When Yuusuke’s group arrived at Rufk, night had already fallen. According to the villagers, an armed group, calling itself the Gazzetta army, was exercising force around here. As a defensive measure, the fire was lit at the bottom of the protective ditch and older men were put on guard duties.
“Teacher!” (Yuusuke)
“Mhm, so you came after all, Yuusuke.” (Zeshald)
Zeshald predicted that Yuusuke, worrying about Sun, would come to Rufk straight away to pick her up.
Sun had already finished packing up, so Yuusuke planned to leave for the city straight away after picking her up, but agreeing to hear Zeshald’s opinion about the recent events, they decided to rest and talk for a little bit.
Despite it being late, Bahana came to Zeshald’s house and presented them with a late night fried meal which everyone enjoyed while Belushya, still unaccustomed to tasks like that, was just drinking her tea.
“What do you think about the current situation, Yuusuke?” (Zeshald)
“He (Shinha) seems to be trying to gather all the artless of the world in one place, but it seems to be having the opposite effect.” (Yuusuke)
Yuusuke was drinking his tea as he continued, “Though he does not look like an idiot who could not see that.” Sun giggled at the way Yuusuke put it.
Zeshald also thought that this attack was not ordered by Shinha, but that did not answer the question if the armed group was or was not related to the Gazzetta army. Thus there was a possibility of another influential group acting within Gazzetta.
“Whichever way it is, the damage is already done, so it will not be brushed off as a trivial matter.” (Zeshald/Yuusuke)
“I guess so…” (Zeshald/Yuusuke)
For the time being, emergency measures were under effect and palace knights were sent to the villages in contact with Sanc Adiet, to help with the village defense. At this stage it was not yet decided if king Esvobus would send an official protest to Gazzetta regarding these attacks.
After the rest, Yuusuke’s subordinates started preparations for the trip back to the city, while Yuusuke presented Zeshald with the bracelets and rings that he made. They were made from the leftover materials from what was used to create the sacred treasure, which was turned over to Blue Garden. Despite that, their power was roughly a third of the said treasure.
“As Rufk is getting an exceptional treatment, I believe the reinforcements for the village had been arranged. Still, take these just in case.” (Yuusuke)
“Hoo… these again. Hm, thank you, I will use them.” (Zeshald)
Zeshald passed one pair of accessories to Belushya. The accessories that Zeshald kept for himself increased the divine arts and physical powers while Belushya’s increased respective resistances of their wearer. Both rings also had healing and poison resistance effects.
“A matching pair, eh?” (Yuusuke)
“Hmm, what is?” (Zeshald)
“It’s nothing,” laughing it off like that, Yuusuke started walking back towards the carriage that was preparing for the departure.
“Sun, take this with you?” (Bahana)
“Is it really alright, Bahana obaa-san?” (Sun, unintentional shots fired?)
Bahana had come before Zeshald’s house and presented Sun with a handmade bow.
Actually that should have been of little surprise as Sun was learning how to use the bow from Bahana these last few days. She had no troubles drawing the bowstring with the support of the ring of strength. If she continued to target practice like that, she would be able to become proficient enough to be a hunter.
“Giving such an item to me…” (Sun)
“Yes, I thought you would be able to help Yuusuke a little bit with it.” (Bahana)
Sun was still worried that she would be a burden for Yuusuke, so she wanted to learn some sort of fighting skill. However, this very thought made Yuusuke uneasy, as seeing Sun standing beside him in a battle was beyond his comprehension.
Yet that made him realize that he was wrong in treating Sun as a weak existence, in need of protection, and made him want to support the girl’s determination from now on.
“But I can barely hit the target right now.” (Sun)
“Hmm… Let me see that bow for a second.” (Yuusuke)
He confirmed in the customization menu that he had received [Bahana’s bow]. It was a common, yet sturdily made wooden bow.
As the rarity level of the bow was low, the customizations he could perform on it was also limited. As he could not enchant ease of use effects like he did for Shinha’s great sword (T.N. I think, author means stamina recovery/attack speed here), he had to settle with an accuracy increasing buff. As the customization completed, the beads of light surrounding the bow, had also disappeared.
“How does it feel now?” (Yuusuke)
“Eeeeto? (ehm…)” (Sun)
Sun tilted her head slightly as she received the bow. Urged by Yuusuke to shoot at whatever target she could spot, Bahana told her “Why not shoot a fruit over there?”, as she pointed at a rara fruit tree that was growing near the cattle shed. Sun, despite thinking that it was impossible for her to even hit the tree, not to mention a fruit growing on it, still nocked the arrow and aimed the bow towards the tree.
[“Wow… it seems so stable.”] (Sun)
Sun could clearly see the fruit she was aiming at, feeling that her aim was steady.
As she released the arrow, it precisely pierced the fruit, plucked it off the branch, and embedded itself in the wall of the shed. Mooph that were lying by the side of the shed were scared by the unexpected sound. After looking around restlessly for a while, they saw the rara fruit and started happily chewing off it. (T.N. and you just avoided becoming hamburger by that much too…)
“Oh, I actually hit it!” (Sun)
“Heee, amazing. Yuusuke’s power is sure something.” (Bahana)
“I merely slightly increased the accuracy of the weapon.” (Yuusuke)
Although Yuusuke said it nonchalantly, for someone with skills comparable to Sun’s to hit a fruit on a relatively far off tree, especially during the night was an impossible feat.
