TTQI 6

Puuuuu…

The trumpet sound announcing the king’s procession and the opening of the hunt resounded widely toward the clear sky.

The group of nobles participating in the hunting competition, including the king, was waiting at the entrance of Caritas Forest. The crowd consisted not only of the king and his vassals but also the king’s guests, court musicians to entertain them, jesters, and attendants, forming a considerably large group.

On the path connecting the forest and the castle, awnings were lined up for the guests watching the competition. Those who were not particularly interested in hunting large game or winning prizes were meant to sit under the awnings and wait.

This year, unlike the previous one, a seat for the queen had been added under the awnings. However, the specially prepared seat was empty. Not only that seat but also the two seats for the king and queen under the largest tent in the center were vacant side by side. This was because both of them were on horseback, waiting in the procession heading into the forest. The king stood solemnly at the front of the mounted group. However, the queen was not at the king’s side. He was, in fact, beside the prince.

“Isn’t the sun too hot for you?”

“It’s fine. Besides, there’ll be shade from the trees once we enter the forest.”

Even on the rare day of the hunting competition, the prince was busy attending to the queen as if he were his personal servant. This was not for any other reason but because the king had strictly ordered him to take responsibility for protecting the queen this time as well. Feeling guilty for a past slip of the tongue to the former queen, the prince thought he should fulfill the queen’s requests responsibly and persistently pleaded with the king, even at the risk of being scolded. As a result, the king unexpectedly nodded in agreement but, as anticipated, attached the condition that the prince must ensure nothing happened to the queen’s safety. If anything went wrong, there would be consequences. Because of this, the prince had to set aside some of his ambitions for personal achievements.

Moreover, the queen’s words to him before the start made him even more concerned. Unlike a few days ago when he stubbornly insisted on participating in the competition, on the day of the event, the queen suddenly began to sound weak. What if he got hit by a stray arrow? What if he crashed into a tree and fell off his horse? He expressed fear, imagining all sorts of scenarios. Even when the prince reassured him that such things wouldn’t happen, the queen remained adamant, essentially demanding that he stay by his side to protect him from any mishaps. Although he had no intention of leaving him alone, the prince stuck closely to him to reassure him, not straying even for a moment.

They weren’t the only ones in the procession. The remaining knights of Yonaras, namely Sir Villeneuve, Sir Simonet, Bride, and Sir Kimset, had also come to the royal castle for the occasion. These young and spirited knights were always among the top contenders in the annual hunting competition.

However, the five knights who had gathered for the occasion couldn’t unite as one and stood far apart, excluding the prince. From their position, they could barely make out the prince’s back in the distance.

Simonet, craning his neck to peer in the prince’s direction, gave up and turned back to his friends.

“I can’t see well. I guess he can’t hear my voice.”

“Stop fidgeting and stay quiet. We’ll join him once we enter the forest,” Kimset said, holding Simonet back.

At that moment, a soldier organizing the procession announced that His Majesty’s opening speech was about to begin. From the front of the group, the king of Yonaras, dressed in red ceremonial robes and mounted on horseback, rode forward past the soldiers. The king surveyed the nobles, explaining the significance of the competition, the procedures, and the prizes prepared for those who achieved the best results. To avoid interrupting the speech, the four knights lowered their voices even further.

Simonet whispered, “So, the person next to him right now is the queen, right? The one with the long bow over white fur. Zizlon’s been so busy talking to him; it seems they’ve gotten quite close since we last saw them.”

Among the knights who had come to the capital but had barely seen Zizlon’s face, interest in the queen, who seemed to have taken their friend away, was high. Having attended the wedding thanks to Zizlon, they had seen the queen’s face once before.

“I never imagined they’d become friends. How did they get so close?”

Since only one person could answer that question, the other three knights’ gazes turned to Ade. Ade, who had been looking at the prince and queen with a displeased expression, noticed their stares and replied half-heartedly, “That busybody couldn’t leave the queen alone, that’s all.”

“So, he can’t compete with us today?” Simonet asked, sounding disappointed.

“Probably not. His Majesty told him not to leave his side for a moment. Unless the queen enthusiastically joins the hunt, it doesn’t seem like he’s the type to enjoy it.”

