I’m Hunting My Enemy - Chapter 45

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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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45. Those Who Live in Hiding Have Their Own Hidden Fears (1)

 

The next day. Ryuie received the list of priests she had requested from the capital.

 

The messenger bird that had been enchanted with magic chirped and protested separately.

 

“If Yeongae keeps interfering with the temple like this, it will inevitably affect the Duke as well.”

 

“I know. That’s why I deliberately limited my inquiry to just this temple.”

 

Ryuie replied as she unrolled the parchment attached to the messenger bird.

 

Displeased with Ryuie hastily checking the information on the list, the messenger bird hopped around on both feet.

 

“The previous Saintess incident wasn’t even properly concluded. And now the Duke’s daughter is requesting a priest list again, causing so much distress!”

 

“Yeah. Yeah.”

 

Ryuie, who wasn’t really listening and had her head buried in the parchment, suspiciously looked up after some time had passed.

 

“Is this really all there is?”

 

This time, instead of a voice, bird sounds of cooing came back.

 

The magic spell that had been cast must have ended, as the messenger bird had become an ordinary bird again.

 

Ryuie briefly tickled under the messenger bird’s beak and rolled up the priest list in her fist again.

 

“Where is Ohen?”

 

“He’s having a meal with the other priests.”

 

Catsy, who was in charge of monitoring the priests, answered immediately.

 

“Perfect. Benito is there too, right? Call both of them to the study separately. I’ll go too.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Ryuie’s expression was triumphant as she walked out holding the list. She had caught clear evidence!

 

Ryuie threw open the study door with both hands with a bang.

 

“What did you call us for?”

 

“Did you sleep well, Yeongae?”

 

Ohen and Benito, who had been brought without knowing why, greeted in their respective ways.

 

Ryuie was eager to bare her teeth.

 

“Ohen, you adorable thing.”

 

Ohen was slightly flustered by the title he never thought he would hear at his age.

 

“What did you just call me…?”

 

Click.

 

Ryuie locked the study door behind her back.

 

“You two deceived me quite cleverly together.”

 

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

 

Ryuie spread out the parchment she had been holding.

 

“This is the priest list that just arrived from the capital.”

 

“…!”

 

Ohen was greatly flustered.

 

Anyone could see he was someone who had been hit right on target.

 

Benito, who became puzzled seeing Ohen suddenly become silent, wondered.

 

“Is there a problem?”

 

“Benito.”

 

The parchment crumpled in Ryuie’s hand.

 

No matter how many times she looked again, Benito’s name was not on that list.

 

“You’re not even a priest.”

 

“Yeongae.”

 

“Impersonating a priest is also a serious crime.”

 

Ohen tried to urgently stop her, but Ryuie ground her teeth while even using noble speech patterns.

 

“How should I accept a self-proclaimed priest who appeared at exactly the time the Crown Prince disappeared from this village?”

 

Ohen said urgently.

 

“Benito is not the person you think he is.”

 

“Yosua.”

 

Ryuie ignored all of Ohen’s words.

 

Her gaze was intensely fixed on Benito.

 

“Answer. Yosua.”

 

Benito just tilted his head and smiled.

 

“I’m Benito.”

 

His completely stupid-looking appearance made Ryuie’s insides churn.

 

“You must have lost your memory after all. Ohen, you knew from the beginning, didn’t you?”

 

“No!”

 

“Should I hit you to cure it? I was planning to do that when I met you anyway. I’ll smack your head.”

 

“No!”

 

Unable to hold back, Ryuie rushed forward, and the startled Ohen blocked Benito’s front.

 

“Ack!”

 

“Ugh!”

 

Ryuie went flying with a thud. Ohen, who had jumped in front without being able to see, also tumbled down.

 

‘I got hit properly after a long time.’

 

Catsy and Bendam, who were surprised to see Ryuie sprawled on the floor, didn’t know what to do.

 

“Miss, please stop!”

 

“Against an old man…!”

 

“Does it hurt?”

 

Seeing Benito asking innocently, Ryuie’s anger flared up again.

 

“Why would I hit an old man? My target was that bastard from the beginning.”

 

“Please stop.”

 

Ohen desperately grabbed Ryuie’s hem. A completely different desperation from before could be felt.

 

Ryuie, who had never liked this kind of contact with people, said coldly.

 

“Why are you protecting Benito so much? Is it because he’s too noble a status for you to handle?”

 

“It’s completely different from your guess. Completely. Nothing matches Yeongae’s thoughts.”

 

Ohen persistently denied it.

 

Ohen’s palms were too sweaty for it to be simply because he was guilty of a crime. How much cold sweat was he breaking out in?

 

He seemed to be truly afraid.

 

“Let go.”

 

Ohen couldn’t let go even with his trembling hands.

 

“There is… a problem with Benito.”

 

Ohen reluctantly admitted and said.

 

“It’s true that I couldn’t make him take the priest’s oath and secretly… brought him to the temple to protect him. But there are circumstances that warrant this.”

 

“What is it? Is Benito your son or something?”

 

Ohen took a deep breath and jerked his head up.

 

“…Would you believe me if I said yes?”

 

It was an energetic tone that would grab onto anything.

