The emperor, upon seeing Yelodia, immediately approached her with a radiant smile.

“Yedi, come here. My niece is as dazzlingly beautiful as ever today.”

“I greet Your Majesty. Has it already started?”

“There seem to be more impatient men in Feorn than even I am.”

The emperor’s lighthearted jest prompted laughter from those around him, mainly the young nobles in his retinue.

Yelodia looked up at the emperor, who was clad in sturdy armor, her gaze tinged with concern. She reached out her hand, and the emperor naturally extended his left hand.

“Thank you for enduring the journey here by carriage. Was it too burdensome?”

“It wasn’t as difficult as you might think. Your Majesty, please hold still for a moment.”

“How could I refuse a request from you?”

Yelodia carefully tied a multi-colored cord around the emperor’s left wrist. It was a bracelet she had painstakingly woven the night before.

Looking at the emperor’s strong hand, she earnestly advised, “Please always be mindful of your surroundings, Your Majesty.”

“You always sound like my mother whenever there’s a hunting competition. It’s mostly tedious, but not entirely unwelcome advice.”

The emperor replied with an innocent laugh, though Yelodia’s heart was already heavy with worry.

“Surely, you’re not planning to win the hunting tournament, are you?”

“If there’s someone better than I, the victory will naturally go to them.”

His tone carried a subtle challenge, indicating he had no intention of yielding easily. His confident demeanor stirred the crowd once more.

Those participating in the hunting tournament today were all individuals whose skills were highly regarded within their respective noble families. Some families had even sent their finest knights as representatives.

It was no wonder. Winning the hunting tournament meant claiming the “Hand of Zeus.”

Simply witnessing the treasure was a great honor, so the heads of noble families had spared no effort in selecting the best candidates.

“I’m waiting for one more person,” the emperor said, scanning the crowd with a calm gaze, undeterred by the mix of excitement and competitive tension surrounding him.

Then, suddenly, he smiled brightly and raised his hand.

“Ah, there he comes.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“Come here. I’ve delayed the start too long, waiting for you.”

Yelodia clenched her hands tightly. Walking through the murmuring crowd was none other than Edward.

Edward, dressed in the hunting attire Yelodia had chosen for him a few days earlier, approached the emperor. His tall, striking appearance made him stand out even among the gathered nobles.

When he finally stopped just a step away from her, Edward bowed to the emperor.

“Baron Adrian greets Your Majesty. Did you call for me?”

“Indeed. I couldn’t let the competition start without at least seeing the face of one of the top contenders.”

As soon as the emperor finished speaking, the crowd erupted in a chorus of shocked gasps.

Their glances seemed to say, “Who could this man possibly be, to be named a top contender by the emperor himself?”

Edward was startled in a different way. The emperor’s words were a veiled command for him to perform his best in the competition.

“But aside from that, what a picture-perfect pair you two make.”

The emperor looked at Edward and Yelodia with a deeply satisfied expression. Edward suppressed a sigh and bowed slightly.

“I’m always at a loss for how to respond to Your Majesty’s compliments.”

“Why so modest? You ought to learn the art of shamelessness.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Edward’s docile reply brought a faint smile to the emperor’s lips.

“Indeed, that would suit a hero of your caliber. I’m eager to see how you’ll amaze me today.”

“Your Majesty, you overestimate me.”

“Humility is all well and good, but even if you’re the ghost of the Phoenician Sea, it won’t be so easy to best me on land.”

“…”

Edward said nothing in reply, unable to find the right words. At the same time, sharp, scrutinizing gazes from the nobles pierced him like arrows.

The emperor took his time enjoying the tense atmosphere before speaking again.

“The rules for today are the same as always: the one who hunts the finest game shall be the winner. As always, the winner will be decided by myself and the four dukes. Unless something extraordinary happens, the victor must secure the approval of at least three out of the five.”

With that, the emperor solemnly declared, “And as promised, the ‘Hand of Zeus’ shall be awarded to the winner.”

Gasps and exclamations rippled through the crowd.

“He’s really giving it away…!”

“The Hand of Zeus…”

“The competition will commence the moment my horse sets off. Best of luck to you all.”

With those words, the emperor swiftly mounted his horse, leading his royal guards as he set off at a gallop. The nobles, not wanting to be left behind, hurried to mount their own horses and follow suit.

Each noble house was permitted to bring three knights as escorts. Those who sent representatives were not allowed to participate directly, so each house fielded only their most elite members.

