Mella pointed with trembling hands toward the depths of the Mona Forest. Wellard’s face turned ashen.
The Mona Forest was teeming with magical beasts released by the Emperor as game. If the Grand Duchess, who couldn’t even protect herself, were to encounter those beasts, her life could be in danger.
Wellard spoke urgently.
“I’ll go after the Grand Duchess immediately. Baroness, please inform Her Majesty the Empress of this at once! Also, make sure the guards remaining at the tent assist in the search!”
“Yes, I will!”
Mella, who answered right away, turned and ran toward the central tent. Wellard drew the sword hanging at his waist and headed to where his horse was tied.
Loosening the reins and mounting the horse, he brought his fingers to his lips and let out a sharp whistle.
A small hawk perched on the roof of the annex palace flew straight to Wellard. He pulled a brooch pin from his uniform, scratched a short message onto a piece of wood no bigger than a pinky nail, and tied it along with a red string to the hawk’s leg.
“Please. Go to His Highness right away.”
The hawk bobbed its head and instantly took off into the sky. Wellard’s horse galloped swiftly toward the forest.
Deep and quiet inside the Mona Forest.
Ashid held his breath, listening to the harsh breathing of an approaching magical beast. Soon, the blunt, hulking feet of a creature appeared before him. It was a giant wolf-beast. As large as a house, it had six legs like thick pillars, three tails, and a sleek black mane around its neck. The beast, brimming with poison, growled menacingly.
It soon opened its massive jaws wide, trying to swallow Ashid.
At that moment, Ashid’s sword flashed with a chilling light and sliced through the air.
A horrifying shriek burst from the creature’s mouth, and it collapsed sideways, snapping trees as it fell.
Ashid approached the limp monster and confirmed it had drawn its last breath. Lowell, who had been ready with his bow to cover Ashid, lowered his arms and spoke.
“To slay such a huge beast in a single blow… Truly impressive, Your Highness.”
“You flatter me, Sir Lowell. Weren’t you the one who just took down an even bigger monster bird earlier? If anything, you’re the more impressive one.”
“Haha. I was just lucky, that’s all.”
Chuckling bashfully at Ashid’s compliment, Lowell smoothly changed the subject.
“Will you only be hunting giant wolves and gray mazos today? Last year, you caught quite a few peacock-spiders, didn’t you?”
The peacock-spider was a monster with feathers that shimmered like rainbows under sunlight. Its jeweled plumes and a beak harder than steel made it a prized but dangerous quarry—greatly desired by noblewomen.
In other words, Lowell was indirectly asking, “Aren’t you hunting peacock-spiders for the Grand Duchess?”
Ashid, fully aware of the hidden implication, replied in his usual blunt tone.
“She said she likes black or gray.”
“…Excuse me? The Grand Duchess said that?”
Lowell asked again, clearly surprised. Ashid nodded.
Just then, a hawk came flying through the dense forest canopy. Lowell’s eyes widened in surprise as he recognized it.
“Tara!”
The hawk landed on Ashid’s armored wrist, bearing a red string and a small piece of wood tied to its left leg. With swift hands, Ashid untied the knot and retrieved the wood.
[Grand Duchess entered the forest. Dangerous.]
Reading the message etched into the tiny piece, Ashid’s expression turned icy. He crushed the wood between his fingers and gripped his reins tightly.
As he prepared to ride out, Lowell stopped him and asked urgently,
“What did Lord Wellard say, Your Highness?”
“He says the Grand Duchess entered the forest.”
“What? How did that happen…! What was Lord Wellard doing?!”
“We’ll figure out who’s responsible later. Right now, the priority is finding her safely. Sir Lowell, I’m leaving command of the knights to you until I return.”
With that, Ashid lashed the reins. His horse leapt forward with a wild whinny, its speed reflecting his growing desperation.
Daniela was walking through the forest.
[Go forward.]
[Deeper into the woods.]
The sharp voice kept leading Daniela deeper into the forest. Loose roots tugged at her ankles, and broken, jagged branches scratched across her cheeks.
Yet Daniela felt no pain at all. With a lifeless, dazed expression, she kept reliving the moment she nearly struck the child. An inexplicable, crushing guilt wrapped around her.
Why did I do that?
It had felt like she was possessed. Or perhaps, being controlled by someone else.
When did I start feeling this way? Daniela thought sluggishly. Was it when she was promoting the merchant guild to the noblewomen? Or maybe when the young maid spilled the tea?
It was when I drank the tea the young maid brought…!
Suddenly, her mind cleared. Like a fog lifting, everything became vivid, and the pain that had eluded her earlier came rushing in.
Daniela screamed and collapsed where she stood.
“Ow!”
Her ankle throbbed, and the back of her heel burned sharply. As expected, blood was seeping from where her shoe had rubbed her skin raw.
She took off her shoes and hung them from her fingers, then looked around.
“Where am I…?”
She was definitely in the forest, but she had no idea where exactly. Daniela pondered which direction might lead back to the central tent.
Then, she heard the breath of an unfamiliar beast. Footsteps on dry earth grew closer and closer to her.
Paralyzed by fear, Daniela froze.
Then the source of the sound appeared. It was a bird, taller than Daniela, with three pairs of wings, a thick black beak, and a tail adorned with dazzling multicolored feathers—an eerie creature with three eyes.
The moment her eyes widened in terror, the three-eyed bird let out a sharp cry and raised its massive beak.
“…!”
With a silent scream, Daniela bolted forward with all her might. Her shoes flew from her hands, scattered across the forest.
Now free, Daniela grasped the hem of her pretty but cumbersome dress tightly. How could she survive this?
Thinking quickly, she veered away from the trail and darted into the dense trees, hoping the creature’s large body would hinder its pursuit.
As she’d hoped, the monstrous bird couldn’t spot her hidden behind the thick forest. Frustrated, it stomped and looked around irritably.
Daniela crouched behind a massive tree trunk, hiding her body and catching her breath. Soon, the sound of its footsteps faded into the distance.
“…Damn it.”
Just as she sighed in relief, an unfamiliar man’s voice came from nearby.
She immediately covered her mouth with one hand and curled into herself. The man grumbled to himself.
“Where did she go? Already fainted? …Damn it, I have to drop this and get out of here…”
Daniela peeked slightly to see the man. He wore a black mask over his face and held a letter and a thick wooden club.
She instinctively knew he was looking for her.
I have to escape without being seen by him.
Daniela planned her escape. At the same time, she slipped her hand into her dress and retrieved a small dagger hidden in the petticoat. If it came to it, she’d use it.
The man’s footsteps grew closer. Daniela, holding her breath, began creeping in the opposite direction.
“There you are!”
But the man quickly caught on to her movement and gave chase.
Daniela ran with all her might, but the distance between them closed quickly. The man’s rough hand grabbed her dress.
She screamed and fell forward. The man, face twisted in cruelty, raised his club, clearly aiming for her head.
No!
Panicked, Daniela twisted her body and hurled the dagger she’d been clutching like a lifeline.
It struck the man in the thigh. With a short cry, he collapsed.
“Argh!”
Just then, the thunderous sound of hooves striking the ground and the fierce neighing of a horse echoed through the forest.
Thanks for the updates!!!