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“Just wait a little longer. Now that the heavy talk has settled down, how about we enjoy some tea while chatting?”

While enjoying her tea for a moment, Fletta turned her gaze to her daughter.

Friel, holding her teacup to her lips to sip alongside the Head of the Family, exchanged glances with Fletta, who rested her chin on her hand.

Caught in the awkward moment of just exchanging silent looks without even drinking, Friel eventually pulled her mouth away from the teacup and let out a small sigh.

“Huh…”

Clatter!

As Friel set the teacup down, Fletta, as if she had been waiting, opened her mouth.

“Friel, could you briefly speak to the one waiting at the entrance and come back?”

Friel tilted her head in confusion, as if she didn’t quite understand the request.

“If I tell them to bring what I prepared, they’ll handle it themselves.”

“Understood.”

Creeeak.

As Friel pulled out her chair and stepped outside to speak to the attendant, Fletta and I began our conversation.

The topics weren’t particularly special: questions about the Count’s House or promises made by the Arielte family with the Count’s House in the past. We dragged the conversation out with a clear exchange that deepened our relationships without any unpleasant nuances.

Finally, we awaited with anticipation as Friel and an elf returned to Fletta’s office, bearing a gift.

“I’ve brought it, Mother.”

“Excuse me.”

In Friel’s and another woman’s hands was a rather large black case. Made of valuable ebony, it exuded an antiquated charm, adorned with the unique seal of the Arielte family merging wood and iron.

‘Could it contain a weapon?’

A reasonable suspicion arose. Given its size, it was highly likely that even if it wasn’t a weapon, it contained quite usable equipment.

“Place it over here.”

Upon Fletta’s command, Friel and the elf neatly set the case in front of her.

Once their errands were complete, the elf bowed and left the office, while Friel returned to her seat.

“Now that the gift has arrived, I can’t keep you busy for long. Shall I show it right away?”

Fletta stood up, adjusting her glasses as she looked down at the case.

The first lock she undid was for the case on the right side.

As she unlatched the bag and revealed what was inside, I couldn’t help but struggle to keep my mouth from curling into a smile.

That bow was definitely made from the branches of the World Tree.

This bow was unmistakably crafted from the branches of the World Tree, just like the one I currently used… but this one was even more special.

Unlike my bow, which had lost much of its divine power over time, this new bow was a fresh product, embodying the pinnacle of craftsmanship from the Great Forest’s bowmakers.

As both a spirit mage and an archer, how could I not feel greedy for such a thing? Merely being able to keep my drooling to a minimum was a small miracle.

I focused intently on Fletta’s next words, fueled by my rising anticipation.

“This is… the bow prepared for that Ray over there.”

As expected.

This type of bow suits me, a spirit mage, more than it would Shione.

“I don’t know the exact connection, but I saw you wielding our bow. However, it has lost its enchantment over time. This new weapon will greatly aid in enhancing your skills.”

Fletta pushed the open case toward me.

“Will you accept it?”

“Thank you. I will never forget this kindness.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

New bows always bring excitement.

With such a finely-crafted bow, it won’t be long before I can command the battlefield brilliantly with spirit magic.

As I happily looked down at the bow, Fletta opened another case, presumably containing Shione’s bow.

“Then this one shall serve as a gift for the young lady. Since she can’t wield spirit magic like you, I prepared a bow that suits her best.”

As the lock clicked open and another new bow was revealed, it was a masterpiece that was not any less impressive than the one I received.

“Even though we don’t get along with the dwarves, I once had a chance to see one of their bows. This is one I obtained from them back then.”

What kind of material is it made of?

The riser of the bow was made of an unknown metal, boasting a clear silvery-white body, showcasing solid durability just by appearance.

“Even after hundreds of years, the dwarves made this with great care. I assure you, it will not be a problem for the young lady to use it.”

“Are you truly offering me such a precious gift?”

“Of course. To us elves, a dwarven bow is merely an average bow of little value. So for those of us wielding spirit magic, it’s just a bow that doesn’t break.”

“Still….”

“Moreover, we have a few of these bows in our family’s storage. One can easily be given to the hero of the Great Forest without issue. Isn’t that right, Friel?”

“Of course! If this bow can deepen the bond with the hero, nothing could be better.”

A dwarven bow.

A superb masterpiece crafted by born blacksmiths, showcasing the best synergy with beastmen and humans.

Due to its unique magical properties and the craftsman’s skills, bows often come imbued with various spells.

Without hesitation, Fletta pushed the case filled with the bow toward Shione.

“From now on, this belongs to the young lady. It would be foolish to look for a new bow after breaking the one you were using. I believe the young lady understands this well.”

Just after breaking a bow and seeking a new one is indeed an unwise act.

A bow of exceptional quality is difficult to grow accustomed to and customize to one’s taste, especially if it’s been specially crafted using monster materials or mana.

For an archer, precision in drawing and aiming is of utmost importance, and nothing is more crucial than that.

Upon hearing Fletta’s remark, Shione seemed to reflect on something, quietly nodding her head.

“Then… I’ll gratefully accept it.”

“Mhm.”

As Shione lifted the bow, Fletta smiled slightly.

