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81th Episode

As I looked affectionately at Rainer, he kept chewing on his lips and avoiding my gaze. I often thought about it, but despite his completely apathetic expression, he was quite shy in front of me.

“……You’re overstating it.”

“It’s the truth.”

I loosely held the reins and leaned slightly against the saddle, looking up at the sky. The clouds were somewhat gathered, making it seem like it might rain, but for now, it still appeared sunny. I took a deep breath, feeling the heavy yet fragrant aroma of rosewood mixing with the familiar scent of the forest.

“Normally, men would be boasting about their chivalry in a situation like this. They would have used me to flaunt how strong and just they are. But instead, you supported me rather than putting yourself forward.”

I predicted that if it had been another knight in such a situation, that knight would have pretended to be angry for my sake, showcasing his own righteousness. He might have tried to become the protagonist in the eyes of the social circle by offering to hunt in my place during this high-stakes bet.

But Rainer truly got angry for my sake while naturally making me the focus rather than himself. He stepped up solely for me, without a hint of selfishness.

“Thank you for being on my side.”

I whispered softly and smiled at Rainer. I was very glad to have someone like him by my side.

“I think forming a bond with you is among the greatest fortunes of my life.”

Rainer’s face flushed bright red in an instant as he looked at me. His ears and the back of his neck turned crimson as he quickly turned away. The look of confusion ran across his typically expressionless face.

‘He can make such expressions too.’

I watched him with curious eyes as Rainer’s rare change in expression reminded me of pieces from the past.

‘Cartel.’

Shortly cropped black hair. A slender and frail build. A pale face tinged with illness. Those hollow, numb blue eyes that gave me chills.

He was Rainer’s past and a boy who had been my friend in childhood.

‘Now that I think about it, my first encounter with Cartel is somewhat similar to the current situation.’

I suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu as I surveyed my surroundings. It was autumn back then, and now it was spring. The only significant difference was that we both had grown quite a bit, yet the location was still the forest, just like back then, and it was just the two of us.

My meeting with Cartel occurred in an unexpected moment. In the autumn of the year I turned 14, I discovered Cartel surrounded by monsters in the forest where I had gone to fulfill a monster subjugation request, purely by chance.

‘I feel like a burden, both here and in my daily life.’

I remembered his emotionless face filled with gloom. The 15-year-old boy was ill in both body and spirit.

‘That boy is now Rainer… he’s really… grown so much.’

With half admiration and half astonishment, I observed Rainer anew.

His growth was stunted due to his illness, but now he had suddenly exceeded my height, requiring me to look up to meet his eyes. His once sickly, delicate face had transformed into a lively, strong countenance, and his previously emaciated body had become robust and sturdy. The pretty boy whose youth seemed strong had turned into a full-grown handsome man.

Most notably, the change was that his once hollow blue eyes, now devoid of any emotion, were now a golden hue that could at least hold waves of feelings.

The empty boy I met in the monster-infested forest had grown solidly into the knight he was now.

‘He must not be sick anymore.’

With that sudden thought, I stared intently at Rainer. After a moment of evasion, during which he was sweating coldly, he slowly turned to face me. His face flushed with a subtle red, contrasting the blue of the sky.

“You mentioned I’m kind.”

He whispered softly.

“Do you like kind people, my lady?”

His low question came with a fervent gaze. It was reminiscent of a loyal dog looking at its owner. I slowly blinked and smiled faintly.

Trends in this world twisted around. Before long, people began to glamorize evils such as cruelty and coldness.

Yet I still preferred kind and warm-hearted people. Those who didn’t mock the struggles of others and silently supported those walking lonely paths were the ones I appreciated.

“Yes. I do like kind people.”

I liked someone like Rainer.

Rainer smiled. He discarded his indifferent facade and blossomed into a smile that resembled blooming flowers.

“In that case, I will continue to strive to be kind only to the Young Lady of Crisis.”

The laughter, which was born against the backdrop of his red face illuminated by the sun, would surely linger in my memory forever.

By the way, the Young Lady of Crisis.

“Yes?”

“About this hunt…”

Swoosh!

With the sound of something slicing sharply through the air, a deer that was drinking at the lake collapsed. I turned to Rainer, pleased as I looked at the black arrow that had perfectly struck its heart. It was a special bow that operated with my aura, allowing me to hit my target with pinpoint accuracy as long as it was within my sight.

“I’m sorry. Could you repeat that?”

Seeing the sudden fallen deer, Rainer momentarily closed his mouth after having his jaw drop a bit. His throat bobbed nervously.

“Can we take all this game back with us?”

His question was intertwined with a sense of frustration and difficulty. I glanced at the pile of prey gathered under the tree while storing the mana from my bow.

‘Well, considering the three hours we spent hunting, we managed to catch a decent amount.’

