The Tyrant Wants To Live Honestly

Every summer, the nobles of Ubera enjoy hunting. The forest is a recreation place where you can escape the heat of summer, and the lively animals can be good prey.

 

The imperial family also held hunting competitions and rewarded them with the meat of the animals they caught.

 

“I am nervous because the Emperor was not able to attend this year because he was not feeling well.”

 

An imperial villa connected to the forest. Raymond, who was preparing before the start of the hunting competition, said. 

 

Carnan’s absence was unusual. He used to attend hunting competitions every year to establish relationships with the nobles and directly rank the hunting competitions and award them.

 

However, he was unable to attend this year due to health issues.

 

‘This year….’

 

Dorothea bit her dry lips.

 

Carnan’s death draws near.

 

Still, Carnan only thinks that there are many days when his condition is not good, but the signs of his death are slowly coming out.

 

‘I don’t find Carnan’s death to be emotional, but nevertheless, whenever it was revealed that he wasn’t feeling well, my heart ached.’

 

Feeling like a sinner, hiding it in secret when she knew he was going to die. A bystander who watches the tragedy while his father is dying.

 

Then Raymond woke her from deep thought.

 

“Dorothea, you should win an award this year!” Raymond said, pulling his belt tighter as if trying to relax.

 

However, Dorothea’s response was uninteresting. Despite having the skills to do quite well in hunting competitions, Dorothea finished with modest results every year.

 

“I just came out to get some fresh air.”

 

Dorothea thought of the hunt as a forest bath.

 

It’s because she is unwilling to run around and make a fuss like a deer to drive her prey, or scrambling through the woods with lights in her eyes to get a better shot.

 

Sure, they’d hunt anything that caught their eye, but it was a small harvest compared to those who hunt for bears or wolves with lights on their eyes.

 

“Would you go for a walk with Ethan Bronte again?”

 

Raymond put on his gloves and smiled.

 

Ethan had participated in the hunting competition every year and proudly took the last place.

 

Everyone knows That he’s coming to the hunting competition to hang out with Dorothea.

 

Carnan hates it when Ethan comes to the hunting competition with no intention of hunting, so he either keeps Dorothea by his side or has someone else do it.

 

But this year, there’s no Carnan, so she doesn’t have to worry about that.

 

“Anyway, there are many dangerous things in the forest, so be careful, Dorothea.”

 

“I am not a kid.”

 

“Even if you’re not a kid! You have to be careful of animals and people in hunting competitions.”

 

Raymond worries about Dorothea every year.

 

The forest has many dangerous terrain such as uneven land, steep slopes of valleys, and rugged rocks.

 

Besides, it’s a hunting ground, so you never know when and where arrows will fly.

 

“Don’t worry! This year too, I will be by her side to protect the princess.”

 

Joy’s voice was heard from behind.

 

Raymond laughed as Dorothea shrugged proudly.

 

“I trust you, Joy.”

 

Raymond gave a thumbs up to Joy.

 

* * *

 

Flags fluttered to signal the start of the hunt.

 

Riding the horses, dragging hounds, and with servants. The contestants were scattered into the forest in their own way.

 

Dorothea waited for everyone to disperse. When the people to hunt left and the place became quiet, Dorothea slowly moved with Joy to the place where she had promised Ethan.

 

The two walked along a narrow path in the forest.

 

“Princess, the people over there are following.”

 

At that moment, Joy whispered in Dorothea’s ear.

 

She glanced back and saw a group of women following her, hiding behind trees and bushes.

 

Knowing that Dorothea is going to meet Ethan, they follow her to see Ethan.

 

That’s why she decided to meet Ethan in a different place than in the open space.

 

“We have to run away, right?”

 

‘Even if I told them not to follow me, they would follow me secretly with the excuse that they were on their way to hunting.’

 

‘And I can’t threaten to kill them even if they follow me.’

 

“Shall we?”

 

Fortunately, Dorothea was wearing comfortable pants and a shirt for hunting.

 

Besides, this is the royal hunting ground. Geography is clearly pictured in her head as a place she has been to several times before and after returning.

 

Joy and Dorothea made eye contact and nodded.

 

At the same time, the two of them left the path and ran into the forest at the same time.

 

The only reason they can communicate with just their eyes was because Stefan has trained the two of them.

 

As the two suddenly ran, the women who followed ran after them in a hurry.

 

Branches and rocks whizzed by and disappeared from view.

 

The two used to practice swordsmanship together, so even their running steps matched well.

 

“Be careful on the way down, Princess!”

 

“Don’t worry!”

 

Dorothea, like a squirrel, ran downhill, where the old fallen leaves of last fall were moist.

 

Joy followed Dorothea closely and checked the women behind her.

