Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Translator: Penny
Chapter 9
Prey 2
"Lies! All lies! How could a beastly Barbaroi like him be a Count?!" Lawrence shrieked, tugging frantically at Hunts' arm. It was a silent plea to kill him quickly.
Hunts stood frozen between them, his eyes darting nervously between the two. Harkin and the soldiers were still battling the Wolf Demonic Beasts and hadn't returned. How many here could even stand a chance against the man before them? Even Hunts couldn't be sure of his own odds. Having just witnessed the man's brutal slaughter of the Demonic Beast, his aura of power was overwhelming.
At that moment, Agron glared at Lawrence with a chilling expression. "Still moving? You must have a long lifespan."
"I... I... I am the Prince of this kingdom..."
"Perhaps I was too careless."
"Wait! Don't come any closer!"
Crack!
In that instant, Agron's fist struck the Wolf Demonic Beast's skull like a thunderbolt.
The beast let out a metallic clang as its skull shattered, collapsing onto the ground with intermittent tremors.
It had likely been feigning death until Agron noticed it and delivered the finishing blow.
Agron strode right up to Lawrence, his piercing blue eyes glowing as he said, "My apologies for not finishing the job properly."
"Ugh... ah... uh..."
Meeting that gaze, Lawrence lowered his head and fainted on the spot.
"Hmm? Why did he suddenly fall asleep?"
"Ah, Your Highness!"
Startled, Hunts rushed over and shook the unconscious prince.
"Ah, it seems His Highness was exhausted. I'll go hunt down the remaining wolves."
Agron spoke with an air of having witnessed something truly bizarre before heading toward the battlefield ahead.
"...??"
Lawrence woke up in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
He couldn't remember when he had fallen asleep, where this unfamiliar ceiling was, or why he was here at all.
Most of all, that dream—!
Lawrence involuntarily shuddered.
The eyes of the beast that had glared at him in his dream flashed through his mind.
"I-is anyone out there...? Hey, you there!"
"Did you cough, Your Highness?"
As Lawrence shouted toward the door, Hunts the knight and the maids scurried into the room.
Seeing their familiar faces, Lawrence let out a sigh of relief.
"What's wrong?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing, nothing. Just had a terrible dream... Let's get breakfast right away."
"Yes? Understood. I'll order breakfast to be prepared immediately."
Hunts returned about thirty minutes later.
Lawrence could only follow Hunts to the dining hall after the maids had finished washing his face, brushing his teeth, and changing his clothes.
"By the way, where is this place? Was it my villa?"
"Don't you remember? You came to the Count's fief to sign the feudal contract."
"Huh...? Count...? Monster...?"
"What are you talking about?" Hunts asked, puzzled by the Prince's mumbling.
As Lawrence entered the dining hall, he continued speaking to Hunts, who was walking behind him.
"No... wasn't the Count a monster...? I'm sure I saw it in my dream..."
"What dream are you talking about?"
Just then, a familiar voice echoed through the dining hall.
Lawrence turned to face the speaker and began to froth at the mouth.
"Gah... G-G-Monster...!"
As the prince was about to faint again, Agron grabbed him by the collar and raised his hand high.
"A prince as weak as a girl."
Crack!
With a sound like a wave crashing against a cliff, Lawrence's head twisted 180 degrees.
"H-Hick!"
Lawrence gasped for air, as if taking his last breath. His eyes bulged as if they might pop out of their sockets.
"Your Highness, the Prince!"
"Count... Your Excellency?!"
Everyone nearby recoiled in horror, their faces contorted in shock.
Who could have imagined the Count would strike the Prince?
"Hmm, are you awake?"
"...??"
"Oh dear, still dazed?"
Agron raised his arm again.
"I-I'm awake! I'm awake!"
"Good. Sit down and let's eat."
Lawrence wasn't sure if he was dreaming.
But the burning heat and pain on his cheek felt too vivid to be a dream.
"Y-you... you just hit me?"
"Why would I hit you?"
"B-but you just did!"
Lawrence shouted, thrusting his crimson cheek forward.
Agron frowned, his expression utterly bewildered.
