Chapter 9 (Part 4)

After hearing his story, Therese stared at the plains for a long time.  

The Duke’s regrets didn’t feel like someone else’s story.  

While being driven to the brink of death, she hadn’t considered the feelings of those who cared for her.  

And above all, she hadn’t loved herself enough.  

‘I thought we were so different.’  

But the more she listened, the more she realized how similar she and the Duke were.  

Suppressing the tears welling up, Therese finally spoke.  

“Don’t blame yourself.”  

It was something she herself wanted to hear and something that was true.  

When the Duke lost his father, he had only been in his mid-teens—far too young to take care of someone else.  

“You were struggling too, Your Grace.”  

After his father’s death, Jeremy Richard had suddenly been burdened with the heavy responsibility of being the head of the family.  

“…Madame.”  

The Duke lowered his hand, revealing his bloodshot eyes as he gazed at Therese. He reached out toward her but hesitated.  

“Aren’t I pathetic?”  

The man, hailed as the light of the Empire, loathed himself. He looked as fragile as a sandcastle on the verge of collapsing at the slightest touch.  

Therese gently placed her hand over his rough one, patting it softly.  

“I told you, you’re not a monster.”  

She wasn’t sure if she had the right to say such things, but at that moment, she wanted to comfort the grieving Duke.

“When the opportunity still exists, why not convey your feelings to your brother now?”  

Therese’s words made the Duke gaze deeply into her eyes.  

“There are emotions that won’t be understood unless you express them.”  

“……”  

A gentle breeze from the forest enveloped the two quietly staring at each other.  

***

The hunting tournament was reaching its peak. Trumpet sounds announcing successful hunts echoed everywhere.  

The sound of gunshots fired by hunters and the acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air.  

Excited hunting dogs drooled uncontrollably, and the carcasses of red foxes caught by hunters were piled neatly onto carts.  

Fresh blood trickled from the bottom of the cart, pooling into small puddles on the grass.  

The Emperor covered his nose with a handkerchief to block the stench.  

“The smell of blood is revolting.” 

He muttered, staring into the lifeless eyes of a fox that had been killed by a hunting dog. The animal, which had been running through the forest just moments ago, showed no sign of life in its gaze.  

“I wonder what it felt like at the moment of death?”  

With a sinister smile, he gestured toward the attendant he had been waiting for.  

“So, has the report come in?”  

“My apologies, Your Majesty.”  

At the words of apology, Felipe’s once cheerful expression twisted into a scowl.  

“Don’t tell me you’re about to spout nonsense about failure?”  

Today, he had prepared a special gift for Jeremy Richard in the forest. Assassins were stationed to shoot arrows, and pits filled with venomous snakes had been dug throughout the area.  

At the Emperor’s cold tone, the attendant bowed deeply and continued his report.  

“The Duke didn’t even set foot in the forest. Instead, he spent his time on the hill with the Duchess. Moreover, all the assassins in ambush were defeated.”  

“What are you saying?”  

Felipe gritted his teeth audibly, and the attendant dropped to the ground in fear.  

“…Unbelievable.”  

The more he listened to the report, the more Felipe’s composure unraveled.  

“There were dozens of assassins hidden in the forest. Who could have taken them down? And the Duke was supposedly on the hill, enjoying a romantic moment?!”  

The forest was Imperial property, meaning even the Knight Commander, who served as Duke Richard’s aide, couldn’t enter.  

‘Then who is protecting Duke Richard?’  

Felipe hadn’t intended to kill the Duke.  

This was merely an extension of the performance he had shown earlier to the nobles.  

‘Traitors die like red foxes.’  

Instilling fear was an effective way to foster loyalty toward the Emperor.  

He had planned to publicly humiliate the Duke, whom the nobles admired so greatly.  

“Where did it all go wrong?”  

Felipe’s voice carried unrestrained fury.  

From the political marriage he had arranged to torment Duke Richard, to the traps he had set today—none of his plans had succeeded.  

“Why is this happening?”  

In his anger, Felipe yanked the mane of his horse, causing the large-eyed creature to whimper pitifully.  

…Neighhh.  

Ignoring the horse’s cries of pain, Felipe tightened his grip.  

“Making the Emperor look like a fool is unacceptable, wouldn’t you agree?”  

Terrified, the attendant stammered, 

“Rest assured, Your Majesty. Once night falls, we will certainly carry out your command.”  

“There are no second chances.”  

“I will bear that in mind.”  

As the attendant merged with the fox-hunting party and disappeared, Felipe released his grip. His glove was covered in coarse horsehair.  

“Disgusting…”  

Brushing it off irritably, Felipe’s mind wandered to a certain face as he watched the hair float away.  

“Is the Duchess the problem?”  

