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Chapter 46 : Aracila vs. Damian

 

Oscar stared at his mother with a bewildered expression, as if asking what on earth she meant. However, the Duchess only responded with a meaningful smile.

 

“There’s no better place than the hunting festival to stage a perilous accident!”

 

No matter what happened, it could be dismissed as an unfortunate mishap.

 

She had already prepared a plan to eliminate Damian and his wife through this opportunity.

 

She had even hired a special mage to lure them into a remote and unpopulated area where an “accident” could easily take place, so she had no further concerns.

 

“This time, I’ll finally be able to get rid of those thorns in my side all at once.”

 

With a softened expression, the Duchess gently patted her son’s shoulder and said,

 

“So just make sure you place in the top three, Oscar. Damian won’t even come close to that.”

 

“Ah, got it.”

 

Though he hadn’t been given all the details, Oscar nodded vaguely. He trusted that his parents would take care of everything to ensure he wouldn’t be overshadowed by his younger brother.

 

“My dear son, take care! Don’t get hurt, and be careful, okay?”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

Oscar replied nonchalantly and walked away into the forest. Though he had started much later than the others, he didn’t feel any urgency.

 

He kept glancing over his shoulder, and the moment his mother was out of sight, he immediately came to a halt.

 

“Hmm. If that bastard Damian isn’t going to win anyway, is there really any need for me to try hard?”

 

Oscar smirked and quietly slipped back out of the forest.

 

Spending the entire day hunting in such beautiful weather felt like a waste.

 

“It’d be much more fun to enjoy myself!”

 

Humming a little tune, he casually made his way toward the noble ladies’ tents.

 

—

 

To win the hunting festival, both quantity and quality had to be considered.

 

Even if someone caught dozens of small herbivores, they wouldn’t win. Likewise, capturing only one or two large carnivores wouldn’t be enough either.

 

To be a serious contender for victory, one had to hunt multiple beasts of significant size.

 

“A wild boar, a bear, a wolf… or maybe even a golden leopard.”

 

Aracila pondered as she placed a flag with her name on the carcass of a beast she had just hunted.

 

The golden leopard was a mysterious creature that only appeared in the Panter Forest. Its numbers were few, and it was so wary of humans that merely catching sight of one was rare, let alone hunting it.

 

Because of its extreme rarity, anyone who managed to capture a single golden leopard—just one—would immediately become a top contender for the festival’s championship.

 

“It’d be perfect if I could just catch one golden leopard and be done with it…”

 

Rustle—

 

At that moment, she heard a heavy presence beyond the bushes.

 

Thinking it might be an animal, Aracila readied her weapon.

 

However, the figure that emerged from the foliage wasn’t a beast—it was a person.

 

And not just any person, but a very familiar friend—Frederick.

 

“Fancy meeting you here, Aracila.”

 

Frederick, dressed in deep brown hunting attire, approached her with a friendly smile. Aracila, relaxing her stance, met his gaze.

 

“Indeed. So you were circling around this area too?”

 

“Yeah. There aren’t many people here. But where’s Lord Vandemir? Are you on your own?”

 

“We’re competitors today, so we decided to go separately.”

 

“Oh, really?”

Frederick’s voice lifted slightly, and his crimson eyes glowed with delight at the realization that she was alone.

 

“That’s great. Actually, before we set out, I wanted to say hi to you, but Lord Vandemir was with you, so I couldn’t.”

 

“Why didn’t you just come over and greet me?”

 

“Well, Lord Vandemir might’ve been uncomfortable with that.”

 

Aracila was about to dismiss his concern when she recalled their previous meeting at Vesta Restaurant.

 

Back then, Damian had indeed been wary of Frederick.

 

“Well, I guess. There’s no real need to formally greet one’s spouse when meeting a friend.”

 

“Hearing you say that, it seems like Lord Vandemir does feel uneasy about me. Either that, or he’s conscious of me being near you.”

 

Aracila, caught off guard, parted her lips as if to speak but remained silent.

 

Frederick beamed.

 

If Damian Vandemir was wary of him, that meant his presence was perceived as a threat.

 

In other words, even if Aracila herself wasn’t aware of it yet, from an outsider’s perspective, there was a possibility that their relationship could develop into something more than just friendship.

 

“So, have you caught any game?”

 

His mood the best it had been in a while, Frederick smoothly changed the subject, his curved eyes full of amusement.

 

“Hmm, somewhat? Actually, I’m currently searching for a golden leopard.”

 

Aracila quickly accepted the shift in conversation and responded.

 

“Seriously? That’s impressive. Maybe I should try hunting a golden leopard too.”

 

Frederick, visibly excited, began following closely behind her.

 

Aracila, who had been considering him a competitor, immediately grew cautious.

 

“It’d be a problem if he found a golden leopard before I did.”

 

“It’s Mine!”

 

Realizing that it was best to part ways with Frederick, Aracila raised her hand and spoke.

 

“Go your own way now, Frederick. I’m heading this way.”

 

“Hmm, instead of that, why don’t we stick together? Let’s form a team and combine our strength.”

 

“No, I don’t think so. I even left my husband behind for the sake of winning—how could I go around with you? I need to stand tall in front of Damian, so that’s not an option.”

 

If she won by joining forces with Frederick, then it wouldn’t be a victory she had achieved on her own, and Damian would undoubtedly have something to say about it.

 

Aracila herself didn’t want to win in such an unconvincing manner. Victory only held meaning if she conquered her opponents through her own skill.

 

“…Aracila. Why are you so concerned about a husband you don’t even love?”

 

But Frederick misinterpreted her words, assuming she meant that she was too conscious of Damian to agree. His expression hardened.

 

That was, of course, not what she had meant at all. Aracila frowned in exasperation.

