Chapter 34: Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
Leon could not believe what he was hearing. Leonna, his precious Leonna wanted to participate in the hunting tournament? Just thinking about Leonna even stepping near the forest felt suffocating.
"Leonna. What is this all about?" He asked with anger in his voice, he clenches his fist waiting for an explanation. Leonna couldn't even stare at him in his eyes. Leon could feel she was nervous but she was holding it in.
"I wanted to participate in the hunting tournament, dad." Leonna stated looking at the ground refusing to meet her father's piercing glare.
"Do you even know what you're talking about? That hunting tournament is no game Leonna, it's a tournament where you lay your life on the line."
[Lay my life? What does that means. Kaleb never mention anything about that.] Leonna thought.
Leonna looked at Leon in confusion, Leon saw this he sigh in frustration. "I assume whoever told you about the hunting tournament didn't told you about the rules that comes with it." Leon said.
"He did! He told me everything about it!" Leonna answered defensively. Leon flinched in surprised at Leonnna's answer.
"He?" Leon glared at Leonna, and a murderous aura soon followed.
"Who is HE?" Leon asked with firmness in his voice.
"Prince Kaleb told me all about it. " Leonna answered.
"Ha! That son of a b--" Leon was about to curse the living hell out of the young prince when he stop himself mid-air, he stared at Leonna.
Leonna was looking at him confused and seeing her innocent expression melted Leon's anger away. He took a deep breathe to calm himself and with his hand he motion it back and fort to tell Leonna to come closer to him.
With that Leonna smiled in happiness as she jump out of the sofa and ran toward Leon.
Leon pick Leonna by the waist and lifted her up. "I thought you were mad." Leonna said.
"I was more shock than mad." Leon answered, he gently put Leonna at his office table as he sit at his office chair.
"Little cub listen to me. " Leon said, this time his voice was soft something that only Leonna get to hear.
"The hunting tournament is not just any tournament that anyone could participate. " Leon stated, Leonna was listening eagerly to his father.
Leon decided to just tell Leonna everything about the hunting tournament, but that doesn't mean he agreed to let her participate in it. He thought that its better for Leonna to hear everything from him than from somebody else.
"The hunting tournament is a tournament held by the seven kingdoms every seven years. Out the surface it may seems like an innocent tournament to just celebrate the treaty of the seven kingdoms but its far more than that..."
For the commoners the hunting tournament is nothing but a festival to celebrate the good relation of the seven kingdom, but for the nobles.....
"What do you mean?" Leonna asked, she thought that it was just an ordinary tournament where there's a winner and there's a loser.
"Do you know what the nobilities calls the hunting tournament?"
"N-no."
"For us nobility its also called the "Noble hunting." " Leon could see Leonna's eyes widen, he could see how shock and surprised she was, it was obvious that the young prince only told her the the outer surface of the tournament.
Leon was somewhat thankful for that, he didn't know the reason why the young prince only told her the outer surface of the tournament maybe because he didn't really think that Leonna is going to participate, after all no noble woman has ever participate in the hunting tournament.
"N-noble hunting?" Leonna asked more confuse than she was earlier.
"Yes, Noble hunting. Before you can even participate in the tournament you would have to sign a contract saying that no matter what happens to you during the tournament, the seven kingdoms will not be held accountable. That means weather you got injured, poisoned or killed during the tournament, I would not be able to protect you." Leon stated his voice was stern and seriousness could be felt at the tone of his voice.
"Why is it called noble hunting?" Leonna asked.
Leon stopped for a second contemplating if he should tell Leonna or not. But looking at Leonna right now he knew if he doesn't tell her everything she would either ask someone else or someone would take advantage of her and give her wrong information.
"All of the participants are mostly consist of nobles. There are a few commoners but you would have to be one of the very best in your respective kingdom to be able to participate as a commoner. Nobles who participate in the hunting tournament will target other nobles who they would want to take down or someone they have a grudge against." Leon explained. Leonna on the other hand was listening eagerly.
"Why would they want to target other nobles?"
"Because some nobles are power hungry." Leon stated.
"Little cub, did the prince of musgravite said anything about the prize of the tournament?"
"No. What is the prize?"
"A wish."
"A wish?"
"yes, when you win the tournament you will be granted a wish from the seven Emperors. What ever you ask for shall be granted as long as it doesn't violate the three rules that comes with the prize."
[That's a pretty heavy prize. No wonder many noble family wanted to participate. But that's not the reason why I wanted to participate.]
"What are the three rules?"
Leon chuckled, [she would not let this go.] He thought.
"One, you cannot touch nobles who are not participating in the tournament. That means you cannot ask for the death of any nobles outside of those who are participating in the tournament."
For a moment Leonna was shock, [you can ask for death?]
"I know what your're thinking, and yes you can ask for someone's head as long as he is participating in the tournament. "
"Prince Kaleb is participating in the tournament, does that means some other nobles could ask for his head too?" Leonna was concerned for the young prince.
