Chapter 77

Running was an unpopular sport in the Empire, so normally, the audience would be sparse.

However, the stadium was bustling with spectators today due to rumors of a rookie athlete who appeared in yesterday’s preliminaries.

Upon witnessing the match in person, it was evident that the rumors were no exaggeration.

When the starting signal fired, the athletes on the track began running simultaneously.

Among them, the standout was the rumored athlete, Alexer. His steps were so swift that his feet seemed invisible, showcasing a remarkable difference in skill compared to the other competitors.

It seemed inevitable that Alexer, who had passed the semifinals in first place, would claim the final victory.

That was until he collided with another athlete and fell during the last lap of the final.

A wave of sighs swept through the stadium. Voices of sympathy mixed with those of criticism.

Despite being in a situation where giving up would have been understandable, Alexer stood up and began running again.

He overtook the athlete ahead of him, moving from last place to 10th, from 10th to 5th.

Gradually overtaking one by one, he managed to pass the final competitor right before the finish line, claiming first place.

Each time he overtook someone, the gasps of amazement grew into cheers that filled the stadium.

“Wow……!”

The thunderous applause made her leap to her feet, clapping along.

The thrill and tension she hadn’t felt in a long time made her heart race.

“Eched, did you see that? Winning by such a slim margin. Wasn’t it incredible?”

She nudged Eched, who had also stood up, as she exclaimed.

She couldn’t contain her excitement, marveling at how he managed to win despite falling.

“They say he’s the fastest in the Empire, and it doesn’t seem like an exaggeration.”

Don’t you think so too? 

She looked up to ask for his opinion, but the question dissolved on her lips.

Eched was staring at the stadium with an even more emotionless face than usual.

What could he be thinking as he gazed down at the arena?

Perhaps Eched didn’t understand why people were so excited right now.

Feeling like she was teaching a child, she explained calmly.

“When people achieve something that seems impossible, they often say they’re moved, get goosebumps, or feel their hearts swell.”

As she explained softly, Eched nodded as if he understood. Then, suddenly, he looked at her intently and asked,

“Then, what about the word ‘incredible’?”

Was it because of what I said earlier?

“People use it a lot too, right? While it’s often used to praise someone’s appearance, it’s also used to commend gentlemanly actions.”

In this case, it was incredible because he achieved the impossible.

As she added an explanation, Anella suddenly chimed in.

“But isn’t Alexer also visually incredible? He’s so handsome, and he seems to have a great personality too, doesn’t he?”

“That’s true.”

She agreed with Anella’s words. The athlete, who was shedding tears of joy and bowing repeatedly, warmed hearts just by watching.

“I see…….”

Hearing Eched’s quiet affirmation, she wondered what he had realized, but she didn’t ask.

His expressionless face, as he stared down at the arena, resembled the eyes of an animal fixated on its prey before the hunt.

‘He’s not going to cause trouble…… is he?’

She should have stopped him when that small doubt arose. It didn’t take long to regret that moment.

***

The No. 5 horse, charging forward like a runaway locomotive, cleared another obstacle.

With the cheers of the spectators, it leaped over yet another, and another.

The race was flawless, without a single mistake.

Since the No. 5 rider had already secured first place in the previous horse race, this was their second consecutive victory.

Barring any major surprises, it was clear that the No. 5 jockey would emerge as the overall winner of the quadrathlon.

While she admired the distinct skill level compared to the other competitors, she couldn’t shake an odd feeling throughout the match.

The distance between the arena and the audience seats was considerable, and the man wore a helmet, making it impossible to see his face. Yet, something about his build or aura felt strangely familiar.

‘For example, like Eched…….’

Eched, who had been beside her yesterday, had suddenly excused himself this morning, claiming an urgent matter. This made her suspicion even more plausible.

“There’s a familiar scent from a stranger…….”

But there was no reason or occasion for Eched to participate in the competition……

It was truly just a trivial suspicion.

That unsettling doubt continued into the next hunting competition.

The rules of the event were straightforward: ride a horse and use a bow to hunt animals.

The winner would be the participant who brought back the largest animal.

With a puff of smoke, the starting signal fired, and the waiting horses galloped up the mountain.

The time limit was four hours, which would be around sunset on the mountain.

They simply had to wait calmly for the participants to return.

Since the organizers had prepared a resting area and tea, they enjoyed a casual tea time there.

“But why is Eched suddenly so busy?”

She asked Eurell, who was serving as the temporary escort for the day.

After all, she had heard about Eurell’s temporary assignment from Eched himself.

“I’m not sure. I only heard about it suddenly as well.”

