A sound of the empire's bell by afar echoed through the forest, signaling the hunt is over now that it's exactly noon already.
It didn't take long when the sound of horses and knight chanting their marching song joyfully can be heard.
"The first to come back, heir apparent of Earl Saveria, Sir Elias Reed Saveria!" the boy with deep green eyes and chestnut brown hair, holding 4 set of monsters horns and 4 jet black stone which is a size of a palm each in his net like bag, stop in front of the stage, getting off the dark bay horse, he looks so proud of his catch, as he greeted the emperor.
Earl Saveria's eldest son, I see.
I've read that name somewhere in the news paper in my past life.
The Earl was an ambitious yet smart business man, he was eventually caught in a dirty situation, he will be caught of tax evasion and hoarding flour after a draught happened 5 years ago in past life and possibly this life.
10 years from now he'll probably be caught, I'll just watch from the distance and see if it's still the same.
It doesn't involve me so I couldn't careless as long as no lives are harmed.
The old man looks proud greeting his son who's the same age as my brother, as I turn to see boys and knights entering one by one with their catch.
Oddly, I can feel an energy coming from the horns and those jet black stones specially.
They're divided into 6 teams, more like 4 divided groups of ducal heirs and their knights and boys from earls, marquises, viscounts and barons.
And a team led by my brother and our people consist of the 4 scholars with Sir Paul and some of our knights, and another team, lead by the crown prince with the other 5 scholars and the imperial knights.
I wonder just how many monsters are lurking in the forest for this competition to be this huge, even the birthday celebrant himself participated.
But if it's too dangerous, they wouldn't put the children in danger just to catch those beast one by one.
So far Sir Elias has the most individual catch, they need to total the catch in the end for the best troops, but there is still an individual awards to be given.
Almost everyone is already here except for the crown prince's and my brother's respective groups.
It's already noon time, there's still a banquet left for tonight, this is such a tiring week.
I just want to go home, have a lunch and sleep.
"Lord Dritan!" Daisy gasp in a hush from behind me as I look up and eyes wide open when my brother, who have his coat shut, dragging the amount of large horns tied with rope all together, and his horse carrying the bag of jet black stones which is twice the size of what the rest got.
Even the horns looks like it belongs to monsters trice the size of what the rest caught.
There's no chant but silence greeted him and the crown prince appear from behind, carrying almost the same amount which made chills engulfed me.
They're look scarier right now, those boys should be feared more than the monsters, I was uselessly worrying about the monsters harming them when the monsters are the one who should worry trying to invade the forest with these two nearby.
"I lost count." my brother said, stopping in front of my father who hummed when he put the tied horns and bag of stones down the floor.
The crown prince hop off his horse and all I could stare at are the stones and horns they both caught, sick to my stomach how the smell of the monsters' blood reeks so bad it smells exactly like the black aura.
I tried to ignore it, looking away.
"His imperial highness, Crown Prince Calix Maximillian Augustus of Hestia, 14 pairs!" the appointed auditor counted loudly as the people rejoice, turning the terrifying aura to a bright one.
"The grand ducal heir apparent, Lord Dritan Ares Argyros of Wisteria, 22 pairs." the auditor with trembling eyes announced, as I check the crown prince's and my brother's catch.
"Lord Dritan is really good at archery, he helped me with the last 4 pairs I have here, if I wasn't alerted enough, I could have gone in trouble." the crown prince boasted enthusiastically with bright aura as I look at their feet, as if they step on a flood of blood.
"It's still your catch your highness, you hit it with your bow first, I only helped a bit, you even hit the monsters strait to their skulls." my brother said tensely with a plain expression.
"Then that means Lord Dritan won the individual hunt." the emperor said brightly as I feel a strong gaze staring at me intently, I look up to meet a pair of ruby red eyes, smiling brightly as if he didn't just killed 14 monsters, and his white and gold hunting uniform, still have fresh blood stains on it even some are on his sword sheathe and a bit on his deep golden blonde locks.
His aura, for some reason it's pink and yellow hue.
He seem really happy with my brother winning, no wonder they were accused of being secret lovers before when the crown prince declined every marriage suggestions after I was replaced by Malina.
I couldn't help but try to prevent myself from laughing, and look at my brother who quickly wipe his hands with his blood soiled coat that he took off.
The total of each groups catches are counted, only to award the grand ducal, winning with our knight catching 20 more than the imperialist who caught 42 in total, we have 62 or so, while the rest rank below them.
My brother was awarded with rewards coming from the emperor and the delegates, along Sir Paul, Sir Colin, the other 4 scholars that I've met back in the Wisteria, and the rest of our participating knights.
"That concludes for today's hunt, we'll be looking forward for tonight's official banquet, a celebration of the crown prince's birthday." the emperor said as everyone bowed and was dismissed when the emperor get off the platform, ruffling my brother and the crown prince's hairs.
The emperor left with the delegates while dad stand up and I did too, getting off my seat and following my father who immediately reach for my left hand as I hold onto him.
"We'll see you at the banquet tonight, you imperial highness." dad said to the crown prince who nodded curtly.
I look over my right to see the group of girls, staring at the crown prince, especially Talia and Malina with those murky green aura that wouldn't disappear.
"I'll be expecting for your presence then, and it's a pleasure to finally greet the lady formally in person." I was startled turning to crown prince who's smiling brightly, I can sense my brother tensing.
Finally? In person?
I was confused by his words yet he continue to speak.
"I'm Calix Maximillian Augustus, I'm a close friend and school mate of your brother in the academy, Dritan is two years older than me, but I only happen to enter the academy earlier than my peers that's why we share the same year of study. I've heard a lot about the lady from your older brother, we happen to share a same dormitory mansion too." he spoke so casually, it's at the safe distance that no one could eavesdrop.
I already know they share a dormitory mansion and all.
But I didn't know my brother talks to the crown prince about my existence.
"It's an honor to make an acquaintance with your imperial highness, I'm Althea Lucine Argyros."
I'm sure you and my brother will continue to get along well together even in the future.
Cause I've already seen it in the news paper before, to the point they're accused of being secret lovers.
"I'll be looking forward for the lady to attend the academy soon after your piano performance last night, the academy must be excited to welcome you." the crown prince said while father hummed.
"As much as we'd love for her to attend the academy, she needs to be healthy first, she's a sickly child and must have to maintain a protection spell near her all the time to prevent offensive magics and spells harm her, she was just cured a month ago, we're still not sure if letting her out of the grand duchy without my watch is possible." my dad said honestly to the crown prince.
Now I'm sure the emperor might have told the crown prince already since he nodded in understanding.
But his aura, it turn blueish, as he glance at my brother who eye him sharply with a fiery red aura.
Are they in bad terms right now?
"We'll meet you at the banquet tonight, your highness." my father said dismissively as the blonde boy nod firmly and we excuse ourselves and the Prince walk away with his knights accompanying him to his waiting carriage.
"Daddy, where are we going to have a lunch?" I asked bluntly, as my father pick me up quickly and tap my brother.
"Take the other carriage, and assist him on changing clothes, there's a bathroom on the west wing for him to take a bath, we'll meet you at all home." my father said as my brother nodded immediately and go on the rush, with Wendy and Daisy following my brother, while the other knights and scholars followed too to use the assigned spot where they'll clean up.
"I'll take the carriage with you, let's go home."