“Damn it! That’s a shame. I practiced archery so much to beat him this year.”

Soon after, a vassal announced the start of the hunt. The soldiers lined up blew their whistles three times in succession. The front of the group began to move slowly, and the party started dispersing into the forest one by one.

Ade and his friends rode closer to the prince as planned. The prince was riding side by side with the queen, chatting amiably. So engrossed in conversation, he didn’t notice his friends approaching until they were very close.

“Zizlon! Oh, I mean, Your Highness!”

“Huh? Simonet?”

Simonet rode up the fastest. When he called out cheerfully, the prince finally turned to them. Spotting Simonet’s face, he smiled warmly, pleased to see his friends at last. The queen, curious, turned to look as well.

The other three knights caught up one by one and greeted the prince and queen in turn.

“Your Highness, isn’t this a bit much? How could you not look back even once? We kept calling you.”

“Oh, really? I didn’t notice.”

“You’re so smitten with the beautiful queen that you’re neglecting your friends. That’s really disappointing.”

“N-no, it’s not like that.”

“No use denying it. I saw everything. Your Highness, completely enchanted by the queen’s beauty, didn’t even glance our way. But what a perfect pair you two make… ugh!”

Bride struck Simonet’s side, quickly cutting off his reckless words. Simonet let out a short groan, clutching his side, and fell back in the procession. Even Kimset, usually a pacifist, gave a thumbs-up, praising Bride’s quick response.

Kimset then asked the prince, “So, Your Highness, will you be escorting the queen all day?”

“It seems so.”

“Then you won’t hunt with us?”

The prince glanced at the queen with a complicated expression. Though he tried to hide it, his disappointment was evident. Yet, out of consideration for the queen, who was listening, he couldn’t express it openly. With a reluctant expression, he nodded.

“Yes. You guys hunt without me this year. Still, one of you might win the prize His Majesty has set this time.”

“Boo! Even if Your Highness participated, the prize would’ve been mine. Do you know how hard I practiced archery?”

“Ignore this guy. He’ll come to his senses once we crush him. It’s a shame, though. Your Highness, haven’t you been looking forward to the hunt?”

“I have, but some things can’t be helped. Besides, talking with the queen is as enjoyable as hunting. Don’t worry about me.”

Though disappointed, they seemed to accept the situation. As they exchanged jokes and created a lively atmosphere, Ade suddenly spoke up.

“Why does it have to be like that? Why doesn’t the queen join the hunt?”

His sharp tone made everyone turn to Sir Villeneuve. He stood a step aside, arms crossed, listening to their conversation. Aion looked at him expressionlessly. Unfazed by the queen’s gaze, Ade pointed behind him with confidence.

“You’ve brought such a splendid bow; surely you intend to hunt? It looks like you’ve prepared thoroughly, so I don’t believe you’re saying you won’t hunt.”

“Oh, you’re right. Your Majesty, you brought a bow. It’s an unusual color,” Simonet said, as everyone’s attention turned to the bow and arrows on the queen’s back. As he noted, the bow was striking. Unlike ordinary wooden bows, its frame was made of a thin, sturdy white material. Though slender, it was much longer than a typical bow.

The queen replied, “This bow is indeed mine, brought from Komnena, but I usually keep it as a decorative piece and don’t handle it well. As you can see, it’s designed more for ornament than function. Above all, I don’t have the confidence to shoot from a moving horse.”

“You own a bow but can’t use it? Fine. But even so, if you’re just going to ride around chatting, why not join us? We can hold a conversation too.”

His words were openly sarcastic, laced with barbs. The prince’s expression hardened, and Simonet, startled, discreetly patted his back. But Ade pushed Simonet’s arm away, as if telling him not to interfere. The other knights held their breath, watching the two.

Aion lowered his eyes and said calmly, “But your riding skills are surely far superior to mine. I don’t have the stamina to keep up.”

“If riding is too much, why not rest at the spectator seats?”

“I’m embarrassed to admit, but I don’t know anyone among the invited guests. With both His Majesty and the prince hunting, I felt uncomfortable sitting there alone.”

