After one hour passed by, Knight's belonging to other noble families participating in the festival were summoned back to the banquet, this signalled the end of the hunting festival.
"I've subjugated an entire Goblin village on my own" One of the Knight said bargingly.
"Hmph !, Goblin's are just mere E Rank monster's, I subjucated an entire pack of Malkar Wolves."
"Stop Lying, malkar wolves are D Rank monster's, and always move in packs,you'd be lucky not to get yourself shredded if you encounter one."
Soon the discussion between the Knight's got intense, as they started arguing ,while rebuffing each other's claim.
"I guess we are the only one's who encountered such anomaly." Karn murmured.
"Right, no matter how much I think about it, I feel something off about it." Markus said with a serious tone.
Karn nodded his head, "I also think that an A Rank Beast was a bit too extreme for a friendly hunting festival."
Honestly Karn felt odd, the moment an A Rank Magical Beast was mentioned, but he thought it might just be a gimmick to make this festival more interesting.
But contrary to his expectations, not only the magical beast was real, but both him and Markus were thrown right were it lived, there were just too many incidents to pass it as a mere coincidence.
Soon the banner glowed, as the result of the hunting festival appeared infront of everyone.
1 - The Royal Family :- 5100 points
2 - The Cecil Family :- 4900 points
3 - The Basil Family :- 857 points
4 - The Marge Family :- 805 points
5 .....
6...
7...
8...
9...
10.....
After looking at the leaderboard infront of them, nobles started discussing among themselves.
"Look how big of a difference there is, between the rest and the first and the second place." one of the nobles exclaimed.
"The Cecil Family ? , I've never heard of such family before."
As the discussion started getting intense, as the nobles started looking for that forementioned Family.
There was a family of four, looking at this choas happening in front of them with a strange expression on there face.
"Dear are we going to get validated by the King" Baroness Cecil said with a complete disbelief on her face.
"That's what they said earlier." Baron Cecil said with an hysterical voice.
Soon he noticed a young man in a plain Knight armor walked toward's him.
"I apologise Baron Cecil, I didn't manage to win.
Hearing that Baron couldn't help but cry out "No No , you've done more than enough."
Honestly, this is already too overwhelming for this small Baron family, But if Karn had actually managed to win by overtaking the Royal Family, the Baron might actually faint from shock.
The point's gained from Elder ape were distributed according to the contributions, and Even Karn agreed to the fact that despite him landing the final killing blow,he couldn't overshadow Markus's efforts.
"Is this the family you serve ?" A blonde haired young man apoeared behind Karn,interrupting his conversation with the Baron.
"Well, they indeed hired me as there escort Knight,so you could say."
Markus glanced towards Baron Cecil and introduced himself.
"I am Markus Helos, Nice to meet you."
"Ahh!, Yes I am..." Baron Cecil immediately frowned as he felt something amiss, but soon his face turned pale as he realised " C.C..Crown Prince."
Markus raised his index finger near his mouth and said.
"Sssshh, There are still a lot of people who don't know how Iook like, and I prefer keeping it that way."
Markus wasn't exactly a big fan of lot of greedy nobles flocking around him, no matter wherever he goes.
There are a few people in the Upper echelon, who are aware of his identity, but those people have no need to appease Markus, so he was unbothered and unrestrained throughout this entire banquet.
Soon King Helos entered the middle of the auditorium with a visible smug face.
"Well according to the promise, I'll reward the top 3 families a 'Unique Grade' Weapon as well as a 'Unique Grade' Manual from the Royal treasury."
Karn gave a slight glance toward's Baron Cecil and said "You should go and collect your reward."
"Heeh! M.Me ?" Baron Cecil made an ugly face and said "N..no, you won that on your own, you should have it."
Karn just smiled while being persistent about it, finally Baron Cecil went and collect the award presented to him by King Helos himself.
