A Slave Of Rubelfast – R15 - Chapter 24

Slarhan sighed lightly and brushed his hair when he suddenly noticed the bracelet on his wrist.

 

[“I did my best to make it, but I’m not very skilled in this kind of thing…”]

 

Slarhan never thought Ellier would be ashamed of her clumsy skills because she was always brazen. Surprisingly, she even thought of making something like this for him.

 

Lately, with her involvement in the knights’ training sessions, she hadn’t had much time and must have been quite tired. When did she manage to make the sedative pouch and bracelet?

 

How much more did she have to work to obtain the silk thread to make the bracelet?

 

Ah, now that he thought about it, on the day Ellier was assaulted by the servants, she had a bag full of weeds that she clung to until the end. Could those have been the herbs used to make today’s items?

 

Why did she endure such hardships to do things no one ordered her to do?

 

‘She is an unusual one.’

 

Although Slarhan had no faith in the effectiveness of the handkerchief that was meant to bring luck or victory, the bracelet, containing seeds that acted as awakeners, seemed like something that could still be useful.

 

Looking at it over and over again, he thought the bracelet was pretty cute, and while he was immersed in that thought, an attractive lady with red hair appeared among the busy young ladies.

 

He was sure she had seen the other ladies handing him a handkerchief and getting rejected, but this lady confidently extended something towards Slarhan.

 

It was a knot used to embellish swords, but she had used generous amounts of red silk, making it lush and splendid.

 

“Wishing for good fortune to come your way, Your Excellency.”

 

“You are the daughter of the Marquis of Cullinan.”

 

“I’m honoured you remember.”

 

It was Ensia Cullinan.

 

The ambitious daughter of Marquis Culinen, renowned for her beauty and nicknamed the ‘Summer Rose.’

 

Yet Slarhan rejected her gift as well.

 

“I apologise. I’m declining all the gifts.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I can’t accept them all, so I think it would be better to reject them all.”

 

“No, that’s not true. Since you can’t accept just anyone’s gift, you should be even more careful and selective about what you accept.”

 

Without even obtaining Slarhan’s permission, she opened the loop of the knot she had made and hung it on the handle of Slarhan’s sword.

 

“You’d better accept the things from the Ensia Cullinan, Your Excellency. She will be waiting for an answer.”

 

After Ensia showed off a bewitching smile, she turned around and left as if she had no regrets.

 

Recalling her surname made it easy to understand why she was so confident.

 

Marquis of Cullinan.

 

As the neutral figure in the noble circle, he would surely be of great help in the struggle for the throne. The Cullinan family was likely to be a prominent contender that attracted every candidate’s attention.

 

‘If you want to borrow strength, play tricks somewhere else.’

 

If Duke Ventiark had responded more like a typical nobleman, he wouldn’t have received such a brash proposal.

 

The tarnished reputation of Ventiark was far from matching the prestige of the Marquis’ family name.

 

“Tariq!”

 

When Slarhan called, Tariq, who had been waiting behind him, approached.

 

“Give me your sword, please.”

 

“What? What about His Excellency’s sword?”

 

Without answering, Slarhan handed his sword to Tariq and received Tariq’s sturdy iron sword in return.

 

Slarhan absentmindedly touched his left wrist with the newly drawn sword, ensuring the rough bracelet made of simple thread was still there.

 

With its modest craftsmanship and hand-soiled appearance, the bracelet was much more comforting than the fluttering and splendid tassels made of the finest silk thread.

 

He shook off his displeasure and mounted his horse.

 

At the same time, the Emperor was seen stepping back up on the podium.

 

“Valiant knights, are you prepared? Then, I declare the opening of the hunting competition!”

 

Waving a large golden flag, the Emperor signalled the beginning of the event.

 

The knights shouted in unison, “Hoooo-rah!” and rushed towards the forest to secure good positions.

 

Slarhan also entered the forest, lightly kicking his horse.

 

Unlike the noisy atmosphere outside, the forest was somehow quiet.

 

‘It’s bothersome, but…’

 

Until this morning, he hadn’t really intended to participate wholeheartedly in the hunting tournament. He felt like a jester performing before the nobles, bouncing abacus eggs.

 

But from the moment Ellier put the bracelet on his wrist, he felt like he could do a little.

 

‘She’s not very big, so I can make a furry vest with just one fox.’

 

Slarhan felt much better when he imagined skinning the animal and giving Ellier a small gift.

 

So, it was the moment when he was determined to head to the right side of the forest, as Ellier had said.

 

“Wait a minute, Duke Ventiark! I have something to tell you!”

 

An unfamiliar man called out to Slarhan and cautiously approached, looking around.

 

“First, reveal who you are.”

 

“I… I was a member of the assassination squad for the former Duke of Ventiark.”

 

At the startling confession of the unfamiliar man, Slarhan immediately seized the reins.

 

“What did you just… say?”

 

“I apologise. It’s truly shameful, Your Excellency. However, we were also compelled by the Emperor’s orders and had no choice. No one in the Empire would have wanted to harm Duke Irdel Ventiark.

