Chapter 101: Hunting Tournament (2)
Chapter 101: Hunting Tournament (2)
The news that Deon Hart had returned was delivered.
The Duke, who was strangely wary of Deon Hart, had been receiving detailed reports on Deon Hart's every movement from the moment he'd heard the news until now.
Everything — that he had departed first, about three and a half hours before the hunting competition began, and that he'd stopped by the Den Trading Company midway to pick up a man before heading back toward his destination.
'But why... are there no orders?'
Cruel's nerves were on edge.
By now, there normally should have been an order. An order to send people — revolutionaries, assassins, anyone.
Yet it was so excessively quiet that it only made him more tense, and after scrutinizing every micro-expression on the Duke's face, he couldn't bear the silence any longer and slowly parted his lips.
"Are you... not sending anyone?"
The Duke, who had been looking away from the correspondence in his hands, quietly stared at Cruel. After a brief pause, a painted smile spread across his expressionless face.
"No. There is no need to send anyone right now. In just a few hours, a situation will arise where killing him will be far easier and manipulating his death will be simpler. Why would I need to go out of my way to make things hard for myself?"
The hunting competition.
Cruel's eyes sank.
"It would be better to prepare them a bit more and send them then."
"......."
"In that sense, there is somewhere I would like you to go."
The Duke had finally moved, yet Cruel's frayed nerves did not easily settle. As always, he lowered his eyes and waited for the words to follow.
* * *
In the end, we decided to go together.
I stared sourly at Dan, who was seated opposite me in the carriage, next to Rememver. His ever-characteristic black eyes glinted as they met mine.
'......This is too much pressure.......'
Should I have refused after all? But even Rememver had been urging me to bring Dan along. He'd said something about how he'd meant to discuss Dan assisting me as soon as we arrived, or something.
Of course, I hadn't let it slide smoothly either; I had subtly voiced my refusal.
[Dan's swordsmanship is....]
[He has learned enough to be of some help!]
[So he says, my lord. Perhaps this is a good opportunity to see what level he has reached.]
[.......]
Dammit.
Reflexively, I tightened my arm around the bag. As if responding to the pressure, a 'Squeak—' came from inside.
Dan, who had been looking at me, tilted his head.
"Huh...? Didn't you hear something just now?"
"I, I'm not sure I did."
"Squeeak...."
Thud!
I quickly opened the window. Startled gazes turned toward me.
"Seems like there's a strange noise coming from outside."
"Ah....... Is that so."
Dan nodded, though he kept tilting his head as if something still bothered him.
Whew, that was close....... No, is it too early to relax? He's still peering outside trying to find the source of the sound!
If this carnivorous plant makes a noise one more time, I'll be caught red-handed with no way out. I hastily called him.
"Th-that... more importantly, how was the trading company able to grow this big? What on earth did you do?"
"Ah, we distributed various goods, primarily medicinal herbs and war supplies."
"War supplies can't be distributed without the Empire's permission...."
"When I mentioned that I was serving under Honorary Count Hart, the administrative side handled it on their own."
So he'd been selling my name.
He's one thing, but the administration that processed it is a problem too.
"What if it had been a lie? You just went ahead and...."
"Ah! Of course, they didn't handle it immediately. They said they needed time to verify its authenticity, so they told me to come back a week later."
Well, that's a relief, then.
The carriage stopped. Rememver, who had been watching us with a satisfied look, checked outside the window, then opened the door and said,
"We have arrived."
Rememver got out first, and Dan followed after him. I stood up last, took Dan's offered hand, and stepped down, then lifted my head at the strangely quiet surroundings. Everyone was staring at me with startled eyes.
"......?"
What, what's with them.
The bewilderment was only momentary. I traced their gazes with my eyes, and inwardly let out a short sigh.
'......Ah.'
Fucked up.
This wasn't the Demon Realm.
I quietly let go of Dan's hand and straightened my posture as if nothing had happened.
"......."
"......."
Silence flowed. Along with it, a cold sweat ran down my back.
Was this... a trap for me? Some kind of leading interrogation?
In the Demon Realm, if someone extended a hand, they'd handle everything from start to finish for you, so it had become a habit. Actually, refusing to take the hand caused even more troublesome situations, so I couldn't even refuse.
Why did Dan even extend his hand? Doesn't he know this is an insult? And what is Rememver doing, not cleaning up this situation....
'......No, Rememver. What's with that dismayed expression? Did you seriously teach him everything and leave that part out?'
I wanted to point it out right then and there, but given the situation, I carefully composed my expression and acted unfazed.
"Dan."
"Yes, my lord."
A face so innocent, as if he knew nothing at all.
Right. There's no way he did it on purpose. I couldn't exactly scold him for something unintentional, so I searched for the gentlest words possible.
Words to indirectly explain that what he'd just done was wrong.
"......Did I look that unwell?"
The people you assist when stepping down from a carriage are typically young children and women wearing cumbersome skirts.
To help a fully grown adult — one not wearing a skirt and with no physical impairments — is an insult to that person.
It roughly means, 'You look so frail you can't even support your own body.'
'I mean, I am frail, but.......'
People don't usually do this to my face. I'm an 'official hero' of the Empire, after all.
"......Pardon?"
Dan floated a question mark above his head, not understanding the implication.
For a moment, I considered whether I should explain more directly, but then I felt the surrounding stares still fixed on me and chose to cover for him instead.
"You're quick to notice. Coincidentally, I've been feeling a little under the weather today. Probably fatigue."
Pointing out his mistake could be done later, by Rememver.
The priority right now was to protect him so that I — having taken his hand and stepped down — wouldn't become a laughingstock.
