558 – Mandragora Growing in Hell – 2

I just didn’t want to use this method. I did not want to go to the extent of resorting to a hunting contest against the local residents.

But when I thought about it carefully, the Marquis of Idrafen was taught by no one else but the best sword on the continent. If such a person is continuously winning through swordsmanship sparring, wouldn’t it be right for me to also take advantage of hunting?

“Shati, it’s very ugly.”

“Be quiet!”

She glanced at her father, who was beating the candle next to her, unable to support his daughter’s noble decision.

If you think about it, fathers are also a problem. He was told that no matter how royal or a marquis he was, he had to ask for the consent of the local lord to stay in someone else’s territory. Since my father is the lord of the Marquis of Barandiga, Marquis Idrafen would not have been able to stay here for even a few days if his father was reluctant.

There are even many reasons to refuse. The weather in the north is colder than the south, so it’s hard to get used to it, or security hasn’t been fully established yet.

‘I betrayed my only daughter.’

When he glared at his father again with his resentful eyes, his father slowly turned his head.

I get more upset. If you look at that reaction, it means that he did it even though he knew that I didn’t like it. If he didn’t know, he would have thought that he was my son with a dull father.

‘We need to break the momentum with this hunt.’

After looking at my father for a while, I made a promise to myself.

The Marquis of Idrafen’s winning streak must end here. We need to break the pride of the Marquis, who is soaring high in the sky.

Only then can I prove that the Marquis is a weaker citizen than me. I can confirm that he is a master who is not worthy of being with me and cannot live in the grassland.

“I’m not interested in weak men. I’m going to be the leader of the tribe, and I can’t have a weak man next to me!”

In the past, he recalled what his father said when he urged him to get married.

Yes, I will marry a warrior who is equal to or better than me. I have absolutely no intention of marrying a member of the royal family who lived comfortably.

‘We must win.’

The more I resolved, the more my obsession with victory grew.

If I lose to the Marquis in the hunt, I think I will admit that I am weaker than the Marquis.

I got on Tina with the feeling of going into battle.

A partner who has run through the meadows together since childhood, and has been practicing archery since childhood. They mobilize all of this to hunt. This isn’t just a game, it’s like a battle.

“Wow, it’s been a while since I’ve ridden a horse so it’s unfamiliar to me.”

And as soon as I saw the Marquis of Idrafen riding a white horse, I sighed in relief.

‘It wasn’t a lie.’

As the Marquis said, his horseback riding skills were just so-so. It’s not that you can’t ride it at all, but it’s not that you’re good at it, it’s at a beginner level.

Thank god. Because he is such a conniving and shameless person, ‘Actually, I’m good at riding horses.’ I was worried that things might change suddenly. Just by riding a horse better than your opponent, you can win half of the hunt.

So it’s as if I won this hunt. I can finally break that sly and unpleasant smile.

“Now that I think about it, young lady.”

“Yes, Your Excellency. Please speak.”

“The system placed more emphasis on how big a game you could catch rather than how much game you could catch. What about the north?”

When I heard those words, I thought it was a pity. You haven’t decided on the most important decision whether to win or lose.

Whether the one who catches the most or the one who catches the biggest wins is a controversial issue even in the North. So, it is right to set a clear standard before competing in a hunt, but I was so distracted by the fact that I could win that I forgot that obvious thing.

‘It’s easy to catch a big one.’

I suddenly became anxious. The Marquis often surprised me in a bad way. If you think you won’t be able to hunt and catch a big one as a standard… Won’t you end up catching a huge one?

However, if it is simply based on catching a lot, it is a bit cowardly─

‘No.’

What are you saying now? What is cowardice and such in winning? If I was going to be fair and fair in the first place, I wouldn’t have suggested hunting.

“This is the time when the number of wild animals increases, so why not catch a lot?”

“That would be good.” If there are too few wild animals, the people’s food will decrease, but if there are too many, it threatens public security. As expected, you have a warm heart.”

When I saw the Marquis bursting into laughter, I felt annoyed and embarrassed for no reason.

***

He rode around the hunting grounds riding a white horse lent by the Marquis of Barandiga.

‘What a great horse.’

Even though I had limited knowledge about horses and riding, I was impressed by how smooth the movements were. I think I understand why the generals who go into battle insist on famous horses.

Since it is a creature that walks on all fours, it would be a lie to say there was no shaking at all, but the shaking was transmitted very slightly. I didn’t even feel any of the back pain or groin pain experienced by beginners. Like a child born to ride people, like a child who understands the state of the rider’s body and mind in real time.

So I’m a little perplexed. Even though I was hunting with the intention of simply losing, I received very good comments.

‘Is it possible that the marquis doesn’t get along with the lady?’

