Chapter 55………………………………
Shane recalled what had happened at the sanctuary.
By the emperor’s order, he had headed to the sanctuary to rescue Sonia.
Just as Schwarz appeared—and even the secluded cabin Shane had secretly used was exposed, souring his mood—an unexpected gain thrilled him.
At the moment Sonia screamed in Schwarz’s arms, he caught an unbelievable scent.
“She’s an omega. No doubt about it!”
It was a rich floral fragrance, so intense it couldn’t even be compared to the scent Lancelot carried.
“Those pheromones were incredible.”
Shane had spent nights with many omegas.
But he had never seen an omega who released emotions so powerfully.
“And she doesn’t seem to be imprinted yet.”
Omegas and alphas choose a partner they will spend their entire lives with—this is called imprinting.
Their souls bind together, cherishing each other above all else in the world and loving one another for life.
Not that he cared at all.
“An omega is still alive.”
All omegas had died from heat fever.
He didn’t know how she had survived, but if she had lived, then she would have to be killed.
Only then would Schwarz truly collapse.
Sensing Shane’s intent, Tigrow smiled silently.
“It’s been a while since I hunted humans. Thank you for inviting me to such rare entertainment.”
Hunting people was forbidden under imperial law.
On the other hand, killing someone after mistaking them for a beast in the hunting grounds was considered unavoidable.
They would lure debtors into the hunting grounds by offering to repay their debts, then hunt them as they wandered lost.
Shane and Tigrow enjoyed human hunting using such loopholes.
At the priest’s request, I went into the forest and gathered the scattered luggage, tying it tightly with rope.
All that remained was to carry it back, but the priest who had been packing with me was gone.
“Where did she go?”
We had exchanged brief introductions on the way here.
“Priest Via!”
“……”
“Priest Via, where are you?”
I called her name several times, but there was no reply.
Had she gone back first?
Or had we simply missed each other while packing?
I couldn’t wait indefinitely. Departure time was approaching.
“I’ll just have to go back alone.”
Sertina had told me to return quickly.
If I was late like this, she might scold me nonstop until we reached the Holy Kingdom.
I picked up the luggage to leave, then hesitated.
The forest paths were complicated.
I thought I could return easily since I had come this way before, but it was difficult from the very start.
Even during the day, the tall trees blocked out the light, making it dark. Wandering alone through an unfamiliar forest without a guide, I might get lost.
When they checked attendance before departure, the only person who knew I’d headed into the forest was Sertina.
“Her Highness the Princess would probably say to leave without me.”
I didn’t want to be abandoned in the empire.
“She’ll be back soon…”
Thinking that Priest Via had probably gone nearby to look for other luggage, I set my things down and sat on a nearby stump.
But even after a long while, Priest Via didn’t return.
Time passed, and the forest—already dark—grew even darker. With just a little more time, it would be impossible to see without a torch.
From afar, I could hear something like the cries of wild animals.
As the atmosphere grew eerie, I anxiously looked around.
“I heard this forest is connected to the hunting grounds…”
I’d been told that while the Holy Kingdom’s delegation stayed here, it wouldn’t be used as a hunting ground—only as a walking trail.
So there shouldn’t have been any game released…
“W-what is that?”
Rustle—bushes shook, and a snow-white beast poked its head out.
A white body, golden antlers branching like twigs as if wearing a crown.
It was a white deer, with round black eyes and a moist nose.
“I thought it was a predator.”
Startled, I let out a sigh.
The white deer stared at me intently, then sprang away and disappeared.
Staring blankly at its retreating figure, I suddenly realized I needed to get out of here.
White deer were extremely rare—only a few left on the continent. Because of their beauty and delicious meat, hunting enthusiasts especially favored them.
Such a precious animal wouldn’t be roaming freely in hunting grounds connected to the imperial palace.
It wasn’t native to the capital either.
That meant the white deer had likely been released as game.
“This must be the prince’s hunting ground!”
This was bad. I needed to find the priest and return quickly.
“Priest Via…!”
When I shouted her name loudly, I heard something rushing toward me.
Whizz—thunk! Tremble—!
With a sharp sound cutting through the air, an arrow embedded itself in a tree.
I stared at the arrow, still trembling.
It was a sharp arrow with red fletching.
“T-they’ve really started hunting.”
The delegation hadn’t even left yet!
Are they insane?
How does such a thoughtless prince get praised as a benevolent ruler?
