Chapter 7 :

Episode 7 — The Hunting Tournament (2)

The Eighth Imperial Prince seemed to have had his pride deeply wounded by the humiliation that was not quite humiliation he suffered during the last ceremony, and he had been glaring at me as if he wanted to kill me.

For one hour.

During that time, he had kept glaring at me like that ever since we left the imperial palace.

It was a persistence so impressive I could not even tell whether I should praise the health of his eyeballs or his tenacity.

Was it because he was imperial family that his eyes hurt less even when he abused his eye muscles like that?

With utterly unproductive thoughts like, “Maybe the muscles around the eyes of the imperial family are also sturdier than ordinary people’s”, I sent my mind flying off somewhere far, far away and diligently ignored him in my own way.

If there was one thing that had become clear from the last incident, it was that perhaps because this was one year before the original work began, that guy was a little more hot-tempered and impulsive than when I had read about him in the book.

When I thought of how he had seemed ready to slam the table and rush at me on the spot, I did not want to provoke him carelessly at least until we reached our destination.

After all, quite an important event was waiting today.

Now that I thought about it, when I lived in the modern world, nothing was as frightening to someone in their late twenties as the hot-bloodedness of teenagers.

I stayed still, thinking that he should just vent as much as he wanted somewhere and then be quiet.

“Hey, you bastard, are you ignoring me right now?”

But my calm attitude seemed to make him even angrier. If I reacted, he got angry, and if I did not react, he got irritated.

Was this unreasonable situation what one experienced when they gained a younger sibling?

Even while I was thinking about something else like this, he kept muttering curses, or something close to curses.

Still, this time, in order not to stand out as he had last time, he at least kept his voice low.

It was not like I could praise him for that.

The words he mainly spat out were things like vermin, bug’s spawn, filthy blood, and vulgar black horse.

A vulgar black horse, huh.

Personally, I liked it more than the golden horses.

I gently stroked the mane of the black horse, whose whole body was covered in pitch-black fur, as it quietly walked while carrying me.

Perhaps because it felt good, the horse snorted and shook its head slightly.

It seems the Seventh Imperial Prince may not be popular with people, but he does seem to be liked by animals.

When I scratched the back of its neck again, it let out a small neigh and put more strength into its steps.

It was not vulgar, unlike what that petty rooster-comb had said.

Of course, I could not really tell what made a horse vulgar, but in my eyes, it looked fairly elegant.

“It’s quite a cute one, but it’s being treated poorly because its owner is the Seventh Imperial Prince.”

When I muttered softly, the horse nodded again.

I had thought this before, but the animals in this world acted strangely as if they understood human words.

The rooster-comb guy started yapping again about how I ignored his words but talked to a beast, but I was able to ignore him this time too.

This black horse had been gifted to the Seventh Imperial Prince when he was young by either the Fourth Imperial Prince or someone else, in order to mock the black-haired Imperial Prince without Manis.

A black horse whose whole body and mane were pitch-black, standing out among white horses with golden manes.

They said that when he was among the imperial family, it made the Seventh Imperial Prince look even blacker, and he felt ashamed.

It seemed the imperial family even bullied others by wasting money.

Well….I like it.

Keep bullying me like this, instead of merely running your mouth like the young Imperial Prince next to me.

If possible, gift me black jewels or a black sword while you are at it.

A horse of such an inconspicuous color would also be convenient to take along later when escaping the imperial palace.

By the time the Eighth Imperial Prince’s voice had almost died down, a small tower finally appeared, marking the beginning of the forest.

Once we reached the entrance of this vast imperial forest that showed the Emperor’s prestige, a simple opening ceremony for the hunting tournament would take place, and the hunting tournament would begin in earnest.

Usually, the winner here was already decided to be an Imperial Prince or Imperial Princess.

After all, ordinary people could not beat Manis users.

The people of the imperial family, who were born with blonde hair, originally had outstanding physical abilities.

And since using abilities was not forbidden in the hunting tournament, there was no way anyone could beat people like that.

Originally, the imperial hunting tournament was simply an event to raise the prestige of the imperial family and announce policies in a murderous atmosphere.

Traditionally, the person who took first place in the hunting tournament could ask the Emperor for one wish.

This too was supposedly a tradition that began because the first Emperor enjoyed hunting, but now it was simply a political tool for the imperial family.

Because the ones who won were all imperial family members, they would ask for wishes that pleased the Emperor or gave them an advantage.

And above all, anyone who objected here had to risk their life.

Beside the place where the tower stood was a dizzyingly high cliff.

For the crime of objecting against the sacred tradition of the imperial family, that person would be thrown down the cliff.

In exchange, as the price of risking their life, that year’s wish would be rejected once.

Though even then, if the hunting tournament was held again the next year and the winner made the same wish again, everything would return to square one.

Since no one wanted to suffer such meaningless dog death, most people did not step forward to express opposition.

Well, aside from that, another purpose—if it could be called a purpose—was to let the imperial family release some of their boiling murderous instincts.

“Once the hunt starts, I’ll catch you and that horse first, skin you, and burn you alive.”

To calm down energetic guys like this rooster-comb.

Perhaps realizing that we had now reached the tower, the guy spoke while grinding his teeth, and I finally met his eyes for the first time in an hour and a half.

If he really followed only me around all day, I would be in a bit of trouble today.

“That won’t do.”

