“No. This is my first time seeing anything like this.”
As I shook my head, she opened the sachet and poured the contents into the palm of her hand.
It looked like gray ash or powdered dried grass. She rubbed it lightly with her fingers and sniffed it.
“...This is a target sachet. I’ve only heard about it, but this is my first time seeing it in person.”
“What is this?”
“To put it simply, anyone with this scent is a target. It has no effect on humans and they can’t smell it, but it’s a stimulating scent for animals. It maximizes the instincts of beasts.”
I was once again amazed by her explanation.
The one with the scent is the target? I had that item in my bag without knowing it?
I tried to remember when I first bought the bag, but no matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't remember ever seeing a seam that was torn like that.
I asked back, trembling.
“Yes, I think I know.”
“Because it’s something my father would use.”
Veronica continued bitterly.
“Have you ever thought, Your Highness, that the security of this succession race is lax?”
It was as she said. On the third island, they even deployed an inspection team to prepare for emergencies, but on the second island, they left people to survive on their own. They even said they wouldn't interfere unless their lives were in real danger.
If that's the case, I thought it would be safer to let the beasts loose in a gladiator arena or arena.
I answered hesitantly.
“...I definitely have that feeling.”
“Traditionally, in competitions that prove ‘strength,’ whether it’s assassination, a night raid, or foul play, the perpetrator is not criticized. There is a tendency to look down on the victim as not having the qualities of an Emperor in the first place.”
“...”
“However, apart from that, the situation becomes more serious if the contestant is actually dead. If there are traces of iron or poison used on the body of the deceased.”
She paused for a moment to catch her breath.
“The sins of the one who survives alone are treated with the same weight as those of a traitor.”
The voice that spoke of treason was eerie. I let out the breath I had been holding.
Now I understand all this. The seemingly lax security and the assassination attempts using animals.
Apart from the fact that I felt my life was in danger, this method was a poor one to use against an opponent that absolutely had to be killed. First of all, the target of the attack was an unspeakable beast.
Perhaps he intended to leave as little trace of the assassination as possible. If I had been attacked by a wolf, there would have been no wounds from the blade or poison on the body, and the sachet could have been retrieved before the Knights found the body.
Then, there would be no evidence left, and it would be impossible to convict the remaining candidate of murder without any conclusive evidence.
...I couldn’t understand even more why she had saved me. From her perspective, there was nothing to gain from saving me. Rather, this sachet only served to prove to me the Duke of Kairak’s scheme.
I opened my mouth after a long silence.
“Then isn’t saving me a more dangerous choice? I already know that your father tried to kill me.”
“And Your Highness, you will remember that I saved your life.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Our eyes met again. This time she turned her head away, avoiding my gaze.
"Nothing."
“...”
“I would like Your Highness to think that nothing has happened in this forest.”
Veronica and I walked along the road in silence for a while.
After I threw away the sachet, the wolves stopped chasing me, and I didn't feel any other suspicious circumstances targeting me.
If it was to prove Duke Kairak's guilt later, it would have been a better choice not to throw away the sachet... But that was too fatal. Especially when I think of Veronica who risked her life to save me.
In the end, I decided to cover up the incident. As Veronica said, I wanted to pretend that nothing had happened in the forest.
If we look at the crimes of Duke Kairak in this incident, it would be fair to also look at the merits of Princess Kairak who saved my life.
“I guess we can part ways here.”
As I was walking, lost in thought, I suddenly raised my head at Veronica's words. Before I knew it, I was in front of the bridge leading to the third island.
“It’s safe from here on out. In other words, everything we do after we cross this bridge is under surveillance.”
“I guess so.”
“Do you still have your weapon?”
I nodded. I lost my crossbow and gun a long time ago, but it would be difficult to hit anything with them anyway. Except that, I could barely move. Just like Alexana...
I shook my head to shake off my emotions.
“I packed enough that you don’t have to worry.”
“They say they only inspect and don’t report, but... you never know. So I hope you will respond calmly at any moment.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
I held out my hand to her. Veronica seemed speechless for a moment, then she took my hand in a short, firm grip and let go.
“Then, Your Highness, I will go first.”
She leaped onto the horse. With a crack of a whip, Veronica was gone in an instant.
I waited until she was completely out of sight beyond the forest, not because I didn't trust her, but because I didn't want her to see my shabby bag.
The bag, which had been well cared for in Tilatha's hands, seemed to have suffered more in the few days since it was sold to me than all the previous hardships combined.
Nevertheless, the laces and soles were very tenaciously attached. I opened the bag and carefully examined the contents inside.
The iron trap was still there, tangled but not so badly damaged as to be unusable. The herbs, however, were badly broken inside the bag.
Besides that, there was only a flint, Tilatha's notebook, a small dagger, a broken biscuit, a half-empty water jug, a dented cup, and an old but clean bandage.
All the top-quality items that Laskan had prepared were lost on the second island along with Alexana.
I took out the map of the island from Tilatha's notebook and quietly put the rest back in my bag. It seemed that the further you went into the center of the island, the more precious animals you could see.
It wasn't that far from here. It would take two hours to get there by horseback... The problem was that it wasn't easy to get there on foot.
