The Hunt

The faint scent of balm slowly drifted through the air. Though it wasn't particularly pungent, Li Yue could clearly identify it. The insides of the freshly flayed, blood-stained deer hides had been coated with a layer of scented balm. The nobles laughed joyfully, seemingly planning some sort of activity.

“What are they doing?” Li Yue nudged Helen. The steed she sat upon seemed gentle, showing none of the agitation it had displayed when it was first brought out.

“When it comes to hunting, any noble can do it as long as they choose the right spot. But since this is a collective autumn hunt, it naturally has its own unique features.” Helen swallowed hard. Her physical condition was poor, and these activities were a bit too demanding for her. On the surface, they were Li Yue’s attendants, but in reality, they didn't serve much of a purpose.

“Are those... criminals?” Clo frowned. The prisoners looked weathered and weary, yet their muscles remained powerful and robust, showing no signs of atrophy.

“The laws of the Royal Court are generally lenient, with no harsh forms of punishment, except for those involving the death penalty.” Helen swallowed again. “When it comes to capital punishment, the methods are designed to be as deterrent as possible.”

“Treason, trafficking large quantities of prohibited drugs, life alchemy and other magical taboos, blasphemy...” Helen listed several. “The Royal Court is tolerant of most magic, but some are simply too outrageous and are thus categorized as capital offenses.”

“For example, magic that sacrifices dozens of lives at once...” Li Yue glanced at Clo, whose eyes flickered away. “As for blasphemy, the sentencing for that is quite flexible. It has been less common in the last couple of years...”

“I don't care about that; no need for the death penalty there,” Li Yue said with a smile.

“There are also those who offend the King; most of them are branded with the label of treason.” Helen paused. “However, not all are sentenced to death. The King has his own considerations. Most are exiled. Those sentenced to death are the ones who have truly harmed the nation.”

“It seems he can't be entirely considered a tyrant then,” Li Yue remarked, shrugging.

“So... if you were to be the ruler, what would your considerations be?” Clo suddenly asked. She looked into Li Yue’s eyes, searching for an answer.

“Simple.” Li Yue gave a slight smile. “Those who point out my faults to my face shall be granted suicide. Those who come to court to remonstrate with me shall face the ultimate penalty. And those who slander me in the streets until it reaches my ears shall have their entire clans exterminated.”

“...” Clo and Helen, who had been explaining things, fell into silence simultaneously.

“I’m joking...” Li Yue cleared her throat, wondering if her joke had fallen flat.

“Simply put, these prisoners being transported are the designated targets for the autumn hunt.” Helen paused, carefully observing the expressions of Li Yue and Clo. Li Yue’s expression didn't change, as she still seemed preoccupied with whether her joke was funny. Clo frowned slightly, seemingly accustomed to such methods even if she didn't like them.

“They usually receive a vague hint about half a year in advance. If they can survive until dawn during the hunt, their sentences will be pardoned.” Helen looked into the distance. These burly criminals, their hands bound by magic-restricting handcuffs, knelt on the ground and were forced into the still-bloody deer hides.

“They are the lucky ones. At least they don't have to be burned at the stake in front of the cathedral.”

Clo shuddered, feeling a twitch in her thigh. For a brief moment, she lost control of the horse beneath her.

“How are the records of the two princes? Who is superior?” Li Yue suddenly asked. She licked her sharp fangs, spinning the longbow in her hand.

“The two princes just turned twenty-one the year before last. Neither had any catches last year, so this year, perhaps...” Helen’s words were punctuated by several pauses, as if she were choosing her words carefully.

“Heh, the show begins.” Li Yue arched an eyebrow. The death row inmates draped in deer and fox skins had already bolted. In twenty minutes, the hunting game would commence. The nobles, already excitedly pacing their horses on the spot, seemed unable to wait any longer.

Li Yue looked at the two princes at the back of the crowd. The younger prince with the blood-red eyes seemed to have lost the spirit he had earlier; the hand holding his bow was trembling slightly. In comparison, his elder brother appeared much more decisive.

“Hey, can you accept this method?” Li Yue suddenly asked Clo. Clo bit her lip, looking somewhat repulsed.

“Without using magic, it’s a bit...” Clo’s shoulders shook slightly, seemingly from a wave of revulsion.

Li Yue roughly understood the feeling. Crushing a fly with your hand feels different from using a swatter. She sighed softly.

“If anything happens, just leave it to me.” Li Yue patted Clo’s shoulder. She looked at her own pitch-black fingernails, wondering for a moment if this deep black was actually just a crimson so bloody it had reached its extreme.

Time passed minute by minute. Some impatient nobles had already begun riding their horses in circles on the lawn. But any observant person knew that this was essentially prepared for the two princes. Without the monarch’s decree, who would dare bring so many death row inmates to these mountains?

A bright red feathered arrow pierced the sky, blooming into a scarlet Death Rose in the air. Well-trained hunters and hounds surged forward. Dmitry led several nobles behind him; they were less like fellow hunters and more like witnesses.

“A Yue...” Clo reached out slightly, seemingly wanting to pull back Li Yue, who was already prepared to depart.

“Don't worry, just leave it to me.” Li Yue gave a small smile. She carried the dark black longbow on her back. Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her intense sensitivity to life force caused many traces of pale green, deep blue, and milky-white life energy to appear in her vision.

She took a deep breath, feeling the congestion in her chest ease significantly. A strange sense of relief washed over her.

The hounds needed the scent of the balm to track, but Li Yue did not. She was the ultimate hunter. Once, she was capable of hunting gods.

“Alright... let’s begin...” Li Yue closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, her entire world was a shade of scarlet.