Even Eurell had merely received word. She briefly worried that something might have happened to Eched, but then again, it was Eched, so her concern quickly dissipated.

‘Worrying about Eched is a luxury!’

She engraved that as a motto in her mind.

“Will the Saintess return immediately after the festival?”

“Yes. I think that’s likely.”

“Then, would you like to visit the animal I’m temporarily caring for before you leave? I actually have a favor to ask as well.”

“Oh my, really? If it’s a request from you, Lady Shaterian, I’ll gladly do it. I’d also love to see the animal under your care.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

This was perfect. By the end of the festival, the investigation into the underground would be complete, so entrusting the raccoon Divine Beast to Anella wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Since it was related to the temple, Anella, who was more involved in that domain, would be much better suited than her.

Now that she thinks about it, she had left Pell in charge of feeding the Divine Beast.

I hoped the Divine Beast would listen to Pell……

“The participants are returning!”

As they continued their conversation, the participants who had caught their prey began returning to the camp.

“Shall we get up too?”

They stood up to observe the animals the participants had brought back.

From small rabbits to mountain goats and wild boars, there was a variety.

When the No. 9 participant laid down a deer with magnificent antlers, people gasped in awe. It was the largest and most beautiful deer captured so far.

But the awe soon turned into shock when the No. 5 participant arrived late.

There was a flurry of activity as the No. 5 participant arrived with several people and three horses pulling a large cart.

People were speechless as they saw the animal tied to the cart.

With rounded ears and a massive body covered in black fur, it was unmistakably a giant bear.

“This, this is…….”

Someone approached to inspect the bear and flipped over its paw, which was the size of a pot lid. Their jaw dropped upon seeing a deep stab wound there.

“This injured paw…… Isn’t this the man-eating bear that’s been attacking villages recently?”

“My goodness. The one the guards failed to hunt before?”

Voices of recognition erupted from all around.

Whispers questioning the identity of the No. 5 participant, who kept achieving the impossible, mingled with the crowd.

The No. 5 participant, unaffected by the crowd’s reactions, leaped off his horse and patted its jaw.

“Amazing…….”

Even Eurell, standing beside her, was impressed.

It was truly puzzling why such a skilled individual was only now revealing himself to the world.

“That bear was supposed to be dealt with by the Imperial Knights soon…….”

If even the Imperial Knights were involved, it meant the bear was incredibly strong……

Surely, this man would be recruited by the Imperial Knights after the competition, barring any unusual circumstances.

With skills like his, he could aim for a squad leader position right from the start.

The audience showered the No. 5 participant with endless praise. Many even congratulated him as if his victory was already certain.

Having won all three previous events, the No. 5 participant was undoubtedly the overall winner of the quadrathlon, barring a major upset.

Even if he placed last in the final fencing event, his overall victory was already secured.

Journalists eagerly waiting for the No. 5 participant crowded around him.

The usually silent No. 5 participant suddenly lifted his head.

Shaterian thought their eyes met, but with his helmet on, she couldn’t be sure. Besides, he quickly turned away, making her wonder if it was just her imagination.

With lingering questions, the day’s events came to an end.

When she returned home, she found Eched, freshly washed, waiting.

“Was work that busy?”

After all, it was because of someone that she had to stick to Anella’s side, and yet that someone had completely disappeared.

She narrowed her eyes at Eched. He, who had been drying his hair, met her gaze with a puzzled expression.

Still, the festival with Anella had been fun, so it was fine.

Shaking her head, she finished washing up and prepared for bed.

“Yawn…….”

Lying in bed and pulling up the blanket, a deep yawn escaped her.

As her body relaxed, drowsiness finally overtook her.

This was definitely going to be a good night’s sleep.

“Are you tired?”

“Yeah……. I guess it’s because I’ve been out and about all day…….”

Tomorrow’s schedule was also packed with activities. Resting well now to conserve energy was the best choice.

“What did you do today?”

“Today, ah……. Today, I went to watch the quadrathlon. Everyone rode horses so well, and they were great at hunting too…….”

“Did you enjoy it?”

“Yeah…… kind of. Oh, the No. 5 participant won all three events today. So even if he places last in tomorrow’s fencing competition, he’s already guaranteed to win overall.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. And that participant caught a man-eating bear today……. Apparently, the Imperial Knights were planning to hunt it soon.”

“I see.”

“The bear was enormous. I can see why the guards failed to capture it.”

“Shaterian.”

“Hmm?”

“Did you think that participant was incredible?”

“Well……. He was incredible, wasn’t he?”

Suddenly, the bed sank.

Before she knew it, Eched was on top of her, looking down.

“What are you doing……?”

“I’m here to claim what was promised. The promise we made to truly become a family.”