Chapter 92: The Hunt [1]
In order to head to the imperial hunting ground east of Himeln, one must wake up early in the morning and prepare. Carl woke up early and got ready on time. However, Carl's body, which had grown too quickly and was wearing clothes that were too small, and not even hunting clothes, but everyday clothes, did not look like he was participating in a big event.
Lilly tried to calm her expression when she saw that, but she couldn't help but feel rotten inside.
"Carl, please take this."
Lilly personally tied the scarf around Carl's neck. It was just a white cloth with no special pattern, and the quality wasn't even that good. However, Carl's name, carefully embroidered by Lilly one stitch at a time, sat neatly in one corner, making it a wonderful gift that was too much for Carl.
"Thank you. I will keep it well."
Carl smiled happily as Lilly touched the scarf that adorned his neck so many times.
There is a tradition of wrapping a scarf around the neck of someone heading to the battlefield to pray for their safety. It can be seen as having significance in covering Carl's neck, which could not be buttoned up at the moment.
Thanks to this, Carl was able to avoid making a big deal out of wearing tiny clothes that looked like they would burst. It couldn't be helped that others would start whispering when they saw that the button down to the solar plexus was undone and the neck and chest were covered with a scarf.
"You have to be careful."
"I'm telling you not to worry."
Carl smiled and hugged Lilly, who was very worried.
"I will give the game I catch today to Lilly, not to Duren."
Hunts hosted by the imperial family are held in honor of the god Duren, and the best of the game is ritually sacrificed to Duren. Of course, there are many people who aim for that glorious position, and there are also many who deliberately avoid it. Usually, the emperor or prince sacrifices the game he catches, and for somewhat political reasons, honors may go to those whom the emperor supports.
Carl would never get that honor. It wouldn't be possible to catch such a great prize, and even if he did, that position wouldn't be Carl's. However, he would be able to enjoy the honor of giving it to Lilly, whom he considered his mother.
"That's okay, so don't get hurt."
Lilly seemed moved, but said that while stroking Carl's back. More than anything else, the first thing was that Carl was safe.
Carl went outside while being seen off by Lilly. Catherine and Bilford, who had already prepared, were waiting outside the room. And Harmon, who was supposed to follow Carl, was standing there with a slightly pale face, trying to calm his expression.
"Let's go."
Carl didn't even glance at Harmon and quickly walked away, taking Catherine and Bilford with him. Harmon looked at their backs and clenched his fists. Just because you don't work doesn't mean you'll like it. If Carl treated his only servant, Harmon, so poorly and did not even take him on glorious hunts, what terrible rumors would spread about him!
Harmon closed his eyes tightly, seized by a terrible thought. In the end, there was only one way left for Harmon. Whether he kneeled or licked Carl's feet, he would first need to be forgiven.
As Carl left the imperial palace, there were already too many people to count, gathered in groups of twos and threes chatting. This was because nobles from weaker families came out early to talk to as many people as possible. In that sense, Carl ended up in an odd situation. He came out too early for a member of the royal family, because no one wanted to talk to him and no one knew Carl.
Of course, that was exactly what Carl wanted.
"How is it? Do I look like an indignant child?"
"That... yes."
Catherine nodded awkwardly at Carl, who had a very distressed expression. In this way, Carl became a child who was ignored by everyone and was able to leisurely meditate while looking at the eastern sky with the rising sun.
"Does the sun rise in the east, or is it in the east because the sun rises?"
"What are you talking about?"
As Carl watched the sun rise in the east, just like on Earth, a voice filled with laughter was heard muttering. Carl was startled and turned his head to see Adrian looking down at him with a puzzled expression.
"Brother Adrian."
"Okay, hello Carl. So what do you mean by that just now?"
Adrian smiled and stood next to Carl, who had been ignored by everyone, and looked at the eastern sky. He seemed like an incredibly sweet and cool older brother.
"When you say east, everyone says it's the direction the sun rises. So I just thought about it."
"Well, it's a philosophical consideration."
"Uh... Yeah, well, it's a philosophical consideration."
Carl acted like a child trying to show that there was something to Adrian's serious joke.
"Oh, can you tell me in what way it's philosophical?"
As Adrian spoke with a mischievous smile, Carl rolled his eyes here and there and said, "You said it was a philosophical consideration first, so you should tell me first."
The nobles nearby who were paying attention to Adrian silently laughed at Carl who used the expression 'to inform.'
"Unfortunately, it seems like an inappropriate topic to talk about before hunting. Rather than that, it would be better to prepare your mind to aim for the best game."
Adrian spoke mischievously, as if teasing his cute younger brother, and naturally walked away from the nobles who were anxious to have a word with him.
"So why is that a philosophical consideration?"
Bilford asked Catherine quietly. As Catherine took a moment to gather her thoughts, Carl muttered, "It can only be called a philosophical consideration because it is meaningless to discuss priorities between human thought and natural phenomena."
"Uh..."
"Philosophy is something that only people with spare time think about."
Anyway, Moon and those guys... Because of the memories of Han Chang-in, who was a science major, Carl had no choice but to think that way about philosophy.
"It's a coincidence. I think the same thing."
This time too, Carl couldn't help but be shocked. Before he knew it, Nero had bent down behind him and whispered softly in his ear.
"Philosophy is just something nobles who have nothing to do fiddle around with to look like they have something to do. If you have time, go out and take a walk. At least you can see what commoners are doing, so don't you think it will be more helpful than just talking nonsense?"
"What a wonderful horse. After all, Brother Nero is of Hardion descent, qualified to rule the people."
"Shh, shut up."
Nero seriously warned Carl, who was saying dangerous things as if it were a joke.
"Are you close with Brother Adrian?"
Nero stood where Adrian was standing and asked Carl.
"I met him before I met you."
"So are you close?"
"To what extent do I fall into the category of being close?"
"Okay, you're not close."