I reviewed the catch with a lackluster gaze and then, with a quick rush of mana, sped over to retrieve the deer by the lake. I tossed the deer atop the heap and swept my bangs out of my eyes. My hair tied up with a blue ribbon fluttered in the wind.

“Don’t worry. I have it all under control.”

I flashed a confident smile at Rainer, who was looking at the piled game with wide eyes, and took out a small stone from my pocket.

“What is that?”

“It’s a magical tool that I commissioned from Cal.”

I answered briefly and tossed the stone into the pile of game.

Paaat!

As the light spread around where the stone landed, the prey disappeared from sight. I smiled proudly at Rainer, who had a slightly surprised expression.

“It moves the targets to an infinite storage space. Cal specially prepared this for me. This is our first base.”

“What, no, first base? Does that mean you don’t plan to return yet?”

Nodding, Rainer seemed to accept but then suddenly questioned. I shot him a cheeky grin as he blinked at me.

“Of course. I brought enough stones for twenty.”

The Hunting Tournament would last until noon tomorrow, and I was determined to completely dominate the tournament. Rainer, who had gotten a bit sweaty while chasing after the Sword Master for two hours, looked at me with a mix of respect and astonishment.

“Are you feeling tired? If so, you’re welcome to head back first. I will continue hunting.”

While glancing at Rainer as he pushed his damp bangs aside, I applied mana over my feet. My finely honed instincts alerted me to the presence of beasts around.

‘Hunting is pretty fun.’

I had lived most of my life wielding a sword, but the reason for wielding that sword was mostly for survival against gigantic monsters. Using a sword for the recreational activity of hunting had a different feel to it. It had started as a way to feed Audi, but I found that I was genuinely enjoying it.

“No, not at all difficult.”

Rainer strongly denied it and applied mana over his feet as well. The golden mana shimmering around him was as beautiful as gold dust swirling in the air.

“Alright then, as we planned earlier, let’s head to the badger den now.”

“Yes.”

“The tracks were left on the right side of the forest, so let’s follow the footprints.”

Thump.

Suddenly, my heart sank. I became rigid, unable to speak. My heart began to pound rapidly, and every hair on my body stood on end. I felt a throbbing sensation in my head, and I drew a certain conclusion.

‘A great danger is nearby.’

The danger was colossal enough that even I, a Sword Master, felt tense. With a stony expression, I focused all my senses in the direction my instincts warned me about.

“……young lady?”

Rainer looked at me with a confused gaze as he suddenly halted his words. It was no wonder he didn’t feel anything—this ominous presence was so faint that even I was having difficulty discerning its direction. Unable to respond to Rainer, I quickly scanned my surroundings.

‘Where is it? What kind of being is it?’

I squinted, sharpening my instincts.

My instincts honed from rolling between monsters were several times sharper than normal Sword Masters. Although I had taken a break from monster hunting for a few months, that didn’t dull my senses.

The direction indicated by my sharper-than-beast instincts was clear.

“Rainer!”

Graaah!

Without thinking, I moved quickly, following my instincts, and shoved Rainer away roughly. As Rainer stumbled toward the tree, a huge maw appeared in the air where he had been standing with a tremendous roar.

Though Rainer was safe, my position, having pushed him away into his original spot, was quite different.

Crunch.

“Kashmir!”

With a bone-piercing sound, a sharp fang punctured my shoulder, and a thin stream of blood began to flow. Rainer’s face turned pale.

‘I feel dizzy.’

I hastily covered my shoulder with mana to prevent a broken bone, but it was impossible to completely defend against the sudden impact. I quickly pulled my sword from my waist as I felt the poison on the fang soaking into my shoulder.

Swiish!

In the next moment, a silver line was drawn as my shining blade sliced through the monster’s torso.

Kraaah!

The unbearable screech pierced my ears. The sickening stench of blood assaulted my nose, and black blood splattered onto my face.

All of these were familiar to me.

‘I’ve loosened my guard too much, Kashmir Crisis.’

I narrowed my gaze. No matter how much this monster could conceal its presence like a ghost, it was shameful for me, who prided myself on my keen instincts, to let things come to this.

After a long time, I felt the tension flooding my whole body again. With my instincts screaming like mad, I stood in front of Rainer, who was pale at the sight of my shoulder.

“Please stand back, my lord.”

Grrrr…

Hearing the wounded monster’s growl, I readied my sword. Dark blood dripped from the shining blade, staining my hand.

With hook-like claws and thick fur covered in green, dripping teeth stained with poison, and a body that shimmered ominously like transparent magic.

Known as ‘The Quiet Foe of the Deep Woods,’ it was Harabana.

Facing this creature, which was several times larger than me, I turned to Rainer and said,

“The number one giant monster is being controlled.”

Its blind eyes. The reckless abandon that showed no retreat even in the face of the murderous aura emitted by the Sword Master. And the chilling energy wafting from it, characteristic of necromancy.

A monster controlled by the northern tribes had appeared in the very center of the forest where the hunting tournament was taking place.

 

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