**

-Youre truly beautiful.

Its murmur was bassy and heavy. The tone of the voice indicated that the creature was forcing itself to speak in the human tongue.

Hilda was sitting demurely on a chair, her eyes faintly open. Both her arms and legs were bound in steel chains.

Next to her was Archbishop Raphael, also bound in chains but covered in some blood. Perhaps to stop him from offering any divinity-infused prayers, his mouth was gagged and his eyes were blindfolded.

-Ive been watching you since a long time ago. You have displayed the valour of a warrior.

Its voice continued resounding out from within the darkness.

Once Hildas eyesight became used to this dimly lit environment, she began spotting things in her surroundings.

A humanoid beast was sitting on a throne made out of animal bones. It wore armour and a helm, and was also currently letting a few dwarves perform manicure and pedicure on its claws.

-The sight of you hunting down my blood-creations was arrestingly beautiful. Those gruesome and desperate battles! Thats when I fell head over heels for you.

Hildas eyes quivered at its words.

The beast with a rather openly lustful glare in its eyes walked over to her position.

-Im truly tempted to bite you and turn you into a zombie, so that I can keep you by my side forever. However, if I do that, the Theocratic Empire wont sit still.

The lycans leader lowered its head and looked down at the sitting Hilda on the chair.

-And thats why I wish to negotiate with you. I want to enter an alliance with your empire, and as the sign of this alliance

The lycanthrope, Redmoon, licked its lips avariciously while staring at her in a strange light.

-Oh, the Imperial Princess of the Theocratic Empire, Hilda Olfolse! I wish to take you as my bride. So, how about it, noble Imperial Princess of the empire filled with devout followers?

Despite hearing Redmoons proposal, Hilda wordlessly stared up at the lycan. Her expression remained completely emotionless.

-If you wish, Im prepared to wait until your dying day. I shall permit you to remain as the noble Imperial Princess that you are. Except, I wish you to be forever by my side after your passing.

Her head slowly tilted to one side. Youre getting long-winded here. Get to the main point. What benefits will there be if we form an alliance with you?

Redmoon glared at her for a little while.

-Very well. These are the conditions we want to see fulfilled. A territory to call our own, freedom, and finally, a fixed amount of human slaves handed over periodically. Since we want slaves, that shouldnt present you with problems. Those would be sufficient for us.

Redmoon smacked its lips. It didnt take a genius to figure out what it wanted to do with the human slaves.

Probably to devour them.

-Our eyes and noses can differentiate Vampires from humans, so if you unleash us the lycans, never mind a portion of the Vampires, you will be able to completely drive out their whole kind. How about it? A world without any Vampires, does it not sound enticing to you?

Hilda spat out a groan.

The condition being put forward was ferreting out the Vampires? And in return, Theocratic Empire had to sacrifice its territory and its subjects? What truly absurd demands they had.

Where are the other captive dwarves?

Her voice sounded frigid and indifferent.

Redmoon furrowed its brows at her response that didnt line up with its expectations.

-Your heart is indeed magnanimous. Even in this situation, you are more concerned for your subjects rather than your own wellbeing?

I wish to see them.

-A commendable mindset. The Imperial Princess who lets herself be captured for the sake of the dwarves? Your subjects will be most moved. Very well, to successfully conclude an ongoing negotiation, one needs to show that the hostages are safe and sound. I was at least taught that.

You were taught?

-By the Vampires.

Redmoon straightened itself up.

Hilda glanced to her side, at Raphael next to her. I wish to go along with my servant.

-You also care for your retainers, it seems.

Hes been assisting me ever since I was young.

Redmoon took a look at Raphaels condition. He was an aged Priest, a face that hadnt been seen before around these parts.

Blood trickled down from somewhere in his head and he was moaning with some difficulty. Meanwhile, the old mans hands were faltering from the weight of the steel chains.

With how his mouth was gagged, not to mention the blindfold over his eyes, a Priest wouldnt be able to utilise his magic at all.

Indeed, he was only a frail little old man.

-Very well.

Redmoon nodded its head.

**

Redmoon the lycanthrope was walking down an underground cavern.

Archbishop Raphaels hands were resting on Hildas shoulder while she helped him walk forward.

She scanned the surroundings beyond the hulking frame of Redmoon. After memorising the layout of the cavern, she cast her gaze to her front.

Clang-! Clang-! Clang-!

What greeted her was a sight of hell filled with the sounds of metallic clangs.

