Swallowed Whole
The morning the hunting tournament began. Tesa, the librarian who had boldly declared in front of everyone that she would never lift anything heavier than a book in her life, was humming a tune as usual while sorting books.
"The wounded pine tree~ has lost its voice~ ♬"
Flap-flap-flap!
"Eek!?"
Did she put too much force into it, or was the book already too worn out? The book she picked up tore at the binding, splitting into dozens of pieces that scattered across the floor.
The fallen book lay splayed open, cluttering the area, and from within it tumbled a stack of notes that appeared to be handwritten by someone. It must have been tucked inside and forgotten.
It had felt unusually thick when she picked it up—probably because of that. Sighing deeply at the thought of having to clean up, she decided to first gather the fragments of the dropped book.
"...Huh? 'The Correlation Between Human Psyche and Shamanism'? Who would read such a sinister book..... Ah!"
Tesa recognized the title from the cover. She immediately recalled the princess who had visited quite some time ago to research books on shamanism.
Aris Akaia, the princess so famous that anyone in the kingdom would know her name. Her scholarly talent left renowned academics speechless, and her swordsmanship had earned the approval of even the former captain of the knights. Words like "genius" couldn't fully capture her. And as if that weren't enough, her fairy-like beauty and bright demeanor were the icing on the cake. No wonder there was even that absurd rumor that everything went smoothly just by seeing her.
Why had she been reading books on shamanism? Tesa hadn't asked back then, as it might have been rude, but her curiosity lingered.
"Notes.... This round, bubbly handwriting could only belong to the princess..."
Muttering to herself as she saw the large [Anna unnie!!] scrawled there—definitely hers—she began reading the notes closely. As a scholar herself, she couldn't resist curiosity when the answer was right in front of her. Especially now.
She burst out laughing at the underlines and asterisks Aris had drawn under Anna Akaia's name, but the more she read, the more her face twisted grotesquely.
She sensed something was wrong. Her face turned deathly pale with terror.
Flutter.
"....What is this?"
[Anna unnie has been acting really strange lately.]
[Last time, she grabbed my hair and yanked it hard. It wasn't the way she usually looks at me.]
[She bumped into me hard but just left without a word, heading back alone.]
These were events Tesa could hardly believe. The princesses were famous for their close relationship. She'd heard rumors of a recent chill between them, but this!?
The anxiety in her heart grew, and her eyes raced faster over the notes.
[Why has Anna unnie been acting so strange?]
[I think it's that black pearl earring she's wearing.]
[I asked her maid, and she said it was a gift from a duke.]
[His name is Akiten Duke.]
Akiten Duke. Saying his name, Tesa thought. He was infamous—for all the wrong reasons.
They said unearthly screams echoed from his house every night, accompanied by a foul stench. Some claimed to have seen a dwarf in a tattered cloak coming and going, while others whispered of a horrifying monster living inside.
Her hands were already trembling. The shaking intensified until she could barely read, so she set the notes on the desk and started over.
There was no turning back now, she thought.
What was the title of the book these notes had been in? The princess's sudden personality change. Akiten Duke's gift. The mysterious rumors from his house.
The puzzle pieces were starting to fit in her mind.
[They say the pupils of someone under a mind-corrupting shamanism spell turn pitch black like ink.]
[Yesterday, at unnie's room when I visited. She didn't come out, but through the window crack, her eyes staring at me were exactly like that.]
[Those eyes were so dark, they terrified me.]
[When I looked back, the eyes were gone.]
[That couldn't have been unnie's eyes. It just couldn't.]
[I miss the old unnie.]
"...!!!"
She remembered. The rumors—no, the firsthand accounts—circulating in the palace lately.
Princess Anna Akaia seemed possessed by something. Possessed, enchantment, curse—shamanism.
Tesa murmured the words in her mouth. Dwarf, witch, shaman.
She was inching closer to the truth.
Tesa felt her breathing grow ragged. Her mouth dried up, a bitter taste mixing in.
Did she know? That she was reading the memos exactly at the time Aris had calculated.
That the book had scattered unnaturally.
That the notes were perfectly placed for her to find.
All of it.
[Overheard Mom and Dad talking. They said it's stress from studies, no need to worry Mom too much.]
[I don't know much about shamanism, so I'm probably wrong? Dad's right, right?]
[They're holding a hunting tournament. That'll relieve her stress, and unnie will go back to normal.]
[Right... right?]
[I hope so...]
[I want to play with unnie again...]
[I'm done reading books.]
Tremble.
"No... No!!!"
Her hands shaking uncontrollably, she forced her unresponsive legs to move and bolted outside. The thought of organizing bookshelves was long gone.
