~Chapter 115~
“…What on earth is going on?”
“Yeah… that scream was terrifying.”
Everyone froze at the painful scream.
“It sounded close by. Let’s go check.”
Josefina quickly moved ahead with the knights.
When they reached the source of the sound, they found one of the hunting servants collapsed in a horrible state.
Right beside him was a huge red bear, blood dripping from its mouth as it breathed heavily.
“Why is there a bear here…?”
“Exactly… there shouldn’t be one in this area…”
Everyone was too shocked to even finish their sentences.
“That servant… I think he’s dead.”
Tatiana’s voice trembled, close to tears.
‘…The bear’s eyes look cloudy and dull.’
Could it be under black magic?
At that moment, the bear noticed them and turned its body.
Its expression was terrifying, as if it would tear them all apart right away.
Both people and horses froze, unable to move.
“Your Highness, please step back. It’s dangerous.”
The imperial knights stood in front of the crown princess and her group.
But since this hunting ground only had mild animals, they had brought just four knights as escorts.
“…I leave it to you.”
Josefina quickly led the ladies behind a tree.
If this bear really was cursed by black magic, even imperial knights would struggle to handle it.
‘This is all aimed at me… but if this keeps up, others might get hurt because of me.’
Leah bit her lip as she looked at the frightened people.
She thought about telling the knights to use the magic potion she had quickly made the night before.
But just as she steadied herself and stepped forward, the bear charged straight at them.
“Leah! It’s too dangerous!”
Josefina grabbed her with a worried voice.
Leah had no choice but to retreat as the knights clashed with the bear.
They fought with all their might, but the bear was far stronger and fiercer than normal—slowly pushing them back.
“Arghhh!”
One knight got his arm ripped by the bear and fell from his horse.
Leah carefully pulled out the potion she’d been keeping inside her necklace.
‘I never tested this… I don’t even know if it’ll work. But right now, it’s the only chance.’
With shaking hands, she quickly coated her arrowheads with the potion.
‘…Breathe. Slowly. Calm down.’
After readying the last arrowhead, she looked up.
“…Run! Now!”
The last standing knight screamed as he barely held off the bear.
His voice was filled with fear and desperation.
“Everyone, don’t look back! Just push your horses and ride as fast as you can!”
Josefina forced her trembling voice to sound firm as she gave the order.
“Your Highness, you go first. We’ll follow behind.”
At the very least, the crown princess had to survive for the empire.
“Please, Your Highness, don’t hesitate!”
The Marchioness of Melua urged firmly and even raised her hand to smack Josefina’s horse when—
“…Ahhh!”
The last knight fell too.
The bear casually pushed at his fallen body and lifted its head toward them.
Everyone was frozen in fear, unable to make their horses move.
Meanwhile, Leah had already nocked an arrow onto her bow.
Her hands were still trembling.
“Grrr…”
The bear licked its mouth and lunged at the closest target—Tatiana.
Whoosh!
At the same moment, Leah fired.
But her shaking hands made the first shot land near the bear’s paw instead.
‘Damn it, I missed!’
Startled, Tatiana’s horse reared up and she fell to the ground.
“…Lady Tatiana!”
The bear glanced at Leah for a second, then turned back toward Tatiana.
‘This time, I must hit it!’
Leah quickly grabbed another arrow and fired.
Thwip!
The arrow flew and struck the bear’s paw.
The beast howled in pain and thrashed.
‘It worked! The potion is working!’
In the chaos, the Marchioness managed to lift Tatiana onto her horse.
“Leah, it’s too dangerous!”
The bear, unable to pull out the arrow, snapped the shaft and turned on Leah in a rage.
“Everyone, run!”
Leah shouted as she loosed another arrow.
This one hit its shoulder, but the bear kept charging despite the pain.
Terrified, Grace’s horse reared up wildly.
Whoosh!
From the other side, Josefina fired her own arrow at the bear.
“Your Highness, it’s too risky!”
Countess Ervig cried out in horror.
The bear snarled and turned its attention toward Josefina.
‘No… it mustn’t go for the crown princess!’
Forcing down her racing heart, Leah shot again.
This arrow pierced the bear’s side, making it roar in agony.
It glanced at Josefina but then charged back at Leah.
She spun her horse in the opposite direction.
‘I have to draw it away from everyone.’
‘How many arrows do I have left?’
Her whole body was drenched in sweat.
After running blindly, she suddenly found herself in an unfamiliar part of the forest.
The cursed bear had followed her.
“Roaaar!”
Its furious cry shook her ears.
Leah turned her horse to face it.
They were still a distance apart, but the bear would close it quickly.
‘…Only three arrows left.’
She had to finish it now.
‘Otherwise… I’ll die.’
She refused to die unfairly because of the empress’s schemes.
She had so many things she still wanted to do—continue her potion research, watch little Raphaella grow up…
‘And I haven’t even told Johann my feelings yet… That I fell in love with him again, that I forgave the past.’
No.
She wouldn’t die.
She couldn’t.
Taking a deep breath, Leah pulled her bowstring tight.
The bear roared and rushed at her.
Thwip!
The arrow struck near its eye.
For a split second, its gaze met hers, full of pain.
‘Its eyes… they look clearer. The black magic is breaking?’
The bear staggered, slowed, but still came forward.
‘Just one more hit and this will end.’
She reached for another arrow—but suddenly, as if using its last strength, the bear surged forward.
Grace reared up in panic, throwing Leah from its back.
She tumbled hard across the ground, and one of her arrows snapped in half.
“…No!”
She groaned at the broken shaft.
Now, she had only one arrow left.
Her heart was pounding out of her chest.
‘Stay calm… If I miss this, I’m done for.’
Still lying on the ground, she carefully nocked her last arrow.
The bear’s massive shadow loomed over her.
Gulp.
Fear crawled up her spine.
She twisted quickly and fired her final shot.
At the same time, the bear swung down its huge paw—
***
Meanwhile, Johann and Mathias were already rushing toward where the crown princess’s group had been.
They followed the screams, arriving without much trouble.
But when they reached the place, it was already a disaster.
None of the knights were alive.
If anyone wasn’t dead yet, they were barely hanging on.
“Josefina!”
Mathias spotted the crown princess shaking among the survivors and ran to her.
‘No… why isn’t Leah here?’
He quickly checked again, but she was nowhere to be seen.
“Duke Blumhardt! Leah went that way with the bear. Please, go help her!”
Josefina grabbed Matthias, pointing with a trembling hand.
“She lured the bear away to protect us…”
Josefina sobbed in his arms.
“…What?”
Mathias went pale.
Johann yanked his reins.
His black stallion kicked the ground and dashed at full speed.
If something happened to Leah, Johann knew he couldn’t live a single day in peace.
‘I won’t lose her a second time!’
He raced ahead and finally saw Leah facing the bear.
She was on the ground, trying to shoot an arrow, while the beast raised its massive paw over her.
“…No!!”
Johann leapt off his horse without hesitation.
