"Haa, haa."
Maximilian stopped for a moment to catch his breath. His footprints were clearly visible along the path he had taken. He looked down at his fur boots covered in snow.
'It's a low-quality product that wouldn't even be looked at in the home country.'
I bought them at a high price by using a swindler, and they were even used. Every time I put them on, the face of the peddler came to mind and I got annoyed, but before I knew it, they had become the most beloved item among my belongings.
Perhaps it means that he has adapted to living abroad to some extent.
"It's equally difficult to make a living."
He muttered his habitual monologue and started walking again. His pockets were empty because he had indulged himself in drinking yesterday. He had to grab something to keep himself from starving.
As expected from a snowy mountain, there is only snow all around. In the silence, only the sound of my own footsteps can be heard.
Even in such a quiet place, one must not let one's guard down. One never knows what might be hiding behind the snow-covered spruce trees. A monster is a monster, but Maximilian was always wary of people.
"You're like uncivilized racists."
Pecatum, who clicks his tongue as he passes by, is on the friendly side. He doesn't do any direct harm. However, not everyone is that friendly, so there are often some who do malicious things.
Even if you try to pass it off as good, it's easy to cross the line. And since people in the countryside communicate with each other actively, they quickly notice when someone goes missing. At that point, you have no choice but to move.
"I hope today goes by peacefully."
Maximilian had a small wish.
Without even imagining the future that awaited him.
The first sign was the smell.
'Bloody smell?'
He smelled the scent of blood from afar. His life as a hunter had made his five senses more sensitive. Up until this point, he had not felt any particular sense of danger.
'Shall we go and take a look?'
If it's a territorial battle, it's worth trying to take advantage of the fisherman's territory. Just take the loot from the corpse of the monster that's already been eaten. You can receive the subjugation reward from the royal family.
Maximilian ran his eyes in a low posture. The smell of blood reaching his nose became stronger. Eventually, Maximilian was able to see over the hill and down the slope.
And then immediately shut his mouth.
"Huh…!"
A human corpse, not a monster. Blood seeped into the eyes and formed puddles. The coat was torn to shreds, as if it had been stabbed with something sharp.
In the meantime, their faces were not exposed. Their heads were all covered with snow. It was very artificial and there were some unnatural parts here and there, but Maximilian did not notice it.
It just looks like a crazy murder scene.
Moreover, there was no time given to calm down.
Someone walked out of the spruce forest. A monster wearing a thick coat and a fur hood. I couldn't tell his gender. All I could tell was that he was the one responsible for the disaster.
Blood stains stuck all over the body.
And there was even more conclusive evidence.
-Wheeing!
The chainsaw blade held in both hands rotated at high speed. The bright red substance caught in the blade and drops of blood splattered everywhere. Maximilian took a step back involuntarily at the grotesque sight.
Sabak.
The sound of footsteps was heard.
'Hey, did you hear that?'
He quickly crouched down on the hill and hid his body. Maybe he couldn't hear it because of the engine noise. If that's the case, it would be more dangerous to just run away. He just stuck his face out and watched the monster.
A rusted iron mask was revealed beneath the hood.
The monster was looking straight up the hill.
"Oh, shit!"
Maximilian immediately began to run away. He was skilled enough to survive as a hunter and Minos. He even managed to subdue Pecatum, who had attacked him by surprise, several times.
But things are completely different now. Aren't survival stories and horror stories different genres? The fear learned through media such as movies has eliminated the option of combat.
Wheeing!
Even though I was running, the sound didn't get farther away. Instead, it got closer. I glanced back and, sure enough, the monster was chasing me like crazy with a chainsaw.
"Ugh, ugh!"
The sound of breathing echoed through my skull. Suddenly, the hood was removed and the cold wind hit my face straight ahead. The situation of running away helplessly suddenly reminded me of the time I fled from my home country.
I want to live.
Even if I roll around in mud, I want to remain as myself. For that, I threw away all my wealth, status, and fame and came here. I can't end my life in vain like this.
"Ugh, aaak!"
I stumbled and rolled down the slope. I quickly got up from my aching body and hurried my steps. The distance between me and the monster was getting shorter by the second, and I estimated that there was only about 10 meters left.
It was a moment when tears welled up in my eyes.
Boooow!
The sound of a car driving nearby was heard.
'car?'
There aren't many cars on the outskirts of Bastitera. How could there be a car in the snowy mountains? While I thought it was strange, my body honestly followed the sound.
The chainsaw roared from behind him. The other party must have thought this was their last chance and was desperately chasing after him. Maximilian stretched out his legs as if he was going to die.
Soon the cars began to appear.
"He, he, he, he! He, he, he! He, he, he. The killer! The killer is chasing me!"
The car approached in a straight line, as if the appeal had worked or if it had been spotted through the window. Only then did the engine noise of the chainsaw stop. When I glanced behind me, the monster had stopped as if he had given up on chasing me.
It seemed like I heard a tongue-clicking sound.
A mid-sized car with winter tires stopped in front of Maximilian. The door opened and three men and women appeared. Two were Pecatum, but surprisingly, one was Minos.
Among them, a Minos man spoke.
"Are you okay?"
"Ugh, ugh. Somehow, it's okay."
"Can you explain the situation?"
"That, I don't know either. There was a corpse, phew!"
"Please calm down first, even if it takes your time."
The man handed over the water jug and looked in the direction of the monster. Maximilian drank the water in gulps and followed the man's gaze. Before he knew it, the monster had moved far away.
The chainsaw left a trail of frozen blood.
* * *
Maximilian got off comfortably in the car with the heater on. It was a comfort he hadn't felt in a long time. He had a moment of doubt, but that quickly melted away.
They were people whose identities were more certain than anyone else's, let alone criminals.
