Chapter 103: Hunting Tournament (4)
Chapter 103: Hunting Tournament (4)
He barely managed to pull his finger out and stopped the movement that seemed about to snap back any moment. He carefully wrapped his throbbing finger.
Damn it. Look at my finger, all red and swollen. So he handed such a dangerous plant over to me. Hien, that bastard...!
Amid all that, the thing, as if proud of something, pointed a stem at my swollen finger and curled up a leaf. My blood pressure surged at the sight, which looked just like a thumbs-up.
"What are you so proud of...!"
"Gyeek."
"You made a sound... Huh? Use this as an excuse to get out?"
"Gwek."
A much quieter reply came back. My expression turned subtle.
No... I appreciate the thought, but still, a hero has his dignity. There's no way I can go home just because of a finger injury.
More importantly, are you really doing that out of consideration for me? Not just annoyed because I kept poking you?
I'd noticed the outside getting busy, and it seemed they could not ignore the commotion inside after all. The sound of hurried footsteps along with her voice came, as if bringing Rien.
"My lord! I heard there was a problem! May I enter?"
"J-just a moment! No! Please wait a moment!"
"......."
Damn it. I told them not to come in, so why are they bringing Rien.
He hurriedly shoved the flowerpot into the bag.
Maybe because it wasn't the expected answer, the silence was brief; by the time he was wrestling with the bag that wouldn't close properly, a solemn voice came back.
"Indeed, there is some problem after all. I'm coming in."
"!"
Th-the bag isn't fully closed yet!
...Let's just shove it into the corner. He hurriedly pushed the bag with his foot, skidding it. The cloth covering the entrance was swept aside almost at the same time.
Rien strode in with her sword drawn, eyes sharp, scanning the interior. After confirming nothing was wrong, her eyes landed on him, awkwardly standing and hiding the bag.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, yes..."
"You always answer like that. I won't believe it."
Then why did she ask.
Her unrelenting gaze swept him from top to bottom. The scrutiny that seemed intent on even tearing apart a single strand of hair finally reached his slightly swollen finger.
Her expression turned fierce.
"As expected, an assassination attempt!"
"How does this have anything to do with an assassination attempt! I just sprained it!"
"If it was nothing, you wouldn't have frantically stopped the guards trying to enter or me! There must have been an assassin!"
"......."
There's nothing I can say...
He couldn't say he had something to hide, so he stayed quiet, and she took it as affirmation, her voice full of conviction continuing.
"I understand your desire to handle it quietly, but from the start, the guards and I exist to protect you. It's troublesome if you keep trying to hide things like this."
"......."
"I have heard that among types of assassination, there is a method of coating a needle with poison and pricking. I will call a doctor immediately."
"No, wait... hold on...!"
"Don't stop me! Your finger is already this red and swollen! It must be treated before the poison spreads further!"
What's with her, scary. She's like a runaway carriage!
Even if embarrassing, he can't let them call a doctor. He reached out to grab Rien, who seemed about to bolt out. But instead of her hand, he caught a completely different, thick-knuckled large hand of some man.
...Huh?
"Did you say poison?!"
When did you come in? No, before that, can you let go of my hand?
Cleter, having apparently heard Rien's shout from outside, barged in. Suddenly grabbed by the hand and shoulder, he was helplessly fluttering along with his movements, then belatedly came to his senses and gave him a dead fish look.
"What do you think you're doing coming in without permission..."
"Where! Where were you poisoned? Don't tell me you ingested it?!"
"No..."
"Then where!"
"Nowhere..."
"Cleter. Your insolence will be punished later. Go call a doctor right now."
"Understood!"
I said no! Stop right now!
He hurriedly grabbed Cleter, who was about to dash out. But this bastard just kept moving? For the record, he was still holding onto him.
As his body stretched out following his movement, about to collapse onto the floor, flustered Cleter forgot about leaving and hastily supported him.
"Why, why are you stopping me?"
"I said it's not poison. Lady Rien just misunderstood."
He blinked, then let out a deep sigh of relief and plopped down onto the floor. Ugh! He fell along with him.
You bastard... He rubbed his nose and lifted his head, and a voice still full of suspicion came.
"Then why is your finger swollen?"
Rien stood with her arms crossed, looking at him with a dubious gaze.
"I told you, I sprained it."
"So what I'm saying is, how did that happen?"
"...Do I have to say that much?"
It's just a sprained finger?
He could never say he got done in by a plant. Because it's dangerous? No, because it's embarrassing.
Rien seemed to think there was no need to say that much, and she cleared her throat, shaking her head.
"No, never mind. It's a relief it's not poison."
"Yes... Ah, Lady Rien."
"Yes?"
Eyes full of question turned toward him.
This was just something he threw out because it crossed his mind when he saw her. He said it casually.
"I want to go home."
"Ah, I heard from the butler that you are swamped with paperwork and must be tired. You can't."
"...?"
As expected, she's firm.
No, more than that, isn't the logic weird?
"His Majesty is coming as well; you can't go back first. If the reason is that you don't want to participate in the hunting competition, you don't have to overexert yourself catching monsters; just keep your seat occupied..."
As she casually lifted her head, her eyes met his squarely.
She paused, uncrossed her arms and straightened up. Her expression, which had relaxed a bit, hardened again as if it had never softened.
"My lord, would you lift your head?"
"?"
"Cleter. Lift his head a bit. So I can see clearly."
"L-like this?"
Cleter grabbed his chin and lifted his head toward Rien.
