The day of the hunting competition was cloudy.
Although somewhat cloudy, it did not look like rain, so the event went on as planned. As the event involved the King, his two sons, the Princes of the empire, and many high-ranking nobles, there were more marchers and soldiers than usual.
“Soldiers are stationed on the ridge. From there, we will drive the beasts down toward the forest. First, we will divide into two groups and move east and north, and from there, each will move with his soldiers. To prevent anyone from getting lost, there will be attendants and soldiers standing here and there holding flags.”
Everyone nodded to the young officer's explanation. The flags fluttered and swayed in the wind blowing down from the mountain.
“Then, Your Majesty, you may depart first.”
The soldier who stood with the blue flag blew his horn, and the King, the Duke of Vergy, and some other nobles followed. They went north first, while the others, including Franz and Rogero, moved east.
“Krald, don’t forget to promise to catch something nice for me.”
Libencia, who was standing next to Krald who was about to leave, whispered. She was wearing a dress the color of deep peonies, and today, with her hair tied up maturely, she looked very mature.
Cheraan had a cold expression on her face the whole time, not liking the fact that she had to stay with Libencia. Judith had already guessed that this would happen, so she had told Cheraan to join the hunting competition in advance, but she had only heard that she could not do so. She said that she could not leave Judith's side without knowing what Libencia might do.
Because of the recent dangerous events, Cheraan became more and more nervous about protecting Judith. For a while, she was so reluctant to even return home that Judith had a hard time calming her down.
However, contrary to Cheraan’s worries, Judith was not particularly wary of Libencia. She had already experienced Libencia once in her past life. Although she had not had the opportunity to talk to her like she does now, she could easily hear rumors surrounding her anywhere in the palace.
Libencia was arrogant and self-willed, but she had no talent for devious schemes. If she had been capable of that, she would have long ago removed Flavia from her position as the second Princess.
However, there was no way to convince Cheraan of this fact. Therefore, Judith had no choice but to leave Cheraan alone as she continued to count down the days toward Libencia.
“Your Highness the Crown Princess.”
A voice was heard, as if flirting. Judith looked down at Libencia from her horse.
“What is it, Miss Montfort?”
“Are you going to just sit on the horse? There’s nothing to do until the hunters return, so why don’t you come and have some tea with me and wait?”
Judith looked at the maids of the Serene Palace moving busily. She watched the small tables and chairs, the freshly brewed tea and cookies being set up, and she smiled with just her lips and shook her head.
"I'm fine."
“Then are you just going to keep standing here?”
“No, that’s not...”
The flags of those who had gone before were now out of sight beyond the forest. Nevertheless, she kept looking towards the place where Franz might be. She couldn't figure out why.
There were no signs, no suspicious points. Today's hunting competition had been planned for a long time, and Judith knew the details of the preparations. But her heart was strangely unsettled. No matter how hard she tried, she could not calm down, and it seemed as if a nagging anxiety was constantly poking at her head.
“Your Highness, you don’t look well. What’s the matter?”
Mary Anne, who noticed Judith’s expression darkening by the minute, approached her. Instead of answering her, Judith looked at the ridge of the mountain that stretched out in a short curve. She caught a glimpse of the colorful flags that the attendants were holding between the tall trees.
Flags were stretched out to the north and east, indicating the route the hunters would take in pursuit of their prey. The part hidden by the forest was not visible, but the procession along the ridge was visible. Judith was lost in thought, engraving the flags that were occasionally visible along the ridge from the east.
“Mary Anne, wait here with Cheraan. I’ll go look around for a bit.”
“Huh? What do you mean? Looking around, why?”
“I need to find some lower ground.”
After finishing speaking, Judith grabbed the reins and ran towards the forest before Mary Anne could catch up.
There was no sound of soldiers' horns or the sound of horses' hooves. The forest was quiet, with an occasional breeze. The shade was shallow because there was little sunlight, but the trees seemed to be exuding a more humid air than usual.
