I’m Hunting My Enemy - Chapter 40

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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40. Moon, Wine, and Pebbles (1)

 

Just before drinking, Ryuie’s glass stopped again.

 

Despite being on the ceiling, the skill to drop a small stone perfectly into the glass was impressive.

 

‘How am I supposed to drink like this?’

 

Ryuie glared at Glem.

 

Glem still said nothing, only looking down at Ryuie while lightly tossing and catching a stone.

 

When Ryuie raised one eyebrow and lifted her wine glass in protest, Glem threw the stone again.

 

Plop.

 

The stone Glem threw traced a perfect parabola and disappeared into the wine glass.

 

‘Hmm.’

 

Ryuie’s lips curved up as she set down the glass. Then she deliberately pushed it far away.

 

Only then did Glem stop playing with the stone and clasp his hands together.

 

‘He could just tell me not to drink.’

 

That would be easier than confessing he likes me.

 

Right?

 

Even though Ryuie kept looking up at the ceiling, Glem, having achieved his goal, no longer looked down.

 

As he leaned back, he became hidden in the shadows of the beam.

 

But she could still sense his presence.

 

“What’s up there?”

 

When the Duke’s daughter suddenly stared into space like she’d gone mad, a nobleman cautiously asked.

 

“There is. Something very pretty and cute.”

 

The nobleman, completely misunderstanding Ryuie’s words, quietly slipped away.

 

“Ahaha. I see. I should go dance now.”

 

“Me too. There’s a good song playing right now, isn’t there?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“I want to go too.”

 

Ryuie dragged her chair back.

 

The sound of Ryuie’s footsteps was precise as she deliberately announced loudly that she was moving away from under the beam.

 

Rankin hurriedly stood up to follow.

 

“Me too. Oh no. R-Ryuie! Come with me…”

 

Rankin, whose foot got caught on the chair all by himself, had no chance of catching up to Ryuie.

 

Besides, Ryuie’s attention was already stolen by Glem.

 

‘What will you do now?’

 

If you come this far out, you won’t be able to see either.

 

You have to come down too.

 

Ryuie waited briefly, but still no shadow fell from the ceiling.

 

‘Fine, then.’

 

While Ryuie waited for Glem, the people who had been dancing earlier moved back in a circle.

 

They had to make space in advance to avoid any accidents from bumping into the dancing Duke’s daughter.

 

Ryuie’s dancing took up a lot of space.

 

Ryuie stretched her arms lightly like she was stretching and warmed up her body.

 

Dancing at balls usually meant a man and woman pairing up to create beautiful group choreography.

 

However, this didn’t apply to Ryuie.

 

Unable to hold hands with people, she had learned to dance alone.

 

Tap tap. Click.

 

Ryuie’s feet, which had been lightly tapping the floor to the rhythm, suddenly floated up as if riding the wind.

 

“Wow!”

 

With exclamations, her skirt swirled dramatically following Ryuie’s movements.

 

In terms of using the body, dancing was also a form of training. The spectators gasped at the intense, powerful movements.

 

The bard’s hands plucking the lute moved breathlessly as if chasing Ryuie’s dance.

 

Spinning and leaping. Plucking the strings until his wrists might break.

 

Ryuie’s dedicated bard skillfully played to match Ryuie’s pace. It was worrying that he might not be able to use his wrists for a while.

 

Of course, it was worth it.

 

Even other bards experienced with banquets were mesmerized watching Ryuie’s dance.

 

People were convinced that the Duke’s daughter smiled showing her teeth or winked each time she swept past them.

 

But she passed by so quickly it felt like a dream. In many ways, it was an enchanting dance.

 

And Glem was captivated by the same feeling.

 

Instead of coming down as Ryuie expected, Glem had climbed up onto the temple roof where he could see even the trajectory of Ryuie’s movements.

 

Watching Ryuie dance alone for herself outside the temple, Glem buried his face in his forearm.

 

In the thick surrounding darkness, the banquet hall’s torches flickered wildly in the wind, shining alone.

 

‘It’s like she’s burning her lifespan to dance.’

 

Why did he feel so anxious whenever he looked at Ryuie?

 

Glem imagined going down from the roof, taking Ryuie’s hand, and stopping her dance. The ominous scene of people’s gazes focusing, music stopping, and silence falling. Even Ryuie looking at him with an uncomprehending expression.

 

“…”

 

The night wind swept away Glem’s white hair, revealing his beast-like red eyes.

