Janos snorted mockingly.
"At twenty years old, you want to duel a twelve‑year‑old girl? That's truly knightly. Worthy of a Wolf Knight, indeed."
"Age doesn't matter!" Anita shot back. "The Young Wolf and Noelle dared to face me when they were only ten. Or what, is little Andrea so brave that she hides behind daddy's backside?"
Janos's eyes flashed.
"A blacksmith's daughter dares to talk back to a true knightly family?"
At that moment, Andras's voice thundered across the courtyard:
"Enough of this! End this pathetic squabbling before I truly lose my temper! Anita, you will be punished. Twenty strikes, carried out by me personally."
Anita's face flushed red, but she did not back down.
"Strikes?! Yes! I mean—I erred! I committed a fault! I deserve fifty strikes, no, a hundred!"
Andras nodded sternly.
"You're right. If we do a hundred push‑ups, then punishments must also be counted in hundreds."
"Exactly! A hundred strikes!" Anita shouted, as if preparing for triumph.
Andras's eyes flashed, and he closed the matter in a serious tone:
"I see you truly regret what you did, and you accept the punishment as befits a true Wolf Knight. Very well!"
Anita stepped forward resolutely.
"Then let's go and carry out the punishment!"
But Andras raised his hand.
"After training. I don't want the punishment to affect your performance. First we train, then you'll receive your punishment, and afterward you may wash up."
"So after training, but before washing, when we're both drenched in sweat?" Anita muttered, then nodded. "Fine, understood!"
Andras looked at her thoughtfully.
"Perhaps this would be too harsh for a woman?"
"Not at all," Anita shot back. "Just make it harsh! Don't hold back!"
Andras answered sternly:
"The punishment must leave its mark on your heart, not your body. The purpose of discipline is not pain, but learning."
Anita bowed.
"It is an honor that you accept my transgression and assign me punishment."
"Since this is the punishment of a female knight, it cannot be carried out before the eyes of male knights," Andras continued. "That would not be knightly. A witness will be needed to ensure the punishment is carried out justly. Since Noelle is not here, Andrea will be the witness. Do either of you object?"
"I have no objection!" Anita answered firmly.
"N‑neither do I," Andrea stammered.
"Then the punishment has been settled," Andras concluded. "Let us finally begin our daily training!"
Meanwhile Andrea thought to herself: What a brave female knight this Anita is, to endure a hundred strikes of punishment. I couldn't even withstand ten when my grandfather disciplined me for mistakes. Back then I felt respect for Anita—though years later I realized I was mistaken.
After training, the punishment was carried out behind the stables. Only Andras, Anita, and Andrea were present. Anita made strange sounds throughout, but insisted on enduring all one hundred strikes. Andrea almost pitied her and wanted to stop the whole thing, but Anita was unyielding.
Thus it happened that the Young Wolf successfully prevented a duel between two female Wolf Knights. Sakura Dry was proud of her student, while Eli knew exactly what was going through Anita's mind.
A month had passed since Andrea had officially become the Young Wolf's personal Wolf Knight. With the arrival of summer, Wolfwood prepared for the greatest event of the year: the Wolf Hunt.
Since Andras had turned ten this year, he was now allowed to take part in the hunt. The castle was buzzing with excitement—knights sharpened their weapons, maidservants packed provisions, and tense anticipation vibrated through the halls.
Andras turned to his companions with a cheerful smile:
"At last, I can join the hunt! But it's not the hunt itself that excites me—it's the chance to encounter a few smaller monsters. I want to finally test my magic in real combat. Shooting at wooden dummies all the time is boring."
Anita laughed and nodded.
"I agree. I've already fought Slimes, Goblins, and even a few rogue bandits. None of them were much trouble, but they're far more exciting than practice dummies."
Noelle smiled quietly, then spoke softly:
"I don't care about fighting. As long as I can learn magic together with the Young Wolf, I don't mind shooting at dummies."
Andrea straightened confidently and turned to the others.
"Whether Slime or Goblin, they won't stand a chance against me! But I'd rather not face bandits yet… after all, they're humans."
Anita laughed mockingly.
"Oh, please! Bandits are evil! And they'll attack you first anyway. Do you think if you ask them nicely, they won't kill and rob you? Don't be naïve!"
Andras answered calmly, his gaze fixed on the forest.
"Everyone knows the Wolf Knights are heading into the woods for the hunt. The bandits know this too, so I doubt we'll encounter even one. Smaller monsters, however, are likely. Those will be our targets—I couldn't care less about deer or other game."
"Got it!" Anita replied enthusiastically.
"As you wish," Noelle smiled.
"All right, I'm in!" Andrea nodded.
"Good," Andras concluded. "What about supplies? Gingerbread, water—are they ready?"
Noelle answered proudly:
"Enough gingerbread and water packed to last until morning!"
"Then we're set. Let's go!" Andras declared.
But Andrea suddenly interjected.
"Wait, Young Wolf! What about bows?"
Andras smiled.
"We have two mages and two Wolf Knights. Why would we need bows?"
Anita burst out laughing.
"Ha! How foolish you are, Andrea! Hahaha!"
Andrea scratched the back of her neck awkwardly.
"I didn't mean… All right, I've learned now. No need for bows if you have mages."
Andras corrected her in a serious tone:
"Only if you have good mages. If you ever go hunting with third‑rate mages, you'd better bring archers along."
"Understood!" Andrea answered firmly this time.
Our small team set out with the other Wolf Knights into the forests of Wolfwood for the Great Hunt. The hunt was led by Wolfwood's chief huntsman, followed by the hunters, then Lord Bandorn Wolfwood himself, flanked on either side by the Captain and the Lieutenant, Arpad and Janos. Xaba and Jula did not join them this year, for they had been assigned to guard Lady Carla, and so remained at the castle.
The hunt began early in the morning, when the first rays of sunlight pierced the forest canopy and glinted off the weapons among the trees.
Andras spoke quietly but firmly to his companions:
"The plan is this. Until noon we stay with the group, so they see us. Then, once we've eaten our fill at midday, we'll slowly fall behind at the rear. Everyone else will be focused on the game, and we'll slip away for a little monster hunting."
Anita nodded with an eager smile.
"Got it!"
Andrea looked at them uncertainly.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" she asked hesitantly.
Anita laughed mockingly.
"What's wrong, are you scared?"
Andrea's eyes flashed, and she quickly retorted:
"I am not!"