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The moment where I stayed stunned at the scene that I had never before seen was short.
Despite its heavy build, the monster’s speed was beyond imagination.
The sharp talons of the wyvern that descended without giving time to think, tore apart the dress of a young lady who was running away.
Unfortunately, an arm of the servant who was attending next to her, was grasped by those talons and pulled out.
The metallic tang of blood permeated through the air.
Piercing screams filled the forest.
Small animals sprang around because of the disturbance.
Those with excellent judgment and could move quickly in this unexpected situation were only a few.
The young ladies, who scattered around, were entangled in their steps and stumbled.
Some people were stunned out of fear and crouched in place.
Screams filled the atmosphere to the point of making my ears hurt.
“Come here.”
Along with a familiar voice, a strong force pulled my arm.
I, who was pulled out suddenly, lifted my head and saw a familiar face.
“Ber-”
“It’s dangerous here, so you have to escape.”
His face that was always gentle was stiffened.
As I glanced up, I could know why Bertin was this nervous.
The blood smell was reeking, and the wyvern soared in the sky and roared in high decibel wasn’t only one.
Two.
Three.
They kept showing up.
Things that looked like a dot in the distance slowly turned bigger and formed wyvern’s figure.
Soon, uncountable wyverns that were covering the sky entered my sight.
“No way.”
I unconsciously let my thoughts out.
The wyvern, that lived in a group, should have left this empire and gone to the East continent in this season.
It was proper for this hunting competition, which was held on the indicated date after enough investigation, to have ended without any injury or death.
“Marianne!”
Another shout from Bertin calling for me brought me to attention.
He, who was grabbing my wrist, pulled me inside the forest after escaping the vacant lot.
The prince, who was right next to me, also came to me out of confusion.
Bertin hid me along with the prince between the roots of the old tree near the forest.
It was a furrow with a size perfectly fit for two people to enter.
“Stay here. At least, don’t walk out until you think it’s safe.”
From afar, I heard screams and priests’ shouts continued on.
He quickly ran to the sound’s direction.
In the distance, I saw the black knight order surrounded the imperial family and formed a defensive formation.
There’s a member of the imperial family here.
The black knight order was unlikely to accept the nobles who came next to them, but at least, they were unlikely to leave a prince unprotected.
I estimated the distance from here to there.
“It’s no use.”
The pale faced prince shook his head as he talked with a cracked voice.
“They won’t take any risks for my sake.”
He was a little boy.
He was no more than twelve years old.
Seeing him, I hesitated—didn’t know what I should say.
The prince hugged his knees then mumbled.
“It’s because I’m not the empress’ child but a concubine’s.”
“They won’t do that.”
I calmly refuted him while looking around.
Bertin’s top priority task was to protect the dispatched priests.
For him to leave his post for a moment to evacuate me was an action that was enough to get a reprimand.
Is there no way to tell them that the prince is here?
The moment I looked at the black knight order while thinking that, Young Duke Bolton, who was blocking the wyvern, suddenly seized the neck of a servant next to him.
The sharp blade of his sword pierced the servant’s body instead of the wyvern.
“. . . !”
The fatally wounded servant who was tossed to the crowd of wyverns was shredded under numerous toenails.
There was only coldness lingered on the face of the young duke, who provided time for the living people.
When I lowered my gaze because I was at a loss at that hard to believe vicious scene, I discovered that the prince’s hand was still clenching into my dress skirt.
It might be an action out of anxiety that he did unconsciously.
Looking down at the hand holding the skirt tightly, I took my eyes off the place where screams were rampant and continued,
“I don’t think they purposefully leave you alone, but . . .”
I sensed the prince flinching and trembling.
“I think it’s best for you to hide here for a moment.”
Then, as I looked at his pale face, I took out the thing I put on the belt under my thigh.
A small triangular shovel the size of a palm sparkled brightly.
“What is that?”
The prince asked while looking at the shovel.
“Hold this. If needed be . . .”
I was a bit uneasy about using farming tools for another purpose, but everything worked in an emergency.
I brought it along because its small size was easy to bring, but I never expected it would be used like this.
“Swing it when you’re in danger.”
Since Raynia said this was ‘made strongly’ this wouldn’t break easily.
The prince held and examined the shovel with a curious face.
“Just holding it will be comforting.”
“This is of a unique shape. I can’t figure which nation this is from. What’s the use of this?”
“For digging soil.”
“I see, digging . . .”
“It is used to transfer and plant small seedlings or sprouted plants.”
“. . .”
“Holding it makes me calm.”
“. . .”
I looked away with a bitter heart because of giving away the shovel to him.
The cries didn’t stop.