“Certainly, we should bring him in, right?”


  “Of course. There is no one like him that fits us so perfectly.”


  Ten young men and two young women.

  The twelve young people sat around a large round table and chatted pleasantly.

  Their expressions were soft and the voices were quiet, but the mood was feverish.

  “Alright. Then who should be the good person to persuade him?”


  As soon as his words finished, everyone turned to one young woman.

  “The eloquent Elva Dionell is perfect for this job.”


  “If it’s Elva, I can trust and leave her the work.”


  “Certainly, Elva has to do it.”


  Gazes and praises poured down.

  The young women, Elva, faintly smiled and nodded her head.

  “Sure. I’ll have a go at it.”


  A bold voice and manner that didn’t fit her innocent look.

  She was merely twenty five years old, but was the head of the Dionell House and a viscountess of Rinse Kingdom.

  Including the Rinse Kingdom, several nations on the continent granted and allowed the inheritance of nobility to women. Of course, it wasn’t an easy job.

  In the case of women, their talent must be more exceptional and there couldn’t be even a small fault.

  Because of that, a female noble represented a great talent just by being a noble.

  And amongst those female nobles, Elva was a talent amongst the talented who became a noble at the youngest age.

  She looked around at the young men and women sitting around the round table.

  Including her, every one of the twelve young people were between their twenties and early thirties.

  All similar to each other, each one of them was the head of a household and were part of the kingdom’s nobility.

  These twelve people represented the meeting of the young nobles that represented the Rinse Kingdom.

  “Okay. Then we’ll leave the work of persuading Baron Tale to Elva.”


  Sith Wiggins, the head of the group and a viscount of the Rinse Kingdom, concluded the decision.

  Turning to everyone, he continued to speak.

  “As you all know, we 12 Hatchlings act as the youth party in the world of Rinse’s nobles. Although the princes we each support are different, regardless of who becomes the next king, we have to stay together and pledge our loyalty to the kingdom. Got it?”


  Everyone nodded at those words.

  “Of course. In the first place, that’s why we made this group.”


  “That is obvious.”


  “ We will do our best for the Rinse Kingdom and its people.”


  A slightly excited voice.

  Sith brightly smiled and nodded his head.

  His heart felt proud.

  ‘It was quite hard to arrive at this point.’


  When he first made the youth party called the Hatchling, their numbers were merely three.

  Feeling disgust from the sight of traditional nobles’ arrogant, cliqued, indecisive and useless looks, Sith gathered young nobles with progressive and revolutionary minds and created the youth party.

  Expanding the number of members while carefully checking each person’s personality and ability, their numbers had now reached twelve.

  ‘Would the thirteenth member be Baron Roan Tale?’


  The man who was currently receiving the greatest attention.

  If he joined the group, he would be a great strength to the group.

  Sith’s gaze turned to Elva.

  ‘If it’s Elva, she should do well.’


  Elva was one of the founding members of the Hatchling party along with him.

  To the point where most members had joined due to her persuasion, she was a great persuasive speaker.

  At that moment, Sith and Elva’s gazes met.

  Staring at each other, the two faintly smiled.

  ‘Elva. I trust you.’


  That was the meaning of Sith’s gaze.

  However.

  ‘Ah…… my love, Sith.’


  Elva’s gaze had a different meaning.

  *****

  Keueong!

  A cry that shook the forest.

  Twisting its neck, the La’bear cried aloud and soon fell down.

  In its neck was a long and thick black spear.

  The Travias Spear.

  The black spear was definitely Roan’s favorite weapon, the Travias Spear.

  “Huu.”


  Roan let out a short sigh and pulled on the end of the spear.

  The speartip that was buried deeply in the La’bear’s body showed itself.

  ‘To hunt a La’bear alone……’


  Roan was once again surprised and shocked at himself.

  There was also a time in his last life when he hunted a La’bear.

  He was acting as a trapper for the generals’ pleasure hunting, when he was dragged in to personally hunt for their amusement.

  ‘Even though twenty common soldiers had to jump in and were barely able to catch one at that time.’


  Literally a sense of being in a new world.

  Roan bitterly smiled and shook the spearhead.

  The La’bear’s blood on the spear’s tip sprayed out to the side.

  “Wow……”


  The common soldiers who were watching the sight from the side exclaimed with shocked faces.

  They had also heard that Roan, the expedition’s hero, had amazing skills.

  ‘Even though he was merely a common soldier not too long ago.’


  I thought that rumors tend to be exaggerated.’


  ‘I thought he merely caught Prince Simon’s eyes by luck and achieved baseless success.’


  But the skills they saw from Roan in the flesh exceeded the rumors.

  A slightly rough but fearless horse riding skills and flawless spearmanship.

  Especially, even in the common soldiers’ eyes, Roan’s spearmanship was an exception amongst exceptions.

  A feeling like looking at a whirlwind with neither a start nor an end.

  The sight of Roan leading the war horse across the field chasing and killing the La’bear was the very definition of perfection.

  The common soldiers, who had the role of trappers, stared at Roan in awe.

  ‘There was a time when I was like them too.’


