Chapter 558
I really didn’t want to resort to this method. I didn’t want to turn to a hunting match against the locals.
But thinking it through, the Marquis of Idripen was no ordinary person; he was trained by the best swordsman on the continent. If such a person keeps winning duel matches, isn’t it only fair that I utilize the advantage of hunting?
“Shati, that’s incredibly ugly.”
“Shut up!”
I shot a glare at my father, who was poking fun instead of supporting my noble decision.
If I’m being honest, my father is part of the problem too. No matter how royal and marquess he is, staying in someone else’s territory requires the local lord’s permission. Since my father is the lord of this Barandi, if he showed any reluctance, the Marquis of Idripen wouldn’t have lingered here for days.
What’s more, he had plenty of excuses to decline. The cold northern weather could make it hard to adapt, or maybe the security isn’t fully in place yet—there are so many reasons!
‘He betrayed his only daughter.’
I glared at my father with resentment, and he subtly turned his head away.
That just made me angrier. His reaction told me he knew I disliked it, and if he were unaware, I might’ve pitied myself for having a clueless father.
‘This hunt has to break his winning streak.’
I resolved to myself that I need to put an end to the Marquis of Idripen’s winning streak right here. I have to crush the pride of that marquis which has been soaring into the sky.
Then I could prove that he’s a weaker local, unworthy to be with me. A young lord who can’t survive on the plains!
“I don’t care for weak men. I’m going to be the chieftain who leads my tribe, so I can’t have weak people at my side!”
I recalled the words I had said when my father pressured me into marriage in the past.
Right, I would marry a warrior who is equal to or greater than me. There’s no way I’m marrying someone who has it easy like a local royal!
‘I must win.’
The more I resolved, the stronger my obsession with victory grew.
If I lost in hunting as well, it would feel like I admit I’m weaker than the marquis.
I approached Tina with the mindset of entering a battlefield.
My partner who has run across the plains with me since childhood. I gathered all my skills in archery I trained since then to employ in this hunt. This isn’t just a game; it’s almost akin to a battle.
“This is strange; it feels odd to ride after such a long time.”
And the moment I spotted the Marquis of Idripen appearing on his white horse, I exhaled a sigh of relief inwardly.
‘This isn’t a lie.’
Just as the Marquis said, his horsemanship was just average. He wasn’t completely awful, but he was definitely at a beginner’s level and not very skilled.
Thank goodness. Given his sly and shameless nature, I had worried he might suddenly claim, “Actually, I’m great with horses.” Just riding better than his opponent is half the battle won in hunting.
So, this hunt essentially meant I’ve already won. Finally, I could wipe that slick, unpleasant smirk off his face.
“Speaking of which, my lady.”
“Yes, Your Grace. Please, go ahead.”
“In Jido, it’s not how many prey you catch that matters; it’s how big they are. What about up north?”
That’s when it hit me. I hadn’t established the most important criteria for winning or losing.
Is it the one who catches the most, or the one who catches the biggest? That’s still a topic of great debate even in the north. So before we duel in hunting, it’s vital to set clear standards, yet I got so caught up in the idea of winning that I forgot this obvious detail.
‘Catching big ones is certainly conventional.’
Suddenly, I grew uneasy. The marquis had a history of surprising me in not-so-good ways. If he set the standard for big prey, thinking I couldn’t hunt at all… wouldn’t he just snag a colossal prize and end it there?
But if I simply went for numbers, it feels a bit cowardly—
‘No wait.’
What am I even saying at this point? There’s no place for cowardice in the competition. If we were really going to consider fairness, we wouldn’t have suggested hunting in the first place.
“How about catching more since wild animals tend to increase at this time?”
“That sounds great. If there are fewer wild animals, it reduces the locals’ food supply, and too many also threaten security. Indeed, you’re kind-hearted, my lady.”
Seeing the Marquis burst into laughter invoked a strange mix of annoyance and embarrassment within me.
*
I rode the white horse lent by the Marquis of Barandi, roaming the hunting ground.
‘What a magnificent steed.’
Even with my lack of knowledge about horses and riding, I couldn’t help but admire its smooth movements. Now I understand why commanders going to battle insist on great horses.
It’s a lie to say there’s no wobbling when mounted on a four-legged creature, but that little bit is transmitted so subtly. I couldn’t even feel the back pain or the discomfort in my thighs that beginners usually experience. It moved like it was born to carry a rider and seemed to sense its rider’s physical and mental state in real-time.
So, I’m a bit flustered. Despite having entered a hunt with the mindset of simply accepting defeat, I ended up with such a wonderful horse.
‘Could it be that something’s off between the marquis and the lady?’
I even entertained the thought that the setup of gifting me this horse might be a cunning plot by the Marquis of Barandi to prevent Shati’s victory. A father who simply cannot accept seeing his daughter lose? Truly outrageous.
