Purple Heart (5)

“Th-there…!”

Someone screamed as they saw a pitch-black beast dash through the collapsed tents.

“A boar?”

One side of the clearing was already a complete mess.

Knights on horseback, having seen Sven’s example, caught the rampaging horses or quickly killed them if necessary.

Into the space where the frenzied horses had not yet been cleared, furious boars charged in.

“My Lady, there are three of them!”

Ren, the cleaner who was mounted, shouted.

In Ren’s hand was a horse held by its lead.

He handed the lead to the ground crew and immediately turned his horse’s head.

“Left!”

Alicia chose her target and spurred her horse forward.

“I’ll take the center. You block the far right no matter what!”

Ren set his share, ran ahead, and shouted to his comrades left behind.

The knights who had not gone hunting set out on the task lightheartedly.

That didn’t mean their armament was light.

They hadn’t exactly foreseen this, but they carried newly purchased weapons—arrows, spears, and more.

“Are those boars?”

“They look like it, but what kind of boars are that big!”

The knights, faced with boars far larger than their common sense allowed, readied spears and swords in horror.

They had neither seen nor heard of boars so tall their shoulders reached a grown man’s.

“They’re coming!”

The boars charged at the three knights but paused when the men spread their weapons wide to make themselves appear larger.

They furiously pawed the ground with their forelegs.

Squeal!

A pitiful cry was followed by a thud—the sound of something heavy collapsing.

A spear was lodged in the fallen boar’s forehead.

Alicia, who had felled the boar in a single strike, quickly turned her horse.

The boar Ren was fighting bled profusely from daggers embedded in its flank and leg.

Alicia drove the staggering boar toward Ren, then charged at the one locked with the knights on the open ground.

The boar stomped uneasily at the sound of approaching hooves behind it.

Deciding the horse approaching from behind was an easier target than the three knights puffing themselves up in front, the boar changed direction.

Alicia charged straight toward the boar rushing at her, without slowing down.

At the last moment, she turned her horse’s head aside and swung her longsword.

Slash!

The boar, cut along its side, veered abruptly again.

It was neither toward the knights nor Alicia.

One side of the boar fleeing toward the forest was completely exposed.

“Loose!”

At Alicia’s cry, the knights lowered their spears and swords, drew bows, and let their arrows fly.

Thunk! Thud! Twang!

Arrows embedded themselves into the boar’s thick hide.

Some stuck only shallowly, wobbling loosely.

The knights quickly closed in and finished off the bleeding, groaning beast.

By the time the three knights on the ground had dispatched their boar, Ren had killed his as well.

The mounted soldiers who had driven the horses into the woods returned to report.

They said Sven was tending to the captured horses.

Juan surveyed the calmed situation, dismounted, and helped Countess Istevna dismount.

“Check if anyone remains in their personal tents, and see if there are any injured.”

Alicia dismounted and issued quick orders.

Only after the mounted knights headed for the collapsed tents did guards begin running from beyond the fence dividing the hunting ground from the base camp.

“Take care of the horses. Move the captured boars to the clearing. The collapsed tents must be restored. Prepare to divide the people for treatment depending on their injuries. I will visit the ladies in the tents.”

“We will prepare, My Lady.”

Alicia left her horse with the knights and headed toward the tents.

The knights divided tasks and moved toward the soldiers rushing in.

The tent where the concubines and noble ladies had gathered, with its front wall open, was thankfully unharmed.

It had not collapsed nor borne a single scratch.

“What happened?”

“Well…”

The women inside the tent had not been idle either.

They stood in lines according to their ranks and titles, ready to evacuate.

At the very front of the concubines’ tent, keeping watch on the situation, stood the Duchess of Pfalz.

Though her face was pale with fear, she stood foremost, perhaps because of dignity.

In front of the noble ladies’ tent, watching the situation, was the Marchioness of Manners.

Unlike the Duchess of Pfalz, the Marchioness was surrounded by three young ladies—Viviana, Cynthia, and Angela.

The Marchioness checked on the noble ladies lined up, while the three ladies confirmed the situation outside.

“Shouldn’t we be leaving this place?”

At the worried voice, Viviana gave an awkward smile.

“I don’t think there’s need for concern.”

“Didn’t they say we were under attack?”

Viviana could hardly believe what she had just seen.

To fell a boar far larger than normal in a single strike, and even help capture the rest—Alicia’s actions had left her stunned.

Even Josephina, skilled with a sword, couldn’t have managed that.

“This is the hunting ground, so it seems lost beasts strayed here. Since the nearby knights have handled it, there’s no need to worry.”

Angela added the explanation in place of Viviana, who faltered.

At Angela’s words, Viviana and Cynthia nodded in agreement.

Just then, Alicia arrived at the tent and overheard them.

