I Have No Intention Of Training The Male Leads - Chapter 13 Part 1

13. The Hunting Event in May (1)

Translated by: ???

“Haha. His Majesty even uses the same move every time. Even the act of letting it slide has become tiresome now.”

Edward, who was examining the reports sent by various spies scattered in various places, murmured in a languid tone that even revealed a hint of joy, as if he were humming. Alberic, who was also monitoring the movements of the nobles in the man’s office under the pretext of being an assistant, raised his head from the documents and looked at his lord.

Edward didn’t even bother trying to conceal the smirk at the corner of his mouth. He pushed forward the pile of papers he had been looking at, and upon seeing this, Alberic cautiously approached Edward’s seat, accepting the documents and flipping through them in place, skimming through the contents.

“That’s quite blatant.”

“Sooner or later, Marquis Kasta will come to visit huffing and puffing. We should prepare to receive the guest in advance.”

Even in the face of the Crown Prince’s attitude, who addressed his grandfather almost as if they were equals, Alberic, without much comment, skimmed through the documents until the end, then handed them back to Edward and clicked his tongue.

Within just a few sheets of thin paper, there were confidential pieces of information about the new legislative proposal being pushed for approval in next year’s assembly by the second prince and Her Majesty Elizabeth’s faction.

This bill pertained to the mandatory reporting system for ordinary knights and common soldiers belonging to specific nobles and their territories. Similar to soldiers or police officers serving the nation’s interests, those stationed under a noble would be eligible for various welfare benefits through the state. In return, the bill outlined that in times of crisis, just like soldiers or police officers deployed to defend the nation, these individuals could be conscripted through a royal decree if the nation were to face emergencies or dire situations.

Knights who had sworn their allegiance were granted the authority to refuse a conscription order, according to a clause. However,  in the reign of the late emperor, it became illegal for anyone other than the royal family to receive an oath of loyalty from a knight. This was essentially a plan to weaken the military power of the nobles.

This system was clearly a trap aimed at Marquis Kasta, who possessed the Empire’s most powerful private army, and Edward, who had him as his maternal relative. Supporters of the Second Prince were made up of the newly appointed nobles centered around as officials, and they had no regrets when it came to their military strength. However, Edward’s faction was different. With a noble lineage and a strong emphasis on legitimacy, the blue-blooded nobles were inclined to establish their own order of knights, befitting their long and illustrious history.

Even if the proposal didn’t get approved, they could still paint the image of the Crown Prince as a reckless individual sacrificing the greater good for personal gain. While it might not deliver a direct blow, it was evident that public sentiment would be shaken. Considering even a few enthusiastic newspapers carrying Reynold’s protection, Edward couldn’t help but find this manipulation quite bothersome.

“It sounds noble, claiming that His Majesty is generously extending welfare to the private armies of each family. However, in reality, isn’t it essentially an attempt to abolish the private armies and absorb them all into the nation’s forces? The vague explanation of these ’emergency situations’ is particularly suspicious.”

“Forcing registration is a sign that they want to assess the extent of military power each noble possesses. Trying to handle this all at once, quite ambitious indeed.”

“There’s no chance this proposal will pass. The opposition from nobles who have personally gathered military forces would be tremendous.”

“Well, I’ve heard the Second Prince has been busy enjoying the hunting event to the fullest. Besides, the intention behind it isn’t necessarily bad. There are still cases where ordinary soldiers are forced to be reinstated without a proper contract, and if their value falls, they are expelled without any compensation. So, among the members of the assembly, there’s hardly any legitimate reason to oppose it, nor any need to do so.”

They probably wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to assert their dominance over the House of Lords, Edward thought, murmuring softly as he continued, half-lowering his gaze. His attitude was as if he had already in mind that the system they were advocating would be passed.

Alberic looked at the man who seemed lost in thought, gazing downward. Occasionally, Edward would speak with a confident tone, as if he were uttering words of conviction while gazing into the future.

When the blonde man would sing near-prophetic conjectures, Alberic’s spine would tingle with a shiver of awe. However, witnessing the accuracy of his predictions also filled him with a thrilling sense of having made the right choice.

Callisto often remarked upon Edward, saying, ?He seems to know everything yet is willing to give up everything.? As he said, Edward had a cool and detached side, even though he possessed an all-knowing power. Until just a few months ago.

“While the elderly is struggling so hard, we can’t just sit back and watch. We’ll need to write an additional invitation.”

