It was his son, Prince Edward, who had initially raised an objection to this practice. The moment he’d returned after the localized barrier crisis in the Vallery region, he insisted that there needed to be significant changes made to the system. Despite the fact that he was already struggling to do his usual government work as the second-born prince each day, the king knew he was studying day and night to try and lessen the burden on those living in the border lands.
It only took coming face-to-face with monsters once for Edward to have such an intense change of heart. His son, who had always had such an icy gaze, now had an intensity burning in his eyes instead. He’d previously just followed his older brother’s example, safely staying inside and doing his government duties. The firstborn prince Maximilian’s interests lay on the outside, and he deepened his understanding of the way the world worked by studying abroad in more advanced countries over and over. Until Edward had gone to the Vallery region, he’d been hoping to study in the Western Empire too, but he chose to take Monster Studies on his own this year and even volunteered to take part in the field trip. The more the king saw how hard his son was working, the more he felt he should learn as much as he could too.
“Your Majesty...” However, this “favor” the king was asking of the Skyte lord felt more like a threat to him. He didn’t know what it was the king wanted to do in the forest, but he knew exactly who was going to have to take responsibility if anything happened to the king while he was in there. Putting even more of a burden on these border lands was a terrible plan that would bring the country to ruin. There wasn’t a single border region out there that didn’t presently have its hands full dealing with monsters.
Well...except maybe Pallas.
Leonard Stewart, the ruler of Pallas, poked his head in with a completely carefree expression, making the Skyte ruler sigh.
“Somethin’ the matter?” Leonard asked, noticing something was off between the king and the Skyte lord. Leonard had casually popped in thinking he and his family wouldn’t be able to make a dent in the meat he’d obtained, so it’d be nice to get the hunters to help out, but the vibe seemed grim.
“Count Stewart! Perfect timing! I was suggesting we make a few adjustments to the field trip so we could go into the forest and hunt for ourselves,” the king said, thinking Leonard was just the man he needed.
“You want to get some practical training in the forest?”
“Indeed. From what I’ve heard, there haven’t been many monsters appearing lately, and we have with us the Skyte hunters, my personal guards, the Monster Studies and Hunting Techniques professors, you, and Professor Arven here, so the danger can’t be that pressing, right?” the king enthusiastically insisted. It was rare to have such a perfect battle lineup, after all.
Unfortunately, Leonard frowned at the request and protested. “Your Majesty, the forest is a hunting ground.” Our hunting ground, to be specific. “I’m less than inclined to expose you to the sorts of dangers it could pose to you.” And us, if anyone finds out that we’re hunting with Kongming in there every morning.
“Count Stewart...” The Skyte lord’s eyes practically twinkled in the face of Leonard’s disapproval. He’d thought the man was as frivolous as they come, but he was really showing his prowess as a lord of a border land. Not even being pressured by the king was enough for him to change his tune.
“I see... So it really is that dangerous...”
“Indeed. Please, give up on this notion, Your Majesty.”
Apparently, these words coming from the lord of Pallas, the largest of the borderlands, made them that much more convincing.
The king put his hand to his chin in thought.
The Skyte hunters all seemed deeply impressed by the count’s courage as well. Count Stewart already had such a stern face, and seeing him oppose the king so seriously gave quite an impact. His message was the same as the Skyte lord’s, yet he was far more persuasive. Those who had been protecting the border lands for generations really were cut from a different cloth. Even the king himself was deep in thought, carefully considering the count’s words.
“If you really believe it’s that dangerous, then I suppose I will have to give up. But if just this forest is that dangerous, then your family’s land must be the most dangerous of all, and you’re still just a count... I feel we should raise your peerage somehow... Maybe I can make something greater than the four great dukes?” While the king seemed persuaded and was muttering to himself as though he’d given up...
“Uh, y’know, Your Majesty! Come to think of it, it really isn’t that dangerous!” Not dangerous enough to raise our peerage, at least! “It’s probably too much to bring like...all the students with us? But uh...we could have a couple of volunteers come in with us! How’s that?” Leonard suddenly and very enthusiastically changed tunes and turned to the Skyte lord for approval.
“Huh?!”
“I’m pretty sure with me, Arven, and George, we can make it happen!”
“Uh... Count Stewart?”
“Yup, count’s good enough standing for me.”
“What?” Count Stewart put his hands firmly on the Skyte lord’s shoulders and nodded. He looked terrifying. “A-Are you really sure, Count Stewart?! We can go into the forest for real?!” the king asked, elated.
“Huh?!” The Skyte lord was baffled.
“That’s right! So let me stay a count!” Leonard said, really driving his point home.
“What?!” The Skyte lord really couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Great! Then let’s get us some volunteers!” the king said as he excitedly went off to gather some students.
“What?!”
“Whaaaat?!”
It was a nonstop barrage of confusion hitting the Skyte lord and his hunters all at once.
And so, the king decided to go to the hunting grounds in the forest. It was such a dangerous place that when the emergency letter from the queen arrived, he would be unable to receive it.
✦ ✦ ✦
Is the king out of his mind? The students participating in the field trip all asked themselves. He’d suddenly said he’d changed the itinerary of the field trip and was going to head into the forest where the monsters were. Once again, the students had to wonder, Is the king out of his mind?!
The Monster Studies and Hunting Techniques professors thought the same thing. Is the king serious? Even with Count Stewart, the Professor, and the two teachers there, it was still crazy to request to go into the forest where monsters roamed. They hadn’t even decided to go yet either. So once again, they thought... Is the king serious?
“Hmm? Are these the only volunteers?” The king pouted with disappointment.
Wait, who in their right mind would have volunteered?! What kind of death wish would someone have to have to go along with such a ridiculous whim?!
The students and teachers were shocked by the king’s words and looked around to see who would have volunteered like that. There, they saw George Stewart raising his hand like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Ah. Yeah, that tracks.
They all could accept that...but then...
Hmm?
Right next to him, George’s little brother, William Stewart was also raising his hand.
Yeah, no, that’s not happening! It’s way too dangerous! Why is a little kid raising his hand like that?!
Hmm?
What?!
No no no, there is no way!
Next to George, and next to his little brother William, raising her hand...was Emma. The very same girl who’d been so sickly that she’d been on the brink of death.
Why is frail Lady Emma raising her hand?!
What?! And the girls behind Lady Emma are all raising their hands too! This is too much... I mean, Lady Marion makes sense, as the daughter of the captain of the knights, but that’s only for her. What about the twins on either side of her giddily raising their hands?! Do they not realize this isn’t a vacation?! And what about Lady Francesca next to them?! If you’re so scared it’s making you shake all over, then you don’t have to volunteer in the first place!
“Our king sure is the best, right, Caitlyn? I was hoping we’d get to see a live monster!”
“Our king sure is the best, Catherine! I was hoping we’d get to see a live monster too!”
The twins lived in the Simmons region, which was surrounded by the sea, so they’d never had the opportunity to see a monster. Monster meat wasn’t really in circulation much either, so their interests were extremely piqued now.
“I’m planning on becoming a knight in the future, and knights have been tasked with going on monster hunts in recent years. I believe it’s in my best interest to get some experience.”
“Lady Marion, I’ll be right there supporting you from the sidelines! I’m from the border, so I’m very confident in my monster knowledge!”
“I-I-I-If Lady Emma’s going, then I-I’m going too.”
Marion was going for her future.
Emma giggled, saying she was going because she was from the border.
Francesca was tearfully going if everyone else was going.
Though all of them raised their hands, their reasons were different.