“Then why not go to His Majesty? He’s your husband, and is there a safer place than by his side?”

“Villeneuve, what are you saying right now?”

The queen couldn’t respond immediately to the last question. But Zizlon, unable to hold back, interjected. His voice was unusually tense, his face stiff, unlike his usual self. As the atmosphere grew increasingly hostile, the friends stepped in to mediate. Simonet forced a smile, pushing Ade, while Bride and Kimset surrounded him, trying to calm things down.

Ade, who had been staring at the queen, clicked his tongue and turned away when Simonet intervened. The prince still seemed slightly upset, but as the tension eased, Kimset stepped in to mediate.

“Sir Villeneuve has always been rough with words, so please don’t take it to heart, Your Majesty. He doesn’t mean ill, but he doesn’t know how to speak kindly. Still, there’s some truth to what he said. If Your Majesty enjoys hunting, why not join us? We won’t ride too hard. Our goal is to have fun, not just to score high.”

“But… won’t I be too much of a burden?”

“If Your Majesty must stay with the prince, we also want to spend time with His Highness Zizlon, whom we haven’t seen in a while. So, traveling together seems the best option.”

“Ugh, the charming Prince Zizlon. How does it feel to have everyone’s love?”

“Sir Simonet, please stop acting up.”

Somehow, an agreement was reached. The queen seemed less than pleased but found Kimset’s proposal too reasonable to refuse and eventually agreed. Zizlon, who had been sulking, visibly relaxed, inwardly pleased with the decision, though he maintained a stern expression for a while out of concern for the queen’s feelings.

The five knights and the queen finally rode deeper into the forest. The knights, experienced from years of hunting in the forest, easily found spots frequented by rabbits and deer. There were so many rabbits that they could shoot a few without riding too hard. Ade and the prince, skilled archers, had rabbits dangling from their horses’ flanks. Kimset and Bride also performed well. In contrast, Simonet and the queen scored poorly. The queen didn’t even draw his bow, while Simonet tried hard but only scared the rabbits away with his noise.

As the group enjoyed hunting and chatting, Kimset slowed his horse to approach Ade, who was staring ahead stoically. Kimset whispered, “Hey, why were you so rude to the queen?”

“What did I do?”

Ade responded curtly, as if hearing it for the first time. Simonet, who had been quietly watching Ade, joined in.

“What do you mean, ‘what’? You were mean to the queen. Why did you do that? You’re not a kid.”

“…Hmph.”

As Bride, too, slipped away from the prince and queen to join them, Ade clicked his tongue in surrender.

“You guys don’t get it. You don’t know how things have been with Zizlon and the queen lately.”

“Why? They just seem close.”

“Close, you say?”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Speak clearly, don’t just smirk.”

Ade cast a meaningful glance at the prince and queen ahead, who seemed engrossed in conversation, appearing utterly absorbed in each other. But Ade’s gaze was cold.

“Do you know how the queen’s been treating him lately? Zizlon’s been saying he has no time for himself. He’s skipped training he used to do regularly, and he’s stopped going to the tavern with us. Outside of official duties, he spends all his time with the queen. It’s because the queen keeps calling for him—prince this, prince that—whenever he has a moment. It’s been like that for a while now. Zizlon says he’s fine with it, but honestly, to me, it looks like the queen’s treating him like a servant. Zizlon’s too soft, that’s the problem. He’s the crown prince of a nation, and yet this barbarian from a vassal state dares to order him around like a servant without knowing his place?”

Ade scoffed coldly. Simonet, Kimset, and Bride exchanged awkward glances.

“…Hey, are you just upset because Zizlon hasn’t been hanging out with you lately?”

“No.”

Simonet chuckled, poking Ade’s shoulder, but Ade brushed him off irritably.

“Come on, be honest. You’re just jealous…”

“I said no.”

When Ade glared fiercely, Simonet shrank back. As Simonet’s attempt to lighten the mood failed, Bride, the group’s moral compass, stepped in. Unfazed, he calmly reprimanded Ade.

