Dark Fantasy’s Extra

Hilde stood before a large, imposing door made of ebony with gold decorations and handles.

Beyond it waited her father, the head of a family that had built up its power alongside the Hunting Order for hundreds of years, standing at the pinnacle of this city.

A maid knocked on the door, and after a moment, a servant inside opened it.

The two servants withdrew and Hilde entered.

“Welcome, Hilde.”

A middle-aged man with neatly combed hair sat in a chair, wearing a well-fitted suit on his lean frame.

Though his face was gaunt and his complexion poor, his eyes held such deep dignity and power that one couldn’t let their guard down.

“It’s been a while, Father.”

Standing before him, Hilde was so overwhelmed that she reflexively made the gesture of holding the hem of her skirt in a curtsy.

Of course, wearing a jacket and pants instead of a dress left her hands awkwardly grasping at nothing.

“It’s been about three weeks since you left home.”

Said Hilde’s father, ‘William Grimm’.

“How have you been all this time? No, before that, I should ask this. Why didn’t you write any letters?”

“Well, that…”

“Did you think I would be angry? Is that why you were afraid to write?”

That was correct.

“Well, fine. I’ll let it pass since you don’t seem to be injured. Or… did you perhaps get hurt during this time?”

“…”

“Answer me.”

“I-I did get hurt a little. But it healed quickly…”

“Hilde. Hilde Grimm.”

“Y-yes.”

William was, as he appeared, a physically weak person.

The current Hilde, who had awakened to magical power, could probably lift and throw him out the window.

But just standing before him left her unable to move an inch.

“You are the eldest daughter of the Grimm family. And as a member of the family, surely you haven’t forgotten the mission you bear?”

“That’s…”

“Marry into a distinguished family and strengthen our family’s power. This is the destiny of every woman born into the Grimm family – no, the destiny of anyone born noble.”

William’s words were irrefutable logic.

Nobles have a duty to devote themselves to the family they were born into.

“Then let me ask you. What became of what I told you? Did you meet Crowty?”

That was the biggest reason William had allowed Hilde to become a hunter.

The Hunting Order is undeniably a group with immense power, and within it are particularly powerful individuals of noble birth.

Crowty was the most prominent example of this.

Despite being the second son of a duke’s family, he was unmarried, and his position within the Hunting Order was unrivaled.

Even without the Grimm family’s involvement, nobles were already competing beneath the surface to win him over.

In other words, what William wanted from Hilde was to use her beauty as a weapon.

“I-I did meet him.”

“Yes, and what results were there?”

“H-he acknowledged my talent as a hunter…”

“I know that too. It caused quite a stir. Something about exceptional aptitude. However…”

William narrowed his eyes as he looked at Hilde.

Hilde’s heart sank.

“All of that is nothing more than decoration to make you more valuable. Even without Crowty specifically, there are many good men at the Hunting Order headquarters. Three weeks isn’t such a short time. Besides Crowty, who else did you meet?”

“…”

“Why aren’t you answering? Don’t tell me you didn’t meet anyone?”

“…”

“…Sigh, I see. So that’s how it was.”

William covered his face and sighed.

“Hilde.”

“Yes…”

“Leave the Hunting Order.”

“…!”

“I didn’t expect much from the start. It was just a ‘nice if it works out’ kind of thing. Since you don’t seem to want to do anything there anyway, quit now.”

“Father!”

Hilde raised her voice for the first time.

“I’m happy where I am now. Please let me continue being a hunter!”

“Why?”

“What?”

“What benefit does our family gain from you being a hunter?”

“A-a hunter is an honorable profession that helps people…”

“If it’s honor you want, your younger brother is earning that in the military.”

“Ah, that…”

“If it’s political connections, your mother is active in that sphere.”

“That’s…”

“Your siblings are the same. They’re all out there somewhere, working to bring glory to the family. And I’m here in this city, increasing our family’s wealth and power through trade and business with the Order. And yet…”

William pointed at Hilde.

“What are you doing? I know you’ve admired hunters since you were young. That’s why I was trying to find you a fiancé connected to the Order if possible. If that’s the case, now fulfill your duty.”

“Ugh…”

It was heavy.

Though he merely pointed from a distance, it felt like a massive mountain pressing down on her.

And in difficult situations, there was someone who reflexively came to her mind.

“…I refuse.”

“…What?”

“I will remain a hunter.”

“Sigh… Hilde. My words…”

“Results!”

Hilde shouted.

“If I show results, wouldn’t that be enough?”

“Results?”

“Yes! If I achieve results as a hunter that satisfy you, Father, wouldn’t that be enough?!”

“Hilde, lower your voice.”

“Ah…”

William spoke sternly.

That alone was enough to deflate her rising spirit.

“…Well, interesting. You’re saying you’ll achieve results as a hunter? Indeed, your aptitude was rated exceptional. However…”

William rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

“…Hilde.”

“Yes.”