“Captain, with this you could make a group of trainees with cheap bow’s rival a troop of skilled soldiers.” (Shaheed)
“Gazzetta would sure desire that.” (Fonke)
Although Shaheed and the rest of the darkness god corps had received similarly enhanced weapons from Yuusuke, looking objectively, they were yet again faced with the potential of this divine art.
“Then, contact me immediately if something happens” (Yuusuke)
“Uhm. Stay alert even if you are at the city” (Zeshald)
“Take care of Sun properly!” (Bahana)
“Leave it to me!” (Yuusuke)
Yuusuke departed from the village, seen off by Zeshald and everyone else, thinking that he would buy a good bow for Sun as a present sometime in the future. The palace carriage, carrying the party of the darkness god corps, was running on the highway under the darkness of the night. (T.N. Cmooon, you are a captain and a god/apostle…. Just customize some over enchanted composite bow instead of thinking, everyone here wants to see Sun kicking some ass…)
“Well then, let us go to rest as well.” (Zeshald)
“… yes.” (Bahana)
“I wonder if teacher will inform the city about this?” (Bahana)
“I’m a retired person with an old body. I will not be contacting them this late.” (Zeshald)
In simple terms, Zeshald, who preferred a life in the village, Bahana, and the old men who were on lookout nearby, all felt a wave of relief. For Zeshald this village was something that he could not live without.
[“However, the situation this time is serious and will not go unnoticed by Esvobus. What will you do from now on, Yuusuke?”] (Zeshald)
— Late at night
The carriage with the darkness god corps party had safely arrived at Sanc Adiet and passed the first gate.
The city was silent, as if it was deserted, as all of the city folk was sleeping in their beds. There were lights here and there that were mostly emitted by the overnight bars and brothels. Only around these parts could they spot a figure or two of someone moving in the shadows.
“The city… feels kind of sad during the night.” (Sun)
That was the impression that the slightly drowsy Sun had of the nighttime view of Sanc Adiet. Yuusuke agreed that the difference between the daytime and nighttime city was excessively large.
When Yuusuke’s party arrived at the palace, the carriage boarding area was brightly lit despite that it was late at night. As the knight’s carriages and private carriages were continuously coming and leaving, this place alone did not sleep.
“It’s so noisy.” (Someone from the party)
“As expected, after all a village was destroyed.” (Someone from the party)
The damage this time was different from the provocateur attacks that Blue Garden employed before. As there were no evidence pointing to Gazzetta aside from survivors testimonies, palace officials were busy gathering the information.
“Yo, Yuusuke” (Hivodir)
“Hivodir?” (Yuusuke)
Having gotten off the carriage, Yuusuke’s party met Hivodir, clad in the usual fire god corps uniform along with his servant at the entrance to the palace. The way he presented himself was truly fitting for an aristocrat. It seemed he was ordered to go and inspect the villages that were owned by the Volace family.
“Wouldn’t the villagers be sleeping this late into the night?” (Yuusuke)
“I am ordered to station the soldiers in the village. Villagers will have to deal with it.”(Hivodir)
“There are talks about the increase of the number of active military personnel, these late night inspections serve as an implication for the discussions,” explained Hivodir about the purpose of the late night dispatchment.
“Thus, I am in a hurry. Good bye.” (Hivodir)
“Wait a minute.” (Yuusuke)
Yuusuke tried to stop Hivodir, who was about to board a carriage with a Volace family crest on it and for no specific reason had decided to customize the mantle that Hivodir was using as his casual clothing.
Although it was a common uniform of the palace corps, it seemed that it would be able to provide special effects to the wearer. Without hesitation Yuusuke endowed it with the healing effect.
Enveloped by the light effects, the mantle fell off (unequipped) Hivodir’s back.
“Hmm? My mantle… what the hell did you do to it?” (Hivodir)
“I just… added something like a protective charm on it…” (Yuusuke)
Although Hivodir did not understand what Yuusuke meant by that, he took the mantle from Yuusuke, who was holding it, saying “Don’t worry about it,” and put it on again. Afterwards he boarded the carriage and left the Volance palace.
“With this, everyone is off duty for now.” (Yuusuke)
“Thank you very much, captain.” (Shaheed)
“Yaaaawn, I’m sleepy~~~” (Fonke)
“We will take turns in resting.” (Vermeer)
Separating from Vermeer’s group, Yuusuke took Sun along and headed towards the guest room on the fourth floor. Violet had prepared the same room for Sun when she stayed at the palace before, and it seemed that the girl was familiar with the atmosphere of the palace by now and did not feel anxious when visiting the palace for the third time.
“We’re here… Then I’ll head back towards my room as well.” (Yuusuke)
“Okay, uhm… Yuusuke san.” (Sun)
Sun was facing Yuusuke in front of her room while clutching the bow that she had received from Bahana close to her chest.
“Good night, Yuusuke san.” (Sun)
“Mhm, goodnight, Sun.” (Yuusuke)
They exchanged their goodbyes, with somewhat awkward smiles.
Incidentally, although Violet had succumbed to sleep in the carriage boarding place while waiting for their return, she was picked up by Krielov and could not meet them that night.