Into The Depths Of The Forest

In the blinding morning light, Arthur stepped out of the village chief’s room alone, dressed in light gear for easy movement. Since he was going into the forest this time, he hadn’t told Kei.

He chuckled to himself. If he told Kei there’s chicken tastier than the Gokuuma Bird, she’d be thrilled.

Humming as he walked through the woods, Arthur advanced. Normally, someone like him—a royal with little actual combat skill—would never dare enter a monster-infested forest. In fact, he would’ve avoided it entirely. But because of his powerful healing abilities, Arthur had grown overconfident in his own strength.

‘Even if I get attacked, I won’t take damage. I’ll just heal myself. No big deal.’

That was the extent of his thinking. Unfortunately, this was where his naivety would become a problem.

“If I remember right… the knights were attacked by the lake deeper in the forest.”

Using the information he had heard during the banquet last night, he continued walking. About five minutes in—

Rustle… rustle…

He noticed something shaking the trees around him. It felt like something was surrounding him.

“Gobbuuu!!”

With a dopey cry, a green humanoid monster appeared—goblins. Five of them, wielding crude wooden clubs, warily surrounded Arthur.

Goblins were quick, but their strength was somewhere between a child and an adult. Any grown man would easily defeat one in single combat. They were the weakest class of monsters.

“Fuhahaha! Did you think a bunch of goblins could stand between me and my hunger?! Whoa!!”

He grinned and boasted—only to dodge a flying pebble in a panic. As he raised his sword to strike back, the goblins quickly widened the distance.

‘Oh crap. Can I even fight?’

He did have a sword for self-defense, and he’d received some basic training… years ago. But he hadn’t practiced at all since then. He had assumed the so-called forest master was just a big bird and that he could handle it if he got close. He hadn’t expected to be pelted from a distance like this.

“Gob gob!!”

The goblins jeered at him, mocking his hesitation. Enraged, Arthur prepared to charge—
Thwip!

An arrow sliced through the air and pierced one goblin’s temple.

“Gob gob!?”

“What the—!?”

Startled, Arthur and the goblins looked toward the direction the arrow had come from. Standing there was a tall young man holding a harp-like weapon.

It was Tristan, one of Arthur’s knight escorts. He approached as casually as if he were out for a stroll.

“Really now, I thought you were sneaking off for a secret rendezvous with the Saintess, but here you are playing around with goblins. Prince Arthur, I’d appreciate it if you could at least notify your escort when venturing into danger.”

“Gob!!”

“I’m speaking with His Highness right now, if you don’t mind.”

As Tristan plucked his harp, arrows fired from its frame, striking down the remaining four goblins.

He was this strong…?

Arthur stared in disbelief as Tristan smiled and approached him. He looked the same as usual—but his eyes were measuring something carefully…

It reminded Arthur of his fiancée, Morgan.

“So… Prince Arthur, why would you come alone to such a dangerous place?”

“Well…”

Arthur tried to brush it off, but memories flooded back—the small number of guards who fought during their escape from Mordred’s rebellion. That shortage was the result of Arthur’s lack of charisma and concern for others.

‘If I’d built stronger relationships with the soldiers… maybe more would have stayed to fight for me.’

And the Good Deed Points—he had earned them when people like Marianne began to view him more favorably.

If he could make Tristan think he was doing something noble, he’d likely earn more points—and avoid the guillotine. Driven by desperation, he scrambled to find a reason Tristan would buy.

This was, as ever, a man who thought only of himself.

“…Prince Arthur?”

“The forest master… I’ll defeat it…”

To share the forest master with everyone! That was his real goal—but he knew he’d be dismissed with a “That’s the hunter’s job.”

Honestly, he’d planned to share it with Kei, and even that was a big compromise on his part.

‘Think, Arthur!! You’re a prince!!’

He tried to spin his brain as fast as it could go, but his so-called wisdom produced nothing useful.

“Prince Arthur… are you seriously planning to defeat the forest master?”

“Yeah… I am, but—Tristan!?”

Arthur gasped. Tristan had suddenly knelt before him in a formal bow of allegiance. A knight’s vow of loyalty—an action not taken lightly.

“You heard about the forest master lurking deep in the woods at the banquet, didn’t you? You intend to defeat the cause of this disturbance! Your devotion to the people has moved me deeply!”

“Uh… yeah. That’s right…”

“But that’s not all, is it?”

Arthur was about to play along again, but Tristan’s meaningful smile made him break into a cold sweat.

‘Oh no—did he figure out I just want to eat it…?’

“And you didn’t tell anyone because you were worried about the Saintess, right? If she were to be saved by you, it might damage the Church’s authority, after all!”

“No, that’s not it—”

‘Wait, she’s here too?! If she beats it first, people will think I’m second-best!’

“Fufu, no need to be shy. I, Tristan, am known for my discretion! And fighting a powerful monster to save a beautiful elven Saintess—how heroic! I’ll gladly lend you my aid!”

Apparently misunderstanding Arthur’s panic, Tristan winked as if to say “I get it.”

He didn’t get it at all…

But regardless, Tristan had joined the team!

“Enough talk—let’s go!! I can’t let anyone beat me to it!!”

And with that, they hurried toward the forest master’s domain.