Chapter 67: Southern Hunting Tournament (6)

 

The forest in the distance shimmered in shades of green, its leaves reflecting droplets from a recent rain as if to announce that the downpour had visited the entire southern region. There were no clouds in the sky that had just unleashed its reservoir. A solitary sun sat high in the cloudless azure, a delightful sight to behold.

 

The warmth of the sun truly lifted my spirits.

 

Rain wasn’t uncommon this time of year, but I preferred not to wander the forest in it. Wet ground was uncomfortable to tread, but more importantly, memories of past rainy days in the forest haunted me.

 

It reminded me of the time I accompanied my father to the hunting tournament.

 

That day, as if cursed, a concentrated downpour seemed to only target the area I was in. To make matters worse, a horde of monsters appeared—creatures typically active in mid-winter. It was very unusual for them who were normally active in mid-winter to move on a spring day when the days were warming up.

 

A horde of those monsters continued their descent toward the village.

 

And there I was, battered and muddy from fights with the monsters.

 

My first battle since becoming a Damian was challenging, perhaps due to the conditions at the time. The discomfort from the clinging mud and rainwater was easy to forget as I moved, but the most significant issue was the sudden downpour causing a landslide of earth mixed with rocks and trees.

 

Exhausted from consecutive fights, I couldn’t react in time to the sudden landslide and was swept away. I thought I was going to die then... I realized, for the first time, that even the robust physique of the Kraus lineage was no different from any other human when faced with tens of tons of soil and rocks.

 

Well, I owed my life to that realization.

 

Stomping my feet a few times, I felt the hard earth below. The sun had quickly dried the ground; it seemed I wouldn’t have to worry about it collapsing under me today.

 

“It won’t rain, it seems.”

 

“Yes! The weather is absolutely glorious!!”

 

Startled, I turned my head at the sudden voice next to me. Standing there, was Noel, who was shining brightly in the sunlight. She seemed brimming with anticipation for the tournament.

 

Her eyes were ablaze with the desire to win. Given that I too was a competitor in the tournament, her gaze toward me held a medley of emotions. Her ambition alone seemed enough to win the tournament twice over. After all, this was her first competitive experience outside her role as the Empire’s princess.

 

Until now, she had lived as an unparalleled entity.

 

Although Orcus stood beside her, they were not rivals in a traditional sense like other nobles competing for inheritance. Their interests were too divergent for that. It must be her first experience in a setting where she competes with others.

 

Humans were creatures that ignite with competitiveness, even in trivial bets, and particularly so in this tournament—given it aligned with her interests. Naturally, she would want to win, to stand at the top.

 

I didn’t offer her words of encouragement.

 

What I could do as a competitor aiming for victory was simple: I clenched one fist and bumped gloves with her.

 

A gesture of encouragement and support... That was enough.

 

“You should carry at least one sword attached to your black saddle.”

 

Noel was lightly dressed overall.

 

Arrows and a bow for hunting. Two short knives strapped to her waist constituted her armament. Given that our aim was hunting, not combat, this was hardly excessive. It was, in fact, exactly what one would expect. She had even practiced in those woods for days in this very attire.

 

But there was always a ‘just in case.’

 

“Ah, I knew that, so I’ve already prepared one! Somehow, I feel a bit safer having a sword near my hand.”

 

“I understand.”

 

With that, we ended our conversation.

 

It was not just my lack of eloquence; Noel’s gaze had shifted from me to the forest. She stared endlessly at the expanse tinged in deep teal, taking slow, deliberate breaths. Even the usually vibrant Noel couldn’t seem to escape the tension that the word ‘first time’ bestowed.

 

By the time her breathing steadied, Noel’s eyes shifted back to me.

 

I had a rough idea of what she was about to say, judging by the expression on her face. It resembled the faces of my father and Orcus after I’d been rejected by Elena the day before. Had her vibe switched to Orcus’overnight? It seemed I had inadvertently transferred something unpleasant onto her.

 

“What happened afterward?”

 

“Well...”

 

I couldn’t say much in response to her question filled with curiosity.

 

To tell the truth, the answer to her question was what I was most curious about as well.

 

Since that incident, the only time I saw Elena was during dinner.