After concluding his thoughts briefly, Edward rang a bell and called for a servant. Anticipating what kind of scheme the man was trying to devise, Alberic asked quietly.

“Are you planning to draw in the neutral faction?”

“Well, isn’t the current head of the Privy council now the leader of the neutral faction? The point is, as long as it’s not just me, they can chew on those guys.”

“Will Duke Balcarres readily accept the invitation?”

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be the Duke himself. It’s enough if we borrow his name. Coincidentally, the Duke’s beloved youngest daughter has recently developed a hobby for hunting. They say she even attended a hunting event hosted by Amelia. At the very least, she won’t refuse a personally written invitation, even if it’s just for the sake of my face.”

With a gentle smile, Edward soon swept his fingertips lightly over the scented, premium paper prepared by the servant. He delicately ground the gold ink and mixed it, then dipped the pen tip into the rich, dark blue ink. After a brief moment, the paper was filled with an ornate and flowing script. It was only after Edward had filled the paper with his elegant writing that he spoke again.

“There’s something you and… young lady Evelyn must do.”

?

About two months had passed since the banquet, and before anyone knew it, one of the main events of the game, the hunting event in May, had begun.

As the harsh winter bid farewell and spring days with blossoming flowers aligned with the hunting season, nobles from various territories rode into the capital and gathered, forming groups of three to five people. They then set out on horseback to the mountains for hunting.

Ever since the weather started to warm up, Eve has been following Alberic’s hunting party at least once a week under the guise of an attendant, filling in for her cousin, who was a terrible shot, and hunting down foxes and rabbits.

In essence, the hunting event wasn’t merely about shooting guns and catching animals; it was nothing less than a camaraderie of gentlemen aimed at fostering lively interaction and cultivating friendships among the nobles who had been in a slump. Most of the gentlemen found more enjoyment in strolling through secluded woods, discussing politics, economics, and society gossip among themselves, rather than the actual hunt.

However, given the name ?hunting event?, to save face, they had to have at least three or four animals that had been shot and killed by a magic gun and had to be draped over the sides of their horses for appearances. This led to the attendants of the nobles, rather than the noble elders themselves, being busy trailing after foxes.

Around the time of gatherings for the warlord nobles, there were serious hunting events where the size and number of animals directly shot and caught determined one’s rank. However, such gatherings were in the minority. More often than not, individuals like Alberic would make others do the hunting on behalf of them, and they would then proudly display the results as their own accomplishments.

It wasn’t much different from the hunting event in May organized by the Crown Prince. It was slightly larger in scale, but other than the fact that the participants were nobles closer to him, it followed a similar pattern to other hunting events.

In a way, this meant that even Eve, like usual, had to participate by riding a horse herself to chase after the animals and shoot her gun, and following as Alberic’s attendant.

“As for the pants, fine, but not even any accessories?”

“It’s a bit cumbersome. Besides, I don’t really have that many accessories to begin with.”

Having finished preparing ahead for whatever reason,  Alberic had come to Eve’s room and was now glancing up and down at Eve, who had just finished changing her attire and was now getting her hair arranged, from a distance and asked in a puzzled tone.

Eve, who was watching in the mirror as the maid assisting with her grooming pulled her hair down below her shoulders into a single braid so it wouldn’t get in the way when she put on her hat, replied with a sullen face. Upon hearing her words, the man immediately instructed the lady’s maids to bring out Eve’s accessories.

Alberic’s displeasure was evident from the number of boxes the maids were bringing in to store the accessories. His expression grew stern as he watched the boxes being opened and its contents inspected, to the point that an icy chill seemed to radiate from him.

“Indeed, if you were to go out with these things, I would be so ashamed that I would not be able to show my face.”

“Ohh. Point taken.”

“You don’t often indulge in accessories, so I didn’t pay much attention. I didn’t expect your collection to be this lacking.”

Tutting softly, Alberic called the butler over and gave him some instructions. Afterward, he sent the accessories away and took the deep red tie that the maid had been holding.

“Come over here.”

As the maid stepped back after checking the fastening of the ribbon that tied her hair, Eve stood up from the vanity and approached Alberic. The ribbon was looped over her collar and the long string knotted under his familiar fingers. Pressing firmly in the center of the knot, he fashioned a dimple, then took a step back. A maid who had been waiting nearby came forward, holding a coat in a deep green hue with large pockets—a hunting suit. Alberic meticulously adjusted the shape of the tie, and he helped Eve slip her arm into the coat.