As if sensing that the situation had been settled, Rememver began preparing to return to the estate. I shot him a look telling him to teach Dan properly later, then lifted my head.
The gazes that had been stealing glances at me quickly scattered away.
* * *
Rien Rainer, commander of the Murderer Knight Order, who had been standing by at this hunting ground under the Crown Prince's orders, could not hide her shock.
Dan had made a grave mistake. It probably wasn't intentional.
Considering that he had the appearance of a southerner and came from a remote mountain village, the speculation that he simply didn't know and made a mistake gained weight.
Even when receiving education, a commoner would never need to escort someone, so this topic would likely have been taught and learned only in a superficial manner.
You extend a hand to children, people in skirts, and those who are unwell. Well, just that much?
'The vassal probably extended his hand knowing that our lord's body had weakened due to the curse....'
His consideration was good, but the recipient was a 'hero.'
Extending a hand to a hero, when even an ordinary man might take it as an insult and find it offensive —
This was an insult to Deon Hart personally, and furthermore, an act that blemished the honor of the title 'hero' that he bore.
'Usually, ignorance is no excuse, but... it depends on the situation.'
In her judgment, this was an offense.
There is a limit to humiliating one's lord. He had been insulted by his own subordinate, whom he had personally brought along, no less.
But the moment Deon calmly took Dan's hand and stepped down, Rien was filled with admiration. More precisely, at the words he followed up with.
"You're quick to notice. Coincidentally, I've been feeling a little under the weather today. Probably fatigue."
He had smoothed over the situation by casually taking the hand and stepping down as if nothing was wrong, and by directly mentioning that he wasn't feeling well so that Dan wouldn't be embarrassed.
The atmosphere, which had been unconsciously tense, relaxed.
In a situation where everyone would have accepted him simply slapping away the extended hand and getting angry, he handled it so leniently.
Rien cast a proud expression toward the quietly murmuring Imperial Knights.
'That is who our lord is.'
Well, now that our master has arrived, we should go greet him.
She turned her head and checked on the unruly wild dogs. Where had they heard the order to stay put? The bastards were creeping slyly toward the Imperial Knights standing nearby, wearing mischievous grins.
The veins bulged in Rien's neck.
"Get over here this instant?!"
And there, in a place beyond Rien's sight,
stood Dan, quietly watching Deon with an unreadable expression.
* * *
'Why the hell are you guys here......?'
Those were the words that had clawed up to my throat the moment I first saw the Murderer Knight Order.
No wonder. The departure had seemed so unusually modest, at odds with Rememver's usual tendency to always prepare at least the minimum when sending me off to the Imperial Palace.
Fine, the coachman and Dan joining midway are one thing. But departing this modestly, with barely any escort? There was no way.
'It was because they were all already here.'
I saw the Murderer Knight Order. And Rien, scolding them for whatever trouble they'd caused again.
The veins bulging in her neck, Rien belatedly raised her head as if realizing the situation. Her face brightened the moment she spotted me without difficulty.
"My Lord, you've arrived."
"Yes. It has been a while, Lady Rien."
"You must be tired from the long journey. Are you feeling alright? Ah, please give me your luggage."
"This bag is fine. I'll carry it. As for my body, it's fine... A little tired, but not particularly bad."
My condition was the same as always, but for today, let's just say I'm tired.
"By the way......."
I trailed off and looked around. I'd been thinking this for a while....... Yeah, something's definitely off.
Why does it feel like we're the only ones here? Isn't the hunting competition today? Seeing the Imperial Knights present, I don't think I'm mistaken....... Could it already be over?
"Are there no other people?"
"Excuse me? Were you not aware?"
"Pardon?"
What. I feel like I've experienced this situation before.
When was it... Ah, right. That time when I'd just returned from the Demon Realm and headed to the Imperial Palace for the banquet, knowing absolutely nothing.
'Everyone else knows and I'm the only one who doesn't.......'
Just as my expression was turning strange, a familiar voice came from behind.
"I deliberately called you early. It should have been written on the invitation. Did you not know?"
"Your, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
"It has been a while, Count."
The Crown Prince smiled and waved his hand. I hastily bowed.
"Glory to the Empire. Your servant Deon Hart greets the future of the Empire."
More importantly, it was on the invitation? If I'd known, I would've at least tried reading it.
I thought the Emperor's words would suffice. I'd assumed invitations and schedules were things Rememver would take care of without me needing to worry, so there was no need for me to bother reading.
Not to mention, I'd been fed up with reading text these past few days because of all the paperwork, so I really hadn't wanted to read any more printed words.
"Right. I called you early because I had something to ask. I apologize if it was unpleasant. I'm sorry."
"Ah, no, not at all. I was merely a bit flustered, so there is no need for you to apologize. More importantly, what is it you wished to ask...?"
The Crown Prince straightened his expression as if he'd been waiting.
His golden eyes glanced briefly toward the Murderer Knight Order before settling back on me. As if gauging something, his eyes narrowed, and a careful voice continued.
"Do you know what we mainly hunt in the hunting competition that will soon begin?"
"M-monsters, I was told."
I almost said demonic beasts.
"Correct. But if we simply held a hunting competition, who knows what might happen. So for safety, we plan to first sweep away the monsters and use the remaining stragglers for the competition...."
"An excellent idea."
"I'll take the compliment gratefully. At any rate, what I wanted to ask is this. I intend to deploy the Imperial Knights and the Murderer Knight Order here. Would that be alright?"
"......The Murderer Knight Order... you mean?"
They wouldn't be able to handle it.