223. The Hunting Banquet (1)
223. The Hunting Banquet (1)
- 1 -
Cheolkeok -
As the heavy sound of the door opening at the Fate (緣) Gathering Hall was heard, all eyes turned to one spot.
In that moment, the murmuring inside the Fate (緣) Gathering Hall ceased.
'That person is...?'
'The young lady from the Rugnis Kingdom.'
Astaroth's demon realm in the eastern sea of the continent.
The Rugnis Kingdom, guarding the Holy Kingdom while holding the front lines against that place.
The beautiful Lady Philia Elskopf, come from that country.
It wasn't a country so far from Hysen, but visits from its people were not common.
Perhaps due to its proximity to the Holy Kingdom, it was a nation that had adopted its closed culture.
However, the most important reason the nobles' curiosity was directed at her was not due to that background.
"Good heavens..."
"The rumors truly do not do her justice."
"How could someone like her exist in this world and not be talked about...?"
Voices filled with deep admiration flowed out from all around.
Her black hair, catching the lights of the Fate (緣) Gathering Hall, was embroidered with violet starlight.
The eyes revealed beneath the softly draped bangs were like the deep fate of the abyss.
Instead of the splendid dresses the young ladies of Hysen loved to wear, a neat yet elegant blue dress made her grace stand out even more.
That appearance was befitting the dignity of a young lady from a Great Duke family of the demon realm.
Though it was a fact they could never know.
"It seems the gathering has become even more dazzling."
"But who...?"
"They say she's called Lady Philia Elskopf. Said to be a young lady of a count's family."
"They say it's a fallen family. But soaring again would be no trouble at all."
The whispers of the young noblemen were laced with blatant greed.
For if they could enter a fallen countdom as a son-in-law by marriage, they could revive the family and seize new power.
Whether they had wives or not.
"A beauty worthy of being called the jewel of the continent."
"Perhaps she might become the jewel of Hysen. She might even make a fine comparison to the youngest princess."
The young ladies, too, could not suppress their sighs laced with jealousy.
The presence of this beautiful woman was so overwhelming that it could shake even the rigid hierarchy of aristocratic society.
Amid such evaluations and adulation, the young lady of the Elskopf Countdom...
"Even praise from those lacking worth, it seems it can still be pleasant to the ear."
"We are fortunate that they at least possess that much worth."
No, Libertas Guila, the young lady of a demon realm Great Duke, smiled.
'Humans.'
They did not know.
What kind of being they were now welcoming as an 'honored guest.'
Whether man or woman, all the young nobles of Hysen were utterly captivated by her.
- 2 -
Life in the royal capital was a never-ending chain of social gatherings and pleasures.
And today was no different.
The gathering I had participated in bore the name 'Hunting Party.'
A very special gathering, held in the deep forest of the royal hunting ground.
Hwik - Peok!
"Did you see? Did you? I caught it in one shot!"
"Yes, yes. We know."
The beaters drove the game toward us.
Wild boars, deer, rabbits... sometimes even wolves or foxes.
"I like that fox."
"Shall we take it a little easy today? We must conserve our stamina."
Each noble took up their bows and weapons and chased the fleeing beasts.
The caught game was to be processed on the spot and distributed to the servants, maids, and soldiers.
The lower-quality cuts would be scattered to the poor.
'It's been a while since I've enjoyed such leisurely slaughter.'
Feeling the contradiction in the words I had thought, I put a bitter smile on my lips.
The cases where I had personally gone out into the field so far were mostly fights that amounted to decisive battles.
Because the Dungeon Lord was one of the most vital fighting forces of the dungeon.
During my time in the demon realm, I had mainly focused on the political game.
Times spent strengthening my relationship with Stella the Demon Queen, and consolidating my base in the demon realm by holding the pledge ceremony with Serica.
Compared to that, this direct hunting provided a novel kind of enjoyment.
Peok!!
"Oh my, the Lady of Elskopf truly enjoys hunting properly as well."
Turning my head at the incoming voice, I saw a group of young nobles standing together.
With ten small beasts already hanging from the waist of my horse and three carts assigned to me, their reaction was only natural.
