The Bloodline Endures
“Arin.”
“?”
“That little one. Probably.”
- She seems like a centaur enthusiast.
“Centaur lover, you say?”
“That word is too crude.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve heard of such a thing. In the Empire, there’s a radical group that moves with the purpose of liberating centaur slaves. They look at centaurs with strange eyes, and when you ask, they make a nostalgic expression. And their movements too. It’s definitely it, definitely!”
‘Too much assumption, isn’t it?’
If Vesta had heard it, it would have been a ridiculous statement that would make her gasp in shock.
‘Well, since it’s fun, I’ll let it go.’
The little brat, thinking about it now, his gaze at me is a bit...
*
“Oh, missed.”
Due to the news of being attacked by orcs.
“Ah, missed.”
From early morning, Ahor came looking for Vesta and started archery practice.
“Tsk, missed.”
“...Oh my.”
Ahor looked at Vesta as if she had lost her words.
It was a pitiful skill.
By an elf’s standards, her skill was worse than a child’s.
Ahor hadn’t forced training on Vesta.
The target was set at a relatively close distance.
It was a distance where even casually throwing a stone could hit.
“...Did I set the standard too strictly?”
Even thinking again, no.
The method Ahor intended to teach was to hit at close range to inflict fatal damage, rather than far.
Because orcs prefer that fighting style, and it’s easier to master.
Since the distance was short, anyway.
“Perhaps she had high expectations.”
Ahor had quite high expectations for Vesta, and if her athleticism was as good as she thought, she would follow well.
But what is this case, Vesta couldn’t hit the target right in front of her and was fidgeting.
“Despite her build, she has good strength.”
Pulling the string was smooth and looked good. Considering Vesta’s immature body, she definitely had good strength.
But without being able to shoot the arrow properly, what good is that strength.
“Time will be needed.”
Vesta scratched his head, feeling ashamed.
Ahor wasn’t a bad person, and she didn’t mock others.
But her expressionless face was painful to Vesta.
It would have been better to mock.
“Kal can be handled well.”
Vesta added gruffly.
Ahor shook her head.
“You’ve been practicing for a long time, right? But, it’s not a skill that can be used practically in this steppe.”
Ahor hit the mark.
“Don’t you have trouble with riding? Fighting while standing on the ground is completely different from fighting while mounted on a horse. You learned foot swordsmanship, didn’t you?”
“...Yes.”
“If the orcs dismount, it might be okay, but before approaching, you’ll become a target for arrows.”
“That would be the case.”
“Even if you are a master of mounted swordsmanship, unless it’s like Bia, there’s no reason not to learn archery.”
“I’ll work hard.”
No room for rebuttal.
The hardest opponent to argue with is someone who only speaks facts, like Ahor.
Vesta showed her uncertainty.
Ahor felt a sense of estrangement looking at such Vesta.
- A sword master saying she’s not familiar with riding.
If a young boy like Vesta is learning swordsmanship, it would be high probability he’s a martial artist’s child.
He wouldn’t have been earning a living as a mercenary at that age.
Normally, a martial artist’s child would learn riding before swordsmanship.
It would be hard for Vesta to be a beginner.
- If not a martial artist’s child, what has he been doing?
“Um...?”
Ahor was lost in short thought, then quickly shook it off.
“Sorry. I was distracted for a moment.”
She immediately changed to a business-like attitude.
“I’ll show you a demonstration.”
Ahor stepped forward to demonstrate.
“By the way, there’s no need to draw one arrow at a time.”
Ahor had multiple arrows on her hand holding the bow.
Pfft-Pak.
“Like this.”
As soon as the arrow was shot, she flipped the arrows on her hand and quickly prepared to shoot the bow.
Pffing-Pak. Pfft-Pak.
Ahor didn’t stop shooting arrows until the arrows on her hand ran out.
Arrows sticking densely on the palm-sized area.
Even if the opponent is charging on a horse, it’s a rapid fire that can turn them into a honeycomb without mercy.