As the earth shook from the pounding hooves of galloping horses, Edward quietly turned his gaze. Yelodia was standing there, staring at him with a dazed expression.

Raising an eyebrow, Edward asked calmly, “Do you have something to say to me?”

“Ah, could you please give me your left hand?”

Though puzzled, Edward obliged and extended his left hand.

Yelodia carefully fastened a bracelet she had intricately woven onto his wrist.

“Have you ever received something like this before?”

“…No, I haven’t.”

Edward silently watched her as she tied the bracelet. Her cheeks and ears were flushed, perhaps from the heat, and tiny beads of sweat dotted her nose.

“It’s a protective charm. You mustn’t get hurt until you return,” she said with conviction.

“…”

It was an old tradition of the Feorn royal family to tie a bracelet woven from multicolored threads around the wrists of loved ones or family members heading out on a hunt. Over time, even the nobility had adopted this practice, and by now, it had become something of a custom.

“All done,” Yelodia said softly, stepping back after carefully tying the final knot.

“I hope the thread doesn’t snap,” she added.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Edward replied quietly, his gaze fixed on the bracelet. He didn’t seem the least bit fazed by the attention of the onlookers.

“Now go. Don’t worry too much about His Majesty’s words.”

“Yes, I’ll do that,” Edward replied and turned to walk toward the horse that his servant was holding.

“Be careful,” Yelodia called after him, stepping back to maintain a safe distance.

With effortless grace, Edward mounted the sleek black horse. With a light tap to the horse’s side, it shot forward in a smooth, powerful gallop, three subordinate officers quickly following close behind.

Yelodia caught herself marveling at his exceptional riding skills, far beyond what she had anticipated.

“Ahem, well then, I suppose I should get going too,” came a voice from behind. It was Hester, who had been observing the scene from afar.

Yelodia looked up at the towering white horse Hester was to ride, her eyes filled with concern. She carefully tied a bracelet around his wrist as well.

“Come back safely. If you see a rabbit or a fox, just run away, okay?”

“This time, I’ll hunt something! The prize for winning is incredible.”

“You’re scared of dogs the size of my fist.”

“Still, I can probably catch a rabbit.”

“Rabbits are scarier than they look.”

As Yelodia tied the final knot, Hester shrugged confidently. “Riding a magnificent horse like this, there’s no way I’d run from a rabbit. And for the record, I know how to draw a bowstring.”

“Just take a leisurely stroll and come back. I’ll get lonely by myself. I brought a pile of new books from Bellus’ bookstore.”

“…Really?”

“Enough to last two days of indulgent reading. I’m planning to spend the time lazing around with those books.”

“I already feel like giving up…”

Yelodia smiled knowingly.

With some difficulty, and two near stumbles, Hester climbed into the saddle with the help of knights.

“Be cautious and don’t rush,” Yelodia advised.

“Don’t worry about me,” Hester replied, though his nervousness was evident. With a light command, his horse trotted forward, snorting softly, then began a smooth pace.

Yelodia watched uneasily as Hester disappeared into the forest.

True to her concerns, Hester got lost at the forest’s edge and wandered aimlessly. Hunting wasn’t his strong suit; observing living flora and fauna was far more his style.

The knights escorting him knew this about Hester and didn’t push him to hunt. Their main worry was preventing any mishap, like a fall from his horse.

“Perhaps you should take a brief walk around the forest’s edge and then return to the camp,” one knight suggested.

“Well, since I’m already here, I’ll look around a bit more,” Hester replied.

“Just don’t let your eyes wander too much; you might fall from your horse.”

“With how slow this horse is walking, even if I do fall, I wouldn’t get hurt too badly.”

The knight, Calter, couldn’t bring himself to argue, merely watching Hester with a worried gaze.

“Then how about walking instead?” Calter proposed.

“That’s probably a better idea,” Hester agreed.

Calter quickly dismounted and extended his hand to help Hester down. Hester smiled and accepted his assistance. The other knights followed suit, holding the horses’ reins.

Hester walked through the woods, certain that he was the most hopeless participant in the hunt. Yet, he couldn’t help but be captivated by the vibrant energy of the forest. The plants, thriving despite the harshness of nature, exuded a beauty unmatched by ornamental flora.

While admiring a fern he had read about in a botany book, he sensed movement nearby.

“Who’s there?” Calter called sharply, his hand moving instinctively to the hilt of his sword.