MOUNT THERON.
It was the location that Neoma chose for the Second Round, and she chose it for three reasons.
First, it was the nearest hunting ground to the Royal Palace. Moreover, it was a land privately owned by her Papa Boss. Hence, even if the mountain got destroyed in case shit happened, they wouldn't get indebted to anyone.
Second, it was a mountain swarming with monsters that eat human flesh. It was almost winter, and it was the time monsters would come out of their lair to actively eat humans before their hibernation.
Hence, around this time, royal knights should have already been dispatched to hunt down the monsters and prevent them from attacking human villages.
But Neoma used that opportunity to turn the annual hunt into a competition.
[When will I get the chance to use these young masters and princes for free labor again?]
Third and definitely not the least, Neoma received a report that there was an unknown group giving alms to the poor villages near Mount Theron.
[Hence, here we are now.]
"Be careful not to hurt other living things while hunting. You're free to use any weapon or technique you want– just make sure the innocent living beings around remain unharmed," Neoma said after she explained the point system for killing each monster. "Moreover, you can't hurt or kill each other. If you do, you'll be disqualified. But you're free to try to assassinate me. That's fun."
Just because nobody else stepped forward yesterday didn't mean she could trust the remaining candidates.
[I'm sure there are still people there who want me gone for whatever reason.]
"Ah. Before I forget, I prepared something for all of you," Neoma said, then she turned to Lewis, Juri, and Jeno who came with her as her personal guards. "Kids, distribute them to the candidates, please. Thank you."
Lewis, Juri, and Jeno bowed politely towards her as they began to hand each candidate a small box from the magic pouches her kids were carrying.
Each small contained a black braided leather bracelet.
"Please wear the bracelet you received," Neoma said. "If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, just break the bracelet and we will come to your rescue. And if you encounter an enemy that isn't a monster, remember to always aim for the throat first."
Most of the candidates looked confused.
But those who got what she meant by that laughed.
[Gosh. Why are they laughing? I'm serious.]
"Anyway, the time limit is until sunset," Neoma said. "We'll have dinner while counting the monsters you caught." She clapped her hands together. "Go and have fun, guys."
***
THE MOST dangerous monster in Mount Theron was the three-headed panther.
It was huge, violent, and consumed both human and monster meat.
And it was also the highest-graded monster on Princess Neoma's list.
[Hence, whoever catches it will automatically win the Second Round.]
Of course, Princess Neoma clearly said that the top 50 candidates with the highest points would qualify for the final round.
[But if you're a man, you'd want to get the first place, right?]
That was why Trevor only hunted down the monsters with the highest scores.
Then he purposely made them bleed to lure out the three-headed panther. After that, he dragged the bloody carcasses to the deep part of the mountain where the three-headed panther was supposed to be found.
But he wasn't the only one who thought of doing that.
Tsk.
Trevor clicked his tongue at Ruto, Jasper Hawthorne, and the Ancient Devil.
Like him, the three punks also used the blood of high-graded monsters to lure out the three-headed panther.
"Are you stalking me or something?" Trevor scoffed. "Why is it always the three of you?"
"I know, right?" Jasper Hawthorne agreed with him. "But I have to say that I already expected this to happen."
The Ancient Devil shrugged. "I don't want to admit this, but I'm pretty sure we're the ones who are going to fight each other in the final round."
"We're missing one person, though," Ruto commented. "The one with the most dangerous face."
"Ah, Rubin Drayton," Trevor said casually. "Fortunately for us, he's not the brightest or the strongest. He'll probably just barely pass this round if he's lucky."
His rivals nodded in agreement with him.
It wasn't like they were bullying Rubin Drayton behind his back, okay?
They were merely stating a fact.
[It's not because we're jealous of Rubin Drayton's immaculate face. Okay? OKAY???]
Trevor's thoughts were interrupted when a huge shadow suddenly cast over them.
He and his rivals looked up at the sky at the same time.
Ah, dammit.
The blobs of Darkness that were only visible to a select few were now as clear as day.
Trevor clenched his hands tight. "Helstor is on the move."
***
"FUCKING HELL," Neoma whispered to herself while looking up at the Darkness slowly covering the entire sky. Because of that damned thing, it suddenly turned dark even though it wasn't even noon yet. It was as if a solar eclipse had occurred. "Are they trying to scare the citizens to death?"
That was probably the crows' plan.
[Now that we've revealed the existence of the Darkness to the public, Helstor finally made those stupid blobs of Darkness visible to the common people.]
She could already imagine the chaos it caused to the empire.
[Especially the ones living in the Royal Capital.]
BEEP.
Hmm?
Neoma's thoughts were interrupted when she heard the loud ringing.
"Two of the candidates have broken the bracelets, Princess Neoma," Abigail Barlowe, the Royal Archmage who created the magic bracelets, reported to her in a hurry. "They're in the same location."
