Chapter 54: I took away Yeju's first love.
She smiled brightly at me.
Soon, the hunters ran over, marked my prey, and gave me a rope.
Helen had already returned to her spot, gathered her things, and moved to Area C.
I stood there with a dazed look, staring at the back of her head.
'Maybe she wants to be friends with me?'
I thought she hated me, but maybe that wasn't the case.
I never imagined anyone would want to be friends with me.
Especially because no one had ever shown me such affection.
How many relationships had ended badly?
I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
I moved to a new spot, crouched behind a bush, and waited for my prey again.
But my mind was filled with thoughts of Helen.
Maybe I could make a friend.
I didn't have my own 'friend.'
People who got close to me all became Tatiana's friends. And when I fell out with her, they fiercely criticized me.
In the end, only Tatiana and Daniel were left by my side.
But I had to let them go too.
'This time might be different.'
I felt a liking for Helen, who openly showed her hostility towards Tatiana.
'Should I talk to her at the banquet?'
Just as I was slightly excited about the prospect of meeting Helen,
A high-pitched woman's scream tore through the air.
I jumped up from my seat and felt people running towards me.
None of them told me why they were running.
A pack of wolves was visible in the distance.
There were about ten of them, wildly attacking the hired hunters.
The wolf that seemed to be the leader was enormous.
Many hunters around me fired their guns at the wolves, but the wolves didn't even flinch.
The wolf, with an unusually elegant appearance, slowly walked towards someone.
Its lush silver hair shimmered in the sunlight, as if the rope had come loose.
Today was the worst from the morning.
Tatiana absentmindedly fiddled with her bracelet and muttered.
"Titi, are you not feeling well?"
"I wish the Duke of Gloucester was here with you today. What could be so busy?"
The clueless Wilhelm hit a sore spot for Tatiana.
She forced a smile and said,
"No, Andy always does his best for me."
"Titi is too kind. If it were me, I would have already gotten angry."
She wasn't kind, and she had never held back her anger.
Tatiana realized something.
It wouldn't do any good to provoke Andrew further.
He had already completely stepped out of her world.
"I'm not that nice a person."
Wilhelm's eyes darkened as he watched Tatiana lost in thought.
No matter how he looked at it, her marriage to the Duke seemed difficult. It appeared perfect on the surface, but it looked as if it could collapse at any moment.
At least he wouldn't leave Tatiana so lonely.
Wilhelm thought this as he stared at her.
But Tatiana was thinking something else.
'Why is Wilhelm's affection level so high?'
There were several ways she could keep everyone in her harem.
One was to maintain their affection levels at a slightly high level.
To do this, she sometimes chose options that would deliberately lower their affection. But lately, Wilhelm's affection level kept rising no matter what she chose.
'I need to keep my distance.'
It was a problem that his affection level kept rising even when they just made eye contact.
Anything in excess is a problem.
Especially when it comes to affection levels.
Wilhelm, who had already gotten out of the carriage, reached out his hand to her.
She didn't want to take his hand.
But his slightly flushed cheeks and eyes full of affection shook her resolve.
Old happy memories held her back.
Tatiana finally took Wilhelm's hand.
The tension on his face melted away, and his affection level skyrocketed.
Anxiety rose to her throat.
Even when Daniel came over to greet her and Raymond whispered beside her, she couldn't hear anything.
The thought that something was wrong wouldn't leave her mind.
Even after she mounted her horse to prepare for the hunt, her mind was filled with worry and anxiety.
Far away, Karina sat straight on her horse, looking straight ahead.
Her long black hair was tied up high, and she stared ahead without caring about the gazes around her.
Tatiana steadied her momentarily shaken heart. She didn't want to lose to her, at least not to her.
The hunt was easier than she thought.
No, in Tatiana's life, things that were difficult could be counted on one hand.
There was never anything difficult or challenging in what she set her mind to.
As if the world existed for her, luck always followed. Thanks to this, Tatiana caught more prey than she expected.
"Wow! Your Highness, you're quite good at hunting too."
"Indeed. I heard you became close with the current Duke during the hunting competition at the academy."
The praise lifted Tatiana's mood. She glanced at where Karina was sitting.
"Who's the woman next to her?"
"Oh, that's Helen, the famous knight from the Enrique Marquis family. She came in first in the last knight exam."
Why was such a famous person sitting next to Karina?
People like her usually approached Tatiana.
As if they were eager to be used by her, they devoted their bodies and minds.
She pretended to focus again, but it was somehow bothering her.
A branch scratched her cheek, leaving a slight abrasion.
"Oh my, Your Highness! Are you hurt?"
A nobleman watching her from the side exclaimed in a fuss.
Tatiana quickly shook her head, brushing her cheek with the back of her hand.
"Ah... it's just a scratch from a plant. I'm fine."
"But you're fine? What if a scar remains on such a beautiful face? You should go get it treated right away!"
At her words, people gathered around her.
Some ran to call a doctor, while others shouted that she needed immediate first aid.
The excessive reactions of the people made Tatiana's head throb.
Then, Karina's laughter was heard from a distance.
"Is she laughing because Your Highness is hurt? How can she be so vulgar?"
People's gazes turned towards Karina.
Tatiana secretly thought it was fortunate that their attention was on her.
"What a strange woman. I wonder what the Emperor sees in her."
"Well, they both have intact shells. Their insides are equally dark and perverted."
"Come to think of it, they are a perfect match, aren't they?"
Tatiana enjoyed the people's laughter and chatter as they insulted Karina.
She occasionally stopped them from insulting the Emperor, but kept the focus on Karina.
The people, as if waiting for it, tore into her, and she savored a strange catharsis.
"That's enough. Karina didn't do it on purpose... "
At that moment, a long shadow fell over them.
Tatiana turned her head to look behind.
Across the swaying reeds, a chilling gaze was felt.
It wasn't just one or two pairs of eyes.
Instinctive fear made Tatiana step back.
A scream from a clueless person started as the wolves attacked the people.
The hunters, who were guarding from a distance, fired their guns to drive the wolves away, but it was useless.
Tatiana tried to run towards them.
But for some reason, her body wouldn't move.
It was as if she was under a spell.
A wolf, several times larger than the others, slowly approached her.
Its large, icy blue eyes didn't hide its hatred for Tatiana.
Tatiana tried to run, but her immobile feet wouldn't budge.
Hesitating, Tatiana reached out with her bracelet.
The wolf staggered with the sound of a gunshot.