The Villain's Ending is Only Death Chapter 72
A sharp gasp was heard nearby.
Perhaps because of the different aura from last year when I looked like a fool.
"Didn't I tell you to go and call them? Huh?"
The maids, who seemed ready to fetch the guards at any moment, didn't move an inch.
In the silent forest where not even a breath could be heard.
Click... The sound of my fingers slowly feeling for the trigger echoed eerily.
"L-Lady! If you do this...!"
Lady Kellin called out to me urgently.
'The mad dog of the duke's family is really going to shoot someone to death.'
Now that the seriousness was finally sinking in, the blue-haired girl's eyes, which had been calm until the end, were completely filled with fear and trembled wildly.
A loud sound of the trigger being pulled echoed, which anyone could recognize.
When the women, including Lady Kellin, closed their eyes tightly with pale faces.
I mimicked the sound of a gunshot with my mouth. Of course, no bead was fired.
I smiled and lowered the crossbow I had been aiming.
Lady Aries, who had been sitting opposite, hiccuped.
The faces that had been full of contempt and ridicule a moment ago were now overwhelmed with deep fear.
'I really look like a born villain.'
Rather than feeling sorry for them, it felt quite entertaining.
"Why are you all so scared?"
"I didn't even load it, you know."
I held up the crossbow with one hand and pulled the trigger a couple more times to show it was safe.
Each time, the delicate shoulders shuddered.
I slung the crossbow back over my back.
Then, I acted as if nothing had happened and looked around the table.
Like a mischievous girl pouting after a prank that didn't go well, I said with a sniff.
"Your reactions make me look like a villain who came to ruin the tea party. I was formally invited, you know."
"Isn't that right, Lady Dortea?"
Turning to the hostess, she suddenly jumped up.
She quickly regained her composure and called out hurriedly.
"L-Ladies, please laugh. L-Lady is just playing a fun prank to make us laugh, right?"
But no one laughed at that prank.
"I have to go hunting now, so I'll leave first."
I slipped out from behind my chair.
Since the atmosphere had frozen because of me, it was only right for the troublemaker to leave.
After finishing my preparations to leave, I added with a regretful expression.
"Unfortunately, I won't be able to show you how I hit the target. The bolts of my crossbow are enchanted beads, not arrows."
"I'll definitely show you next time."
Just as I was about to turn and walk away.
I stopped as if I had forgotten to say something and turned my head back to the table.
"In case anyone is curious about what kind of magic it is, I'll tell you specially..."
"The beads of my crossbow are enchanted to turn the targets into idiots."
Calmly lying, I made eye contact with each person, starting with the mastermind of this setup.
"Because of someone, I couldn't hunt for a year, and my body was itching. I even had these beads made to catch a lot of prey."
I fixed my gaze on the blue-haired girl again.
Smiling, I delivered the final blow.
"Of course, they are made for small animals, so they won't kill you if you get hit..."
"But I'm a bit curious if the magic would work on humans."
With Lady Kellin's face turning pale as if she were about to faint, I turned around.
After finishing the threat to be careful with words, I was about to step onto the path leading to the central square when the scene suddenly brightened.
〈SYSTEM〉 Your reputation has decreased by -10 (total: 80).
My reputation has dropped.
I pouted for a moment and then casually passed by the system window.
Unless it was something directly related to my life, like affection...
I didn't care if my reputation or fame dropped drastically.
"Hey, where do I go for the small animal hunting area?"
Stopping a passing guard to ask for directions, I moved on to my original purpose after hearing the answer.
At the entrance of the hunting ground, a fork in the road appeared, and the right path was my destination.
Recalling the weapon-like gray eyes, I strolled down the forest path with light steps.
But the path ahead was not at all what I had imagined for a small animal hunting area.
I looked helplessly at the endless dense trees and undergrowth.
What I had expected was that the servants would gather small animals in a certain area and fence them in.
To make it easy for beginners to experience.
"They said it's a place where even children can catch them. This is just a forest."
Indeed, this was just a forest.
No matter how thoroughly I looked around, not a single small animal was in sight.
It seemed they had only roughly set up the area by separating large and small animals at the fork.
Since parents rarely brought young children and most female nobles didn't participate.
"Ha... What is it about this game that's so messed up?"
I grumbled and trudged down the forest path.
The only fortunate thing was that the path was well-trodden, so I wouldn't get lost.
However, even if I went deeper along the path, I doubted I could catch the agile animals running freely.
'Since I'm here, I might as well take a walk.'
I gave up on the idea of a clean hunt and strolled along the path.
But I soon realized that giving up was premature.
A snow-white rabbit was hopping not far away.
They must have released quite a few, as there were not just one but four of them.
In fact, it was the first time I had seen an animal other than a dog or a cat in my life.
I had never been to a zoo, which others found boring.
So, even though I had found the prey I had been looking forward to, I didn't immediately think of catching it.
While hesitating, the rabbits, sensing human presence, quickly fled.
I felt dejected and continued walking.
Not long after, the same thing happened again.
Squirrels, hamsters, raccoons, chickens, weasels, and even a small deer.
I kept encountering prey in the small animal area.
Sadly, I only encountered them.
While I was looking or winding the crossbow, the prey would quickly escape.
'Damn... I'm such a beginner.'
Fortunately, I was alone.
If I had joined the hunt out of a whim to impress the duke, it would have been a disaster.
Feeling a sense of self-loathing, I walked with the crossbow ready to shoot.
As I went deeper into the forest.
I found a prey I liked more than anything I had seen so far.
A fox with ash-gray fur, just like Eclis's eyes.
I was certain. That was the prey I had to catch and bring back today.
The gray fox was drinking water by a small stream on a slope.
It was the only one, unlike the other animals.
'If I miss, I'll have nothing.'
A tree on the slope was slightly blocking the angle, so I had to get closer.
Moving carefully to avoid making noise, I finally reached the tree I aimed for.
Hiding half my body behind the tree trunk, I slowly turned the crank.
At that moment, the fox's ears perked up.
But it continued to lap water, seemingly not sensing my presence.
Click. The loading was finally complete.
I slowly raised the crossbow and aimed.
Just as the target was perfectly in the center of the bow.
The fox, leisurely drinking water, suddenly lifted its head.
And started running as soon as I pulled the trigger.
The bead, fired by a hair's breadth, missed.
The distance between me and the fox, sensing the threat, started to widen instantly.
Was this the feeling of a hunter who had almost caught their prey but lost it at the last moment?
I started chasing the fox without thinking.
It was too frustrating to have missed by a hair.
'I can catch it again soon!'
Unfortunately, that was my arrogance.
The fox was incredibly fast.
It was hard to believe how such a small body could have such speed and stamina.
I wanted to chase it, but my weak body quickly tired out after running a short distance.
But the problem wasn't the fox.
I had run deep into the forest while chasing the prey.
Looking around, I couldn't even find the well-trodden path.
"Ha... Let's find a marker first."
The forest was still within the palace grounds.
I remembered that markers were installed throughout the hunting ground to prevent getting lost.
Having completely failed the hunt, I trudged along.
Fortunately, I soon found a piece of golden cloth tied to a tree.
I was relieved. Following this, I would either meet others or find my way out of the forest.
However, my mistake was that I couldn't remember what the color of the marker meant.
Not long after, I encountered another