As the attention initially focused on Becky, the gaze swiftly shifted to Jane.
However, neither of them, nor the others present, were aware that the Black Tiger had specifically locked its eyes on them.
They simply believed themselves to be unfortunate targets of the Black Tiger’s attention.
“Growl.”
The low-crouched Black Tiger, with its eyes gleaming, emitted a menacing growl. The onlookers held their breath, unable to tear their eyes away from the fearsome beast.
For even a momentary lapse of attention would likely result in an immediate charge towards them.
In the deafening silence, only the rough breaths of the Black Tiger reverberated, like an eerie rhythm.
The heat radiating from its massive body and the bulging muscles seemed to distort the air around the beast.
With each inhale and exhale, the small arrows lodged in its body quivered.
“I… how can it…”
“How is it still moving…”
A few individuals, with limited knowledge of hunting, let out sharp gasps at the sight of the seemingly unphased Black Tiger, pierced by numerous arrows.
However, those familiar with hunting understood that a creature of such monstrous size would not succumb to just a few arrows.
Furthermore, observing the distinct feathers of the arrows embedded in the Black Tiger, one could infer that multiple individuals had taken aim at it, but none had dealt a fatal blow.
Yet, what use was it to know this fact now?
An enraged Black Tiger stood right before them…
“Growl.”
It appeared that the previously disregarded small arrows, along with the items the hunters had thrown and scattered, were now fueling the Black Tiger’s fury. It growled, utilizing its entire body as a resonating chamber.
The beast was so immense, its voice so deep, that the ground beneath the Black Tiger trembled, causing the faint-hearted to collapse on the spot.
Another person supporting the fallen individual stared at the Black Tiger with a dazed expression and murmured as if talking to themselves,
“If… if His Highness the Second Prince were to arrive.”
From the moment the Black Tiger intruded, nearly everyone present was united in their search for one person.
The individual who could instantaneously resolve the Black Tiger predicament.
They sought Ainar, who had the capability to bring a swift resolution to the situation.
Lyna, too, searched for Ainar, but there was no trace of him to be found.
Whether it was good fortune to have survived encounters with the Black Tiger twice, or ill luck to have encountered the creature twice by chance in this vast forest…
A smile formed at the corners of Lyna’s mouth.
No, considering her circumstances, she was incredibly fortunate.
Without Ainar’s luck brushing off on her, she wouldn’t have been able to withstand the moment of facing the Black Tiger.
While scanning the surroundings, Lyna briefly locked eyes with Jane, who soon hid.
Just as Lyna’s head slightly turned towards the spot where Jane had disappeared,
-Zing.
The sound of arrows, stronger than steel, being shaken off and shattering against the Black Tiger’s forepaw resonated through the air.
An arrow bearing Smith’s emblem shattered, falling to the ground as the Black Tiger forcefully stomped the earth.
ROOOOOARRR
And inevitably, truly inevitable, the direction in which the Black Tiger leaped was none other than the territory of the Bolsheik Ducal tent.
Particularly, the area where Lyna stood.
In reality, the Black Tiger was simply rushing towards the scent of the fragrant grass.
It happened to charge towards Becky first, as she was relatively closer compared to the distant Jane.
“Gasp!”
“Oh my goodness!”
“Ahhhh!”
However, unbeknownst to the onlookers, the Black Tiger didn’t emit any cries, or make any grand movements.
It simply seemed to be drawn towards something and lunged towards Lyna, kicking up dust as its massive hind leg struck the ground.
-Growl.
The impact shattered the dry soil, sending fragments flying and enveloping the area in a cloud of dust.
“Crouch!”
“Take cover!”
The guards protecting Lyna sprang into action as well.
From the moment the Black Tiger intruded, they abandoned their previous tasks and swiftly assembled by Lyna’s side without hesitation.
Following the captain’s command, the guards simultaneously released their tightly drawn bowstrings.
-Whizz.
-Thud.
Some arrows embedded into the ground, while most found their mark in the Black Tiger’s body as it charged forward.
Among them, the captain’s arrow even lodged itself in the middle of the tiger’s forehead.
“Hu-uhk!”
“No way! Block it!”
Despite the arrow piercing its forehead, the Black Tiger charged forward like an unleashed torrent, and the guards threw themselves in front of Lyna.
In the next moment, Lyna acted without hesitation, pushing the guards aside and taking a stand at the forefront.
Her decision was not born out of noble sacrifice for the sake of others.
She simply held a steadfast belief.
