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This year, it felt like there were exceptionally many people gathered. It seemed that both the participants of the tournament and the audience who came to watch it had increased significantly compared to previous years.

Now that I think about it, many of the faces attending this year’s Hunting Tournament looked quite youthful. While I couldn’t remember the faces of everyone I had met, it was clear that there were several new faces that hadn’t been seen before. It seemed that as time passed, new generations naturally emerged.

Of course, it was very likely that the participation of Orcus and Noel had a considerable impact.

As members of the royal family, who rarely step away from the Imperial Palace, it wasn’t common for nobles to have the opportunity to meet them. Since most children born and raised in noble families enroll in the Estellia Academy, there would likely be many hoping to catch the attention of Orcus and Noel, who are set to enroll next year.

Thinking about it, it felt like the kids adorned in such fancy clothes were much like peacocks showing off. Naturally, among peacocks, it’s the males that are more flamboyant, but you get the metaphor.

Somehow, the overall atmosphere felt rather chaotic.

It seemed that the children’s inexperience with such events was filling the space with tension. While the atmosphere seemed to calm down somewhat with the appearance of my father and Orcus, I could still see a few slightly bewildered kids here and there.

Once again, it seemed that experience was crucial in any situation.

As nobles, these children had certainly been educated systematically, but in such a strict class society, if they lacked prior experience, it would be impossible not to feel nervous standing in front of those two. It has always been true that remembering previous lives offers a significant advantage in various aspects, not just in battles.

If I hadn’t remembered my past life, I might very well have been flustered like those kids right now.

Orcus is who he is, after all. No matter how much experience he has from the Imperial Palace, standing there so calmly at such a young age of sixteen without any sign of emotional turmoil was impressive. And Noel… perhaps she was just too excited to be fully aware of the gazes of others.

As I walked, I felt the gazes of people directed towards me increasingly. After all, among all the black-haired individuals here, only my father and I stood out. It was only natural that their attention would turn to me.

However, unlike the way they looked at Orcus, there was something different mixed into the emotions in their gazes directed at me. While not many had such an expressive gaze, it wasn’t a small number either. There were some ambiguous cases, yet they broadly resembled the look I had just seen in Noel’s eyes.

Though they had various ulterior motives attached, if stripped away, the essence of it was clear.

What made one’s skin heat up is the competitive spirit wanting to surpass me.

Considering their youthful age, it was understandable. I might appear a little old-fashioned, but I prefer that the children burn with the desire to win rather than despairing over the background and skills of their opponents. After all, those who have that spirit can achieve something in whichever direction they go.

So why did they choose to see me as the target to surpass? There were many skilled knights here besides me.

If we break it down, there are three major reasons. The first is that I bear the name Kraus. It’s an already tedious fact to mention, but Kraus is the most prestigious warrior family in the South. My father, Arthur Kraus, is one of the few Sword Masters in the continent, among the top ten absolute powers.

And I am the heir of such a remarkable family, with such remarkable individuals.

That was the reason.

From an objective viewpoint, Damian Kraus has yet to influence the name Kraus in any significant way. The solid foundation that the name Kraus represents was built by the achievements of my ancestors. Although it is a bit of a stretch, one could say I have been underestimated.

In this case, my name Kraus could be perceived as a trophy to others. If my abilities fell short of their expectations, and when I fell behind at the tournament, the world might regard me as a less prominent figure compared to the principles I’m associated with.

If luck were on my side, I might catch the attention of Orcus and Noel.

To my left, one child was watching me together with Noel. As soon as I parted from Noel, he immediately sent me a direct look.

Well, as for motivations, each person could have their own.

Anyway, moving on to the second reason, it was my age.

This isn’t necessarily about being young. It’s just that my age is similar to that of the other children attending this event. Turning sixteen this year, even accounting for slight age differences, the gathered children wouldn’t be more than two years apart in age.

While it varies from person to person, it’s normally a time when emotional sensitivity peaks.

It’s that familiar period often referred to as adolescence. At this point, kids of that age are all gathered in one place. As participants of the tournament, each likely honed their skills to advance and developed confidence in their abilities through their efforts so far.

In such turbulent times, I appeared before them.

An opportunity had risen for them to show themselves as standout individuals compared to others.

If they were to face a notable knight and lose, these kids wouldn’t break down over it. They’d recognize that they were merely fledglings compared to experienced knights. It’s different from losing a game against a friend.

And the way those children looked at me was no different. They wouldn’t ever think of comparing me, a knight, on the same level. There’s a common sense that dictates the general worldview, preventing any beyond basic expectations.

Such thoughts fueled their belief in the possibility of beating me, which in turn ignited their motivation.

However, as I am virtually a variable that doesn’t fit the bounds of common sense, it was a problem that they couldn’t measure me using standard thinking.

Commonly held beliefs can only be shattered through direct experience. Well, even without me, Noel is here. In any case, the children’s understanding of common sense is bound to be reshaped.

Finally, the last third reason.

In fact, this last reason is the crux of the matter. It could be said that this is the reason behind the first two.

The third reason lies in my actions.

I had frequently been following my father to such formal events ever since I was very young, which many might have considered too early.

They might think it’s similar to Orcus’s situation, yet he took direct action while I didn’t. At those times, I had no particular role assigned to me. All I had to do was observe my father and absorb it all. That was all my father wanted from me.

Back then, I had a strong tendency to blend in quietly and didn’t seek to take a leading role.

As a result, it perhaps unintentionally created a situation where I didn’t showcase my abilities outwardly. Only a few who had direct interactions with the knights of my family were aware of me, while I had built my public image as the most distinct among the past heirs of the Kraus family without making waves.