"That's how you wake someone who's fainted."
"No, out of all the possible methods..."
"Many warriors who sleep in the cold during winter end up with facial paralysis. Sometimes, a punch is the only way to rouse them."
"..."
"Don't blame my strong hand. Blame your own pathetic body."
Is this guy insane...?
Lawrence sat down at the dining table, rubbing his cheek.
Despite being the Third Prince, he had never been struck by anyone, not even the Reigning King.
"Hey, I definitely got hit, right? This isn't some kind of 'wake-up method' for fainting, is it?" Lawrence whispered to Hunts, who was standing nearby.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Fuck! You saw me get hit just now, didn't you?!"
"It looked like he slapped you..."
"You little shit—!"
Lawrence shot to his feet at Hunts' brazen reply.
"Quiet," Agron rebuked him softly.
"Fucking hell! I'll say whatever I want to my subordinate! Why are you making such a fuss—"
"At the table, we maintain decorum."
Lawrence had no choice but to clamp his mouth shut.
With each word Agron uttered, he bent the fork and knife in his hands in half.
"Is it acceptable for royalty to behave so rudely at another family's dinner table?"
"Ah... no. Sorry..."
"Eat. Quietly."
"Okay..."
"And you shouldn't strike your vassals so carelessly."
Fuck, he's the one who slapped me across the face.
Lawrence glared at Agron.
Hunts felt a strange sense of relief, as if a long-standing weight had lifted from his chest, and he smiled contentedly. He never imagined he'd see that irritating prince get slapped.
Lawrence ate mechanically, barely noticing whether the food was going into his mouth or up his nose, while stealing glances at Agron. Dressed in proper attire, unlike the previous night, Agron almost looked like a reasonably handsome nobleman. Of course, his violent tendencies were no different from those of a barbarian.
"Is the food to your liking?"
"Huh? Oh... it's decent."
"I hunted this meat myself, just for you. Eat plenty."
"Really? Thanks. What kind of meat is it? It's delicious."
Agron tilted his head. "Didn't you see me hunting yesterday?"
"Hunting...? I only saw you fighting."
"It's Wolf Demonic Beast meat. No gamey smell and the meat is tender."
Lawrence clamped a hand over his mouth, his face flushing crimson as he bolted upright.
"Ugh—"
"Just so you know, if you throw up, I'll shove it right back down your throat."
Gulp.
"It's a warrior's etiquette to never waste meat hunted to honor a guest."
"H-but I'm not a warrior..."
"Hmm, true. Spit it out if you want."
"..."
He glared at Agron, grinding his teeth.
Fucking bastard.
Of course, Agron didn't give a damn about the glare.
In all the world, he was probably the only one who would feed Demonic Beast meat to a prince of the kingdom.
"Hey..."
Lawrence, having forced down his meal, spoke first. He couldn't stand the stifling silence any longer.
"What?"
"What, what? I'm royalty! The Third Prince!"
"So?"
"So?! Don't you use honorifics?"
"I'm a Count."
Lawrence stared at him with a "so what?" look. Agron sighed softly and continued.
"You know princes have no formal rank, right? But the Nobility Law specifies roughly equivalent ranks. Do you know what yours is?"
"I don't know..."
"I'm a Count. That means you and I are of the same rank."
"Hah, but even if we're of the same rank, we still use honorifics!"
"Don't you speak informally to me?"
"..."
Lawrence fell silent, as if he'd swallowed honey and lost his tongue.
Smashing Demonic Beast skulls, slapping royal cheeks... His actions scream "illiterate barbarian," yet his words are as sharp as those of a seasoned high-ranking noble.
"No, but... everyone implicitly uses honorifics for the Prince, right?"
"Is that so? I don't recall reading anything about that in the books."
"See? Not everything is written in books! I told you I was right!"
"Come to think of it, I did read something like that in a book once."
As if struck by a sudden thought, Agron dredged up an idea and said, "What?"
"A way to kill high-ranking nobles without implicating yourself."
"..."
"Is this a common occurrence?"
"Um... Let's just speak casually, okay?" Lawrence replied with an awkward smile.
