The Great Wish - Chapter 12.2

Chapter 12.2

Each participant was allowed to use ten arrows in total. The time limit was approximately two hours, and they had to hunt the deer within that time.

As long as one had steady aim, the hunt wasn’t that difficult. The arrowheads were dipped in a numbing poison that would begin to spread as soon as it pierced through the skin.

Each participant’s arrowheads were also doused in colored ink specific to them, so everyone would be able to tell who had killed the deer. The difficult aspect of this hunt was finding the deer within the time limit.

Because the deer were sensitive to sound, each participant moved on their own. Sienna was no exception.

She walked carefully so as not to make any noise. Her arrow was drawn on her bow at all times because she never knew when she’d come across a deer. Her eyes were constantly moving as she looked around.

Only the cries of birds echoed in the silent forest. Suddenly, she sensed something brushing past the trees. Sienna quickly turned around and drew her arrow.

Someone whose face was covered underneath a hood stepped forward. The man slowly took off his hood and revealed his black hair. His black eyes met Sienna’s trembling gold gaze.

Sienna slowly lowered her bow. Her heart was a jumble of emotions.

Her feelings weren’t just good and bad. She couldn’t describe it. She was delighted but also angry. She didn’t want to see him, but she also couldn’t take her eyes off him. Just who was this man? Why did he shake up her peaceful life? She drew her arrow and aimed it at him once again.

“I surrender.”

Kuhn raised both of his hands over his head.

“Hmph.”

Sienna scoffed as she pulled the bowstring further back. When she let go, the arrow whistled in the air as it flew.

The arrow barely missed Kuhn as it rushed past him. However, he didn’t move a muscle and remained standing in his spot. His calm eyes gazed tenderly at hers.

Sienna bit her lip and glared at him. She didn’t expect to see him flustered and at a loss, but seeing his peaceful face made her angry. It was as if he had read her worry when she had let go of the bowstring.

Sienna swiftly turned around. She began to walk away at a fast pace.

“Your Highness.”

“…”

“Princess!”

“…”

“Sienna.”

Sienna flinched just as his arm wrapped around her hips. Her back went up against his wide chest.

“You’re so cruel. Please let me see your face.”

He whispered softly into her ear.

Sienna stubbornly kept her eyes forward. Suddenly, she felt him move away. Surprised, she turned around.

He had merely taken one step back, and he was observing Sienna’s reaction. She had taken the bait. Sienna couldn’t believe it. Kuhn gazed at her expression and grinned.

“I can finally see you now.”

“Kuhn.”

“Yes?”

“Do you want to win me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Is the Princess of this Empire a trophy to you?”

“What?!”

Kuhn raked his hand through his hair in disbelief.

“What kind of man do you think I am? Why would I go through all that just because…”

He didn’t finish his sentence. With a pained expression on his face, he let out a strained sigh. Sienna felt a little better.

“What did you go through?”

“Just… there was something.”

“You need to tell me so that I know.”

“I’ll tell you later.”

“Does it have to do with the reason why you left the capital?”

“How did you…”

Kuhn’s expression sharpened as he turned his head.

‘Ah…’

Sienna’s hand tightened on her bow. Just now… She thought she caught a glimpse of who he really was. She felt that he had only shown her his gentle side thus far.

“Let’s go over here.”

Kuhn wrapped his arm around Sienna’s shoulders and began to walk in a different direction. When she looked up at him, he brought a finger to his lips. They went deeper into the forest. They walked for a short while before they stopped in front of a large tree.

He looked up and assessed the tree. He took out two daggers from his chest pocket and threw them up. It didn’t seem like he put much power into it, but the daggers dug so deep into the tree that only its handles could be seen. Sienna’s eyes widened in shock. He then jumped up with such ease that it almost looked like he was flying. Using the daggers as support, he stood up on the tree.

After a little while, he turned around. He grabbed the dagger handles and spun, using the momentum to pull them out of the tree. He landed beside Sienna.

Kuhn looked at Sienna’s odd expression and playfully grinned at her.

“Did that impress you?”

“Yeah.”

Sienna nodded. Her eyes were sparkling as she gazed at him.

Kuhn was quiet for a moment before he burst out laughing.

“Maybe I would have been better off showing you something like this earlier.”

“Can I learn to do that too?”

“…Let’s hold off on that for now.”

“Did you see something? A deer?”

Sienna wanted to know what he saw up on the tree.

“A person.”

“It must be another participant.”

“I’m not sure about that. That person wasn’t searching for deer. They were searching for a person. It doesn’t look like they’ll give up anytime soon, so let’s go this way.”

Kuhn wrapped his arm around Sienna’s shoulders again. However, Sienna put her foot down and pushed back.

“Don’t change the subject. Who is it? What do you mean they were looking for a person?”

Kuhn reluctantly answered.

“I think the person they’re looking for is you.”

‘Ah,’ Sienna murmured.

When Sienna returned from her inspection, she rejected Joseph’s request for an audience. On his second request, she only handed him the knights’ buttons and sent him away. After that, he constantly hovered around her anxiously, but she pretended not to notice.

Kuhn’s face darkened.

“Seeing as how you immediately understood who I was talking about, it seems that you two have grown closer while I was away.”

“I wouldn’t say we’re close, but…”

Sienna liked seeing him upset.

“I don’t think you have a right to say something like that. You didn’t even tell me you were leaving the capital.”

“That’s… How did you know about that?”

“Martin told me.”

Sienna eagerly waited for his bewildered reaction. However, his reaction was completely unexpected. He grasped Sienna’s shoulders and pressed down.

“Something happened, right?”

“What?”

“I told him not to reveal himself to you unless you were in danger. You just told me you met Martin.”

“Ah… the anti-imperialists…”

“Anti-imperialists?!”

Kuhn roared before tightly closing his mouth.

“It seems that you have something to tell me. It sounds like it will be a long story, so why don’t we go somewhere else?”

His speech was polite, but his behavior wasn’t very courteous. If she resisted, she felt that he’d drag her away anyway.

Faced with his overbearing attitude, Sienna didn’t feel scared or upset. She knew without a doubt that he wouldn’t hurt her, so she let him lead the way.