The paths for those who set out to the east were set at three different paths. The soldiers standing in various places in the forest were surprised to see Judith riding alone and told them the direction Franz had taken. They said that he had come with the group until the middle of the forest, but had become separated from Rogero and Krald at the fork in the road that led to the mountain path.
If she followed the soldiers and attendants who carried the flags, she would not be in danger of being hit by a stray arrow. As she climbed the mountain path that was barely wide enough for one horse to run, Judith mentally matched the lines of the flags she had been observing so obsessively. Several paths led up the ridge, most of which she already knew, but one was on her mind.
Was it unnecessary worry? It could have been. On the outside, Judith had seemed fine for the past few days. Even Franz thought so, but in reality, it wasn't. But it was an inexplicable anxiety, and she couldn't explain it.
The well-trained horse did not lose its composure or panic as it climbed the steep mountain path. Judith, holding the reins tightly, looked back at the now distant and sparse line of soldiers and entered the straight oak path. The thick branches split the pale blue-gray sky into pieces, and the leaves, ripe from the summer sun, swayed in the wind.
A red flag was newly fluttering on the winding mountain path. It was still the season when the greenery was thick, so it was easy to see from afar. Judith was chasing this flag. This path was more rugged than the others. It was rocky and steep, not suitable for horseback riding. However, it was strange that such a place was included in the route.
As she thought about that, a noise was heard among the thick trees. Judith turned her head to check the location of the nearest soldier, then carefully grabbed the handle of the riding whip that was stuck on the side of the saddle.
“Judith?”
There was a rustling sound. But it was from behind. Judith turned her head quickly and was speechless for a moment as she looked at Franz, who was looking at her with a bewildered expression.
Suddenly, her heart began to pound. It was rushing like a curse. She had thought that the owner of the sound was Franz. But then he appeared from behind.
So who was that over there?
“Why are you here? This road is rough...”
“Your Highness, you must come down the mountain immediately.”
Franz frowned as if to ask what she meant. Judith raised her head again and looked at the place where the soldier had been. A ragged breath escaped her parted lips.
The soldier was no longer there. They had been standing there with the flag just a moment ago, but they were nowhere to be seen. The moment she realized they were gone, a dark shadow fell over the mountain path. The cloudy sky suddenly became covered with dark clouds.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew. The horse, which had been quiet until then, trotted out, and Franz felt the back of his neck stand on end. An arrow flew through the branches that obscured his vision and passed before his eyes. The moment the arrow struck the tree trunk, Franz pulled out the sword on his waist without a second thought and dismounted from his horse.
“Judith!”
The moment he lifted his foot, the horse began to gallop. Franz, who caught Judith’s body as it tilted and fell, saw a soldier sliding down the mountainside. He was wearing the same clothes as the knights were wearing today, but he could tell at a glance that he was not one of Rotair’s soldiers.
There was a sound of metal scraping. The moment the swords clashed, Franz looked at the soldier’s hand holding the hilt. Franz’s eyes widened as he saw the serpentine ring on his index finger.
“Get down, Judith!”
Franz shouted. Judith rummaged through her pockets as she slid down the slope, avoiding the kicks of the galloping horses. Judith took out a whistle that looked like a finger and tried to control her trembling hands, putting her lips to the thin snout. She blew hard, and the sharp sound carried far along the mountain path.
"Shit!"
The man who was acting as a herder, Tudban, had his expression distorted by the sound of the whistle that kept ringing. It was good that those who had been instigated by the Duke of Laetian had driven Franz this way, but he had never thought that the Crown Princess would come here to find him. Now that the whistle had rang, those who sensed something was wrong would soon come rushing in. Before that, he had to kill Franz and find the Prince.
“Whose orders did you take?”
Franz's strength as he held his swords against each other was stronger than the man had thought. The moment their swords separated with a squeaking sound, Franz noticed that he was holding a small knife without a blade in his other hand as if hiding it.
