The third day of the hunting tournament carried with it a suffocating tension, a sense of desperation that clung to every breath. In Manuel Carter's group, chaos had taken hold.
Emily and Alejandro, scouting a dense stretch of forest, stumbled upon a spider's nest. Before they could retreat, they were forced into combat. Four knights had already fallen, and the rest fought with everything they had against a Class B giant spider and its Class D offspring. Fifty-five creatures in total. The forest floor was a tapestry of silver threads ensnaring bodies, while ten spiderlings writhed in the flames of fire spells.
Emily raised her hands to the sky. "Luminis Radiance!" she called. A golden circle of pure light bloomed beneath her feet, radiating divine energy. Her Delta-class affinity amplified her allies' mana while dampening the dark magic exuding from the swarm. As her aura pulsed, the knights advanced. Alejandro led the vanguard, his sword blazing, slicing through threads dangling from the trees.
But the real threat wasn't on the ground. The giant spider, swift and cunning, darted through the treetops, hurling threads to snare soldiers and devour them from above. Alejandro observed its pattern and unleashed a fiery blaze, cutting the threads before another knight could be dragged away. The others followed suit, fire meeting darkness in a desperate counterattack.
The spider adapted. From the shadowed canopy, it descended silently upon the distracted, injecting venom before vanishing again. William, the strongest knight—a Magister-class—tried to trap it, but the spider was too quick.
When it lunged straight at Emily, a flare of flames lit the forest. Alejandro didn't hesitate. He cast his Rank 5 fire spell, a roaring wave that ignited the branches and forced the creature to recoil. The knights struck with renewed vigor, but the spider shrieked—a high-pitched wail that rattled everyone—and its offspring surged in a renewed frenzy. Soldiers staggered, wounds and exhaustion weighing them down.
Then came a thunderous roar through the trees. A second group arrived: Daniel Carter and his men. Concerned for his children's safety, Daniel had stayed close. His entrance shifted the battle's tide. Within minutes, the spiderlings were obliterated, and the mother, furious at their loss, lunged in blind rage.
Daniel stepped forward, sword glowing with light-infused mana. Every strike pushed back the dark energy of the monster. William, wounded but resolute, joined him. Together, they severed several of its legs. In one last desperate move, the spider leapt at William, sinking its fangs into his shoulder, venom coursing into his veins.
"No!" Emily screamed, reaching out.
Before she could react, Alejandro charged. His fiery sword drove straight into the spider's forehead. Channeling all his mana, he roared:"Burn in hell!"
Flames erupted from the blade, engulfing the spider's head. The creature's shriek tore through the forest before it collapsed, lifeless.
Silence fell, heavy and oppressive. Only the crackle of burning webs and spiderlings filled the air. Daniel rushed to William, who was downing a potion to counteract the venom.
"You'll be okay?" Daniel asked, grave.
"I'll survive, sir. It… was a miscalculation," William replied, struggling to stand.
Daniel frowned."How did you end up in this mess?"
"My oversight," William admitted. "I didn't notice the threads in the trees. I didn't expect a Class B monster this close to the forest's edge."
Daniel turned to his children. Emily and Manuel were sweaty but unharmed."You should have stayed with your mother, Emily. I don't know why I let you talk me into this," he said, disappointed.
"Father… we didn't know the creatures would be this strong. We hadn't gone this deep yet," she replied, voice trembling.
Daniel sighed."This is the season of birthing. Adult monsters scatter to protect their young. The kingdom holds this tournament precisely to cull the forest and prevent threats from reaching the capital. That way, the king's troops aren't risked unnecessarily."
Manuel scowled."So this tournament is just a way for nobles to do the kingdom's dirty work."
Daniel gave a bitter smile."Exactly. Though some enjoy it…"
Manuel understood."That's why the Douglases always win, isn't it? For them, it's not duty—it's a show of power."
Though Daniel scolded them, he understood Emily's motives. She wanted to prove she could stand on her own, despite the whispers of nobility that isolated her.
After leaving orders to dispose of the bodies and burn the nest, Daniel departed. Alejandro approached the siblings.
"I hope the lecture wasn't too harsh," he joked, exhausted.
"You have no idea," Manuel replied, resigned. "Father is furious."
Emily lowered her gaze."It's my fault. If I hadn't insisted, those knights would still be alive…"
Manuel placed a hand on her shoulder."Don't say that. Death is part of a knight's path. There's no greater honor than dying defending your lord or your comrades."
Emily looked at him, tears held back, and hugged him gratefully. But her mind wandered to another name: Lusian. What would he have done?
Alejandro frowned."What is it, Emily? Don't tell me you'd rather be with that… 'accessory.'"
"Accessory?" Emily echoed, confused.
"That's what Alejandro calls him. A spoiled noble who doesn't deserve his title," Manuel added, with a smirk.
Alejandro slammed the ground."That guy thinks he's above everyone," he growled. "He lives off the Douglas name and the fear it commands."
Emily glared."Don't speak like that, Alejandro. You know what happened to Baron Joel for insulting a Douglas."
Silence fell, thick and tense.
Manuel was the first to break it, cautiously."The baron insulted you… and Lusian ordered his execution, right?"
Emily's gaze dropped."It wasn't like that," she murmured. "Lusian tried to stop it, but… I intervened. It got out of control."
Alejandro stared."You mean you…?"
"You don't understand," Emily whispered. "The baron threatened me, and Lusian reacted to protect me. What happened next… was my fault. If I hadn't spoken, none of it would've happened."
Alejandro clenched his fists."Even so, that man lives surrounded by fear. One day, someone will end his tyranny."
Emily looked at him, guilt and fear in her eyes."Don't be reckless. You don't understand the power that family wields… Lusian isn't his father, but provoke them and you'll pay dearly."
Alejandro stared into the campfire, fury reflected in the sparks."That's why," he finally said, voice firm, "I will leave Count Carter's knights. I'll join the royal knights. One day, I'll restore my family's name… and end the Douglas' reign."
The determination in his voice sent a shiver even through Emily.
Manuel, silent, clenched his fists."If that's your path," he said, voice trembling but resolute, "I'll stand with you. I won't watch my sister suffer."
Emily gasped."Manuel! Don't say that! You don't understand—Lusian isn't what you think."
Alejandro frowned."What do you mean?"
Emily shivered, recalling the scene at Count Denisse's mansion."I saw him tremble… fear in his eyes. He's not a monster. There's something in him… broken."
Manuel's eyes widened in surprise."You… like him?"
She paused, firelight reflecting golden sparks in her eyes."You don't understand. Facing the Douglases isn't bravery—it's a death sentence. Every word, every move has a cost. A single mistake drags our family down."
Manuel bowed his head, uneasy. Alejandro stared, frustration and pain written across his face.
He clenched his fists, firelight flickering in his dark eyes."I won't let that man take you from me too," he thought, teeth gritted in determination.