Kaven nodded as he gripped his sword.

“I understand perfectly your instruction to keep them alive so they can answer questions.”

“Yes, exactly that.”

I gave a thumbs up and headed toward the encampment. When I went to the back of House Monteroz’s encampment, I saw Yerenica.

“Yeni.”

Remembering she had asked me to call her by that familiar name, I called out to her warmly.

Yerenica turned her head quickly, scanning her surroundings with caution.

“Don’t worry, guards are protecting the area. Shall we go inside?”

She nodded. I entered the tent with her and securely blocked the entrance so no one could see inside.

“Your Grace. Why did you ask to see me when being discovered could be so dangerous?”

“I didn’t think I’d be able to see you at the banquet hall. I have something I must ask you, Yeni.”

Yerenica sat in a chair and rested her chin on her hand.

“Even so, you were too reckless. And what exactly is your relationship with the princess?”

“That’s what I’d like to ask. Yeni, I’m curious what Isabelle said that made you come to my encampment.”

“She said that Your Grace is always plotting against Father, so it would be fun? She said I wouldn’t regret it if I hurried and waited here.”

That’s true, but the reason I went to such lengths to meet Yerenica today was for one purpose.

“Yeni, this is a very important matter, so I’d appreciate an answer. Are you the high priest’s daughter?”

“……”

“I haven’t told anyone. If it is you, there’s something I need to do right away.”

Yerenica didn’t deny it. That was answer enough, so I carefully took out a paper and drew the binding spell.

“This is called a binding spell. It’s what Father placed on the divine beasts. I understand that only a high priest can create and release it.”

“I’m not a high priest.”

“But you have the high priest’s blood flowing in you, don’t you?”

Yerenica’s red eyes wavered. She seemed to have thought she would never need to take direct action herself.

“House Shalom won’t be harmed. By the time I need your help, I’ll have already left the imperial capital, so you don’t need to worry.”

Her red eyes settled calmly again. Since what she wanted was the temple, she must have also considered taking the divine beasts from the emperor.

“Though you became family unwillingly by the emperor’s order, I know you’re doing well. Of course, the heir Dominic is quite unpleasant……”

“My brother may be unpleasant, but he’s not that bad. He’s just excessively loyal to the emperor. Was it you who played that trick on him today?”

This is why I don’t like perceptive people. But who am I? Am I not the one who survived here by pretending not to know, by acting innocent?

I blinked my eyes with a face that truly seemed not to know.

“The horse did seem quite angry…… Perhaps there wasn’t enough rapport?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“So we’re working together then?”

“What’s the timeframe? How will you extract the divine beasts?”

I hadn’t yet received news that the airship was completed. So I couldn’t tell her the exact timing.

I didn’t think lies would work on Yerenica. So I told her honestly. After all, she wanted the temple to be revived.

“Hmm…… I’ll contact you when the airship being built to smuggle out the divine beasts is ready.”

Yeni’s eyes widened at the mention of an airship. House Shalom must have been involved in procuring magic stones.

“An airship? My goodness…… I heard the emperor was building an airship. But how is Your Grace building one?”

“I’ll tell you everything later. Since I can’t send letters, when the time comes, I’ll publish something in the newspaper that you can recognize, so please check the newspaper daily.”

“Alright. I read it every day anyway because of my second brother.”

“Now that our negotiation is complete, shall we end this meeting?”

I extended my hand to Yeni and took it.

“I’m counting on you.”

“Yes, me too.”

And with that, I was a step closer to my plan.

❖ ❖ ❖

The hunting grounds felt completely empty.

Cedric and Aiden stopped as they rode their horses, surveying the surroundings.

“Strange. Is the imperial hunting ground always this quiet?”

“I’m not sure. It’s so silent, as if the animals know something and are hiding.”

Only the sound of galloping hooves could be heard as people rode in search of prey.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.”

Cedric calmed his horse and stroked its neck.

“Any signs around us?”

“None.”

Rustle, rustle.

At the sound of something moving through the grass, they hurriedly aimed their bows. But then it grew quiet, and a beast emerged, sauntering casually.

“……Don’t shoot, hold.”

Strangely, a tiger that should have fled was approaching with leisurely steps, as if asking to be captured.

“Your Grace. Are my eyes deceiving me?”

“No, I can see the tiger walking toward us too.”

And that wasn’t all. It came right up to Cedric and then dramatically collapsed in front of him.

“……What in the world.”

As everyone stared in bewilderment, they soon seemed to realize something and looked at each other.

‘It seems my adorable wife has had a hand in this.’

Not just Cedric, but the knights too had seen enough to quickly figure out who was behind this absurd situation.

“Lower your bows and load the approaching beasts onto the cart.”

“Understood. But won’t others find this strange?”

Aiden carefully added.

“Everyone already expects us to win anyway, so I think we should just aim to return quickly.”

Though no one said it out loud, House Monteroz was considered a strong contender for victory. So even if they returned early, no one would be suspicious.

“Y-Your Grace! There’s a deer over there……”

At the knight’s cry, they saw a deer running toward them, wailing.

“Peeeeeeeng!” (Save me! Save me!)

A deer with an injury to its slender leg stopped in front of Cedric. With tears welling in its eyes, it slumped to the ground.

Cedric let out a laugh as he looked at the deer.

“Your Grace, what should we do?”

“It seems to have come to us for its life, so mark it and load it up.”

Though the current situation still made no sense, animals were voluntarily approaching them, and already more than five animals had been “hunted” on the spot.

Of course, they were all loaded onto the cart with their eyes wide open.

“What is the meaning of this?”

The one hunting the deer was none other than Young Lord Dominic.

“There seems to be a problem.”

“That was my prey. It seems Your Grace has a hobby of stealing other people’s game.”

“Young Lord Dominic. Are you blaming me for what you failed to catch? Come to think of it, people from House Shalom are always quick to blame others.”

Cedric approached Dominic, holding his horse’s reins.

“Didn’t I have to step in on the battlefield last time because you couldn’t lead properly? It’s quite amusing that while it’s you whom His Majesty trusts, it’s always me who delivers satisfactory results.”

“That’s…!”

Young Lord Dominic’s face crumpled in anger. Perhaps because he was still young, his blood was boiling.

Seeing how quickly he reacted to the smallest provocation, Cedric couldn’t help but smile.

Grind.

The sound of Dominic grinding his teeth could be heard from where they stood. Cedric was about to turn his horse away with a relaxed smile.

“……I heard animals are scarce in the North and you barely eat meat, but that seems to be a complete lie.”

Unable to let his pride take the hit, Dominic sneered.

He must have said this looking at the cart full of animals. Cedric slightly turned his head and sighed.

“They may be scarce in the North, but not in the imperial capital. Shouldn’t we follow the rules?”

In his line of sight, he spotted Young Lord Casion coming to fetch his brother. He was probably coming to prevent an incident, knowing his brother was with Cedric.

‘Changing the heir would brighten House Shalom’s future.’

Duke Shalom would never pass the succession to his second son. What a pity.

“It seems the winner has already been decided, so good luck. It won’t be easy even if you try. Your younger brother must have a hard time because of his immature older brother.”

“……”

Dominic turned his head to see Casion approaching. Irritated, he yanked his horse’s reins and galloped into the forest.

Cedric watched Dominic for a moment before preparing to leave the hunting grounds with his knights.

Swoosh—

With a sharp sound cutting through the air, he felt a stinging pain on his cheek.

“Your Grace! Are you alright?”

Cedric wore a bitter smile at the arrow that had grazed his face.

Blood trickled down his cheek.