I tied my loose shoes tightly and crossed the bridge.
I had only crossed a bridge, but the air felt completely different. It was a bit more substantial, a bit more vibrant.
Here and there, crooked plants that were not easily seen were spread out close by, and each rock was covered with moss like a carpet.
The people were right. There was a primordial mystery in Zarantello Antaria.
There were hooves along the soft dirt road. Perhaps Veronica had followed that road.
If I had Alexana, I would have gone that way, but not now. If it's safe anyway, there's no reason to insist on going that way.
I gathered my messy hair into a ponytail. I held my bag tightly and stepped out onto the paved road.
One step, and then another. The dense grass and trees held my feet, but I felt an unknown vitality seeping into my legs.
According to Tilatha's records, the compass is useless in Zarantello Antaria. You must rely solely on your senses for everything. Otherwise, you will be more likely to get lost, and in severe cases, you may not even be able to see the precipice right in front of you.
Instead, she said she left markers here and there to make it easier to find the way. The point where I got off the trail was right where the first knot was.
I headed carefully north, looking for the features depicted on Tilata's map: concave rocks, lightning-stricken trees, fields with a musty smell...
There were still marks of Tilatha there. Some were arrows, and some were piles of stones.
I don't know how long I walked. My pants, soaked with dew, were getting more and more cumbersome, and my bag was becoming unbearably heavy.
I began to think more often of Olga, of how she would have liked to see this place.
She often talked about the place she lived in, the hot sun, and the salty wind.
It must have been different from her hometown, a damp and humid place like Zarantello, but I was sure Olga would have loved it. Those thoughts gave me strength.
After some wandering, I found the last sign of Tilatha. A piece of blue cloth tied to a tree branch. If you continue north, you will come across a lake where white-horned deer are said to frequent.
On the eastern side of the lake, there was also a small cave that Tilatha used when she went hunting. At least if I went that far, I could light a campfire and rest for a while.
It seemed like five hours had passed since I had entered the forest. For a skilled hunter like Veronica, it would have been enough time to catch something. I had heard the faint sound of gunfire several times on my way here.
Maybe she had already gone down the mountain and returned to where the test tubes were.
It was then. A sound was heard not far away. It was a person, and it was Veronica's scream.
At first, I tried to pretend not to hear. They said the inspectors were nearby anyway. In case my life was in danger.
But accepting their help was like giving up on the competition because, in the end, it wasn't something I could have accomplished on my own.
But I was different. From the perspective of a challenger competing for the same successor, it was within her ‘ability’ for me to voluntarily help her.
As I shook my head, she opened the sachet and poured the contents into the palm of her hand.
It looked like gray ash or powdered dried grass. She rubbed it lightly with her fingers and sniffed it.
“...This is a target sachet. I’ve only heard about it, but this is my first time seeing it in person.”
“What is this?”
“To put it simply, anyone with this scent is a target. It has no effect on humans and they can’t smell it, but it’s a stimulating scent for animals. It maximizes the instincts of beasts.”
I was once again amazed by her explanation.
The one with the scent is the target? I had that item in my bag without knowing it?
I tried to remember when I first bought the bag, but no matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn't remember ever seeing a seam that was torn like that.
I asked back, trembling.
“Yes, I think I know.”
“Because it’s something my father would use.”
Veronica continued bitterly.
“Have you ever thought, Your Highness, that the security of this succession race is lax?”
It was as she said. On the third island, they even deployed an inspection team to prepare for emergencies, but on the second island, they left people to survive on their own. They even said they wouldn't interfere unless their lives were in real danger.
If that's the case, I thought it would be safer to let the beasts loose in a gladiator arena or arena.
I answered hesitantly.
“...I definitely have that feeling.”
“Traditionally, in competitions that prove ‘strength,’ whether it’s assassination, a night raid, or foul play, the perpetrator is not criticized. There is a tendency to look down on the victim as not having the qualities of an Emperor in the first place.”
“...”
“However, apart from that, the situation becomes more serious if the contestant is actually dead. If there are traces of iron or poison used on the body of the deceased.”
She paused for a moment to catch her breath.
“The sins of the one who survives alone are treated with the same weight as those of a traitor.”
The voice that spoke of treason was eerie. I let out the breath I had been holding.
Now I understand all this. The seemingly lax security and the assassination attempts using animals.
Apart from the fact that I felt my life was in danger, this method was a poor one to use against an opponent that absolutely had to be killed. First of all, the target of the attack was an unspeakable beast.
Perhaps he intended to leave as little trace of the assassination as possible. If I had been attacked by a wolf, there would have been no wounds from the blade or poison on the body, and the sachet could have been retrieved before the Knights found the body.
Then, there would be no evidence left, and it would be impossible to convict the remaining candidate of murder without any conclusive evidence.
...I couldn’t understand even more why she had saved me. From her perspective, there was nothing to gain from saving me. Rather, this sachet only served to prove to me the Duke of Kairak’s scheme.
I opened my mouth after a long silence.
“Then isn’t saving me a more dangerous choice? I already know that your father tried to kill me.”
“And Your Highness, you will remember that I saved your life.”