“The opponent must have died properly.”
“If you learn it properly, it will definitely be helpful.”
“Yeah. Ahor’s words are right.”
“...!”
It was Khan’s voice. When the two turned their heads, Khan was there, smiling as always with a relaxed attitude.
“Hearing the sound of the string bouncing in all directions, I came to see who in our tribe is so bad at shooting arrows.”
Even if elves have sharp ears, could it be that sharp?
“You are here.”
“It’s probably because the bow is unfamiliar to me.”
“It wasn’t a rebuke. You can learn well from now on. More than that, Ahor.”
“Yes, Khan.”
“To increase Vesta’s archery skill as well, how about going hunting?”
It was Vesta who answered Khan’s words.
“I don’t have the skill to go hunting.”
“Hmm.”
Khan’s eyes rolled towards Vesta.
Because her eyes are big, it really sounded like a bead rolling.
It seemed she didn’t like it much.
“You. You went out well with Bia, but you refuse outings with me.”
- That’s too much.
It wasn’t that Khan was angry or raising her voice. But Vesta couldn’t move and closed her mouth.
“Hmm?”
It was enough to form sweat drops.
“No. Let’s go.”
“That’s right. Let’s go.”
“How many people should I prepare?”
“Since it’s not targeting big ones, I’ll take the minimum number.”
“I’ll call Ushun, Asmur, and Aruk to prepare.”
“Haha. That should be enough for the purpose.”
Khan, who was chatting with Ahor and laughing, approached Vesta again.
“Today, let’s go with me.”
Her words and gaze were always direct.
“I need time with you too.”
“...Yes.”
Vesta couldn’t look straight into her hot eyes.
“It’s embarrassing.”
Khan said that with a smile, then turned and disappeared.
*
The people Ahor gathered were the three elf women who had been with her the night before.
“Tamugai Ushun.”
Ushun was among the tall prairie elves, well-built. Not only that, her skeleton itself was sturdy. It felt like a warrior.
She was said to be an excellent wrestler among Khan’s subordinates.
“...Hasmuk Asmur.”
Asmur was the tallest among the three. Not sturdy like Ushun, but long and firm build.
As silent and taciturn as her cold expression.
“Arantor Aruk!”
Aruk was the youngest among the three, full of vitality.
‘Arin comes to mind.’
Of course, she wasn’t as free-spirited as her.
Vesta glanced at their introductions.
Prairie elves could tell if married or not by seeing earrings.
Not exactly, but if there’s a symbol for wishing for many children, high probability of being married.
‘Surprisingly, Asmur and Aruk are married.’
From the atmosphere, only Ushun, who seemed the oldest, was unmarried.
“I wanted to greet you once. It’s a good opportunity like this.”
Ushun seemed outgoing as much as her appearance.
“Don’t worry if orcs come out. I’m not the only one, but my comrades are also skilled merchants.”
Ushun laughed with “Kkakak” and shot back.
“Since Khan is going with us, what could go wrong.”
“Even if Khan shoots, it will just turn upside down.”
“What, are you shooting arrows with your eyes?”
“Are you doubting now?”
“Thinking about it, it might be possible.”
The atmosphere seemed quite good.
“Enough.”
Aruk’s words stopped the three women’s chatter.
‘As expected, the head of the guard.’
Her charisma overwhelmed the room.
Ushun quietly looked at Ahor’s grumpy face, then put her hand in Ahor’s armpit and lifted her up.
“Eutcha. I have to ride the boss’s horse~”
“......”
“Then I’ll braid the boss’s hair.”
‘Ah, that was the feeling.’
Vesta looked at Ahor with eyes that got enlightenment.
“...Why are you doing that.”
Ahor shot Vesta with a still grumpy and a bit shy look.
Vesta secretly turned her gaze.
Until Khan came, her hair was braided girlishly.
“Oh? You braided your hair. Pretty.”
“...Thank you.”
Even though they hadn’t started hunting, her expression was already tired.