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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: Aracilla vs. Demian
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Oscar looked at his mother, his face asking what on earth she meant. But the Duchess merely offered a meaningful smile.
‘There’s no better place to orchestrate something dangerous than the Hunting Festival!’
Even if something happened, it could be dismissed as an accident.
She had already laid plans to eliminate Demian and his wife through this opportunity.
She had even arranged a way to hire a special mage and lure them to an isolated spot where an "accident" could occur, leaving her with no worries.
‘This time, I’ll finally get rid of those thorns in my side once and for all.’
The Duchess, her expression now quite gentle, stroked her son’s shoulder and said,
“So just make sure you place within the top three, Oscar. Demian won’t even make it that far.”
“Oh, I see.”
Although he didn’t get a detailed explanation, Oscar nodded vaguely. He trusted his parents had everything well in hand to ensure he wasn’t seen as inferior to his younger brother.
“Have a good time, my son! Don’t get hurt. Be careful, too! Understood?”
“Yes, yes.”
Oscar replied casually, leaving his mother behind and heading into the forest. It was a rather late start, but he felt no urgency.
He kept glancing back, and as soon as his mother was out of sight, he stopped.
‘Hmm. If Demian won’t win no matter what, do I really need to put in the effort?’
Oscar slowly slipped back out of the forest. It seemed a waste to spend such a beautiful day just hunting.
‘It’s much better to have some fun!’
Humming a tune, his feet carried him toward the pavilion where the noble ladies gathered.
***
To win the Hunting Festival, one had to prioritize both quantity and quality.
Even if one caught dozens of small herbivores, they couldn’t win first place, and the same applied if they brought back just one or two large carnivores.
Only by catching several beasts, as if they were herbivores, could one become a contender for victory.
‘I need to catch wild boars, bears, wolves… or a Golden Panther.’
Aracilla thought to herself, placing a flag with her name on the body of the animal she had caught as a marker.
The Golden Panther was a mystical creature said to appear only in Panther Forest. Its population was small, and it was so wary of humans that it was difficult even to catch a glimpse of one, let alone hunt it.
Because it was such a rare animal, anyone who caught a Golden Panther, even if it was just one, immediately became a top contender for the Hunting Festival’s victory.
‘It would be perfect if I could just catch one Golden Panther and be done with it…’
Rustle—.
Just then, a heavy presence stirred beyond the bushes. Thinking an animal had appeared, Aracilla prepared to attack.
But what emerged from the foliage wasn’t an animal; it was a person. And not just any person, but Frederick, a friend Aracilla knew very well.
“Fancy meeting you here, Aracilla.”
Frederick, clad in a dark brown hunting suit, approached Aracilla with a welcoming smile. Aracilla lowered her guard and faced him.
“Indeed. So you’ve been circling this area too.”
“Yeah, there aren’t many people around here. But where’s Sir Vandermir? Are you alone?”
“We’re competitors today, so we’re going our separate ways.”
“Oh, really?”
Frederick’s voice rose slightly. His crimson eyes sparkled with delight at the fact that she was alone, without her husband.
“That’s great. Actually, I wanted to say hello to you before we set off, but you were with Sir Vandermir, so I couldn’t.”
“Why? You could have just come over and said hello.”
“Sir Vandermir might have been uncomfortable with me there.”
Aracilla was about to retort that there was no way that would happen, but then she recalled their meeting at Vesta Restaurant and closed her mouth.
Demian had certainly seemed wary of Frederick back then.
“Right, well. It’s enough for friends to greet each other; there’s no absolute need to greet their spouse, too.”
“Your reaction tells me he really does find me uncomfortable. Or perhaps he’s conscious of me being by your side.”
Aracilla, caught off guard, parted her lips. Frederick wore a bright smile.
Demian Vandermir being wary of him meant that his presence was indeed a threat.
In other words, even if Aracilla herself didn’t realize it yet, to an outsider, there was a possibility that their relationship could develop beyond mere friendship.
“So, have you caught any game?”
Feeling better than he had in a while, he cheerfully changed the subject for Aracilla. His eyes, curved in a broad smile, showed no sign of straightening.
“Hmm, somewhat? Actually, I’m currently looking for a Golden Panther to catch.”
Aracilla promptly accepted her friend’s courtesy and replied.
“Really? That’s impressive. Should I try looking for a Golden Panther too?”
Frederick, his face excited, tagged along behind Aracilla. Aracilla, who secretly considered him a competitor, grew wary.
It would be problematic if he found a Golden Panther.
Thinking it would be better to part ways with Frederick, she raised her hand and said,
“Go your own way now, Frederick. I’m going this way.”
“Hmm, why don’t we go together? We could team up and combine our strengths.”
“No, I won’t. I even abandoned my husband to win, so how can I go around with you? I can’t, especially if I want to be proud in front of Demian.”
If she teamed up with Frederick and won, it wouldn’t be an accomplishment she achieved alone, and Demian would undoubtedly have something to say about it.
Aracilla didn’t want such an unprincipled victory. It would only be meaningful if she won it fair and square with her own skills.
“...Aracilla. Why are you so concerned about your husband’s opinion when you don’t even love him much?”
However, Frederick, who had interpreted Aracilla’s words as her being unable to accompany him because she was wary of Demian, stiffened.
Aracilla, who naturally hadn’t meant it that way, wore a bewildered expression.
“When have I ever been concerned about his opinion?”