If I had been proactive from the beginning, the eyes on me might have been vastly different now. Others would probably see me as a genius similar to my father. There might have been fewer people aiming to compete with me if they weren’t seeking to measure themselves against knights.

But that remains a speculation. Everything I’ve said so far is ultimately just my opinion, not an absolute answer.

Who knows, there might be acquaintances with a tremendously passionate personality who haven’t appeared in the original plot.

“The goal is to win…”

Noel has casually mentioned winning before, but the reality is that winning in such tournaments is quite difficult. With skilled knights chosen from various families participating in the competition, the prospect of winning feels far off for newcomers.

I would’ve thought the same before.

I had enough capability to challenge, yet I would have aimed for moderate results and satisfied myself with decent standings rather than striving for victory.

But now, I decided to change that mindset.

The thought of quietly blending into the original story has long since changed. I was determined to stand by Elena’s side, and to do so, I needed to act differently from before. If I was to stand beside her, I couldn’t be a burden to her.

Whether it’s skill or reputation, I must rise above them all.

Fortunately, Damian offered an environment conducive to achieving that, and the important thing now was how I would act from here on. This spring Hunting Tournament is my first official appearance following this renewed determination. Even though it was brief, both my apprentice Noel and Orcus brimmed with the spirit to win; I couldn’t possibly show myself as anything less than impressive.

‘Where could Elena be…?’

Preparations for my participation had long been completed. All that remained was to get on my horse, but as I stood next to the horse, I took a moment to scan the surroundings. Since Elena stood out so much, I thought I would find her soon, but perhaps that was just a misunderstanding. Hailey mentioned this morning that Elena seemed to be in deep sleep, and I wondered if I should’ve waited just a bit longer.

I had hoped to see her before participating, yet today seemed to be a day where things wouldn’t go according to plan.

I calmed the horse, who seemed eager to run, as it kept pawing at the ground. Everyone was preparing to head out, and I felt that I needed to start as well… It was a shame, but perhaps after the tournament, I would have to be content staying close to Elena no matter the events that unfolded.

As I half-heartedly resigned myself and placed my foot on the stirrup, a purple pair of eyes caught my attention from afar.

It was that long-hatted Elena, who appeared different from usual, but it didn’t hinder my recognition of her.

Arriving before me, Elena was guided by Hailey and other knights, and her breath was visibly ragged from rushing.

Others quickly stepped aside, and I immediately dismounted to stand before her. With her face obscured by the brim of her hat, I moved closer to catch a glimpse of her face.

“Wait, just a moment…!”

Upon noticing me approaching, Elena swiftly extended her arm to stop me.

And remarkably, as she spoke, I froze in place like a statue turned to stone, as if under a spell. This stemmed from my emotions. Though I pretended to be fine outwardly, it seemed I had quite a bit to keep inside. Seeing Elena’s seemingly unchanged state from yesterday filled me with the fear that perhaps my approach might have felt burdensome to her.

Was that feeling plainly visible on my face?

Glancing under her hat, Elena suddenly took my hand. I couldn’t quite figure out what expression I had made that would cause her to panic and reach for my hand, but… Nevertheless, it felt great. The distance between Elena and me had returned to what it once was. I gently tugged on her hand, drawing her closer so that she could not escape. Elena showed no sign of resistance, willingly coming to me without protest.

Even as the distance shrank, Elena didn’t lower her hand from her hat.

Wondering if there was any reason, I asked her, and after a moment of hesitation, she stammered as her lips trembled.

“Um… your face… looks weird…”

“Huh? I didn’t catch that. Could you say it again?”

“Ugh… really!”

As I tilted my head, feigning innocence, Elena pinched my hand. However, instead of grimacing in pain, I stifled a laugh and moved closer to her.

Leaning down, I locked eyes with the Elena hidden beneath her hat.

Had she really overslept or something? Her face obscured by the hat looked all tousled, resembling someone who had just woken up, far from her usual neat self. She seemed embarrassed to show such a disheveled look, but to me, she was simply adorable.

On the flip side, I felt relieved.

Now I understood that Elena’s reason for wanting to keep her distance was simply because she didn’t want to show me her messy appearance.

I wished I could stay like this a little longer, but unfortunately, my time was not plentiful. Others were now starting to set off. If I wanted to aim for victory, it was indeed time for me to depart. After seeing others leaving, Elena hurriedly handed something she had tightly grasped in her other hand to me.

What she gave me was a white crystal tied with a string.

It was clumsily tied up, not the sort of luxurious adornment one might expect, but more like something a clumsy artisan might have made by hand. I smiled faintly and asked her.

“What is this?”

“This… I guess it’s sort of a talisman?”

“Elena, your lips are trembling. The use of magical tools is prohibited in the tournament. Did you really think so little of me?”

“It’s not a magical tool!! If you keep saying that, I’ll take it back!”

“Oh, I was just joking. Just a joke.”

I pleaded with her and received the crystal again, then put it around my neck and tucked it beneath my clothes. I hadn’t expected to be gifted at all. I’d never seen her make a talisman for anyone in the original story. Knowing it was made just for me made it more precious than anything I owned.

Before getting on my horse, I took the hand of Elena who was still holding onto my hand and gave her a quick kiss on the back of her hand.

Perhaps it was because it wasn’t on the lips.

Elena seemed not much more flustered than before. Though her eyes shivered slightly, she didn’t shy away from meeting my gaze.

“Well then, I’m off.”

“Yes. Please be careful.”

Today’s goal is victory.

It doesn’t seem impossible after all.

 

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