As the sun was setting, an awards ceremony for the hunting competition was held in a clearing in the Chrysos Forest.

The spoils that the nobles had hunted during the day were piled up by size on one side of the clearing.

Among them, the one boasting an overwhelmingly large size was the ferocious gray bear known as the demon of Chrysos Forest.

People were bewildered. Firstly, because the vicious bear that even a group of hunters couldn’t catch had died so docile and peaceful. The bear’s body was even clean without a single wound.

Secondly, the fact that Kasha was the one who caught that bear perplexed them.

“Could Kasha Lyuschino really have hunted that alone?”

“That’s nonsense. She must have had help from Lord Leon or Lord Daril.”

“Why on earth is Lord Leon so helpless before such a woman? Unless she’s using some kind of trick…”

“It’s suspicious that she caught the bear without a single wound.”

People glared at Kasha while muttering their speculations and criticisms.

It wasn’t just them who were bewildered.

“Kasha, did you really catch that? Alone?”

“Yes, elder brother. Ah, Lord Leon helped with ending its life though.”

“But how on earth?”

“Magic tool.”

Seeing Kasha casually answer while tapping the magic tool she made, Daril was left gaping for a while. Margaret was the one who comforted the dazed man.

“You should congratulate Kasha, young lord.”

“But… how could that child alone… it doesn’t make sense, really.”

Daril whispered, lowering his voice so Kasha couldn’t hear. Margaret responded with a stern look, as if scolding him.

“You saw her making magic tools, didn’t you? And taught her how to shoot.”

“That’s true, but.”

Until now, the lethal magic tools developed for the market had short range and weak power. So even shooting magic tools were mostly used by nobles to liven up parties.

He had taught her shooting because Kasha wanted it, but he never thought she’d use that skill to actually hunt animals.

So far, magic tools were too much to use for killing, and in actual battles, most people used classical weapons like bows and swords with added magical power.

Only recently, a few high-performance magic tools were being developed, but they were difficult for ordinary people to access.

Daril, who had thought Kasha’s magic tool development was just a slightly eccentric hobby, was confused.

‘Young lord! It’s about Lady Kasha. She’s definitely a genius! To think she really designed that magic tool herself… When will mass production start? Please entrust it to me! I’ll only take half the production costs! Given our past relationship, you surely won’t entrust it to another weapon merchant? Well, the others don’t have the capability to make such good items anyway!’

Even when Hans, the blacksmith he had introduced to Kasha, persistently contacted him, he had half-dismissed it as a joke.

But that child really caught the bear. And it was the man-eating bear called a demon.

Kasha had really developed a proper lethal magic tool.

Though Daril had no business sense, he could guess that this was a technology that could overturn the entire continent’s landscape. He could fully understand why Hans was so excited.

He looked at his sister with confused eyes. Kasha, looking into the distance with her usual calm and indifferent face.

Daril suddenly realized. The timid girl who had entered the count’s mansion holding their father’s hand was no longer there.

And he also realized. That seeing her changed appearance wasn’t uncomfortable or displeasing at all. Rather, although a bit bewildering, he was very proud of what that child had accomplished with her indifferent face.

Daril recalled what Kasha had said when she suddenly visited his room a few weeks ago.

‘From now on, at least, I won’t be a disgrace to the family… just watch.’

Margaret, who was standing beside Daril and looking at Kasha, whispered again.

“You have an amazing sister. You can be proud.”

“Is there… no need to worry?”

“Yes. Somehow I feel that way. That all we need to do for Kasha is support her.”

Seeing Margaret’s face as she looked at Kasha with sparkling eyes, Daril slowly nodded.

“Yes. I will. Now it seems that child really needs a true family.”

Daril’s eyes suddenly became serious. As if he had made some decision, he set his face and began to cast fierce glances at the nobles who were whispering about Kasha from all directions.

And so, Daril stood on Kasha’s left, Margaret on her right, and Leon silently behind her, blocking people’s glares.

Then most of the nobles, though still pouting, no longer openly badmouthed her.

Of course, not everyone was like that.

Odette Tyrot went to the competition headquarters herself, accompanied by her father, Duke Tyrot.

Kasha Lyuschino winning the competition? Odette was truly about to go mad and jump up and down.