"My lord, would you please remove your hand?"
"..."
"Cleter."
"Yes."
Damn it. Cleter took the hand he had covering the lower part of his face and pulled it down.
The warm liquid that had been flowing under his nose trickled down to his chin, formed a droplet, and fell to the floor with a plop.
"You have a nosebleed!"
"Ah... it was a nosebleed?"
He thought it was just snot and hid it desperately.
...No, wait. Nosebleed?! At this timing, of all times?
He lifted his trembling eyes and looked at Rien. As expected, her eyes were blazing.
"As I thought, poison...!"
"No! This is from falling earlier because of this bastard...!"
"When did I... Ah, ahh?!"
Cleter, who had jumped up reflexively, stopped as if something occurred to him. His pupils were visibly trembling.
Right, because while supporting him, he had gotten relieved and just sat down like that. Because of that, he fell over too.
Should I drag him away? He shook his head vigorously at Lady Rien's questioning look and called him. Since he was holding a handkerchief to his nose, his voice came out a little stuffy.
"Cleter."
"Yes... Count..."
"Why did you come?"
He needed to hear the reason and then kick him out.
A guy who should be fooling around with those mad dogs a little away from here couldn't possibly have come to this tent by chance.
Cleter, as if belatedly remembering the purpose of his visit, let out a short "Ah!" and straightened up. His reflection appeared in his serious eyes.
"I heard you're taking Dan as an assistant for the hunting competition."
"That's right."
"Could you at least take one more? Just the two of you is a bit worrisome."
"Is it necessary...?"
The number of assistants you can take to the hunting competition is a maximum of four. Ah, four is only for the imperial family, so more precisely, it should be three.
He had no particular intention of catching monsters enthusiastically, so more assistants than that would be a luxury... Originally, he planned to participate alone without even Dan.
His lack of interest must have shown on his face, because Cleter hurriedly continued.
"Dan's gaze seemed a bit suspicious."
"What?"
"During the subjugation just now... the look he gave you..."
"...?"
"...Um... so... intense irritation? Creeping suspicion? Burning fury?"
Are you casting a spell?
"Anyway, it was very suspicious."
"I see... I see... Then, Lady Rien."
Drag him out.
Rien, who had been standing still, stepped forward and grabbed Cleter's arm.
She just grabbed it.
"C-Count?"
"...Lady Rien? Why aren't you dragging him out..."
"I'm not sure about anything else, but I agree with the opinion that you should take one more assistant."
Her steadfast eyes said, 'I will go.'
...He was grateful for her concern, but... no more than this.
Getting pushed around like this couldn't happen over and over. He was a person with some capacity to learn too.
He averted his eyes from her burdensome gaze.
"No."
Even because of the bizarre creature in the bag, no.
What bothered him most was her personality. Dan might be one thing, but the moment she found out, it felt like the worst imaginable situation would unfold.
After confirming the nosebleed had stopped, he folded the handkerchief, put it in his pocket, and quietly picked up the bag.
"Get out. I'm coming out too."
"My lord?"
"No. I said no."
"Count?"
"No. It's my decision."
"Are you a child, Count? Why are you throwing a tantrum without a proper reason?"
Ah, whatever. No. I said no. Originally, he was going to go alone.
If he was going to be pressured like this here, he'd rather just go outside. He pushed the two humans' backs and stepped outside.
And he regretted it.
"Why is a mere honorary count called 'Count'... tch."
What is wrong with his luck?
Getting picked on the moment he came out. He stared blankly at the person who started the trouble, with a hint of admiration.
Seeing how brazenly he was flaunting the title of 'Count', he must be someone with a title. Had he recently become the head of the family? He was very young.
But he looked incredibly nasty. As he stared blankly at a face that seemed to have poured all its effort into outwardly expressing a shining personality, maybe the silence grew long, because Cleter, unable to stand it, stepped forward.
"Excuse me, but may I ask who you are?"
"Move aside. He is not someone a lowly one like you can dare to speak to."
Wow.
When the master is unpleasant, the attendant is unpleasant too.
Cleter shut his mouth tightly, then smiled slightly.
'Hey... hey, take your hand off the sword. Quickly.'
No matter how annoying, you can't just put your hand on your sword. What if he was a noble of a rank he couldn't protect Cleter from?
He looked at him with a fed-up expression and then looked for Rien. She must have seen Cleter putting his hand on his sword, but she didn't stop him...
'Ah... right... she was about to draw her sword with him...'
Come to think of it, that man's words did touch her 'knighthood' related to 'my lord'.
Still, you can't draw your sword. At least until we know who he is.
He gestured to stop the two of them and silently looked at the arrogant man.
What did he say earlier? Ah, right. 'Why is a mere honorary count called "Count"?' Honestly, he didn't have much to say about that.
'It's not even wrong, really.'
His official title as 'honorary count' was 'Hart Honorary Count'. It was correct to call him that, even to avoid unnecessary confusion.
But.
"Who are you...?"
Who do you think you are to pick a fight like this?
The man, whose eyes met his, flinched and raised his voice in reply. It was more a shout to hide his fear rather than an arrogant one.
"I am the 'real' Count Hart! I am different from a fake like you!"
Huh?
"......."
"......."
Silence descended.
In the quiet space, he slowly blinked.
What did he just hear? Let's think again.
Hmm... again.
Again. Again. Again.
.......
"...Aha."
Whatever expression he made at that moment, the man in front of him turned pale and stepped back.