Chapter 462

Chapter 82. As it turns out,

a hunter who has been bitten by a gentle (1) prey does one of two things.

Either they are scared, or they try to completely destroy their prey.

‘Don’t be scared by the guys you have to hunt.’

Warrior of the Great Desert.

A proud wolf.

That is wrong.

There was no such thing as pride to be shared equally among all wolves in the first place. In the end, they were no different from the people who lived trapped within the walls of the kingdom. While there were some who had high pride, the majority of them felt that even the title of wolf was undeserved.

Wolves who have lost their pride.

Arsene roamed the great desert hunting those guys.

So, of course, I got bitten by them. I have been cut by a sword, I have been cut by an ax, and I have been cut by an arrow. Every time that happened, Arsene’s teacher always reacted the same way.

‘If that’s the case, why didn’t you pick up a sword and learn magic?’

The first thing I did was scold my student for his habit of walking up to the noses of those wielding weapons and throwing out spears of ice. Even after I answered yes because I wanted to watch their lives end, I still asked that question.

‘Don’t be afraid of the guys you have to hunt. Are you going to die as their prey again?’

After that, I advised him not to get scared and take a step back due to the injuries he received from those guys.

‘Does it hurt a lot?’

And in the end, I was always worried.

Thanks to this, Arsene has been able to spend more than half of his life in the Great Desert. There, the wolves who had lost their pride were sent hunting down the rotten root-like warriors of the great desert. Then he returned to the city and lived as a wizard rather than a hunter. That’s how I lived.

however.

– Thick!

When Gray Brisen was Margrave. On the way back from meeting Gray of the Margrave on Calian’s errand, Arsene changed a little again. This is because of the warriors we encountered in the forest that followed Euria. After being helplessly pushed back in the fight against them and barely surviving thanks to Calian’s help, Arsene always suffered phantom pain when he saw the warriors of the Great Desert belonging to Zeon.

The warriors of the Great Desert belonging to Zeon were not the ones Arsene had known before. It was much stronger. I tried to make Arsene neither a hunter nor a wizard, but a hunted person. I constantly tried to scare him.

“Huh...”

Arsene raised his head, shaking off the pain in his shoulder that was irritating his nerves.

Now there is no teacher to tell us not to be afraid.

So what should we do? You have to get rid of your fear and become a hunter.

Arsene composed his mind once again and moved his hand.

– Sweet.

And of course, I opened the door to the study, filled with the scent of what should have been Arsene’s prey.

– Rattle!

But I felt something caught on the door that was opening inward. Arsene, with a slightly frowning expression, pulled the door once, confirmed again that it was not a door that could be pulled open, and pushed it again.

As I open the door, it feels like something heavy is being pushed out.

– Slurp... thud!

Then, the sensation of something sliding onto Arsene’s shoes and touching them continued. Because of this, Arsene’s eyes turned even harsher when he looked down and checked it.

“I remember you are Count Hertz. Is that correct?”

A voice sounds like it hasn’t seen anything like that.

Arsene, leaning against the door that had fallen on his feet and letting the dead man’s arm fall from his shoe, looked up.

“you’re right.”

“See you again. I am Baron Pierce Hazel.”

The person who revealed himself by another name known to the world was none other than Freyr. And it was the Wolf of the Great Desert who had just removed his arm from Arsene.

“This is Arsene Hertz.”

Even though he is a Baron, isn’t he related to Calian by blood? Therefore, Arsene did not address Freyr in a lower tone and instead greeted him. After that, he looked at Freyr blankly and opened his mouth.

“Are they targeting the prince? Or are they an unrelated enemy?”

“They are not the ones who went into hiding after Prince Kalyan. They are related to me. You don’t have to worry about an attack on the prince or his other brothers.”

“Then why are they here?”

“I’m sorry for showing you this when it’s my first time seeing you in private. It happens often, and there won’t be another attack for a while, so don’t worry about them attacking you again, just rest.”

It wasn’t an accurate answer to the question.

Therefore, Arsene, who had been standing still for a while, took a stride. I walked to Freyr’s front, passing the six dead bodies lying here and there in the study, which Freyr probably removed them himself. After that, he put his hand into his bosom and took out his pocket.

– Sweet.

And he took out an ice statue carved with a dog that resembled Freya, Calian, and Jan, the reason they came here, and placed it on the table.

Freyr, who was looking at the thing wrapped in red cloth, looked at Arsene.

“Our prince... This is a gift prepared by Prince Calian as an apology.”

“The word apple”

means “an apology for many things.”

Things that distrusted, tested, mourned, and suffered.

Presenting the dead Freyja in front of Freyr.

Arsene, who had lumped together ‘a lot’ of things that did not need to be explained, ran his hand over the red cloth that had wrapped the statue, to be exact, the statue he had just put down. And he stretched out his finger and pointed at it. It meant to open it.

“Yes. Then.”

Freyr bowed his head once more to express his gratitude and moved his hand.

Do you know that the bodies of those who just died were left behind? Freyr, looking at the bloody scene behind him, wordlessly unwrapped the gift Calian gave him.

– Sarah...

The cloth wrapping the statue flowed down one by one onto the table.

And before long, what was inside was revealed.

Freya and Calian.

The faces of the mother and son smiling while sitting side by side.

Freyr, seeing that, opened his mouth for a moment. But he couldn’t say anything and closed his mouth again. Then he opened his mouth again and closed it tightly, as if he couldn’t do anything.

The closed mouth was opened only after some time had passed.

“...... ah.”

Then he said something like this.

That was all it said. There were no other sentiments or repeated thanks. A short sound that is difficult to describe as just one letter. That was the only expression Freyr came up with.

