The knights in charge of each sector have been reassigned.
It’s influenced by the last time I pointed out Kale and the management knight’s laziness together.
Assigned to the 5th sector is Thomas.
Coincidentally, he has the same name as the previous knight in charge.
He’s someone I’m unlikely to run into anyway since most complaints get passed through Dillon.
So I don’t have any particular expectations.
However, he recognized me and seemed quite pleased.
“You’re that Judas, huh?”
It was a statement packed with meaning.
The candidate who monopolized Eliya’s attention.
The one responsible for uprooting more than half of the instructors at the training center.
“Wow, thanks to you, this hermit has the chance to visit this place.”
This place is pretty much just another corner of nowhere. Eliya’s Mansion isn’t exactly in a prime location.
Anyway, nothing special happened after that.
At least until the weekend rolled around.
*
“What’s going on this weekend morning?”
Richard grumbled.
Normally, weekends just consist of a brief morning roll call followed by free time.
But today, under Gawain’s orders, all candidates gathered in the training yard.
‘There are a ton of us gathered here.’
During training, you only encounter candidates from your own sector.
Seeing everyone together like this is overwhelming.
“I heard there was something to instruct us about,” Dillon said.
He seemed a bit unsure about the reason for the gathering.
‘We need to go to the Moon Deer Forest…’
As someone who had a separate plan for today, I wasn’t thrilled about this situation.
Candidates were lined up in a chaotic manner, and after a while, a maid laid out a long red carpet in front of them.
As Gawain knelt down on one knee, someone appeared.
It was Eliya.
Today, too, she walked grandly with an umbrella held over her, provided by the maid.
Her gaze seemed to look down, and her cold expression was as doll-like as ever.
The yellow dress, resembling forsythia, stood out distinctly against the dreary training ground.
Eliya cast a bored glance over the candidates kneeling before her.
‘…Did we just make eye contact?’
No way.
There are so many people here.
Eliya sat down on a chair brought by the maid.
Gawain explained the reason for the gathering today.
“To commemorate Lady Eliya’s upcoming birthday, you candidates have been graciously given a glorious opportunity by the lady herself.”
Eliya’s birthday.
I knew it was in late winter, but it is right around this time.
I felt uneasy about it.
The adult Eliya has a tendency to act unhinged on her birthday.
She celebrated by massacring dozens.
The scene of using corpses to light bonfires is still vivid in my mind.
“We will hold a simple hunting competition, and the prey brought by the winner will be used at the lady’s birthday banquet. Naturally, everyone participating in the banquet and the mansion’s staff will know who the owner of the prey is.”
Everyone stirred at that.
It was a chance to make a name for oneself among the upper echelons of the nobility, albeit minor.
There was more value than just getting on Eliya’s good side.
‘I’m not interested.’
It’s not money, I just don’t care about making a name for myself.
I want to avoid attracting Eliya’s attention.
It already feels too late for that. Anyway.
“The time frame is from noon today to noon tomorrow. Participation is voluntary. Every candidate participating will receive a registration fee of 5 Florins.”
5 Florins.
I think that converts to about 20,000 won.
That’s way too cheap for a day’s work.
However, considering that the labor of low-ranking workers here is worth little, it isn’t bad.
“5 Florins is worth it.”
“If we’re getting it just for participating…”
Actually, people around have been chattering about how it’s a decent amount.
‘Thank goodness it’s optional. I have to go to the Moon Deer Forest, so I’ll stay out…’
“The hunting grounds are limited to the Moon Deer Forest. And the winner will receive an additional 100 Florins as a prize.”
‘…’
“Those who do not wish to participate are free to act from now on. I will not force you.”
Only a few individuals left their spots.
I stood still.
‘For now, I’ll just participate…’
*
At the south entrance of the Moon Deer Forest.
I stood with Richard and Dillon.
There were many other candidates around us.
“I’ll be counting on you, Judas.”
Richard patted my shoulder.
“Huh? Isn’t this an individual competition?”
“Right. So I’m going to try to steal your prey. There are no rules against that, right?”
Thinking about it, he has a point.
“I’ve never learned anything about hunting.”
“Hey, come on. You have some instincts, right? Whether it’s talent or luck, considering what you’ve done so far, I think it would be smart to follow along.”
Dillon nodded alongside him.
So they’re both planning to take advantage of me.
‘Instincts, huh…’
If they follow me, they could discover some monumental beast.
I’m not sure if these two will be able to hunt, but they can give it a shot.
‘…Wait. Should I let one of them win instead?’
My purpose is the registration fee of 5 Florins.
And the mushrooms that grow in the Moon Deer Forest.
Letting the win go wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
It’s a shame. It’s a whopping 100 Florins.
But I can’t afford to stand out any more in Eliya’s eyes.
That would be detrimental in the long run.
‘I can make money in other ways.’