  Reminiscing of his past self, he pulled the reins.

  ‘You can’t simply stare and be awed. Work hard. If you try hard, you can be anything.’


  In fact, Roan had been working himself to death throughout his entire second life.

  He couldn’t really call his last life a success, thanks to the efforts made in that life, he could reach the light in the second life.

  ‘A nation where anything is possible with hard work. I will make that nation.’


  Roan took in a deep breath.

  His spirit soared.

  Meanwhile, the horse had turned toward Viscount Holten and the various nobles.

  Clop. Clop.

  While everyone remained silent, only the sound of the horse’s steps rang out.

  “My lord. That was quite an amazing skill.”


  When Roan came close, Harrison raised his thumb as if he had been waiting.

  Roan cheerfully smiled and shook his head.

  “This much skill is nothing.”


  His gaze headed naturally toward Anthony.

  “I heard that Sir Viscount Holten’s swordsmanship was incredible. This time, please show us your awesome skills, sir viscount.”


  “U, un?”


  Anthony blanked out at the sudden request.

  “M, me?”


  At the repeated question, Roan lightly nodded his head.

  Anthony awkwardly smiled and turned to the other nobles, but they too couldn’t do anything.

  ‘Damn it. Just what is happening?’


  The markings for the traps were definitely done properly.

  But in fact, there were no traps there.

  No, there was no certain way to tell if they were there or not.

  The number of traps Roan stepped on weren’t many.

  It was unknown whether the traps in other places were properly set.

  ‘Damn it.’


  In the end, there was only one method.

  ‘For now, I’ll avoid every single place marked as a trap.’


  If so, he could at least avoid being completely humiliated.

  While Anthony was turning his head and organizing his chaotic thoughts, he heard Roan’s voice.

  “Then should I go and chase a La’bear here?”


  Anthony was suddenly shocked and took ahold of himself at those words and shook his hand.

  “No need. Let’s leave that to the trappers.”


  If Roan went into the forest here, then the La’bears he had prepared in advance would be revealed.

  Anthony hurriedly took out his sword and pulled his reins.

  “Please don’t laugh even if it’s lacking.”


  Relaxing while pretending to be humble, he kicked his horse.

  Dudududu.

  The war horse that showed off a smooth body crossed the field.

  As if it had waited, a La’bear ran out from the forest.

  ‘For now, avoid everywhere marked as a trap.’


  Anthony freely controlled the war horse.

  As someone who was a noble from birth, his horse riding skills were quite exceptional.

  Paat!

  The war horse freely ran between the trap marks as if it was dancing.

  Soon, the La’bear that was running wild came close enough to possibly touch.

  ‘I’ll cut this guy’s neck insta……’


  When he had thought up to that point.

  Psck!

  With an unpleasant sound, his sight leaned to the right.

  The horse’s body dangerously shook as if it would fall.

  “Eh?”


  Shocked, Anthony pulled hard at the reins.

  But the horse couldn’t maintain its balance.

  It was because the ground it was firmly stepping on had suddenly collapsed.

  Kugung!

  With a loud crash, the war horse carrying Anthony fell into the ground.

  “Uuaaack!”


  Anthony screamed at the sudden event.

  Hihihing!

  The war horse also cried out violently.

  Kwajik!

  From losing its balance and falling deep into the earth, the war horse’s leg was mercilessly broken.

  Anthony also wasn’t looking so good.

  His ankle and wrist were broken and he had received heavy bruising all over his body.

  ‘A, a trap? Why is a trap in this place!’


  He had instinctively realized that he had fallen into a trap.

  Anthony looked around the hole and shook his head.

  ‘This isn’t a trap we made.’


  In the traps he made, sharp weapons like swords and spears were planted upside down.

  But the place he had fallen in was simply a deep hole.

  ‘Why is this kind of trap……?’


  Within his head, questions appeared one after the other.

  But this was not the time to leisurely contemplate.

  “Uhuph!”


  Clumps of earth continuously fell down on his head.

  Towards the entrance of the hole, he loudly yelled out.

  “Save me! Hurry and get me out of here! Now!”


  Anthony’s shout was clearly heard by the knights and the many nobles who were watching from the outside.

  “My lord!”


  Ted and the knights like him kicked their horses with hurried expressions.

  The territory’s soldiers, who were working as trappers, quickly ran from the opposite field and the forest.

  “It, it’s dangerous if you carelessly……”


  Many nobles tried to shout with a worried look, but closed their mouths due to Roan’s presence.

  Pretending to be oblivious, Roan made a serious face.

  “It seems he fell into a bear trap. Let us all go and rescue Sir Viscount Holten.”


  The nobles nodded their heads at those words and pulled on their reins with reluctant faces.

  ‘Damn it. There definitely wasn’t the trap mark, so why?’


  ‘What? Just where are the traps and where is safe?’


  While heading toward Anthony, the nobles sharply focused their senses.

  It was because they too couldn’t tell just where the traps were.

  But to simply stand still, they couldn’t stand Roan’s gaze.

  At that moment.

  “U-ugh!”


  “Uagh!”


