Chapter 13. The Incarnation of the Wolf: The Strange Lady
Beneath a sky where a full moon hung round and bright, a group of people walked through the forest. They relied on the faint streaks of moonlight filtering through the dense foliage, unable to fully enjoy the bright illumination of the moon.
The procession varied in status, from knights lightly armed with their gear to servants carrying luggage without much equipment. Their footsteps broke the silence of the night.
Leading the group was a man who pushed forward through the trees, unfazed by the uneasy glances of those behind him. His sharp, golden eyes darted around, searching the dark forest for any sign of his liege.
“We’ve already been delayed too long. Where could His Highness be?”
Frustration weighed on him as he ran a hand through his light beige hair. His anxious golden eyes scanned the surroundings, hoping to find even the slightest clue.
But when no sign appeared, disappointment flashed across his gaze before he lowered his long eyelashes.
“I shouldn’t have listened to that raccoon-like viscount.”
After all, this whole mess had started in the viscount’s domain.
***
“Right now?”
“I have something important to discuss privately with the Marquis of Flabeo.”
“How about after tonight’s banquet? I must escort His Highness on his outing now.”
The young man, with eyes as rich as pure gold, blinked calmly as he refused the request.
He was Ladish, the heir to the Duke of Rabert, who was referred to as the Marquis of Flabeo until he formally inherited his title.
His presence in the viscount’s remote territory was unusual.
As a noble of the prestigious Rabert family, one that had even produced a queen of the Fortis Kingdom, he was supposed to be stationed in the capital.
The reason for his visit was simple. The Rabert family, as the queen’s lineage, had always provided personal attendants for the royal children.
Ladish had been raised beside Prince Leonhardt from a young age, caring for him not just as a servant but as a cousin. Naturally, he followed the prince even on his expeditions.
“You need not worry about the hunt. I’ve assigned over ten knights to His Highness, along with guides familiar with the forest. He will surely enjoy himself.”
The viscount insisted on speaking with him. Ladish hesitated. His mission here partly relied on the viscount’s cooperation, and outright refusal could interfere with his liege’s plans.
“We are still kin, after all. Do you think I would call you here for something unpleasant? It will only take a moment.”
The viscount, distantly related through Ladish’s great-grandmother, pressed further. Sighing, Ladish reluctantly agreed and instructed his attendants to proceed to His Highness while he followed the viscount.
But when they arrived at the reception room, someone was already waiting.
A noble lady, seated on a long couch, turned at their entrance. Her eyes widened slightly upon seeing Ladish.
It was a common reaction. He was widely praised as the most beautiful man in Fortis Kingdom’s history by court artists.
Ladish, however, was less than pleased. He glanced at the viscount, his voice low with displeasure.
“Viscount, what is the meaning of this?”
Ignoring the question, the viscount feigned surprise and admiration. The noblewoman hurriedly stood, spreading the hem of her dress in greeting.
“Ah, if it isn’t the Lady of House Benito!”
“It has been a long time. My father sent me with a letter for you today.”
The viscount took the letter with exaggerated enthusiasm.
“Ah! The Marquis of Benito did mention something to me, but I completely forgot! I will write a response immediately—please wait a moment.”
“Of course.”
“Oh dear, but I can’t leave a guest alone….”
Feigning reluctance, the viscount turned to Ladish.
“Marquis, could you keep the lady company over tea while I prepare my reply? I’ll be back soon.”
Before Ladish could refuse, the viscount had already given orders for tea and left the room, leaving him alone with the noblewoman.
‘That scheming viscount…!’
Annoyance flared in Ladish’s golden eyes. He knew exactly what was happening—this was a setup.
As a noble from a remote territory, the viscount saw a rare opportunity. By arranging an ‘accidental’ meeting with a lady from a prominent family, he aimed to strengthen ties through marriage.
Whether the Benito family was complicit or not, Ladish had no choice but to endure this farce. Walking out would be a grave insult, and as long as his liege’s goals in the viscount’s domain were unfulfilled, he couldn’t afford to antagonize the man.
Thus, he found himself trapped in an endless tea time.
***
By the time Ladish was finally free and preparing to welcome the returning hunting party, he was met with an unexpected situation.
The prince’s attendants, whom he had assumed had accompanied the hunt, were still at the estate.
Shocked, Ladish confronted the viscount.
“What is the meaning of this?”
The viscount simply chuckled, brushing it off as a servant’s mistake.
“Do not worry too much. Our house knights are more than capable of protecting His Highness.”
Ladish did not believe him.
The viscount had deliberately separated him from the hunting party and withheld the prince’s departure from his own people. It was suspicious.
It felt as if the viscount intended to isolate the prince, leaving him stranded for amusement—or worse.
“Perhaps…”
A chilling thought crossed Ladish’s mind.
The viscount might have already pledged allegiance to the first prince’s faction.
His golden eyes darkened as he studied the viscount’s smirking face.
“I will wait outside for His Highness.”
“As you wish, Marquis.”
The viscount stepped aside with an all-too-pleased smile. Ladish ignored him and strode out of the manor.
‘It will be fine. No matter what schemes the viscount has devised, he cannot harm His Highness.’
