Chapter 91: Big Game

Just happened to encounter? Pah, that sort of ghost talk could only fool commoner kids. Any real noble, unless they were an idiot, knew there couldn’t be any coincidence in such a situation.

“But if I had to choose, I still prefer the Ralkaray warhorses from the Western Frontier. They might not be the fastest runners, nor are they top-tier purebreds, but they are calm and tough. When it comes to endurance, even the best thoroughbreds can hardly surpass them…” The old man’s thoughts seemed fully immersed in horses. “I once tried to mix their bloodlines, but the offspring only inherited similar looks. That tough capability couldn’t be preserved.”

“That’s probably due to environmental influence,” the youth responded after a moment’s thought. “The climate in the northwest is cold, survival isn’t easy, but it also shapes the hardy nature of the creatures there. This can be seen clearly in horses, beasts, and warriors alike. Even with artificial improvements, horses from the south can hardly compete in terms of toughness. Oh, I should say, they are like those Barbarians from the Western Frontier, possessing considerable natural advantages in physicality.”

“There’s some truth to that…” Regarding the youth’s musings, the old man stroked the curly beard on his chin, smiling and blinking. “Perhaps Humans are not as strong as the Barbarian tribes, but in the end, it was the Barbarians who were driven out… That’s probably our strength—Humans are good at thinking, using their wisdom to make up for their shortcomings. For example, our Armor and swords… This is something those Barbarians and Orcs can never match, right?”

“No. Is this old fellow’s intention connected to the Western Frontier’s weapon supply?” Constantine suddenly thought of a strong possibility.

The Western Frontier had always implemented a policy of self-sufficiency. All weapons for the Eastern Army were produced within his own territory. The craftsmanship of the Dwarf artisans was indeed among the best in Phoenix, even the entire Continent. However, with continuous expansion of both territory and army, a gap appeared in the original pig iron supply. Even with an annual output of several hundred thousand pounds from two iron mines in the north, it still couldn’t meet the demands of an army of forty thousand and over two hundred thousand residents.

Not only agriculture used iron tools, animal husbandry actually consumed even more! Stirrups, saddlery, iron nails—just the horseshoes worn down by riding and pulling carts were a huge expense. The consumption on Armor and weapons was even more considerable. The loss from smelting pig iron into steel was hard for outsiders to understand, yet it was the biggest among all these expenditures.

“Yes, if possible, I would very much like to increase the number of Knights. After all, their sturdy Armor and sharp longswords are the most lethal weapons against Barbarians… Unfortunately, my current suggestion probably can’t influence father much…” Standard truth. Constantine’s reply could only be like this—in front of such an old fox, telling clumsy lies was unwise. Saying he was completely unaware of his own situation would be as ridiculous as mistaking a unicorn for a nag.

The youth’s frankness made the old Prince smile slightly. His expression didn’t change, clearly having anticipated this result. A seasoned politician focused on what role such a person could play. One key sentence might change the situation. Therefore, they absolutely didn’t mind others criticizing their methods of expressing “friendship.” It was just that people with sensitive status weren’t easy to approach, and sending gifts wasn’t convenient under Duke George’s very nose. This time could be said to be a rare opportunity.

“Oh oh… Look at me. Old people always love to ramble on about this and that… Today is the first day of the hunt, yet I’m keeping young people here wasting time…” the old man chuckled. “I hope this Horse can take you to where the most game is… After the hunt, I hope you can give me the first fox pelt… Young man, don’t disappoint me, alright?”

…

“Father, why do you care so much about that kid?” After the youth and his new mount rode off into the distance, a majestic bay Steed approached from another direction. The rider was actually Count Oriel, who should have just led his team into the woods… The Count brought his mount close to his father, asking softly like a youth. A strange fluctuation lingered in his voice.

“The invitation from the Connallyvis Family was sent just two days ago. Was that your order? And sending that child to the garden hall filled with second sons last night, was that also your arrangement?” The old man responded calmly.

“Because of that Marriage Alliance decree, most people are now guessing the Duke might choose to ignore the tradition of the eldest son’s inheritance… His Majesty might not gain any substantial benefits this time. Therefore, I thought the family needn’t invest too much energy in this matter… Do you think I was wrong?” Facing his father’s question, the Marquis, already middle-aged, hesitated. He explained as if to boost his own confidence, then inquired. Although he considered himself politically adept, in front of this old man, he sometimes still felt like an inexperienced youth.

“No, no, no, I didn’t say that. At least in this matter, it’s not about right or wrong.” Seeing a trace of dismissal in his son’s expression, the Prince shook his head slightly and continued. “I’m just reminding you of one thing: don’t judge that kid by ordinary standards… As far as I know, some people are like diamonds. Although they will eventually radiate dazzling brilliance, for a long time before that, they aren’t any more beautiful than a pebble.”