  “Ack!”


  The knights and the territory’s soldiers fell into the hole with screams.

  “Hph!”


  “No way!”


  The nobles who were further back nervously swallowed and stopped where they stood.

  With expressions of complete fear, they couldn’t carelessly move.

  ‘Damn it. There are bear traps everywhere.’


  ‘Did Viscount Holten not even check for bear traps while setting this up?’


  The nobles absolutely couldn’t imagine that the places Anthony, the knights, and the territory’s soldiers fell down into were traps that Roan prepared.

  Looking at the nobles frozen like stone, Roan inwardly smiled.

  ‘You guys stay still just like that. From here on, this place is……’


  When his thoughts proceeded to that point.

  Ppuuuuu!

  Sound of a horn echoed.

  “Un?”


  “What the?”


  The nobles, who were already really tense, were startled in surprise and turned towards the source of the sound.

  “Ah……”


  Immediately, a quiet exclaim leaked out of everyone’s mouth.

  The ones who appeared with the horn from the edge of the field were the Amaranth troops.

  Holding up their troop flag in front, they ran toward the nobles in a grand manner.

  Roan smiled as he looked towards the Amaranth troops.

  ‘From here on, we the Amaranth troop control this place.’


  *****

  Austin was leading the Amaranth troop and was doing troop tactics training while circling Miller Castle’s outer wall.

  It was an official training that got permission from the palace beforehand.

  But the true purpose of the training was elsewhere.

  ‘ Obliterate Viscount Holten and his group’s scheme.’


  The order from Roan.

  < Amaranth troop will be on standby at the eastern edge of the hunting ground. Once Viscount Anthony Holten and the subordinates under him fall into the trap, sound the horn and show yourselves. We…… >

  Austin’s eyes flashed with light.

  ‘We will rescue those worthless bastards and find out all who are related to this event, so he said.’


  Roan had no plan to immediately put down Anthony and the nobles.

  ‘However much he wanted to attract the prince’s attention, he couldn’t have planned such an idiotic and bold work alone.’


  That was Roan’s thought.

  There should definitely be someone who supported him from the shadows or helped architect the scheme.

  Using this chance, Roan planned to pull out the factions that aimed against him from the root.

  Austin led the troops around the hunting ground and headed towards Roan.

  “My lord! Are you okay?”


  A rather good acting.

  Roan inwardly smiled and nodded.

  “I’m fine. Why are you here?”


  When he asked the question they planned in advance, Austin immediately answered.

  “We got here while returning from our troop tactics training.”


  “How fortunate. The situation here isn’t very good.”


  Roan and Austin.

  The two’s acting continued on.

  At the Amaranth troop that suddenly appeared, the nobles, who couldn’t do anything in fear of falling into the traps, no, into the bear traps, were half out of their minds.

  ‘Thi, this is going badly in too many ways.’


  ‘One wrong move and we’ll be the ones that fall.’


  Anthony and his subordinates had already fallen into the traps and they too couldn’t carelessly do anything.

  If their scheme to somehow take down Roan was revealed, they would be caught helplessly by Roan and his Amaranth troop or die a dog’s death.

  At that moment, Roan’s voice rang out.

  “The noble sirs, please stay still over there just in case. Our Amaranth troop will search this field for the bear traps.”


  “Do, do go ahead.”


  The nobles merely nodded their heads.

  Bitterly smiling on the inside, Roan looked at Austin.

  “For now, the Amaranth troop should……”


  When he spoke up to that point.

  “No, there’s really no need for you to do that.”


  He heard a familiar voice from behind the troop.

  ‘Hm?’


  Tilting his head, Roan moved his gaze.

  Instantly, a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

  “You are……”


  The young man who pushed the troops to the sides and appeared was in fact, Clay.

  Smiling cheerfully, Clay walked towards Roan.

  “Do you remember me?”


  A clean look unlike when he met Roan.

  It was a look that simply couldn’t be recognized with a casual glance.

  But Roan clearly remembered Clay’s thin eyes and his peculiar atmosphere.

  “Of course. Mr. Clay.”


  “Ah! So you do remember me. And……”


  Clay brightly smiled and turned towards the traps and the nobles who were frozen stiff.

  “You clearly remembered my prediction too.”


  A satisfied expression.

  But soon, he slightly creased his forehead.

  “But just what are you doing right now?”


  Roan answered with a composed voice.

  “I’m trying to rescue Sir Viscount Holten and his subordinates.”


  Clay shook his head at those words.

  “Sir Baron. If you want to pull out the root, you have to pull out the root, so why are you trying to pluck off the leaves and the stems?” 1

  “Hmm.”


  With a slightly surprised look, Roan swallowed back his exclamation.

  ‘He completely saw through my thoughts and plans.’


  Clay was certainly not an ordinary young man.

  Rubbing his right earlobe, Clay continued to speak.

  “Let us go pull out some roots. I will……”


  His thin eyes bent in a peculiar way.

  “Guide you there.”


  A confident voice spread with the wind.

  End.

  1. a case of “if you are going to do A, you obviously have to do A, so why are you doing B?”