Chapter 66 – Darkmtl

Chapter 66


65. Engagement – Hunting Event

“Lena, wait! Don’t go!”

“Wow! I found this! Don’t you think we should go down and check it out?”

Leo stopped the excited Lena who was looking at the footprints. Up until now, this was all standard; Leo always reported to the hunting team to catch the Old Phantom Fox.

But this time, he chose a different option.

“Okay. Let’s go down. But Lena, I actually have something to tell you. I know what’s down there.”

He sat Lena down for a moment and explained, though of course, it was a lie.

“What? You believe what Grandpa Boris said? Come on. That grandpa has dementia. He’s always drunk and bragging.”

Lena made a dumbfounded face.

Grandpa ‘Boris Ainar’ from the Ainar Tribe was a warrior long ago. As he aged and could no longer hunt, his status as a warrior faded, but he was always insisting he wanted to join the hunts.

He had become a nuisance to the tribe, always drinking and demonstrating his old skills, causing chaos.

Leo said, “Anyway, listen. According to Grandpa Boris, a fox monster keeps appearing in that valley. Looking at these footprints, it seems like it must be that fox. Let’s check it out a bit… How about we catch it ourselves?”

“A monster? Then… Isn’t that a magical beast? Dad said you can’t catch one with just a couple of people.”

“That’s what I prepared for. I brought something, and I’ll show you at the camp later.”

“I’ve already seen it. I wondered what you were hauling around, and it turned out to be a bunch of metal skewers?”

“… What if you rummage through it on your own?”

“What’s it to you? Anyway, those skewers are what you prepared, right? It’s no wonder you were running back and forth to the blacksmith.”

Lena interjected with a “Seriously,” then continued, “I was going to ask, how did you get all those skewers? You didn’t buy them, did you… Say it isn’t you?”

“Why?”

“Did your dad steal money?!”

“No, I didn’t steal!”

“Then how did you buy them? They must have been expensive.”

“I didn’t buy them. I borrowed them. I have to return them after using them. You can melt down iron. Plus, I got them cheap by helping out making the skewers.”

After hearing his explanation, Lena scratched her head.

“Really? Leo, I just… don’t know what to say. Are you just too gullible or just plain dumb… Did you seriously believe Grandpa Boris’s nonsense and made a fuss over something? What if there wasn’t a fox?”

Me, being called dumb by this weirdo?

Leo couldn’t believe it.

“Anyway, there really is a fox. Let’s just go down and check it out. You’re going to help catch it, right?”

“Hmm… it might be dangerous. If it’s really a magical beast, wouldn’t it be better to notify the hunting team?”

Leo seduced her again.

If they caught a magical beast on their first hunt, they would surely be glorified as legendary warriors, and Uncle Dehorman would praise them a lot. Plus, if it’s just the two of them catching it, they’d get a larger share of the spoils…

Lena bit the bait and nodded, her ears perked up.

“Alright. At least let’s go check it out.”

“Good thinking. But we have to be careful. We absolutely mustn’t get caught.”

“Don’t worry.”

Worry nagged at him.

Leo warned Lena several more times as they descended into the valley.

This was a big adventure. The Old Phantom Fox was no easy opponent. With a size equal to twenty adult men and quick movements, there was a high chance of getting killed while trying to catch it.

But if they went to war, they would surely die anyway.

Of course, dying by the hand of a Swordmaster would increase the odds of improving swordsmanship, but that was uncertain, and repeating the same failed attempts was a waste.

There was nothing more to find out; even going to war wouldn’t lead to making Lena a princess. Lena had confessed that they should get married if she had the chance to become a knight.

So, he had to successfully complete this {hunting} event by any means necessary. That way, he’d have grounds to avoid going to war.

Carefully, Lena and Leo walked, stepping softly to avoid making noise on the piled snow.

Knowing the location of the fox den, they didn’t take long to find it.

Leo raised his hand to stop Lena and put his finger to his lips. He pointed down the valley.

There, a giant fox, whiter than the snow, was lazily grooming its fur in front of a narrow hole that barely fit its size.

It was the fourth encounter with the ‘Old Phantom Fox.’

Lena’s eyes widened in astonishment. She quickly indicated with her fingers between herself and Leo while mouthing the words.

– Hey! How are we supposed to catch that?

Leo waved his hands in response, mouthing back.

– Let’s go back. Just go back.

The two of them quietly retraced their steps, more silently than before.

Once they had crossed the valley and were far enough away, Lena exhaled loudly and said, “Hey! How are we supposed to catch that? Let’s inform the hunting team.”

“No. We can catch it.”

“What? Leo, get a grip. That’s dangerous.”

Leo proceeded to slowly explain his plan. It was based on hints he had received from his father, who was the hunter in his childhood friend scenario.

Lena, sounding skeptical, asked, “Did you hear that from Grandpa Boris too? Does a fox actually move like that?”

“I read it in a book. You know we have a lot of books at home?”

Noel Dexter had read a lot after retirement, and his study was stacked with many books. He spent most of his pension on buying books.

While they probably wouldn’t have books related to hunting, it didn’t matter. Most of Leo’s lies were hard to verify.

Lena, who didn’t read books, wouldn’t have gone into her father’s study where he spent all his time to look for books, and she wouldn’t ask Grandpa Boris, who would likely brag in response.

Besides, he was a person who randomly rambled nonsense while drunk, so there was no reason to worry.

“But…”

Lena hesitated even after hearing his plan.

No matter how she thought about it, it felt too premature. They could just inform the hunting team and let them catch it… They would still get plenty of credit for discovering it.

