She intended to shake off Janobi and quickly return to the tent. Janobi’s words were like a draft horse for a long journey, and Ariadne’s words were like a courser that can run fast. There would be no falling behind Janobi in speed.

“And I understand why you’re flattering around, but she’s your real cousin. You’re disgusting.”

Ariadne’s remark pushed through the gap blocked by Janobi’s draft horse and moved to the opposite side of the woodland path.

Ariadne’s words were like a strong courser, and Janobi’s draft horse could be easily overcome by strength or speed. Now, all that was left was to kick off and run.

Feeling safe, Ariadne turned around and glared at Janobi with disgust. Looking Janobi up and down, Ariadne added.

“Before meddling in other’s affairs, sort out your own front first. Bloodsucking louse. Don’t you feel sorry for Aunt Lucrezia?”

At this, Janobi, who felt like his sore spot was being poked, became so excited that he snorted. The fact that he was incompetent, along with the fact that he was ugly, were the two biggest weaknesses he had tried hard to ignore.

“You bastard! Shut your mouth!”

However, Ariadne’s poisonous words didn’t stop there, even after being further infuriated by the trash’s swearing.

“Have you ever earned even one ducato with your own hands? You’re like incompetent human trash!”

This hurt. Janobi always strutted around, dreaming of a life where gold would flow into him like iron to a magnet and where he would receive everyone’s favor and respect. But reality was a slum.

Of course, the world was bad, and the knights couldn’t recognize his excellent talents, but the fact was that he was unable to earn money.

As this period prolonged, Janobi was scared of the thought that he might not be the great hero he had imagined himself to be and became increasingly ferocious. Excited Janobi approached Ariadne with a swagger.

Upon seeing Janobi’s face turning completely red, Ariadne quickly pulled the reins to change the direction of her horse and tried to gallop towards the tent. Normally, she would have succeeded.

If Janobi had come back to the tent and got angry with Ariadne, he would have been nothing more than a guest of the De Mare family, and thus, he couldn’t have been insolent to Ariadne, and even if he whined to Lucrezia, Ariadne had largely escaped Lucrezia’s influence since she started receiving her living expenses directly from the De Mare Cardinal.

Janobi didn’t have any connections in the capital, so there was no one to believe him. So there was no worry about his reputation either.

In other words, there was nothing Janobi could do to Ariadne once she escaped this situation. He was nothing but a guy who trusted only what dangled between his legs and acted arrogantly. She hated this kind the most in the world.

But there was something she hadn’t anticipated. It was Janobi taking out the hunting crossbow he had carried on his back. Ariadne was surprised and shouted at the sight of the bright blue arrowhead loaded in the crossbow.

“What are you doing! Are you crazy? Shooting a crossbow at people?!”

If she turned around and ran, it was as good as offering Janobi her back as a target. Ariadne drove her horse into the side bushes. It was to find cover.

But Janobi was too close. He took aim with his crossbow and shot it at Ariadne’s retreating figure.

“Get a taste of this, you damn wench!”

Janobi shot towards the horse’s buttocks and Ariadne’s back, but if he had to choose, it was closer to the horse’s buttocks, but he thought he couldn’t help it if it hit Ariadne’s back.

Thud!

The arrow, embarrassingly fired at close range for a crossbow, flew quickly and fortunately lodged deep in the flank of Ariadne’s horse.

Neigh!

But Ariadne’s horse, startled, let out a long cry and bolted from the path, carrying Ariadne into the depths of the hunting ground forest.

Janobi, left alone, spat on the ground, his mood a mix of delight and discomfort.

“Tch!”

It was the bitch who dared to defy the great Janobi first. His rage at the person who uncovered his weakness overwhelmingly exceeded any guilt he might feel for shooting a lethal crossbow at a person. I did nothing wrong. Absolutely.

What if I get caught? It’ll be fine. It hit the horse’s ass anyway. It’s not like I shot at a person.

Cesare was in the dark forest, eyes wide open, keenly looking here and there for beast footprints.

The beasts of the forest hide so deep that every rustling leaf in the wind, every rustling sound of fallen leaves, needed careful listening.

Hiss!

Neigh!

In that sense, the dappled horse charging across the forest at a mad pace seized everyone’s attention at once.

“What is that, My Lord?”

One of his men, aiming at the approaching horse with a hunting bow loaded with arrows, asked Cesare. Cesare, startled by the sight of the aimed arrow, restrained his man.

“That’s a person, you fool! Don’t shoot!”