Chapter 9 (2/2)

Ernst was the second to go. The eldest hunter had fastened a rope around Ernst’s stomach, then tossed the rope toward the crossing hunter. After confirming that the other person had tightly grasped the rope, the hunter urged Ernst forward. With a nervous expression on his face, Ernst nodded and began to walk.

He believed in the three hunters.

He followed the footsteps of the hunter who had crossed before him. His fingers gripped the cliffside. He felt like his bulky gloves didn’t have much use when it came to this.

As best as he could, Ernst put all of his strength into sticking his fingers to the rock. Slowly, carefully, he inched his feet forward. Because he wore the winter clothing, he couldn’t see his feet.

When Ernst leaned slightly back to get a better look, the voice of the senior hunter rang out. Move forward by searching out the next spot with the tip of your foot, he said.

Ernst hastily pulled back his neck. He was right; even though Ernst had only leaned back a little, the gust of wind coming from below had destabilized his body.

He couldn’t just rely on his eyes. He concentrated all of his senses on his feet, and as if fiercely trying to get his shaking fingertips to settle, he applied more strength to them. He let the vast scenery behind his back fade from his consciousness.

His eyebrows were frozen because of the cold. Ernst slowly advanced, and as he glanced up, his gaze collided with the serious expression of the hunter carrying the rope.

Regardless of whether they had been hired by Ernst, regardless of his status as the former Crown Prince, they all felt that they wanted to safely get out of here together. Ernst boiled with energy that bubbled up from the depths of his body.

Ernst took twice as long to cross as the hunter leading the way. On Ernst’s last step, the hunter who had watched over him gripped him with his powerful hand.

As Ernst fell over, the hunter firmly hugged his small body. He patted his back as if praising him, Well done. Ernst felt more proud than when he had solved a difficult formula in the royal palace.

The two remaining hunters also safely passed through.

Once again, they walked in a group of four. Just because they had crossed the hardest spot didn’t mean that the rest of the path in front of them would be easy. They had to climb both crumbling rocks and frozen stone surfaces. It was hollow beneath the snow, putting them in danger of falling in.

But because the three hunters accompanied him, Ernst wasn’t afraid. Day by day, step by step, Ernst felt like he was growing stronger.

He felt like he was learning, for the first time, how to trust in other people.

It had been inevitable that of all the people in the royal palace, no one had felt sadness or regret over his leaving.

Ernst didn’t know the name of a single person living in the royal palace. He didn’t even know the name of the head butler who had accompanied him since birth.

Even if he didn’t know, it didn’t matter. Though he didn’t know their names, the only things they spoke were instructions. There wasn’t any trace of affection in them.

So that’s how it was, Ernst realized.

Ernst didn’t even know the names of the people who’d lived in the royal palace.

When he thought about it, that giant man had been the only person whose name he had wanted to ask.