“Marchioness Manners, noble ladies, do any of you have injuries?”

“Lady Alicia. Welcome. What has happened outside?”

Marchioness Manners asked in relief at seeing Alicia.

“It is as the three ladies have said. The beasts of the hunting ground seem to have lost their way here. They have all been dealt with, but some personal tents collapsed, so I have ordered their restoration. Until further orders, though it may be wearying, it is best if you wait here.”

At Alicia’s words, the Marchioness nodded unconditionally.

“So we shall. Lady Alicia, you have worked hard.”

“Not at all. I was on my way to the Duchess of Pfalz, so I will continue.”

“Please, go at once.”

The Marchioness bid Alicia farewell with a warm smile.

Alicia turned to bow to the Duchess of Pfalz, who was standing just outside the next tent.

“Lady Alicia! What has happened here?”

The Duchess’s face was pale as snow.

Her cold hands grasped Alicia’s suddenly.

“Duchess, were you watching from here?”

“Someone had to look at what was happening outside.”

“Your face looks unwell, Duchess.”

“When the tents fell, I thought we would all be crushed and die.”

“His Grace the Grand Duke left knights here to guard you. We were fortunate. Now that the sentries have arrived, the hunters should soon return as well. I imagine they have already been informed.”

“Perhaps so.”

“Tents will be raised again, but it will be hard for soldiers to tidy inside. When they are restored, please send the ladies to organize their belongings. It is best not to leave until things are in order outside.”

At Alicia’s words, the Duchess let her fear fade and smiled faintly.

“Leave it to me.”

The Duchess patted the back of Alicia’s hand and entered the tent.

Stepping inside the tent, its front wall open for the view, she addressed the concubines in a calm tone.

“It seems matters outside have been settled. Shall we finish our tea?”

Alicia had lived her whole life as a noble lady, before and after her fall into hell.

Though it wasn’t her place to say so, nobles and royals often acted foolishly by clinging to dignity in odd ways.

Was this really the time for tea?

Muttering to herself, she turned toward the chaos.

Viviana, watching Alicia’s retreating figure toward the hunting ground, looked puzzled.

“…”

“…”

Cynthia and Angela, standing a little behind, also watched Alicia.

Then the two glanced at each other, silently exchanging suspicious looks.

In the center of the clearing of the hunting ground stood the Emperor.

On one side of the clearing, the captured game from the hunt was neatly arrayed.

Most striking were three boars of unprecedented size.

“I will now announce the winner of the Imperial Spring Hunt.”

The participants of the hunt gathered in the clearing.

Alicia stood among them.

“Lady Alicia!”

The Emperor thrust forward a golden bow and cried out.

Knights and soldiers of Tessen shouted all at once.

“Congratulations. You must receive the prize bestowed by His Majesty.”

Reichardt, standing beside Alicia, said with a smile.

“It was Sir Juan who caught them…”

Alicia muttered, even as Reichardt pushed her forward.

She had been insisting the same from earlier, but no one believed her.

“At such times, the highest-ranking person must accept it!”

Reichardt, rarely raising his voice, shouted aloud.

“Congratulations, Lady Alicia!”

Unaware of her protest, Count Istevna clapped enthusiastically.

Marquis Lennox, standing beside him, cast a sideways glance, but the Count clapped until his palms nearly burst.

Beside him, Pauline, wrapped in a shawl, smiled and clapped softly.

By the time the hunters had returned, everything had already been resolved.

The collapsed personal tents had all been restored.

Broken or torn ones were cleared away, and where necessary, spare tents were raised.

When the Emperor’s party returned, all that remained were three impossibly large boars, two dead horses, and six captured alive.

The concubines and noble ladies praised the Duchess Pfalz for her calm, and Alicia for her decisiveness.

Some ladies commended the Marchioness of Manners for leading the nobles well.

The knights and guards of Tessen, spitting with excitement, lauded Alicia’s command.

Countess Istevna said Alicia had saved her life.

The Emperor, holding the golden bow, looked like a kind angel.

An angel had descended there.

But to Alicia, he was nothing more than a mischievous uncle.

Of course, as uncles went, he was terrifyingly handsome, but beneath the beautiful exterior was a shrewd schemer she disliked.

“You have achieved great merit, Lady Alicia.”

The Emperor approached, smiling, and praised her.

Alicia gave a slight curtsey and extended her hand.

“I thank Your Majesty for this grace.”

The chief attendant of the imperial hunt, the only one accompanying, passed the golden bow from the Emperor to Alicia’s hands.

“I ought to give you a golden spear, truly.”

The Emperor whispered knowingly.

As expected, he was a sly man.

Though he knew everything, his face spread a smile like a blooming flower.

“I am honored.”

Alicia, not yielding, beamed in return.

The Imperial Spring Hunt ended in triumph.