Chapter 50
“Wasn’t this a strategy game?”
The winner of the hunting tournament would receive a badge of honor directly from the Emperor, along with the chance to make one request of him.
However, everyone knew these were just superficial rewards, and no one was crazy enough to ask the Emperor for anything excessive.
Yet here was Asmun, saying he would make the worst use of that opportunity.
“Your Majesty, you absolutely must not!”
Eden barely managed to squeeze out a whisper of warning, her voice choked with anxiety.
If he acted foolishly, he would be branded a madman throughout the Empire, and it would be known that he was coveting the throne. Kiris would go wild.
The Emperor, who had just begun to see Asmun in a different light, would surely be displeased.
It was hard to believe he wouldn’t have anticipated this, but Eden felt increasingly anxious, thinking Asmun really might pull some crazy stunt since he had rejected Reblem.
“It’s not the right time yet. You know that, Your Majesty.”
Eden knew Asmun was being obstinate to punish her, but she couldn’t help but feel nervous.
When he didn’t respond, Eden seized Asmun’s hand in a grip of desperation.
Asmun’s eyes narrowed at her sudden action.
“You won’t do it, right?”
Asmun remained silent, but his gaze softened just a bit as he watched Eden cling to him.
And then—
“There you are, Priest.”
Eden jumped at the unpleasant voice from behind and hurriedly released Asmun’s hand.
“…….”
Asmun’s expression turned icy when he saw his empty hand.
“I was looking for you. Oh, and the 3rd Prince is here too.”
Jepar smiled widely at Asmun, but Asmun didn’t return the smile.
Eden, tense and on guard, stole a glance at Asmun, feeling uneasy about the combination of Asmun and Jepar.
“I’m sure you heard. Priest Eden will be joining me as my assistant in the hunting tournament.”
Jepar highlighted the point that had turned Asmun’s stomach. Asmun merely glared at Jepar, not even attempting to hide his displeasure.
“How surprising. To think the Grand Duke would risk disgrace for someone he barely knows.”
It wasn’t entirely incorrect to call it disgrace.
All participants were given the chance to bring an assistant, but it was quite rare for a proud man to come with one.
Jepar chuckled softly at the cold remark.
“With an assistant like Priest Eden, even disgrace can turn into honor.”
Jepar approached Eden with a charming smile, while her eyes filled with fear at the prospect.
Stop it, you jerks!
“I just couldn’t pass up on this opportunity.”
Asmun glared menacingly at Jepar, who was practically glued to Eden’s side like her protector or something.
The smug look on Jepar’s pleasantly shiny face made Asmun’s insides twist again.
Clearly, Jepar had noticed Eden’s specialness.
No, it was only a matter of time before everyone caught on, and men like the one before her would start to crave her as well.
A chilling light flashed in Asmun’s red eyes but quickly faded.
“I see.”
The voice that replied was no longer cold. Asmun stared intently at Eden, moving his lips.
“I hope that choice turns out to be the right one.”
With that, he spun around and stormed off the terrace, leaving Eden feeling like she wanted to cry.
‘I’m doomed.’
The situation was spiraling worse than she’d imagined. If the angry Asmun didn’t heed her warnings, all this effort would be in vain.
“Are you alright?”
After making sure Asmun was gone, Jepar turned to Eden with concern. Eden’s gaze was still locked on the spot where Asmun had stood.
“Priest Eden.”
“Y-yes? Ah, I’m fine.”
Finally snapping back to reality, Eden managed to force a smile.
Jepar studied her face for a moment before speaking kindly.
“It seems everyone is quite interested in our relationship.”
Eden let out an awkward laugh at that.
Of course they were. Everyone here had likely heard bits and pieces about what happened in the Grand Duchy Forest. But Jepar showing up out of nowhere with an apprentice priest as his assistant had to be rather puzzling.
“I suppose I’ve inadvertently put the Grand Duke in a difficult position.”
“Not at all. However….”
Jepar leaned casually against the terrace railing to look at Eden.
“I’d like to clarify our relationship a bit more.”
The well-groomed, handsome face had an aristocratic air as he smiled. Eden blinked in surprise.
“Like those inside the banquet hall, I also have many questions about you, Priest.”