 

I had considered visiting her room, just like I used to back in Merohim, but this was the first time I’d seen Elena react this way, so I was unsure if it would be the right move. In hindsight, part of me felt like I was waiting for Elena to come to me first. Perhaps I was waiting for her to make the first move, as I had done before.

 

And now I slightly regret it. I should have just gone to her room.

 

While in my room, I found myself lying on my bed, chuckling as I thought about the events of the day. It was amusing that a single kiss had more impact than anything else that had happened recently. What was truly funny, though, was that at my age, I was acting like an adolescent boy.

 

I had heard that one’s mental state often follows one’s physical age, but I never expected it to manifest in such a way for me.

 

“...Your Highness, have you heard anything from Elena?”

 

I asked Noel, just in case, but she responded with an innocent smile.

 

“Not at all!”

 

Hmm, she seems genuinely clueless.

 

I couldn’t imagine her lying. Even if she did, it would be written all over her face.

 

Well, there was nothing to be done but wait.

 

At some point, I noticed that the surroundings had started to get noisy.

 

Looking around, it was clear that the crowd had grown. Banners from various houses were starting to gather, signaling that the tournament was about to begin. The first thing that caught my eye was the banner of House Kraus, followed immediately by the royal banner that seemed to follow it as if being guided.

 

At the forefront were my father and Orcus, standing side by side.

 

On the other end, the Lord of Legion, Viscount Graham, was preparing on a makeshift stage, but everyone’s gaze was naturally drawn to the two prominent figures. Even in this more open southern region, politics still mattered, and the appearance of powerful individuals was inevitably eye-catching.

 

“Let’s return to our seats now.”

 

“Yes.”

 

As the two parties separated, Noel and I decided to find our own spots.

 

Though our group was not far apart, we chose not to move in unison, wary of attracting unnecessary gossip. Just as I was keeping a cautious distance, Noel suddenly posed a question to me.

 

“Ah, can I ask you one last question?”

 

“What is it?”

 

“My brother Orcus told me I should definitely ask you this, so... um...”

 

Noel halted, her face uncharacteristically flushing a shade of red. Thanks to her blatant reaction, I had a pretty good idea of what she was going to ask. Glancing past her, I saw Orcus, who was watching us with his signature sly smile.

 

“Your Highness, you don’t have to push yourself...”

 

“No, it’s not that! I’m genuinely curious...”

 

It seemed that not only Orcus but also Noel had no ill intentions.

 

It was transparent, even without reading her mind, that she would ask about the events of that day. Frankly, it was admirable that she hadn’t asked sooner, given how evident her curiosity had been. Considering the times we live in, a slight misunderstanding could easily arise, and the question my father posed to me last night was more than enough to confirm that.

 

The question came from Noel, but with Orcus involved, I started to seriously worry about the depth of the inquiry. It was unlikely to be on the same level as my father’s, who casually asked whether we should proceed straight to a wedding rather than an engagement ceremony. Conversely, because it was Noel, who was so pure-hearted, I worried she might blurt out something without any thought.

 

At least such people weren’t the type to ask sensitive questions from others.

 

While mentally preparing myself for whatever question Noel would throw at me, she finally spoke. Her question surprised me, but not in the way I’d anticipated.

 

“So, um...kiss. Does it taste sweet?

 

“Pardon?”

 

“My brother Orcus keeps saying it’s sour, you know. But last time, Ella from the royal palace—well, Ella’s our nanny—anyway! Ella told me it was as sweet as a chocolate cookie! It’s not sour, is it? It’s sweet, right?!”

 

What should I even say to that?

 

Her question caught me off guard in an entirely different way, whitewashing my thoughts.

 

In the end, I couldn’t offer a response to Noel’s expectant query. Instead, my eyes shifted to Orcus in the distance. He was still wearing his characteristic sly smile, but now it filled me with a complicated mix of emotions.

 

So this was a potential male lead, huh?

 

Not anymore, I suppose.

 

It seemed there was nothing suitable to say to either of them. Clenching my fist, I raised it slightly toward Orcus’ direction and took my leave.

 

Well...hang in there?

 

--- END OF CHAPTER ---

 

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