A long line of elegant carriages curved around the vast hunting grounds, their polished wheels gleaming under the morning sun. Laughter and chatter floated through the air, audible even from a distance. Nobles in their finest attire mingled beneath silk-draped canopies, the scent of wine and wildflowers drifting around them.
At the center of it all, the Emperor sat in a raised pavilion, flanked by his two Empresses. They exchanged polite conversation with dukes, counts, and other high-ranking guests, graciously accepting greetings and pleasantries.
Not far off, Crown Prince Alexis leaned lazily against a column, a glass of wine in hand, his laughter echoing as he flirted effortlessly with a cluster of elegant noble ladies. From across the gathering, his fiancée, Lady Amber, watched him quietly—her gaze calm but unreadable.
Meanwhile, within the confines of a modest tent, the second prince, Maximus, adjusted the leather straps of his hunting gear. He picked up his bow, testing its string with practiced ease before taking a deep breath. Focused and silent, he began warming up, determined to claim this year's victory.
Serena arrived at the imperial hunting grounds, her carriage rolling to a slow halt. The air buzzed with chatter and laughter, nobles mingling as if the day were nothing more than a grand festival. Bright silks and embroidered cloaks fluttered in the breeze, while servants hurried about carrying trays of wine and delicacies.
She stepped down gracefully, her gaze sweeping over the sprawling grounds. Her lips pressed into a thin line. To her, the event seemed less like competition and more like a display of vanity—an excuse for the nobility to wager fortunes, flaunt power, and whisper schemes behind polite smiles.
Hunting, a joyous occasion? She thought, her expression calm though her heart carried quiet disdain. How strange that bloodshed is treated as entertainment.
Lucas was busy chatting with the other young men about the competition, their voices full of laughter and bravado. Lucia, surrounded by girls her age, spoke animatedly, her cheeks glowing with excitement. Having returned only two months ago, she seemed eager to slip back into noble society.
Serena, however, could not share their lighthearted mood. She wandered along the edges of the hunting ground, her steps slow and distracted. At last, she took a seat among a group of noblewomen who were content to enjoy the scenery rather than participate.
Though she kept her composure, her heart was restless. The rules were simple: wild boar earned fifty points, deer forty, pig twenty. The more one hunted, the closer victory drew. Yet the thought of blood spilled for glory gnawed at her.
Her unease deepened with every passing moment. Something about this hunt felt different—as if danger lurked just beyond the laughter and fanfare.
Lucas and Lucia approached to bid her farewell before venturing deeper into the forest, where the preys awaited. Unlike the other noblewomen, Lucia was daring and adventurous, so Serena felt little worry for her. Lucas, on the other hand, was already an accomplished fighter, skilled and cautious, yet she could not shake a sense of unease.
Serena clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest, fingers intertwined, lips moving silently as she prayed—not just for Lucas and Lucia, but for all those entering the forest.
The forest was alive with rustling leaves, snapping twigs, and the occasional cry of animals. Noblemen and their entourages fanned out along winding paths, bows in hand, arrows ready. The scent of damp earth and pine filled the air.
Lucas moved with precision, scanning the trees for movement. His every step was careful, his bow never leaving his side. Beside him, Lucia crouched, eyes sharp and calculating, listening for the faintest sound of prey. Her youthful energy belied her skill, and she adjusted her grip on her own bow, determined to make her mark.
Points were everything. The more dangerous the prey, the greater the reward, and the closer one came to victory.
Lucas spotted a wild boar rooting through the underbrush. He signaled to Lucia to stay back. Taking careful aim, he drew the arrow, feeling the tension in the bowstring. His eyes didn't waver. The arrow flew, striking true. Fifty points earned, but there was no time to celebrate.
Nearby, other hunters were engaged in their own battles with the forest. Cries of triumph and frustration echoed, blending with the natural sounds of the woods. Every hunter pushed forward, calculating risk and reward, knowing that one misstep could mean losing points—or worse.