Chapter 7
“…Get down!”
Elisa, startled out of her wits, grabbed the frozen Ruje Shonus and pulled him straight off his horse.
The others followed suit, dismounting and crouching low on the ground as Elisa commanded.
And then—
Boom!
A massive projectile, having lost its mark, shot past the group and embedded itself into a nearby tree.
“…A claw?”
What had flown toward them was not a blade.
The sharp claw belonged to a beast—so large it was the size of a human head.
Sir Sheraz, who had been dealing with a Red Wolf, shouted toward Elisa.
“Your Majesty, are you unharmed?!”
“I’m fine, so focus on your side!”
After confirming her safety, Sir Sheraz nodded and charged back at the Red Wolf.
‘What about the others…’
Scanning her surroundings, Elisa spotted Marquis Renner, who had already drawn his sword, and Hadelriden, who had dismounted.
The others seemed to have avoided injury as well—no one appeared hurt.
Just as Elisa began to rise after confirming everyone’s safety, someone tugged at her sleeve.
Looking down, she saw Ruje Shonus beneath her, his face flushed red as he looked up at her.
“…Th-thank you, Your Majesty.”
At his timid voice, an odd chill crept up the back of her neck.
Startled, Elisa turned her head—only to meet Hadelriden’s cold gaze fixed on her.
“…”
“No, this is…”
Before she could explain, a heavy thud shook the ground again—this time much closer than before.
Everyone held their breath at the sound of something approaching right before them.
Crack—!
With a monstrous body, it snapped the surrounding trees like toothpicks as something enormous revealed itself.
A creature so large it couldn’t be taken in at a glance—a bear-shaped monster with fangs sharp enough to tear a human torso apart in a single blow, and claws just as deadly.
“…A Bell Bear?”
At the appearance of a high-grade monster normally found only in the northern forests—the so-called homeland of monsters—everyone, including Elisa, was struck with shock.
‘A Bell Bear shouldn’t appear anywhere near here.’
The forest where the hunting competition was held belonged to the Imperial Palace, located just outside the central capital.
Though technically on the outskirts, the mountain wasn’t particularly high, and it wasn’t far from nearby villages. It was regularly maintained and monitored by people.
And yet, not a low-grade but a high-grade monster had appeared here?
‘Something’s wrong.’
Elisa stared at the Bell Bear approaching the rest area.
The creature’s bloodshot eyes suddenly locked onto her.
“Grrrrr…”
A murderous intent aimed at prey.
A grotesque sound—far beyond that of any ordinary beast—echoed through the air.
[■■ ■■■■■]
A sharp pain stabbed through her head, and her stomach churned violently.
‘What is—!’
“Ugh!”
Elisa staggered and retched.
As the unpleasant sensation of bile rising up her throat made her frown—
“GRAAAAH!”
The Bell Bear swung its arm.
“Your Majesty!”
Marquis Renner stepped in front of Elisa, sword raised.
The Bell Bear’s claws collided with his blade.
Clang!
Renner gritted his teeth as he blocked the attack.
Then came the clash of raw strength.
Screeeech—
The grating sound of metal against metal felt like it would tear their eardrums apart.
But only for a moment.
Unable to withstand the monstrous force behind the massive body, Renner’s sword was knocked away.
“Damn it…!”
As his weapon flew from his grasp, Renner reached out toward Elisa—but at the same moment, the Bell Bear’s palm filled her vision.
She knew she had to dodge.
But her body wouldn’t move.
Normally, she would have easily avoided something like this.
So why—
‘Why now of all times…!’
Grinding her teeth, Elisa cursed her legs that refused to move, as if something were holding them in place.
Just as she thought this might be the end—
“Your Majesty!”
Hadelriden thrust out his arm and shoved Elisa aside.
Her body, heavy as lead, was pushed away, and Hadelriden took her place, raising his bow toward the Bell Bear.
Whoosh!
At the same time the arrow flew, the Bell Bear’s palm slammed down above him.
Boom!
The ground trembled as its massive hand crashed down.
In that instant, Hadelriden’s arrow struck true—piercing the Bell Bear’s right eye.
“GRAAAAH!”
Writhing in pain, the creature staggered backward.
Seizing the opening, Elisa sprang up and grabbed the fallen Hadelriden.
“Hadelriden!”
Fortunately, he had avoided being crushed—but one of the claws had grazed him, leaving a long wound across his left shoulder.
“You…!”
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“This isn’t the time to worry about me!”