She said with a slightly subdued voice, “Leo, let’s just tell the hunting team…”

“Why? Are you scared?”

Leo provoked her.

Lena Ainar had a strong pride. Unlike Katrina, who would just explode with anger, she could become stubborn if her pride was offended.

Sure enough, her face turned red, and she yelled.

“What! Who’s scared! I’m just saying it makes sense to inform the hunting team to catch it…”

“Then you can step back. I’ll catch it myself. You just need to take credit for finding it, right?”

He cut her off.

To make her feel bad.

Lena flinched and shot him a fiery look.

“Are you saying that again? Fine! Let’s go! I’ll be the bait. Who do you think I am, a coward?”

Leo suppressed a smirk and went back to the hunting camp with her.

He asked Dehorman for permission to act alone under the pretense of teaching Lena how to set traps.

Dehorman, having seen his daughter frequently set traps upside down, gladly accepted. He then made a mischievous joke.

“It’s fine to play together, but keep it moderate. Even in the woods, everything can be heard… Hahaha.”

The other warriors around them, initially displeased about the two acting alone, burst into laughter at the joke.

After all, Lena still had a lot to learn. She would continue to participate in hunts, so maybe one time wouldn’t hurt.

Lena, now red-faced, returned to Leo’s tent, grumbling.

“Ugh. Treating me like a kid. Just you wait.”

Then she glanced at Leo’s face. He was rummaging through his gear, focused on inspecting the metal skewers.

Feeling a bit flustered, Lena pushed aside the random thoughts (what was she even thinking?) and started brainstorming how to catch the Old Phantom Fox with Leo.

The sharpened metal skewers gave off a smell of iron dust.

*

“Ooh, that meat looks delicious.”

Lena, positioned lower in the valley, intentionally spoke loudly to herself while roasting the meat. She fanned the smoke and smell of it upward towards the valley—she was the bait.

– A fox that big would see a person as either prey or a toy.

– The fox quietly approaches its prey, leaps high, and bites down starting from its snout.

Leo shared the hints he received from his hunter father with Lena.

After hearing his words, Lena felt uncertain.

‘Does a fox really move like that?’

Though she had promised to stick with Leo, she casually asked her dad about the fox’s habits, just in case.

But what Leo said turned out to be true!

Confirming the credibility of his plan, she immediately decided to help Leo without hesitation.

And now, while focusing on roasting the meat, she thought about the possibility that a giant fox could be watching her from somewhere.

‘He told me not to look up and check my surroundings no matter what.’

Leo had warned her fervently. He emphasized that she must ‘absolutely’ not act like she noticed the Old Phantom Fox approaching.

– If the prey catches wind of it, it quickly approaches and bites it or messes around with its front legs.

Leo didn’t have the capability to face the Old Phantom Fox like Dehorman could. And like Dehorman, he couldn’t predict when the fox would make its last leap. That was something gained from experience.

But there was one distinctly identifiable moment when the fox would jump high.

– The reason the fox leaps is that it’s a habit to avoid being noticed by prey.

When the prey doesn’t notice, that’s when it jumps high for the first time.

– The fox quietly approaches its prey, leaps high, and bites down starting from its snout.

Knowing even the form of its descent, Leo planned to maximize his advantage from the Old Phantom Fox’s first attack.

On a clear day with not even a breeze.

The valley was chillingly quiet, and only the distant sound of meat sizzling and Lena’s casual remarks of “That looks delicious. Shall I try some?” echoed.

Then, without any prior noise, the giant fox leaped into the air.

From a distance, Leo, who had been keenly observing the empty air, shouted.

“Lena! Dodge!”

Upon hearing Leo’s shout as promised, Lena immediately jumped to the side. Leo, hiding, dashed out with his sword drawn, charging wildly.

– Kreeeek! Yip yip yip!

The spot where the Old Phantom Fox landed, where Lena had been standing, crumbled with a “crack” sound of splintering wood.

Sharp metal skewers pierced the fox’s snout and its two front paws upon landing.

Some of the skewers, having been directly stepped on, were protruding through its feet squeaking out.

Yes! The trap they had painstakingly set for three days had worked perfectly.

Lena and Leo had dug into the frozen ground for days to stake the skewers they brought there. They covered them with sticks and disguised them with leaves and snow.

It was a way to inflict deadly damage before facing the Old Phantom Fox; they utilized its habit of leaping high and falling vertically on prey that hadn’t noticed its approach.

The Old Phantom Fox twisted its body, desperately scratching at its snout with its injured front paws.

But that wouldn’t remove the skewers embedded in it.

The blood gushing from its feet and snout stained the ground beneath Lena’s white lips and the area around her.

“Gah!”

Leo, who had quickly closed the distance, charged at the Old Phantom Fox with a shout.

He had to injure its legs before it regained its senses!

As much as he wished to stab its neck or heart, failing to cut off its breath in one go might make it escape.

Leo chose a backup plan. Without slowing down, he lunged at the fox and plunged his sword deep.

– Rarrgh!

The fox, pierced near its back thigh, leaped and rolled its body. It tried to hobble away, but Lena stood blocking its path.

“Gotcha!”

Lena’s sword slashed across the Old Phantom Fox’s cheek. The skewer embedded in its snout clanged against her sword, ringing out.

Startled by the unfamiliar pain, the Old Phantom Fox rolled again and stood on its hind legs, scanning the area.

Two monkeys.

Even amidst its shock and confusion, realizing there were only two small primates around infuriated the fox even more.

The Old Phantom Fox’s nose scrunched up tightly, its anger soaring.