Therese Demori, with her shimmering silver hair and lake-like eyes.  

“She was rather endearing, trembling like that.”  

Every time a dancer collapsed, Therese had gripped the armrest tightly, as if she herself had been struck by an arrow.  

For someone so timid, how had she dared to reject the Emperor’s proposal?  

‘How about having an affair with me? I think we suit each other quite well.  

‘It is an honor, but I am already married, so an affair would be difficult, Your Majesty.’  

Despite her refusal, Felipe found himself even more intrigued by the Duchess. Her aloof demeanor, rather than coquettishness, had captured his interest.  

‘Well, anything easily obtained is never fun.’  

Felipe Morciani had not ascended to his position easily. He had waded through rivers of filthy, tainted blood with his bare hands to get here. Not a single moment had been smooth, and even now, his life was filled with pain.  

“…Hah.”  

Suddenly, a seizure struck him, and Felipe clutched his chest tightly. If he didn’t cool down soon, he might embarrass himself.  

“Return to the tent immediately.”  

At his command, the attendant quickly grabbed the reins and led the horse away. Sitting upright on the horse, Felipe wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a subtle gesture, making sure not to lose his imperial dignity.  

‘I refuse to live as a shadow in the palace ever again.’  

Especially now, when he was on the brink of becoming the Empire’s sole ruler, dominating both humans and monsters.  

“That must never happen.”  

Enduring the pain, Felipe smiled brightly.  

***

Today, Therese and the Duke seemed more like lovers on an outing than participants in a hunting tournament. They conversed for a long time, with the Duke doing most of the talking and Therese mostly listening.  

“Are you cold?”  

Jeremy broke the silence as they gazed over the fields at sunset. Though it was early autumn, the northern location made the wind quite chilly.  

“I’m fine.”  

Noticing the fatigue on Therese’s face despite her brief reply, the Duke stood up.  

“We should head back to the tent and rest.”  

The tournament lasted two days, with the winner determined by who caught the most red foxes. A large tent had been prepared for participants to spend the night.  

At Jeremy’s signal, the Richard family’s hunting team loaded their captured foxes and departed first.  

“Master, are you cold?”  

Roshan approached Therese with a kind smile, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Her eyes lit up with delight at the sight of him.  

“Roshan, you’ve worked hard today, haven’t you?”  

“What work have I done?”  

Despite having dealt with dozens of assassins, Roshan remained humble.  

“Your body hasn’t fully recovered, so don’t overexert yourself.”  

Jeremy’s face twitched slightly as he watched their exchange.  

‘That guy really gets on my nerves.’  

Though Roshan had undoubtedly helped him, Jeremy found him irritating. He tried to mask his feelings, but his face twitched involuntarily.  

“Let’s save the conversation for later and get moving.”  

Maintaining a composed facade, the Duke took the lead. Therese followed, flanked by Roshan and Victor, with Gabriel bringing up the rear.  

Exhausted from the day, the group remained silent as they descended the hill and entered a small forest.

As the sun began to set, the forest grew dim, with barely any light and not even the sound of birds. Hunting dogs that ventured into the woods tucked their tails between their legs.  

…Whimper, whimper.  

The dogs, which had been barking softly, suddenly fell silent, causing the entire group to glance around nervously.  

“There seems to be something here.”  

Sensing something suspicious, Roshan and Victor immediately moved to the front. Therese could also feel the palpable tension in the forest.  

“Madame, stay behind me.” 

Jeremy said quietly as he unsheathed the sword attached to his saddle. At that moment, something rustled through the dark thicket.  

…Growl. Growl.  

What emerged was a black bear, nearly twice the size of a man.  

“It’s… a bear!”  

At Therese’s exclamation, Jeremy dismounted and stood by her side.  

“I’ll hold it off here. Master, return the way we came.”  

Roar!  

The bear swung its massive paw toward Roshan, who narrowly dodged, causing the bear’s claws to embed themselves into a tree behind him. The force was so strong that the tree shook violently.  

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, Gabriel rushed forward to support Roshan.  

“Your Grace…”  

Just then, Therese’s frightened voice broke through. Jeremy turned to see a giant wolf prowling toward them from the other side of the forest.  

“…Ha.”  

Surrounded by predators on both sides, there was no escape. Realizing that splitting up would be disadvantageous, Jeremy shouted, 

“Everyone, gather here!”  

The five of them stood back-to-back, aiming their weapons at the fierce beasts. The appearance of the bear and wolf left everyone barely able to breathe.  

Growl~!  

The bear, its mouth wide open, charged, and Duke Richard raised his sword.  

“Hold your positions and don’t break formation!”  

Under the faint moonlight, the sound of sharp fangs clashing against blades echoed loudly.