Chapter 25 Hunting Festival (7)
Hunting Festival (7)
"You're going to come out eventually, aren't you?"
I turned my head and stared at a tree with an unusually thick layer of snow piled on its branches. Silence lingered for a moment before a man stepped out from behind the tree.
Platinum blonde hair that had faded to white, and eyes tinged red—likely eroded by the Emperor's Brand.
The man who had once been the Second Prince, now the Emperor's Sword, the same one I had made a contract with after leaving the auction house: Luke von Shpenheim.
"How's the erosion rate?"
"55%. I'm barely managing to block the interference with my memories."
55%. So it's progressed another 5% in such a short time. No, the fact that he's held out this long is impressive in itself.
There are ways to suppress the erosion rate with magic, but those are last resorts.
Unlike the Emperor's Eye Brand, the Emperor's Sword Brand was engraved by the Emperor himself. The moment I lay a hand on it, he'd sense my presence immediately.
"As per our contract, I've dealt with Baron Repga. The things he's done were downright appalling."
Luke let out a hollow laugh as he spoke.
Of course, to someone who had lived as the Second Prince, the deeds of that bastard must have seemed unbelievably filthy.
Baron Repga.
Outwardly, he was just a nouveau riche who had suddenly come into enough money to buy a noble title, but the truth was different.
He was the one who managed the Empire's slave market, entangled in all sorts of noble corruption—in other words, you could say he was the biggest hand in the underworld.
That's why I had planned to take him down in one go. Not out of some naive desire to eradicate crime, but because the transaction ledger in his possession was my real target.
With that ledger alone, I could effectively hold the leash of nearly every noble.
After all, most of the auction houses under Baron Repga's control were illegal to begin with.
Given how nobles loathed even the slightest stain on their names, that ledger was an incredibly valuable item.
"What about the transaction ledger?"
"I left it with the Information Guild."
As he said that, Luke seemed to sense something off and asked in return,
"You could've easily handled Baron Repga yourself. Why go out of your way to entrust it to me?"
"I just don't want to catch the Emperor's eye."
Why do you think Baron Repga was able to make such a name for himself in the underworld in the first place?
It was, of course, because he had the Emperor's tacit approval. The Imperial House's reach extends far beyond what people imagine, and the Emperor's Sword is always close.
There was even mention of it in the original work. After Adel was branded with the Crime of Royal Treason and sold into slavery, she ended up in Baron Repga's hands.
In other words, Baron Repga played a role similar to that of the Imperial House's corpse cleaner.
Of course, it didn't last long before he got his head chopped off by Luke, the sub male lead. And that was precisely the biggest reason I entrusted his assassination to Luke in the first place.
The future I've designed can only unfold if things follow the original plot as closely as possible.
"I've dealt with every target you asked for, just as you said."
Luke glared at me as he spoke. He must be expecting a suitable reward. Well, our relationship is purely contractual, after all.
"I've located Luka von Asrihi."
"...What? Are you serious?!"
I frowned at the way Luke practically lunged forward as he asked.
"The deepest part of the Tower of Confinement. She's at its very center."
The Tower of Confinement.
A prison submerged beneath the sea, holding only the most extreme criminals. At its deepest core, all manner of death-row inmates await their end.
Fallen royals of ruined kingdoms, rebel leaders who tried to overthrow the Emperor politically—it's a place where all of them exist.
Whether it was rage at the thought of his innocent mother being locked up in such a place, he gritted his teeth hard enough to grind them.
"Damn it."
"Only the Emperor can enter or leave the Tower of Confinement. You know what that means, don't you?"
"...You expected from the start that I'd secretly try to find my mother's location."
Only the Emperor can come and go as he pleases, and the fates of the prisoners are decided entirely by his whims.
Royals are punished by being sold as slaves and sent to the Imperial Auction House, while rebel leaders are executed on the spot, whenever and wherever.
Calling it a prison would be generous—it's closer to the Emperor's personal playground.
"Feels like I'm dancing in the palm of his hand."
"Because you are."
Crackle—
The Brand on the nape of Luke's neck flickered red. Recognizing it as the Emperor's summons, he clicked his tongue.
"I should get going. If you have any more requests, leave them with the Information Guild."
"Luke von Shpenheim."
Calling him by his full name made Luke turn his head with visible displeasure. Well, it's only natural—aside from the Emperor, no one's ever addressed him like that.
"Don't cross the line recklessly. The Emperor isn't an opponent to take lightly."
Fzzzt—
At my advice, he tried to say something, but the pain from the Brand made him grimace sharply. Must be the silencing function embedded in the Emperor's Brand.
Which means Luke was about to say something about the Emperor's secrets. So he does know something about the Imperial House's hidden truths.
"...I know better than anyone. They're the ones who ruined my parents."