“Whatever your reasons, he’s the queen. He’s your lord’s spouse and now the second most important person in the kingdom. What you did was clearly wrong. Apologize to the queen and to Zizlon. You’ve embarrassed him, and he seems disappointed in you as a person.”

“…”

“Got it?”

“…Got it.”

Ade clamped his mouth shut stubbornly but nodded reluctantly when Bride pressed him. Deep down, he knew he was wrong. Acting out and ruining the mood in the presence of superiors was immature. He was just reluctant to apologize.

As Ade let out a resigned sigh, the three knights relaxed and smiled. Kimset nodded, and Simonet gave Ade a playful slap on the back. Looking at his friends, Ade sighed again and spurred his horse toward the prince and queen.

“Wow, did the rabbits have a gathering today? I just shot at the ones I saw, and I got this many!”

After the queen and prince graciously accepted Sir Villeneuve’s sincere apology, the group’s atmosphere became much warmer. In the lighter mood, Simonet, in particular, began acting freely, as if unleashed. To top it off, he had just gotten lucky and caught a pile of rabbits, overtaking the prince and Ade to take first place, making him unusually triumphant.

“It’s just rabbits. Catching a few won’t get you a prize,” Ade, ever the contrarian, taunted. Simonet responded with a scoff.

“Ha! My goal isn’t the prize—it’s beating you guys.”

“Damn it, hearing him talk about winning makes me feel like I’ve lost, and now I’m in a bad mood.”

Ade looked around at the group, seeking agreement. But Bride had already lost interest and was looking elsewhere, Kimset was indifferent, and the queen wore his usual unsettlingly blank expression. Only Zizlon was smiling at him brightly. Ade frowned at the prince’s carefree smile.

“Why are you laughing?”

“It’s just fun watching you guys.”

Ade stared at the prince, who was simply smiling happily. Then, noticing something over the prince’s shoulder, Ade suddenly grinned.

“Hmm… How about it, Your Highness? Shall we put him in his place this year?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Ade put a finger to his lips, shushing him, and pointed beyond the prince’s back. Turning, they saw a herd of deer grazing peacefully. The lead stag was particularly large, with impressive antlers—a prime target for scoring points.

“What? The deer are this close and haven’t run?” Simonet said, poking his head between them. Ignoring him, Ade proposed to the prince, “How about it, Your Highness? Want to take a shot?”

“Hmm… The distance is tricky, but I’ll give it a try.”

Focusing on the deer’s head, the prince drew an arrow and nocked it. The group watched quietly as he pulled the bowstring taut, aiming at the deer’s forehead. When the string trembled, he released. The arrow flew sharply but hit the deer’s leg as it moved at the last moment.

“Oh no! It’s getting away!”

The wounded deer leaped and fled with the herd. Seeing the bleeding prey escape, the prince instinctively grabbed the reins. As he prepared to charge, Ade, also grabbing his reins, eagerly egged him on.

“Your Highness! Let’s chase it! It won’t get far!”

The prince hesitated briefly, glancing back. The knights by the queen’s side chimed in, promising to guard him in the prince’s stead. The queen said nothing. With his friends’ enthusiastic support and the deer getting farther away, the prince grew anxious. After a quick moment of thought, he kicked his horse’s flank.

“Thanks! Please look after His Majesty the Queen for a bit! Hyah!”

With a shout, the prince galloped off, his cloak billowing. Not to be outdone, Ade spurred his horse, which neighed loudly and chased after the prince, disappearing in a flash.

Watching the two speed off, Simonet clapped like a child. Then, he suddenly realized, “Oh, wait! If they catch that deer, I’ll lose. I got caught up in the moment and cheered them on.”

Simonet smacked his forehead. Kimset laughed heartily, while Bride, who had been uneasy since the prince left, shook his head, muttering about the lack of responsibility.

“…”

The queen stared in the direction the two had gone. Kimset, mid-laugh, glanced at him. The queen’s perpetually blank face was, as always, hard to read. Only after the prince left did Kimset feel a bit awkward. Facing the queen directly was uncomfortable.

“Uh… Ahem. Your Majesty, they’ll be back soon. Stay with us until then.”

Kimset spoke cautiously, watching the queen’s reaction, but there was no change in expression.