Seeing him bleeding while asking after her, Elisa clenched her fist tightly.
‘If only my body had moved, he wouldn’t have been hurt…!’
She didn’t know what that strange sensation in her head had been.
But—
‘That’s not what matters right now.’
“Run!”
“Aaaah!”
Meanwhile, people who had seen the blood were panicking and scattering in all directions.
The nobles, raised in comfort, and even the servants were busy fleeing.
Even the knights and guards who had bravely faced the Red Wolf faltered before the Bell Bear.
There was no one here experienced in subjugating high-grade monsters.
As Sir Sheraz finished off the last Red Wolf and ran toward her, Elisa shouted—
“Sir Sheraz! Forget about this side—evacuate the people!”
“But Your Majesty, I must—”
“Now!”
Unlike Elisa’s group, which had just emerged from the forest, the entrance area was already in chaos with fleeing people.
One wrong move could lead to disaster.
“Your Highness Consort!”
Marquis Renner, arriving late, pulled Hadelriden into his arms as if snatching him away from Elisa.
But Hadelriden immediately broke free, as if refusing.
“I am fine. Please evacuate Her Majesty first—!”
“Marquis Renner. Take the Consort and fall back.”
“…What?”
Renner’s eyes wavered at Elisa’s command.
Hadelriden was equally shocked.
“What do you mean? Your Majesty must evacuate first—”
“Hadelriden. You created an opening. Thank you.”
“…Your Majesty.”
“Marquis Renner!”
At her call, Renner bit his lip hard.
Elisa gave the order once more.
“No matter what happens, protect the Consort!”
“…Yes, Your Majesty!”
“Aunt!”
“Let us go, Your Highness Consort.”
Despite Hadelriden’s protest, Renner grabbed him and retreated.
“Young Master Shonus, you as well—fall back!”
“Y-Yes!”
After sending even the trembling Ruje Shonus away, Elisa confirmed that everyone had distanced themselves.
Then she stepped forward.
“Hey.”
The Bell Bear, still radiating killing intent as it scanned its surroundings, turned its head at her voice.
Seeing its bloodied face with an arrow lodged in one eye, she smiled.
“Yeah, you. You giant teddy bear.”
As if it understood her words, the creature’s ears twitched—and its expression twisted with fury.
Then—
“GRAAAAH!”
With a monstrous roar, it charged at her.
“You.”
The pressure from its massive body sent Elisa’s platinum hair whipping in the wind.
“You picked the wrong person.”
With a faint smirk, Elisa raised her hand into the air—and a strange magic circle appeared.
Reaching into it, she pulled something out.
A long, slender sword—a rapier.
A pure white hilt beneath a gleaming blade, adorned with golden vines and an angel engraved at its center.
One of the sacred relics said to have been created by the goddess of creation, Late, passed down through the imperial family.
At the sight of the sword radiating a white aura, the Bell Bear let out a low growl and swung its arm.
Its claws tore through the air toward Elisa.
Crash!
A thunderous clash rang out, like iron striking iron, as a violent gust swept through the area.
Trees were uprooted, and dust billowed into the air, obscuring vision.
“To think you dared wound my husband…”
As the wind settled and the dust cleared, Elisa stood revealed.
“You won’t die easily.”
Blocking the Bell Bear’s massive claws with a single sword, Elisa kicked off the ground and launched herself forward.
Her body arched midair as she slashed across its hand—then its arm.
“GRAAAAH!”
Blood burst from the long gashes, and a scream of pain echoed.
Using its torn flesh as a foothold, Elisa leapt again—her blade now aiming for its head.
“Ghk!”
The Bell Bear instinctively leaned back, barely avoiding the strike, but lost its balance.
Elisa did not miss the opening.
She thrust her sword deeper.
Thud.
Once.
Thud.
Twice.
Thud.
Three times.
Then dozens more thrusts followed in rapid succession.
“GRAAAAAH!”
Unable to withstand the relentless barrage, the Bell Bear writhed in agony.
By now, Elisa was drenched in its blood, faint steam rising from her body.
Boom!
The creature’s blind, desperate swings crushed every tree around them.
The once-beautiful forest entrance had been reduced to a barren clearing.
“Ghk… ghk…”
As if it had no blood left to spill, the Bell Bear gasped weakly.
Only then did Elisa stop.
Her blade pierced through its tough hide and sank into its neck.
Driving it in with all her strength—
The creature’s trembling body finally went still.
Moments later, its lifeless form collapsed to the ground.