A belief that Ainar would arrive before the Black Tiger could swallow her whole.
It seemed absurd, but how many things in her life had unfolded in a logical manner?
Reality often surpasses fiction.
Even within the realm of fiction, many seemingly impossible occurrences frequently find their place in reality.
Lyna opened her mouth, locking her gaze on the Black Tiger.
No words escaped her lips, but she called out to him.
Ainar.
The guards, and of course Becky, along with everyone else witnessing the situation, stood in stunned silence, mouths agape, their eyes widened in shock.
“Miss!”
“Mis…!”
Their cries were like wails, and the Black Tiger charged towards Lyna’s face.
In unison, everyone shut their eyes tightly.
They could envision what would happen next without needing to witness it.
Lyna’s delicate neck would soon be torn apart by the Black Tiger’s exceptionally sharp and monstrously powerful teeth, especially in comparison to its gaping crimson maw.
-Crash!
True to expectations, a sound of breaking or rending filled the air.
And then…
-Thump.
The sound of skin piercing echoed, accompanied by a splatter of hot blood.
-Drip.
A single dark droplet of blood landed on Lyna’s cheek.
One by one, people cautiously began to open their eyes.
Because despite the anticipation, they did not hear the horrifying screams or the rampage of a wild beast.
Inevitably, they could only stare in awe, their mouths hanging open, witnessing a sight completely different from their expectations.
Deeply embedded in the Black Tiger’s jaw was a sword.
Dark blood streamed down the blade, but not a single person dared to flinch.
If they had known what was to come, it would have been an unimaginable scene.
Because the person they had hoped for arrived precisely on time, in the right place.
Prince Ainar.
He materialized seemingly out of nowhere at the most critical moment when lives hung in the balance, and swiftly ended the Black Tiger’s life with a single strike.
Lyna blinked slowly.
The broad, sturdy back that filled her field of vision was covered in a layer of dust, hardened as if carved from stone.
It felt like a miracle, no, like magic itself, that he had appeared at the precise moment and saved her.
Ainar did not resemble the pristine princes or emperors from fairy tales or novels, untainted by dust, sweat, or heavy breathing.
His clothes were stained with grass and dirt, his hair stuck to his forehead, soaked with sweat.
“Ha… ha… ha.”
He panted heavily, his chest rising and falling.
To add to that, he was drenched in the hot blood of the Black Tiger, the stench must have been overpowering.
It was not a sight one could describe as cool in any sense of the word.
As a droplet of sweat, precariously clinging to his forehead, splattered onto the ground, Lyna parted her lips.
“Ainar.”
There was no trembling in her voice as she called his name, and Ainar, who had been catching his breath, couldn’t help but smile.
She had likely gazed fearlessly at the charging beast until he intercepted the Black Tiger.
Ainar, with a mental image of her in his mind, chuckled, his shoulders shaking with laughter.
“Hu.”
He released a short breath and turned his head towards Lyna.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes.”
Despite it being an incredibly dramatic situation, the two of them appeared as nonchalant as if they had just helped someone who was about to stumble over a stone.
Of course, those observing them were still unable to gather their thoughts, staring blankly or rubbing their eyes in disbelief.
When Ainar noticed the red mark splattered on Lyna’s fair cheek, his hand instinctively reached out, but he hesitated.
His hands were still gripping the hilt of the sword that had pierced through the Black Tiger’s jaw.
“Ainar?”
Lyna blinked, but Ainar chose not to mention the blood splatter on her cheek.
In that intense moment, he swiftly assessed the potential impact of wiping her cheek and decided to remove his hand from the hilt entirely.
By doing so, the Black Tiger’s skin would be spared from further damage.
However, this significant trophy, which would likely be celebrated for a long time, held little meaning to him.
“Lyna.”
“Yes?”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Before Lyna could respond, Ainar took hold of her waist and leaped backward.
-Thud.
The settled dust billowed up once more, as the Black Tiger’s lifeless body crashed to the ground.
When Lyna opened her eyes, which she had tightly closed due to the rising dust, she found herself locking gazes with Ainar, who had come into close proximity.
For a few seconds, until the dust settled, the two of them solely focused on each other, their eyes locked in an unspoken connection.
Finally, when everyone around them could see Ainar and Lyna clearly,
Ainar tilted his head slightly, and his warm tongue glided across her cool cheek.
Ainar, having licked away the splatter of blood on Lyna’s wide-eyed face, whispered softly,
“I wanted to wipe it off, but my hands are a mess.”