“Did Duke Laetian send you? To kill me?”
“What difference do you think it will make if we don’t know the background?”
The raised sword struck again with a sharp strike. At that moment, the hand of the man holding the small knife swept past Franz’s neck. If he had not quickly withdrawn the sword and stepped back, he would have cut the area below his Adam’s apple. His shoulders stiffened as he tensed. Franz glanced in the direction of the whistle, then raised his sword and stared at the man’s movements.
“You think it won’t make a difference even if I know who’s behind it? Are you sure you can kill me on the spot?”
“Is there any possibility?”
Franz closed his lips nervously and asked. When he closed his eyes once and opened them again, his vision, which had seemed to be wavering, became clearer. Sweat dripped from his forehead and fell down his cheeks.
Franz said mockingly, biting his lip as if he was being sarcastic.
“I have no intention of losing my life to the ghost of a ruined country that has nothing to do with me.”
So who was that over there?
“Why are you here? This road is rough...”
“Your Highness, you must come down the mountain immediately.”
Franz frowned as if to ask what she meant. Judith raised her head again and looked at the place where the soldier had been. A ragged breath escaped her parted lips.
The soldier was no longer there. They had been standing there with the flag just a moment ago, but they were nowhere to be seen. The moment she realized they were gone, a dark shadow fell over the mountain path. The cloudy sky suddenly became covered with dark clouds.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew. The horse, which had been quiet until then, trotted out, and Franz felt the back of his neck stand on end. An arrow flew through the branches that obscured his vision and passed before his eyes. The moment the arrow struck the tree trunk, Franz pulled out the sword on his waist without a second thought and dismounted from his horse.
“Judith!”
The moment he lifted his foot, the horse began to gallop. Franz, who caught Judith’s body as it tilted and fell, saw a soldier sliding down the mountainside. He was wearing the same clothes as the knights were wearing today, but he could tell at a glance that he was not one of Rotair’s soldiers.
There was a sound of metal scraping. The moment the swords clashed, Franz looked at the soldier’s hand holding the hilt. Franz’s eyes widened as he saw the serpentine ring on his index finger.
“Get down, Judith!”
Franz shouted. Judith rummaged through her pockets as she slid down the slope, avoiding the kicks of the galloping horses. Judith took out a whistle that looked like a finger and tried to control her trembling hands, putting her lips to the thin snout. She blew hard, and the sharp sound carried far along the mountain path.
"Shit!"
The man who was acting as a herder, Tudban, had his expression distorted by the sound of the whistle that kept ringing. It was good that those who had been instigated by the Duke of Laetian had driven Franz this way, but he had never thought that the Crown Princess would come here to find him. Now that the whistle had rang, those who sensed something was wrong would soon come rushing in. Before that, he had to kill Franz and find the Prince.
“Whose orders did you take?”
Franz's strength as he held his swords against each other was stronger than the man had thought. The moment their swords separated with a squeaking sound, Franz noticed that he was holding a small knife without a blade in his other hand as if hiding it.
“Did Duke Laetian send you? To kill me?”
“What difference do you think it will make if we don’t know the background?”
The raised sword struck again with a sharp strike. At that moment, the hand of the man holding the small knife swept past Franz’s neck. If he had not quickly withdrawn the sword and stepped back, he would have cut the area below his Adam’s apple. His shoulders stiffened as he tensed. Franz glanced in the direction of the whistle, then raised his sword and stared at the man’s movements.
“You think it won’t make a difference even if I know who’s behind it? Are you sure you can kill me on the spot?”
“Is there any possibility?”
Franz closed his lips nervously and asked. When he closed his eyes once and opened them again, his vision, which had seemed to be wavering, became clearer. Sweat dripped from his forehead and fell down his cheeks.
Franz said mockingly, biting his lip as if he was being sarcastic.
“I have no intention of losing my life to the ghost of a ruined country that has nothing to do with me.”
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