The next day, the long-awaited day of the Hunting Festival finally arrived.
The weather was perfect, it’s not too hot, not too cold. The sky was clear without a single cloud. It was the ideal day for a hunt.
Since the event began in the morning, I got an early start. Instead of a dress, I wore a shirt and brown leather trousers. My long and bothersome hair was tied up in a tight bun.
At the back gate of the mansion, which led to the forest where the festival was held, there were crowds of people and horses, many of them were familiar faces from the banquet. Among them was Shirea, dressed similarly to me and mounted on a brown horse.
But wait—how was I supposed to get to the forest? I didn’t know how to ride a horse…
“Rita, how do I get there?”
“Sorry?”
“I don’t know how to ride a horse.”
“Oh, that’s—”
“You’ll be riding with me.”
Hale appeared, leading a white horse with one hand.
“You’re still too young to ride alone.”
I wanted to go solo like the others, but I couldn’t argue with him. It was true—I was growing more slowly than the rest.
“What’s this one’s name?”
“Mark.”
“Hi, Mark!”
Mark dipped his head and nuzzled my cheek as if to answer. I gently stroked his neck.
Oh my gosh, he’s adorable!
“He usually doesn’t warm up to others this easily. It seems that he likes you.”
“I like Mark too! He’s great!”
“I’m glad. Looks like it’s almost time.”
I looked around and sure enough, the event was about to begin. With Hale’s help, I climbed onto Mark.
Hale led Mark to a large platform near the back gate. Once we were beside it, he halted and stepped up onto the platform.
“It’s the final day of the event hosted by the Baekryong Clan.”
Compared to the other lords, Hale was by far the most casually dressed.
To put it simply, he looked like he wasn’t planning to do any hunting. Usually, fitted clothing is better for moving around, but he wore his usual loose white shirt and wide black trousers. Actually, his shirt today was even more open than usual. Is he trying to distract people or what?
Ahem. Well, I suppose he doesn’t need to go hunting. Despite being called a hunting competition, it was really more about helping the host clan cleanse their land of monsters as a show of goodwill.
In some clans like the Cheongryong Clan, where succession battles are fierce, it could be used for… other purposes.
“Today is the long-awaited hunting festival. I hope you all have a great time showing off the skills you’ve been holding back for decades, now that the hunt is finally being held again.”
With that, the great gates opened. Dozens of horses burst forward. The lords’ horses stood out in particular, each bearing their clan’s signature colors. Everyone else rode brown horses.
“Shall we head out too?”
“Yup!”
As Hale climbed in behind me, Mark took off.
The forest, rushing by as the wind blew past, wasn’t nearly as dark and gloomy as I’d imagined. When I thought “hunting ground,” I pictured a swamp or something, but this was completely different.
Colorful flowers, thick trees, and sunlight filtering through the leaves made the forest sparkle.
Honestly, I had been disappointed that the first place I got to visit outside the mansion was just the woods behind it, but now that I was here, I couldn’t think of a single complaint.
“Wow!”
“Pretty, right?”
“Yeah!”
It was so beautiful, I half expected fairies to show up.
But just how big is this forest, anyway? We’d come a long way in, but there was no end in sight.
We didn’t see anyone else, either. Now and then I heard distant howls from monsters, but that was it.
Just as I was starting to grow used to the repetitive scenery, Hale suddenly pulled Mark’s reins, bringing us to a halt in the middle of the path.
With a serious expression, he turned his head to the left. I followed his gaze but saw and heard nothing.
“Daddy?”
“Joshua.”
As Hale dismounted, Joshua appeared from somewhere nearby.
“Stay with Senika until I return.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Where are you going?”
“Senika, just wait here for a little while. I’ll be back soon.”
Without giving me any more explanation, Hale turned and walked into the underbrush, away from the trail.
What’s going on? Did something happen?
“Shushu?”
“I don’t know the details either. Just that the Lord knows everything that happens in this forest.”
Nothing bad is going to happen to Daddy… right? Please come back safe and sound.
A few minutes passed with me standing in the middle of the forest.
Mark, who had been quietly grazing, suddenly lifted his head and snorted.
That didn’t feel like a normal reaction.
“Mark?”
