I’m Hunting My Enemy - Chapter 46

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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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46. Those Who Live in Hiding Have Their Own Hidden Fears (2)

 

In fact, even if Ryuie could embrace Benito, it wasn’t perfect proof that he was her fiancé.

 

Because of the conditions of the vow, it was possible even between strangers who had no feelings for each other.

 

The problem was that Ryuie was starting to get a little confused.

 

Whether she really had no feelings for Benito.

 

‘…Now that I think of him as Yosua, he does look a bit cuter.’

 

She had liked his appearance from the beginning, after all.

 

Ryuie, who had become complicated in a different way, groaned and pressed her forehead. Since she had never had such worries before, it was quite difficult. Ryuie had always been clear-cut: if she liked something, she liked it, and if she disliked it, she disliked it. She could always speak decisively.

 

Ryuie hesitated.

 

“I won’t hold you, so come here.”

 

Benito, who had leaned forward slightly, took a step closer.

 

Ryuie stomped her foot with a thud.

 

“Quickly.”

 

Benito, who had rushed over swiftly, laughed cheerfully.

 

“Yeongae must love her fiancé.”

 

“Fine, fine.”

 

Ryuie waved her hand dismissively.

 

Looking at it this way, all of Benito’s words that she had thought were meaningful now sounded utterly foolish.

 

‘Does breaking free from the vow erase all memories related to the vow as well?’

 

‘That would at least make sense.’

 

Ryuie snorted and went down the stairs.

 

Feeling the presence of the servants and Benito following behind, Ryuie fell into thought.

 

‘If that really is Yosua.’

 

Shadows fell so deeply that Ryuie’s eyes appeared dark red in the darkness.

 

‘Should I kill him before I break the betrothal vow, or after I break it?’

 

Ryuie thought this sentence, which would have terrified anyone who heard it, as if it were nothing.

 

An emotion too complex to call love-hate kept poking at Ryuie’s solar plexus.

 

‘First.’

 

‘I need to restore his memory enough for him to realize what he’s done.’

 

Before that, she absolutely couldn’t kill him. She had no intention of touching even a hair on his head.

 

Ryuie, who had been walking calmly, asked.

 

“Among the nobles who came from the capital, there was someone who brought their own personal priest, right?”

 

“Ah. You mean Count Denehy.”

 

“The one who made a mistake with a vow and couldn’t break it in time, so his lungs keep filling with water? The one who can’t be separated from his priest.”

 

“I need to meet that person.”

 

Count Denehy belonged to the group of nobles who slept in late.

 

Someone who hadn’t seen the swamp’s illusions or monsters, yet was very interested in the profits Ryuie would gain.

 

When Ryuie came out of the temple, it was already late afternoon, but the count was having his first meal of the day.

 

“Well, look who it is.”

 

Denehy, holding a plate, immediately greeted Ryuie as if he knew her.

 

He was a considerably tall and thin noble whose face remained pale even under the sun.

 

He looked ordinary when standing, but every time he sat down, a priest would immediately place a hand on his shoulder and pray.

 

It was to treat his lungs.

 

“It’s been a long time, cough cough! Since I’ve seen you!”

 

“Have you been well, Denehy?”

 

Ryuie casually offered food to the middle-aged man who appeared to be twice her age and sat in the chair across from him.

 

“You must have had a hard time coming all the way down here.”

 

“How could I not come when Yeongae, the Duchess of Greatone, calls?”

 

Denehy naturally assumed Ryuie remembered him and subtly showed off.

 

Despite having just barely remembered his name from what Bendam told her, Ryuie shamelessly responded.

 

“That’s obvious.”

 

“The treason investigation proceeded more smoothly than expected.”

 

“I did catch something.”

 

Denehy subtly probed Ryuie.

 

“The Crown Prince’s ring isn’t just any ordinary object, yet you’re being modest.”

 

“It’s natural for those born in the imperial family to use only blessed objects. There’s no particular reason to be happy about it.”

 

“True. But the imperial family truly has the blood of Rkultu God flowing through them. And a ring he’s carried since birth, no less.”

 

Denehy emphasized.

 

“Just being possessed by royalty makes the possibility of it becoming a holy relic so high.”

 

‘How boring.’

 

Ryuie’s interest completely faded.

 

Just a holy relic? Any temple you enter has one or two holy relics. The rarity is too low.

