Chapter 102: Hunting Tournament (3)
Chapter 102: Hunting Tournament (3)
"Right, while you were away on a mission, they broke another building. That's the payment for it, but I still thought I should get your permission."
"......."
"Of course, it's not compulsory, so if you don't want to, I'll handle things with only the Imperial Knights."
The Crown Prince's attitude became more careful, as if he had misinterpreted my darkening expression. It wasn't because of that... these bastards caused trouble again? They broke a building?!
Damn bastards.
A voice as cold as my expression came out.
"Use them freely."
"Right... if that's your wish, there's nothing I can... hmm?"
"I don't know if this can fully repay all their atrocities. I thank Your Highness for your generosity and gladly hand over command authority. You may use them as much as you please."
You can even take them entirely.
The Crown Prince's expression subtly changed. He glanced back at the mad dogs who were brandishing their swords, swaggering and picking fights with the Imperial Knights, only to be dragged away by Rien — then he turned back to me and smiled as if he hadn't noticed a thing.
"What are you saying? The whole world knows you're the only one who can control them. You're making quite a joke."
"Pardon?"
"It must have been quite bothersome, so thank you for so readily agreeing to join, Count."
So... I'm tied to those mad dogs, is that it?
Damn it, I fell for it.
.......
I thought as I moved on horseback.
'Ah, my butt hurts.'
Considering this vast forest, riding a horse was only natural, but my frail body didn't even make that easy. If there was any silver lining, it was that I didn't have to step forward.
'No, that's not right. I need to get injured, so I can't not step forward.'
I have to get hurt and go home!
That was the judgment I made when I ended up tied to these mad dogs and dragged along.
There was no avoiding it, so I'd get injured and drop out!
If we swept up the monsters in the first round like now, the hunting competition would begin. Then I'd have to participate too. After struggling and exhausting myself there, I might even have to face the Emperor. In that case, it's better to get hurt here and go home. If I coughed up blood, I wouldn't need to go through all this trouble, but that wasn't something I could control....
'I'll get hurt. I'll definitely get hurt!'
My eyes flashed with enthusiasm.
"Hey, hey, look at the Count's eyes."
"Wow... that's a bit scary... is he angry?"
"Maybe it's because he hasn't gotten to swing his sword at a monster?"
"That's creepy... is he going to flip out?"
I could hear murmuring around me, but I didn't really register it from excessive tension.
So I steeled myself and chose the momentary physical pain over enduring mental anguish, but....
'Why is the end already in sight?'
Before I knew it, the subjugation was near its end.
I blinked blankly at the knights preparing for what seemed to be the final battle.
"...... Lady Rien."
"Yes, my lord."
"Why are you... guarding me so well......."
"You flatter me."
No, I mean take it easy. Don't look so pleased.
All the way here, Rien hadn't allowed a single monster to reach me.
Ah, it seemed my words just now had ignited Rien. A grim determination settled in her eyes.
'Don't. Whatever it is, stop.'
"I will ensure that you won't have to draw your sword in this battle either."
"Ah...."
"Please watch over me."
"No... there's no need to go that far... I should use my weapon at least once...."
"You might find me untrustworthy, my lord. But I can do at least this much, so please trust me."
"......."
Shit.
At this point, my stubbornness flared up. Yes, I'll definitely step forward and get hurt.
Lady Rien moved away from me to check on the mad dogs. I watched her retreating figure and started racking my brain in a hurry.
She probably wouldn't even give me a chance to face a monster. Given Lady Rien's current state, it looked like I wouldn't even glimpse a single strand of monster fur.
"Count."
"...... If it comes to that, I'll even pinch the horse's rump to fall off...."
"Count?"
"Uh, yeah? Dan?"
"Yes, Count. Just now... no, never mind."
Dan, who had been looking at me with a complicated expression, quickly shook his head and changed the subject. I felt like he was deliberately looking away because he thought it'd be a hassle to know — probably just my imagination.
I tilted my head as if to say 'spit it out,' and Dan shifted his expression as if getting to the point. I caught him glancing at me.
"I was told that my earlier action was a grave discourtesy."
"Ah."
'The hand he offered when I got out of the carriage?'
It seemed Rememver had explained it well. As long as he knew now, that was enough. I chuckled and waved my hand dismissively.
"It's already in the past, so what does it matter."
"But...."
Now that he knew the meaning, there was no way he could let it slide comfortably.
Dan kept stealing glances at my face. In a cautious voice, as if gauging my reaction, he continued.
"You're not... angry?"
"I said it's already in the..."
I started to answer nonchalantly but stopped short. My eyes narrowed.
...... Somehow, he seemed to expect me to be angry. Was I imagining it?
Feeling a sense of dissonance, I stared at him wordlessly. When no answer came right away, he flinched and averted his eyes.
His black eyes looked into mine, studied my expression, then dropped to the floor — anyone could see he was walking on eggshells, but even that felt like he was calculating something. I gave it a little more time before slowly opening my mouth.
"You...."
"Monster!!"
The rest of my words were drowned out by a shout from the side.
'My selective hearing! Dan wasn't the issue right now.' I whipped my head around and looked toward where the shout had come from.
There they were, the perfect excuse for my selective hearing — one, two, three... anyway, a whole horde was rushing over.
'...... That's a lot, though.'
Well, still nothing compared to the Demon Realm.
The reason they overflowed into this side in the first place was because their numbers were so immense they spilled over into the human world. Those who were pushed out were probably the weak ones driven out even among demonic beasts.
It just meant this was the largest group of monsters we'd encountered so far, not that they were a serious threat.
Trusting this information and the reliable knights, I casually drew my dagger. I'd pretend to fight, then get appropriately hurt and make my exit.