"Excuse me. You are from the royal family."
"My name is Carmen Moville. I've been receiving frequent reports of abnormal phenomena recently, so I'm out inspecting things. I usually take care of Lady Ainoa, but she treats people very roughly."
Carmen's smile was aristocratic. She soon introduced her group.
"These two people are Mr. Hyun and Ms. Asterike of Dustborne Corporation."
"If it's Dustborne Corporation, then?"
A mercenary company that gained widespread fame after the Great Disaster. Maximilian had heard of them before, having traveled around here and there before coming to Bastitera.
"I guess we've become famous."
"I don't know how you perceive it, but we have a close relationship with the royal family of Bastitera. We help each other in times of trouble. I'm glad that you're safe."
"It's all thanks to you all coming. I can't explain it any other way than saying it was just fate."
"I guess heaven helped you because you never gave up until the end."
Maximilian exclaimed in admiration. In his eyes, Kim I-Hyeon was truly a good-looking young man. Despite being self-made at a young age, wasn't his character quite outstanding?
As someone who had been living abroad, he had no way of knowing.
Kim Yi-hyeon detonated a bomb in Shiran a while ago.
I thought they were planning to overthrow even the imperial palace.
"First, I'll order the Coast Guard to investigate. If you offer a bounty, the hunters will also move. Even if there's a bit of commotion, won't it be resolved quickly?"
After exchanging glances with Carmen, Kim Yi-hyeon opened his mouth.
"You don't seem to be from this area."
"Oh, yes. That's right."
"You must have had a hard time. Discrimination is still strong in the outskirts."
"I feel ashamed as a servant of the royal family."
"haha...."
Even out of courtesy, he couldn't say no. He had been ostracized more than once. When Minos was starving, instead of giving him a piece of bread, he was kicked away by the villagers.
That's why I couldn't help but be tempted by the offer that followed.
"If you don't have any plans, would you like to come to the capital?"
"Me, you say?"
"The outside is overflowing with Minos, but this is not the case. I guess it's a sense of kinship, but it's not easy to leave it alone. If I've bothered you in vain, I apologize."
"No. I appreciate it, but I wonder if that's okay…."
"There is another reason."
Kim Yi-hyeon looked at Maximilian again.
Redness and flushing. Typical Shiran characteristics.
"I have information that a spy from Shiran has recently entered the area. I am not saying that I suspect you, but I am saying that there is room for suspicion. If an official document is sent out soon, you may be in trouble."
"Shh, in Shiran?"
The red eyes widened. He looked noticeably anxious. The attempt to pressure him was so simple that it worked, and Kim Yi-hyun swallowed a laugh inside.
Here, we need to let him loose once. Just in case he thinks that a spy is coming to take him back to his home country, there is a high chance that he will disappear altogether.
"I don't really want to talk about conspiracy theories, but Shiran wants to know everything. Shiran's spies have been everywhere, and now Basteterra is interested in them too."
"...."
Maximilian remained silent even though it was a curse against his country. It was a positive sign. As a member of the imperial family, he was aware of the dark side of Shiran that was not revealed on the outside.
That was the cause of the escape.
"...Is the capital safe?"
The voice was extremely tired, as if the wandering life had been difficult.
'That was easy.'
It was this simple to boil a prince.
* * *
The sun had already completely set. Maximilian, who had spent a spectacular day, had long since fallen asleep in his lodgings. Kim I-hyeon climbed the mountain again at a time when there were no pedestrians.
A car was parked at the pre-designated location. As I approached, a woman came out of the car as if she had been waiting. It was Rosetta, who had given a realistic performance this time.
"Here you come, you son of a bitch."
"Hey. You did well?"
"I'm not good at it. Don't ever make me do it again."
There were still blood stains here and there, perhaps because he had roughly wiped it with water and a towel. He had used artificial blood that he had brought in advance, but his expression was filled with annoyance, as if he was just as annoyed.
"You were enjoying it yourself. What? You were so excited that you kept chasing after me."
"Well, it was refreshing and fun, wasn't it?"
Rosetta giggled as she recalled the chase.
"Uh-huh-huh. I never thought there would come a day in my life when I would make the prince cry."
"I've achieved something in life. Anyway, good work, you guys too."
"Mr. Hyun, you've worked hard too. I feel sorry for him, but it was surprisingly enjoyable."
The actors who played the corpse roles were also great.
Thanks to that, I was able to secure the prince without any losses.
"But how did you know the prince was here?"
"Your team found it."
"Isn't that what I'm saying?"
Rosetta gave me a pointed look. This time, it was a bit too much of a slap in the face, so it seemed difficult to pass it off as a joke. I needed to find a suitable excuse.
"I made contact with a spy from the Legion in Shiran, and that's when I heard news of the prince's disappearance. In fact, from a certain point on, the first prince stopped appearing at official events. From then on, it was all inference."
"How did that end up in Bastetera?"
"Ahahaha. I guess that's very typical of Mr. Hyun…."
Even if it seems suspicious, it's not new. Just because you don't reveal the secret, it won't turn into hostility overnight. For now, you have to focus on the task at hand.
'There will come a time when you can relax.'
When the disaster is over and the main episode ends.
What we don't know is something we can figure out from then on.
It may not be that distant a future.
"By the way, boss. What should we do from now on?"
"What?"
"There's a prince. Should I keep pretending not to know?"
"That's right. If you say you knew from the beginning and saved me, wouldn't that be a bit much?"
That's a valid point.
This is a completely different situation from the time of Ainoa. There is even a worry that it may be revealed that it was all a fabrication. The current favorable impression that was built with great effort will be completely destroyed.
But there's no need to worry too much.
"You'll just let it out on your own?"
It is the nature of a nobleman to act like a nobleman.