 

Most of them had already given up or slipped and fell out of sight, and only one or two were following.

 

‘I don’t think I came here to hunt but to be prey.’

 

Dorothea, who was running away, thought so and smiled.

 

“Joy!”

 

Dorothea looked at Joy and made eye contact.

 

As Joy nodded, they both jumped off the rock at the same time.

 

“Oh my god!”

 

The women who followed looked around in surprise, but the two of them disappeared like magic, and they were nowhere to be seen.

 

After wandering around looking for Dorothea for a while, they soon left.

 

“Aren’t you tired of doing this every year?”

 

Joy, who was crouching under Rock, stood up and asked.

 

“I think it’s kind of funny.”

 

“Somehow, you weren’t whining about it, you were enjoying it.”

 

Joy shook her head and brushed off the leaves from her body.

 

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

“No.”

 

Joy reached out her hand to Dorothea, who was sitting there, and helped her up.

 

“Then let’s go.”

 

* * *

 

After walking a little further, Dorothea saw a man wearing a robe in front of the tree.

 

His face was hidden by the hood, but Dorothea could recognize him by his silhouette.

 

And he too, feeling the presence of Dorothea walking from afar, raised his head.

 

“Princess!”

 

Ethan was surprised and ran to Dorothea.

 

“Are you being chased again?”

 

“You’re so popular, Ethan.”

 

Ethan wiped the dirt off Dorothea’s clothes.

 

“Whoever sees you now would think you have already caught a deer.”

 

Dorothea laughed at Ethan’s joke.

 

Ethan smoothed out her messy hair and took her hand naturally.

 

“Didn’t anyone follow you?”

 

“No, thanks to Jonathan,” Ethan said.

 

Jonathan Bronte was with Ethan in the vacant lot, but when he saw people snooping on Ethan, he got angry and kicked them out.

 

He probably didn’t like Ethan, who received more attention than he did, but thanks to that, Ethan was able to come here quite comfortably.

 

“Sometimes I like Jonathan Bronte.”

 

“I save his life, it’s the least I can do.” Ethan grumbled.

 

Jonathan Bronte was supposed to die a few years ago while hunting.

 

Ethan thought a lot about Jonathan’s death.

 

When he died, the heir to the Bronte family would be Ethan, and at least he would be in a better position than he is now.

 

Carnan, who doesn’t like him for hanging out with Dorothea, may admit it when he officially succeeds the Duke of Bronte.

 

However, he had Dorothea’s special mission, to be a good person.

 

It’s unconscionable to leave Jonathan alone even though he knows he’s going to die.

 

So, a few years ago, Ethan cut off Jonathan’s bow so Jonathan couldn’t go hunting, and Jonathan was very angry with Ethan for that, but Ethan saved his life.

 

“Now, then, let’s not talk about Jonathan Bronte, but give me a real hunting lesson, Princess,” Ethan said, holding up his bow.

 

At every hunting competition, Dorothea would be Ethan’s hunting teacher.

 

It was her way of repaying Ethan’s favor for teaching her to play the piano.

 

But at Ethan’s words, a laugh was heard from behind.

 

Ethan squinted, and Joy smirked at him arrogantly.

 

“Please try to catch at least one rabbit this year, Master.”

 

“…..”

 

Ethan didn’t say anything to Joy’s sarcasm

 

People assumed that he entered a hunting competition with the intention of flirting with Dorothea, and that’s why he was proud to be the last every year.

 

But he didn’t really intend to be last, he couldn’t really hunt.

 

‘Every year, I went around the hunting ground with Dorothea and tried to catch the animal I encountered, but my arrow had never harmed Its life.’

 

He involuntarily walked the path of non-killing and respect for life.

 

“It’s okay, Ethan. You can’t handle this bow, but you’re good with the violin bow.”

 

Dorothea patted Ethan on the back.

 

‘Why is her consolation making me even more miserable?’

 

Ethan vowed to go back after catching a rabbit or a bird for today.

 

Dorothea added when she saw his determined eyes.

 

“You don’t have to force yourself, Ethan. Then, if your hand hurts, you won’t be able to play the piano or the violin. and how precious your hand is  when you play the piano!”

 

“That’s right, don’t overdo it, Master.”

 

At Dorothea’s words, Joy added a word from behind.

 

‘That potato….’

 

Ethan clenched his bow.

 

The idiot who once cried while hiding to eat a rotten apple pie, and the idiot who didn’t even know the parable of the parasite, now know how to make him look bad.

 

‘She should be thanking the Princess for saving her life…’

 

“Let’s go without arguing, Ethan.”

 

Dorothea headed to the forest with two people who kept each other in check like a rival.

 

* * *