With those final words, Luke immediately left his seat.
'I should focus on finishing the Hunting Festival first.'
I already had something in mind. I couldn't help but look forward—in more ways than one—to Adel's expression when she saw what I'd brought back.
§
The day after the Hunting Festival.
One by one, people began returning with their hunted monsters in tow.
From horned rabbits the size of humans to reindeer as large as carriages—even lions that looked like they'd devoured a few people.
Among them were those drenched in blood from the hunt and others leisurely whistling as they strolled back.
The Hunting Festival was where suitors presented their spoils to the noble ladies they fancied, proving their prowess.
The noblewomen, in turn, gauged their own worth by the size and rarity of the gifts they received, smiling all the while.
Adel sat quietly inside her carriage amidst it all.
"What do you think His Grace will bring back?"
Lily asked, her voice slightly giddy as she looked at me.
"Hmm, as long as it's not too conspicuous, I suppose."
Though, truth be told, I'd already drawn every possible eye when I took down that monster earlier.
Still, I didn't want any more attention than necessary. Introverts like me weren't exactly fond of being the center of it all.
"Oh, but I think His Grace has something different in mind."
'That's exactly what worries me.'
I swallowed the rest of my words. Honestly, I was already grateful enough that he'd saved me from the monster. Anything more would just feel like an added burden.
"...Evan, are you alright?"
"Ah, I'm fine, my lady."
Evan answered with his usual bright smile. Though he had a bit of a goofy side, he was undoubtedly a formidable escort knight.
Just seeing him single-handedly push back a monster the size of a fortress was proof enough.
"It's been a long time since I've seen His Grace that angry. Haha, sends a shiver down my spine."
"Has he ever been like that before?"
"Well, it was quite a while ago..."
Evan hesitated briefly before sighing and continuing.
"Back when some of the children His Grace took in got hurt—that was the last time I saw him like that."
"...I see."
So he took in children, too. The more Adel learned about Abel, the more contradictions she found, leaving her slightly bewildered.
She even began questioning whether the epithet "Iron-Blood Duke" and his role as the mastermind in the original story truly fit.
After all, she'd only heard bits and pieces of the setting and plot from a friend—she'd never read the original work herself.
"Well, I was one of those kids, actually. Even though it was so long ago, I still remember it clearly."
"Come to think of it, you don't have an accent, Evan?"
"Ah, well... It only slips out when I'm tense or shouting commands."
Evan scratched his cheek awkwardly as he answered.
"I see..."
An awkward silence settled over them after that exchange. Before long, a commotion erupted outside.
Opening the window, Adel saw a man floating in the air, effortlessly holding a monstrous elephant-like creature in one hand.
Silver hair, crimson eyes, a gaze so sharp it could cut—along with a delinquent-like aura. It was Lev, the Tower Master and one of the male leads.
Though he lacked a surname due to his commoner origins, in terms of sheer combat prowess, he was easily among the top two.
Before she could finish the thought, Lev had already stopped in front of Estelle.
With a faint smile, he placed the monster he'd hunted beside her.
"As promised, I brought the biggest one. My lady."
"Thank you, Lev."
"What for? I just kept my word."
"Tch, discussing promises while leaving me out?"
The Crown Prince arrived, dragging an equally massive monster behind him. The competitive air between the two made Estelle scratch her cheek awkwardly, forcing an uncomfortable smile.
Watching from a distance, Lily gasped in pure admiration.
"Wow... The Tower Master and the Crown Prince really are on another level."
"Seems that way."
As the Hunting Festival neared its end, Adel stepped out of the carriage.
Holding Evan's mascot, her eyes landed on the Tower Master and the Crown Prince, still locked in a silent battle of nerves over their respective hunts.
"What, jealous?"
"Eek?!"
A voice suddenly whispered by her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. Adel whipped around immediately.
There stood Abel, his previously serious expression nowhere to be seen, replaced by a sly grin.
"...If you're here, you could've just said so."
"Hmm. I tapped your shoulder several times. It's not my fault you didn't notice."
"Did you?"
Had he really? There was no way I wouldn't have noticed a tap on the shoulder. Abel paused, then chuckled softly before flicking his fingers.
A massive white magic circle materialized in the air, and a monster dropped to the ground with a thud.
A lion's body, an eagle's head and wings... As I slowly took in its appearance, I felt my hands trembling uncontrollably.
"This... Is this a griffon?!"
"You seemed to want one, so I hunted it myself."
For a moment, I couldn't comprehend what he was saying. Then, I remembered—the valiant eagle embroidered on the handkerchief I'd given him.
I'd stitched it without much thought, simply because it looked cool. As I let out a disbelieving laugh, Abel continued, as if teasing me.
"Well? Isn't this beyond what you expected?"
He wasn't wrong.
In more ways than one, it was beyond my expectations.