15 ◦❀◦ The Bracelet Envy

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The noblemen, with Garth as the youngest participant, have already donned their armors.

Attendants and aides were not allowed during the hunt. However, for security, the knights were scattered in the perimeter. Only the weakest monsters from slow-shelled slugs to horned wolves as the most dangerous roam the area.

Lizzie could pick few young and sweaty faces, with hands on their sheath. Newbies are too obvious. Although a family member didn't need to have a representative, they had prided themselves on the generally accepted fact that no Northern man is a coward.

It became an unnamed and undocumented pledge to the duke and their appeal that they could stand beside him on the battlefield. Either with pure intentions or not, the hunting ceremony solidified itself as an annual event exclusive for Northerners throughout the years. Even the past kings could not intervene.

The duke even shut down the emperor's request and called him an idiot.

Aside from nervous first-timers, there were also men with fancy bracelets on their wrists. The more bracelets they have, the higher their heads were held up high.

"Erdie... what's wrong?" She feigned innocence against Erdan's dark smile and his raised bare wrist.

"I wonder why?"

Meanwhile, Garth was watching not far from them talking to the duke. Why are you looking so smug?

"Well then Lizzie, I didn't know you hated me this much."

"But I like Erdie."

"Do you?" He retorted back. Even though she had seen him in knightly armor for the first time, she thought that his pristine image in his noble clothing holding a book was still more terrifying. You look good in it, just don't smile like that.

"Erdie looks cool!" she changed the topic, asking why the participants haven't left yet.

"It doesn't matter. No matter how I look, beasts would kill me. Especially that no one has even wished for my safety and luck."

Just turn around, and you'll see. Tons of them! Some women weren't too subtle in watching him with their bracelets that were far more crafted and jeweled than Lizzie's leftover tassel.

But his dark aura, as if one can see it, and directed to Lizzie had served as a wall. On the other hand, Garth had no problem declining offers by proudly raising his wrist.

As for the Duke... who is exactly in their right mind would give him a good luck charm?

Lizzie sighed. And from her sling pouch matching her dress, she pulled the bracelet and handed it to Erdan. "Then... then...you can have this." Laugh and I'll choke you with this! But she could not blame him if he does. Even herself thought her creation was more of chaotic knots and lumps of ropes than a wrist accessory.

"So you don't have a talent in such things."

Listen here y-! She could not take it back, it was already on his wrist. "Well, I'm certain I'd survive this game."

What the hell. Looking so happy.

"How about him?" Erdan tilted his head towards the duke. "Father would be happy "

"The Duke is strong!" Lizzie exclaimed She extended her hands to the sky. "Dragons and monsters like this, like this big, duke can catch them." The dude won't need luck, but the monsters do.

"The duke huh..." Then he patted her head. "You won't know if you try."

Erdan already left before she could spout any childish replies.

The participants now rallied near the forest border as last-minute instructions were provided.

The hunt would last from the rest of the afternoon until midnight when the horn is blown. For injuries, participants were to immediately withdraw and be tended by doctors and a mage on the set up tents in the fort.

All the while, Lizzie had her eyes on her pouch and its contents; candies wrapped in pieces of cloth, a fork she stole once as her weapon of choice, and the last, the ugliest bracelet of the three.

It was meant to earn their favor, but the duke's cold behavior annoyed her.

It's not like I did something wrong.

Fay snapped the young Norvillon out of her thoughts. The horn was blown and the men entered the forest. The women were retreating to their tents and tea parties for the rest of the day.

He wouldn't like it anyway, she thought, glad that they were all gone.

She turned back to the fort's direction only to bump a cold metal. "What are you spacing out for?"

The duke was looking down on her like she was in the way.

Why are you still here?

Lizzie could not reply. The Fort commander had responded to him instead and raised the concern of the scouts' report about the unrest beyond the guarded ceremony area. Devanti commanded him to send units and more guards to the perimeter border.

"Tell the knight to relay information to the participants. "Let's see who'd shake their noble boots and crawl back in fear," he said, evilly as if he did not lead the nobles himself. The Fort commander bowed and left.

"Go to your room," he commanded Lizzie and marched towards the forest border.

You won't know if you try. Somehow, Erdan's words echoed in her head. Lizzie peeked at her pouch. It was still ugly. But she still did it for hours, so might as well, the hideous thing should decorate Devanti Norvillon's wrist to complement his difficult personality.

"Duke... Duke~!" She called, waving the bracelet, as her short legs ran towards him, now at forest border. The knights assigned to be her guard had followed but paused when the duke stopped to wait for her.

A few more steps to him, Lizzie's faltered, her eyes beyond the duke, to something dark moving beyond the trees.

Devanti also realized its presence and before he unsheathed his sword, a long tentacle-like shot out from the trees, past the duke, and snaked on Lizzie's waist in a blink of an eye.

Huh?

Then she was pulled to the forest so fast her world tilted and blurred. The bracelet had long slipped her hand and the fort had become smaller. She could not even see the shocked faces of the witnesses.

The last thing she remembered was Devanti running after her.

Then Lizzie was swallowed by the canopy of trees.

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