 

Emotions he couldn’t fully swallow crumbled like crystals around his eyes.

 

‘Tomorrow I’ll definitely pull it out of the swamp.’

 

The source of all problems was still submerged in the swamp.

 

* * *

 

The next day.

 

Ryuie led the advance team in perfect condition, showing no signs of hangover or fatigue.

 

There weren’t many participants in the first swamp investigation.

 

Since Ryuie had already called it monster hunting, most nobles chose to recuperate in bed instead.

 

Only the Emperor’s Inspector, Rankin the Duke’s son, and a few curious onlookers had followed.

 

‘And that’s a complete disaster too.’

 

Glem looked back at the enlarged party as he guided the way through the swamp.

 

Most of the nobles with poor stamina were struggling greatly.

 

“This damn thing keeps sinking.”

 

“If you step wrong, they say you’ll drown with your head submerged in the thin mud, so be careful.”

 

“Is there really a path here?”

 

In the short time since, the swampland plants had grown tall again, erasing all traces of their previous visit.

 

Even the knights who had tried to push Glem aside were troubled and had no choice but to entrust pathfinding to him again.

 

Like a memory carved into his body, Glem easily found the direction.

 

Since it wasn’t a place where you could memorize the surrounding geography anyway, only accumulated physical experience was useful.

 

Rankin, who was the only one conscious of Glem, kept grumbling.

 

“You can’t explain knowing the way just from visiting frequently in a place like this.”

 

“It’s intuition.”

 

Glem answered roughly. Ryuie was also unusually quiet.

 

Whether she was looking forward to seeing Yosua’s phantom again, or looking forward to hunting.

 

Glem’s gaze intermittently lingered on Ryuie’s profile.

 

Soon Ryuie’s party reached the swamp.

 

“Ugh. The smell.”

 

“I heard about it beforehand, but it really is an enormous swamp.”

 

“Everyone stay back.”

 

Ryuie instructed in a low voice. The swamp was still quiet.

 

Ryuie’s eyes flashed as she slowly moved sideways while sending the knights.

 

“It’s coming.”

 

Swoosh!

 

The moment they got just one step closer, tentacles erupted from the swamp again to attack the party.

 

While the investigators who had secured a safe distance in advance began recording, Ryuie’s Knights raised their weapons.

 

“As planned! Guide it!”

 

Clank.

 

The knights, already prepared for the fact that swords wouldn’t work, spread widely across the swamp.

 

When multiple tentacles struck down at once, it was difficult to dodge and hard to execute their strategy.

 

Thud! Crack! Crash!

 

The knights wielding weapons with the purpose of striking in the desired direction finally guided one tentacle to the right position.

 

Immediately, Ryuie’s voice rang out.

 

“Harpoon!”

 

A harpoon so massive that two knights had to rush forward to carry it struck down on the tentacle that had come close to the ground.

 

“…!”

 

As if a soundless scream erupted, the monster’s tentacle thrashed violently. But no matter how soft the ground was, it was difficult to pull out with two knights pinning it down using a wedged harpoon.

 

Since neither magic nor curses worked, this was Ryuie’s strategy to push through with brute force and numbers.

 

“Excellent! Drive all the rest in too!”

 

Ryuie, cheering in triumph, gave the command.

 

The monster had no choice.

 

If it feared having its tentacles pinned to the ground and didn’t attack, it couldn’t stop the knights advancing into the swamp.

 

But even if it attacked, once harpoons were driven in and it was fixed in place, its means of attack would gradually diminish.

 

In the end, it meant the monster had no choice but to continue attacking toward its own destruction, even knowing this.

 

Crash!

 

Crash!

 

Just as Ryuie intended, the swamp monster became increasingly trapped in the swamp.

 

As the number of tentacles pinned to the ground and writhing increased, an investigator shouted.

 

“Look over there!”

 

“!”

 

“This can’t be! That’s definitely…!”

 

“Your Highness Albenheim!”

 

The investigators, who had remained calm throughout, were shocked.

 

‘That’s right!’

 

Ryuie, more excited than when catching the monster, bit her lips to suppress a cheer.

 

Yosua’s phantom had appeared above the carriage once again.

 

The investigators, who had memorized the imperial family’s faces as basic knowledge, recognized him properly, even if not as well as Ryuie who carried around his portrait.

 

‘As expected, anyone can see that’s Yosua’s face!’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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