Chapter 16
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Hunting Festival (5)
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Thud, thud—
For a brief moment, black blood spurted from the severed sections of the demonic beasts, but soon all of them collapsed to the ground.
Thud—
A momentary silence hung in the air amid the vibrations transmitted as the giant orcs and ogres' massive bodies hit the earth.
"…"
Gulp—
Someone recalled the scene they had just witnessed and swallowed hard.
The palace knights who had stepped forward, drawing their swords to confront the demonic beasts tainted by demonic energy, along with the nobles, all stared at Yujin's back.
Awe at the absolute power that had sliced through every single beast with one sword stroke.
Admiration.
Respect.
Envy.
And fear.
A wide array of gazes poured toward Yujin, who had effortlessly accomplished what no one else could ever dream of doing alone.
The knights, especially the palace knights, directed intensely fervent looks at him. As the elite among the empire's knights, tasked with protecting the emperor, they understood.
Just how much profound principle was contained in that simple sword stroke Yujin had demonstrated—what the path of a swordsman truly entailed, and the extent of what a master swordsman could achieve.
They imagined it.
The sight of themselves becoming masters. How they would have responded if they had been in Yujin's position.
Yet no matter how they envisioned it, they lacked confidence in producing results as clean as his.
They could kill the ferocious demonic beasts tainted by demonic energy, but they knew they couldn't follow the principles embedded in Yujin's sword.
A sword intent honed to the extreme solely for slaying the enemy.
The most fundamental reason the weapon known as the 'sword' was born—to kill people, to take lives—and swordsmanship that elevated that existential purpose to its utmost limit.
'This... is a master...'
'Worthy of being called the greatest genius in continental history.'
'I've seen the Captain of the Guard's sword before, but even then, it didn't send shivers like this...'
'Hard to judge, but among masters, he's top-tier, right...?'
'…Gulp.'
Step—
Step—
As Yujin approached, the palace knights and nobles stiffened.
He wasn't emitting any murderous intent or mana, but they were overwhelmed by the innate pressure arising from the fundamental gap in their levels.
Yujin asked the palace knight who appeared to be in charge.
"What's the situation?"
The palace knight swallowed once and glanced around.
And then.
"…We're sorry, Your Excellency. We haven't grasped the details yet. We're just responding to the rescue signals from the participants."
"I see."
"…We're truly sorry."
The palace knights bowed their heads as if they genuinely meant it.
After all, this forest was under imperial management.
And the knights deployed here belonged to the imperial household, so they couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility.
Of course, in reality, this was merely an accident deliberately orchestrated by someone where neither the imperial family nor the palace knights bore any fault... but neither Yujin, the palace knights, nor the nobles knew that now.
"…Phew. What about the rescued nobles—no, participants?"
"We've managed to save most of those who sent rescue signals."
"Any deaths?"
"None so far. However, some were found with wounds so severe they were on the brink of death, so it's uncertain."
A case similar to the Dersan young master.
Even he would have turned into a cold corpse if discovered just a bit later.
Thinking about it that way, the timing felt miraculously fortunate.
In any case, no deaths yet meant the political responsibility passed to the imperial family would be lessened.
"Understood. Have all participants been evacuated from the forest?"
The palace knight hesitated at Yujin's question.
"Well... His Highness the Crown Prince's group hasn't emerged yet."
"…What?"
Silence—
The Crown Prince's group hadn't come out?
'…This is bad.'
It didn't matter how lacking the Crown Prince was as an individual. What mattered was that he held the title of 'Crown Prince' and was imperial blood.
If a member of the imperial family died?
It would be a catastrophe.
Political responsibility for the imperial family aside, a royal dying in the imperial front yard?
Not only would their image plummet, but their direct authority would be at risk of decline. Of course, if the cause of this incident was linked to something like terrorism, it could turn into a blessing in disguise...
'…But betting on a royal's death is gambling with abysmal odds.'
Irene and Lucia, who had approached Yujin, also hardened their expressions upon overhearing the palace knight.
"…!!! Your Highness the Princess! Loyalty!"
"Never mind that. That's not important right now."
Lucia brushed off the palace knights' salutes.
"Is that idiot... really saying His Highness the Crown Prince hasn't come out?"
"…Yes, that's correct."
Lucia muttered under her breath.
"…Haa... because of that moron..."
The surrounding palace knights pretended not to hear. They somewhat agreed with Lucia's sentiment, and her trash-talking the Crown Prince was a semi-open secret anyway.