Even when she heard the news that Leon had refused the marriage proposal, although her pride was hurt, she tried to understand that it could happen due to the suddenness. She believed that with time and effort, he would eventually become hers.

But then he appeared at the hunting competition with Kasha Lyuschino as his partner, and now Kasha caught a bear? She won?

‘Absolutely not! At least not first place!’

Recalling the privileges the winner receives, Odette raised her voice, forgetting her dignity.

“Does it make sense to declare a winner just for bringing in a large prey? They might have brought in someone else’s prey caught by illegal methods, or received help from others! Most of the participants are raising objections now! We need to clearly reveal the circumstances!”

“My lady, but there are clear witnesses who saw Lady Lyuschino succeed in hunting…”

At that moment, a new figure suddenly stuck his face out next to Odette.

“Those witnesses could have seen wrong! They could be lying!”

Odette frowned at the man who had interrupted the conversation.

‘Isn’t that Simon or whatever, the leftover from the Blanche baronet family?’

But Simon, apparently quite urgent, ignored Odette’s gaze and desperately continued his protest.

“No, this doesn’t make sense! A young lady participating in a hunting competition for the first time catching a bear… In such an unclear situation, Kasha Lyuschino shouldn’t be given the first prize or brought up on stage! The award ceremony should be postponed until the situation is crystal clear! Absolutely!”

Simon was sweating profusely with veins popping on his neck.

As soon as he heard the news that Kasha had caught the bear, he realized that she had used the newly developed magic tool. The very magic tool that Simon himself had ordered her to make.

‘This is driving me crazy!’

Why was Kasha suddenly acting like this? Had she gone properly mad? She who had been indifferent and ignorant about everything except making magic tools, appeared at the royal hunting competition with a self-made magic tool and caught a bear.

This was a situation close to disaster for Simon in many ways.

Kasha was really escaping Simon’s control. If so, it would be impossible to divert the magic tools she developed in the future.

Moreover, what if Kasha, with her newfound confidence, started making a fuss about retrieving the magic stone?

If ‘that person’ found out, he would be finished. Simon felt cold sweat running down his spine.

At that moment, someone pulled back the curtain and came out of the emperor’s tent.

It was Princess Melissa, wearing a neat white dress with her light brown hair tied up. Her ladies-in-waiting followed behind her. The princess walked straight towards the flustered Odette and Simon.

“Are you now claiming that there has been corruption and manipulation in the hunting competition hosted by the imperial family?”

Then Duke Tyrot, who looked like an old badger, stepped forward as if to protect his daughter.

“No, Your Highness. It’s not that… We’re not the only ones making this claim. Other nobles are also saying that evidence is needed to prove that Kasha Lyuschino hunted directly.”

“How strange, Duke.”

Princess Melissa replied kindly.

“The award ceremony that has always been peaceful when men monopolized the competition wins, has become so noisy the moment a woman named Kasha wins for the first time.”

“Your Highness. Isn’t this a different issue? It’s not necessarily because she’s a woman, but Kasha Lyuschino seems like someone who has never even held a hunting tool before!”

“We’ll know if we ask her directly.”

“Pardon?”

“The Emperor is unwell and has returned to the palace early. I will present the awards, so we can ask Kasha Lyuschino directly.”

After saying that, Princess Melissa raised her voice towards the inside of the tent.

“Princess Jasmine. Would you like to come along?”

“I’ll pass. The weather is too hot. It’s almost time for me to go for dress fitting. I need to place a few orders before the Crown Prince returns. Oh, what color did our Crown Prince say he liked? For reference in choosing dresses.”

“Whatever color, he would be satisfied with anything you wear, Princess.”

To Princess Jasmine’s question, who didn’t even show her face outside the tent, Princess Melissa replied kindly.

“Oh my, hohoho. Ah, when will our Crown Prince arrive? I can barely sleep these days from excitement.”

The sound of Princess Jasmine and her ladies-in-waiting giggling could be heard from inside the tent.

Princess Melissa’s ladies-in-waiting frowned, but the princess herself turned around nonchalantly.

“Well then, let’s all go.”

With those words, the princess’s entourage began walking towards the award stage where the nobles were waiting. Odette and Duke Tyrot with faces full of discontent, and Simon sweating profusely, also followed behind.