Oscar looked at his mother with a face that said, “What on earth does that mean?” But the Duchess merely smiled meaningfully.

‘There’s no better place for dangerous things to happen than a hunting festival!’

Even if something were to occur, it could be dismissed as an accident.

She had prepared a plan to eliminate Demian and his wife through this opportunity.

Having hired a special magician and arranged a way to lure them to a secluded place where an accident could happen, she had no more worries.

‘This time, I’ll be able to get rid of those eyesores in one go.’

The Duchess stroked her son’s shoulder with a softened expression and said.

“So just make it into the top three, Oscar. Demian won’t even manage that.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Although he hadn’t heard the detailed explanation, Oscar nodded vaguely. He figured his parents must have prepared well to ensure he wouldn’t be made to look inferior to his younger brother.

“Have a good trip, my son! Don’t get hurt. Be careful! Understood?”

“Yes, yes.”

Oscar answered casually as he left his mother and headed towards the forest. Although it was a very late start, he felt no urgency.

He kept glancing back, and as soon as his mother was out of sight, he stopped.

‘Hmm. If Demian can’t win one way or another, do I really need to make an effort?’

Oscar sneaked back out of the forest. It was too much of a waste to just hunt on such a beautiful day.

‘It’s much better to have fun!’

Humming a tune, his feet headed towards the tent where the noble ladies had gathered.

To win the hunting festival, one must manage both quantity and quality.

Catching dozens of small herbivores wouldn’t be enough for first place, nor would capturing one or two large carnivores.

One had to catch multiple predators as if they were herbivores to be considered for the top prize.

‘I need to catch wild boars, bears, wolves… or a golden leopard.’

Arasila thought as she placed flags marked with her name on the bodies of the animals she had caught.

The golden leopard was a mythical creature said to appear only in the Panther Forest. With few individuals and extremely wary of humans, it was difficult to even see one, let alone hunt it.

Being such a rare animal, anyone who caught a golden leopard, even if it was just one, would immediately become a top contender for the hunting festival.

‘If only I could catch just one golden leopard and be done with it…’

Rustle―.

At that moment, a heavy presence was heard from beyond the bushes. Thinking an animal had appeared, Arasila prepared to attack.

But what emerged from the bushes wasn’t an animal, but a person. And it was someone Arasila knew very well, her friend Frederick.

“Fancy meeting you here, Arasila.”

Frederick, dressed in a dark brown hunting outfit, approached Arasila with a welcoming face. Arasila also lowered her guard and faced him.

“Indeed. So you were circling this area too.”

“Yes, there aren’t many people around here. But where’s Lord Vandermir? Why are you alone?”

“We’re competitors today, so we’re going separately.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Frederick’s voice rose a notch. His crimson eyes sparkled with joy at the fact that she was alone without her husband.

“That’s great. Actually, I wanted to greet you before we started, but you were with Lord Vandermir so I couldn’t.”

“Why, you could have just come and said hello.”

Arasila was about to retort that there was no need for that, but then she remembered their meeting at the Vesta Restaurant and closed her mouth.

Demian had definitely been wary of Frederick then.

“Well, I suppose it’s fine to just greet friends. There’s no need to greet spouses too.”

“Judging by your reaction, it seems the lord really does find me uncomfortable. Or he’s conscious of me being by your side.”

Caught off guard, Arasila’s lips twitched. Frederick smiled brightly.

The fact that Demian Vandermir was wary of him meant that his presence was that threatening.

In other words, even if Arasila herself didn’t realize it yet, to others, it seemed there was potential for their relationship to develop beyond friendship.

“So, have you caught any prey?”

In the best mood he’d been in recently, he cheerfully changed the subject for Arasila’s sake. The corners of his eyes, curved from smiling so much, showed no sign of straightening.

“Hmm, in my own way? Actually, I’m currently trying to catch a golden leopard.”

Arasila quickly accepted her friend’s goodwill and answered.

“Really? That’s impressive. Should I try looking for a golden leopard too?”

Frederick excitedly trailed behind Arasila. She, who had been secretly considering him a competitor as well, became wary.

It would be troublesome if he found the golden leopard, wouldn’t it?

Thinking it would be better to part ways with Frederick now, she raised her hand and said.

“Go on your way now, Frederick. I’m going this way.”

“Hmm, why don’t we go together instead? We could team up and combine our strengths.”

“No, I don’t want to. I even left my husband behind to win, how could I go with you? I can’t, even if it’s just to be able to face Demian proudly.”

If she won by teaming up with Frederick, it wouldn’t be an achievement she made alone, and Demian would surely have something to say about it.

Arasila didn’t want such an unclear victory either. It only has meaning if I overcome and achieve it with my own skills.

“…Arasila. Why are you so conscious of a husband you don’t even love that much?”

However, Frederick’s face hardened as he interpreted Arasila’s words as her being too conscious of Demian to agree.

Arasila, who obviously hadn’t meant it that way, made a dumbfounded expression.

“When did I ever say I was being conscious of him?”

“Then is there any reason you can’t go with me? I’ll help you win. Stay with me.”

“I don’t need that. Do I look like someone who can’t win without help?”

Arasila gently pushed away Frederick’s hand as he tried to grab her arm.