“…”

To make matters worse, the queen was stubbornly silent. Kimset belatedly recalled that he rarely spoke unless the prince initiated conversation. Whether he didn’t hear or was ignoring him, the queen remained silent. Feeling ignored, Kimset smacked his lips awkwardly.

Then, the queen, who had been staring intently in the direction the prince had gone, suddenly spoke.

“I’m going.”

“…Pardon?”

The abrupt statement stunned Kimset and the other knights. Going? Who was going where? The queen repeated, “Since the prince, who was supposed to escort me, has left, I will return to His Majesty.”

“Wait, Your Majesty? That’s…”

The words were so startling that even the composed Bride stammered. Simonet looked like he doubted his ears. But the queen demonstrated his intent with action. As he gripped the reins, ready to ride off, Simonet jumped forward in alarm, as if only now understanding.

“You’re going back?”

“Yes.”

“But the prince will be back soon.”

“When is ‘soon’? The prince broke his promise to stay by my side and protect me at all times. I no longer feel safe, so I will take my leave now.”

The three knights stood with their mouths agape, utterly dumbfounded. Kimset was so flustered that he momentarily forgot how difficult it was to converse with the queen.

Even though the prince had only stepped away briefly, it was incomprehensible that the queen felt unsafe despite being guarded by three knights. As Kimset looked at the queen’s cold expression staring directly at him, he suddenly felt a sense of unease. Was this the queen’s usual demeanor? Somehow, he seemed like an entirely different person compared to when he was with the prince. While his expression was as blank as ever, when he was with the prince, he had a timid, somewhat dazed impression. Now, the queen seemed entirely wrapped in wariness and indifference. And then, this unexpected behavior!

The remaining knights were at a loss, but fearing the prince would end up in a difficult situation, they tried their best to persuade the queen. However, the queen wouldn’t listen. Simonet, realizing for the first time how hard it was to please the queen’s temperament, looked slightly exasperated. No matter what they said, the queen stubbornly insisted on leaving, and Simonet, half-resigned, finally asked, “You’re not saying you’re going alone, are you?”

“I’m going alone.”

“What? No, that’s not possible! At least some of us will accompany you.”

Bride, the stickler for principles, spoke up earnestly. But no sooner had he raised his voice than the queen glared at him with icy eyes.

“You have not been ordered by His Majesty to protect me, so you have no right to do so. And how can I be sure whether you harbor disrespectful intentions toward me?”

The words dripped with such hostility! The knights froze as if turned to ice.

With the stiffened knights behind him, the queen sharply turned his horse’s head. When Bride instinctively took a step forward, the queen, as if sensing it like a ghost, turned and glared fiercely.

As Bride hesitated under the queen’s intimidating gaze, the queen, seemingly satisfied, spurred his horse forward. Contrary to his earlier complaints about being afraid to ride, the queen skillfully maneuvered the horse, weaving through the trees with ease and riding off confidently. The knights, completely overwhelmed by his hostility, stood like fools, watching helplessly as the queen rode away. His demeanor was so aggressive that no one dared to stop him until the very end.

After a short while, Simonet muttered in a grave tone, “We should go after him now.”

“Yeah, we can follow him secretly.”

“Kimset, you stay here and wait for the queen. We’ll call for you later.”

Once the queen was out of sight, the knights hurriedly prepared. Leaving Kimset behind just in case, Bride and Simonet rushed toward the castle, but it was either too late or the queen had cleverly evaded them, as he had vanished without a trace, making it impossible to track him further. Worried that the queen might have gotten lost, the frantic knights finally decided to report the matter to His Majesty the King and hurriedly set off.

*

Meanwhile, the queen, having shaken off the knights, was riding not toward the castle but in the direction the prince had gone. Carefully navigating through the trees, Aion silently urged his horse forward and soon caught the sound of two men talking quietly. Following the voices closely, the queen easily found the prince and Sir Villeneuve. It seemed they had lost the deer, as they were conversing in front of a pool of blood.

Villeneuve said to the prince, “There’s so much blood here, but the trail stops abruptly. With this much blood, it must have collapsed somewhere.”

