The Sand Bride - Chapter 63

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Karzhen heard the news of Esther’s father’s death when the war preparations were almost complete.

He had been incredibly busy, needing to finalize the draft of the official declaration of war to be sent to the Kingdom of Donova. Though he never missed visiting Esther in the inner palace at night, there were days he couldn’t even manage to eat.

And the same was true for Karzhen’s aide, who had been reporting on Esther’s father’s condition. As a result, Karzhen was only informed two days after Esther’s father was officially pronounced dead, when his spirit had completely left his body.

Karzhen’s mood had not improved, even with hunting, which he rarely did but was doing after a long time, and it was all because of that news.

He caught large game soon after starting, but instead of being excited, he absentmindedly jabbed the spear he had used to kill the wild boar into the ground. Considering his past, when he would lightly shake off the blood and look for more game, it was clear his mood was significantly foul.

The subordinates hunting with him exchanged glances, unsure what to do. All of them looked as if they didn’t know why Karzhen was acting this way, but only one woman among them had her face hardened, struggling with something.

Regardless, Karzhen, despite his reluctance, began searching for game again. If he didn’t force himself to focus on tracking beasts, Esther’s words kept coming back to him. And that made him feel very uncomfortable.

“Uh, Lord Karzhen. When Father is fully recovered…… will I be able to see him then?”

The thought made his eyebrows quirk up foolishly, and Karzhen, pressing them down with his hand, swiftly moved through the hunting grounds as dense as a southeastern forest.

This hunting ground, centered around an oasis as large as a lake at the eastern end of the capital, originally imported and bred animals difficult to find in Gharyam, resulting in a diverse range of species. So, when a beautiful feathered bird, only seen there, flew by, Karzhen put down his spear and picked up his bow.

However, his mind, filled with complex emotions, made a mistake he rarely did as he aimed the arrow at the bird.

It was then that the arrow missed, and as Karzhen glared at the bird that had flown away, the bushes rustled, and the sound of thin branches breaking was heard.

As Karzhen turned his head, a slender silver fox was darting away. Its beautiful fur shimmered dazzlingly in the sunlight. Karzhen picked up his bow again. He intended to catch it without damaging its pelt.

If I catch that and make her a scarf, will she feel a little better? Karzhen inadvertently thought that as he chased the fox. His pride was hurt, feeling like he was tip-toeing around her, but it seemed better than her crying and raising a fuss.

Yes. Since her father died, I can accommodate that much. He had to let it slide, even if she wailed or hurled accusations. Karzhen grinned, embedding an arrow precisely in the fox’s eye, then lifted the fox, whose breath had been instantly snuffed out. Up close, its fur was even more beautiful.

Karzhen ordered the accompanying servant to make a scarf and tossed the fox to him. Then, his trailing subordinates chimed in with remarks.

“You killed it in one shot.”

“And you aimed precisely for its eye, without damaging the pelt.”

Hmph. Karzhen, nonchalantly brushing off their compliments, added to the servant taking the fox,

“Oh, and tell them to make the scarf size to fit Eder.”

“Yes!”

As the servant bowed and withdrew, the face of one of his subordinates stiffened abruptly. It was the woman who had been pondering something ever since the hunt began. Her clearly readable expression caught Karzhen’s attention.

“What’s wrong, Nair?”

“……It’s nothing.”

She shook her head, but Nair, her face still rigid, looked like she was still hesitating about something. Karzhen frowned slightly. He disliked whispering behind his back.

“If you have something to say, say it. Don’t do what I dislike.”

“…Actually, Sayar.”

Nair, her lips heavy, spoke as if she had made up her mind.

“It’s about… that woman named Eder.”

“Eder?”

“Yes. In fact… I recently met His Highness Hakan, and he informed me of something concerning…….”

At Karzhen’s seemingly ignorant reaction, Nair bit her lip. For a moment, she hesitated, wondering if she should say this. Karzhen’s feelings for that woman were palpable enough from the scene she had just witnessed. She couldn’t dare to label it as love, but it was clear he cherished her.

But hadn’t Hakan also told her what that woman had done to Karzhen? Perhaps he had tipped her off, worried that the cunning woman might harm Karzhen again. At that thought, Nair felt foolish for hesitating.

If it could potentially harm Sayar’s person, it was her mission to eliminate whatever it was.

Resolved, Nair spoke,

“That woman’s name, they say, is not Eder.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than Karzhen’s face hardened.