Bam! She kicked open the door she usually closed carefully.
Outside, there were almost no people—virtually none.
She screamed.
"Help!!! Anyone!! Hurry!!"
Today was the day the princesses were heading out together to the hunting grounds. The soldiers who normally patrolled the palace flawlessly, the servants bustling on errands—none caught her eye today.
Still, she screamed. It was the only thing she could do right now.
And perhaps her plea was answered—
"—What seems to be the matter!!"
"Ah...!!"
A urgent voice reached her ears as she cried out desperately. Hearing it, Tesa felt relief.
A voice more trustworthy than anything right now: that of an elderly knight.
The former knight captain. And Aris Akaia's sword instructor.
"I am Feyrn, now retired and serving as an instructor. May I ask what has you in such haste—"
"—It's dangerous!!"
Tesa wanted to speak. But her ragged breathing and spinning head sealed her lips.
Say something. Please, say it!! You stupid mouth!! Move!! Please!!!!
Thud thud! She pounded her chest with her fist. Air rushed out of her lungs, and gasping, she finally forced out a few words.
Incoherent ramblings that would make anyone think she was mad. But it was enough.
"If this goes on.... Princess Aris will die!!"
"...!!!"
Not yet midday, still early. A knight carried a woman on horseback as they exited the palace.
Deeper into the forest, far beyond the royal hunting grounds. There, I was hunting.
Hunting.
Creak. I nocked an arrow, pulling it back.
Ahead, my prey—shot in one leg, bleeding, desperately trying to escape.
Dragging its injured leg with its front limbs, crawling pitifully slow.
Ridiculously pathetic.
"Heeheehee."
Twang! With a crisp sound, the arrow flew.
A distance of mere meters—the arrow hit its mark perfectly.
Right in the hands gripping the ground.
Squelch.
"—Kyaaaaaaaah!!!!!"
"Hahahahahaha—!!!!"
As intended, the arrow pierced straight through the back of its hand. The prey stopped crawling, writhing in agony.
Clutching its fully penetrated hand, it looked my way, sobbing.
Why? You can still run.
Come on, don't stop. Or else—die?
Silently, I drew another arrow from my quiver and nocked it.
Seeming to sense something from my expression, the prey's face filled with terror as it tried to flee.
Drag. Drag.
Smart ones are quick on the uptake, huh? So obedient.
Oh, not that way.
"Uh, s-sis...!!"
"—Shut up."
Twang!
"Don't call me sis."
Aim slightly above its head, at the irritating ear. Maybe because the target was small, or because I'm just not great with a bow—the arrow missed the ear, embedding in the ground beside it.
Seeing it, the thing screamed even though it hadn't been hit.
Haha, no one's here to hear your screams anyway.
Scream all you want.
"Eeeek—!!"
"Now, run. Crawling, screaming in pain, lamenting the world."
"Ah.... Aah...!!"
Didn't hit, unfortunately, but at least I herded the prey toward my goal. Good enough.
Has it gotten used to the pain? It couldn't walk properly, but unlike before when it only crawled, now it staggered to its feet and walked.
If it kept crawling, it wouldn't reach the spot before nightfall—which suits me fine.
"Hahaha!"
Covered in dirt, limping on one leg, wobbling along—pitiful.
Every time I saw it, the headache tormenting my head intensified.
Does it hurt? Does it hurt!?
Flames ignited in my heart. They showed no sign of dying, only corroding my mind further.
Is that pain?
I surrendered to the blaze.
Thud! "...Aak!!"
"I... hurt too... I hurt!!"
Now rushing at my loathsome object of hatred. I kick its leg, toppling it.
It collapses with a scream echoing through the forest.
Terror-filled eyes turn toward me.
I show no mercy. Slowly, I raise my foot and place it on her thigh.
Where the long red arrow was still deeply embedded.
"..Aa..No.. Hate.. Hate it..."
"......Ha."
Does she know what's coming? She shakes her head wildly, begging shamelessly.
Hate it? I hate you too.
Crunch!!
Slowly applying weight with my foot. As it presses deep into her thigh, nudging the arrow, I feel the frantic vibrations beneath.
Infuriated by her thrashing to escape, I press harder.
"Ah... Aah...—Aaaaaaaaaah!!!!"
"....Ha ha.... Haha... Hahaha!!"
A cliff looms in the distance. Tilting the arrow that way brings forth screams like a song.
After several tilts, realizing my intent, it begins crawling slowly in that direction.
The destination: there.
What face will she make upon reaching the cliff? In a place with no escape, no one to help.
Will you feel the same despair as me?
The monster in Remi's favorite fairy tale ultimately falls off a cliff to its death at the hands of the protagonist Alice.
What about you?