Princess Maker
In the midst of everyone's cheers, the hunt began. I dashed toward Anna, who was waiting for me up ahead on horseback. What about Remi? Remi? Sorry, I forgot about her.
"Ariiiiis!!!"
"Bye-bye~!"
Well, she'll probably end up hanging around with our parents while those two lovebirds flirt. She might throw a fit, but I hope Anna unnie smooths it over later.
Beside the horse Anna was riding was a somewhat smaller one—clearly prepared just for me.
"Aris, can you ride by yourself?"
"Yeah!"
Having ridden horses countless times in my past lives, this gentle little pony was a piece of cake. Good, good. Prrrrng! If you don't behave, I'll have you neutered? !!? I gripped the reins tightly as the horse acknowledged me as its master, then glanced at Anna, who would be heading out to hunt with me.
Perhaps sensing my gaze, she turned toward me with a radiant smile. I smiled back, and Anna's cheeks flushed as she quickly looked away, awkwardly staring at her open palm.
She looked just like a doting older sister who cherished her beloved little sibling. Anyone would see it that way—the face of a girl too excited and embarrassed about her upcoming date with her sister to hide it.
Excited? What could make our unnie so thrilled? Playing alone with me? Or maybe because she'd soon have her prey in her grasp? Or... because she can kill me?
"Alright, let's go. Follow carefully, okay?"
"Yeah! You be careful too, unnie!!"
"Yes, yes."
How would she kill me? Honestly, it would be surprisingly easy for her. She trusted people way too much—no suspicions at all. She'd followed maids showing her "fun things" twenty times total and ended up dressed like a doll. The third princess, Aris Akaia, was known as the good little royal who granted even the most unreasonable requests.
And Anna knew that better than anyone.
Poison. Just offering me tea laced with a deadly toxin would be enough. Even if it was amateurish poison with a weird taste and smell, if Anna recommended it, little miss Aris Akaia would gulp it down without a second thought.
She could mock her sister vomiting blood from every orifice up close, then dangle the antidote and make her beg.
Beheading. One word—"trust me"—and the foolish little sister would obediently close her eyes even with a blade at her throat. The youngest princess, hating to betray her sister's faith, would trust her until the very moment the sword severed her neck.
Thud. Even after her head rolled, the naive youngest princess might murmur her name.
Honestly, whatever she chose, I didn't care. I was confident I'd enjoy her obsession gleefully.
My love is an open door. Love is an open door.
But she didn't take the easy path. She chose the hard one instead, even bothering with a mask to lure me somewhere.
Who would refuse to nurture that growth, that effort?
Anna Akaia was utterly ordinary. But she was born with a talent no genius possessed: diligence.
Look at her eyes. Her touch. The warm hand extended to me, the gaze filled with concern—but beneath it all lurked a monster darker than the abyss.
She probably wanted to rip my throat out right now. Hang my corpse in the market square, spit on it, trample it, mock it.
But she held back her impulses, enduring. I could tell. I knew how hard she was working.
Isn't it admirable? That's why I believed she was the true makings of a king.
Though her current efforts were fueled by murderous hatred toward me, motivations like that could change easily.
The moment that diligence turned to devotion for her people, she'd become a queen revered by all.
And the spark? My death.
I'd noticed around age three how she'd live consumed by inferiority. No matter my efforts, fate wouldn't change.
So I devised the perfect scenario. Sever the chains of inferiority binding her here? No—replace them with far heavier ones.
To her, shaken by guilt, my dying words would be those chains. Just as always, I'd whisper softly:
Unnie, please become a good queen.
And she'd accept them willingly. The birth of the kind, gentle, wise queen she'd always longed to be.
Only then would I live eternally in her heart.
That's all I desired.
The ordinary hunt continued. To her, it must have been nothing but an irritating, unpleasant farce.
Me? I'm always having fun.
I secretly followed her gaze. Until she lured me somewhere deserted, this ridiculous play had to go on.
So Anna scanned the surroundings normally, searching for game. Ah, that's the direction of the rabbits.
She'd spot it soon. A faint crease formed between Anna's brows—proof she was staring intently at something off-putting.
In the snow-covered field, the rabbit blended perfectly with its white fur. But sister would expose it soon.
She'd realize, swiftly draw her bowstring, and catch it.
That's why—
Whiiish!!
"Got it—!!"
"......!!"
I hurled my knife at the fresh rabbit unnie had found. Her slightly parted lips told me she'd just spotted it.
