Chapter 53: I Stole Yooju's First Love
The young emperor's beauty made those around him sigh in admiration.
Despite being a cruel and infamous emperor, his popularity was immense due to his angelic good looks.
"Sure enough, a man shouldn't be too handsome."
Father muttered under his breath.
"What nonsense. Are you saying Karina should date an ugly guy?"
Mother clicked her tongue in disbelief. The deflated father mumbled,
"Just being average is fine, like me."
He seemed to have forgotten the days when he boasted about the long line of noble ladies waiting in carriages to meet him in his youth.
At that moment, I felt a strange gaze from somewhere.
I turned my gaze naturally toward Tatiana, who was at the top of the list of people who wanted to kill me lately.
But she seemed busy greeting the people who were approaching her.
'Raymond is next to Tatiana, and Wilhelm is... '
Just as I was wondering who it could be,
Mother poked my side and asked quietly,
"Do you have a grudge against that person?"
When I looked in the direction Mother pointed with her finger, I saw a woman glaring at me with a terrifying expression.
The woman with light brown hair was tall and had a sturdy build.
"I don't know who she is."
"Wait, you don't know that lady?"
Father, who had been listening to our conversation, was surprised and told me her name.
"Her name is Helen Enrique, the eldest daughter of the Enrique Viscount. She recently won the knight's exam, defeating knights from prestigious families."
"Oh... I've heard her name."
But I had never met her before today.
"Why is she looking at me like that when we've never met?"
Mother, who was standing next to me, seemed to be getting angry and was about to charge at her.
I quickly grabbed Mother's hand.
"There are plenty of people who dislike me for no reason. Let's just go. The tournament is about to start."
Reluctantly, Mother nodded. Just then, a servant reported that the tournament was about to begin.
I kissed Father's cheek lightly and left first, giving them a moment alone.
'I don't know when they became so close...'
But if they get along well again, it would be the happiest thing.
With a light heart, I headed to where my horse was. There, I found someone unexpected waiting for me.
The person, with his hood pulled down, signaled me to be quiet with his finger.
Fortunately, I managed to cover my mouth before I could call out loudly.
"What are you doing here?"
"Of course, I had to come to see my lover in the tournament."
"You didn't have to. You're so busy."
"I came because I wanted to see you. Don't worry too much."
We were pretending to be lovers for mutual benefit.
Aster, by having the leader of the neutral Pioneers close, could easily win over minor nobles who were wavering between the emperor and the senate.
Moreover, it seemed to be well-received among the citizens, as the negative rumors about him had subsided.
So, coming here with his face covered didn't really help our plan.
'But, for some reason, it feels good.'
"What are you thinking about?"
"Huh? Oh, nothing. By the way, I really liked the gift."
Aster smiled slightly and shrugged.
"Actually, I planned to prepare a handkerchief, but I'm really bad at sewing."
During the hunting tournament, it was common to give a handkerchief embroidered with prayers for the other's safety.
It was mostly women who gave them to men, so it was unexpected.
Moreover, the problem was...
"I'm sorry, I didn't prepare anything."
"You've been busy. I'm satisfied as long as you like my gift."
"I'll definitely prepare something nice next time."
Aster smiled slightly and leaned in to whisper,
"Does that mean our relationship will be safe until next year?"
"Uh... Is that how it works?"
Before I could react, Aster had already disappeared.
People were already mounting their horses.
I hurriedly got on my horse as well.
A servant, who had been standing a step away, handed me a gun. With the gun on my back, I started to feel nervous.
'At least a rabbit-type monster...'
The hunting tournament in the Golden Forest was special because of the prey.
The reason we can't use magic here is that all living creatures in the forest absorb the magic in the air.
In the past, only plants did this, but over time, animals began to change as well.
They looked like ordinary animals on the outside, but they were closer to monsters.
Due to their aggressive nature, they were several times more dangerous than ordinary animals.
In short, even a rabbit wasn't just a rabbit.
'Luckily, they don't eat meat.'
Anyway, the animals that feed on magic have long lifespans, and the tournament is held once a year to control their population.
I gripped the reins tightly and took a deep breath.
"There she is, glaring again."
I felt Helen's intense gaze again.
I pretended not to notice and looked straight ahead.
The reason I participated in the tournament was to attract Tatiana's doctor, not to win.
I just needed to do my best to avoid getting hurt and finish safely.
The starting gun echoed in the air.
While everyone was rushing into the forest, I deliberately went slowly.
I didn't want to become the target of those who harbored ill will toward me.
Fortunately, everyone seemed excited about the tournament and forgot about me as they entered the forest.
I headed to the easiest Area A first.
Deer, foxes, and badgers were in Area B, and the most dangerous boars and wolves were in Area C.
I recalled the map I had seen before the hunt and rode toward Area A.
When I arrived, other people had already taken the good spots.
I deliberately looked for a secluded spot and settled near the boundary of Area B.
"Excuse me, the location is..."
"It's Area A here and Area B over there, so don't worry about it."
She drew a line, indicating that my prey was in Area B.
I sighed and rode my horse further inside.
Whenever I moved to a boundary inside, Helen would eventually move closer to me.
Moreover, every time she came, she would catch more prey, which was demoralizing.
'I can't go any further.'
When I reached near Area C, I gave up on going deeper.
Bang! Helen, who had taken a spot next to me, caught a deer far away.
She then turned to me with a proud look.
'What, are you showing off now?'
I deliberately ignored her and fixed my gaze straight ahead.
I knew it was pointless to envy her since that was a part of the game I couldn't reach.
"Oh my, Your Highness! Are you hurt?"
Suddenly, someone shouted from a distance.
"It's just a scratch from the grass. I'm fine."
"But what if you get a scar on that beautiful face? You should go get treated right away!"
People rushed to Tatiana, who seemed to be injured.
Making such a fuss over a minor thing.
"What a spectacle, really."
I was surprised by a low voice.
Without realizing it, I had spoken my thoughts aloud and looked around.
Helen, who was nearby, had her ears red and her head bowed.
I couldn't hold back my laughter.
It was the first time someone other than the Lilina family had spoken so frankly about Tatiana.
Seeing Helen's face, now red up to her neck, I felt a bit guilty.
I decided to consider it a small revenge for her tormenting me earlier.
I turned my gaze back to the front. The commotion caused by Tatiana's group had quieted down.
How much time had passed?
Far away, I saw a glimpse of black fur between the rocks.
It was a badger that had crawled out of its den.
I quietly raised my gun and placed it on my shoulder.
I aimed the circular sight at the monster, held my breath, and followed its movement with my eyes. When it was in the perfect position, I held my breath and pulled the trigger.
The smell of gunpowder and the sound of the shot echoed in the air.
I jumped up from my spot.
"Congratulations, you caught it."
Helen, who had appeared at some point, said while looking through a telescope.