Chapter 109. Proposition (1)
Translator: Atlas / Editor: Regan
Blain’s fingers pulled the bowstring taut. His attendants didn’t dare dissuade him. Given his horrible personality, the squires and chasers feared he would release, and held their breath. But while everyone else was paralyzed, Ishakan laughed. Even though his eye could be pierced by an arrow, he seemed amused, his eyes shining.
“Can you let go of the bowstring?” He asked arrogantly. “A baby who only does what is asked of him, and who is always attached to his mother’s skirt.”
“……!”
The hand on the bowstring was trembling, and Blain’s breathing became more agitated. The tip of the arrow trembled, but still pointed at Ishakan.
“You’ve never done anything on your own. You don’t even know quite what you want, you’ve just wickedly used the princess as a shield.” Ishakan stroked his chin. “Look around you, Crown Prince. There’s no one here to cover for you, what are you going to do?”
His golden eyes glowed strangely in the shadowy forest. He whispered quietly to Blain.
“Can you shoot that arrow at me?”
Blain gnashed his teeth, muttering a string of insults. Just as Ishakan’s eyes curved in satisfaction, Blain ended up doing something he shouldn’t have done.
The arrow shot out.
“……”
Blain held his breath. His hand had been trembling, so it hadn’t hit Ishakan in the eye. Instead it stuck in his shoulder.
Then everything happened in the blink of an eye. Ishakan raised his bow and shot the horse Blain was riding. The horse reared, whinnying, and Blain fell off, followed by Ishakan, who stepped on his wrist. Blain cried out in pain as his bones broke.
“Your Highness!!!”
The forest immediately erupted into chaos. Blain’s attendants shouted, and the knights drew their swords. Among the noisy humans, only the Kurkans remained quiet. They watched, expressionless and emotionless, as if they had foreseen the commotion. But when the knights approached, they moved to block them, so no one could reach Ishakan and the Prince.
“Out of the way!”
“We can’t do that. It was the Crown Prince who proposed a hierarchical dominance fight.”
“Hierarchical dominance fight! What vulgar and barbaric behavior…!”
Haban with an expressionless face, warned the unbridled knight.
“Go, if you want to die.”
“……”
The Kurkans looked at them coldly. Although there were not even ten Kurkans, the knights backed away with frightened expressions.
As the disturbance broke out behind him, Ishakan pulled the arrow out of his shoulder and threw it on the ground. Grabbing Blain by the neck, he lifted him up, ignoring the blood gushing from his wound. Blain was struggling with all his might, but his feet weren’t touching the ground and his wrist was twisted in a strange direction.
Ishakan smiled at Blain, who was staring as if he wanted to kill him.
“Wasn’t it you who attacked first?” Ishakan’s words were full of sincerity. “Act in self-defense, Crown Prince.”
***
The hunt ended in the worst possible way.
Blain was taken back in a wagon like one of the trophy animals. Cerdina forgot her regal bearing and behaved as if she had gone mad. Many were surprised to see the usually kind and gentle queen nearly delirious. Even if she had lost her mind because of her son’s injury, her behavior was still strange.
Crying frantically, she saw the Kurkans approaching and watched them with bloodshot eyes, then fastened on Ishakan. He spoke calmly, though she was looking at him with hatred.
“It was an unexpected accident.”
The corners of her lips lifted. With a haunting smile, she said wickedly, “You will regret this, King.”