Jepar had a knack for making people tense with his cheerful smile.
Wondering how to respond, she was suddenly interrupted as he spoke again.
“You can’t leave my side tomorrow.”
This wasn’t something hard to answer, so Eden nodded enthusiastically.
“Sure. I will.”
She certainly didn’t want to be isolated in the dangerous hunting tournament. While there were quests left to do, she could at least handle a low-level monster on her own.
The goal of this hunting tournament episode was to get through it all without any troubles.
“Understood.”
Jepar smiled as if satisfied with her answer.
“It’s chilly. Shall we head inside?”
Eden nodded, regretting her decision to come out to the terrace while avoiding people’s gazes.
“Yes….”
As soon as they returned to the banquet hall, the atmosphere felt even more chaotic than before. It seemed a dispute had broken out, as people had gathered in a circle to watch something unfold.
As she approached curiously, she caught a glimpse of Asmun and Kiris through the crowd.
Eden froze in shock.
“Finally receiving the high-level hunting ground badge, I’m truly proud of you, Asmun!”
Kiris was praising him, but Asmun wore a blank expression.
“I’ve been worried every time you failed to obtain a badge. I was concerned that if you didn’t get one this time, not only would your status suffer, but it’d also reflect poorly on the royal family. Isn’t that right, Patriar?”
Patriar, watching from the sidelines, offered an awkward smile at Kiris’s remarks.
“Indeed. But as a direct descendant of His Majesty, I always knew he’d manage to claim a badge eventually.”
A sly glint in Kiris’s eyes hinted at something more sinister.
Eden realized he was trying to humiliate Asmun again and clenched her fists.
That jerk!
“But you know, I’m still worried…”
“…….”
“That day, did you really kill that golem?”
The noisy hall fell deathly silent at those words. Only then did Eden understand Kiris’s scheme.
“Unfortunately, there were no witnesses. In fact, even the monster’s corpse wasn’t found.”
As Kiris deliberately emphasized the rumors, the nobility murmured in low tones.
Everyone knew that Asmun had saved the Emperor in Leveim, but they hadn’t heard the details of the incident.
Kiris was clearly planning to corner Asmun with that detail.
‘Oh, this is driving me crazy!’
In the unexpected situation, Eden fidgeted nervously, stealing glances at Asmun’s expression.
Asmun showed no signs of anger or panic, maintaining an expression so blank it was hard to read his thoughts.
“I truly worry for your well-being, so please don’t take it the wrong way, my brother.”
Kiris feigned the role of a concerned older brother, furrowing his brow.
“You’ve never stepped foot there, so you wouldn’t know, but the high-level hunting grounds aren’t exactly an easy place. That’s why access is restricted.”
“…….”
“What if you enter without the ability and end up getting injured? That would be a disaster.”
So that was Kiris’s cunning plan.
He aimed to paint Asmun as a fool who had used a trick to claim a badge he wasn’t worthy of.
“Will you really manage everything alone, without an assistant? You’ve hardly seen it, so you wouldn’t know how dangerous the high-level monsters are. It’s not too late; if you come forward and confess the truth, that would be the greatest courage of all.”
“…….”
“If the monster just fled, and there happened to be no witnesses, then you succumbed to greed and told a lie—that’s no crime. After all, what matters most is that you stayed behind to face the monster to save the Emperor. Isn’t that right?”
Kiris had come determined to humiliate Asmun since the night before.
His face, pressing for an admission like it was the only truth, was undeniably annoying, but there was nothing Eden could do in this situation.
Eden had seen with her own eyes the day Asmun defeated the golem, but it was impossible for her to testify to that here.
Even if Kiris pushed for it, the badge had already been awarded, and she had long been accustomed to the curious gazes of the nobility, so she could only hope Asmun would manage to ignore it again.
Then, quietly listening to Kiris’s attack, Asmun shifted his gaze and locked eyes exactly where Eden stood.
With perfect timing, Eden, feeling an urge of hope, stiffened and subtly shook her head.
‘Hang in there!’
Asmun stared intently at Eden, who was signaling him, and finally opened his mouth.
“I’m truly touched that so many care about my well-being.”
