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The southern part of the Empire.

Aside from Ruden, which is blessed by the protection of the gods due to its stable climate and fertile land, this area is regarded as one of the most beautiful lands in the Empire, along with the east.

However, as the saying goes, “God is fair,” there was a certain headache in this southern region akin to the harsh climate of the north, and that was the Runfroud Mountain Range that surrounded the area. It is said to be the place where the邪龙 (evil dragon) from the legend of the old House of Kraus resides, and it is not only the largest habitat for monsters in the continent but also one of the魔境 (magical realms) that hasn’t been thoroughly investigated yet.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that fierce battles between monsters are always occurring in the reception areas, but the fact remains that it is a dangerous place.

The time when the monsters start coming down is during winter when the whole world turns white. It seems as if the monsters come down from the mountains once their food runs out within the vast mountain range.

For some reason, even I, who have read the book thought to be the foundation of this world, do not know why that is the case.

What the book shared was merely a setting that implied such a thing, and like everyone else, I could only vaguely speculate that it was simply due to a shortage of food within the mountains.

Anyhow, when winter approaches, cities in the south, including Sarham, signal the arrival of winter by launching large-scale monster hunts. If the hunts end successfully, the winter worries in the south will be almost nonexistent.

The spring hunting tournament in the south was held with similar intentions.

While the threat of encountering monsters disappears as long as one doesn’t enter the heart of the mountains after winter passes, the dangers for the fiefs bordering the mountains aren’t limited to monsters.

The mana concentration in the air is particularly high in the Runfroud Mountain Range.

Whether it has to do with the ecology of the monsters residing in the mountains or some other cause remains uncertain, but the dense magical power affects not only the monsters but also the flora and fauna living in the mountains to the point of interfering with the manifestation of magic.

The flora and fauna of the mountains have developed extreme capabilities that are incomparable to those from other regions, almost to the point of not being thought of as the same species.

Due to the diverse ecosystem within the mountains, the types of predators are also varied, and the danger level of these mana-infused beasts can rival that of ordinary monsters. Long ago, when a tiger descended upon a village, it was considered a disaster known as虎患 (tiger calamity), but to think of a tiger infused with magic growing even stronger, it’s quite outrageous.

Though the hunting tournament involves competition between noble houses, its essential purpose is to exterminate monsters, thereby ensuring the safety of the fief.

While the risk is relatively lower compared to facing monsters directly, the tournament is still named as such. Well, the fief that wins the tournament often holds a celebration to honor the victory, so broadly speaking, it can also be seen as an annual event that fosters camaraderie among the southern houses and boosts the spirits of the fief’s citizens for enduring the grueling winter.

It seems like Orcus is highly enthusiastic about participating in the tournament for this very reason.

I think he’s trying to create a positive image. Given that the houses in the south tend to focus more on martial prowess than magic.

Even though Noel is around, for him, who is eyeing the imperial throne, it would be advantageous to leave a good impression on the southern nobles.

“Ah, Vida.”

As I stepped outside early in the morning to practice my sword, a single droplet from the sky brushed against my cheek. Curious, I looked up and saw that the place where the sun should shine was replaced by murky gray clouds.

The raindrops that had been drizzling and dotting the ground suddenly gathered strength, starting to drench the land.

I had felt unusually humid while sleeping last night.

I quickly returned to the tent to look outside.

Due to the increasingly heavy downpour, people began hurriedly bringing their belongings inside. They must have realized that this wasn’t just a passing shower.

As the rain intensified, the movements of the soldiers became quicker. After a brief period, the sounds of life outside disappeared, leaving only the sound of rain.

With the ground becoming muddy, even I wouldn’t suggest that the Empire’s only prince practice on such a day. Unless he volunteered to step out himself.

Thinking about how pleased he had been to successfully hunt in the woods yesterday, I could say it wasn’t entirely impossible. However, no matter how I thought about it, the slight possibility didn’t lead to the choice of stepping outside in such rain.

