The tenth gate led to the centre of the Forest, which was what most believed since those who had entered had never returned to confess to their findings.

The royal family had never bothered to investigate since whatever was inside had never caused a big danger to the kingdom, only the few surrounding towns and villages. That was what everyone had been led to believe.

Anyone who dared to enter the tenth gate, especially on the first day was definitely going to die in seconds.

Everyone was speechless as they watched the person dressed in dark robes, looking down at them leisurely.

"I never... expected his highness to be this daring," Javier said, his eyes wider than normal.

He couldn’t hide his shock as he grabbed Poller by his sleeve and pulled him insistently pointing at the screen but Poller was also just as engrossed.

While they had seen his highness, everything he saw left him in shock especially the way he was acting at the moment.

His gaze swept over the Spitting harrows but there wasn’t much of a reaction, just boredom hidden in his eyes.

Poller sighed shaking his head slightly to rid himself of the image. He turned to Javier, who was still waiting for his response.

"He must have a reason for going through the most dangerous gate."

That was the only reassurance he could come up with in the bizarre situation they were in.

.

.

.

’I might have doomed myself due to greed’

That was the only thought that passed through Atheline’s mind as he stood above the gate. His gaze wasn’t on the forest or the participants but on the screen that refused to leave his gaze.

He had forgotten about it until it popped up before he could choose a gate. This delay had led to him missing the other gates.

"A quest really," he mummbled to himself.

This was the first time he had gotten such instructions and it didn’t sit right with him. It felt manipulative as though forcing him to do its bidding but the rewards for its completion were rewarding.

It wasn’t like the quest was bad but it still wasn’t good. A small fault from him and it would lead to his death. He reread it.

[QUEST ISSUED]

[1. Enter the Splitting Harrows forest using the 10th gate]

[2. Emerge as the Winner in the hunting competition]

The quest sounded deceptively simple except that Lilith had already warned him against trusting the system too much and not to go to the centre since the forest lord resided there with its guardians.

His gaze moved to the rewards.

[Upon completion]

Rewards will be:

•A full copy of the History of ancient Sovereigns.

•A substantial boost in power.

•A small memory of what happened in the book.

The last reward was what caught his eye. Since he never read the novel, he had been in the dark all this time and was just moving with the flow.

He wanted to know how everything had started to go downhill for Lilith. He needed to at least plan for their future but he didn’t know how many death flags there had been or if he had even made any progress all this time.

He did love his wife and that was why he had to know everything. Maybe he could even find a way to bring up the fact that they were in a novel.

He had been too scared to do it. With the boost in power, at least he could hold on for five seconds if she decides to attack him, which he doubted she would but he couldn’t really predict her very well.

And it would also increase his standing on the throne.

A heavy sigh left him, not of resignation but of acceptance. He knew he had also accepted it for self-serving reasons. Who can refuse a free power boost and he doesn’t have to work for years to get it?

’I pray for the Light’s protection’

Atheline looked around once he heard what seemed to be a clock ticking and he knew the countdown had finally started. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Ten.

The screen finally disappeared from his eyes after he fully accepted the quests.

"Atheline, come down here right now!" His brother’s deep voice but worried cut through his thoughts and his aura farming.

Thankfully the screen had switched to other competitors giving everyone a chance to be seen. Most of them will only be remembered by their faces once the hunt is over and they are dead.

A small sigh left him and he descended landing a step from him.

"What?"

Helther just stared at him for a moment before his face morphed into what looked like frustration and resignation.

"What on earth are you doing on that gate? Weren’t you going to enter with Simion, he knows the forest better than you do."

Helther had opted out of the competition at the last minute to babysit the crown prince after the last horse racing incident.

He had been forbidden from entering the forest since he was the only heir to the throne and none of them wanted to lose him.

Caius was more than enough to represent the elven kingdom, it wasn’t like he was the only one. More high elves had joined the competition and most of them were entering through the smaller gates.

Nine.

"Are you going to explain yourself or not," Helther continued, his impatience leaking out.

Atheline shifted slightly, his eyes looking anywhere but at him.

"I want to be the best brother, " he said," this is the only way to do it. All of the gates were occupied by the time I arrived and I don’t want to be associated with Simion too much especially in this competition. Most of our achievements will be shared between us if I did that."

Helther exhaled loudly.

"You know what, do what you want. Why am I even trying, " he ran his hand through his hair vigorously," You have a wife to protect you."

"You don’t have to be jealous about it," he joked.

Helther rolled his eyes. His hand came to his shoulders.

"Just be careful."

"I will."

Eight.