Reassuring himself, Ladish thought of the precious artifact the queen had entrusted to her children. It would protect them.
He stood at the mansion’s gates, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun, waiting for his liege to return.
But as darkness fully descended, the prince did not appear.
***
“What is going on?! It has been four days!”
Several days had passed since Prince Leonhardt had left for a hunt with the retainers of the Viscount’s household. Contrary to what the servants had testified—that they had set out lightly prepared for a brief diversion—none of the hunting party had returned.
Not only the prince but also the knights from the Viscount’s household who had accompanied him had all disappeared without a trace.
Belatedly, search parties were dispatched to comb through the forests near the Viscount’s estate, yet the hunters were nowhere to be found. Expanding the search to the nearby mountains yielded the same result.
Even the cunning Viscount was growing anxious at this unexpected turn of events. If a member of the royal family were to suffer harm within his domain, the noble in charge of the territory would not escape punishment.
He had merely intended to stir up some minor scandal that could tarnish the reputation of the legitimate prince, but things had escalated beyond his control. The Viscount could do nothing but pace restlessly.
In the end, Ladish could no longer contain his anger.
“What on earth are the Viscount’s knights doing?”
Determined to find the prince, Ladish gathered the entourage that had accompanied him from the capital and left the Viscount’s estate. The Viscount, unable to offer any solution, could only watch as the prince’s retainers departed.
Despite his outburst, Ladish’s expression remained unchanged as he mounted his horse. He was intentionally feigning anger to hastily leave before the Viscount, who seemed aligned with the First Prince, could interfere with his efforts.
While the Viscount might assume thatadish’s reaction was natural, given the uncertainty surrounding his lord’s fate, in truth, Ladish was not overly worried about the prince’s safety.
‘If something had happened, there would have been an explosion too massive to ignore.’
The Queen had left her child with a magical artifact powerful enough to obliterate an entire castle gate.
If His Highness had truly been in danger, a deafening explosion would have already rung out across the land. The fact that it hadn’t meant that the situation was not as dire as it seemed.
‘Perhaps he simply lost his way or is hiding somewhere.’
Having grown up alongside the prince, Ladish knew this well. Though the prince’s constant attendants masked the fact, if left alone in a maze garden, he would never be able to find his way out.
Was having a poor sense of direction a kind of talent? The prince was utterly clueless when it came to navigation.
‘Perhaps, weary from dealing with the Viscount’s schemes, he had taken this opportunity to step away and enjoy a brief respite.’
At this point, Ladish still did not consider the situation to be particularly grave. He believed that he would soon reunite with his prince.
However, after scouring the forests surrounding the Viscount’s estate and even venturing into the lands of an unfriendly neighboring country, only to find no sign of the prince, Ladish finally realized the severity of the situation.
When he arrived at the forest in Northwood, convinced it was the last place left to search, and still failed to find his master, a sense of despair crept in.
He was no longer searching this forest with any real hope of success.
This forest bordered the prince’s own territory. If His Highness had arrived here, he would have easily contacted the steward of the lord’s castle, and news would have already reached them.
While it was possible that the First Prince’s influence extended to other lands, this place belonged to the prince himself. He could have freely used the lord’s castle resources, yet there had been no word.
That meant His Highness was not here.
Having already searched every forest around the Viscount’s domain, Ladish had come to confirm this last location before reporting back that the prince was nowhere to be found.
His next plan was to return to the capital and expand the search.
And just then—
A sinister sound reached his ears.
Grrr…
A low growl echoed through the forest, bouncing off the trees in a way that made it impossible to pinpoint the source. Then, in the dark woods, ominous amber lights flickered.
“H-High Lord! It’s a pack of wolves!”
Even without the trembling voice reporting it, the eerie glow made it clear. The wolves that had been surrounding them in the shadows were now slowly revealing themselves.
Their massive forms were visible even under the dim moonlight.
“Everyone, draw your weapons.”
Ladish spoke calmly as he raised his own sword. The moment the wolves lunged, he intended to slash one’s maw open in a single strike.
Under normal circumstances, standing unarmed before wild beasts was reckless, but Ladish was confident in his speed with a sword.
Behind him, the sound of weapons being unsheathed rang out. The group held their breath, awaiting further orders.
For a moment, the standoff between men and beasts continued. As Ladish prepared to give the order to attack—just as he found it odd that the wolves, despite watching them intently, had yet to make a move—he heard a sound that sent a chill down his spine.
“Stop. Don’t go any further. Step back.”
The voice was powerful. For a moment, Ladish almost obeyed instinctively.
But he quickly steeled himself.
“Who’s there?!”
The wolves snarled louder.
Then, the moonlight illuminated a figure.
A woman.
With glowing amber eyes.
Ladish had seen that color just moments ago, in the eyes of the wolves.
‘A wolf’s incarnation?’
He swallowed hard, tightening his grip on his sword.
“Reveal your identity.”
The woman blinked.
“What identity?”
Her clear gaze held no emotion.
Ladish felt a certainty settle over him.
“Are you… a werewolf?”
Bruhhhhhhh.