CATB Chapter 16

Pop!

Having actually come to the forest and experienced it firsthand, Alexa was naturally gifted.

Her hearing and vision were both outstanding. Usually she didn't show it, but coming to an unfamiliar place automatically made her presence sensitive and sharp.

At the rustling sound from behind, I automatically turned and readied my bow. With quick movements, I nocked an arrow and pulled hard. I hadn't drawn the bowstring yet.

"Huh?"

Behind me stood a deer with round eyes. It also stopped in surprise, and I, who had been about to shoot an arrow, also stopped in surprise.

"Tsk, go away, you. I don't catch small fry."

I released the tension I had built up in my arm and put the arrow back. There was no point in catching common beasts anyway. I had no hobby for unnecessary killing.

"Damn, did all these creatures smell the beast scent and hide? Why can't I see any?"

I grumbled as I walked.

Having come on an ordinary horse, it was more scared of me than expected and ran away while I was taking a brief rest. Well, I vowed to definitely give hell to Sir Ezenhar, the escort knight who brought me the horse, when I returned, but for now, I decided to enjoy this situation anyway.

It felt incredibly good to be outside after so long.

The wind gently caressed my ears as it passed by, the sunlight shone warmly through the trees at just the right level, and most importantly, after wearing only frilly dresses, wearing comfortable pants felt so good!

They say people become merciful when they're happy. With a generous heart, I overlooked a few rabbits and foxes that occasionally flitted across my distant vision.

"You rascals, repay this favor later."

After walking for a while, my legs started to hurt.

I guess my activity level had dropped significantly since living in the royal palace. For my legs to hurt this much. Thinking this was quite a shameless statement for Alexa's iron legs, I looked for a place to rest briefly. Looking at the distance I had walked continuously, I seemed to have entered completely inside the forest now, but since I didn't want to show myself to other lords participating in the hunt, I decided to rest up in a tree.

Walking a few more steps, I saw a large tree.

I checked the safety of the branches suitable for resting and roughly estimated the spot.

"Hiya!"

Amazing, as expected of an overpowered character!

I succeeded in going up in one shot by kicking off the ground with my left foot and stepping on the tree trunk with my right foot.

Though I almost fell straight down after failing to balance once I got up.

It was a branch at least 2 meters high, so if people looked up, they might see me, so I climbed to a branch located even higher. It was a branch densely covered with leaves, so it hid my appearance well while also providing a good view of the surroundings.

Hmm, let me see... where are they...

I diligently surveyed the surroundings in case I might catch a glimpse of the fur tails of any rare beasts that existed in the forest.

Indeed, with a high vantage point, I could see a larger area, so it was useful. I should have climbed up earlier.

I was searching for traces with eagle eyes when I heard a clamorous sound.

Nine times out of ten, it would be lords traveling in groups.

Do they think they came to a festival to play? Any animals within 100 meters would have noticed and fled. I held my aching head. I don't want to move locations... I'll kill these bastards.

"Will it really be okay?"

"...The opponent is...isn't it!!"

The group's voices got closer and closer, then became clearer than ever.

The lords had gathered under the large tree where I was sitting.

"It would be good to scatter from here. If we stay together too much, we might arouse suspicion."

They seem to be plotting something. Right, this is how you make things interesting.

I perked up my ears.

"You did set the trap properly, right?"

"Of course, I asked the most skilled blacksmith in the castle."

A trap? Are they planning to hunt humans?

I chuckled and quickly shut my mouth to avoid being heard laughing.

"But will that really work? If something goes wrong..."

"What does it matter to us? We can just say we set a trap for hunting. We only intended to play a little prank anyway, so he probably won't die or anything."

"Lord Hiphayne, will the Grand Duke really fall for it? He is truly an outstanding person."

Grand Duke?

I hardened my laughing face and straightened my back.

Why is the Grand Duke being mentioned here?

"Well, this isn't the only opportunity. If he notices, there will be another chance later."

"Still, but what if someone else innocent gets caught instead of the Grand Duke..."

"Then that person would just be unlucky. That's why they say luck is something you're born with, haha."

"Keke, I was very disappointed that no penalty victim came out this time, but this has become very interesting in many ways."

"We should think of it as punishment for participating in the competition with cursed eyes, kahahaha."

So they must have set up something somewhere else to put the Grand Duke in a difficult situation.

Looking down at the round heads chatting quietly, I held back my urge to jump down right now and smack each of these heads once.

Why do they keep trying to torment someone who did nothing wrong?

What did Belkellion ever do to you?