Of course, that’s a gross exaggeration. The father and daughter have displayed plenty of warmth, despite the occasional squabble during my few days of observation. Those little spats are rooted in affection.
‘It must be for safety’s sake.’
From the Marquis’s perspective, he likely provided the best horse he could to prepare for any potential horse accidents involving royalty. Logically, that’s probably the case.
“If only there were more youths like you, the Empire’s cavalry would grow stronger.”
As I gently patted its mane, the horse I was riding turned its head, seemingly with a haughty attitude.
It was a reaction that reminded me of someone, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Coincidentally, this horse also had white fur resembling Shati’s silver hair.
– Puhihing!
“Huh?”
Suddenly, the white horse perked its ears and bolted off in a certain direction.
Seriously? Even if I’m literally your rider, can’t you at least ask for your rider’s permission before galloping off?
*
We decided the person who catches the most beasts wins this competition, but I wasn’t planning on filling my quota with tiny critters like rabbits. If possible, I wanted to catch something massive while effortlessly claiming an undeniable victory.
“Yes, indeed. If there’s a shortage of wild animals, it means less food for the locals, and if there are too many, it poses a threat to security. You certainly have a warm heart, my lady.”
And just as the Marquis of Idripen said, controlling the number of wild animals is vital. It ensures the safety of the locals… er, craftsmen? If something too large shows up, it would make sense to eliminate it while we’re at it.
I embarrassingly realized that only after hearing the Marquis, but I’d overlooked the safety of my own people, being so blinded by the thought of winning.
‘This is infuriating.’
This was supposed to be a hunt prepared to win against the marquis, yet I couldn’t shake the feeling of constantly losing.
“Physical strength isn’t everything. Intelligence and manners are also part of strength!”
Suddenly, those words I had once said to my father flashed back in my mind.
Why am I thinking of that now? At this moment, it makes the Marquis look fitting for the words I said!
Of course, the marquis is intelligent, and thanks to his time at the Imperial Academy, he possesses a decent level of civility—even if he acts all sly toward me.
Still, still, he doesn’t fit! Definitely not!
‘I’m the next priestess!’
Gritting my teeth, I repeated that to myself. No matter how much the nomads have become imperial subjects, we mustn’t forget our culture. Even if we embrace civilization for convenience, we can’t forget our roots.
The priestest title my father holds is my heritage and embodies our culture. There’s no way I can marry an imperial royal!
So, I need to end up with a strong, intelligent, polite, kind, and handsome nomad!
…
‘Should I compromise on a few?’
I’ve never seen a single nomad who meets all those five conditions, so maybe it would be better to bend one or two of those demands—
– Puhruung…
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
Tina, who had been walking quietly, suddenly looked around nervously.
That’s unexpected. She was a timid child in her formative years, but she grew into a brave one after scampering across the plains with me. Why is she showing this nervousness all of a sudden?
But moments later, I discovered why Tina looked frightened.
– Chuuppp!
A grotesque beast charged out with a ghastly roar.
With the head of a lion, the body of a bear, and the tail of a snake, the creature stood on two legs.
It clearly wasn’t a normal beast, and I decided to run away quickly. Sticking around to face a foe I’ve never seen? That’s just foolish.
“Be careful, we haven’t completely eradicated all the dungeons the Dorcon and his subordinates used. There might be remnants nearby the hunting grounds.”
My father’s words rushed back into my mind as I identified the beast’s identity.
It’s a monstrosity. A terrifying one, as famous as the dungeon horrors.
‘Of all places to encounter this here.’
This was unfortunate to the highest degree! It almost felt like a curse.
It was widely known that the dead pretender, Dorcon, and his underlings had lived in a dungeon until they sparked a rebellion. Therefore, the imperial army has been sweeping through the northern territories, exterminating dungeon threats since this area became imperial soil.
Yet I never guessed there would be an untouched dungeon lurking somewhere nearby. I sure never imagined it to be in the middle of a hunting ground. My father likely only mentioned it as a formality!
‘…How close can it chase after us?’
I stole a glance back at the beast that continued to pursue me and Tina.
I could easily escape if I wanted to. But if that beast stayed on my tail, what if I accidentally ran into the locals? Or worse, what if I crossed paths with the marquis somewhere in the hunting ground?
‘No way!’
This is troubling. While I can quickly maneuver, the ordinary locals and the marquis are vulnerable to this monstrosity.
‘I have to stop it here.’
So before meeting anyone else, I need to… wait, huh?
‘What?’
I can no longer see the monster.
Instead, I noticed a thick shadow on the ground.
– Chuuuuuu!
‘Ugh.’
That thing can leap too?!
‘What a cheat.’
Why does it feel like I’ve only been running into underhanded opponents lately?
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