“Or is there another reason you can’t come with me? I’ll help you win. Stay with me.”
“No, thanks. Do I look like someone who can’t win without help?”
Aracilla gently pushed away Frederick’s hand as he tried to grasp her arm.
A brief silence fell. Frederick bit his lower lip and watched Aracilla.
He had known her for years, but this was the first time he had seen her in hunting attire. Even without an extravagant dress, Aracilla seemed to be surrounded by a halo of light.
To simply watch you, so beautiful, live as another man’s wife…
“Aracilla, if I win, I’ll dedicate my catch to you.”
Frederick said in a low voice. He simply couldn’t stand by. If someone were to make Aracilla the Queen of the Hunting Festival this year, he wanted it to be him.
The fact that Aracilla was a married woman and he was the Crown Prince didn’t matter.
Because he, her long-time friend, came before her unloved husband. Giving her some game as a gesture of friendship would be acceptable.
“I’ll make you the Queen of the Hunting Festival.”
“What are you talking about? I don’t need it, so give it to some woman who likes you. If I’m not the winner, a queen or anything else is pointless.”
Why would the Crown Prince even offer his catch to a married woman in the first place?
It felt a bit unsettling for mere friendship, so Aracilla waved her hand, signaling him not to bother her further, and walked away.
“I’m leaving. See you later.”
“...”
Frederick stood rooted to the spot, watching Aracilla casually wave and disappear. For a moment, he considered following her but decided against it.
‘As long as she’s not with Sir Vandermir, it’s fine.’
***
Aracilla roamed wherever her feet took her, hunting animals. The deeper she ventured into the forest, the more fierce beasts she encountered.
At the same time, the sunlight pouring down from above dwindled, blocked by the densely grown trees.
Hmm, would it be dangerous to go deeper?
Aracilla, who had just encountered an uphill path, pondered. Should she turn back and hunt animals on the way down, or continue straight up?
‘The higher I go, the more comfortably I can hunt without people around, right?’
Having made her decision, she ascended the uphill path. Her body, exhausted from overwork and lack of exercise, quickly became breathless and began to pant.
Ah, I should have just gone down.
Regretting her choice, she laboriously climbed the slope, then clutched her knees and paused to catch her breath. When she looked up, an astonishing sight unfolded before her.
A beast with golden fur lay idly on a flat rock.
‘A Golden Panther!’
Aracilla’s heart pounded rapidly at the appearance of the prey she had been searching for. She maintained her composure as much as possible and aimed her staff.
One shot.
Aracilla’s magic gathered into the magic stone at the tip of her staff. It was the moment she channeled her power and fired a magic orb.
Whoosh, a gust of wind sliced through the air and collided with the magic orb.
*Boom!*
A deafening crash, like massive, solid boulders colliding, echoed through the air.
The Golden Panther, which had been lounging leisurely, sprang up and let out a wary growl, scratching its throat.
‘What, what was that?’
Aracilla couldn’t believe her magic had collided with something and dispersed. No, who dared to deflect her magic?
As she spun her head around in confusion, a tall figure emerged from behind a tree on the opposite side.
Shining silver hair, golden eyes more radiant than the panther’s fur, perfectly symmetrical features.
‘Demian?’
What are *you* doing here? The two exchanged looks that held the same meaning.
After the Hunting Festival began, they had each deliberately headed in opposite directions. They had tacitly adjusted their routes to avoid bothersome overlaps.
However, when hunting animals, one couldn’t constantly worry about direction.
The two, who had split off to the north and south, had somehow reunited in the western part of the forest. And of all things, they were both targeting the same prey.
Hearing the panther’s long cry, Aracilla collected herself, took a step forward, and said,
“I found it first, Demian.”
Demian then emerged from behind the tree and retorted,
“It’s my prey.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m going to catch it.”
“No chance. It’s mine.”
They say the world of competition is ruthless. There was no yielding, even between a newlywed couple who had only been married for a few months.
The two, who had been glaring intently at each other, lunged forward simultaneously as if on cue.
Demian swung his sword, sending forth an aura blade infused with his aura, while Aracilla used her staff to fire a magic orb.
Caught between a skilled mage and a knight, the Golden Panther suddenly flustered. With similar murderous intent emanating from both sides, it couldn’t decide which one to attack.
*CRASH!*
The two attacks, colliding above the panther’s head, once again bounced off each other, neither able to overcome the other’s power.
Aracilla pressed her staff against Demian’s gloved hand and said,
“Back down while I’m being nice, Demian.”
“You should back down while I’m being lenient, Madam.”
Demian retorted, gripping the sword she had given him, adorned with a ribbon.
“Hah, I’m the one being lenient here, you know?”
“There’s a limit to how mistaken one can be.”
“Oh, really? Let’s see who wins then.”
“Fine.”
*Boom! Crash! Boom!*
As sword aura and magic clashed fiercely, the distance between the two gradually closed.
Before long, the Golden Panther was forgotten, as the knight and the mage were now fiercely determined to overpower each other.
The Golden Panther, which had been bewilderedly watching the humans fight among themselves from atop the rock, suddenly lifted its head.
The beast, its bright yellow eyes fixed on something in the forest, abruptly turned and darted into the bushes.
“Ah, my Golden Panther…!”
It was the moment Aracilla stopped her attack, startled by the Golden Panther’s sudden escape.
*Whoosh—!*
Arrows flew from between the dense trees. Several of them, simultaneously.
