Chapter 62: Southern Hunting Tournament (1)

The empire's southern region, known for its stable climate and fertile soil, was often praised as the most beautiful land, second only to Luden, a territory believed to be blessed by the main God. Its beauty rivaled even that of the East.

However, as the saying goes, 'God is fair,' this southern region also had one trouble like the northern climate, and that was the Lunproud Mountains surrounding it. Legend had it that these mountains were the dwelling place of the evil dragons mentioned in the old tales of the Kraus family. It was recognized as the largest habitat of monsters on the continent, and remained one of the unexplored mystical terrains.

Of course, this didn't mean there were always fierce battles with monsters at its borders. However, the fact that it was a dangerous place never changed.

The time when monsters predominantly came down from the mountains was winter, when the land was blanketed in snow. Whether it was because food within these vast mountains became scarce during this season, the monsters descended from the mountain range as if on schedule.

For some reason, even I, who had read the novel about this world, couldn't fathom why. The only explanation provided in the novel was a vague hint at some sort of underlying condition. Like others, I could only vaguely speculate that perhaps it was due to a lack of food within the mountains. But the actual reason remained obscured.

Nonetheless, as winter approached, cities in the south, including Sarham, announced its arrival by conducting large-scale monster hunts. If these hunts were successful, the worries of winter were virtually over for the southern regions.

The southern spring hunting competition was also organized with a similar intent.

Once winter passed, unless one ventured deep into the mountains, the threat of encountering monsters diminished. But for the territories close to the mountains, monsters weren't the only concern.

Distinctly from other regions, the Luneproud mountains had a thick concentration of mana in the air. Whether this was related to the monsters' ecology or some other cause remained unknown. However, this intense magic energy not only affected monsters but also the animals and plants living in the mountains.

Compared to similar species from other regions, the creatures of the mountains had their abilities extremely enhanced.

Given the diverse ecosystem within the mountains, the variety of beasts was equally diverse. And these mana-infused beasts posed as much of a threat as any average monster. In the old days, if a tiger came down to the village, it was treated as a calamity. Now, imagine a mana-enhanced tiger; it was beyond words.

The hunting competition wasn't merely a showcase of martial skill among families. At its core, it was about safeguarding territories, akin to the monster subjugations.

While monsters posed a more significant threat, the competition still held its own dangers. But its victors would mark their triumphs with grand feasts in their territories. On the whole, this annual event cultivated unity among southern families, lifting the people's spirits after enduring a rigorous winter.

I believe Orcus' determination to participate in the tournament had something to do with this.

Perhaps he had been trying to engage in a bit of image-building. The families located in the south were more inclined towards martial skills than magic, after all.

Even with Noel by his side, for Orcus aiming for the throne, leaving a good impression on the southern nobles would be beneficial.

"Ah, it's raining."

As usual, when I woke up early in the morning and went outside to practice with my sword, a droplet of water fell from the sky and touched my cheek. Curiously looking up, where the sun should have been, murky clouds took its place.

One by one, the raindrops fell, making dots on the soil. Before long, they became a heavy downpour, soaking the ground completely.

For some reason, I had sensed an unusual humidity the previous evening.

I swiftly retreated to my tent, peering out to observe the commotion.

With the rain intensifying, people hurriedly moved their belongings inside. It soon became apparent that this wasn't a passing shower.

The pace of the soldiers increased as the rain became heavier. In a short while, the bustling noises outside disappeared, leaving only the sound of the rain.

Considering the torrential downpour, even I couldn't ask the empire's sole prince to train on such a day. Unless he volunteered on his own, of course.

Recalling our successful hunt in the forest yesterday, it wasn't entirely impossible that he might want to train more. But as I pondered, it seemed unlikely that he would venture out into this torrential downpour.

If by that slight chance, he did express a desire to head out, I would oppose Orcus' decision this time around. After all, this was Lunpaud's territory, and I don't want a repeat of last year's incident.

Orcus and Noel...

...The two siblings had been in Sarham for almost a week now. Now, only two days remained until the hunting competition. But there was no longer a need to rigorously increase Orcus' training hours.

If I were to pick who changed the most over this week, it would undoubtedly be Noel. However, separately, Orcus' skills had also evolved considerably. Not enough to aim for victory in the competition, but surely enough to earn admiration.

I personally felt there was room for improvement, but if he was satisfied, then it was fine.

I glanced in the direction of their tent, but just like everywhere else, it was silent. I thought Noel, being who she was, might have ventured into the forest despite the rain.

Did Orcus dissuade her?

"Perhaps today is a day of rest..."

Muttering to myself, I sat on the makeshift bed inside the tent. It was a little harder than the one in the castle room, but for a temporary outdoor shelter, this was more than adequate.

Given the humidity, taking a nap might be a good idea, but the relentless drumming of rain on the tent made sleep seem uninviting.

Unable to decide on a course of action, I simply stared at the tent's ceiling, swaying with the raindrops. For a moment, the emptiness in my mind felt oddly satisfying, but that fleeting peace was soon replaced by a gnawing sense of boredom.

Before I knew it, someone's face naturally started to appear in my mind.

Immediately, I kicked off the covers and got up from the bed, searching for my raincoat.

"She must be resting now."

Even though I told myself it was too early to see her, my body was already preparing to meet Elena. I put on the raincoat hanging in the corner of the room and looked outside where it was still raining.

Despite my initial eagerness to step out, seeing the landscape through the gap in the tent made me halt in my steps. The rain had grown fiercer than before, but it wasn't enough to stop me. It was just that I no longer had a reason to leave the tent.

Standing still without taking a step, I looked at the silhouette approaching me from beyond the tent.

-Splash

With the sound of water splashing, a figure wearing a black raincoat like mine entered the tent. Damp white hair shimmered from water droplets on the black fabric of the raincoat. I took a cloth from a nearby chair, approached, and draped it gently over her head.

Even though the raincoat did its job and she was only slightly wet, I wrapped the cloth around her head, softly brushing it downward.

The soft touch of her hair could be felt through the thin cloth. Unexpectedly placing a cloth over someone's head might startled them, but her face remained serene. Her trusting demeanor reminded me of an obedient puppy, so I simply smiled at her, without uttering a word.

For a brief moment, she looked at me with a relaxed expression. But soon, perhaps catching the meaning in my eyes, Elena's eyes widened slightly. But even that surprised look couldn't disguise the warmth in her eyes—a warmth that simply made me smile broader.

Seeing my continuous smile, her face turned even redder.

Elena began to lower her head again. I continued to stroke her hair without saying a word. Although it was more of a caress than brushing. It had changed from its original purpose of drying her hair.

Well, what does it matter?

Elena began to dart her eyes around, seemingly trying to avoid my gaze. Suddenly, as if she had discovered something, she smiled faintly and met my eyes again, her lips still curled in that smile.

"Were you planning to go out?"

She said, looking at my raincoat which was still dry. Even though she put it into words, it seemed she already knew the reason I had put on my raincoat. Without denying her statement, I nodded in response.

"I was, but now I don't think there's a need to."

Saying so, I spread out Elena's wet raincoat on a chair, together with the cloth. She naturally moved and sat on the bed, and I, after removing my raincoat, approached and sat down next to her.

--- END OF CHAPTER ---