Chapter 61
“What’s this?”
While Lionel was puzzled, the leader immediately turned and followed the group.
The giant wolves vanished in an instant.
Lionel looked down at the giant wolf claw still in his hand.
“A giant wolf claw… it must have had some effect. I should investigate this later.”
He put the claw in his pocket. Only then did he notice the scene around him.
Blackened, burnt marks.
The burn was circular, and the inside was untouched. Clearly, it was magic.
“If anyone finds out about the Bluebird…”
He couldn’t let anyone know.
If people discovered that the Bluebird used Hellfire magic, or that it was Cecilia’s spirit familiar, terrible consequences could follow.
Cecilia would be cursed, unable to use magic again for practicing forbidden spells.
And the spirit familiar might be destroyed for using forbidden magic without its master’s permission.
“I can’t erase the burn marks.”
Then…
“I’ll have to burn this whole area. Can I do it?”
“Peep!”
The Bluebird immediately set fire to the area.
Even the ground where the giant wolves had stood was completely burned. Only scorched earth remained, and any trace of a fire wall disappeared.
By the time Lionel thought he could claim he had started the fire himself, the royal knights arrived.
Lionel quickly hid the Bluebird in his arms.
“Your Highness! Are you safe?”
The person leading the knights was Veroze.
While she checked on Lionel, the other knights gasped at the burned remains.
“What… happened here?”
“Your Highness, what about the giant wolves?”
“They retreated.”
“Retreated? …Ah! You chased them away with fire!”
“Truly impressive! If the fire had been careless, it would have angered the beasts instead…”
“But how did Your Highness create a fire of this size? Ordinary flint wouldn’t be enough… Ah, that bow!”
“Bow?”
“The bow gifted to Your Highness by Lady Cecilia, daughter of Duke Rohaim.”
A knight, realizing there was another Lady Cecilia here, glanced at Veroze and then pointed to the bow Lionel was holding.
“I heard that the bow emits threatening flames just by touching a beast. Surely, you threw the bow among the beasts to create the fire?”
The knights praised Lionel’s clever idea, but Veroze did not.
“Flaming bow… my sister gave this to Your Highness?”
“Haha, since Lady Cecilia was too young to join the hunting contest, another lady might have tried to attach a handkerchief to the prince’s bow. So she gave a flaming bow to prevent anyone else from touching it.”
“What?”
Veroze’s eyes trembled in shock. She asked Lionel, unable to hide her feelings:
“Is that really true?”
“Yes.”
Of course, the bow Cecilia gifted and the fire that chased the wolves were separate matters… but it was better than revealing the Bluebird’s existence.
Lionel waved lightly to prevent further questions.
“Let’s return. The sun will set soon.”
“Yes. I will accompany you.”
Back at the lakeside, the tents filled with injured people were noisy like a market, despite the tense atmosphere.
“Do we have any holy water left?”
“Here’s some! Not enough… Ah, Your Highness! Are you safe?”
A secretary carrying the remaining holy water rushed through the injured to Lionel.
“I’m fine. And Your Highness?”
“To prevent more damage if the giant wolves come this way, the ladies were evacuated first.”
Both speaker and listener knew “ladies” was just an excuse. Most likely, the emperor had evacuated first.
The prophecy he received said:
“You will meet a pathetic death for your position.”
If the emperor had been killed by beasts during the hunting contest, it would indeed be a pathetic death.
So, as soon as he heard about the giant wolves, he quickly left… Of course, this version sounded more dignified.
Lionel looked around and asked another question:
“And Your Highness?”
“The First Prince…”
The secretary stopped mid-sentence and bowed toward Lionel’s shoulder.
“You will see the First Prince.”
Lionel turned and saw Kaien standing pale but unharmed.
“Brother.”
“You’re… safe?”
Supported by attendants, Kaien scrutinized Lionel from head to toe as if he couldn’t believe there was not a scratch on him.
Lionel calmly said,
“You were still here?”
“Why? Did you think I would panic and run when the giant wolves appeared?”
“Y-Your Highness…”
Kaien’s tone could sound like mocking the emperor who already evacuated. An attendant tried to stop him, but Kaien ignored it and smirked at Lionel.
“It’s strange. I heard there were at least twenty giant wolves. How are you completely unharmed?”
“I was lucky.”
“Lucky? Explain in a way everyone can understand. Otherwise, people will misunderstand.”
Even pale, Kaien smirked slightly.
“You, who led dozens of giant wolves away, returned in one piece… Perhaps you were the one who lured them here?”
“Your Highness!”
At that moment, Veroze stepped forward from behind Lionel. Kaien glared sharply at her, but Veroze remained calm and polite.
“The Second Prince was able to return safely thanks to a magical tool my sister gifted him, worrying about his safety.”
“Sister? Magical tool?”
Kaien had no idea. An attendant whispered:
“Lady Veroze is the eldest daughter of Duke Rohaim.”
“Rohaim… Cecilia’s?”
Kaien seemed not to remember her face, even though they had eaten together before.
Once he realized Veroze was Cecilia’s older sister, his expression softened a little. But when he remembered the magical tool Cecilia gifted Lionel, he frowned again.
“The bow she gave to burn other ladies’ handkerchiefs… That bow drove the giant wolves away?”
“Yes. Giant wolves fear fire. I saw them flee from the flames myself.”
“What?”
Kaien frowned. The knights who came to help Lionel also looked surprised.
They hadn’t seen the wolves themselves. It was a false report. Yet, Veroze stood firmly, knowing no knight would contradict her.
Everyone stayed silent, letting her support Lionel. Kaien clicked his tongue in frustration and looked at Lionel.
“So, you didn’t eliminate all the giant wolves?”
“No.”
Lionel nodded. Kaien raised his hand and slapped Lionel’s cheek.
“Your Highness!”
Everyone nearby gasped in shock.