'I may have gotten a little too into it.'
It was the result of focusing on the work of plundering human resources to fatten my pack.
"It is rather enjoyable. It's been a long time since I've personally engaged in such peaceful hunting."
"It seems the Rugnis Kingdom is a land of fierce struggle."
"We hope you can rest comfortably here in Hysen."
They burst into laughter, not knowing my horse's true intention.
'Even if I shot them now, it would be hard to shatter their heads.'
I let the impulsive thought drift away as I observed them.
Leather armor embedded with magic stones, bows imbued with magic...
They were decked out in equipment to compensate for their lacking skills.
I was different.
If necessary, I could use magic myself, and even without it, I was sufficient.
Archery was one of my hobbies from my previous life, after all.
Though that was before I abandoned the 'faction.'
"The sight of you in leather armor is so very elegant and gallant. Your bearing is truly..."
To my ears, it all just sounded like nonsense.
For their gazes were filled with greed, and their tone was dripping with blatant temptation.
Regardless of whether they were men or women.
"May I approach your side?"
"Indeed. How about you hunt with us?"
"The real thing will begin soon..."
Those among them with courage stepped forward.
The eyes of those ladies held treacherous intent.
Glancing to the side, Ran and Shue were smiling, pretending to know nothing.
But we also knew.
What the 'real thing' of this gathering was.
"Do as you like."
I nodded.
Meaningless laughter filled the surroundings.
"Look at this one! It's a sight to see it squirming!"
"Khehehe!"
As the hunt grew longer, the nobles' actions grew increasingly bolder and more brutal.
It wasn't simply intoxication from alcohol.
"You must choose the beasts to load onto the cart more carefully, my lady."
A young lady approached my side and spoke.
Her tone was polite, but her eyes were not.
There was a glint in them, like a predator eyeing its prey.
"Carefully, you say."
"Yes. Because choosing good game is a difficult task. We always consider that point the most important."
At her words, the other nobles around her also wore meaningful smiles.
Their laughter grew sharper and higher in pitch. Like the cries of a hyena drunk on blood.
'Interesting.'
I observed their appearances.
Outwardly maintaining the appearance of etiquette-observing nobles, yet unable to hide the savagery within.
The sight of them in my eyes was nothing more than magical beasts who simply knew a more creative way of hunting.
- Keureureung!
- Hahahaha!
As the sun climbed toward its zenith, the forest grew deeper.
The brisk hunting atmosphere of the beginning had changed into a heavy tension before I knew it.
Only the whining of the hounds and the laughter of the nobles occasionally broke the silence.
I could feel it.
The presence of servants and hunters bustling about to prepare the new 'game.'
"The Lady of Elskopf is perfect in every way. Your hunting skill is as excellent as your bearing..."
A noble glanced at the game hanging from my horse and spoke.
There was something more than simple praise in his eyes. As if he had placed me on some sort of trial.
"Thank you."
I nodded indifferently.
Even without any particular hint, I could soon know what his words meant.
'They're being presumptuous.'
While pretending to admire my hunting skill, they continued exchanging glances with each other.
Their eyes grew ever redder.
I could feel it clearly. The frenzy rising within them.
"Join us for lunch. A more special event is prepared for today. I'll help you more in the afternoon."
Another young lady spoke to me.
A secretive smile hung on her lips.
Before I could answer, Ran stepped forward.
"We have a prior engagement among ourselves, young lady. Let us move. The shade over there looks good."
Her golden eyes gleamed meaningfully.
Shue also moved to her side as if indifferent.
Their footsteps were artfully blocking the directions from which the nobles could approach.
- Kkiyaaak! -
In that moment, a new sound was heard from somewhere.
A sound different from the howling of the hounds or the cries of the beasts.
"Ha..."
"Here we go..."
"Hard to hold back."
The nobles' eyes changed in an instant. Their bloodshot eyes sharpened, and excited breaths escaped their lips.
Something was moving within the forest where their gazes were directed.
- 3 -
At lunch, there was a time for both dining and rest.
A special banquet spread not with the smelly meat distributed to the lower ranks, but with properly prepared dishes.
