Chapter 202: Artemis's Silver Bow (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 202: Artemis's Silver Bow (2)
Japan.
Shinjuku, Tokyo.
"Ah... I'm tired."
‘Artemis's Bow’ was indeed a neutral artifact with no owner.
That’s how it was in the original story, so there wouldn't be any ownership disputes if I were to acquire it.
So yes, it was ownerless.
However, there was a world of difference between it being stuck somewhere on Mount Fuji and being stuck in the very center of a shrine.
The former was more like a conquest, where you just had to break through monsters and physical dangers.
The latter was in the realm of espionage.
It was, in short, far more tiresome and complicated.
As for the date, the sooner… the better.
"Student!"
Just then, I heard someone call me from the library floor far below.
"What are you doing up there! It's dangerous! Come down right now!"
It seemed to be a librarian.
I double-checked the three books tucked under my arm, then leaped from the tip of the branch.
"Ah... I'm sorry."
Thump.
"I saw the stairs and just decided to climb up."
"But the stairs only go up to the middle... why did you climb all the way to the top branch?"
She glanced back and forth between me and the branch I had just been standing on.
"I just... thought the air looked nice up there..."
I shrugged and gave a vague answer. Leaving the librarian behind, I placed the books on the return counter. I knew the location now, and that was enough.
Then I walked over to Yoon Chae-ha, who was still fast asleep with her head on the desk, and gently pinched her plump cheek.
"Let's go."
"Mmmh..."
Drunk on sleep, Yoon Chae-ha let out a little whine and slowly lifted her head.
"Take care."
I gave the librarian a slight nod and led the staggering Yoon Chae-ha outside.
By the time we left the library, the moon was already high in the night sky.
Yoon Chae-ha, still not fully awake, kept nodding off as she walked until her feet got tangled and she stumbled.
If I hadn't caught her, she would have fallen flat on the floor.
I let out a deep sigh, turned my back to her, and crouched down.
"Hop on."
"Mmm..."
And so I carried her.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Yoon Chae-ha threw herself onto my back without any resistance.
Her soft body pressed completely against mine.
I held her thighs firmly and started walking slowly toward the penthouse.
Should we go during the upcoming break?
Starting next Wednesday, Gaon would be on holiday.
Testing whether the bow was a good fit for Sion wouldn't take that long.
I could take care of that first.
Then we could leave right when the break starts.
As for the members... Sion was a given, of course. She would be the bow's owner.
Other than her... I didn't think anyone else was necessary.
It didn't seem like it would be a difficult task, so just the two of us going didn't sound bad.
"..."
But as I thought about it...
I realized I might have been pushing them all relentlessly lately.
Starting with the massive incident of the Belial subjugation, I'd been unconscious, which meant I'd gotten a forced rest, but it was different for them.
As soon as they returned, they went right back to their studies and training.
Their fatigue must be piling up.
Maybe we should all go together.
I revised the plan.
We could just make it a group vacation and trip.
"Yoon Chae-ha."
"Yeah."
"?"
Wasn't she asleep?
She sounded perfectly fine.
"Get down."
"No."
"..."
"Hmph."
She took a sharp breath and tightened her arms around my neck, showing her determination not to be shaken off.
Well, whatever.
There was no one else around.
If it wasn't already evening, I would have made her get down immediately.
I sighed and brought up a new topic.
"Are you interested in Japan?"
"Not really..." she answered, sounding bored.
"It's a trip. To rest for a few days."
"I'm interested."
A much more energetic reply came back.
"Then keep your schedule clear for next week's break."
"Okay."
I adjusted her more comfortably on my back and continued walking toward the penthouse.
We were almost there.
"Are you really not getting down?"
"Hmph."
Squeeze.
"Fine."
I finally gave up.
*
Alternating Hide-and-Seek.
A game where offense and defense roles switched every fifteen minutes, signaled by a siren that echoed throughout the arena. The rule was simple: the side that caught the other within the time limit won.
This system, borrowed from the first semester's final exams, had apparently pleased Gaon enough to be incorporated into the second semester's official curriculum.
And just then, after running like crazy for who knows how long...
"Wait a minute!!"
Ha Sion barely managed to dive out of the way of Kang A-rin's aura blast, which had flown at her from right behind.
The aura grazed her cheek.
CRASH!!
The stray blast slammed into a wall.
I'll die if that hits me!
Just dodging the deadly barrage of aura Kang A-rin was unleashing was hard enough.
Sion was reduced to desperately fleeing, darting between the abandoned buildings.
"Ah."
But in the end, her escape led to a dead end.
Ha Sion was lost.
And Kang A-rin was guarding the entrance.
"Did you enjoy it?" she whispered, her voice cold.
"Yeah."
She had.