Yujin, who had been quietly thinking, spoke up.
"In the end, I'll have to go search myself."
"Yujin?"
"You're going in personally?"
Lucia and Irene reacted to his words. Before they could discuss it further, a noble interjected.
"Wait, please wait a moment..."
"…And you are?"
"I'm Gerthan, second son of the Dersan Viscount family, saved by Your Excellency."
The Dersan young master, whom Yujin's group had rescued, barely managed to speak with a noble's support. He looked on the verge of collapse at any moment.
But.
'I have to say this.'
Driven by a sense of duty to convey what he had seen, he mustered every ounce of strength to hold on just a little longer.
"Your Excellency. In the forest... there's a Fenrir."
"…!!!!!!!"
"What."
"Fenrir...?"
"That mythical beast?"
The surrounding knights and nobles reacted to the word "Fenrir" from the Dersan young master.
"…Is that true?"
"…Yes. It could be a mistake, but that massive body, blue eyes, white fur—with just one swing of its front paw, I took a mortal wound and collapsed."
And we saved him after belatedly discovering it...
"Understood for now. You're in no condition, so rest inside."
With those words, the Dersan young master lost consciousness again. It meant he had barely held on just to deliver that one message.
Yujin dismissed the palace knights and spoke to the women.
"Looks like I have to go check it out myself."
"…Yujin. Is that okay?"
Irene murmured in a worried voice.
"If the Dersan young master's words are true, this is no ordinary matter. The legendary Fenrir and the demonic energy enveloping the beasts. This is..."
He understood her concern.
Though everything was still unclear, if it was real, countless people would surely die.
A Fenrir was that dangerous. There were even tales of it biting gods to death.
But.
"That's exactly why I must go."
As the strongest knight present, he had to protect the nobles here first.
Above all, he had to protect the two women who harbored feelings for him.
...I never want to lose someone precious again.
Squeeze—
Yujin suppressed the sudden surge of emotion and flashed an arrogant smile.
"And who am I?"
"..Yujin."
Who was he? The pinnacle of martial prowess, a master said to carve mountains and alter terrain alone.
Yujin was confident he could slay any foe and return unscathed, no matter the situation.
"So just trust in me."
"…Yeah, got it."
"Come back safe, Yujin."
In the end, they chose to let him go.
"I'm leaving control here to you."
"Yes. Just trust me and Irene, Yujin."
Nod.
Yujin turned his back to them and charged toward the depths of the forest.
As he raced through the woods, he thought.
'There's something I didn't tell them.'
Since returning to the starting point, he had been sensing some kind of energy.
An immensely powerful, impure aura mixed with demonic energy constantly bearing down on him.
The source was deep in the forest.
'…The Fenrir, perhaps.'
Whether it truly was the one said to have killed a god, he didn't know.
Yujin leisurely dashed through the forest.
Huff, huff...! Sobs!
Sena ran through the forest.
'Why!'
How on earth had things turned out like this?
Why was she running alone without the Northern Grand Duke or the Crown Prince?
"Kyaa...!"
Thud—!
She suddenly tripped from the shockwave ahead.
Whoosh—!!
As the dust cleared from something's snort, Sena could see the enormous being before her eyes.
"Wolf...!"
A massive wolf with blue eyes.
—Grrrrrr...!
Sena's body froze at the wolf's growl.
'Scary...!'
The Crown Prince had already lost consciousness somewhere after being struck by the wolf's front paw.
The Northern Grand Duke had muttered something incomprehensible like 'How did things end up like this...!' before being flung away by a single swipe of the wolf's paw.
'What in the world is happening...!'
Sena screamed internally. Her feet wouldn't leave the ground.
'Why is this happening to me...!'
What exactly had gone wrong?
Being forcibly dragged here as the partner for the Crown Prince and Northern Grand Duke at the hunting festival?
Or failing to mediate the fight between the Crown Prince and Northern Grand Duke?
Or the Northern Grand Duke stepping up to show off and messing everything up?
She couldn't pinpoint where it had gone wrong. She shouldn't have come to this damn hunting festival in the first place.
'I should have just refused...!'
Sena squeezed her eyes shut as the massive wolf opened its enormous maw toward her.
Imagining her impending death.
But.
Thud—!!!!
No matter how long she waited, death didn't come. When she opened her eyes at the sudden presence ahead,
"Yu,Yujin?"
A man drew his sword toward the giant wolf—Yujin stood before Sena.