“For you to be considered successful as a hunter, you would need to become a higher-ranked hunter at minimum. That much would be enough to compensate for the duty placed upon you.”

“I can do…”

“Two years.”

“What?”

“Two years. Become a higher-ranked hunter within two years.”

“Eh…? But…”

“Not confident? Who is teaching you now? A higher-ranked hunter?”

“A lower-ranked hunter.”

“What…?”

For the first time, anger crossed William’s face.

“How dare they… assign a mere lower-ranked hunter to teach a daughter of the Grimm family?”

He gritted his teeth and frowned.

“This is too much, even for them. I will formally protest! Even with talent, being taught by a lower-ranked hunter is worse than not being taught at all! What’s so exceptional about this! To receive such treatment…”

“Father.”

Hilde said.

“…?”

William stopped speaking.

A sharp chill that made him forget even his burning anger had struck him.

“You’re going too far.”

“…What?”

“Senior is teaching me very well.”

“Huh?”

William couldn’t believe his ears.

“Didn’t you say they were a lower-ranked hunter?”

“That’s right.”

“…I don’t understand.”

He was perplexed.

Not only was his daughter’s sudden transformation puzzling, but he couldn’t understand why she was getting so angry over a mere lower-ranked hunter.

“You haven’t been… subjected to anything strange by this lower-ranked hunter, have you?”

The only thing he could think of was that this lower-ranked hunter might be skilled at handling women.

Women who held real power in noble families sometimes hired men to satisfy their desires.

They would keep beautiful young male servants close, or even pay for the services of male prostitutes despite them being men.

And among lower-ranked hunters were many who had entered solely because they possessed magical power despite being good-for-nothing in the outside world.

Perhaps this senior his daughter spoke of was one such former male prostitute.

“Senior would never do such things.”

But Hilde objected even more strongly to William’s words.

Though her tone was level, the sharpness contained within was incomparable to before.

William stared directly into his daughter’s eyes.

Those crystal blue eyes somehow felt like an ominous deep sea.

William unconsciously swallowed.

Was this really his daughter?

Could someone change this much in less than a month?

“Just who… is this senior? What’s their name?”

“It’s Senior Eugene.”

An unfamiliar name.

“…Very well. You may go. And don’t forget. Two years.”

“Yes.”

William sent his daughter away to minimize mistakes in this unexpected situation.

Then he immediately prepared a letter to send to his acquaintance in the Order.

To investigate just who this hunter was who had changed his daughter so much.

*    *    *

I returned to the carriage after finishing my meal.

The driver had eaten early and was already waiting.

“Senior!”

And Hilde was running towards us.

I waved to her.

“You’re early? Did you eat properly?”

“What? Ah, I forgot.”

“You went home but didn’t even eat? What were you doing?”

“Well… we just got caught up talking. Hehe…”

“Ah… I see. That can happen when you talk with family after a long time. You must have rushed back to make it on time without even eating. Then…”

Hilde would need some time to eat.

“Ah, I’m fine. It’s not that late yet.”

The driver tactfully waved his hands as he spoke.

“Then go get something to eat.”

“I’m fine.”

“We still have several hours to go, it’ll be tough if you’re hungry.”

“I still want to get back quickly.”

“Where? To the Order?”

“Yes.”

“This is…”

I scratched my head and took out some jerky and peanuts from my bag.

“These are emergency rations, but eat them on the way at least.”

I can always buy more when we get back to the Order anyway.

“You had things like this?”

Hilde said as she got into the carriage.

“Being prepared for any situation is basic.”

I placed the jerky and a handful of peanuts in her hand.

“Then we’ll depart.”

The carriage started moving, and we left Cranion heading toward the Order.

“…Um, Senior.”

Hilde spoke while eating peanuts.

“What?”

“Do you think I could become a higher-ranked hunter within two years?”

“What?”

“Just… I was curious.”

“Hmm…. You becoming a higher-ranked hunter within two years…”

“Would it be difficult…?”

“…You ask such strange things.”

“If it’s too difficult…”

Hilde lowered her head.

“Of course it’s possible.”

“What?”

“Were you actually worried about something like that? You can definitely rise to higher-ranked hunter within two years.”

“Really?”

“Of course. Do you know how many months it took me when I first joined to reach your current level?”

The level that took me months of struggling to reach, Hilde achieved in just days or weeks.

“Right now you’re learning from a lower-ranked hunter like me, but you’ll soon be taught by higher… by more excellent hunters.”

“That’s a rel… Wait, what did you say?”

“You’ll probably only be learning from me until next month at most.”

Of course, I’ll continue to help Hilde after that too.

But even with my knowledge from my previous life, I still can’t overcome the limitations of being a lower-ranked hunter.

To train to become stronger as a hunter, she needs to be taught not by me but by someone more excellent, like Sephira for example.

“So don’t be too anxious. The person who teaches you after me will make you even stronger than now.”

“…Yes.”

Hilde lowered her head again and put peanuts in her mouth.

At that moment, I didn’t see what expression she wore.

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