Chapter 26
Hunting Festival (second)
◆Side Lilica◆
It’s the day of the hunting festival .
There were many elves she knew around her .
50 in total .
There were still-young elves all the way to the elderly veterans .
They don’t need to be so excited about an event that happens every year, Lilica thought silently .
Was it funny because she wasn’t a child but she was using a short bow? From time to time, she could hear the chuckles and laughter from her surroundings .
At her waist hung the medicine she had gotten from Reiji .
“Open the bottle in an area with good visibility? If done, then-”
That was said, but it wasn’t tested so she only half believed it .
However, Noela said it wouldn’t fail, so the effect was probably excellent .
She could see her brother Kululu waving his hand from a spot a little bit removed .
“I’ll definitely make you look at me properly, so -”
When they heard the opening signal, all the participants ran towards the forest simultaneously .
The time limit was until sunset . It was a competition on who could hunt the most animals .
Last year’s champion was her brother Kululu, and he had brought down sixteen animals .
That was more or less the standard .
Lilica ran and arrived at her predicted point, opening the lid of the bottle .
Sponsored Content
“Growwl!”
Immediately, a small wild dog came rushing madly over .
“- Wah . I,it really came over-!?”
Lilica was a little put off by the beast rushing madly over like it was thirsting for blood .
At that moment, Reiji’s voice crossed her mind .
“Calm down . Draw . Release the arrow at the distance you’ve practiced . ”
– Now .
Swish .
The arrow gave off a short sound and hit the wild dog .
“It it!”
That’s the first – it was when she was feeling relieved .
“”””GROWWWL-!””””
Rumble rumble; with that ominous sound, the wild dogs ran full speed towards her .
“- . … . Calm down – – – pull – – the distance I practiced at!”
At her predicted spot, Lilica had great visibilty, and there were rocks and large trees around .
If the monsters came here, they have to use the space between them that made a narrow path .
If they came towards her, then they will have to come in a line .
Sponsored Content
Swish; another arrow flew a short course .
The leading wild dog collapsed, and the arrow released immediately after also hit the wild dog behind it .
“If Lilica draws the beasts over with the ‘attractant,’ release an arrow when it enters the range you’ll hit . That’s all you have to do . ”
That’s what Reiji had said when he explained the plan .
“You’re not hunting them, you’re having them come at you . It’s nice to save time from searching, right? If you have an attractant, they’ll come straight at you . It will be easy both to predict their movements and hit them . ”
“Whine…”
When the arrow hit the last of the four beasts that had come, Lilica gave a sigh .
“Just like Reiji said … Reiji is amazing…”
“Don’t get spooked, okay?”
She remembered his lightly teasing words, and she immediately objected .
“I won’t be spooked – with beasts as my opponents!”
Rumblerumblerumble; she could hear a sound like the earth was rumbling, and Lilica’s eyebrows furrowed .
“What’s that sound…?”
In the distance, she could see wild dogs, small monsters, and the like flooding in towards her .
“ – Eh? … . Waaaaaaaaaaaaah!? A,a loooooooot caaaaaaame!? This medicine is too effectiiiiiiiive!”
Even though a stampede came, as expected, they could only come in a row, and thanks to that, while muttering, “Calm down . Draw . The range I practiced,” Lilica fired the arrow as the lead monster entered the set range .
Sponsored Content
The result .
The monsters that Lilica had hunted since the beginning of the hunting festival .
That number was 89 .
And the arrows all hit dead on .
Lilica, who had received the honor of the champion, ran to the nearest town, all the way to Kirio Drug .
Lilica turned her head .
She had wanted her brother to recognize her from the hunting festival .
But the person she wanted to share the result with first wasn’t her usual brother .
During the hunting festival, she kept hearing Reiji’s voice inside her head, encouraging her .
It was thanks to you and your medicine; she wanted to say these words .
But she might become obstinate and avoid meekly saying that exactly .
If that happens, Reiji will smile in amazement but he’ll probably say, ‘That’s great,’ definitely…
“… I wonder if Reiji’s around?”
With her heart beating wildly she peeked inside the store, and Reiji was sitting at the counter during a lull in customers, and the girl called Mina sat right next to him .
“Reiji-san, which shelf should this medicine go on?”
‘Ah, that one goes – -”
“Oh, that’s right, Noelsan did – – -”
“Hahaha, what’s with that?”
The two of them were working while have a friendly, close-sounding conversation .
Pierce –
Seeing that, a sudden sharp pain ran through her .
Pierce pierce pierce .
It was painful, but fuzzy . A feeling she didn’t understand .
Why did it feel like she had seen something she shouldn’t see?
Even though it was something she had seen many time .
Even if she thought about it, she didn’t understand, and for a while she didn’t move from there, like her feet had frozen .
“Lilica . What’s up?”
Noela, who was returning to the shop from outside, asked .
“Ah . Um … uh . I wanted to say thanks, to Reiji…”
“ – Master, Lilica, came . ”
When Noela faced the inside of the shop and said so, from inside the shop a voice said, ‘Ou . ”
With a snap, like magic had been disenchanted from her, Lilica’s feet moved .
Even though she came to meet him, now she didn’t want to meet him .
When she came to, she was running through town while carrying the pain in her chest .
“What do I do, what do I do … I, I …”
– I might like him .