“...”
Although he looked at her with salty eyes, Anthony eventually gave Agatha as many as twenty imperial knights when she returned.
They were childhood friends, second cousins who were also used in the Emperor's marriage affairs, and the only blood relatives who could get along informally even though they bickered.
Anthony said as he escorted Agatha to the carriage.
“I’ll contact you when I get a reply, Lady Agatha.”
“Thank you for your kindness, Your Royal Highness. I’ll just leave now.”
Finally, after politely parting ways, Agatha returned to the mansion escorted by twenty imperial knights.
That night.
What came in with the night guest was the Crown Prince's flue, which arrived very quickly.
“Dear Lady Agatha.
The answer you've been waiting for has arrived. We'll be holding a hunting party in three days, so I hope you'll attend with your promised horse.
Your dear friend, Anthony Roxiba.
P.s. Are you alive?”
After reading the last line, Agatha looked out the window.
Chang, Chae Chang, Zeng-
A night where even the small, round eyebrow-shaped moon was obscured by clouds.
Below, the imperial knights were cutting down the intruders pouring in over the fence.
Although she looked relaxed, next to Agatha, who was reading a letter in the mansion, were two imperial knights, including the vice-captain of the imperial knights belonging to the Crown Prince, on emergency standby.
After a while.
Knock knock.
“Vice-captain. This is Windel.”
"Come in."
The imperial knight who entered the inner room gave a military salute.
“Thirty-five intruders. All have been removed.”
"Good work."
While the vice-captain, Sir Barsley, praised the knight.
Agatha gestured to Allen, the butler who was standing nearby.
“We provide warm bath water and prepared late-night snacks for the knights. And oil to polish the sword.”
“I understand, Miss.”
“Thank you for your favor, My Lady.”
"What? It’s obvious.”
Agatha exchanged a brief bow with the vice-captain, who expressed his gratitude, and then took out a letter.
“Dear His Highness the Crown Prince.
I am so happy that the long-awaited reply has arrived. I will first tell you the truth about what I promised, so please accept it.
From Agatha Nobilis.
P.S. Yes."
The letter, sealed with a stem of purple statice, was passed into the hands of Allen, the butler.
“Isn’t that the dark horse that Your Highness was eyeing last time along with the letter? Show that to His Highness.”
“Yes, Miss.”
So it is still early and late spring.
A hunting party hosted by the Crown Prince was held at the imperial hunting grounds.
***
The day of the hunting party.
Agatha woke up early in the morning to be on time for the start of the hunting party scheduled for the morning. Since she will be traveling on horseback today, a pre-massage was essential.
After taking a warm bath, she came out and saw all kinds of hunting clothes prepared in front of her.
"Miss. What would you like to wear today?”
“The weather is really nice. You will also receive bright colors very well.”
Agatha, along with her entourage of maids, chose a blue shirt, a dark blue jacket embroidered with gold thread, white trousers, and leather boots.
“Shall I tie your hair?”
"No. Just curl the ends slightly.”
Her blonde hair like sunshine hangs down to her waist, and her makeup is light enough to not be noticeable.
Long eyelashes cast a shadow on transparent white skin. The purple eyes beneath them are as elegant as her signature purple statice.
A sharp nose, and plump red lips.
The deer-like neck and graceful body lines revealed along the slim jawline were like that of Agatha Nobilis, who was easily called a beauty even in social circles where there were many beauties.
“You’re beautiful, Lady.”
"Thank you."
Knock knock.
Just then a maid came in and announced that preparations for departure were complete. Finally, Agatha, wearing a bolo tie and white gloves, left the boudoir.
“Lord Barsley.”
“Are you here, Lady Nobilis?”
After briefly greeting the Imperial Vice Commander of the Imperial Knights who was inspecting the procession in front of the mansion, Agasa turned her attention to the horses she would ride today.
After rechecking the saddle and stirrups, the butler, Allen, handed over the reins.
“Nothing wrong.”
"Great job. I will be back."
The shiny, flowing brown horse was a small but sturdy warhorse that was well-suited for horseback riding and hunting.
As Agatha hopped onto the horse, the imperial knights and servants boarded the horses and carriages one by one, completing preparations.
“Then shall we go?”
"Depart!"
The flags of the imperial family and the Nobilis family waved high. Agatha crossed the castle grounds escorted by the imperial knights.
The place they were going to today was a forest that was relatively close to the imperial hunting grounds, about an hour away from the capital.
As she left the castle gate, she spoke briefly with the knight in charge of the inspection, and the imperial knight returned and reported.