Why do you keep calling that pretty person cursed?

"Well then, see you again at the competition venue."

"Yes, yes, will Lord Alsion catch something big?"

"There's something prepared in advance from my family home. It seems like you all prepared similarly... didn't you?"

"Kikiki, Lord Alsion! What will you do if you reveal that already? It's our secret."

These guys were planning to cheat in the competition too.

Little beans with only their heads developed.

I immediately jumped down from the tree without thinking.

"Well then, now... Hiik!"

"What! What is it!!!"

The lords' faces, startled by the figure that suddenly jumped down from the sky, turned even paler when they confirmed my face.

"A...Alexa... Ha! Princess Alexa..."

"It's the Beast... Hup"

"...Hu...Hul... Princess..."

They still have the presence of mind to add 'Princess', I see.

I snorted and looked at the small, retreating lords.

"Come here. Come here. Stop right there."

Four heads, still young but somewhat noble-looking faces, but with mischief plastered all over their faces. Their fancy clothes looked pretentious, their faces were oily, and anyway, I didn't like anything about them.

You're all ugly.

I admit that I'm making very biased judgments right now.

From the moment Belkellion's name was mentioned, I had not been objective.

"Pr...Princess, we'll be going now..."

"The competition deadline is approaching!!!"

"I just heard a very interesting story..."

Round eyes stared at me.

"I think you all can explain it very well."

"We don't know what story you're talking about..."

"That's right! We don't have even half a clue..."

"Want to get beaten without even half a clue?"

At the fear rising over their trembling faces, I smiled with satisfaction.

"Whack!, Whack!, Whack!, Whack!"

Let's start by hitting each of them once. I can't stand how annoying they are.

"Heuk, Princess. If you use violence against people for no reason like this..."

"That's right. No matter how much you are a princess, if you treat us like this, we will formally send a letter of protest to the royal family."

"There's a famous saying from an ancient sage..."

I cracked my knuckle joints. I also pretended to stretch for more dramatic tension.

Actually, even without doing such things, Alexa's body was always optimized for attack.

"The fist is stronger than the law."

"......"

"What will be faster - you sending a protest letter or me just killing you all here?"

"Hiik!"

One of the lords quickly gasped, and his already pale face became even more bluish.

One who hadn't lost courage yet shouted.

"My father, Duke Manuela, will not stand idly by!"

He was still being insolent - so he was Manuela's younger brother? The siblings are both equally annoying.

I spat on the ground irritably.

"There are idiots who only understand after being beaten."

Ten minutes later.

"Don't hit us! Please don't hit us!!!"

"We'll tell you everything. Please spare our lives..."

Well, I got annoyed with educating them too, so I beat them to death, and now the lords' faces were all yellow.

Since everyone had to participate in the competition closing ceremony where the king and nobles would be watching, I only hit parts that wouldn't be visible from the outside. Cheers to my head for thinking of that even in such a moment.

I didn't use any magic power at all and didn't particularly use strong force, but seeing that I could subdue four men, either these guys were particularly weak (they certainly seemed that way) or I was very strong.

Either way, I liked it.

"Now, let's have a conversation."

When I spoke in a cheerful voice while wiping sweat, those kneeling looked at me like I was crazy, then met my eyes and trembled while bowing their heads again. During the beating, the lords kept pleading that they would talk, but I pretended not to hear and continued the thrashing.

"We were just... trying to play a little prank..."

"Don't say useless things and tell me where you set the trap."

I didn't want to hear excuses, nor did I have time to listen. Having already wasted more time than expected beating these guys, I didn't hide my irritation.

"Where, you ask... uh... this is a forest..."

"What? Speak louder."

"The exact location... we..."

"Damn, won't you speak properly?"

"Hu... Huh, I think it was northwest from the starting point of the forest..."

"We didn't install it ourselves... so..."

So they don't know the location.

I hit the backs of their heads additionally due to rising irritation.

"Ugh!"

"How were you planning to lure the Grand Duke if you don't even know where you set it?"

When I looked at them as if they were pathetic, Lord Hiphayne spoke up indignantly.

I guess he hasn't been beaten enough yet.

"Would we handle things so clumsily! We put someone next to the Grand Duke in advance! By now, he's probably following him around without knowing he's heading to the trap!!!"

"My lord!!!"

Those kneeling beside him exclaimed in surprise, but Lord Hiphayne was still fuming. So the Grand Duke is walking into it with his own feet by now?

My heart became urgent. I felt like I needed to quickly finish with these guys and go to the Grand Duke.