“What do you want me to do?”
Our eyes met again. This time she turned her head away, avoiding my gaze.
"Nothing."
“...”
“I would like Your Highness to think that nothing has happened in this forest.”
***
Veronica and I walked along the road in silence for a while.
After I threw away the sachet, the wolves stopped chasing me, and I didn't feel any other suspicious circumstances targeting me.
If it was to prove Duke Kairak's guilt later, it would have been a better choice not to throw away the sachet... But that was too fatal. Especially when I think of Veronica who risked her life to save me.
In the end, I decided to cover up the incident. As Veronica said, I wanted to pretend that nothing had happened in the forest.
If we look at the crimes of Duke Kairak in this incident, it would be fair to also look at the merits of Princess Kairak who saved my life.
“I guess we can part ways here.”
As I was walking, lost in thought, I suddenly raised my head at Veronica's words. Before I knew it, I was in front of the bridge leading to the third island.
“It’s safe from here on out. In other words, everything we do after we cross this bridge is under surveillance.”
“I guess so.”
“Do you still have your weapon?”
I nodded. I lost my crossbow and gun a long time ago, but it would be difficult to hit anything with them anyway. Except that, I could barely move. Just like Alexana...
I shook my head to shake off my emotions.
“I packed enough that you don’t have to worry.”
“They say they only inspect and don’t report, but... you never know. So I hope you will respond calmly at any moment.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
I held out my hand to her. Veronica seemed speechless for a moment, then she took my hand in a short, firm grip and let go.
“Then, Your Highness, I will go first.”
She leaped onto the horse. With a crack of a whip, Veronica was gone in an instant.
I waited until she was completely out of sight beyond the forest, not because I didn't trust her, but because I didn't want her to see my shabby bag.
The bag, which had been well cared for in Tilatha's hands, seemed to have suffered more in the few days since it was sold to me than all the previous hardships combined.
Nevertheless, the laces and soles were very tenaciously attached. I opened the bag and carefully examined the contents inside.
The iron trap was still there, tangled but not so badly damaged as to be unusable. The herbs, however, were badly broken inside the bag.
Besides that, there was only a flint, Tilatha's notebook, a small dagger, a broken biscuit, a half-empty water jug, a dented cup, and an old but clean bandage.
All the top-quality items that Laskan had prepared were lost on the second island along with Alexana.
I took out the map of the island from Tilatha's notebook and quietly put the rest back in my bag. It seemed that the further you went into the center of the island, the more precious animals you could see.
It wasn't that far from here. It would take two hours to get there by horseback... The problem was that it wasn't easy to get there on foot.
I tied my loose shoes tightly and crossed the bridge.
I had only crossed a bridge, but the air felt completely different. It was a bit more substantial, a bit more vibrant.
Here and there, crooked plants that were not easily seen were spread out close by, and each rock was covered with moss like a carpet.
The people were right. There was a primordial mystery in Zarantello Antaria.
There were hooves along the soft dirt road. Perhaps Veronica had followed that road.
If I had Alexana, I would have gone that way, but not now. If it's safe anyway, there's no reason to insist on going that way.
I gathered my messy hair into a ponytail. I held my bag tightly and stepped out onto the paved road.
One step, and then another. The dense grass and trees held my feet, but I felt an unknown vitality seeping into my legs.
According to Tilatha's records, the compass is useless in Zarantello Antaria. You must rely solely on your senses for everything. Otherwise, you will be more likely to get lost, and in severe cases, you may not even be able to see the precipice right in front of you.
Instead, she said she left markers here and there to make it easier to find the way. The point where I got off the trail was right where the first knot was.
I headed carefully north, looking for the features depicted on Tilata's map: concave rocks, lightning-stricken trees, fields with a musty smell...
There were still marks of Tilatha there. Some were arrows, and some were piles of stones.
I don't know how long I walked. My pants, soaked with dew, were getting more and more cumbersome, and my bag was becoming unbearably heavy.
I began to think more often of Olga, of how she would have liked to see this place.
She often talked about the place she lived in, the hot sun, and the salty wind.
It must have been different from her hometown, a damp and humid place like Zarantello, but I was sure Olga would have loved it. Those thoughts gave me strength.
After some wandering, I found the last sign of Tilatha. A piece of blue cloth tied to a tree branch. If you continue north, you will come across a lake where white-horned deer are said to frequent.
On the eastern side of the lake, there was also a small cave that Tilatha used when she went hunting. At least if I went that far, I could light a campfire and rest for a while.
It seemed like five hours had passed since I had entered the forest. For a skilled hunter like Veronica, it would have been enough time to catch something. I had heard the faint sound of gunfire several times on my way here.
Maybe she had already gone down the mountain and returned to where the test tubes were.
It was then. A sound was heard not far away. It was a person, and it was Veronica's scream.
At first, I tried to pretend not to hear. They said the inspectors were nearby anyway. In case my life was in danger.
But accepting their help was like giving up on the competition because, in the end, it wasn't something I could have accomplished on my own.
But I was different. From the perspective of a challenger competing for the same successor, it was within her ‘ability’ for me to voluntarily help her.
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