A moment of silence passed. Frederick bit his lower lip hard as he looked at Arasila.

Though they had known each other for years, it was the first time he had seen her in hunting attire. Even though she wasn’t wearing a fancy dress, it seemed as if there was a halo of light floating around Arasila.

To think that someone as beautiful as you has to live as another man’s wife…

“Arasila, if I win, I’ll dedicate my prey to you.”

Frederick said in a low voice. He couldn’t just stand by anymore. If someone were to make Arasila the queen of this year’s hunting festival, he wanted it to be himself.

It didn’t matter that Arasila was a married woman, or that he was the crown prince.

Because he had been her longtime friend before her husband, whom she didn’t love. Using friendship as a reason, it should be fine to give her the prey.

“I’ll make you the queen of the hunting festival.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t need that, give it to some woman you like. Without being the winner, being queen or whatever is useless.”

Why would the crown prince even give his prey to a married woman in the first place?

Feeling it was a bit uncomfortable for simple friendship, Arasila waved her hand to signal him not to bother her anymore and took a step.

“I’m going, see you later.”

“…”

Frederick stood rooted to the spot, watching Arasila’s retreating figure as she casually waved goodbye. For a moment, he thought about following her but decided against it.

‘As long as she’s not with Lord Vandermir, it’s fine.’

Arasila wandered around, hunting animals wherever her feet took her. The deeper she went into the forest, the more predator-like animals appeared.

At the same time, the sunlight pouring down from above decreased as the densely grown trees blocked it out.

Hmm, would it be dangerous to go in further?

Arasila pondered as she encountered an uphill path. Should she turn back and hunt animals while going down another way, or keep going straight up?

‘The higher I go, the more I can hunt comfortably without people around, right?’

Having made her decision, she climbed the uphill path. Her body, worn out from overwork and lack of exercise, soon began to pant from lack of breath.

Ah, I should have just gone down.

Regretting her choice, she laboriously climbed the slope and took a moment to catch her breath with her hands on her knees. And when she raised her head, an amazing sight unfolded before her.

A beast with golden fur was lazily lying on a wide rock.

‘A golden leopard!’

Arasila’s heart raced at the appearance of the prey she had been searching for so desperately. She tried to maintain her composure as best she could while aiming her staff.

I’ll do it in one go.

Arasila’s magic gathered at the magic stone at the tip of her staff. Just as she was about to release the magical tool with all her might.

Swish, a wind that cut through the air collided with the magical tool.

Bang!

A thunderous sound, like huge solid rocks colliding, echoed through the air.

The golden leopard, which had been lying down leisurely, suddenly stood up and growled, scratching its throat and letting out a wary cry.

‘W-what?’

Arasila couldn’t believe that her magic had collided with something and scattered. No, who dared to deflect my magic?

Bewildered, she looked around, and beyond the trees on the opposite side, she saw a towering figure.

Shining silver hair, golden eyes more brilliant than the leopard’s fur, perfectly symmetrical features.

‘Demian?’

Why are you coming out from there? The two exchanged glances that conveyed the same meaning.

After the hunting festival started, they had naturally disappeared in opposite directions. They had tacitly adjusted their territories to avoid the inconvenience of their paths overlapping.

However, it’s impossible to constantly mind one’s direction while hunting animals.

The two people who had scattered north and south eventually reunited in the western part of the forest. And of all things, aiming for the same prey.

Hearing the leopard’s long cry, Arasila came to her senses and stepped forward, saying.

“I found it first, Demian.”

Then Demian also emerged from behind the tree and retorted.

“It’s my prey.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m going to catch it.”

“Not a chance. It’s mine.”

The world of competition is cold, they say. There was no concession even between newlyweds married for only a few months.

The two, who had been staring intently at each other, sprang into action as if on cue.

Demian swung his sword, releasing a blade of aura, while Arasila used her staff to fire a magical projectile.

The golden leopard, suddenly caught between a skilled magician and a knight, panicked. With similar killing intent coming from both sides, it couldn’t decide which to attack.

Kwang!

The attacks of the two people, colliding above the leopard’s head, once again failed to overcome each other’s power and bounced off.

Arasila, grabbing her staff with Demian’s gloved hand, said.

“Step back while I’m asking nicely, Demian.”

“You should be the one to step back while I’m letting you, wife.”

Demian retorted, firmly gripping his sword with the ribbon she had given him tied to it.

“Huh, you’re the one I’m letting off easy.”

“There’s a limit to delusion.”

“Oh, really. Let’s see who wins then.”

“Fine by me.”

Bang! Kwang! Bang!

As the sword aura and magic clashed evenly, the distance between the two gradually closed.

Before they knew it, the golden leopard was forgotten, and they were intent on defeating each other as knight versus magician, their eyes blazing.

The golden leopard, which had been looking down bewilderedly at the humans fighting on the rock, suddenly raised its head.

The predator, which had been staring at somewhere in the forest with its bright yellow eyes, suddenly turned around and leapt into the bushes.

“Ah, my golden leopard…!”

It was the moment Arasila stopped her attack, surprised by the sudden flight of the golden leopard.

Swoosh―!

Arrows flew in from between the dense trees. Multiple ones, simultaneously.