And Leon seeing Leonna's concerned expression made him mad. "Tsk." He bicker and click his tongue in annoyance.
"Yes. That's a possibility. If that prince has someone who want's to kill him they would have to win the whole tournament and ask for his head as a prize."
Immediately Leonna felt the jitter, the hair at the back of her neck stood up. Her face paled up and her throat felt dried.
She didn't know that the prize came to that extent.
[I hope kaleb does well.] Leonna thought.
"What's the second rule?" Leonna still asked, although she was horrified knowing that someone might ask for her head but that won't stop her from meeting 'them' again.
"Two, you can't ask to be the emperor, the highest position you could ask is a marquees. So many nobles who came from a baron family would most likely ask for the highest position they could get."
[Asking for a higher status?! I didn't even know its posible to change your status. I thought it was something you were born with something you cannot change or obtain]
"Do you see now why I don't want you to participate? Leonna, there are many nobles who wants to destroy the dukedom. The Viosta dukedom is the strongest dukedom in all seven kingdoms. Words are already out that I would lose my powers after the tournament if people knew that my daughter will participate in the hunting tournament, they will come for you without mercy and I cannot protect you if that happens Leonna, I could do many things for you but even I have my limitations and interfering with the hunting tournament is one of them. " Leon said to Leonna in a warning tone.
"..."
Leonna didn't say anything, she was having a hard time deciding whether to just give up on meeting them or be stubborn and push through her plans.
"The third rule is that you cannot ask for your land to be seperated from the kingdom. That means no matter how much land or riches you ask you will still be under the rulership of your respective kingdom." Leon asnwered.
Leonna quieted down for a minute, but no matter what her father said, the thought of wanting to meet 'them' reign in Leonna's mind.
"I still want to participate dad. I promise I would be careful, if I see them I'll run to another direction." Leonna said stubbornly.
Leon sigh in disappointment, he thought Leonna would understand the danger of the tournament when he explained it but he stand corrected.
[The hunting tournament will be held at the southern forest in Winter. The timing is just perfect, I could almost hear them calling me.] Leonna thought.
It was the whole reason why she wants to participate in the hunting tournament in the first place.
'to find them.'
"I need to participate in the tournament dad. I want to, I promise I would be careful!" She pleaded to her father to give her permission and Leon was just looking at her with worried in his eyes.
"Why? Tell me the reason why you wanted to go to join the hunting tournament." Leon asked with his eyebrow furrowed together, confused and in complete disbelief at his daughter's request.
Leonna was contemplating weather to tell Leon or not. At the end she decided not to.
Not because she doesn't trust her father but because she needs permission from them to tell her father.
"I-I cant." Leonna answered.
Leon's eyes widen in shock he was hurt that Leonna wouldn't trust him with whatever she's hidding.
"Little cub, its ok. You can tell me. Whatever it is I'm on your side." Leon said assuring Leonna that its ok to trust him.
But Leonna shook her head in response, refusing to answer Leon.
[I promise them I wouldn't tell anyone.] Leonna thought.
Leon sigh deeply, he didn't push Leonna to tell him anymore, although he was disappointed that Leonna wouldn't tell him.
"Its a No, Leonna. That's final." Leon said firmly, from the beginning he never really intend to give Leonna permission to participate.
"But! I need to! They're waiting for m--"
Leonna immediately flinch in the slip of her tongue, she covered her mouth with her hands and she jerk her head in the opposite direction not wanting to look Leon straight in the eye.
"They?" Leon asked confused at what Leonna just said, but Leonna was not about to tell him anything.
"I think that's enough for today." Leon said firmly, he was getting ready to leave the room when Leonna stubbornly hug him.
"I want to participate! Please! Please! Please! Dad! I promise to be careful! I won't even try to win the tournament!! I just want to experience the hunting tournament!" Leonna said desperately while hugging Leon's leg.
Leon flinch in surprised at Leonna's action. It was the first time Leonna ever ask him for anything so desperately. But no matter how much he wanted to say yes, her safety in the most important thing for him.
"No, Leonna. You can't even control your powers. How would you protect yourself in the tournament?!" Leon stated angrily, but Leonna is not about to give up.
"Then if I were to be able to control my powers by the time of the tournament would you let me participate?!" Leonna asked excitedly.
Leon stared at Leonna for a minute, she has this puppy eyes and pouted lips which made it harder for Leon to say no.
"Pleeeeeeaseeeeeeeeee??" Leonna whined, folding her hands together and looking at Leonna with her big round red eyes.
Leon sigh deeply in defeat. He still didn't say yes but the least he could do is give her a chance to prove herself.
"Alright. Alright. Stop that puppy eyes." Leon said with a deep sigh.
Leonna jump in happiness and kiss Leon on his cheeks. "Thank you!!!"
Leon redden in embarrassment. But was extremely happy seeing Leonna happy.
"I didn't say yes Leonna, I will be the one to test you before the tournament. You would have to prove to me that you could protect yourself." Leon stated.
"Yes! I will do my best!"
-
[End of Chapter]
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone