Chapter 48

“It sounds like a monster’s roar…”

 

“It… it could be an animal…”

 

The young ladies and young lords at the campsite began trembling in fear. Another roar shook the entire forest. The aggressive energy contained in the cry overwhelmed the nobles.

 

“No way—was that really a monster?”

 

“There should’ve been a barrier to keep monsters out of this forest. Why would a monster be here…?”

 

Hearing the monster’s cry, the mages inside the tents rushed out and moved hurriedly.

 

Clatter, clatter—

 

The sound of several horse hooves pounding, as if fleeing, echoed from the woods. Leading the group with a grim expression, Ivailo rode into the campsite with several pale-faced young lords behind him.

 

The moment he dismounted, Ivailo leapt onto the dais, grabbed the amplification magic device, and shouted: “This is an emergency! An orc has appeared in the forest!”

 

He then faced the woods again and raised his voice: “All participants still in the forest must return to the campsite immediately! I repeat—this is an emergency!”

 

The young ladies, who had grown up like delicate greenhouse flowers, trembled as if they might collapse.

 

“It really was a monster…!”

 

“I want to go back to the manor… please…”

 

Some fell to the ground in terror. The young lords who had run in from the woods also looked terrified. A few who seemed confident in their combat skills stepped forward and shouted at the Crown Prince.

 

“Your Highness! It was only one roar. If it’s just one orc, I can go and defeat it!”

 

“I’ve fought an orc before—and won!”

 

Their eyes sparkled with ambition. If they could return with the rarest prey in the forest, they would receive the imperial wish-token with the emperor’s authority behind it.

 

A monster, not an animal. There was no quarry more valuable.

 

Their intentions were obvious.

 

Ivailo shook his head.

 

“I forbid it.”

 

The confident young lords raised their voices angrily.

 

“Are you stopping us so that you can become the winner, Your Highness?”

 

“This is unfair! We have the right to hunt the monster too!”

 

Ivailo clenched his teeth and spoke.

 

“It is not an ordinary orc. It is the Red-Fur Orc Tribe’s Lord.”

 

The arrogant expressions on the young lords’ faces instantly froze.

 

“The Red-Fur Orc Lord…?”

 

“You mean the one even high-ranking knights struggle to defeat?”

 

Ivailo nodded. Even he, widely known as a powerful knight, showed a flicker of fear. If even the Crown Prince hesitated, the young lords had no chance.

 

“Therefore, I will not allow anyone to take such a reckless action.”

 

The young lords stepped back, and Ivailo shouted again, louder: “All participants in the forest must return immediately!”

 

His voice echoed deep into the woods.

 

“Mages, strengthen the barrier! And the Imperial Knights—assemble to devise a plan to subdue the monster!”

 

Ivailo stepped down from the dais and entered the Hunting Festival’s command tent, the Imperial Knights following closely behind him.

 

“…He must be going to slay the monster.”

 

“Thank goodness. With His Highness the Crown Prince and the knights here…”

 

“Then we’ll be safe, right?”

 

The nobles finally began to calm down, reassured by the Crown Prince’s leadership. Nazlee, who had been paralyzed with fear from the monster’s cry, came back to her senses and shouted:

 

“L-Lady Lilithia! What about her? What if she runs into the monster in the forest…!”

 

“His Highness will deal with the monster soon. Don’t worry, Lady Lilithia will be fine.”

 

“You think so?”

 

“Of course.”

 

The young ladies comforted Nazlee. Meanwhile, Freyer clenched his jaw.

 

“Your Highness… is this…?”

 

“It’s the Crown Prince’s scheme.”

 

The communication device failing. Lilithia collapsing in the woods. A monster appearing despite the barrier.

 

All pieces of a single plan.

 

Freyer had seen it clearly in Ivailo’s eyes—that condescending look.

 

“Lilithia is in danger.”

 

Before Jaybil could stop him, Freyer turned, mounted his horse, and—

 

“Hyah!”

 

He sped into the darkening forest. He had to reach Lilithia as fast as possible. His heart pounded with urgency.

 

“…Please, be safe.”

 

 

***

 

 

‘Did my blanket fall to the floor?’

 

A chill crept over my body. Maybe I kicked off the blanket while asleep. I reached out, trying to find it—but my hands and feet brushed only empty air.

 

‘Ugh… I don’t want to pick it up…’

 

The ground felt hard and cold, like I was lying on a makeshift cot. I curled up.

