AVELINE I stood at the gathering for the hunting competition, taking in the impressive sight of so many noble houses participating. The air was filled with excitement, as well as a sense of rivalry. My nerves tingled with anticipation, but I couldn't help but feel a rush of determination.

"Okay, Aveline, take care of yourself from here. I'll be sitting at the pavilion beside His Majesty. Here's the First Squad," the Duke said, his voice steady but with a hint of pride.

I turned to see the First Squad—a group of elite knights that I was now to work with during this competition. "Wow, the First Squad... Oh! Sir Derrick and Sir Edward are in the First Squad too," I said, surprised by the unexpected presence of the two men I had become familiar with back in the North.

"Of course we are," both Derrick and Edward said simultaneously, giving me a reassuring smile.

The First Squad was a well-known group. There were six of them, including Sir Derrick and Sir Edward, each of their faces familiar to me. They had fought alongside me in the North against monsters, and I wondered how things were faring back home now. The thought of the North brought a brief pang of longing—though I was proud to be here, it also made me miss the place I had left behind.

"Don't you worry, Aveline. Just do your best," the Duke said, his voice filled with confidence in me.

"Thank you, Father," I said, my words laced with gratitude.

The Duke turned toward the pavilion, making his way to join His Majesty and the other nobles. I stood there for a moment, taking a deep breath before continuing on my path. The First Squad members followed closely behind me, their presence reassuring and unwavering.

As I wandered through the event, I couldn't help but notice a large magic screen displaying the live situation of everyone participating in the competition. It was clearly meant for the audience to stay updated on the competition's progress. I realized that meant the Duke would be watching me. I had to give it my best performance today.

As I pondered that thought, I suddenly heard familiar voices. Lady Emilia and Lady Margaret approached me, their expressions as haughty as ever.

"Oh, I suppose we can have fun at the pavilion, seeing you in this uniform. You're participating, huh?" Emilia said, her fan covering half of her face, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Lady Margaret followed with a slightly colder tone, "Well, that's a shame... Good luck," she said, her hand briefly resting on my shoulder in what seemed like a forced gesture of kindness.

I couldn't help but feel something was off, but I quickly shook it off. There was no point in dwelling on their passive-aggressive comments. "Whatever, they have nothing against me anyway," I thought to myself, trying to ignore the unease gnawing at my gut.

I gave them a polite nod, turning away to focus on the competition ahead. The feeling that something wasn't quite right remained, but I wasn't going to let it distract me. I had a competition to win.

***

EMILIA "All right, thank you everyone here for participating in the yearly hunting competition. It's an honor to have everyone gathered here. To all participants, please be careful during the hunt. May everyone return safe and sound. Now, let it begin!" His Majesty's voice rang through the air, signaling the start of the competition.

I turned to Lady Margaret, a sly grin on my face. "Margaret, it has begun."

Lady Margaret gave a small nod, her eyes gleaming with determination. "Okay, let's find a suitable hiding spot."

We moved swiftly, slipping through the crowd and making our way toward a large tree on the edge of the clearing. The thick branches provided the perfect cover.

"There! The big tree!" I whispered, pointing it out.

Lady Margaret nodded in agreement. "Good. Let's settle here. Watch out for anyone who might be following us. Do not do anything stupid that might leave evidence that we're here."

I swallowed my excitement, nodding. We both crouched behind the massive tree, the thick foliage concealing us from view. The sounds of the competition, the rustle of leaves and distant voices, seemed muffled from here.

I peered around the tree, staying as low as possible. My heart raced as the hunt began in earnest. "Aveline, she's here. She's close," I whispered to Lady Margaret, feeling the adrenaline surge through me.

Lady Margaret's lips curled into a malicious smile. "Okay, I'm going to start now."

The air around us seemed to shift, the faint scent of magic hanging in the air. Margaret began to move her hands in slow, deliberate gestures, muttering an incantation under her breath. My heart pounded harder as I watched, realizing the gravity of what was about to unfold.

Suddenly, the air around us crackled, and the ground beneath our feet trembled slightly. It was terrifying, honestly. I had always heard of magic being used to summon creatures, but to witness it firsthand was something else entirely. A dark, monstrous shape began to materialize before our eyes. It was hideous—scaly, with glowing eyes and sharp, jagged teeth. A truly terrifying sight.

Margaret's eyes gleamed with satisfaction as the creature fully formed in front of Aveline, just a few steps away from her. "Okay, I'm ready," she said with a dangerous grin, her voice low with anticipation.

Boom! The monster lunged forward, its terrifying roar cutting through the air, its glowing eyes locked on Aveline.

I peeked out from behind the tree, my breath shallow with excitement. "I'm going to summon more," Lady Margaret said, her voice tinged with madness as she began chanting again. I could almost feel the power she was drawing upon as another monstrous creature materialized, its hulking form looming behind the first.

"Okay. Look at her shocked face—this must be the end of her," Lady Margaret said with a triumphant laugh, her fingers still weaving magic in the air.

The sight of Aveline in danger made my heart race with anticipation. I knew this was going to be the moment she would fall. No one could survive this. Not even someone as proud and bold as her.