The Villain Changed the Ending

081 Hunting

***[Heroine Oscar]***

Arriving at the hunting grounds, the endlessly stretched tent caught my eye.

From large tents that can accommodate hundreds of people to small tents that can accommodate dozens of people, there are too many to count.

Some were conical, others were large rectangles with open sides.

There are many laws that have a lot of history in an old family.

Among the tents that had been passed down from generation to generation, some were ridiculously old for hundreds of years.

Some tents look like new with new fabrics on the frame or some pillars changed, but each supporting pillar and each piece of fabric have a story.

Some tents were the place where the head of the family was born, and some tents contain memories of the old head of the previous generation who participated in the last hunt and laughed with people.

Memories of each tent can be seen in the diary of the head of the family, but stories have been passed down from generation to generation even among the head butler and old attendants.

none of them are forgotten

The management was so polite, both new and old, were properly cared for.

‘Sharing these trivial memories must be the true strength of an old family.’

Above and below both remember and miss the same thing, bound by it.

As it gets older, there will be conflicts at times, but more than that, it’s the accumulation of ugly feelings and good feelings.

It is a strength that cannot be found in a newly born family, and if it is wrong, it becomes a weakness that is tied only to old customs and fades.

It was the role of the head of the family to stand above all the clans to manage it well and bring people together.

And it’s also what a duke’s mistress should do.

I gave my gaze to Catherine, who had been strangely quiet from earlier.

Katrin was looking around with her eyes wide open.

On one side of the tent, where a flag is fluttering in the wind, an oven fires, and cooks frantically prepare food.

The servants were constantly bringing dishes to the banquet hall of the large tent.

Looking at that figure, Katrin, who had her eyes wide open, suddenly murmured.

“I guess that’s all meat over there. My God.”

The hunt goes on for a very long time.

Not only nobles, but also soldiers and attendants to protect women while men were hunting, so of course the amount of food to eat during that period was enormous.

Meat, vegetables and alcohol.

Even food ingredients for a day had to be transported in dozens of carts.

Katrin’s surprise at participating in such an event for the first time is probably understandable.

‘but.’

The dishes made here, the size and number of tents, and the spacing between them are decided through discussions between mother and Benno.

Of course, Katrin must have been in it too, and maybe she had something to say.

There was a map of the hunting grounds in the duke’s mansion, and based on that, the tents were displayed, and the tents were assigned according to the family.

Catherine must have known the scale.

‘Is it such a surprise?’

Catherine’s mask had been removed.

His eyes twinkled with excitement and his fists were clenched tightly.

Well, what you think in your head and what you actually see with your eyes are very different.

I wouldn’t have thought it would be this grand.

Even I, who already know, am surprised every time by this huge amount of food.

“Rose! Look at that! It’s meat. It’s amazing.”

Rose said.

I don’t live on meat.

Still, perhaps because Katrin’s excitement was conveyed, or because she wanted to respond to her excitement, Rose shook her head slightly larger than her body and let out a small neighing noise.

Seeing that, the nobles around him laughed.

Katrin seems to have noticed that her mask has been completely removed.

Hmm, hmm, he coughed lightly and covered his mouth with his hand.

But it’s already too late, Catherine.

Her personality eventually spread to everyone in an instant.

It’s really difficult for a young lady to hide her true nature and act in an aristocratic society.

I smiled and drove the horse forward.

“From now on, you can have a somewhat free atmosphere, Catherine. Unlike normal banquets and dinners, you can laugh and chat loudly here.”

However, there are things to be careful about.

To some extent, alcohol spreads among people, and after a few days, secret and erotic things begin to mix between men and women.

You could see things you couldn’t see if you recklessly jumped into any tent, and sometimes men and women seduced each other.

As a human being, if you drink too much, you will do things you wouldn’t normally do.

There are people who quarrel with severe people, and there are cases of light sword fighting every year.

Originally, people in this world, especially men, are often rough.

It must be because death is always by your side.

When alcohol entered, we fought with fists and knives before speaking.

It seems that reason is all flying somewhere.

The banquet of the hunting season had a different face from that of the glamorous socialite.

“So you should always have someone with you. Of course, the mother and the old ladies will take care of everything, but there’s nothing wrong with being careful.”

“Of course, Mr. Oscar. I’m well aware of it.”

Catherine replied briskly, but, well, I’m worried. I am well aware of her bizarre behavior.

I glanced slightly at the guards around me, telling me not to leave Katrin’s side.

Catherine’s bodyguards lowered their eyes slightly as a sign that they understood.

*

For a while, men and women chatted together in a banquet hall set up in a large tent.

In the meantime, a message came that the forest keepers and herders of the hunting grounds were ready.

A few men laughed and talked loudly with the women, then poured themselves a drink and left.

The gasps of excited hounds are heard here and there.

I also put the cup I was holding down on the servant’s tray.

Now it’s time to head to the hunting grounds.

My mother smiled and looked at me.

“Oscar, come home. I’m looking forward to who will catch the first game of the year.”

Every year, the first person to stab their prey with an arrow or knife is the envy of the people.

Last year, that was me, but the year before that, I was a lord over 60.

In other places, everyone refuses to me as a duke, but in the hunting ground, everyone is eager not to lose even a fingernail.