I spurred my horse forward a step, when a thunderous shout from right beside me shook my eardrums.
"Imperial Knights, prepare for battle! All units, form ranks!"
"!"
Ah, startled me. I reflexively gripped the dagger that I almost dropped.
At the captain's shout, they moved in flawless unison. A gasp of admiration escaped me involuntarily.
'Wow, impressive. I'd seen it several times on the way here, but it's still impressive. Can't our guys do that?'
"The Lofty Knight Order, though...."
"Uwaaaaa!!"
"The one with horns is mine!"
"...... Fine, do as you please."
Rien's voice was heard, sounding utterly resigned.
Mm, as expected, impossible. I gave a hollow laugh as I watched the wild dogs charging in without any formation whatsoever. I'd really had futile expectations.
'Well, now I....'
I swept my gaze over the situation and picked out a suitable target, glaring at it.
The dagger in my hand twirled, and my thumb kept extending and folding as if rubbing the hilt.
The moment I moved my horse while unconsciously giving a habitual hand signal, a familiar voice rang out.
"Milan!!"
Cleter, pointing at me and yelling at Milan.
"Stop the Count!"
"...... Huh?!"
* * *
There were times when he thought such things.
How had a vanguard made up of the poor and commoners who hadn't even learned proper swordsmanship survived the Eight-Year War? Had simply going berserk really been enough?
'No way.'
No matter how much a sheep thrashed, if the opponent was a tiger, that was the end.
If the tiger found them annoying and looked away, they were lucky; but if not, they died just like that, their lives trivial as flies.
There had been quite a few tigers on the battlefield, and there were many moments when they had no choice but to face them. In those times, they had to survive by relying on their captain, Deon Hart.
'To be precise, through sacrifice....'
Rolling that rough, almost cutting word in his mouth, Cleter of the Murderer Knight Order gave a bitter smile.
Their captain, now an honorary count, knew his own physical condition with surprising precision. He knew exactly where his physical 'limits' were.
Considering how others wrecked their bodies because they didn't understand their own condition, or gave up far before reaching their limits, this was undoubtedly a tremendous talent.
Deon Hart had applied this talent in a slightly twisted way.
'Knowing one's physical limits means that, if you set your mind to it, you can surpass that line at any time.'
As a single hidden strike to kill an overwhelmingly powerful enemy.
To catch the opponent off guard and kill them in one blow, he would momentarily exceed the speed his legs could produce and surpass the limits of his arm's strength. Afterwards, his bones and muscles would be damaged, requiring considerable recovery time.
Cleter thought it was like a honeybee's attack. After striking with all its might once, it became completely defenseless.
'Of course, the part about recovering over time was different.'
Ah, and the fact that he could endure it with sheer viciousness and pretend to be fine was also different.
Of course, attacking or defending was completely impossible though.
'But that!'
Was he trying to use it just for subjugating monsters?!
"Ha."
He was so dumbfounded he couldn't even laugh.
Meanwhile, the oblivious Milan looked like he was about to mindlessly repeat the command, but then tilted his head.
"The Count's order... Huh? Not 'cover'?"
"Shut up and stop him!"
Of course, the meaning of Deon Hart's hand signal had been 'cover me,' but no matter how he thought about it, that wasn't right.
Why wreck the Count's body over something that wasn't even an emergency?
"Well... if that's the case... Stop the Count!"
"Stop the Count!"
"Stop the Count!"
Those who heard Milan's voice repeated it and moved, and those who heard that voice repeated it again. The command spread to all the members in an instant.
"Wh-what the, you bastards...!"
"You mustn't, Count!"
"I don't know what it is, but you can't!"
"Let go, you bastards! I'm going home!"
Cleter, watching Deon thrashing while being restrained by the members, quietly sighed in relief.
It was fortunate for both him and Deon that the hand signals had become a habit. Otherwise, it would have been chaos by now.
Deon Hart mainly used hand signals on the battlefield. Because of that, Cleter, the calmest among them, had taken on the role of watching his signals and relaying them.
The hand signal just now had meant 'I'll use it, so cover me while I'm defenseless.'
"What on earth is...."
"Haha...."
Cleter gave an awkward smile toward the bewildered Rien, then glanced over at the subjugation that was wrapping up without incident despite the chaos, and flinched.
Dan's face, twisted with anger and irritation, was fiercely directed at the commotion.
* * *
The first phase of subjugation was over. What remained now was the hunting competition.
I hadn't done anything, but I was exhausted. With a tired face, I walked across the outdoor social venue. Every time I passed, noble ladies and young ladies covered their mouths with their fans and whispered, but I didn't want to care, so I ignored them.
I'm tired. I should go into the tent, even if just for a moment.
"My lord, are you going in?"
"Yes, Lady Rien. Wrap things up appropriately and make sure those bastards are tied down so they don't cause trouble."
"Understood. I'll inform you when His Highness the Crown Prince gives the opening speech."
"And Dan...."
"Yes."
"You're free until the hunting competition, so do as you please. ... Don't follow me."
"...... Yes......"
Dan stopped following me. I saw his face grow a little glum, but I waved him off and went inside.
I put the heavy, cumbersome bag on the table, ordered outside that no one enter, then carefully took out the plant pot. Facing that sluggish thing, I sighed first.
"How on earth am I supposed to deal with this...?"
Do I have to keep carrying it around until I return to the Demon Realm?
But if I participate in the hunting competition like this, I have to go with Dan... won't we get caught?
"I want to go home...."
Lamenting the twisted situation, I poked the bizarre creature with my finger. It seemed displeased, because it wrapped a leaf around my finger and bent it.
"Ack, this crazy bastard...! Let go. You won't let go?!"
"Count? What's the matter!"
"Don't come in!"