I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE PROTAGONIST'S BODY.

CHAPTER 26:HUNT

"I lured him in." Mril was back at my side. He told me about Thartuye who was heading towards the place where I wanted him to.

In order to reach Ernte in a rush, one has to pass through an isolated forest which was a shortcut to reach there faster.
Currently Thartuye has entered the forest.

Here, right at this forest where I was standing, I was going to get rid of the king and queen's most treasured pawn. Thartuye is Zeke's beloved friend while he is Aqhstala's treasured  friend.

"Good job Mril. Thank you." I chuckled thanking the little fairy. When he leaned his head forward I didn't stop myself from rubbing his head. In all honesty it felt nice to rub his hair. As if he were my little brother.

The heavy sound of incoming steps were heard in the silent forest.

I slanted my eyes at that direction. Getting ready to bite at my prey, I hid myself in the shadows waiting for the prey to fall into my trap.

"What will you do with him?" Tmeri whispered into my ear.

I gave him a wicked smile. "Just watch."

In utter silence we waited until Thartuye was within our sight.
Soon he appeared riding on a huge magical beast.
The wisp of flickering light disappeared before him. Thanks to it I was able to deceive him into thinking that it was from Zeke.
I took aim raising the magical weapon infused with mana in it, pointing it towards Thartuye's thigh, I let the lease loose.

BANG!

"ARGGHHHH!" Thartuye fell on the ground.

It was an instant hit. The bullet rammed into his thigh. Fresh blood splattered from his wound. Thartuye screamed in pain as he took care of his leg.

I got down from the place I was hiding. With the tip of the firing weapon I was holding, I spanked the magical beast once with it.
The magical beasts wheezed as it ran on its own way, leaving its rider behind.

Thud.

Thartuye squinted his eyes at me in the darkness. He was about to speak, his purple eyes lighting up a bit but then he stopped.
I knew why he had stopped. Because of my appearance he had mistaken me for Zeke so he was relieved for a moment but upon closer inspection he must have spotted the obvious difference between us. My hair and my demeanor.

"Who are you?" He said coldly.

That face, that ugly face, was what I was very familiar with.

Thartuye Rethiar. The prime minister of Qieghrt empire, the secondary male lead of this world.
This man had abused me in the past. He had tortured me behind close doors, public shamed me, ridiculed me before maids, even allowing servants to beat me in his presence. He saw me, the real Zeke as a peck of dust. I, who was a decoy, he must have hated me to the bones, seeing my worthless value whilst I had the title of the crown prince.
Yet here he was, worrying to death about the protagonist Zeke's safety.

"Do you have any last words?" I asked him in a cold voice.

"What?" He yelped. "Who are you?"

"Are you going to kill him?" Mril and Tmeri asked at the same time.

"Yes. He is an object of my revenge." I replied them.

"Even though you are shaking so much?" They asked.

I held my breathe. That's right. I was shaking. It wasn't because I didn't want to kill a fellow human or that I was going to commit murder, rather it was because I was going to kill for the first time.

"First time is always hard." The saying is indeed true.

I inhaled and exhaled to calm myself down first. Then holding up my composure I walked towards Thartuye.

He got up on his feet, dragging one of his injured leg. Although he wasn't as skilled as the other male leads, Thartuye still knew how to wield the sword.

"Do you even know who I am?" He spoke. "Let me tell you, if you kill me here, you won't die an easy death."

"Like I care." I scoffed at him. "I know who you are." I replied him.

He looked at me with surprise.

"You are an abuser. A human trash to someone." My eyes narrowed at him, I looked at him for a moment to see his reaction.
But there was none.

So I stomped towards him.

He raised his arms and swung his sword towards me.

*Clang*

As an experienced fighter, it would be more advantageous for me to fight barehands. However, I have been sharpening my skills all this time. So I wanted to put it on test.

The mana on his weapon ignited when he slashed his sword in my direction.

I had no intention of letting any static mana explosion occur here.

But alas, I was a step late.

*Boom*

A hard explosion sounded in the silent forest.

I had made sure to guard myself up.

Thartuye was dragging his injured leg as he dashed towards me.

I didn't move, waiting in lair. When he was close enough for me to reach out, I took my aim.

*Bang*

My aim took hit accurately. Even though the sword has grazed past my shoulder, the mana crystal on his sword broke into pieces.
The light his sword ignited died down.

My eyes widened when his hands moved.

"Ahhhhhhh!"