“His Royal Highness left the castle early, and Marquis Aratus is not there yet.”
"Is it so?"
The Crown Prince must have been so excited after seeing her truthful words that he quickly flew to the hunting ground.
Perhaps he could have started a temporary hunt under the pretext of inspecting the hunting ground.
“Good job, sir.”
"No."
As there were fewer people, the carriage carrying Agatha, the knights, and the servants gained speed.
By the time the procession had slowly climbed over several hills overgrown with trees and grass.
Ping-
A very small and subtle noise rang out. The imperial knights responded immediately, unsheathing their swords and striking down the flying sword aimed at Agatha.
“It’s an attack!”
"Square! Protect the Lady!”
“My Lady, hold on tight to the reins. We have to break through like this!”
In the center of the protective formation that had already been formed, Agatha held the reins tightly.
If the number had been small, they would have been dealt with, but the number of assassins who showed up after the first failed surprise attack was unusual.
In the grass, on the trees, and all the way to the front and rear corners.
More than a hundred people were pouring in, shooting arrows.
"Run!"
At the shout of Vice-Captain Sir Barsley, the horses and carriages all sped up. It was the moment when the knights, including Agatha, were trying to quickly break through the siege net, braving the barrage of arrows.
“This is the time. Pull!”
puck-
Heeheeheehee!
A picket spear suddenly lifted from the floor and blocked the procession. The horses of the imperial knights who could not stop were struck down, and arrows rained down on Agatha, who stopped in the gap.
“Ouch...!”
“Young Lady!”
It was an instant for Agatha to fall from her horse. She narrowly avoided the arrow by tilting her body, but she could not avoid rolling on the ground.
The horse whose body was pierced by an arrow fell down later.
Agatha, who barely escaped being crushed under the horse, removed her blood-soaked hair with trembling hands. As she fell, her vision was red as to where she hit.
The sounds of knights frightened were heard everywhere.
“The blood...!”
“Young Lady! Are you okay?”
Agatha calmly affirmed and took out her sword from the saddle. After confirming that their target had fallen, the assassins were rushing towards the dust with swords and axes.
“I’m fine, so don’t worry about it, and look ahead!”
“Kill! You just have to kill the target!”
Eerie metal sounds and footsteps echoed everywhere. Although her torn head hurt, Agatha calmly assessed the surrounding situation.
'The servants won't be able to move.'
It is said that the assassins are not interested in the carriage right now, but the moment someone gets out, there will be stabbings on the other side as well.
Each knight must deal with approximately five or six people.
The assassins were even more desperate to target Agatha, who was protected in the center, than the knights.
Agatha, who occasionally lowered her head to avoid the memorization missed by the knights, estimated the probability that the Crown Prince, who would be at the hunting ground by now, would notice this situation on his own.
Around them, knights and raiders were yelling at each other.
“Hold on! If you hold on, His Highness will notice something is wrong and come back!”
“Don’t worry about the knights! Our goal is only one woman!”
Perhaps patrolling knights could find it and deliver the news.
However, the assassins must have anticipated that cycle and acted accordingly.
Agatha realized that her relatives had planned a plan.
If they dared to work in the imperial hunting grounds, prepared to incur the Emperor's wrath.
'...Can I survive here?'
Klik-
In a fierce battle.
The sound of the string being slightly pulled caught Agatha's ears. Suddenly, an assassin aiming this way appeared in her field of vision.
The moment when the flesh was tightened, the bow was bent, and the demonstration was pulled taut.
Puck-
The one who died first was the assassin who was targeting her. She turned her head in that direction, following the arrow that hit the assassin as if it were hitting him diagonally.
Doo doo doo doo-
On top of a high hill.
There was a group of cavalry shaking the ground in broad daylight, raising dust.
The man in the lead was holding a longbow in one hand and tearing off the throats of the assassins who were aiming at her.
The family crest that carries the standard bearer is an eagle swimming in the sky.
The sudden reinforcements brought mixed feelings between the assassins and the imperial knights.
“Ah, the Knights of Aratus!”
Puck, puck, puck-
Every time he let go of his protest, many of the assassins' breaths died out.
Under the deeply pressed hood.
Agatha's gaze met the man's sparkling eyes. Although there was no way the voice could be heard from this distance, the man's low voice seemed to hit my eardrums.
“Prepare to crash.”
Big, strong hands gripping the reins.
The man, Enoch Aratus, came down the hill, struck down the bodies of the assassins, and trampled them.
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