 

Even though he couldn’t see, Ohen’s white pupils seemed desperate as if they had found an escape route, which made Ryuie calmer instead.

 

‘That fool. If he wanted to deceive me like that, he should have played dumb longer before admitting it.’

 

The attitude he just showed made it certain that Benito was not Ohen’s son.

 

Rather, Ohen was so cornered that he couldn’t even pretend Benito was his son.

 

In the Empire, priests could marry anyway, so it wouldn’t be such a big flaw.

 

‘Even if that guy really isn’t Yosua, there must be something going on.’

 

Ryuie looked up at Benito while still half-pinned down by Ohen.

 

Even seeing this mess, Benito kept grinning.

 

Even though Ohen was almost prostrating on the floor trying to protect him.

 

When Ryuie looked at him, Benito smiled brightly.

 

“I listen well to Ohen Priest.”

 

Saying that, Benito gave a slight wink.

 

The priest who had already secretly tried to arrange a meeting behind Ohen’s back made things even more confusing.

 

Ryuie had established rules of conduct for situations like this.

 

“For now, I’ll believe that Benito isn’t the Crown Prince.”

 

“…!”

 

“But until I’m certain, you’ll have to stay with me for the time being.”

 

Benito’s face brightened even more, and Ohen flinched for a moment.

 

‘I’ll just keep him around as long as I need to.’

 

In any case, Benito was currently the closest candidate to being the Crown Prince.

 

His strange behavior ever since arriving at the temple might have been due to the Crown Prince’s mind remaining in his lost memories.

 

He might be acting mysteriously because of those fragmentary memories.

 

Or perhaps he was bound by another vow and could only indirectly convey to Ryuie that he was the Crown Prince.

 

‘There are still many possibilities.’

 

“Once I confirm you’re not the Crown Prince, I’ll send you back immediately. I’m not particularly interested in prying into your secrets, so be happy. Be grateful.”

 

“…I understand.”

 

Ohen accepted the alternative Ryuie offered. Benito asked excitedly.

 

“Then from now on, I only need to listen to Yeongae?”

 

“That’s right. From now on, only listen to me.”

 

“Yes. I’ll only listen to you.”

 

Ohen looked at Benito anxiously.

 

Walking between the two attendants, Benito naturally swayed on his feet as if he had been on Ryuie’s side from the beginning.

 

Even Bendam and Catsy glanced at Benito with distaste. They didn’t seem to like their new companion very much.

 

But preparing for the possibility that he really was the Crown Prince, they bowed their heads while being careful with their words and actions.

 

“Be careful, Yeongae.”

 

Ohen warned. This brief conversation had left him looking much more exhausted. As if swallowing many words, Ohen’s voice came out in short, choppy fragments.

 

“Try not to give Benito any orders.”

 

“Even if Benito really is the Crown Prince, he has a duty to follow my orders.”

 

Ryuie spoke arrogantly.

 

“Because he’s my fiancé.”

 

Ohen could say nothing more.

 

After finishing the stormy interview, Ryuie immediately sought out Benito.

 

‘If I hug him just once, I’ll have my answer.’

 

If he’s really the Crown Prince, the betrothal vow won’t activate!

 

Seeing Ryuie rushing toward him, Benito unexpectedly dodged quickly. It was a much more agile movement than expected.

 

Ryuie, who ended up hugging air, frowned.

 

“Why are you avoiding me?”

 

“I don’t want to hurt Yeongae.”

 

Ryuie’s expression immediately turned menacing.

 

“Catsy.”

 

“Yes! Miss.”

 

Receiving the order, Catsy rushed forward to grab Benito instead.

 

Then Benito ran at full speed down the corridor to avoid him.

 

“Eek!”

 

‘He’s stronger than I thought?’

 

Ryuie was somewhat surprised.

 

Even though Catsy had attacked accurately, he escaped without a single wound.

 

Originally an assassin, Catsy enjoyed using techniques that pretended to charge from the front while attacking from behind, yet Benito had blocked it.

 

As if he knew in advance where the attack would come from.

 

Ryuie’s mind raced quickly.

 

‘The Crown Prince learned swordsmanship from childhood too, so when he grows up, he’d have about that level of skill, right?’

 

From childhood, Yosua had always been someone who excelled at everything. Whether it was studies or swordsmanship.

 

‘But look at that pathetic state now.’

 

Ryuie’s gaze quickly followed Benito.

 

It was such a waste of his height and build—he had become nothing but a fool with a decent frame.

 

Benito, who had hidden behind a corner after passing through the corridor, poked his head out.

 

“Don’t catch me!”

 

Who was he trying to fool?

 

Catsy, who had failed to catch him, seemed hurt in his pride and grumbled.

 

“Shall I try again?”

 

“Wait a moment.”

 

Ryuie made clicking sounds as if luring a dog.

 

“If the Crown Prince really used the Relic of the Swamp, your vow should be gone too, shouldn’t it?”

 

“The betrothal vow hasn’t disappeared.”

 

Benito said while still gripping the wall. He answered properly every time.

 

‘Is he running away because he doesn’t want to be caught not being the Crown Prince?’

 

‘Or did he really fail to break the vow.’

 

Ryuie scowled.

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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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