Only the location was outdoors; the quality of the food was no different from what one would enjoy indoors.
"The magic stone consumption is tremendous."
"Indeed. The scale of the magic and sorcery installed here is..."
"Well. I do think it's worth learning, for our banquets."
"That's true..."
An outdoor banquet in the hunting ground.
For some reason, I hadn't thought of this method. Even though I knew well the joys of camping and the laid-back culture of retreats.
Was it because of the common knowledge that hunting shouldn't produce scents that carry?
"When will the next game come out? I'm looking forward to it..."
"Don't fill your stomachs. You'll have to run soon."
"Naturally! Must save room."
The whispers of the nobles around me gradually changed into conversations with no restraint.
Faces flushed red along with the sounds of emptying wine glasses.
Beneath them, hideous lips losing their reason jabbered on.
"The female I caught last year was truly outstanding. I've never experienced such a taste of the hand yet..."
"I found the male pig farmer impressive. It's not easy for a commoner to have such good stamina..."
A horrible conversation, normally hard to stomach. But the emotion I felt, rather than horror, was...
'How vulgar.'
I held back the urge to frown.
The nobles of the Rugnis Kingdom I was impersonating were reputed as 'honorable,' but even the young nobles of that country commonly enjoyed this kind of 'hunting.'
Misconduct was the easiest means of demonstrating power. The misconduct of young nobles, a 'very natural' thing.
There was no need to appear suspicious here.
"What kind of game will it be this time?"
As conversations that seemed to depart from the human world filled the surroundings, Yuran curled her lips alluringly.
While listening to the signs of the new 'game' being driven in from the forest.
"Well... just kill them quickly, I guess... that'd be better...?"
Shue was still murmuring blankly.
Her gaze was directed not inside the hunting ground, but outside of it.
It was to carry out one of my orders.
[There seem to be quite a few mad ones here... Master.]
Thanks to her ability being stronger than before, she could now see a great many things.
For instance, people who could never live a normal life in society.
'You said there were quite a lot, more than expected.'
There were quite a lot of usable cards in this royal capital.
These were not yet in my hand, but things that could be brought in just by reaching out.
I lowered my gaze.
"Looking forward to it... mm..."
The nobles murmuring in treacherous voices were waiting, smiling, all over the forest.
Their body temperatures were strangely high.
It was the effect of the drug they had taken just before the hunt.
That drug was a narcotic.
'So this world consumes narcotics on a routine basis.'
Perhaps because complete detoxification using magic or divine arts was possible, the nobles craved narcotics without caring about side effects.
There were even fools who thought using heavier drugs was a point of pride the higher their rank.
'If they've come out to this kind of hunting party, they'd certainly be even more like that...'
The 'beasts' that were to be released in this afternoon's hunt, which they were looking forward to, were that much more special.
Humans.
Among them, usually prisoners or slaves.
But there were also more interesting ones.
Innocent commoners, or those promised enormous rewards.
Very occasionally, even fallen nobles aiming for a comeback.
The nobles in this place were too low in status to hunt true nobles, but there were likely commoners who came deceived by the promise of great reward if they managed to escape.
Of course, there was none among them who could truly flee.
For this hunt continued for days.
- Aaargh!
A scream heard from within the forest.
Excited breaths passed among the nobles.
"My, my. They're still full of energy."
"They'll tire soon. Later they won't even have the strength to scream..."
As I scanned over them, a single thought passed through my mind.
About the way I would enjoy the slaughter festival that was to begin shortly.
"Come to think of it... it might be good to secure some talent here."
At my words, they reacted alertly.
Yuran's eyes flashed meaningfully, and a faint smile curved on Shue's expressionless face.
"We could hide swords here and there."
"The more hounds, the better..."
All kinds of nobles were spread out in all directions with only a small escort in attendance.
Without even knowing who was beside them.
More resources were needed to obtain the two stars and escape safely.
The nobles' hunting party was a perfect opportunity in that regard.
Just as they made humans their prey, I too could make them my own prey.
Could there be a more perfect harvesting opportunity than this?
I began to look forward to the approaching hunt.
'Soon now...'
The screams of the not-innocent beasts would echo out.