“I admit he is indeed different from ordinary people, but he doesn’t seem worthy of special attention.” The Count apparently still hadn’t abandoned his view. “Although he proposed a field that even Mages haven’t covered—Flying Magical Device—it is indeed surprising… If that wasn’t His Majesty’s scheme. Besides, even if he achieves something in the field of Magic, it would take at least several decades.”

“Don’t forget, that little fellow was just a kept person less than a month ago, but now he’s become a member of the Mage guild… Of course, an apprentice is nothing much. But as far as I know, someone saw him being invited into Master Vernal’s laboratory, where he stayed for at least three hours, and finally was personally escorted out by the Master. After that, he almost frequently visited the Mage Tower. Not only Master Vernal, he also seems quite familiar with Archmage Nikolai.”

“What kind of talent does he possess that makes three Archmages value him so highly?” This time, the surprise in the Count’s voice was more than just astonishment… Mages stood aloof from social groups. As the highest-ranking Archmages within the Mage Tower, they certainly wouldn’t value him merely because of his status as the Duke’s legitimate son. Moreover, it was well-known that Master Vernal didn’t get along with the other two Archmages in certain aspects. That seemingly unremarkable youth could gain favor from both sides. Even with his special status, this was truly a surprising matter.

However, the Count’s surprise lasted only a moment. After years by his father’s side, his keen political sense immediately allowed him to infer additional value. Since the other party possessed such ability, there were many more possibilities regarding the choice of the Duke’s heir.

“The world of Mages is not a field we understand… Of course, if he goes further down the path of a Mage, then it wouldn’t have any impact on the situation. It’s just…” The Prince narrowed his eyes, his voice becoming somewhat hollow. “Maybe it’s just a feeling. I think he will soon become a center.”

…

Phoenix’s geographical location was probably at the intersection of temperate and tropical zones. Therefore, even in winter, the forest remained lush green, only the leaves of the trees had turned from light to dark. Due to differences in sunlight, nutrients, and the presence of wildflowers and vines, there were dozens of shades of color, making it very pleasing to the eye. The small stream that ran through the Prince’s villa meandered down along the forest line in the mountains. The water was clear, making a series of tinkling, crisp sounds as it tumbled down. Because of the terrain, the valley made the blue sky seem even higher and more distant, dotted with little white clouds, evoking an indescribable sense of leisure and tranquility.

However, after the large group of people passed, the woods were now a place of silence. Stopping his Horse at the forest’s edge, Constantine waited for his Mercenaries, who had been summoned by the earlier signal. Constantine’s gaze swept over those verdant colors, and his breathing also became lighter—for the dozen or so years spent with computers in his previous life, being able to ride leisurely on a Horse, enjoying the scenery of nature, was also a pleasant enjoyment.

“The first fox pelt… huh?”

Recalling the old Prince’s words, he weighed the hunting crossbow in his hand—it could be said to be a rather exquisite… toy. The crossbow arms, made of birch or poplar, were as light as straws. Although the surface gleamed brightly, it was just the effect of a layer of gold paint, completely useless. The youth even suspected the Sleeve Crossbow hidden on his own arm had more killing power than this thing.

Of course, correspondingly, this kind of hunt wouldn’t encounter any danger either. The magical beasts in the hunting grounds had long been completely driven out. What remained were only harmless animals like rabbits and wild deer, weakly fleeing among more than ten Nobles, their Attendants, and foxhounds. At this moment, Constantine truly understood why his old man made him take his place at this gathering. For someone who had rolled around on battlefields, any hunting itself had lost its entertainment value, let alone such a fancy showpiece.

Unintentionally, his gaze suddenly focused on a patch of Shadow in the woods…

Actually, if one didn’t look carefully, it just seemed like a cluster of bushes swaying in the breeze. Yellowish-brown leaves shook slightly, as if an invisible hand was fiddling with them… But a voice that timely sounded in his ear made Constantine concentrate his mind.

“Noble hunts really spare no effort, huh… Someone actually uses invisibility ability here?” At his collar, the green Gemstone flashed once.

Thus, Constantine also noticed the peculiarity there—as his mind concentrated, fine lines took shape in the air. The slightly unnatural parts in the scenery were outlined by patches of thin lines. Constantine frowned, noticing it seemed to be a fully armed humanoid figure… It was currently crouching half behind the bushes, as if waiting for something.

Constantine frowned. Although methods weren’t restricted in hunting, he had never heard of anyone using spells or the like—or was this an attendant hoping to gain praise? But why choose this location, already chaotic after the large group passed?