Agron frowned inwardly, wondering why Lawrence was giving such a noncommittal answer to his direct question. Lawrence, meanwhile, avoided eye contact, suspecting Agron's terrifying question must have a hidden motive.
"You... but what if I refuse to sign the Magic Contract?"
"It doesn't matter. Are you going to refuse?" Agron countered without the slightest hesitation, leaving Lawrence visibly flustered.
"If you hate the Kingdom of Astraria so much, why not just ask the Kazandor Empire for a title?"
"W-what?!"
"Now I'm curious. How will the Reigning King react to a prince who sabotaged a perfectly good feudal contract and drove out a respectable noble?"
"...Ugh...!"
Lawrence's expression darkened with contemplation.
His position in the Royal Palace was significantly lower than that of his brothers.
The Kingdom of Astraria didn't automatically pass the throne to the eldest son; instead, the crown went to the person deemed most worthy.
Currently, the Second Prince was the leading candidate for the next King.
As the Third Prince, Lawrence's ranking was likely fifth or sixth in line.
Of course, he personally believed he was no less qualified than the Second Prince.
"A-alright, I get it. Let's just sign the contract."
"Wise decision. Bring the contract here."
"Huh? Oh, oh, okay..."
Lawrence hastily retrieved the contract and spread it out on the table.
The gold-leafed, high-quality parchment detailed their mutual obligations and rights, with the King's name inscribed in elegant script at the bottom.
Agron skimmed the contents, then signed his name. He pricked his finger, drawing blood, and pressed his thumbprint below the King's royal seal.
A faint light emanated from the parchment, gently enveloping Agron's body.
"A Magic Contract," he murmured.
"O-of course...! What if you just said yes and then betrayed us?"
"I was just marveling at it."
In this world, there were three things one must never underestimate: magic, spirits, and demons. Even the ignorant sons of peasants in remote villages dared not speak their names lightly.
Even now, in rural areas, naughty children were warned, "If you misbehave, the demons will bite you with their teeth and drag you away."
"What happens if I break the contract?"
"From what I understand, it varies by clause... I've heard some violations can even lead to death."
Agron, having little experience with magic, examined the parchment with amusement, turning it over and over.
"Is everything we need done now?"
"Normally, we'd hold a solemn feudal contract ceremony... and a celebratory banquet..."
"I won't be doing any of that, so yes, it's finished. Now leave."
Fucking bastard?
Lawrence glared at Agron.
He had never encountered anyone, inside or outside the palace, who dared to treat him with such disrespect.
Just you wait...! When I ascend the throne, I'll make you kneel before me first! I'll strip you of your viscount title and make you a mere gatekeeper for the royal family!
Lawrence pursed his lips and continued eating his dessert.
"Aren't you leaving?"
"I'm going! Just after I finish this."
"Your Excellency! A grave matter has arisen!"
A soldier burst into the dining hall.
The prince bristled and shouted at the soldier, "You dare interrupt my meal, you insolent fool!"
"Quiet down and finish your dessert."
"Yes..."
"What is it?" Agron rebuked the prince and beckoned the soldier closer.
"A monster has appeared in the neighboring village, Your Excellency!"
"A monster..."
"A monster? It's right here—oh, never mind. I'll be quiet." Lawrence grinned broadly, pointed at Agron, then returned his attention to his dessert.
"What about the village guard or hunters?"
"They set out to capture the monster, but they were all killed or severely injured."
"Does this kind of monster appear often?"
"Monsters appear sporadically, but ones strong enough to harm multiple soldiers are rare."
"How do you usually handle situations like this?"
Agron asked, and the soldier glanced at the Third Prince before answering.
"Typically, the fief's soldiers handle it. But if the monster is too strong, we request assistance from the Royal Army."
"Is that so...? That's not very reassuring. I'll go myself."
"Huh? Your Excellency?"
"Yes. And the Royal Army is stationed nearby, aren't they?"
Feeling Agron and the soldier's gazes, Lawrence flinched and clutched his dessert protectively.
"Why, why are you staring at me like that? I was just eating quietly!"
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny