Chapter 32

“It doesn’t seem like a serious injury.”

“How did this happen!”

At Marcella’s shout, Demian stopped talking and scratched his head. Perhaps realizing that coaxing wouldn’t change anything, this time her gaze turned towards Cain.

“Cain, let me see your injury.”

There was an unspoken command in her face, urging him to participate in the hunt.

“It’s alright, I’ll participate in the hunt.”

“Really? If you say so, it must not be a serious injury.”

It was always like this. Marcella held Cain in high regard. However, there were many things more important to her than him. Right now, her top priority was to turn Princess Sonia into the Crown Princess.

“Cain, how did you injure your hand? You have no idea how worried I was. Your hand was perfectly fine until yesterday, and then suddenly… Did something happen with Lariana in the carriage?”

At the mention of his wife’s name, Cain tensed up again. Ah, there she was again, flashing in front of his eyes, disappearing and reappearing repeatedly.

“Mother, I will rest now. I have to prepare for the hunt.”

Marcella tried to stop him from lying down on the bed.

“Cain, rest can wait. Princess Sonia is calling for you.”

He couldn’t even rest at his own discretion.

* * *

For someone who had grown up in the desolate Heline, it was the first time Lariana had come to Taldin. Her family, the Heliosen, and even the Beckdel family, whom she entrusted herself to, couldn’t afford the cost of attending the hunt.

In front of the entrance of the dense black forest, a vast green plateau stretched out. Hundreds of mansions were built there where nobles could reside.

Lariana took a walk with Jena to the top of a small hill. In truth, it was to avoid being with Cain, but she said otherwise.

“Wow, the view is amazing from here.”

“Madam, next to the imperial family, the Delacroix have the largest mansions. Look over there. They look like rose petals.”

Lariana nodded, leaning on Jena’s shoulder. The gold mansion was owned by imperial family, and as a symbol of the Delacroix family, they built a mansion in thick layers of red velvet, not much smaller than the imperial one. Hundreds of mansions in various colors symbolizing each family were connected to it.

“Isn’t that Lite?”

Like Jena, who was also from Rindell, she had a friendly relationship with the princess’ servant, Lite. A gasp escaped Jena’s lips.

“Who’s the woman with him?”

As Lariana strained her eyes to see, there was no one where Jena pointed.

“Huh? Where?”

“He went inside the mansion. I didn’t know Lite had a woman with him…”

There was a touch of annoyance and dissatisfaction in Jena’s voice, and Lariana concealed her smile.

“Jenna, do you like Sir Lite?”

“No way! Absolutely not!”

Jena reacted vehemently, turning away from the topic.

“I heard that the annual hunting competition has always been won by Duke Delacroix, is it going to be the same this year too?”

“…No. It seems difficult this year.”

“Why?”

“That’s…”

None of them noticed the commotion between Cain and Lariana. Lariana had tidied up the inside of the carriage, even putting the bloodstained shirts, dresses, and carpets into her personal luggage.

Jena looked at Lariana with a puzzled expression, waiting for her answer. She couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth. How could she say that she stabbed her husband with a knife?

Growl…

Lariana and Jena were startled and looked around. It was the sound of a wolf howling. From afar, a gray wolf, half the size of a person, came running.

Though not fully grown, it was still a wild animal. Jena instinctively stepped forward to protect Lariana.

Both of them trembled, hugging each other. However, contrary to their expectations, the wolf remained quiet and peaceful. Only the sound of the wind brushing against the grass and trees could be heard.

Lariana, with her eyes tightly shut, opened them cautiously. Looking down at the wolf, she saw it wagging its tail while lying on the ground, exposing its belly.

“Jena! It’s a wolf pup.”

“Huh?”

As Lariana approached the wolf, Jenna also rose from her crouching position. The wolf pup lay on the ground like a pet dog, showing its belly.

“Isn’t it cute?”

The wolf pup playfully tried to show affection to Lariana. Unknowingly, Lariana forgot her fear and gently stroked its belly and scratched it here and there. The pup responded by playfully licking Lariana’s hand with its tongue.

“So cute. But it’s dangerous, madam.”

“You try touching it.”

“Uh…”

Reluctantly, Jena reached out her hand to the wolf pup under her mistress’ command. However, the pup growled at Jena.

“Look!”

“Baby wolf, Jena isn’t a bad person. She’s kind. You’re so adorable.”

“It’s amazing. Animals always seem to like you. Even bears in Heline used to come and play with you, didn’t they?”

As Jena said, from a young age, animals seemed to be particularly fond of Lariana. It was quite fascinating. Even beasts loved the daughter of the lord who was loved by everyone.

At that moment, the sound of an arrow piercing the wind was heard. An arrow flew into the side garden next to Lariana. Startled, Jena waved both arms and shouted.

“There’s someone here! Don’t shoot!”

The startled wolf pup started running away. The target of the arrows was not Lariana. Relentlessly, the arrows chased after only the wolf pup. One, two, three arrows, they mercilessly pierced its back.

The pup kept going back and forth, struggling in pain. Lariana looked around and shouted.

“Stop it! It’s a wolf pup!”

The wolf pup, who had not yet grown into an adult, eventually died, unable to return to the Witch’s Forest. Lariana stared helplessly at the sight.

She approached the wolf. Its back was full of arrows. Tears welled up in Lariana’s eyes as she pulled out one arrow after another. The wolf pup’s body was still warm.

“Madam, let me do it. It’s covered in blood.”

Jena tried to stop Lariana. The hunt hadn’t even started yet, so who could be doing this? An angry Lariana got up and searched for the person who killed the wolf.

At that moment, a group of men came up the hill muttering.

“Darn it, it’s a wolf pup.”
“Baron, since the competition hasn’t started yet, it won’t count for points.”
“Still, it’s a good practice… Lariana?”

In front of them stood his cousin, who always wore a mask. Behind him were several attendants of Prince Lejandro.

“Young master.”

Jena was surprised by Jenox’s appearance and hid Lariana behind her.

“Hello, Jena? It’s been a while.”

“Yes, yes, young master. Have you been well?”

Distracted by trying to hide Lariana, Jena couldn’t properly greet him.

“In Delacroix, they don’t teach proper manners, do they? Jena, I am now Count Heliosen.”

“Oh, uh… I’m sorry, Count.”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s right. Will you step aside? I have something to talk to Lariana about.”

Jenox approached closely and rudely tugged Jena’s tied-up hair. Lariana pulled Jenox’s arm off roughly.

“Jenox, what are you doing? The hunting competition hasn’t even started, and you had to hunt a wolf pup?”

“What about you, Duchess? What is this behavior?”

As Jenox gestured to some of Lejandro’s attendants standing a little apart, Lariana let go of Jena’s hand.

“Jena, I will talk to Jenox for a moment. Don’t worry. If things get dangerous, you can just call Dame Ester or Sir Hayden.”

Jena reluctantly took hesitant steps and stood by the side of the imperial attendants. Lariana was also scared of Jenox, but since the imperial attendants were nearby, she tried to act composed.

“Get to the point quickly.”

Jenox smiled sarcastically and whispered.

“Duke Delacroix will die in this hunting competition.”

Lariana couldn’t quite grasp the meaning of her cousin’s words. Who was going to kill whom?

The nightmare she had in the carriage came to mind. In that dream, Cain was stabbed by Jenox’s sword. Trying to protect him, she met her end at Jenox’s hands.

“Why would he die?”

What had he done wrong? There were so many things she wanted to say, but the accident stopped her from speaking easily.

“Because of you.”

“What?”

“Like how your family died.”

As Jenox took a step closer, Lariana took two steps back. He grabbed her arm roughly so she wouldn’t get further away.

He toyed with her blonde hair. To anyone who didn’t know them, the two of them looked like affectionate cousins.

“Why are you trying to kill Cain?”

“Lariana, did I say I would kill Duke Delacroix? I said he would die.”

“That’s the same thing. What do you gain from Cain’s death?”

“A lot. You can gain something too, and power.”

The two of them continued their low, sinister conversation, so no one else could hear.

From a young age, Jenox was obsessed with titles and success, always competing with Lariana.

After Lariana’s marriage, Jenox stood on Lejandro’s side. She could easily guess that he must have sold her name to him.

The biggest thorn in the side of the Imperial family was Cain. Now, Jenox must be up to something, putting Cain in danger.

But it didn’t matter. Jenox would never be able to kill Cain.

Cain was the greatest knight and war hero in Martessen’s history. Even during the time when guns and swords coexisted, his sword was superior to the still-developing guns.

Lariana had also witnessed his unbelievably strong abilities many times. He was the one who had ridden up and down the Heline tower.

How could such a person be killed?

If Cain died, then her fate would inevitably fall into Jenox’s clutches. In that case, it was better to die.

So Cain must not die. Lariana was determined to protect her own life.

“Jenox Heliosen, I won’t let Cain be killed.”

“Lariana, there’s nothing you can do. Everything is according to the will of the witches. This is the Witch’s Forest, after all.”

“Don’t talk nonsense.”

Lariana didn’t want to talk to Jenox any longer. She pushed his shoulder and began to walk down the hill.

“Lariana?”

A voice as annoying and dreadful as Jenox’s echoed again. The image of a man she had once mistaken for love came into Lariana’s sight. Read ahead here.