Arsene, who was quietly looking at Freyr’s face, opened his mouth.

“Talk to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Is it true that they are being targeted rather than driven out by the elves? Are they branded as Zeon’s prey? If you tell me,” it is unclear

what kind of accident resulted from this, but words filled with clear conviction came out of Arsene’s mouth and were directed at Freyr. .

Freyr raised his head.

Blue eyes filled with the deep, clear valley of midsummer stared at Freyr.

“The Baron’s nephew will help you.”

The blue-haired crazy wizard made a wild bet like this.

Those were words that Freyr would never have uttered if he had expressed even a single word of true appreciation after seeing the statue.

* * *

The three who were moving towards Calian were stopped.

asked him how long he was going to treat me like a child. That’s it. I’m going to tell you that I won’t wither until that little bastard opens his eyes.

I really, really definitely.

* * *

I guess I’ll have to wait a little longer to see Lucy and Anne.

I still have to rest with the two round balls of fur on my lap. I guess I should hold on a little longer.

– Sleep sleep sleep.

A day has passed.

He hasn’t woken up.

– Sleep sleep sleep.

Two days have passed. Three days have passed.

He hasn’t woken up.

– Tak.

Don’t promise me that you’ll sleep for just one day .

I’ll make you promise not to wither away. Or not.

“... Ha.”

A long sigh continues under the eyebrows that were said to be pretty.

This is it.

Is it to tell me to worry or not to worry? I

intentionally let it out the whole time I left the room where the ‘Crown Prince’ was staying and went to the entrance of the spacious conference hall. Plantz, who had put all his effort into imitating the unique footsteps, stopped,

turned his head for a moment to check his face reflected in the hallway window, and then tightened the red tie around his neck a little more.

– Clack.

When the long, thin hand with a neat tie moved again and reached around the waist, the heavy door, less oiled than the palace’s, opened with a small noise. Plantz raised his head. He moved his head slowly from right to

left

. I slowly glanced at the nobles sitting inside the conference hall.

– Just like that.

When standing in front of people, put a little more pressure on your toes. Look just slightly downward to avoid lifting your chin too much. Straighten your shoulders and stick out your chest. I was careful not to let my toes spread as I walked and not to forget to smile and

say “Nice

to meet you .”

You may wonder if there is any difference in the steps of the royal family, but the steps of Randel, Plantz, and Calian were never the same. If Randel’s steps contained a gaze toward the opponent, and Planz’s steps contained the height difference between them and the opponent, Kalian’s steps contained composure toward himself. It was a clear difference.

I walked without forgetting the difference. Not only did he look at each and every one of the twenty or so nobles gathered here, he also did not fail to raise both corners of his mouth in gratitude towards the servant who pulled out the chair.

Soon Planz sat down. Then, the voice of Navia, Lord of Whitlin, was heard.

“Then let me tell you.”

“I do.”

“Yes, my prince.”

Navia opened her mouth again in response to the answer she gave while nodding her head.

“It is true that the harpy was found in the forest of Whitlin and the prince’s villa.”

“I know.”

Afterwards, Navia began to tell a boring but necessary story. The story goes that the harpy has already disappeared and no monsters similar to it have been found anywhere, so it is unknown where the harpy appeared.

In short, this meeting was prepared to report on Navia’s investigation results, which confirmed who was involved with the Harpy, and to inform Calian of how the matter was planned to be resolved.

“... For this reason, we are looking for people involved with Rouse Tryon, the commander of the outer castle garrison, who has already died. We recommended that he be appointed as the commander of the outer castle garrison, changed the garrison’s schedule on the day of the attack, and managed the villa. “We are tracking down the respective Barons we were supposed to be in charge of: Yeka Emmons, Dora Shulin, and Delacchio Labyrin.”

“It’s all just the information I already checked and told you first. Are there any other facts?”

Navia looked at Planz with her mouth shut for a while and then spoke.

“Prince.”

“I’m listening.”

“I understand that the Prince’s knight and the vice-captain of Balkan are continuing to investigate the matter.”

“Yes. I ordered it.”

“Please stop the investigation. All of our territory will keep quiet about the appearance of the harpy. We will not let it be revealed to the outside world.”

“The reason is.”

“...... The reason is.”

Navia, who was saying this, closed her mouth again.

The red eyes that were looking at Navia glowed brightly.

“Is it because Baron Hazel was involved?”

Freyr.

The name of someone who was not present was mentioned.

There was no reply from Navia.

“Is that correct.”

Plantz asked again.

Navia didn’t answer.

After a while, Navia’s cracked voice echoed through the conference hall.

“Baron Hazel... used to say things I couldn’t understand.”

“What?”

“... That’s...”

“I’m actually a fake wearing the mask of the Third Prince. Did you say that?”

Plantz asked.

You may or may not know that this question has suddenly changed. Navia couldn’t give an answer.

“under.”

Plantz laughed.

There was a childlike smile in those red eyes.

Soon Planz spoke again.

No. I’m sure it’s Calian. Where did you hear such nonsense and believe it? That’s what I was going to ask.

But then.

– Quang!

The door burst open with a loud sound.

Everyone’s eyes turned towards the door.

– Jump and jump.

It seems like there is nothing to worry about.

It seems like there is nothing to hide.

The person in the conference room raised his head, walking without the slightest hesitation. Then he stared at everyone present with his light green eyes and opened his mouth.

“...... dare.”

A low voice suppressing anger was directed at everyone.

“Did you see me as a foolish older brother who didn’t even recognize my younger brother?”

Calian opened his eyes.