The plump rabbit donated its life cleanly, unaware of the fast-flying blade.
Splat. Red blood sprayed across the white snow.
I beamed.
"Hehe, got it!! Anna unnie!! I caught one—!!"
"......Ah, yeah. You did. Aris caught it. Again. Again."
Leaving Anna behind, I ran to the fallen rabbit carcass.
How about it, unnie? Isn't hunting fun? As if answering the question in my heart, laughter echoed from behind.
Yes, unnie's enjoying it too. I'm so glad. Good thing I came, right?
I proudly lifted the white rabbit impaled on my knife. A scorching gaze burned into my back.
I turned, but there was only the kind unnie celebrating my catch with me.
Hahaha.
After laughing at me for a while, Anna looked at me and said, oh so naturally.
As if it was all for me.
"Aris... seems like the game's run out here—"
"...Huh?"
"—Shall we go somewhere I know well?"
I glanced at the sky. The sun was still far from its peak. About time.
The librarian would be starting to shelve books by now. Tesa was lazy, but not slow.
As always, she'd pull books from the return bin to reshelve them, and the ones I'd tampered with would slip from her hands to scatter on the floor.
She might dismiss my notes as a child's crude scribbles, but knowing her, she wouldn't.
Perfect.
I replied.
"Yeah! Got it!"
Thud. I remounted and followed Anna.
Soon, we entered a dense forest. Anna's smile stretched long.
Tesa would surely run straight to the king and queen. And she'd warn them of my danger, even offering her own neck.
'Remi,' who 'happened' to be there, would rush off heedlessly to find me upon hearing I might be in peril.
A crudely scribbled stage prop from last night. An ad-lib script no one could argue with.
Well, she didn't have to come—but more spectators were better, so I hoped she would.
Ah, I miss Remi unnie. I want her to see me die.
Iron fences appeared, marking the royal hunting grounds. Enter rashly, and prepare to die. It also meant no safety guarantees beyond them.
"Um... unnie...?"
"It's fine, Aris."
Anna sliced through the fence effortlessly and stepped into the deep woods. I stood there blankly outside.
Playing the timid child afraid of getting scolded, too scared to follow.
Haa. A small sigh escaped Anna.
Hearing it, I lifted my lowered head. Aris Akaia hated upsetting others.
If Anna sighed in annoyance, I'd have no choice but to follow, right? Hehehe.
'There are monsters in the forest, so don't go in carelessly.'
A line from the fairy tale Remi read me every night. The parents warning Alice not to enter the woods.
Right, Alice. The forest is dangerous. Terrifying monsters live there.
Very fierce ones that eat people.
In the end, story-Alice ignored them, entered, and met the monster.
"Unnie wants... Aris to follow me... Can't you?"
"...!! Ah, okay!"
Her sweet voice tempted me. With a determined face, I passed the fence.
Scrape. In my haste, sharp fence edges grazed my skin, drawing tiny blood beads.
Drip. Drop.
Ignoring the wound, I hurried to Anna's side. She'd seen it all but seemed oblivious to my injury.
Or maybe she'd seen the blood but no longer cared?
Whatever. Pick whichever reason I like.
We tied the horses to the fence and ventured into the pitch-black forest where no light penetrated.
Deeper. Even deeper.
An endless journey. Soon, only our footsteps echoed in the woods.
A child drawn by tales of abundant game would be disappointed by now, longing to return.
Suddenly, Anna gasped.
"...Ah!!"
"...?"
As if spotting something, she pointed behind me.
I knew there was nothing but thick bushes and trees, but I turned anyway.
No rabbits, deer, insects, or birds.
"Uhng...~?"
"......"
Like a primal jungle—tall grass and sun-blocking trees everywhere.
But I pretended not to notice her lie, peering hard where her finger pointed.
I squinted, winked one eye, then both.
I couldn't find it, but had unnie? Creak. The bowstring drew taut behind me.
Wow, I have no idea. But unnie found it. Amazing.
In mere seconds, the string released. Short time—but the arrow to its target was shorter.
Thwum. Air vibrated first, brushing my body. Anna had shot.
A light sound followed. Pffft—the arrow sank deep into its mark.
Then, warmth rising from my calf.
Anna's love, directed at me.
The hunt had begun.
Screams and laughter echoed through the forest. The prey was set. The monster pursued from behind. The girl stumbled in search of them.
This is up to the point where Aris gets shot with an arrow and starts crawling. What happens after? It's in the previous chapter, right?