 

“When did I say I was being mindful of him?”

 

“Then is there another reason you can’t go with me? I’ll help you win. Stay with me.”

 

“No, thanks. Do I look like someone who can’t win without help?”

 

Aracila gently pushed away Frederick’s hand as he tried to grab her arm.

 

A brief silence followed. Frederick bit his lower lip as he looked at her.

 

They had known each other for years, but this was the first time he had seen her in hunting attire. Even without a lavish dress, it felt as though light was radiating around her.

 

And yet, he was supposed to just stand by and watch as this breathtaking woman lived as another man’s wife…?

 

“Aracila, if I win, I’ll dedicate my prize to you.”

 

Frederick spoke in a low voice. He couldn’t just do nothing. If someone was going to crown Aracila as the Hunting Festival’s queen this year, he wanted it to be him.

 

The fact that she was married, and that he was the crown prince—none of that mattered.

 

He had been her friend far longer than the husband she didn’t love. If he used their friendship as an excuse, giving her his hunting prize wouldn’t be an issue.

 

“I’ll make you the queen of the Hunting Festival.”

 

“What are you even saying? I don’t need it. Give it to a woman who actually likes you. If you’re not the champion, then ‘queen’ or whatever is meaningless.”

 

Why would the crown prince even think about offering his prize to a married woman in the first place?

 

It felt unsettling for something that was supposedly just an act of friendship. Waving her hand dismissively, Aracila started walking away, signaling that she had no interest in continuing this conversation.

 

“I’m leaving. See you later.”

 

“….”

 

Frederick stood frozen in place, silently watching her back as she disappeared into the distance. For a moment, he considered following her but decided against it.

 

“As long as she’s not with Lord Vandemir, that’s enough.”

 

—

 

Aracila wandered the forest, hunting whatever crossed her path. The deeper she ventured, the more she encountered beasts rather than mere animals.

 

At the same time, the dense trees blocked out more and more sunlight, darkening her surroundings.

 

Would it be dangerous if I went any farther?

 

She hesitated upon reaching a steep incline. Should she turn back and hunt in a different direction, or keep going up?

 

“If I go higher, I’ll have more space to hunt without running into other people.”

 

Making up her mind, she began climbing. But her body, unused to such exertion, quickly ran out of stamina, and she found herself gasping for breath.

 

Ugh, I should’ve just gone back down.

 

Regretting her choice, she finally reached the top and knelt to catch her breath. But when she lifted her head, she was met with an astonishing sight.

 

A beast with shimmering golden fur lay lazily atop a broad rock.

 

“A golden leopard!”

 

Her heart pounded at the sight of the very prey she had been searching for. Maintaining her composure, she carefully aimed her staff.

 

I’ll take it down in one shot.

 

Mana gathered at the gemstone at the tip of her staff. Just as she infused it with power and released a spell—

 

Whoosh!

 

A gust of wind sliced through the air, colliding with her spell.

 

Boom!

 

The explosion that followed sounded like massive boulders crashing into each other.

 

Startled, the golden leopard leapt to its feet, letting out a wary growl.

 

“What the—?”

 

Aracila couldn’t believe her magic had been deflected. Who on earth had dared to interfere with her attack?

 

Scanning her surroundings in confusion, she spotted a tall figure beyond the trees.

Glowing silver hair, golden eyes more dazzling than the leopard’s fur, perfectly symmetrical features—

 

“Damian?”

 

“What are you doing here?”

 

Their eyes conveyed the exact same question.

 

They had deliberately gone in opposite directions at the start of the festival to avoid unnecessary clashes. Neither had any intention of crossing paths.

 

But in the course of their hunts, keeping track of each other’s locations had proven impossible.

 

Having started at opposite ends of the forest, they had somehow ended up in the west—eyeing the same prey.

 

The leopard let out a long cry, snapping Aracila back to reality. Taking a step forward, she declared,

 

“I saw it first, Damian.”

 

Stepping out from behind the tree, Damian replied flatly,

 

“It’s my prey.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m the one who’s going to catch it.”

 

“Not a chance. It belongs to me.”

 

They said the battlefield was merciless—apparently, even between a newlywed couple of only a few months, there was no room for compromise.

 

Glaring at each other, the two moved in unison, as if by silent agreement.

 

Damian swung his sword, sending a wave of aura-infused energy, while Aracila fired a magic projectile from her staff.

 

Caught between a skilled mage and a formidable knight, the golden leopard flinched, unable to decide which of the two was the greater threat.

 

Boom!

 

Their attacks collided midair, neither able to overpower the other, dispersing in a violent explosion.

 

Gripping her staff, Aracila grabbed Damian’s gauntleted hand and said,

 

“Step aside while I’m still being polite, Damian.”

 

“You should be the one stepping aside while I’m feeling generous,” he countered, tightening his hold on the sword adorned with the ribbon she had given him.

 

“Hah. You wish. I’m the one going easy on you.”

 

“There are limits to delusion, you know.”

 

“Oh yeah? Let’s see who actually wins, then.”

 

“Fine by me.”

 

Boom! Boom! Boom!

 

Their attacks clashed repeatedly, pushing them closer and closer together.

 

At some point, the golden leopard had been completely forgotten. Now, it was simply a knight versus a mage—each determined to win against the other.

 

The leopard, watching from atop its rock, tilted its head in bewilderment at the sight of the two humans fighting amongst themselves.

 

Then, suddenly, it lifted its head, its sharp yellow eyes locking onto something in the distance.

 

Without hesitation, the beast turned and bolted into the underbrush.

 

“My golden leopard—!”

 

Aracila, realizing it had escaped, abruptly stopped attacking.

 

Whoosh—!

 

At that exact moment, arrows rained down from the thick trees—several of them at once.