Perhaps the admiration of women is one of the reasons.

There was no way to concede the ball to anyone.

Receiving a glance from her mother, Katrin took a step in front of me.

She held out a finely embroidered handkerchief.

It is often used as a talisman for men to tie to spears during jousting matches or as a talisman when going to war.

“This… is the coat of arms of the duchy.”

“yes.”

It is not a small embroidered corner of the handkerchief.

The size of the embroidery was quite large.

Around the crest, a silvery thread is wrapped like a vine and decorated, and a lot of work was put into it.

“I heard that something this sophisticated doesn’t happen overnight.”

“When Oscar goes hunting… To give as a father, father, wife… I’ve been embroidering it ever since I was in the marquis family.”

I was ashamed to say that I was a wife.

My face turned red.

The wives and men nearby laugh out loud.

“It’s sweet and sour.”

“I also remember getting it when I first got married and went to my first match.”

“Somehow, it reminds me of the old days.”

I tucked the handkerchief around my waist and tied it.

Katrin comes close and helps.

and said little

“I hope that this hunt will land Oscar’s first arrow.”

Maybe I said it while praying to God in my heart.

Saying it very seriously, Catherine smiled prettily.

“…”

Catching the first game of the hunting season is no mere honor.

Underlying was the superstition that doing so would bring blessings for the following year.

This has nothing to do with God’s blessings.

It was simply a superstition.

Still, people are willing to believe in this superstition.

When the hunting season came, so it became fun like a festival.

At first, I was hurt by the smell of blood and dying animals, but I also seem to be immersed in the atmosphere before I knew it.

“Thank you, Katrin. I can’t lose on today’s hunt. Even for your sincerity.”

When I said that, the mother and the wives made a very small voice.

For some reason, I was also a little shy.

I think the newlyweds showed off too much.

Of course, rather than saying that they are newlyweds, they are still in a playing house relationship.

I left the place as if to hide my blushing face.

The forest that becomes the hunting ground is within a distance of the tent.

Since this forest is close to the central city, there were several forest keepers.

I already heard the forest keeper’s report.

From the outside, the beast ecology here hasn’t changed much.

But here, too, the number was gradually increasing.

It’s a subtle change, but deep inside, there are more demon beasts and footprints than before.

It was such a small difference that you wouldn’t know if you didn’t know in advance.

Men gather between the space lined with tents and the forest.

Some of the men were waving at their wives and daughters, and some were bragging about their bravery.

Women waved their hands or waved handkerchiefs as they cheered.

The boisterous laughter was occasionally mingled with the barking of dogs.

When the men had all mounted their horses and the signal was given, the dog-drivers who were holding the hounds in excitement let go of the line.

The hounds that were pulling the string tight jumped out at the same time.

Dog-drivers also follow on horseback.

Beep, beep, the sound of a flute ordering the hounds not to run too fast echoed here and there.

The horses on which the men rode began to run.

As they moved away from the women, the faces of the men who had been laughing a moment ago darkened.

This year, I don’t have the time to laugh at my first game.

Instead, only the clatter of horses’ hooves echoed through the ground.

*

In addition to the hunting season banquet hosted by the duke’s family, hunts are held throughout the duchy in spring, summer, and winter.

Occasionally they fall out in certain seasons, but they were definitely hunting at least twice a year.

This was to prevent the number of monsters and beasts from increasing too much.

The number of hunting is higher than that of other territories.

Thanks to that, the number of demons in the dukedom did not increase significantly.

Other than that, a place where the management of the estate and family is strict and relaxed would be fine.

A place like that might not be as good as the Duke’s, but it’s probably doing its own thing.

‘The Marquis of Petri and Grandpa would be fine too.’

Those two families are hunting harder than anywhere else to train soldiers.

But maybe other places are starting to overflow by now.

It seems that this matter must be reported to the king in haste.

‘I hope the King will listen to my story without misinterpreting it.’

I let out a small sigh.

As we went deeper into the forest, the dog chasers called the dogs that were too far ahead and slowed them down.

The forest keeper selects several places where there are many witches, and the chasers lead the dogs there.

The men and I made our way through the forest in a long, sideways fashion, widening slightly.

It was hunting by encircling a certain range of the forest and driving the demons inside it.

After running for a while, several of the chasers raised their arms.

The hounds seem to have smelled the beast.

The horse’s speed increased.

I ran halfway through and gradually moved forward and eventually came to the fore.

The first things I found were grasshopper demons and hyena-like ones.

There are many.

I took out my bow and arrow while on my horse and aimed at it.

After I braced myself with my legs, I held my breath for a moment.

feel the wind

Then, when I stopped breathing and let go of my hand, the arrow with magical energy shot out like a shot.

The arrow pierced the head of the Witchbeast as it was being chased by dogs and people.

Kiek! With a sound, the hyena-like monster went off to the floor.

That was the beginning.

The men’s swords and arrows began to cut through the air without hesitation.

Humans, beasts, demon beasts, all blood is red.

The forest was instantly stained with red blood.

“…”

For the time being, each day like this continues for several days.

The heavy breaths exhaled by the men scattered into the air before colliding with the cries of the monsters and falling.