Of course, should that slim chance become a reality, and Orcus really did express the desire to go outside, I would then oppose his insistence. After all, even if we are at the foothills, the name of Runfroud wouldn’t vanish. Pushing for a hunt on a day like this could lead to a scenario similar to last year.

Orcus and Noel.

It has already been about a week since the two siblings have been staying in Sarham. There are still about four days left until the hunting tournament. However, there was no longer any need for Orcus to push himself too hard like before.

If I had to point out who had changed the most over the week, I wouldn’t hesitate to choose Noel, but aside from that, Orcus’s skills had also developed to quite a respectable level. He might not be aiming for the championship, but he had improved enough to earn praise from others.

It does feel somewhat ambiguous from my perspective, but if he is satisfied, then that’s fine.

I looked toward the direction of the tent where the two were staying but, like elsewhere, it too was quiet. I would have expected Noel to dash into the woods even in this weather, but perhaps Orcus had convinced her otherwise?

“Then, is today a day of rest…”

I muttered as I sat on the makeshift bed prepared inside the tent. Though it was a bit harder than the one in my room, it was still sufficient for camping outside.

Perhaps because of the humidity, waking up a little earlier and returning to sleep wouldn’t be a bad option, but due to the heavy rain pounding against the tent, I didn’t feel much like sleeping.

Eventually, with nothing to do, I found myself staring at the ceiling of the tent swaying with the raindrops. At some point, I began feeling that this was not so bad, but that blankness was soon replaced by the feeling of boredom.

As a result, someone’s face began to float in my mind.

I kicked off the bed and got up to find my rain gear.

“I’m sure she’s still asleep.”

Though I had already said that it was too early to meet her, my body was still preparing to see Elena. I threw on the raincoat hanging on the wall and turned my gaze toward the outside, which was still pouring.

Just as I was about to step outside energetically, I halted upon seeing the scene beyond the tent flap. The downpour was even heavier than before, but that alone was no reason to stop my step. It was just that the reason to leave the tent had vanished.

Standing quietly without stepping out, I watched someone approaching me through the tent’s fabric.

Splash—

With the sound of splashing water, someone wearing the same black raincoat entered the tent. The white hair peeked out, wet with water, glimmering against the black fabric. I quickly grabbed the cloth I had placed on a chair beside me and approached, lifting the raincoat to gently place the cloth over her head.

Though her raincoat served its purpose, only a small part of her was wet, yet I proceeded to wrap the cloth around her head and slowly draw it down.

The soft texture of her hair transmitted through the thin fabric. If one were to suddenly throw cloth onto someone’s head, they might be taken aback, but her face remained calm. Having her head rest gently in my hands felt like watching a well-behaved puppy, causing me to smile silently at her.

After a brief moment during which her relaxed expression met my gaze, perhaps she caught on to the meaning behind my eyes. Elena suddenly widened her eyes and looked at me sharply. However, even with that glare, her eyes seemed to meld with the image I had of her in my mind, posing no threat but merely lifting the corners of my mouth instead.

As I continued to smile, her face grew redder.

Elena started to lower her head again. I kept quietly running my fingers through her hair. If one were to call it brushing, it was closer to that than merely drying. Though it had transformed into something other than a task of drying, I thought to myself—well, what of it?

Elena seemed to be attempting to avoid eye contact, her gaze darting here and there. Then, as if she discovered something, she suddenly smiled faintly and, with a grin, met my gaze again.

“Are you trying to go out somewhere?”

The raincoat was dry. Despite her words, it seemed she was well aware of why I had put it on. I didn’t deny her words but instead nodded in agreement.

“That was the case, but now I guess there’s no need to go out.”

I replied like that while hanging her wet raincoat with the cloth on the chair. She naturally went over to sit on the bed, and I too took off my raincoat and sat beside her.

 

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