Stella, who had been absentmindedly watching Royce’s retreating figure, as if he had completed his task by taking Ark back, called out to him urgently.

“Royce!”

Even though he was close enough to hear, Royce didn’t turn around.

“Royce!”

Stella raised her voice a little more.

Kai suddenly remembered that he had introduced himself as Royce and stopped speaking. When he looked back, he saw Stella holding and shaking something.

It didn’t seem like food. The thought that it might be a bother crossed his mind, but he had already turned Ben’s head around.

His hand moved of its own accord. Although his pace was leisurely, with nothing urgent, his curiosity kept growing.

Why on earth is that woman doing that?

As he got closer, he saw Stella waving a handkerchief with a bright smile.

Every time Stella smiled so brightly without a hint of a wrinkle, he couldn’t help but recall her bitter smile from that day.

Why would someone who could smile like that have been so different that day? What on earth happened in Amalrune? Why did her father send such a lousy gift along with his daughter? Was she just a disposable bloodline?

“What is it?”

The more curious Kai became about Stella, the colder his eyes grew. Such emotions towards people always led to bad outcomes. It wasn’t a good sign.

“I wanted to give you this.”

Stella abruptly thrust out what she had been holding and shaking. It was a white handkerchief.

Surrender?

That was the first word that came to Kai’s mind when he saw the handkerchief.

As was his habit, Kai sat on his horse and looked down with an arrogant gaze, then quickly dismounted, realizing his mistake. To Stella, he was nothing more than a low-ranking knight, and looking down from above might be unpleasant for her.

He thought he didn’t care whether this woman was displeased or not, yet he didn’t want to upset her. He considered it the least he could do in response to her kindness.

However, Stella’s expression showed no sign of displeasure.

“Royce, you’re going to participate in the upcoming monster hunting festival, right?”

“…Pardon?”

Kai’s response was a bit slow because he didn’t expect the word “hunting festival” to come out of her mouth. It felt like watching a rabbit that could dart in any direction—small and useless, whether hunted or not.

“They say if you carry a handkerchief embroidered with wishes for a safe return, you won’t get hurt. I made one for you so you won’t get hurt.”

“For me?”

Kai asked as he gazed down at the handkerchief in his hand. He hesitated to take it.

“Yes. I had to make a handkerchief to offer to His Majesty the Emperor, and I thought of you, Royce.”

“Why are you giving this to me?”

A peculiar mix of emotions swirled within him, tangled with a lingering thread of doubt.

“Because we’re friends.”

Kai’s gaze shifted urgently from the handkerchief to Stella. She was smiling. Somehow, it was a smile that made him want to cry.

***

Back at the main castle, Kai was staring down at the handkerchief Stella had given him, which lay on the desk.

“This is the first time I’ve seen such clumsy work.”

Proudly occupying the center of the square handkerchief was a large orange carrot.

He had received hundreds of handkerchiefs while participating in the hunting festival, but this was the first time he’d seen such an absurd design. A carrot for a knight participating in a hunting festival.

It was a completely mismatched combination.

She was truly a strange woman. Unpredictable, with various aspects that couldn’t be defined by a single word.

‘I planted a lot of new crops in the field. I was lucky enough to get some good seeds. When we harvest, I’ll give you some then.’

‘I have nothing to offer you.’

‘It’s okay. Just talk to me from time to time.’

‘Aren’t there other princesses? How could someone like me be your conversational partner?’

‘Is that so?’

Back then, she had smiled bitterly again. It was a smile similar in color to the one she had when she checked the gift sent from Amalrune.

“Sigh.”

Kai felt uneasy, as if he owed a debt. He didn’t want to accept the handkerchief, but if he refused, he thought she might smile like that again. As if saying, “I see,” while giving a faint, painful smile.

“A painful smile…”

Kai placed the handkerchief in the drawer that held documents marked with his little friend’s footprints. Everything related to that woman seemed insignificant.

***

The morning of the hunting festival arrived.

The area near the hunting grounds was bustling like never before, filled not only with royals and nobles participating in the monster hunt but also with knights guarding them and families accompanying them.

The monster hunting festival of the Credion Empire was held at a different location each year. There were five mountains in the empire where monsters appeared most frequently, and this year it was Rag Mountain, close to the main castle.