“Hee-hee…”

Before Constantine could finish his thoughts, the little Horse under him suddenly let out a series of whinnies, then uncontrollably lunged forward and began to gallop wildly!

Constantine was greatly startled. He shook the stirrups twice, only to find he could only tightly grip the Horse’s sides, letting the Horse run wherever it pleased, merely trying to rein it in when necessary—this damned creature accelerated extremely fast. In a brief moment, it entered full gallop. If he risked jumping off now, even with his light build, he would inevitably suffer minor injuries. Worse, he could break his neck! Plus, he had to watch out not to get hit in the head by branches overhead!

“Damn it all…”

Constantine panted a few times, cursing under his breath.

By the time the mount finally exhausted that sudden burst of energy and calmed down, the rider and Horse had already charged deep into the forest, onto a small path cleared by manpower.

He felt a layer of sticky sweat had seeped out over his body. Even the muscles in his legs were trembling slightly… The insides of his thighs burned with pain, as if he had made up for months of riding in one go. Fortunately, aside from some sore muscles, he wasn’t harmed. And with deliberate control, this location shouldn’t be too far from the camp.

The mount, having randomly vented its energy, paid no mind to this new master’s verbal attacks. It just happily snorted. The previous run seemed to have been extremely satisfying… The youth could only helplessly look around, trying to understand his situation.

He seemed to have entered the depths of the woods. Aside from the artificially cleared path a few feet wide, the surrounding environment had escaped human management. A forest formed by tall trees stretched out. Hugely thick trees dozens of feet tall were visible everywhere in the distance. Bushes, vines, and herbs grew densely between the trees, filling every gap. Although it was early winter, the weather in these low latitudes still kept the lush herbaceous plants from showing any signs of withering, providing a good living environment for small animals. Little creatures flitted among the trees, singing cheerful songs.

The Horse beneath him finally quieted down now, seemingly sensing Constantine’s mood, its steps particularly light.

Perhaps fate decreed this hunting youth must gain something? He had just meandered along the shaded path for a few hundred yards when a series of rustling sounds approached from afar. Just as Constantine was slightly stunned, a startled fawn dashed out from the bushes about a dozen feet in front of his Horse with a whoosh. Without thinking, the youth raised his hand and shot an arrow—even though he didn’t have the mindset of hunting prey, there was no reason to let something delivered to his doorstep go.

Extremely good luck. The arrow pierced just below the fawn’s shoulder blade. The poor animal gave a mournful cry and fell heavily mid-jump—even though it was just a bow for show, the arrow used still had a three-edged blade. At a dozen feet, its killing power wasn’t something animal hide could withstand.

But before he could rejoice, Constantine noticed that chaotic rustling sound hadn’t stopped. Instead, it became more disorderly. Thus, the somewhat alert youth pulled the reins, forcing his mount to take a few steps back.

Before the rider and Horse could turn around, a fierce rushing sound of wind suddenly arose from the direction the fawn had come from! Thundering footsteps sounded amidst the snapping of branches. A dark, dog-like Shadow appeared!

The youth drew a sharp breath, fixing his eyes on this suddenly appeared monster—in fact, calling it a hound wasn’t quite right. This huge black creature was at least five feet long, half again as large as the biggest dog Constantine remembered. Its overall appearance even made one doubt if it was a lion with its fur shaved off… Its whole body had deep, Shadow-like fur. Only its four hooves were circled with dark red hair, as if treading in flames.

This monstrous mastiff seemed completely unaware of Constantine. As if no one else was around, it opened its large mouth and bit into the youth’s poor prey. With just a shake of its head, half the fawn’s body was torn apart, blood splattering. Then followed a terrifying gulping sound as a chunk of meat, at least five kilograms, was swallowed by the monster!

Constantine kicked the stirrups twice more, signaling his mount to continue backing up. He knew when facing a powerful beast, turning and running was the stupidest strategy—it meant giving one’s back to the opponent.

But clearly, the youth’s mount didn’t know this.

The Horse beneath him, though tall, was actually young and completely untested in battles or the like. Combined with the short time with this master… So the next second, with a sharp whinny, this proud young stallion reared high on its hind legs!

Caught off guard, Constantine immediately slid off the saddle. Fortunately, the physical and equestrian training he had since childhood helped him. During the slide, he forcefully pushed off the stirrups first, thus avoiding becoming a corpse dragged behind the Horse. However, this movement obviously couldn’t simultaneously ensure his balance and landing posture—the poor youth unluckily stepped right into a puddle of water that had turned into mud. The impact immediately made the soft surface emit a squelch. Meanwhile, his mount galloped away from the scene in a flash, leaving him only with a perfect view of its horse’s rear!