A few soldiers were stationed outside the more luxurious camp's perimeter to prevent any uninvited guests from entering.
They immediately blocked Lucian's way, demanding his status card. After he showed it to them, they apologized and stepped aside, letting him proceed.
"Sir," A voice called out, making Lucian stop in his tracks, "Would you like me to help you with your luggage?"
Two servants, dressed in a simple, black uniform. The woman was holding a basket of fresh fruits, glasses, and a jug of water, while the man was empty handed.
"Please," Lucian replied.
The male servant immediately took his backpack, leading the way to a carriage.
"Halt," the same guards from earlier demanded someone else's status card.
Lucian continued to follow the servant, observing the situation.
Young master Mathieu stood before the soldiers silently. He was alone and looked like he didn't know he was supposed to carry a status card with him in the first place.
"I'm afraid that we can't let you pass without it," the soldier said.
"The people from the Duremont house should be inside," Mathieu explained, "They will confirm my identity."
"I'm afraid that we can't let you pass, My Lord. It's the rule." The soldiers drew their weapons. "You can come back later when you have your card with you."
"Move along, you are blocking the entrance!" a noble shouted impatiently from behind.
Lucian entered the carriage, leaving Mathieu to fend for himself.
"I heard he changed for the better," one of the people present whispered to the other, "And even saved a hay head."
"Mhm, he was forced to act that way," the other replied, spreading a new wave of rumors, "He's just trying to save face. He's not fooling anyone."
Lucian was silent as he listened, wondering who had twisted the reality against Mathieu so fast and so thoroughly.
He could see the man in the distance. His face was emotionless, taking a step to the side to let the people pass.
"Looks like the Duremonts can't afford to waste any more money on their useless son," someone hushed a comment behind their palm as the people close by joined in on the laughter.
But then, Lucian saw something that he didn't expect to see.
After the complaining noble passed, Mathieu peacefully took out his card and gave it to the soldiers, who quickly returned it after a glance, letting him through.
Young master Mathieu successfully face slapped everyone who was gossiping about his standing in the family.
'What's going on?' Lucian frowned, not getting a proper read on Mathieu's abilities just yet.
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The small carriage took Lucian to a more secluded place.
The sound of people vanished, replaced by the sound of water and birds chirping.
A small stream of clear water ran nearby, surrounded by trees and greenery.
Lucian's tent was much bigger, enough to fit ten people. The privacy was also welcome, as one didn't have a clear view of their neighbors, but he was still unsure if the tent was worth the amount of money it cost him to stay there.
Lucian had his own bedroom, which was divided by a curtain from the rest of the room. There was a large, comfortable bed, a table, and a chair, and even a small stove for cooking. A latrine was built next to the tent,together with a bathtub, and a storage area.
This wasn't even the most expensive camp. It was the one that had the best ratio between comfort, price, and location.
Lucian was still full of energy even though the day had been long. The hunting competition started tomorrow, so maybe taking as much rest as possible would be the best way to start it?
There were around a thousand and six hundred participants from all over the kingdom.
'I wonder what invasive species they plan to make us hunt this year. Snakes? Wild Goats? Boars?'
They would receive a list of targets to hunt, and each kill had a different amount of contribution points. Some targets would have more than others, and some might not have any at all.
Lucian opened his watch and looked at the time.
'Still too early for the courtesans to be here.'
They were one of the main attractions, their presence highly anticipated.
It was also a signal to meet up with Celine, they should blend in with others and no one should pay attention to them.
'Does she really want to spook couples that do it on their horses?'
He wasn't sure, but was willing to accompany her to do so.
Lucian drolled up the bread he bought from the food stalls to feed the little snitch, before realizing that it was unnecessary.
He didn't see Togo all day yesterday and today. There were many predators around the hunting grounds, so Celine probably hid it away somewhere.
'Or it's a traitor and is avoiding me.'
The sky was slowly turning orange, the clouds scattering in all directions. A cool breeze blew, making the leaves rustle.
Lucian didn't want to waste the food, so he decided to feed the fish in the stream with it.
He made it a routine to turn anything he could into training opportunities, and that included catching fish with his bare hands.
He rolled his sleeves and pants up, stepping into the water.
He sprinkled the bread and then bent down, slowly moving his hand closer to the surface of the water.
He had to be quick and precise, otherwise he would miss his opportunity.
Whosh!
An arrow pierced through the air, next to Lucian, hitting the water.
He quickly turned to see who shot at him, seeing Celine's evil smile from above a cliff.
She held the bow in her hand, having aimed it at him.
"I missed," she said, pretending to be disappointed as the knight by her side handed her another arrow.
Lucian's heart was racing, and he tried to keep calm. There was a small note attached to the arrow. He pretended he didn't notice it, staring at Celine.
Mathieu, who also witnessed the scene, looked like he was about to faint from Celine's actions. He quickly recollected himself and shouted, "Lady Rochefort, stop!"