I could use the 100 Florins, but it’s not urgent.
Taking my time is perfectly fine.
However, getting Richard and Dillon to win isn’t likely to be an easy task.
Having been sold at a slave market, what do I know about hunting for them to follow?
‘Well, let’s just take them along for now.’
Even just accompanying them has its advantages.
According to Richard, in this competition, taking someone else’s catch is allowed.
In that process, someone could get hurt.
In reverse, I could cover for someone who gets injured as an excuse for snatching their prey.
‘Can’t have too many enemies.’
“Don’t take it personally.”
Dillon said solemnly.
“This is just how the world works.”
He seriously spouts nonsense.
“If you follow me and one of you wins, I’m good with it.”
“Hey… if you say that, it makes us sound like garbage! I just intended to stick together!”
“It’s too late… We are indeed trash.”
As Richard and Dillon wallowed in self-loathing, the hunt began.
We entered the edge of the Moon Deer Forest.
The winter forest was desolate.
Dead brown grass stretched like dry noodles, and the trees stood bare without any leaves.
I immediately activated [Hunter’s Sense].
I slowly scanned the surroundings.
Footprints of the candidates leading the way marked the ground.
Those prints stood out particularly clear.
I turned my head to look at the forest.
Places where birds had rested.
Branches gnawed by insects.
Paths and traces left by animals.
Such distinctive features distinguished themselves sharply from the mundane scenery.
‘The detection range is about 100m.’
I can’t see anything beyond that distance.
It was enough.
I know the features of what I’m supposed to track.
Leading those two idiots who are still wallowing in self-pity, I ventured further into the forest.
*
A group of onlookers glared at Judas and the two fools from a distance.
Only the man in the center looked elsewhere.
A stocky figure with a stern impression.
His thick jaw was as solid as his spirit.
“Galliot, are we just going to let that guy be?”
A man who resembled a dried rat cunningly asked.
The large Galliot, paying little heed to the remarks, answered nonchalantly.
“So what if we do.”
“We need to show him who’s boss!”
Others chimed in beside him.
“Absolutely! That no-name newbie has overstepped his boundaries!”
“The best amongst us has always been Galliot, right?”
“…Are you saying that this newbie is better than me?”
“N-No…! That’s not what I meant! I meant he shouldn’t be allowed to outshine Galliot!”
Galliot fell silent.
Before Judas arrived, he didn’t stand out nearly as much as Judas did.
To be precise, he stood out among the candidates.
10th cohort, Galliot. 16 years old.
Having undergone knight training in the family, he quickly began to shine above the rest.
He had already passed the 6th exam and just reached the phase of practicing magic.
While there were seniors who had passed more exams than him, none did it faster.
Everyone regarded him as a promising candidate.
Some even believed he would surpass his seniors and get through the final exam.
Little did they know that Eliya didn’t pay him any attention, a secret known only to close associates.
“Enough.”
Galliot waved his hands.
“Just because someone stands out doesn’t mean they’ll become a knight. Let him be. He’ll handle it.”
His words felt like those of a nonchalant magnate.
“You’re right, brother!”
“That filthy fool should be put in his place… Thanks to you, he’s safe.”
It was transparent flattery, but it sounded pleasant to hear.
However, Galliot made no expression.
With a poker face, he paid them little mind.
Upon arriving, Galliot quickly took center stage in Room 15.
It was a result proven by skill.
It pleased him somewhat.
“Indeed, a knight must have a broad mind.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Except the main subject, Galliot.
He was twisted up with frustration.
Being the center of attention as a promising candidate was his fate.
He should have been the one recognized by Eliya.
Yet, a newcomer who had been there for barely a week took that position instead.
It felt as if something had been robbed from him.
Though Judas was little more than an inexperienced fool who hadn’t even passed the first exam.
Objectively speaking, between himself and Judas, Galliot was better suited to be Eliya’s knight.
Yet he couldn’t shake off the inferiority complex he felt being overshadowed.
If there were no prying eyes, he would have run over and knocked some sense into him.
But he held back for the sake of face.
Nobles have to be like that.
Even if he vowed to serve someone else, he was still a noble.
“Well, this hunting competition is all about you, Galliot!”
And it was true.
Galliot had learned to hunt and enjoyed it since childhood.
There might be noble hunters on par with him, but he was confident he could come out on top.
‘If I catch a Moon Deer, I’m guaranteed to win.’
The Moon Deer, the symbol and master of this forest.
A clever and elusive creature, often regarded as a sacred beast by some religions.
Up to Galliot, hunting and offering it would ensure his victory.
And Galliot knew how to track the Moon Deer.
*
For quite some time, we hadn’t spotted any prey.
Richard and Dillon could no longer bear the anxiousness and set off to hunt independently.
I didn’t stop them.
I didn’t mind who would win, and frankly, I felt uneasy about holding them back when I knew how to win myself.