 

Slarhan’s breathing quickened, and his grip on the reins tightened.

 

He thought it was the Emperor’s fault but didn’t expect to face the man who killed his father so soon.

 

“So, did you come to ask me to slit your throat?”

 

“Even if I were to beg for forgiveness that way, if I were to die here, it would probably… have adverse consequences for you, Your Grace. The Emperor will never acknowledge the existence of the assassination squad.”

 

“Did you call me here to mock me, then?”

 

“Oh, no! How could we do that? While we cannot seek forgiveness for our sins, we came to see Your Grace to deliver some of Duke Irdel’s belongings.”

 

“Belongings…?”

 

“While recovering His Excellency Irdel’s remains, I secretly took a few of his belongings. If you head north in this forest, you’ll see a large oak tree. A little further to the right from there is a small cave. There must be a large boulder in it, but I hid it under it.”

 

“Is that true?”

 

“Of course. A locket with the portrait of the Duchess, a brooch representing the Duke of Ventiark, and a small pocket knife and handkerchief.”

 

The items the man mentioned were undoubtedly things that Slarhan’s father had carried when he went on the inspection. They were also items that couldn’t be found among the remains that were returned.

 

“I wish I could guide you personally, but I’m also being watched by my partners… I’m truly sorry.”

 

The man bowed his head several times with a furrowed brow and then hurriedly disappeared into the distance again.

 

His sudden appearance and disappearance were almost like being possessed by a spirit.

 

‘Father’s belongings…!’

 

In particular, the locket containing a portrait of his mother was an item that his father had never kept away from him except when he bathed.

 

How painful it had been to bury his father without the locket…

 

As long as Slarhan could find the locket, the hunting competition didn’t matter.

 

Slarhan turned his horse towards the north side of the forest.

 

And that was the moment he was just about to accelerate.

 

[“And no matter what you hear, never believe it. There might be intentions hidden even in words that reach your ears, Master.”]

 

Ellier’s voice suddenly came into my mind.

 

She had mentioned that the story probably related to ‘family.’

 

‘No way…’

 

Slarhan slowly released the tension from his thighs that had been gripping the horse’s sides.

 

After careful consideration, if what the man had said was true, Slarhan could search the cave after the hunting competition ended. If, indeed, they had hidden something for him.

 

But what if it was a lie…?

 

Searching for items that didn’t exist, failing the hunt, and spending the day in even more intense anger and guilt would be the result.

 

Perhaps the ‘current’ Duke Ventiark assassination squad was ambushed.

 

When Slarhan thought that, he wondered why he was so quick to believe the words of a man he didn’t know.

 

‘If Ellier hadn’t said that, I would have headed north right away.’

 

Somehow, his spine felt cold.

 

It felt like someone had laid out a tight trap and enticed him.

 

And Ellier seemed to be barely saving him with very little advice.

 

Of course, his father’s belongings may be hidden somewhere in the northern cave.

 

However, going to find them now wouldn’t be wise.

 

Once this event was over and the servants went to retrieve the game, it would probably be a good idea to send Tariq and the knights to investigate.

 

‘That woman seems to have foresight.’

 

Slarhan, muttering to himself while looking north, turned his head away with a confused look.

 

The horse beneath him was facing the forest’s right side, as Ellier advised.

 

Already, cheers for a successful hunt could be heard from here and there.

 

Slarhan also hooked his bow, pulled the string, and shot straight.

 

A fox trying to escape collapsed with a croaking sound. And one more shot. This time taking down a rabbit.

 

Slarhan, who had swiftly taken down two animals, ventured deeper into the forest on the right side.

 

There were so many animals here that it seemed they had been released here specifically.

 

As expected by Ellier, Slarhan was also an excellent archer, so the deer he shot and the fox fell prickly.

 

However, in an instant, an odd fox passed by in front of him.

 

Normally, a wild animal would quickly flee upon seeing a person, but this fox strolled as if it had just awakened from a nap.

 

Slarhan once caught the fox and looked around.

 

‘Over there…?’

 

He pulled the reins in the direction the fox had walked out.

 

However, he felt that the head of the horse, which normally reacted quickly, seemed to follow slowly.

 

Something was strange.

 

He, too, felt his vision blurring and his strength waning slightly.

 

At that time, in the distance, he saw a knight happily shooting arrows and catching animals.

 

The animals in the direction he was shooting were all behaving slowly, just like the fox earlier.

 

‘Isn’t it the same as the effect of the medicine Ellier explained…?’

 

The earnest request from Ellier to capture the slowed-down animals after scattering the sedative powder around was vivid in his mind.

 

Slarhan searched his pouch for the stimulant powder, as Ellier had mentioned, and fed it to his horse. He also took out a red seed from his bracelet and chewed on it.

 

The seed tasted tangy as it went down his throat, and shortly afterwards, the fatigue he had felt seemed to wash away.

 

‘Fascinating. Come to think of it, how did Ellier know about this?’

 

Slarhan furrowed his brow.