Neoma clenched her hands tight. "Can you tell who the candidates are?"
"Prince Reevo Hali and Young Master Rubin Drayton."
***
IT HAPPENED so fast.
Rubin was hunting down a mid-grade monster when he encountered Prince Reevo Hali, a merman.
It wasn't hard to remember the prince because his face stood out.
[He's probably only second to me when it comes to the face.]
"Young Master, this place feels ominous," Prince Reevo said while looking around nervously. "We should head back."
Hmm?
It didn't look like the prince was lying.
[He really looks scared.]
Rubin didn't know what was happening since he couldn't see or feel anything wrong…
… until the moment a dagger struck Prince Reevo in the chest.
"Prince Reevo!" Rubin yelled worriedly, then he immediately caught the mermaid prince before he hit the ground. "Oh, no…"
He immediately noticed that Prince Reevo's blood had turned black.
It only meant one thing.
"Poison," Rubin whispered to himself. "The dagger was poisoned."
"Run," Prince Reevo whispered weakly, closing his eyes. "Run, Young Master…"
"I can't do that," Rubin said, then he grabbed Prince Reevo's leather bracelet and pulled it until it snapped. "I didn't carry an antidote with me, so let's just wait for them to rescue us, Prince Reevo."
The mermaid prince didn't respond.
[Ah, he lost consciousness…]
"When did you start caring about other people, Rubin?"
This voice…
Rubin raised his head, then he confirmed it. "Regina Crowell."
For the first time since he regained the faint memories of his previous life, he felt an ungodly amount of rage for someone other than himself.
Regina Crowell.
It was the person who ruined his life in the previous timeline.
[The one who made me hurt Neoma again and again.]
"Why are you looking at me like that, Rubin?" Regina asked, laughing. "Aren't you glad to see the woman you love again?"
Hah!
Love?
Rubin slowly and carefully put Prince Reevo to the ground, then he stood up while snapping his own bracelet.
If asking to be rescued meant he'd be disqualified from the game, so be it.
He'd rather lose the chance to be close to Princess Neoma than lose his mind dealing with Regina Crowell.
[I don't know how she does it, but she has the ability to make me do her bidding.]
"Regina, I also thought I loved you," Rubin said indifferently. "But why do I only feel rage and hatred now that I've finally seen you again?"
At first, Regina looked confused by what he said.
Then she laughed like the mad woman that she was.
"You finally snapped out of Dilan's spell. That guy is really useless until the end," Regina said while shaking her head, her eyes glowing as if she was having the time of her life. "Or have you also remembered your past life, Rubin Drayton?"
["Also?"]
Rubin Drayton. "Regina, do you remember your past life, too?"
Regina smiled and she was about to answer when, all of a sudden, a fireball flew towards in her direction. If she didn't dodge when she did, she would have been burnt to ashes already just like how the tree behind her was burned easily. "You almost fried me, bitch."
"That was the plan, bitch."
It was Princess Neoma.
The Imperial Princess, along with Lewis, appeared in front of Rubin.
[I didn't expect Princess Neoma to personally come to my rescue.]
Nevertheless, Rubin was touched.
Lewis suddenly looked over his shoulder to glare at Rubin with his glowing golden eyes. "Don't get funny ideas. Princess Neoma would come to anyone's rescue."
That was the fox' way of saying he wasn't special.
Rubin just put a hand on his chest. "I'm still grateful."
"Can you really afford to waste time here, you bitch princess?" Regina asked Princess Neoma mockingly. "Aren't you worried about what's happening to the empire as we speak?"
"Why would I be worried?" Princess Neoma retorted. "Aside from my family, Hanna is there. Hanna is practically me when I'm not there."
Regina laughed again. "That's why you should be worried– Hanna Quinzel may be dethroned as the Crown Princess at any moment now."
***
ROTTEN MILK.
Hanna was pretty sure that the thing that the commoner children threw at her was rotten milk.
Needless to say, she was shocked by what happened.
The royal knights immediately surrounded her and pushed back the crowd.
"How dare you harm the Crown Princess!"
"Arrest everyone!"
"Such insolence towards the Imperial Family shall not be forgiven!"
But the people fought back.
"Princess Hanna is a Darkness attribute user!"
"The Darkness has arrived to swallow the entire world!"
"A person who wields Darkness doesn't deserve to be the Crown Princess!"
Ah.
She could clearly see the ugly picture that the crows had painted.
No wonder the blobs of Darkness in the sky had suddenly become visible.
[Helstor, you worked hard, huh?]
Hanna smiled while combing her fingers through her wet and sticky hair, then she addressed the commoners with a cold gaze that shut them up instantly. "Do I scare you, my beloved citizens?"
***
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