Chase considered the charges that could be brought against him if the truth came to light.
Attempted regicide.
If not that, he was highly likely to at least face charges of attempted murder of a Tetrisian.
A Bedrokkan attempting to murder a Tetrisian on Tetrisian soil?
It could escalate into a major diplomatic issue. And Lange would not stay silent.
Chase grew anxious. His rival David was already far ahead of him. And if today’s events were exposed…
“Don’t run your mouth recklessly.”
Chase scowled fiercely. The ferocity in his handsome face was no ordinary matter.
It made even Duke Odilon, a Tetrisian warrior renowned for his sword skills in his youth, step back warily.
“I warned you. Our deal is cleanly finished. You handle the aftercare. If you try to shift that responsibility to me, you don’t know what I’ll become.”
“You…you…are you threatening me now?”
“That’s right. A threat. I’m glad you can at least understand that much.”
As Odilon opened his mouth to say something, one of his subordinates approached shouting,
“Your Grace, His Majesty is looking for you!”
“I don’t issue empty warnings. Don’t forget that.”
Before the subordinate got too close, Chase vanished into the woods.
Duke Odilon glared at the forest with reddened eyes.
How could he survive this?
The old fox had no choice but to ponder his survival.
****
“I gathered you all to determine the winner.”
Having lent his tent to Elise, Tyllo set up a temporary meeting hall in Duke Odilon’s tent.
At his words, the people exchanged glances.
Twain, Bennet’s father, calmly raised his hand.
“Speak, Sir Twain.”
“Your Majesty, hasn’t the winner already been decided? On the men’s side, the winner is His Highness Karan. And on the women’s side, the winner is Miss Iris Worton of Bedrokka–the elder sister of Elise, His Highness Karan’s fiancée.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Karan had caught an elephant, and Iris caught 10 wild boars. They were unparalleled in their respective genders.
In fact, among the female warriors who participated in the hunt, Iris was the only one who did proper hunting.
It was an expected result, as the warriors who should have hunted simply followed Elise to protect her.
To those unaware, Iris seemed an exceptional huntress.
“Are you perhaps concerned that a Bedrokkan may become the winner?”
Hearing Twain’s words, he realized that was also a point of concern. However, it could be dismissed as a mere friendly gift.
“I’m asking who is more deserving to be the winner.”
“Your Majesty, my thoughts are too limited to comprehend your intentions behind these words.”
“Didn’t Karan’s fiancée, the prospective princess, bring back a silver wolf? That surely outweighs mere 10 wild boars.”
“But Your Majesty, this is a hunting contest. By its very name, one must actually hunt to claim victory. Bringing back the silver wolf is certainly a great feat, but it cannot be considered hunting.”
Twain was displeased to see Karan’s fiancée making such strides.
His daughter Bennet was already foaming at the mouth, ranting about Elise, and if she also won the hunting contest, Twain dreaded how he would handle that hysteria.
‘It might even make him quit the drug business.’
For Twain, the wealthy drug trafficker, that would be disastrous. He had clandestine distribution channels set up behind Bennet’s back, but he had nearly lost the goose that laid the golden eggs.
Since he had suffered losses all the same, Twain resented Elise. And her existence had also negatively impacted his grandson’s life.
“I understand Sir Twain’s thoughts, but I wish to hear others’ opinions.”
Some of the nobles voiced their views. Half said Elise should be the winner, while the other half insisted Iris be declared winner according to the hunting tradition.
As the debate dragged on, the discussion grew heated.
Observing this, Tyllo slammed the table loudly.
Silence instantly fell. The nobles turned towards him.
“I’ve heard all your opinions. Upholding tradition is important, but so is honoring great achievements.”
“What will you decide, Your Majesty?” Twain carefully asked.
Tyllo stroked his chin, unable to think of a good solution.
He felt like dismissing them to do as they wished, but the animal Elise had tamed happened to be the silver wolf–Lysandro’s precious symbol.