Honestly, Karn had no need for either the weapon or the manual, so he willingly passed it to someone like Baron Cecil who might actually feel the need for it.
"As I thought, your Identity is not that simple, you just gave away a Unique Grade weapon and manual as it's nothing." Markus said while slightly glinting his eyes.
"That's not it, it's just completely useless to me, I'm a Swordsman, and as for the weapon." Karn gave a side glance towards the long black sword around his waist and smiled.
Markus, immediately noticed the sword Karn's been carrying, and could tell from a glance, it is no way inferior to the wand he owns.
"I guess, just having elves and dwarves as their residents, is not the only thing special about Cassian city."
As a crown prince of the Helos empire, he naturally has to pay attention to any slight moments happening in this continent.
And the news about the races that were meant to be extinct, appeared out of nowhere and formed a city was something that attracted the attention of the entire continent.
Currently all the surrounding powers are still vary of this unknown force that appeared out of nowhere, but once they are considered incompetent and weak, they would be left to tatters.
That was the conclusion Markus had about Cassian city before meeting karn, but now he couldn't help but think 'That place is not that simple.'
After handing out the award to the second and third placed families.
King Helos gave a cough, clearing his throat, as he announced as loudly as he possibly could.
"Now I'd like to introduce all of you to the winner of this hunting festival, my dear son Markus Helos."
Markus immediately rushed in and collected his award, before darting put of this banquet preventing any noble families from flocking around him.
"I guess Royal families have their own families as well." Karn murmured before he clenched his fist.
'I need to get stronger' Karn though, as he still vividly remembered the fight against the elder ape.
Karn felt a huge wall in front of him, one he felt he can climb only after mastering Aura.
~Bzzzzz~
"Huh !" Karn felt a slight buzzing sound,as he glanced at the bracelet, Ian handed to his before he departed for this journey.
"Sorry to disturb you" An old man with with a grey Magician robes and beard walked in towards Karn.
"Archmage Gusete" Karn bellowed, as he felt the buzzing of his bracelet intensify.
"Ho ho ho, So you're the one who managed to take second place in the competition, you're a very talented lad."
"You sure jest, Archmage Gusete" Karn replied curtly.
"Well, I heard you're from Cassian city, what brings you to our capital ?" Gusete said, although slightly Karn could feel a slight killing intent, from Gusete's voice as he asked this question.
"I was merely acquainted with the Cecil family, as it happens they needed a Knight to escort them to the festival, so they eventually hired me."
Vagabond Knight's are not that uncommon in the continent, as there are few people who prefer staying unrestrained, as they are frequently hired by other's according to their abilities. Karn decided to use that as his cover.
"I see, well enjoy the banquet then" Gusete said with an amicable face before returning to the area surrounded by high ranking aristrocrats.
Karn had a frown all over his face as he watched Archmage Gusete and then he glanced towards his bracelet, that gradually stopped buzzing.
'He's a fucking undead' Karn growled inwardly.
The Bracelet made out of God's Metal Adamantium.
Karn still vividly remembered the horrified look on Karakrum's face when Ian ordered to use such precious metal to make a Bracelet.
Ian instructed him that Adamantium is a metal filled with life force, so it's particularly very sensitive to undead energy which is a complete polar opposite to it's nature.
This incident also explained Karn, all the anomalities they faced until now, whether it was getting trapped in the strange isolated plains or getting attacked by an A Rank beast.
Karn would have scotted out of this place if the mastermind was the 8th Circle Archmage Gusete, as Karn had intention getting himself involved in some other nations political struggles.
But fortunately or one could say unfortunately, an Undead living in a body of an 8th Circle Archmage is not something Karn could neglect.
'But how on earth am I suppose to deal with someone with a strength of an 8th Circle' Karn though, as his entire head started to sting from excess thinking.Honestly he felt this sort of things are not exactly his forte.
"Are you okay ?"
A silver haired woman standing right behind him asked with a stoic face.