, let out a sigh.
‘What should I do from now on?’
Just then, a herd of Arcs passing nearby came into view.
Edenber caught the Arcs at a markedly lower speed than when fighting with the knights.
And just as he was about to catch the leader Arc at the very back.
Swaak!
An arrow flew and embedded into the leader Arc’s neck.
The leader Arc in front of him disappeared like smoke.
“Huh! I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were there!”
With this, the fourth interference.
There was no need to check who the opponent was. It must be someone from the Skya Ducal House.
Edenber turned his horse without regret.
In this vast forest, there wasn’t enough time to wander around looking for one Skya Duke.
If he complained to the imperial family about foul play, the other side could just insist it was a coincidence.
‘If I don’t win here, it’ll be hard to prevent war with the beastmen.’
As one of the four dukes who were pillars of the empire, Edenber didn’t know if it was right to oppose war with the beastmen who occupied one corner of the empire.
However, thinking of Asil who had Dinar, which was the beastmen’s staple food……
‘The current Monlepe is made by Asil.’
He gripped the reins.
Right now, with the Skya Duke interfering without end, there was only one way for him to win.
That is, catching the captain Arc.
Since the spoils of the captain Arc weren’t attributed, even if the final blow was stolen, there wouldn’t be much issue.
The captain Arc hadn’t been caught even once in the hunting festival in the last 10 years.
More precisely, unless it was someone who could definitely catch it, even approaching was prohibited.
Because it was a magical beast that grew by feeding on the opponent’s fear.
If even a knight order was brought and even one of them got scared, a disaster would start right then.
If you only grew its size without catching the captain Arc, you would receive severe punishment.
Therefore, rather than taking unnecessary risks, it was common to leisurely catch it as a divine beast after the hunting festival ended.
However, Edenber challenged the captain Arc hunt.
‘I can do it.’
Because the one who caught the captain Arc in the hunting festival 10 years ago was none other than Monlepe.
His father and the previous duke, Icart Monlepe.
Edenber headed to the center of the forest where the captain Arc would be.
He was confident he would absolutely not get scared.
But.
Thump thump thump.
Was it his imagination? The closer he got to the center, the more it felt like the ground was shaking.
As if something huge was rampaging……
Since there was no one among this competition’s participants who would challenge the captain Arc, it must be an illusion.
Who would go out to catch the captain Arc only to grow its size-
“Huwaaaaaang!”
“What do I do, what do I do, what do I do!”
“Both of you, be quiet! I can’t control the horse!”
……There was. And it wasn’t even a family.
A single horse carrying three children was running towards here, save me step by step.
“Kuwoooo!”
Behind it, a captain Arc exceeding the size of a mansion was chasing.
……Huh?
* * *
Before Edenber encountered the captain Arc.
Asil was trudging through the vast forest, following the dangerous smell floating in the air.
“Heeng……”
Asil’s face was full of a pout.
She had boldly entered intending to catch the captain Arc to make her husband first place, but she forgot the most important thing.
That is, the means of transportation.
Asil couldn’t ride a horse.
It was an unforeseen incident that Arcian hadn’t thought of because in the beastman’s forest, they didn’t ride horses.
Beastmen usually transformed into their original forms and flew or ran for long distances.
However, Asil was a baby form as small as a booger.
Even if she transformed into her original form, there was a limit to reaching the center of the forest.
“When will I get there……”
She wasn’t sure if she could even make it today.
At least, thanks to the magic power of Arcian contained in the necklace, she could maintain human form for a long time, which was fortunate.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have even arrived, let alone scold the captain Arc, and would have returned to her original form.
“Legs hurt.”
Forget the captain Arc, should she just go home?
Suppressing the desire to whine to anyone, Asil patted her short legs.
It was then that someone’s voice was heard nearby.
“No one’s here?! Help! Kyaaak!”
It was the voice of the Skya Duchess, Lilibet Skya.
Only then did Asil realize that Lilibet and the Arcs’ smells were coming from very close by.
Because she had been only following the captain Arc’s smell, she only noticed now. Oh no!
“Asil’s going!”
The beastman kindergarten teachers said that humans without swords are very weak!
Asil hurriedly ran. It was so urgent that she didn’t even feel her legs hurting.
She ran so hard, but there was no one except Lilibet on the horse.
No matter how young, a black dragon is the strongest animal.
It was because the Arcs instinctively fled from the black dragon aura that Asil was exuding.
The reason Asil hadn’t encountered even a single Arc on the way here was this.
Lilibet was flustered by Asil’s sudden appearance.
“E, Erzébet young lady?”
“Are you okay?!”
Asil scanned Lilibet, who was frozen in bewilderment, from top to bottom.
Hmm, no blood smell, she looks completely fine. Doesn’t seem to have any injuries!
Only after confirming Lilibet was safe did the horse she was riding come into view.
“It’s a horse!”
Now she doesn’t have to walk with hurting legs! Delighted, Asil jumped up and down.
“Ride Asil too! Ride!”
“Ah, yes……. But I’m not trying to go out of the forest, is that okay?”
“Yeah!”
“Got it.”
Lilibet, nodding, helped Asil, with her short limbs, get on the horse.
After that, she got on behind Asil, grabbed the reins, and carefully asked.
“How did the young lady end up coming in? This is a really dangerous forest.”
“I know. Why I came in is a secret. What about you, Duchess?”
“Because I’m worried about brother……. He can’t see ahead, how can he fight magical beasts. Ah, do you perhaps know how to ride a horse?”
“No. Can’t you ride, Duchess?”
“No…… I can’t ride.”
“How did you get here then?”
“Well…… By doing my best?”
Lilibet said she took any horse from the stable out of worry for Briden, gripped the reins tightly, and somehow made it here.
Then, similarly, if they just somehow go, wouldn’t it be fine?
“Really, you want me to do it?”
“Yeah. Asil doesn’t know anything.”
……Well, what riding skills can you expect from a kid who can’t even ride a horse alone because her limbs are short.
If it goes wrong, at worst they’ll die. Biting her teeth, Lilibet started the horse.
☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆▪︎▪︎▪︎☆
By Anna 💓
