WTSP - 35

The Imperial Hunting Tournament, held once a year, was not only an opportunity to showcase hidden archery skills but also a chance to mingle with nobles one might not encounter in regular social circles.

Thus, those with titles often brought their entire families along.

The promise of honorary knighthood for male winners added another layer of allure. While most nobles looked down on knights, honorary knighthood carried a different weight. Many hoped that receiving a sword directly from the Emperor would bring them into his favor.

Of course, this mattered little to those already born into ducal families.

Still, lesser nobles poured immense effort into winning the tournament.

Some smuggled enchanted bows, while others stole arrows from competitors.

What they all had in common was underestimating the Empire’s intelligence network.

“How dare you say I’m disqualified! What nonsense is this?”

“Your Grace, you brought back the carcass of an animal you didn’t hunt yourself. Surely you didn’t think we wouldn’t notice?”

“Don’t spout lies! Where’s your proof? I hunted this fox myself when it was alone! No one was there to confirm otherwise…!”

“If we reveal the evidence we have, Your Grace’s position will become very precarious. Do you really want to dispute this in front of all the participants?”

Knight Cloden recited his lines like a well-trained parrot. Was it already his third year dealing with these predictable attempts to cheat?

‘Should I mention that we’ve been tracking every participant’s movements since the start of the tournament?’

Making baseless claims was the hallmark of amateurs.

And Cloden had faced countless individuals like this young noble over the past three years.

The youth, no older than twenty, clenched his fists and stormed off, unwilling to escalate the situation further.

‘At least he has some sense.’

Checking the time, Cloden realized there were only fifteen minutes left until the awards ceremony. Approaching the gathered officials, he noticed their anxious expressions—something unplanned had clearly occurred.

“I was about to fetch His Majesty, but has the winner been decided?”

“Ah, Sir Cloden! It’s… been determined. Deciding the male winner was challenging, but the female scores were automatically tallied. Lady Feyroten’s son and Her Highness Empress Ophelia.”

“Empress Ophelia? That’s unexpected. His Majesty will be pleased.”

“But here’s the issue… We’ve been searching for Empress Ophelia since the end of the tournament, but she’s nowhere to be found.”

Chief Official Taiman wiped away the sweat dripping down his face with a handkerchief.

Everyone else had returned, yet the most important person—the Empress—was missing. It seemed she had likely lost her way in the forest.

Attempts to brainstorm solutions yielded no effective plan.

“How could you lose track of Her Highness’ whereabouts? Is this even possible?”

“The mages are using crystal balls to scan the forest now. With signs posted everywhere, we assumed she’d return quickly. But it seems she ventured deep into the woods. They haven’t found any trace of her yet…”

“And you’re telling me this now? You should have sent knights immediately! We must find Her Highness before His Majesty arrives.”

Cloden was stunned by the revelation. The Empire’s Empress had vanished, and these so-called high-ranking officials were sitting indoors debating theoretical solutions.

He felt his head might explode trying to figure out how to report this to the Emperor.

“…Pathetic.”

No, his heart might burst first.

A chilling voice echoed, and Cloden bowed deeply, recognizing it instantly.

“…Your Majesty! You’ve arrived.”

“Enough with the formalities, Taiman. When did you realize the Empress was missing?”

“Thirty minutes after the tournament ended, we noticed Her Highness hadn’t returned, so we alerted the mages…”

“Your handling of this matter is impressively thorough.”

Taiman’s face turned ashen at Serdel’s low, cutting remark. He feared his head might roll at any moment.

Rubbing his temples with a weary expression, Serdel turned to Cloden.

“Tell the Vice-Commander of the Knights to search the left side of the forest. He should be stationed nearby. Harpin, you’ll accompany me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Harpin, the Royal Knight Commander, followed Serdel cautiously, observing his expression. Even after nearly a decade of service, it was unusual to see the Emperor take such an active role in matters concerning the Empress—not the Empress Consort, but the secondary Empress.

The hunting grounds were designed so that losing one’s way was nearly impossible.

Moreover, dozens of mages monitored the area through crystal balls. Clearly, the new Empress had taken an unmarked path, bypassing the designated routes.