“Well, it’s only because Schwarz’s reputation is so bad that he looks good by comparison.”
This is why reputation matters.
Whizz—!
Another arrow flew with a sharp sound. Startled, I hurriedly ducked.
The arrowhead barely grazed the space above my head.
“Father, thank you…!”
If not for the sturdy, quick body my parents gave me—and sheer luck—the arrow might have pierced my skull.
But why were they shooting at me?
Was it because my priest’s robe was white, and they mistook me for that white deer?
“There’s a person here!”
I shouted at the top of my lungs.
But instead of an answer, another arrow came flying, and once again I desperately dodged.
Luck only works once. Not twice.
The sharp tip grazed my shoulder. Blood seeped through the torn priest’s robe.
After three attacks, I understood clearly.
“They’re aiming for me…”
It wasn’t easy to mistake a beast’s cry for a human voice. They were firing their arrows toward the sound of my voice.
Crouching low, I carefully moved.
“Why…?”
Who was the hunter chasing me?
Suddenly, the hallucination I’d seen in the sanctuary basement came to mind—Schwarz, coming to kill me just like in the original story.
Being captured by him, tortured, and eventually killed—it had all been an illusion.
It hadn’t really happened, but the pain remained vividly in my memory, sending chills down my spine.
My body trembled.
I clasped my hands tightly.
“Dear Lord God, please grant me courage.”
After a brief prayer, I felt a little calmer.
It was as if the Lord God had shared courage with me.
With a bit of bravery, I judged the situation coolly.
“It can’t be Schwarz.”
This was Shane’s hunting ground, wasn’t it?
Those two sworn enemies wouldn’t go hunting together amicably.
“I have to run!”
No matter what, I needed to escape the forest and head for the gathering place of the priests and holy knights.
“Tsk.”
Tigrow clicked his tongue in regret after shooting an arrow at Sonia.
He spoke.
“The special prey you prepared this time is sharp-witted. And quick, too.”
“So what—are you saying you can’t catch her, Marquis Tigrow?”
Tigrow stroked the arrow’s red fletching.
The prey Shane had prepared was a slender woman.
He thought he could pierce her head in one shot, but just as he released the arrow, a gust of wind altered its trajectory and he missed.
The next time, the prey—Sonia—dodged swiftly.
After failing twice, Tigrow calmly nocked another arrow and aimed at Sonia.
Standing amid the deep green foliage, she seemed to glow.
Her disheveled silver hair fluttered, and her pale skin flushed red in surprise.
And those distinctive eyes the prince had mentioned.
They were so desirable he wanted to turn them into jewels.
Drawing the bowstring, Tigrow savored the sight of Sonia’s startled face. As a result, he released a beat too late, and the arrow merely grazed her shoulder instead of her heart.
Yet instead of regret, he felt relieved.
That he hadn’t killed her instantly.
“She’s even more beautiful than I expected.”
She was too lovely to kill outright.
If anything, he wanted to capture her alive and take her with him.
Tigrow laughed heartily.
“No, on the contrary, it’s enjoyable. The harder the prey, the greater the sense of accomplishment when you catch it, isn’t it?”
Shane snickered.
He knew Tigrow’s temperament well.
The man enjoyed deliberately letting easy toys escape, giving them hope, then ending their lives.
“You should hurry. Once the time limit’s up, I’ve ordered the palace guards to be released.”
Shane had told the palace knights under his command that a criminal imprisoned in the imperial underground had escaped.
Escape was a grave crime. Since the fugitive had fled into the hunting grounds, they were ordered to kill on sight.
Of course, there was no criminal in the hunting grounds.
The only prey there were the white deer and Sonia.
The escaped criminal was just an excuse prepared for the Holy Kingdom.
He planned to say they had pursued the criminal but failed to catch him, so the knights were released—and Sonia was unfortunately caught up in the incident.
To create perfect evidence, Shane had actually released a prisoner from jail, killed him immediately, and prepared the corpse.
He had even dressed it in a priest’s robe identical to Sonia’s.
The story was that a criminal disguised as a priest, and the unfortunate Sonia had become entangled with him after losing her way.
That was the script Shane had prepared.
The plan was flawless.
Sonia’s scent spread thickly through the air.
Shane flicked his tongue and licked his lips.
“That’s the scent of omega pheromones.”
The wound on her shoulder must have caused her blood to flow, intensifying the fragrance.
“How fragrant.”
The desire grew strong—to draw out all kinds of emotions from her and inhale that rich scent.
