Chapter 78

“Come on!”

Princess Elsius was leading her horse close to Kaiden.

“What’s going on? I thought you’d be enjoying tea with the ladies.”

“If I catch the white wolf first today, please grant my wish.”

“How can you?”

“I’m not good at shooting and riding horses. I know.”

Kaiden laughed at the words of Princess Elsius.

“No matter what you want or what you don’t want, there is no reason for me to listen.”

“I’m going to catch the white wolf and give it to my sister-in-law.”

“Oh, my God. Really?”

Kaiden’s eyes softened as Evelina spoke joyfully.

“Then shall we grant only the wish granted by Lina?”

“Oh, Kaiden. I like the idea.”

“I like it, too, brother. I’ll do my best.”

After saying that, Princess Elsius rode an unfamiliar horse and went back to her original place.

Evelina and Kaiden headed to the spot where the nobles of the hunting ground lined up. Then he went up to the podium with Evelina. She and Kaiden were dressed in similar designs as they were husband and wife.

Soon, Evelina pretended to smile at Kaiden and looked forward. Then Kaiden took her hand and stood beside her. Evelina felt a strange relief when she saw his shadow at her feet.

“Thank you to all the distinguished guests who have gathered for harmony today.”

As she opened her mouth, Kaiden began to look at Evelina with affectionate eyes.

“The Kingdom of Tenesi and our Abelard Empire have been trading a lot since before. There, Tenesi and Abelard share the border, but they have always been like brothers.”

She knew why Tenesi came first as an envoy.

“So I would like to thank the distinguished guests of the Kingdom of Tenesi for being the first to congratulate us on opening such a new era. In addition, to those who have kept our Abelard Empire’s hard work from being in vain.”

Evelina smiled, hiding her bitter look.

“I believe this harmony will help our relationship become stronger and move on to a brighter path.”

Then Kaiden clasped her hand.

“So I hope you enjoy it together.”

Then applause poured out.

Evelina opened her eyes as if she were a beloved queen that asked if she had done well, and he was looking at her as if he was a loving husband.