“It probably fell here briefly and then got up and fled. There’s no trace, and it’s admirable how it escaped, so let’s just let it go, Ade. The queen must be waiting.”

“Tch. I was planning to catch that thing and present its antlers to His Majesty.”

“Let’s head back now.”

The queen, whose expression brightened as he overheard their conversation, started to approach them. But he froze at Ade’s next words.

“By the way, you were talking down to us in front of the queen, weren’t you?”

Ade grinned at Zizlon, and Zizlon, about to turn his horse, paused and looked back at him, slightly flustered.

“You guys were being formal with me too.”

“I only got formal because you spoke casually first.”

“Did I? I didn’t notice.”

“It’s like you naturally put on airs in front of the queen. Even though you’ve gotten close to him lately, it seems you’re not entirely comfortable.”

“…Are you going to keep bringing that up today?”

Zizlon slowly started riding, and Ade followed, urging his horse along. They moved at a leisurely pace along the mountain path. Aion kept a steady distance, riding parallel to them behind a curtain of trees.

“So, what do you think of the queen? You know, don’t you? That you’re being overly protective. Some people are saying you’re a pitiful prisoner of love, smitten with the queen’s beauty.”

The prince chuckled.

“That’s ridiculous!”

“If that’s not it, your devotion doesn’t make sense. Who would do that for someone without ulterior motives?”

The prince shook his head firmly.

“Of course, you can. Why not? It’s not even something that requires effort. It’s just about spending enjoyable time together. And since it happens to help him, it’s even better.”

“So, you’re saying you’d do this for anyone who needs it?”

“Of course.”

“Well, you are the kind of person who says everyone is lovable.”

“Stop getting jealous over nothing. You’re closer to me than he is.”

The two young men laughed heartily as they chatted. Zizlon answered Ade’s questions without much thought, his face full of genuine satisfaction. Aion’s grip on the reins tightened gradually.

Then, Ade asked again, “Jealousy? Alright, let me ask you one thing then. What comes first, love or friends?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Zizlon shot him a baffled glance.

“Just answer.”

“Well… Not now, but if I had a spouse, wouldn’t love come first? They’d be my family.”

“What? So, it’s love then?”

“I suppose so.”

“No way. Where does that leave us? Your friends have been pushed aside for some random newcomer.”

“What are you talking about? If you’re teasing me about the queen again…”

“No, no. I’m talking about something recent. Hmm? Who was having a secret rendezvous in broad daylight?”

Ade smirked mischievously and playfully punched Zizlon’s chest. The prince looked puzzled, clearly not catching on.

“What?”

“Don’t play dumb. I heard from one of our soldiers that you were hugging a blonde woman at last month’s festival.”

“Oh.”

The prince let out a small sigh. He finally realized what Ade had heard. A blonde woman he hugged at the festival, witnessed by a guard on patrol—there was one incident that came to mind. He’d been wondering when the rumors would start, and it seemed some talkative soldiers had finally spilled the secret.

Knowing the full story, Zizlon found it amusing and couldn’t help but chuckle. Ade, unaware of the context, misinterpreted the laugh and started teasing him excitedly.

“Look at that laugh! You must be having some fun!”

“Stop talking nonsense and let’s go back.”

“Nonsense? Tell me! How did you meet her? What did she do to move a stone like you?”

“It’s not like that.”

“I won’t tell anyone, just tell me. I’m dying to know.”

“Just shut up and walk. You’re ruining my reputation.”

Ade kept up his playful teasing, circling around the prince. Zizlon, pretending to ignore him, rode on, chuckling.

“And anyway, what does it matter? It’s not like I can marry her.”

“But before marriage is exactly when you can have true love.”

“It’s too late. I’m not even interested.”

“Too late? What do you mean? Don’t tell me things are already moving forward without me knowing.”

Ade’s tone grew serious, and Aion’s eyes narrowed as he watched them. Zizlon, however, replied nonchalantly, “Father’s been looking at potential matches for a while now. Marriage proposals have been coming in for some time. What, are you saying I need your permission to choose a spouse?”

“Look at you talking! You should at least tell me. My gosh, I was just joking, but you might actually get married. It’s surreal. The guys who acted like they’d hang out with me forever are leaving one by one. I was shocked when Simonet got married, and now you?”