After discreetly gathering the knights, Harpin led the way into the forest alongside his liege.

“It seems Her Highness veered off into the deeper parts of the forest. We’ll guide you accordingly, Your Majesty. With daylight still remaining, the search shouldn’t be too difficult.”

“…I told her not to participate, just like the Empress Consort. I assumed she’d return without incident.”

“Perhaps it would be better to leave this task entirely to the knights. For Your Majesty to personally search…”

“Focus on finding the Empress, Harpin. Lead the way.”

Serdel’s decisive tone cut off any further suggestions. Recognizing his lord’s determination, Harpin refrained from adding unnecessary comments and began searching for traces of Ophelia.

If she wasn’t found within a few hours, the situation could turn dire.

While getting lost was the best-case scenario, the possibility of abduction couldn’t be ruled out.

‘This is serious. Especially since His Majesty is taking such an active role.’

As Harpin searched for Ophelia’s footprints, his gaze shifted toward Serdel. Though his expression remained impassive, Harpin knew his lord well enough to detect subtle changes.

Serdelius Carlot was genuinely worried about the Empress. The Carlot Emperor, known for his cold rationality, was showing concern.

“Sir Commander! A broken branch has been found here. It seems someone passed through this way!”

At the urgent shout, everyone’s attention turned toward the discovery. Serdel, too, felt an unfamiliar tension gripping him. Despite his confidence that nothing serious had occurred, unease lingered.

Until now, the Empress had merely been a political partner to him.

He had never felt anything for a woman other than Brillin and expected Ophelia to remain a transparent presence, much like Empress Yuriel, with whom he rarely exchanged words.

‘You barged into my life unannounced, unsettling me.’

Images of her sitting on the grass, discarding her shoes, or trembling in the rain, drunkenly falling asleep after a single glass of wine refused to leave his mind. Perhaps it had started when she threw away the necklace he had gifted her.

Ophelia Meredith—now Ophelia Carlot—was unique. Special, even.

Serdel prided himself on his ability to control his emotions perfectly. He was supremely rational, never allowing feelings to sway him.

On the day his mother drowned herself in the lake, young Serdel vowed never to show weakness.

He promised to seize control of everything and bend it to his will. …But.

“Empress, can you hear my voice!”

The deeper they went, the rougher the forest paths became. Since this area wasn’t part of the official hunting grounds, anyone unfamiliar with the terrain would inevitably get lost.

Fortunately, traces of Ophelia’s footsteps were found, though they weren’t the only discoveries.

Harpin approached Serdel with a grave expression.

“Your Majesty, signs of wild beasts have been detected nearby. It doesn’t seem Her Highness is injured, but we must hurry the search.”

“No word yet from the Vice-Commander?”

“No, but given Her Highness definitely passed through here, I’ve instructed him to join us.”

Serdel’s face darkened. He had to find Ophelia before nightfall.

Cutting through dense vines with his sword, he clenched his jaw tightly.

The tangled undergrowth fell limp under his sharp blade. Despite his efforts to suppress it, his heart raced uncontrollably. At this moment, finding her was the only thought consuming him.

How long had they walked, clearing obstacles in their path?

Just as fatigue began setting in among the knights, a familiar sound reached Serdel’s ears.

Though faint, it was unmistakable to him. Without hesitation, he moved toward its source.

Pom, pom, po… This sound, once heard, was unforgettable.

“…You.”

“Poooom? Purr-r-r-r!”

Unhappy with the situation, Pompoo bristled, his fur standing on end as Serdel scooped him up.

Seeing the flustered spirit squirming in his grasp brought a sense of relief. At least it confirmed Ophelia was nearby.

“Where is the Empress? Guide me, spirit.”

“Puuuuum…”

Reluctantly, Pompoo flew ahead, leading the way.

As they advanced, unfamiliar voices grew closer—one belonging to a boy, the other unmistakably Ophelia’s. Serdel’s expression tensed.

Finally reaching an open clearing, Serdel whispered without realizing it:

A call? A murmur? Or perhaps both. What mattered was that the moment he saw her face, every ounce of tension melted away.

“…Ha, Ophelia.”