Chapter 16
“Your Highness, would you like to shoot as well?”
“No. I’ll just watch.”
The target had been set up on a tree at the far end of the clearing. Margaret kindly wrapped cloth around the tree so it wouldn’t get hurt, then hung a wooden board over it and secured it in place.
In this conservative Abel Empire, it seemed women weren’t taught archery—let alone swordsmanship. Not a single lady volunteered to shoot with me.
‘Well, fine. I can play by myself. I’m good at entertaining myself anyway.’
Like yesterday, I tied my hair back into a tight ponytail and wore a blouse and pants. The clearing was sunny enough that it wasn’t too cold, so I left my jacket off.
“Wow! Lady Philina, you’re amazing!”
Bellita marveled at my perfect, bullseye-every-shot accuracy. Vivian, next to her, stared at me with a silently astonished expression.
Hmph! Impressive, right, Bellita? Please make sure you report my outstanding skills to His Highness the Crown Prince.
Since Lucas couldn’t see me shoot today, I made sure Bellita did.
Although I noticed other noble ladies watching me with sour expressions, I couldn’t care less about their looks.
Meanwhile, near the mountaintop, Calis saw the wolves and bears gathered on one side and instructed the knights to wrap up the hunt.
At this level, the numbers had been thinned enough that the beasts wouldn’t run out of prey and come down to the villages.
“Alright, let’s head down. We need to return to the capital today, so it’s best to finish here.”
Because it was winter and the sun set early, and because this was a two-night, three-day trip, they ended the hunt earlier than yesterday and began descending.
Lucas and a group of knights were attacking a herd of wild boars.
Their population had grown too large, and there were many complaints that they kept coming down to the villages—threatening people and ruining crops.
Lucas herded the boars together with the knights and focused on attacking the adults while sparing the piglets.
“A huge problem! The boars went down toward the lower forest!”
One knight shouted that the cornered boars had run downhill—toward the clearing where the ladies were gathered—and chased after them.
“My guard and I will follow the boars!”
The moment Lucas realized the boars were heading toward the clearing full of women, his thoughts turned to Bellita. Even though guards had been left behind, there was no way to know how many boars were heading that way.
“Hurry!”
Lucas and his knights quickly mounted their horses and rushed toward the clearing.
Though sunset was still some time away, the noble ladies had begun preparing to return to the capital. They took light walks, while the servants packed whatever could be loaded onto the carriages.
Bellita and Vivian returned to their own groups, preparing to leave. Margaret and I moved near the target board where we wouldn’t be in the way, chatting while soaking in the warm sunlight.
That peaceful moment was shattered by the sound of thundering hooves.
From all corners of the clearing, dry dust clouds burst upward under the pounding hooves. Massive tusks tore through the tents, ripping apart the tranquility within.
“Kyaa——!”
“It’s a herd of boars! Run!”
People screamed and trembled in fear, fleeing in all directions. The guards fought the approaching boars, protecting the noble ladies.
“Protect my lady!”
Margaret and I were shielded as our guards formed a barrier around us.
The noble ladies remained protected thanks to their guards—but the guards were too few to protect everyone.
Since only two or three knights were assigned per noblewoman—five at most—the numerous servants who had come with them were practically defenseless.
“Margaret! Get my arrows ready!”
“Yes, milady!”
Under the knights’ protection, I nocked an arrow. Margaret checked the quiver and realized there weren’t many arrows left. She looked around anxiously.
“Milady, it’s dangerous. The boars might target you.”
A knight tried to stop me—but the boars were already rampaging everywhere, injuring countless servants.
The ducal knights had tried to gather the head maid and other maids into one protected area, but the boars kept charging from all directions, making it impossible.
Had this been an open field without obstacles, they could’ve herded the boars into one place. But with tents scattered everywhere, blind spots were abundant, and the unarmed servants were too spread out. It was even difficult to count how many boars there were.
‘I have to help! The head maid and the maids are in danger!’
The remaining knights were already struggling just to protect their own masters.
A few of the knights who had bows were shooting, but the obstacles were too many.
There were fleeing people everywhere, tents blocking sightlines, and boars suddenly appearing out of nowhere—it was difficult for them to handle everything.
“I’ll try. Protect me. Margaret is precious to me too, so you must keep her safe.”
I finished speaking and immediately pulled the bowstring and released an arrow.
Got it!
My arrow flew straight and hit one of the boars dead-on. It thrashed in pain and then prepared to charge again.
“One more!”
The second arrow flew and struck its flank perfectly.
“Why are you so stubborn?!”
It took three arrows before the boar finally collapsed. Even then, the beast glared at me with harsh, ragged breaths, still clinging to life.
It was my first time shooting an arrow at a living target.
Facing those eyes, my hands trembled, but I couldn’t just stand there in fear.
The other boars realized that I was the one who shot their companion, and they glared at me.
“Margaret, an arrow!”
I had used almost all my arrows earlier while shooting the target, so there weren’t many left in my quiver.