 

“Ugh… cold.”

 

It didn’t help. I missed my soft, warm bed at home.

 

I was supposed to be resting comfortably in the forest air. At this rate, I’d catch a cold. My nose already felt tingly.

 

‘So this temporary tent doesn’t even have a heater?’

 

I wanted to go home. I imagined myself sitting by the fireplace with a cup of sweet cocoa. In the middle of that comforting fantasy—

 

Shaa—

 

The sound of rustling leaves cut through the air. A cold gust swept over my whole body.

 

Trickle—

 

…Then I heard the clear sound of flowing water. A stream.

 

“Water…?”

 

I flinched awake and opened my eyes—and froze.

 

Towering trees stretched up to the sky.

 

“A… forest?”

 

I wanted to believe it was a dream, but the feel of dirt beneath my hand was too real. A leaf blown by the wind drifted down and landed softly on my head.

 

“Why am I here?”

 

This made no sense. I had fallen asleep in my tent.

 

And then—a memory flashed through my mind.

 

“May I come in?”

 

Right before I fell asleep, someone had visited my tent. The unfamiliar voice puzzled me.

 

“Who is it?”

 

“I am Angelo, a priest from the Zernon Temple, here to check your condition.”

 

I had heard that temple priests were participating in this year’s Hunting Festival, since many nobles were involved. It seemed the imperial family had taken extra care.

 

‘He must’ve come because I was injured.’

 

I let my guard down.

 

“Yes, come in.”

 

A priest in a white robe pulled over his head entered.

 

“I’m here to check for any lingering side effects or symptoms.”

 

I sat up on the cot. He sat in the chair beside me.

 

“May I see your hand for a moment, for a brief diagnosis?”

 

“Yes.”

 

He held my hand with both of his. A flash of bright light burst from his palm.

 

‘Wow… is this holy power?’

 

A clear energy tingled at my fingertips. In my original world, there was no such thing as divine power, so moments like this always felt surreal.

 

“Your body is weakened, so I will aid your recovery as well.”

 

“All right.”

 

A warm sensation rose to the top of my head. Then suddenly—

 

My eyes began to grow heavy.

 

“…Why am I getting sleepy?”

 

“It’s natural to feel a bit drowsy while healing a weakened body.”

 

“I see…”

 

He released my hand.

 

“We are finished.”

 

“Thank you…”

 

“Think nothing of it.”

 

Maybe my condition was worse than I thought. My eyelids grew heavier; my vision blurred.

 

“…Yawn…”

 

“Rest well—…”

 

His voice faded, my hearing dulling, as if underwater. I tried to speak, but my tongue felt numb.

 

He removed his hood, but my blurring vision couldn’t make out his face.

 

‘Blond…?’

 

I tried to force my eyes open, but my eyelids wouldn’t budge. Darkness swallowed my sight, and somewhere near my ear—

 

“…Pff… hahaha.”

 

A laugh.

 

My consciousness slipped away.

 

When I opened my eyes again—

 

“It wasn’t holy power. It was a sleeping spell.”

 

A mage disguised as a priest had approached me and moved me into the forest. I thought stopping the synthetic mana stone incident meant nothing else would happen during the Hunting Festival.

 

A chill ran through my whole body.

 

“The original plot has changed.”

 

But there was one thing I still didn’t understand.

 

“Why me…?”

 

Why target me instead of Freyer, Nazlee, or even Ivailo?

 

I’d intervened in the story to change Freyer’s fate, but I had always been careful.

 

I had no idea why they would choose me.

 

“For now, I need to get back.”

 

I had no idea what might happen next. It was getting darker, and soon I wouldn’t be able to see anything. I had nothing to light my path.

 

I stood up quickly and looked around—and froze.

 

Between the trees of the deep forest… a pair of red glowing eyes flickered.

 

I instinctively knew—those eyes did not belong to an ordinary animal.

 

‘A m-monster…’

 

My hands shook uncontrollably. I stumbled backward.

 

Crack—

 

A branch snapped under my foot.

 

‘No!’

 

The gods did not grant my desperate plea.

 

The red eyes locked onto me.

 

Gulp—

 

Even the sound of me swallowing echoed sharply.

 

Then—

 

KROOOOOAR—!

 

A deafening roar shattered the air.

 

My thoughts stopped. Only the idea that I must escape right now was engraved in my mind, and at that moment, I turned and started running.