“Let the winner be Miss Iris Worton.”
The faces of those advocating for Elise darkened.
“But grant Elise the status of a warrior.”
“Pardon?”
Twain was taken aback.
In Tetris, being appointed a warrior by the king was an immense honor.
The king’s warriors gained special privileges. They could not be immediately arrested for crimes unless caught in the act.
Sometimes their crimes could be pardoned depending on the circumstances.
The king’s warriors also received generous annual salaries, and most served in the royal household.
Most of the warriors under Karan’s command were the king’s warriors.
Naturally, becoming the king’s warrior became a coveted position, and many risked their lives yearly in the warrior exam for that chance.
Even among those who passed, only a handful were accepted as the king’s warriors. The rest became warriors of nobles or village guards.
But their total number was not large.
“Your Majesty, this violates fairness. Please reconsider,” Twain objected Tyllo’s opinion a second time.
He was Bennet’s father, but Tyllo disliked how he kept trying to overturn his decision by attaching unreasonable conditions.
“I dislike repeating myself. Elise will be appointed a warrior.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The administrative officials hurriedly prepared for both the winner’s ceremony and the warrior appointment.
“What are you all dawdling for? Do you plan to spend the night in the woods?”
Tyllo’s booming voice fell on those who remained seated without intention to move.
“No, We’ll go out now.”
Just as the momentarily dazed nobles were hurriedly exiting the tent after the shocking decision,
Karan entered, followed by Elise and then Uls appearing behind her.
Those seeing the silver wolf up close for the first time gaped.
The silver wolf was as majestic and beautiful as the tales described. Its silvery fur emitting a faint glow was especially striking.
“What’s going on?”
Tyllo asked in an annoyed tone.
“Does no one wonder why the silver wolf appeared in the middle of the forest?”
Grrrr, Uls bared his teeth towards something.
Karan curled one side of his mouth into a bitter smile.
At the end of Uls and Karan’s gaze was Duke Odilon.
Duke Odilon broke out in a cold sweat.
Tyllo’s eyes narrowed. He had nearly missed the most crucial point in his distracted state.
“It sounds like you know. Speak up.”
At Tyllo’s words, Elise stepped forward. After stroking the growling Uls’ back, she opened her mouth.
“There is someone here smuggling silver wolves abroad.”
“What? Silver wolves?”
Tyllo shot up as if propelled. His neck and face instantly flushed red.
“Nonsense, Your Majesty. Silver wolves are not only precious but have such ferocious temperaments that they are difficult to capture, so how could…”
Duke Odilon immediately refuted. Elise inwardly scoffed.
To so easily reveal himself.
“Your Majesty, if you find it hard to believe, please grant me a moment? I can show you proof.”
“Your Majesty, this girl is now upsetting you with her drivel…”
“Silence, Duke Odilon. And did you call her ‘girl’? Elise may lack a title but she is Karan’s fiancée.”
Tyllo repeatedly shut down the Duke’s words.
The look he gave Odilon was ice-cold.
Duke Odilon shrank his neck.
“I…I have committed a capital crime.”
Duke Odilon hung his head. Tyllo clicked his tongue and looked at Elise.
“Is what you said true?”
“Yes. It’s why I encountered the silver wolf in the first place. If you cannot spare time, there is a way to get a confession here, Your Majesty. Right in this place.”
Elise’s gaze lingered on Duke Odilon.
By now, even someone utterly clueless could tell the duke who had been restless at her appearance was involved in this matter.
“A confession, is it? Then have him confess.”
Tyllo watched Elise, struggling to contain his rising anger.
Elise turned towards the silver wolf and bowed her body.
“Tear apart the one who took your child.”
Her mocking words were not a real intent but simply a threat.
But to the one who had done wrong, it would not come across as just a threat.
“Well, go on.”
As soon as Elise’s words dropped, Duke Odilon fell to his knees and pressed his forehead to the dirt floor.
“Your Majesty, I…I was in the wrong.”