Evelina pretended not to know the gaze of the Marquis of Logias, who was looking at her far away. And the mask-like smile of the Tenesi crown prince.

~~~~

That’s how everyone started the hunting competition.

The winner was to hunt the heaviest beast within the time limit.

The problem was that this hunting ground was mostly small animals such as foxes, birds, roe deer, and wild boars. There was also a wolf. But there was only one white wolf, as Kaiden said.

Most of the wolves in the Abelard Empire were gray because they were made to match the mild weather. The white wolf was a strain, white fur to be born and raised.

“Can I ride a horse alone?”

“Yes, to this extent. If you need to run fast, leave me behind.”

“…I don’t like that.”

There were about ten knights who rode horses together when Evelina and Kaiden moved for the hunt. They chased them at a certain distance.

“How about bear skin?”

“Bear? I like bears, too. I like black fur, too. It’s like Kaiden’s hair color.”

When she said so, he looked back at her shyly and then looked ahead.

“But I’d still like wolves. I also want to hang white fur on Lina.”

She felt strange at the moment when the affection in his eyes felt real.

“Then let’s go quickly.”

It was hard for her to meet those eyes, so she pulled the reins. But her horse had already undergone some kind of training, and even when she was pulled to run fast, Louis only walked fast, but didn’t run.

The place where they arrived after riding for such a long time was a very dense forest.

“Your Majesty, if you go up there, there is a flock of wolves.”

“So many?”

Evelina was startled by the knight’s words, and she asked.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Wolves live in groups.”

“…Kaiden. I’ll take everything else besides that wolf. Isn’t it dangerous if you overdo it?”

“Why is it dangerous?”

Kaiden looked at her as if he couldn’t understand her and smiled as if he had realized it.

“Protect the queen.”

“Kaiden?”

Evelina looked at him in embarrassment. She was a little anxious that there was no Ianathas now, and no Usher Fronen, who were usually good knights.

“Are you going alone?”

“No, we’re going together. It would be too much to go alone.”

“Ah…”

Evelina said as she saw Kaiden beckoning and taking only one of the last knights.

“Is it really okay if it’s just the two of you?”

“Yes. I’m very good at shooting.”

Evelina felt strange anxiety when she saw his long gun.

If he got hurt by an animal or died.

Then it would be a good thing. But it wasn’t easy for her to think that way with her brain.

“What if you get hurt?”

“I promise not to get hurt.”

“Really?”

Evelina couldn’t understand for herself why she wanted to receive this promise. But it was obvious that he didn’t want to get hurt.

“Yes, indeed.”

He drove his horse near her and held out his hand. Evelina hung her pinky on his hand and said,

“Don’t get hurt. Never.”

“All right.”

He stared at her with a smile. Then he headed forward with a knight with brown hair. At the end of her gaze was a stone cliff.

I heard the sound of water from somewhere.

“Is there a cliff over there?”

“Oh, yes, it is.”

For a moment, Evelina realized that what she thought was just a wall was a cliff.

“What about the sound of water?”

“There is a lake below the cliff. Wolves live in groups around the water.”

Nineteen knights were around Evelina like that.

“Ha.”

She felt cold at the touch of the gun, which she had no idea how to shoot, behind her back. If she wanted to hunt in the first place, Kaiden would have taught her how to shoot. But he gave her a gun, but he didn’t tell her how to shoot.

That’s why Evelina was considering it easy until she came here.

“How many wolves are there?”

“As far as we’ve checked, there are about ten.”

“That much?”

“Not a lot. It’s usually about 15. Two of them are cubs. Among them, the white wolf is the leader of the group.”

“Oh, my God.”

Still, he had to deal with eight.

No matter how nice she was, Evelina thought it wouldn’t be good for him to get hurt. It would be better if her family had always suffered bad things from him. Then she could have hoped he’d be hurt.

She sighed, thinking so.

– Tang!

Soon there was a shot in the distance.

– Tatang! Tang! Tang! Tang!

“Argh!”

Strangely, the gunshots were close.

“Argh!”

“Evacuate the queen!”

“Load the gun!”

“Keuak!”

– Tang! Tang! Tang! Tang! Tang! Tang!

Evelina saw the knights behind her fall off their horses after being shot.

– Hee hee!

For a moment, Evelina’s horse began to run.

“Oh my god!”

“Get her!”

“Protect the queen!”

“Shoot it!”

“Stop the enemy! Move the horse forward… Argh!”

Loud gunshots were being heard over and over and over again. Evelina was pulling the horse’s reins very hard to keep from falling off. The horse was running mad at the sound of gunfire.

The screams of the men in the background continued. The gun went off again and again and again.

What the hell is going on here?

Evelina needed clarification.

That there was someone who was after her.

– Tatang! Piuk!

Evelina was running while listening to a bullet hitting a tree right next to her. She felt like she was going to faint with a lump in her throat, but she was struggling not to fall off the horse.

“Oh my god!”

Evelina leaned forward in fear. At that moment, the horse jumped high and fell over the fallen tree.

“Oh, my god!”

After dropping Evelina to the ground.

No matter how fast the horse ran away, Evelina only looked at the horse going far away the moment it fell.

“Sigh… queen.”

She didn’t know who was riding the approaching horse. Evelina was looking at the man on the approaching horse, thrusting a gun at her.

It was a stranger.

“Are you trying to kill me?”

Her whole body was crumbling with the shock of the fall. But maybe because of the threat to her life, she ignored it and looked up at the person who tried to shoot her.

She checked his face again in the sunlight shining through the leaves. But it was still a stranger. And she didn’t think he was from Tenesi.

“To die without pain, you have to shoot yourself in the head.”

“Ah…”

The gun approached her as if to show mercy.

“Why are you after me?”

asked Evelina, frowning in pain.

“Do you think I’ll tell you?”

“Are you really targeting me? Why? What did I do wrong?”

Evelina could not die. If she died like this, her plan was over. There was no way that the Tenesi crown prince would keep his promise to the dead. Because she couldn’t die until her adoptive parents got away safely.

“Help me, please.”

She spoke imploringly. But the other person who heard her plea spoke coldly.

“I’m sorry.”

– Bang!

Evelina closed her eyes tightly at the sound of the gun.

“Ouch!”

All she heard were the screams of the man. And it was a dull noise.

– Bang!

And a duller noise was heard at the second shot.

“Lina.”

Evelina opened her eyes to a familiar voice.

“Ah…”

It was Kaiden who appeared before her eyes. He was covered with blood.

“Why is the knight of Marquis of Logias trying to kill Lina?”

His words were not a question. It was said while looking at the pendant of the Marquis of Logias, which was dropped by the fallen knight in front of her.