Before leaving, Dillon handed me a flint.
Warning me that it would get dark quickly.
From Richard, I got a small stone knife.
He said to use it for catching prey or starting a fire.
Anyway, I’m on the verge of cursing out loud right now.
“This tastes awful…”
I was chewing for the ninth time on this raw mushroom.
This yellow mushroom I had a ton of is called “Yolk Mushroom.”
Eating ten of these boosts my stamina stat by 1 permanently, and eating one restores my current health.
The problem is that right now, I wasn’t provided with any stamina, meaning HP wasn’t displayed.
To confirm if it truly worked like in a game, I had no choice but to eat ten of them first.
After washing the dirt off in a nearby stream, I bit into the ninth.
It was chewy, dry, and tasted like dirt.
‘If my stamina doesn’t go up, I don’t think I can contain my anger.’
I didn’t know it when playing the game.
When I right-clicked, it just vanished with a munching sound.
They made me eat something this awful.
‘Should I try cooking them?’
So I thought as I swallowed the tenth.
[Stamina stat will increase by 1 over the next 24 hours.]
“Phew….”
At least it went up.
A measly single point.
This mushroom can boost stamina by a maximum of 3.
But there’s no room for discrimination.
Stats are like money.
No matter how much you have, it’s never enough.
‘Three points from just eating mushrooms is pretty fast though. I should gather a few more.’
I activated [Hunter’s Sense].
Footprints along the riverbank soon came into view.
The double-hoofed prints glimmered with sugary powder.
A hallmark of the Moon Deer’s trail.
This Yolk Mushroom grows near “Yellow Umbrella Mushrooms,” which are the Moon Deer’s main food source.
They look so similar that one can easily be confused if one doesn’t know the distinguishing characteristics.
Moreover, Yellow Umbrella Mushrooms are poisonous.
‘They’re not deadly but can cause massive trouble if consumed in the wild.’
When eaten by characters, one would end up laughing uncontrollably for a minute, unable to move.
While it’s poisonous to humans, it adds a unique flavor for Moon Deer.
“…Huh?”
I spotted a Moon Deer.
It was a quadruped animal taller than myself.
With tawny skin and black eyes.
Its antlers gave off a subtle gray hue.
It would seem to glow under the moonlight.
It was drinking water at the opposite riverbank.
‘It’s rare for them to be seen before the moon rises.’
The Moon Deer spotted me and ran off.
Just in case, I remembered the direction it dashed away towards.
I continued gathering mushrooms when I heard a noisy crowd approaching.
‘Who is it?’
I hid in the nearby bushes.
Using [Stealthy Movement] to not be detected.
A fairly large group was traversing the woods.
‘About ten of them. What’s with this large crowd?’
They were likely candidates from the same sector.
I recognized their faces but didn’t know their names.
There was no reason to be discovered.
I waited for them to pass while eavesdropping on their conversation.
“This way. The trail of the Moon Deer continues on.”
Was someone tracking that?
Looks like they have some decent skills.
That guy could be the winner.
“Wow, Galliot, can you see that? To me, it just looks like big deer tracks.”
“Would we be such dimwits?”
From their conversation, it seemed Galliot was at the center of the group.
The others resembled his loyal followers.
“By the way, he seems like a pretty big one. How do you plan to catch it?”
“The Moon Deer mainly reveals itself at night. We just need to charge in together and take it down.”
Unfortunately, I don’t know their method of hunting.
That approach isn’t entirely nonsensical.
However, confronting a Moon Deer directly at the current candidate level is tantamount to suicide.
While it won’t kill, it would surely leave everyone a pile of broken bones.
‘With that many people, they might be able to escape.’
I was going to let them pass when…
“Then we can knock that newcomer down a notch!”
…The newcomer? Me?
“This is my opportunity to educate that fool Judas on who the real representative of our sector is.”
“I’m sure giving indirect advice as a senior isn’t too bad.”
Galliot spoke with a tone laced with pride and satisfaction.
Their petty conversations drifted into the depths of the forest.
I quietly looked down at the mushroom in my hand.
The Yolk Mushroom meant for my consumption.
And the poisonous Yellow Umbrella Mushroom, one of the Moon Deer’s delicacies.
Fearing someone might recognize it, I had been keeping this mushroom with me.
I know how to use these to safely hunt the Moon Deer.
“Phew…”
I sighed and scratched my head.
It would be much better to act outright like Lindell.
At least he seems cute when he’s acting foolish.
Rather than these people who travesty through groups while gossiping behind backs, lacking the guts to speak face-to-face.
I dealt with that enough in my past life.
If I approached them, they’d just make excuses as if they hadn’t said anything.
Without proof, they wouldn’t believe me and wouldn’t hear me out.
They’re just that kind of infuriating human breed.
‘…No can do.’
I can’t let them take the first prize.
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