“What are you talking about? I’m the one who needs to get married the most. Did you think the royal line would end with me?”

“So, who’s the frontrunner?”

“I don’t know much. But at a dinner once, Father mentioned a princess from some country being particularly refined…”

“You’re something else. You’re so indifferent about the person you’ll marry?”

“It doesn’t really matter. I’ll cherish and love whoever it is.”

“Don’t be like that. I’ll help. I’ll subtly suggest someone good to His Majesty…”

The two young men continued joking and burst into laughter. Aion, watching silently, gripped the reins tighter. Lowering his head, he suddenly looked up and stared darkly at the laughing Villeneuve.

Then, Aion’s hand slowly reached behind him. For the first time, he drew the bow he had carried on his back without using. He pulled an arrow from the quiver at his horse’s flank. With slow, graceful movements, he nocked the arrow, drawing the bowstring as if it were an extension of his body. The arrowhead gradually pointed toward Villeneuve.

Aion had been called a divine archer since childhood. Though he disliked physical activities like running or jumping, he handled a bow with such skill it was as if he were born with it. Even the royal family, who found him unsettling, took pride in his archery. On his tenth birthday, the king, pleased with him, gifted him an ivory bow named Tenur. With this white bow, Aion had shot countless targets, animals, and occasionally people, making the king proud.

Aion narrowed his eyes, aiming the arrow at Ade’s head. His pale fingers and the silver arrowhead seemed as massive as a mountain. The taut bowstring trembled faintly. Aion seemed lost in thought for a moment while aiming. Just before releasing, he shifted the arrow’s direction.

Swoosh! Thud!

The arrow flew like lightning, grazing the leg of Villeneuve’s horse and embedding itself in a tree. The startled horse whinnied, rearing its front legs and thrashing. Unprepared for the horse’s panic, Ade tumbled to the ground.

“Ugh!”

“Ade!”

Zizlon, alarmed, called his name and leapt off his horse. Ade’s horse, frightened, bolted off somewhere. Zizlon rushed to Ade’s side, helping him up. The queen, having observed this, stowed his bow and turned his horse to leave without lingering.

Zizlon supported Ade in his arms.

“Are you okay?”

“Ugh… I’m fine… but I think I sprained my ankle. Can you help me up?”

“Can’t you walk?”

“Not really… but it doesn’t feel like a break. It might get better with time.”

Zizlon quickly checked Ade’s leg. Fortunately, there were no visible serious injuries. But since he couldn’t walk on his own, they couldn’t be careless. Zizlon helped him lean against a tree and knelt before the tree where the arrow was lodged.

“This arrow…”

The prince pulled the arrow from the tree and examined it. It was an ordinary arrow distributed to hunting competition participants. But it had struck with such force that it left a deep gouge in the tree. The thought of it hitting Ade sent chills down his spine.

“Ugh… Zizlon, hurry…”

“Oh, sorry. Let’s go!”

At Ade’s urging, Zizlon tossed the arrow aside and stood quickly. He glanced around for any sign of someone, but there was no one.

“Was it a stray arrow? But it seemed to come from close by…”

Zizlon helped Ade onto his horse, then mounted behind him. He had Ade hold his waist and hurriedly set off.

“Ugh… where are we going?”

Ade asked, his head pressed against Zizlon’s back. Zizlon replied in a serious tone, “To the castle. You’re in no condition to keep hunting.”

“Leave me with the soldiers and go back…”

“No, I need to make sure you’re okay. We’re going straight to the castle.”

Zizlon declared firmly, without a hint of humor. Ade fell silent, knowing from their long friendship that Zizlon was unyielding in such moments. Wondering how this had happened, Ade let out a resigned sigh. It seemed this year’s hunting competition would end on a sour note.

*

Zizlon rode straight to the castle and handed the injured Ade to the attendants waiting there. A physician, on standby for injuries during the competition, was immediately summoned. Under the physician’s direction, the attendants laid Sir Villeneuve on a bed and cut away the lower part of his trousers, revealing a swollen ankle. The physician asked Zizlon, who was grimly watching the injured ankle, “How did this happen?”