There was no denying it.
It was the best experience of her life.
She felt like she'd been missing out on half her life—no, two-thirds of it.
"Hah."
Kang A-rin let out a short, derisive laugh.
They had gathered for the first time since the banquet yesterday afternoon, where everyone had gotten plastered.
They were supposed to discuss their future plans.
But Ha Sion's skin was smooth and glowing, as if she'd applied something to it.
Kang A-rin and Yu Hana, who were in the cafe, had seen similar symptoms before.
On Cheon Yeo-wool.
Which meant...
"You said we'd take turns."
"Sion's a rabbit, so she doesn't know about things like that."
"...?"
For a moment, Kang A-rin froze, unable to immediately process the meaning of those words.
A rabbit? What the hell was this about a rabbit...?
Then her eyes widened.
Just as she raised her fist...
Class is over~ Great work, everyone~
The instructor's voice announcing the end of class echoed through the training ground.
It was a meaningless sound.
But Ha Sion was already gone.
She had vanished the instant the announcement began.
"Ah..."
Only Kang A-rin was left in the dead-end alley, standing alone, unable to quell her anger.
And in the hallway.
"Phew..."
That was a close one.
"Well, that's what you get for being greedy," Ha Sion muttered to herself with a laugh.
"Sion."
"Gah!!"
At the low voice that came from right behind her, Sion shrieked and spun around reflexively.
She thought A-rin had followed her, but thankfully, it was Jung Hae-in standing there.
"Are you busy?"
"Nope."
Class was over, and she had been about to head back to her room.
Other than being drenched in sweat, she was fine.
"Come with me somewhere."
"Sounds good."
Sion answered immediately, without hesitation.
But where were they going?
The thought of going somewhere alone with him made Sion suddenly self-conscious of her disheveled appearance.
She was so sweaty, and she hadn't even showered...
"But... I'm really sweaty... I just had a combat class."
She said cautiously, fiddling with her damp bangs.
"It's fine. You're going to sweat more anyway."
Jung Hae-in said, then turned and started walking ahead.
"Huh?"
Hae-in's bold words made Sion's face flush.
Her mind filled with all sorts of naughty fantasies as she silently followed his broad back.
And then.
The place Jung Hae-in brought her to was the private training ground located in the penthouse basement.
"...Yeah, I guess I will be sweating a lot."
Sion shook her head.
It was a training ground exclusively for archers.
It was obvious he planned to work her to the bone.
She could guess the reason.
Hae-in had his sights set on Artemis's Bow.
He must have brought her here to judge whether she was worthy of it.
If that was the case, she should show him what she could do.
She had already dropped a few hints over time.
She had given Hae-in some indication of her unique ability, Parma's Flame.
She had shown him little by little.
As it happened, Artemis's Bow was the bow of the goddess of the hunt and the moon.
It had the best possible synergy with her Parma's Flame.
Therefore, it seemed like the time was right to reveal it.
This was a good thing.
In the previous timeline, Ha Sion had never obtained Artemis's Bow.
To be precise, the Jung Hae-in of that time had been too busy to spare her any attention.
He had also been overprotective of her due to the PTSD from losing his Vanquisher comrades.
But things were different now. He was here to test her himself.
This in itself was a good sign, a departure from her previous life.
"Why are we here?"
Ha Sion asked, feigning ignorance.
He would probably summon a virtual mythical beast to test her abilities.
A Dire Wolf? Or a Mine Dummy? Sion mentally ran through the possible opponents.
Just then, Jung Hae-in spoke.
"Want to grab a bow?"
"Okay."
As he said, she picked up an advanced bow from the rack in the training ground.
Then, Jung Hae-in slowly began to walk toward the far side of the facility.
When he seemed to be far enough away, he suddenly stopped.
He turned his head and looked straight at Ha Sion.
"Come at me."
From the start, Jung Hae-in had no intention of summoning anything.
A target, at the end of the day, was just a robot or an AI moving in a set pattern.
To test if she had the ability to wield Artemis's Bow, he needed something more dynamic, something alive.
But going out into an actual field was a problem, time-wise.
In that case... the fastest way was...
A dynamic me.
For Jung Hae-in to become the target himself.
"Ugh."
Sion deflated.
Her training partner was Hae-in? She couldn't get serious like this.
How could she possibly shoot an arrow at him with all her strength?
Her shoulders slumped, and her grip on the bow loosened.
"Catch me, and we go on a trip to Japan."
But then Jung Hae-in added a condition.
Instantly.
Creeak...
The muscles in Sion's arm contracted, pulling the bowstring so taut it looked like it might snap.
"Should I be careful?"
The corners of her mouth lifted into a smirk.
TWANG!!
With a sound like tearing air, the arrow flew.