 

On the other hand, Crown Prince Yosua Albenheim is the only one in the empire.

 

There’s no comparison.

 

“Once I find Yosua’s whereabouts, I’ll put it up for auction secretly from the imperial family. More than that, I need to borrow your priest. Especially priests who have experience treating the head and legs.”

 

Ryuie, who was planning to sell off the imperial ring without a care, made her request.

 

She wanted to try fixing Benito’s head and while she was at it, check on Mos’s lower body—there was still much to do.

 

Count Denehy shook his head.

 

“That would be quite difficult too.”

 

“What?”

 

“It seems you don’t know how much attention the ring you found is receiving.”

 

Denehy spoke smoothly.

 

“I can lend you the priests, but in exchange, let me be the first to see the ring when the investigation is over. That much compensation would be fair.”

 

“Is there a waiting list?”

 

“Everyone is just waiting for you to set the order. You’ll be surprised when you see.”

 

Ryuie frowned at content she had never instructed.

 

* * *

 

The front of the knight order guarding the ring was packed with people, leaving no room to step.

 

‘The reaction is a bit excessive.’

 

Ryuie, who thought they all had nothing better to do, realized they actually had nothing to do.

 

It’s not like the nobles would manage their territories from here. It’s not good hunting land either. The large monsters nearby had already been subjugated by Ryuie.

 

Now they had nothing left but eating, sleeping, and drinking unless Ryuie threw them some news.

 

‘I like that.’

 

Ryuie’s sudden chuckle drew attention from those around her.

 

The knight order was politely guarding the Crown Prince’s ring as Ryuie had instructed.

 

Meaning they had built a wall of knights and prohibited entry so no one except Ryuie could see the ring.

 

“Duchess!”

 

All the nobles who had been loitering around looking for any excuse to enter flocked to Ryuie.

 

“Perfect timing.”

 

“Yeongae! Yeongae! I’ll gladly lend you my mage. In exchange…”

 

“When will the next banquet be held? This place is unbearably boring. It’s all muddy, so there’s no pleasure in taking walks.”

 

“To finish the first investigation so early. Didn’t we miss all the spectacle! When do you plan to conduct the next investigation?”

 

Ryuie brushed off the flood of requests with just nods of her head.

 

Since they couldn’t approach beyond a certain distance for fear of touching Ryuie anyway, they weren’t even a hindrance.

 

But among the nobles, there was one who couldn’t properly guard his tongue.

 

“I hear the Crown Prince’s phantom is embedded in the ring?”

 

Ryuie’s previously generous expression hardened instantly.

 

When she whipped her head around, a weasel-like noble she couldn’t even remember spoke with a strange expression.

 

“Wouldn’t that make for good entertainment at the next banquet after the investigation is over?”

 

To think there was another person daring to suggest making the empire’s Crown Prince into a spectacle.

 

Usually that was something Ryuie would do, so the other nobles flinched.

 

Ryuie asked without even bothering to lower her voice.

 

“Who was it again?”

 

“Viscount Buffon.”

 

“Thanks for telling me.”

 

He blinked at Ryuie’s unexpected reaction. Praise, of all things.

 

“…Do you really intend to show the Crown Prince’s illusion?”

 

“If you weren’t curious, why did you ask?”

 

“Well.”

 

“Make sure to specify that it was Viscount Buffon’s suggestion. Thanks for the idea.”

 

The viscount looked dismayed.

 

Only because it was Ryuie could she treat the Crown Prince however she wanted and get away with it.

 

If he made a wrong move, the viscount himself could be dragged away for insulting the Imperial Court.

 

Regretting that he had needlessly provoked Ryuie, he shut his mouth.

 

Bendam whispered.

 

“Are you really going to show the Crown Prince’s illusion in the banquet hall?”

 

“No. I’ll take that viscount hunting later and ‘accidentally’ whip him.”

 

“Ugh.”

 

Bendam made a face like he regretted hearing that.

 

“But thanks to him, something important did come to mind.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Who spread the rumors about the Crown Prince in this swamp in the first place?”

 

The first rumor Ryuie had heard was about a mad Crown Prince appearing.

 

Originally, she had planned to just confirm the identity of any false rumor and leave. This was work she had started prepared to search the entire Empire.

 

But to discover the Crown Prince’s ring accurately from the very first rumor?

 

Rumors don’t usually work that intentionally. They become distorted as they pass through many people’s mouths.

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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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