“He fell from his horse.”

The physician examined Ade’s ankle, manipulating it to assess the injury. Ade answered the physician’s questions, occasionally groaning. Zizlon stayed by the wall, watching his friend. Soon, the physician finished the initial treatment and stood, approaching the prince.

“Fortunately, there’s no damage to the bones. If he keeps it still and doesn’t move, it should heal on its own. He may have some bruises from the fall, but nothing serious.”

“Thank you.”

“No trouble at all. Please tell Sir Villeneuve to refrain from training for a while.”

The physician left calmly. The attendants stayed, cooling Ade’s injury with wet cloths. Zizlon approached and looked down at him. Ade looked up, grinning.

“Told you it wasn’t a big deal.”

“Wow, a little rest, and you’re already back to your old self.”

Zizlon finally relaxed and chuckled. Ade grumbled playfully, “I said I was fine from the start. You didn’t listen. I’m the deputy commander of the guard; this is embarrassing.”

“With all your usual bravado, how could I believe you?”

“Now that you know I’m fine, go back. What are you going to do, leaving the queen behind like that? The others must be shocked that we disappeared.”

Zizlon started at Ade’s words.

“Oh, right!”

“Seriously, when you get focused, you can’t think of anything else…”

Ade clicked his tongue, saying he couldn’t be trusted. Zizlon, embarrassed but suddenly anxious, had no time to retort. He grabbed his discarded cloak, rushed to the door, and shouted, “I’m going! I’ll be back later, so wait!”

“You don’t need to come back! Hurry before His Majesty finds out!”

Zizlon left a quick farewell and ran out without looking back. Ade, shouting after him that he was fine, groaned and lay back down, shaking his head as if Zizlon was hopeless.

*

“Oh no, I didn’t think it through. I was so shocked… It was unavoidable.”

Zizlon berated himself as he hurried down the corridor. He had completely forgotten that his friends and the queen were waiting for him and had rushed back recklessly. He hadn’t realized Ade’s suggestion to leave him with the soldiers was for that reason; in the heat of the moment, he hadn’t been thinking clearly.

But it was an emergency, so there was no helping it. Though the injury wasn’t severe, you never know, and even if he had known the queen was waiting, he would have done the same. The kind-hearted queen would surely understand, Zizlon thought optimistically.

“The one thing that worries me is Father… Surely Simonet and the others haven’t already reported that we disappeared? Even if Father finds out, I can take the scolding, but it’ll make it even harder for the queen to go out in the future. I absolutely can’t mention the arrow. Ade won’t tell anyone while I’m gone, will he?”

It was a mess in every way. Still, to salvage the situation as best he could, he quickened his pace.

That’s when it happened. At the end of the corridor, Zizlon encountered an unexpected figure. Recognizing the face, he stopped dead in his tracks and muttered in disbelief, “Your Majesty?”

Astonishingly, standing before him was Queen Aion. The queen, who should have been waiting in the forest, was right there, alone without any attendants. For a moment, Zizlon thought he was seeing things and looked around. Proving he wasn’t a hallucination, the queen approached and spoke.

“Your Highness Zizlon.”

“Why are you here?”

Zizlon asked in a flustered tone. Reflexively, he scanned the queen’s attire and noticed he had changed out of his hunting gear into ordinary clothes, as if he had been at the castle for some time. And somehow, despite his usual blank expression, the queen seemed in a particularly bad mood. Concerned, Zizlon asked cautiously, “Where are the knights who were with you? Where did they go?”

“Prince.”

“Did you follow me? How did you know I was here…?”

“Prince, how is Sir Villeneuve’s condition?”

The queen cut off Zizlon’s barrage of questions. Slightly taken aback, Zizlon hesitated before answering, “He’s fine. Just a sprained ankle.”

Wait. How did the queen know about the injury? A question arose, but before he could ask, the queen continued, “That’s a relief.”

“Yes. His reflexes are good, so he must have jumped off the horse just before falling.”

“Has His Majesty returned?”

“I asked an attendant, and he’s still in the forest. More importantly… are you alright?”

“…”