Compared to other mountains, the forest wasn’t very deep, and there weren’t many types of monsters living there. However, if they weren’t hunted, the monsters would descend into nearby villages and harm people.

This was because there wasn’t enough food in the forest for the increasing number of monsters.

The hunting festival, which reduced the monster population, showcased trained swordsmanship, and allowed participants to reveal themselves to the ladies they admired, was a grand celebration for everyone, not just those participating in the hunt.

Stella, who had been forced to get ready for the festival long before dawn, repeatedly dozed off while Brynn did her makeup.

This was because she had lost track of time watching the sprouting Jihee grass in the garden the night before. The Jihee grass, blessed by the earth fairy, grew visibly even as Stella watched.

When she turned her head, the tiny sprout, which had been the size of a mouse dropping just moments ago, had grown a bit larger. It was particularly entertaining to watch because it grew so quickly.

“Princess, I’m going to do your hair now, so please don’t move.”

Brynn, who had finally finished the makeup, spoke to Stella, who was struggling to stay awake. Feeling sorry for Brynn, who was doing her best, Stella widened her eyes to stay alert.

“I won’t move.”

Stella endured with superhuman effort, but she couldn’t help her head from suddenly drooping against her will. Each time, the hair Brynn was holding got pulled, waking Stella up, but it didn’t last long.

“Wow, it’s really vast.”

Stella, who had vaguely thought they would enter the forest for the hunting grounds, was at a loss for words at the sight of the wide plains spread out below the mountain.

The lush green plains were so vast that they seemed endless. Although it took half a day by carriage from the main castle, it wasn’t boring at all.

She didn’t have to keep the carriage windows closed like in the main castle, and just being outside made her feel refreshed.

Rag Mountain was a solitary peak rising from the expansive plains. Despite being near a mountain inhabited by monsters, there were quite a few settlements because the land around the mountain was fertile and good for farming.

Tents for nobles, royals, and princesses were set up across the plains where there were no settlements. Stella’s tent was located quite far from the hunting grounds.

“It would have been nice if it were a bit closer. I’m sorry.”

Milla apologized as if it were her fault that Stella’s tent was assigned to such a remote place.

“It’s fine. I actually like the peace and quiet.”

She was sincere. Stella had no interest in the hunting festival.

Therefore, she was not at all concerned about who would win the week-long hunting festival or who would become the hunting festival queen this year.

There was no way the emperor would have chosen her poorly embroidered handkerchief. So the current hunting festival had nothing to do with her.

The one good thing was that she could enjoy the beautiful nature outside the royal castle.

“But Princess, why did you bring a pickaxe?”

Milla asked with a puzzled expression, looking at the pickaxe placed next to the bed. While other princesses packed extra dresses, jewelry, and cosmetics, the first thing Princess Stella packed was that pickaxe.

Stella treated the pickaxe as if it were the most precious thing she owned. This was another part that Milla found hard to understand.

“Just in case it comes in handy.”

“Here…?”

Milla asked, fearing that Stella might dig the ground in front of the nobles. She thought Stella wouldn’t do such a thing for the sake of her dignity, but Princess Stella was someone who effortlessly shattered Milla’s expectations.

“If a monster suddenly appears, I need to defend myself.”

At Stella’s childlike response, Milla’s momentary tension eased completely.

“Monsters won’t come here. There are many knights guarding us. Please don’t worry too much.”

“You never know. Some reckless monster might come all the way here.”

Stella replied, gripping the pickaxe tightly and staring intently at the entrance of the tent.

Standing there was an earth spirit, peering inside with dark eyes.

The earth spirit, grinning with its long, slit mouth, echoed Stella’s words and tried to enter, but retreated when blocked by the earth fairies.

“Aren’t you leaving? Go away!”

When Oton swung a stick, the earth spirit shivered, seemingly frightened, and pouted its lips.

It wasn’t really scared; it was just teasing. When Ark and Esta couldn’t hold back and tried to rush out, Oton quickly blocked them.

“Why! Move! I won’t let that thing be!”

“Yeah, move, Oton! It’s still teasing us!”

“Stay by Stella’s side. Don’t worry about anything else.”

Oton spoke in a calm, steady voice, and Ark and Esta, though grumbling, sat back down on the ground.

Meanwhile, the earth spirits outside gradually increased in number.

Their creeping, relentless filling of the entrance was chilling. It felt like if they grabbed your arm, you’d be dragged straight into the ground.