To make matters worse, I even thought that it was a ploy by the Marquis Barandiga to prevent Lady Shati’s victory her her her her. A father who can’t tolerate his daughter winning? It is truly a huge deal.

Of course, it won’t be for such a heinous reason. The father and daughter she watched for several days seemed to be on good terms, even though they occasionally argued. Even that fight was a conflict based on her affection.

‘I guess it’s for safety.’

Perhaps, from the Marquis’s point of view, she gave him the best horse she could to prepare for the royal family’s accidental fall from horseback. Common sense suggests that this is highly likely.

“If there were more children like you, the cavalry of the empire would become stronger.”

As I muttered while stroking her her mane her her her, the child carrying me turned her head innocently.

I burst out laughing because this reaction reminded me of someone else. Coincidentally, this child also had white fur similar to Lady Shati’s silver hair,

– Puhi hing!

“Huh?”

Suddenly, the white horse pricked her ears and ran somewhere.

No, no matter how much I do, I am your standard bearer. Can’t you at least get the rider’s consent and go?

***

It has been decided that the person who catches more animals will win the game, but there is no intention of making up the number with small rabbits or anything like that. If possible, I want to capture a huge monster and achieve a complete victory.

“That would be good.” If there are too few wild animals, the people’s food will decrease, but if there are too many, it threatens public security. As expected, the lady has a warm heart.”

And as Marquis Idrafen said, the number of wild animals must be controlled so that the tribesmen… No, the citizens will be safe. If you see something so big that ordinary citizens can’t handle it, it’s right to kill it.

It was embarrassing that I only realized that obvious thing after listening to the Marquis. No matter how blinded he was by victory, he forgot the safety of his people as the successor to Barandiga.

‘It’s annoying.’

It’s clearly a hunt prepared to win from the Marquis, but for some reason I keep feeling like I’m losing.

“Physical strength is not everything. Intelligence and manners are also part of strength!”

Then suddenly, what he said to his father came back to him.

Why, why do those words come to mind at this moment! In this case, Marquis Idrafen seems like the person I said!

Of course, the Marquis is intelligent, perhaps because he had experience attending the Imperial Academy, and although he is a sneer at me, he is also polite.

Still, he’s not a marquis. Anyway, no!

‘I am the next priest.’

I bit my lip and thought to myself. Even though the nomads have become imperial people, we must not abandon our entire culture. Even if we embrace civilization for the convenience of life, we must not forget our roots.

The position of priest that my father held, and the position that I will inherit, is our culture and foundation. It is impossible for me to marry a member of the imperial family.

So, I will definitely meet and marry a strong, intelligent, polite, kind, and handsome nomad.

…

‘How many should we give up?’

I haven’t seen any nomads who meet all five conditions so far, so it might be a good idea to give up one or two.

– Purr…

“Huh? What’s wrong?”

Tina, who was just walking quietly, looked around nervously.

It’s an unexpected sight. Tina was a scared child when she was young, but she became a brave child as she roamed the meadows with me. Tina suddenly looks like this?

But it wasn’t long before she realized why Tina was scared.

─Tsk tsk tsk tsk!

A strange-looking beast jumped out with a roar.

A beast that runs on two legs with the head of a lion, the body of a bear, and the tail of a snake.

From what anyone could see, it was not a normal animal and chose to run away quickly. It’s foolish to insist on one-on-one fighting against an enemy you’ve never seen before.

“We have not yet conquered all the dungeons used by Dorgon and his minions. Be careful, as they may be near the hunting grounds.”

And, quickly recalling the advice my father had given me, I deduced the identity of that bizarre beast.

It’s a magic beast. A dungeon beast famous for its ferocity.

‘Of course, in a place like this.’

Even if I was unlucky, I felt like swearing would come out in a situation where I was not there.

It is famous that the now-dead Khan pretender Dorgon and his subordinates lived in hiding in a dungeon and started an uprising. So, after the north became the territory of the empire, the imperial army was traveling around the north, suppressing dungeons.

However, I did not know that there was a dungeon nearby that was not under the sight of the imperial army. I had no idea that the place was a hunting ground. My father probably just gave this advice as a courtesy!

‘…How far are they chasing me?’

Eventually, I looked back at the demonic beast that was still chasing me and Tina.

If you run away, you can hit as much as you want. But what if that demon doesn’t give up and comes after me? What if you happen to run into Youngmin, who is passing by? What if you encounter the Marquis somewhere in the hunting field?

‘No.’

It is difficult. Unlike me, who can skillfully escape, ordinary citizens and marquis can be harmed by magical beasts.

‘We have to stop it here.’

So before you run into other people, stop here… Ow?

‘Huh?’

The magical beast is not visible.

Instead, a dark shadow was seen on the ground.

─Chuckuuuuu!

‘Ha.’

Can someone that big even jump?

‘It’s a foul.’

Why do I only meet mean people these days?