“Here it is, my lady.”
Under the protection of one of the guards, Margaret picked up the fallen arrow from the ground and handed it to me.
I fired at the second boar.
“My lady! A direct hit!”
“Good!”
I shot down three boars that way, and as I set another arrow onto the bowstring, I searched for the next target.
“A—aaaaah!”
A boy, seemingly shorter than me, ran out screaming from between the tents. He had probably been hiding inside out of fear and then encountered a boar that wandered in.
When the boy screamed, the excited boar chased after him.
His legs gave out, and he collapsed in front of a tent. The boar snorted sharply, entering a standoff with the boy.
“At this rate, the child will get hurt!”
The already agitated boar stomped its feet and glared at him, ready to attack.
“I will go save him!”
The guard who had been protecting me tightened his grip on his sword and rushed forward.
“It’ll be too late! I’ll shoot!”
The distance was considerable. It would take time for him to reach the boy, and he would have to fight off other boars on the way.
If the guard ended up isolated, all the boars might rush at him.
“It’s too far!”
From where I stood, my arrows wouldn’t reach that far.
“I need to close the distance!”
“It’s dangerous.”
As I tried to run forward, the guard grabbed my arm to stop me.
“You protect me. I’ll protect the child.”
He was right, and his intentions were right, but I couldn’t just watch an innocent young boy get hurt. These guards would protect me.
“I will protect you at all costs, my lady!”
He must have felt the same. Neither of us could stand by and watch the child be attacked.
“Let’s go!”
I ran closer until the distance became manageable for aiming. I checked—four arrows left. Enough to handle this one.
“Tell us when you’re ready!”
The guards formed a tight protective circle around me, buying me time to prepare my shot.
Margaret followed closely behind, staying protected by the guards.
Boars that had been facing elsewhere began turning their heads toward us.
+++
Thwack!
The arrow I released struck the enraged boar’s right side as it faced the boy.
‘I can’t give it time to recover!’
Before it could regain itself, I fired another arrow.
Thwack!
The second arrow hit its right side again, exactly where I aimed.
‘What… is that thing?’
Despite being struck twice, the boar didn’t thrash in pain. Instead, it slowly turned its body and looked at me.
Its unnatural calmness sent chills down my spine. Exposing its sharp tusks and teeth, it let out a low, unpleasant growl.
The tusks of a full-grown boar—feared even by predators—were aimed straight at me.
“How—!”
I fired a third arrow immediately, but the boar dodged it.
The arrow struck the dry earth. Seeing this, the boy finally burst into terrified sobs.
“My lady! It’s dangerous!”
“I still have one arrow left!”
Sensing the danger, the guard blocking in front of me moved even closer. The guards tightened around me, swords raised.
“My lady!”
“Margaret!”
As I prepared the fourth arrow, another boar sprinted toward Margaret from behind.
Thwack!
I fired the last arrow at that boar.
It grew even more agitated from the wound and charged at me. Other boars from different directions also began rushing toward us.
“We’ll hold them off!”
The guards swung their swords at the boars attacking from all sides.
And then—out of arrows—I found myself facing the boar that had been targeting the boy.
‘I’m out of arrows!’
That clever beast had waited. It let the others distract the guards, waiting until none remained by my side.
“Miss Margaret! It’s dangerous!”
Margaret had run off, probably to retrieve arrows.
“My lady! Arrows!”
She ran toward me gripping several arrows—at the same moment, a boar charged at her from behind.
“Hurry!”
I grabbed the arrows from her hand and instantly shot the boar behind her. The arrow struck its eye, making it shriek horribly and thrash. The guards quickly moved in to finish it.
But then—I felt murderous intent behind me and turned my head.
The smart boar that had faced the boy had waited until I was alone.
“My lady!”
One of the guards who had finished another boar was running toward me. At the same time, the boar charged.
There was no time to nock an arrow. I dropped the bow, gripped two arrowheads tightly in my hands, and stared at the beast.
If I could—just once—I’d drive these arrowheads into its eyes.
“Kalis!”
Instinctively, I called his name.
A foolish hope that he could save me no matter where I was.
I called for someone who wasn’t even here.
The raging boar lunged toward me.
+++
Lucas and the knights stared at the clearing where the boars were already rampaging.
“There are too many obstacles. If we shoot arrows, someone might get hit. Try to use swords whenever possible.”
The boars ran wildly in every direction, and people screamed and scrambled to avoid them.
The noise only agitated the boars further.
“We must protect the princess at all costs.”
Lucas had already sent the two most skilled knights to Velita. Even though she had many guards, even a hundred wouldn’t ease his worry.
“Let’s go!”
He descended into the clearing to attack the boars.
‘Filina?’
From afar, he saw a black-haired woman shooting arrows at a boar.
“Filina!”
She had used her last arrow; she no longer held her bow.
And one dangerous boar had its sights set on her.
Lucas immediately sprinted toward where Filina stood.