“It looks good on you.”

Her words rang true.

Though the bow that Ainel gifted her was decent, it simply couldn’t compare to this bow. Finally holding a proper top-tier item, Shione was starting to shine a bit more.

Fletta reached out her hand toward Shione.

“I look forward to our continued cooperation.”

Shione likewise took her hand.

“Likewise, I look forward to it.”

Now, there was just one thing remaining.

Meeting the Grand Elder, Edelin.

The journey to remove obstacles was nearly at an end.

*

Now that my conversation with Friel was finished and all matters with Fletta had been settled, the only thing left was to wait for Edelin to invite us separately.

As I idly lounged in Shione’s room, waiting for her summons, Shione carefully picked up the bow she had been using until now and gazed at it.

“This bow has served me well for quite some time. Even after roughing it up in tough places, it hasn’t shown any signs of breaking except for a scratch here and there—”

Shione’s expression was wistful.

It was as if she was glancing into a past that had flowed by and would never return.

“My mother gifted me such a nice bow.”

Shione looked up at me with a smile.

“Ray, isn’t that right?”

I could only silently agree.

“Yes. Ainel’s taste is exceptional, and it’s a truly formidable bow.”

“I figured you’d say that.”

After saying that, Shione placed the case she received from Fletta on the table.

She took out the dwarven bow that was inside, clearing the case, and aligned it with her original bow to check the sizes.

“But now I think I’ll let this bow rest a little.”

Confirming the size match, she didn’t hesitate to place the bow back inside.

“It’s the only bow my mother gave me, and I can’t just break it.”

As Shione closed the case and locked it, she let out a sigh.

“Huh—”

The weight of that breath felt heavier than expected.

It seemed to resonate Shione’s feelings.

“I wish to return to the Count’s House. Will we be able to return without any issues—”

It was a quietly spoken phrase.

After all, we had been through quite a lot in this distant place. Perhaps, a part of her was genuinely feeling that way.

Yet if we fight and fail to survive here, our future would turn into a hellish landscape engulfed in flames, with no home to return to. What could we possibly do then?

Whether I liked it or not, we have to stay here and fight. Ultimately, we must behead those damned demons.

I quietly replied to Shione’s words.

“We can return.”

“…?”

“Since we missed the timing to deal with the half-demons, let’s give up on that for now. Soon the demons will invade again.”

“…….”

“But we will win, and both you and I will return to the Count’s House.”

“But—”

Shione, who had been deeply tensed, shook her head and eventually showed a faint smile.

“Why are you so confident?”

“In all the battles that you and I fought, in the end, we won them all, didn’t we?”

“…….”

“Whether it was during the fight on the carriage road, in the mountains, at the royal castle, or on the castle walls. We will win again this time.”

“But we lost in this subjugation.”

“That wasn’t our loss….”

I waved my hand toward Shione.

Come over here for a moment.

She walked over here, puzzled.

I pretended to look around, and then, in a whisper, I suddenly spoke close to her ear.

“It was because the forest guardians in this area weren’t as sharp as one would think. We did what needed to be done, right?”

Shione’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden comment, and she stared blankly at me.

Then after a moment, she lowered her head, creating a perfect angle for me to ruffle her hair.

As I casually ruffled her hair, I continued speaking.

“Don’t worry. Even if we lose for the first time here, I’ll whisk you away and escape. We can flee to the Count’s House.”

“…….”

As I spoke, Shione suddenly grabbed my wrist, which had been ruffling her hair. She lifted her head and quickly smiled.

“Really—”

Her left hand was rising.

“Ray, even after receiving a bow, you’re so irresponsible.”

Whack!

Smack!

Shione’s palm struck my shoulder, delivering a strong jolt. The brief pain knocked the breath out of me, leaving me stunned while staring at her.

“But that last comment was just to ease my tension, right?”

She was now smiling gracefully.

“Thank you, Hero?”

Sudden smacking, sudden gratitude—what kind of master was I dealing with here?

“If you’re thankful, then you should take a hit in return, Shione.”

“What? You want to slap the other side too?”

Thanks to that, we were able to spend the remaining time quite enjoyably.

Time swiftly flowed, and finally, the moment arrived.

An invitation from the Grand Elder, Edelin.

*

“This place is truly beautiful, even on a return visit.”

“I agree.”

Next to the World Tree, which supports the Great Forest, this space, solely managed by Edelin, possessed an unrivaled beauty.

The pure white arch-shaped stone structure was likely once a temple devoted to the World Tree. Yet now, all that remained of that holy shrine was the central pillar and sturdy parts, while vibrant new sprouts and multicolored flowers thrived in the ruins.

It was at this very location where I first met Edelin, crossing through the remnants.

The small, white temple with climbing vines reaching toward the sky stood before us, finally leading us to the most crucial part of our plan.

“Oh my, I’ve been waiting for you, heroes.”

We had the opportunity to meet the Grand Elder of the Great Forest, Edelin.

“Today, I would love to share our story under proper hospitality. How about having it inside this temple rather than the garden?”

With the tedious discussions finally leading to the final negotiations.

“I’ll gladly accept your hospitality, Edelin.”

The groundwork for the meeting commenced at last.

 

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