Human zombies were carrying cargo around. Meanwhile, the dwarves were being forced to manufacture weapons.

They were tough people always filled with boisterous laughter, yet the ones found here were all emaciated and staggering on their feet.

The place visible beyond the steel bars, it was a weapon factory.

Spears, shields, and even armours meant for a lycans usage were being manufactured here. It felt like she was witnessing a preparation for war.

Hildas face remained expressionless while she continued staring at them. However, the light in her eyes still trembled slightly. I wish to speak to them.

-Speak, is it?

Correct. Will you not permit it?

Hilda looked up at Redmoon, and the latter stared at her while tilting its head.

Will we not stay next to each other forever? Im merely asking for a small favour. I wish to chat to them quietly among ourselves.

Redmoons eyes went visibly round from what she said. It seemed to be rather pleased with her words since its tail began wagging side to side.

The lycan rubbed its chin in a slight bit of hesitation before coming to a decision.

-Very well. However, only for a brief period. And if you try anything foolish, your servant will die.

After Redmoon issued his warning, two lycans walked up to the still-bound Raphael.

Hilda was then guided into the prison with the wide floor. Redmoon entrusted the security detail to the other lycans and went elsewhere.

The archbishop was now left standing in between the two lycans. As they were still wary of him being a Priest, he wasnt allowed to step foot inside the dwarves prison.

When the dwarves discovered Hilda, their eyes widened with shock.

She counted about twenty of them. Thankfully, their hands and feet were unshackled. They seemed to have already heard some things about her capture because they immediately began forming expressions of despair.

Ah, ah! How could this be!

Dammit, dammit, dammit!

Were so sorry, Lady Hilda. Because of us, you had to!

The dwarves planted their butts on the ground, and some of them even began shedding tears of sorrow.

Hilda could only look on bitterly at their response. She hugged them one at a time and tried comforting them.

To get a better understanding of the situation, she began asking them a few things. Are all of you the only ones whos been captured?

No, my lady. There are a few more.

How many?

About ten more at another workshop

How are your bodies?

Hilda asked them about their wellbeing while touching their hands.

The dwarves tried to say they were fine, but still ended up softly sobbing away.

Were fine, my lady.

However, several of our comrades suffered from overwork, and they have already

Sons of b*tches!

The glow in Hildas eyes sharpened considerably.

However, the rage-filled glare gradually died down. She managed to calm her breathing and rein in her emotions before speaking again. What exactly were you doing here?

We were manufacturing weapons they wanted to use, my lady.

Yes. Weapons and armours

Can you use them yourselves?

Pardon?

Hilda shifted her gaze. Im asking you if there are any equipment you can use for yourselves.

The armours are out of the question, but we can use the weapons.

All in all, there are about thirty hostages then. Do you know the exact coordinates of where things are? How about the layout? The status of the security?

The dwarves hurriedly responded to Hildas questions.

While listening, the corners of her lips curled up.

This wasnt inside a forest. No, they were currently underground, and in addition, this place was apparently a graveyard as well.

The dwarves had been forced to construct the underground tunnels, but overall, the passageways generally remained narrow. Honestly, this place suited the short-statured dwarves far better than anyone else. And finally the worst headache currently plaguing Hilda fiefdom, Redmoon the Progenitor lycan, was also hiding here.

She now learned that the dwarven hostages were mostly safe, and even got an accurate picture of the nesting ground of the monsters on top of that.

Redmoon was a beast with too much ego. And also rather stupid.

It only barely managed to imitate a human being, yet its arrogance caused it to not pay much attention to either herself or Raphael.

Now this was a truly satisfactory result.

With this, she had no need to lead an army down here nor wait for the back-ups to arrive.

Things will be easier than I thought, said Hilda before turning her head towards Raphael, currently standing beyond the steel bars that blocked the prisons entrance. Oh, Raphael Astoria.

As the lycans by his sides looked on, the gagged-and-blindfolded Raphael raised his head.

Carry out the original duties you meant to perform after coming to this place. Hunt down these beasts!

After her voice resounded out, Raphael quietly bowed his head.

He was gagged and even blindfolded too. But ever since arriving in this place, not even once did he reveal his true self. Even if he didnt, however, the lycans boasting a level of intelligence no better than animals wouldnt have known anything about him in the first place.

Especially the fact that he was the one dispatched to hunt down the lycans.

Divinity suddenly gushed out from Archbishop Raphael Astorias body.

< 044. Imperial Prince is Enjoying the Hunt -2 (Part One and Two) > Fin.