When I finally answered, the rooster-comb, who had been preparing to pour out curses, frowned as if he found it strange that I was speaking so calmly.

I leaned slightly toward him and whispered softly.

“If that happens, everyone will notice that, at best, you’re an imperial family member who can only light a lamp.”

Watching his eyes widen and his face turn pale, I continued.

“At least stay quiet for today. Even if I go mad and shout in front of everyone today for you to try burning me, there’d be nothing to help you.”

Buuuu—

Together with the horn that rang out with perfect timing, the boring procession finally stopped.

We had arrived at the entrance of the forest, the stone tower.

From a little distance away, the stone tower looked as if stones had been roughly piled up, and compared to the imperial palace wrapped in gold, silver, and bronze, it was unbearably crude.

That building, old to that extent, was called the Tower of the Beginning.

That too was built by the first Emperor, and from then until now, the opening ceremony of the hunting tournament had been held here every year.

The ceremony could be described as a display of the imperial family’s power before the nobles, where a successor candidate chosen by the Emperor showed off his power.

In the original work, this was the scene where the First Imperial Prince overexerted himself and used his power.

I reviewed the original work once again while looking around the stone tower.

Around the somewhat crude stone tower, which had until recently had only the frame of an altar, lavish tents and an altar that did not match it had been prepared.

Quite a few lower ones must have been ground down.

Perhaps because the day of the hunt was no different, those attending to high-ranking nobles and imperial family members moved busily.

Naturally, I had brought no one with me.

I could have used the servants of the Seventh Imperial Prince’s palace, but the fewer people around for what I was doing, the better. I had no reason to bring them.

Among the busy people, I led my horse around quietly and carefully examined the stone tower and the entrance to the forest.

I could feel a few people casting glances at me, who was wandering around without even a aide, but preparing for what would happen today was far more important than paying attention to each of those things.

Not long after, once the imperial family and central nobles took their seats, the ceremony began immediately.

As a person, I did not like the Emperor, but I liked that one thing about him: he handled matters quickly.

In front of everyone watching, the Emperor climbed onto the giant altar decorated with goldwork.

Buuuu— buuuu—

In time with two long horn calls, the Emperor expressionlessly raised his hand.

And the First Imperial Prince stepped forward in accordance with that, wearing a solemn air.

He stretched both hands forward.

The moment he extended his hands, his eyes met mine, as I stood below the altar, but he immediately avoided my gaze.

And then he poured in his power.

At least, he probably did.

Because it was not a visible power, I could not see it. But judging by the scene that soon unfolded, it must have been quite powerful.

A small whirlpool of water formed within his two arms.

Everyone gathered looked at the First Imperial Prince with tense or expectant gazes, wondering if he might spill blood again this time.

But that would not happen.

Because this time, I had intervened.

The small whirlpool quickly increased in size, and before long, it swelled to the size of the ancient stone tower.

When the First Imperial Prince reached his hand toward the sky, another spray of water in the shape of a wolf rose from within the whirlpool.

The wolf made of water ran above the heads of those gathered below the altar, then leaped greatly and disappeared into the sky.

In the place where the wolf disappeared, several strands of rainbow were made from the light scattered by its remnants.

Quiet silence settled over the altar.

Everyone was entranced, unable to pull themselves out of the sight that no human could dare create.

Buuuu— buuuu—

Only after the horn sounded twice, just as it had when the ceremony began, did people begin to regain their senses one by one.

Then thunderous applause filled the forest.

The First Imperial Prince enjoyed that cheer with a confident expression, then, when the sound died down, descended again without spilling a single drop of blood.

With this, the opening ceremony, in which the most likely candidate for Emperor displayed his power before people once a year, came to an end.

Since the First Imperial Prince’s healthy appearance had been shown, this would buy more time until the original work began.

The first mission at the hunting tournament had been safely completed.

After the First Imperial Prince descended, this time, the Emperor slowly opened his mouth.

“The hunting tournament begins.”

The Emperor’s voice rang through the surroundings, and the gathered people began forming the parties they had prepared one by one and entering the vast forest.

Since the First Imperial Prince had completed his mission, I had to achieve my own purpose for coming here.

I struck the reins of the black horse and rode toward the small-animal zone of the forest.

It was the beginning of the hidden episode.

* * *

“The Emperor has begun discouraging the nobles a little early this time.”

At that indifferent voice, his timid aide Tollin was horrified. After looking around and confirming no one was there, he quickly whispered.

“Please say such irreverent things only when you are alone, at a distance where anyone can tell that the Duke and I have not even the slightest connection!”

At that fussing display, the face of Tollin’s superior, who had made the irreverent remark in question, briefly showed an expression as if he had seen something pathetic.

“Tollin, I am also a person who checks whether I can stretch my feet before lying down. Otherwise, I would not have lived to this age. There is no one within fifty feet ahead.”

Only then did the aide, who followed behind him with a relieved expression, settle down. The man shook his head at him and idly cast his gaze toward the sky.

The rainbow created by the giant wolf the First Imperial Prince had launched just before the opening still floated faintly.

Contrary to the beautiful scenery, the inside of his mind was complicated, as if stained in sludge.

The name of the man looking at the sky with complicated feelings was Agony Feedus.

He was the head of House Duke Feedus, an old veteran who had once served as a vanguard on the battlefield until he was over fifty years old, and a poor soul whose fate would be greatly changed today because of someone.