He stomped and blew air through his nose, visibly uneasy. I tried to calm him down by stroking his mane, but he wouldn’t settle.
Then a faint, musky fog-like scent tickled my nose. Joshua’s scent was usually stronger than this…
I turned to look at Joshua—
“Young Lady!”
His startled voice grew faint as my bangs blew in the wind. It wasn’t until a few seconds later that I realized what had happened.
Mark had taken off—spooked and uncontrollable. Thankfully, I was still holding the reins, so I didn’t fall.
Joshua shouted after me, but he must not have been able to keep up. Soon, I couldn’t hear him at all.
“Mark, stop! Mark!”
I cried out desperately, but it’s not like he could understand me.
We ran for a long time. I started to wonder if I was completely lost and if no one would be able to find me.
No, no pointless thoughts. I had to stop Mark. But how? What could I possibly do with this small body?
I felt helpless.
‘Should I… just jump?’
Getting hurt might be better than ending up stranded who knows where. If I was still in the forest, Daddy could find me.
I didn’t think for long. The more I thought about it, the more the second option made sense. Joshua had said Dad knew everything that happened here.
Alright, on the count of three—one, two—huh?
Why does it feel like we’re slowing down?
What strange is that a sweet scent grew stronger and stronger, surrounding both me and Mark.
I’ve smelled this before… could it be—
“Jaius?”
As the scent grew thicker, Mark finally came to a stop, surrounded by tall grass.
And as if nothing had happened, he went back to grazing peacefully.
“Senika.”
A familiar voice called my name. I turned my head and sure enough, it was him.
Jaius stepped forward, offering his hand.
“W-What are you doing here?!”
“What?”
“How did you even find this place?!”
He simply gestured with the sword in his hand. Its blade was stained with dark, viscous blood—not red like a person’s, but brownish.
Yeah, that’s monster blood. So, you’re saying you were here hunting?
But… Why does this feel so familiar?
“And you looked like you were in a situation you didn’t want to be in.”
He slid his sword back into its sheath and gave Mark a glance.
I mean, yeah, I was, but I didn’t like hearing it from him.
Whenever Jaius spoke, I felt an irrational urge to contradict him.
“…No, I wasn’t.”
“Really?”
Unlike me, Jaius didn’t push it. He just left it at that and gently stroked Mark’s mane, which the horse accepted with ease.
What the—so it’s not just me he likes?
“You know how to ride?”
“Why?”
“I need to get back. Help me out. This was my first time riding.”
He seemed to think for a moment, then nodded and moved to climb on. But Mark, sensing something, immediately rejected him.
I thought he’d accept a rider just fine after letting him touch his mane…
Then Hale’s earlier words came back to me. Guess he wasn’t joking.
I chuckled softly and patted Mark’s mane.
“You’re a good boy, right?”
After a few more gentle words, Mark finally calmed down, allowing Jaius to climb on.
So you were just too worked up earlier to hear me, huh, Mark?
“Guess he doesn’t like me much.”
“Well, he’s only letting you on because I asked, so be grateful!”
As usual, Jaius didn’t respond if he didn’t feel like it.
He wrapped his arms around me from behind and took the reins. Mark began retracing his steps at a calm, steady pace.
“So how did you get all the way out here, anyway?”
Jaius spoke softly as we passed through the forest.
I thought he wouldn’t say a word unless spoken to, but apparently, he makes exceptions when he’s curious.
“Hm?”
“I thought you didn’t know how to ride.”
“Oh, right—”
I was about to explain how Mark suddenly bolted, but something about it struck me as odd.
This was no ordinary horse—it was the Baekryong head’s own steed. And not every white horse could become the Lord’s symbol. They had to go through rigorous training and tests.
A well-trained horse like Mark wouldn’t suddenly panic like that—not with a rider on his back. They’re trained to endure discomfort to protect their rider.
So why did he…?
“Senika.”
Maybe he noticed I’d trailed off. Jaius called my name gently.
“Ah…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Well… Mark was acting weird.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know. He was just… standing still, then suddenly, he freaked out and ran all the way out here.”
Too strange. No matter how I looked at it, there were only two possibilities.
Either something was wrong with Mark… or someone had deliberately messed with him to trick both me and Joshua.
