Chapter 146 Combat Training
After I made up my mind, the first thing that came to mind was, "Let's practice with the crossbow." Julius had given me a weapon, so if I could master it, I might be able to protect myself a little.
At the same time, I thought, "Can I borrow the power of the Spirits?"
In "Last Brave," during combat, player could choose a Spirit's command and borrow their power to perform a special attack. For example, they could imbue their sword with a Spirit's power or have them amplify their magic.
But in this world, we hadn't done that kind of cooperative attack yet, so I asked Wentle-sama, the most approachable Spirit.
"Can I borrow the power of all you Spirits in battle?"
The green glowing orb floating in front of me seemed to not quite understand the meaning of my words, and it just floated there, not saying anything.
I thought I might have been too direct, so I opened my mouth again to add an explanation.
"Like, can you wrap your powers around an arrow..."
'Ah! You mean like my wind power increasing its strength?'
"Yes, that's it!"
The image Wentle-sama had in mind was very close to my ideal, and I nodded vigorously.
Wentle-sama thought for a few seconds, drawing an infinity symbol in the air, and then sparkled brightly.
'I think it's possible!'
――With Wentle-sama's nod, we decided to try it out right away.
Diona and Marta accompanied me, and we set up a wooden shield as a target. I readied my crossbow and pulled the trigger.
The moment the arrow was released, it was wrapped in green light. Wentle-sama's power.
I thought my aim was off and the arrow would miss the wooden shield――but Wentle-sama's wind power corrected the trajectory, and the arrow struck the center of the shield with great force. From a distance, it looked like it had penetrated quite deeply, and I had high hopes for its power.
――It might just work.
We three let out a simultaneous "Woah!" of excitement.
"That's some strong trajectory correction~!"
Marta laughed with glee, somehow managing to pull out the arrow stuck in the wooden shield. Not only the shield, but the arrow itself was also broken from the impact.
Diona carefully disposed of the broken arrow, saying it was dangerous, and called out to Wentle-sama.
"If we borrow Avour-sama's power, it'll become a fire arrow, right?"
We all nodded in agreement, including Wentle-sama. Avour-sama didn't appear, but we thought it was okay to assume he would cooperate.
It didn't matter if it was Spirit's power or not my own; I didn't have any pride to speak of. As long as I could survive, I didn't care.
As I gazed intently at the crossbow, feeling a sense of certainty, Marta muttered beside me.
"We're gonna run out of arrow money, aren't we?"
I couldn't help but chuckle at Marta's typical comment, but I quickly suppressed my smile, thinking it wasn't a laughing matter.
That's right. There was a limit to the number of arrows. It was fine to buy more at the weapon shop, but I had to be mindful of running out at critical moments. If I didn't have enough arrows when I needed them, it could be fatal. I had to keep track of my arrow count at all times.
'The water spirit is still studying, so that's okay... but can't Likerland do anything?'
In response to Wentle-sama's question, the tea-colored light orb, Likerland-sama, appeared. The earth Spirit-sama stopped moving for a few seconds, as if deep in thought, and then blinked slowly.
"...Hold your step."
"Do you mean 'hold your step'?"
Diona asked quickly. Then, Likerland-sama approached me, so I thought he would show me something, and I loaded an arrow into the crossbow.
The next instant, the loaded arrow began to emit a tea-colored light. Likerland-sama's power had been infused into it.
As I searched for a target, Likerland-sama told me to "shoot at the ground," so I followed their instructions and hit the ground a short distance away.
From where I shot the arrow, the ground began to swell up with a "boing" sound.
'Shoot at the monster's feet, and take its legs with the earth!'
"So we'll attack when that opportunity comes."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah!"
I nodded in agreement with Diona, and Marta's tension rose as she let out a loud voice. The fact that these girls, who were used to traveling and had the power to fight, were feeling confident, made me feel extremely at ease.
Suddenly, I felt a warm sensation at my feet. When I looked, the water spirit, who had been waiting at a distance, was looking up at me with a pleading expression.
I put away my crossbow and picked up the water spirit. As I brought my face close to the childlike spirit, it let out a delighted cry when I whispered, "Let's borrow your power too."
――The relaxed atmosphere was suddenly tightened again by the appearance of the fire spirit, Avour-sama.
'You can't lend your power multiple times in a row. Save it for the crucial moment.'
Avour-sama's words immediately silenced us.
――That's right, even with the "Last Brave" spirit command, player could only use it once per battle. I didn't know how that "specification" applied in this world, but it seemed I couldn't use it repeatedly.
The crucial moment. The trump card.
My heart was racing as I nodded vigorously. As someone who was borrowing power, I couldn't push Spirit-sama and the others too hard.
"Ah, yes!"
I nodded again, responding in a louder voice than usual, and Avour-sama seemed satisfied, circling around me once before disappearing.
"Laura, let's practice aiming without the spirit's power."
I nodded at Diona's suggestion. Then, I looked at the almost broken shield again, and began practicing my aim using only my own power.
At least, I had to get used to hitting the shield first. I focused on that, repeating the process many times.
When I pulled the trigger, the arrow would fly straight, so I just had to focus on aiming. I stared intently at the shield, holding my breath and concentrating――
"I hit it!"
Although it wasn't a direct hit, the arrow had stuck to the corner of the shield.
I couldn't help but look at Diona. She smiled and nodded at me.
I finally got the hang of it after hitting the mark once. I was able to hit it several times in a row, and the last arrow landed pretty close to the center.
"Laura, you're really talented, aren't you?"
I was encouraged by Diona's smile and Marta's energetic voice. As my confidence grew, Diona suddenly held up a worn-out shield.
What's going on? I wondered, tilting my head, and she started walking towards me. She walked back and forth, left and right, and then shouted:
"Let's practice hitting moving targets next! Try to predict where it'll go based on its speed and footwork!"
In other words, I had to hit the shield Diona was holding. If I hit her, it would be bad, and for a moment, I was terrified. But she seemed to see right through my fear and smiled, saying "Don't worry, I've got a simple barrier up on my body."
If she said it was okay, I had no choice but to focus. I shook off the fear that had sprouted in my heart and took aim.
I quickly hit the slow-moving target. The fast-moving one was tough, but I managed to hit it somehow. The one that moved erratically, walking, running, and stopping, was really tricky.
"You should also watch the target, but it's good to observe Diona's body and footwork too!"
I meekly followed Marta's advice from behind and observed Diona's body and footwork.
When she tried to run, her body would lean forward. When she slowed down, her body would straighten up, and her stride would narrow. It seemed like a habit of hers, and when she stopped, she would always start with her left foot, putting power into it, and her right foot would follow, moving elegantly.
The irregular movements that had seemed so unpredictable were slowly becoming "visible". I found a pattern, caught on to her habits, and made predictions. It was the same principle, even if the opponent was a monster.
(Ah, the speed is slowing down...)
Now's my chance, I thought, and pulled the trigger. The arrow flew straight towards the shield Diona was holding, and... it hit the mark perfectly!
I couldn't help but let out a shout of joy. Diona was laughing and holding up the shield high, showing it off to me. From behind, I heard the Water Spirit's happy "Woof!" and Marta's cheering "Oh!"
I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Suddenly, Marta passed by my side and stood next to Diona. It seemed like they were discussing something, and then Diona handed Marta a shield.
Marta, now holding the shield, waved at me.
"Next, let's avoid obstacles and hit the target, okay!"
Marta and Diona started moving. Occasionally, the 2 of them overlapped, and Diona ―― the obstacle ―― blocked my view of the target.
I had to focus on Marta's shield without hitting Diona. I kept my eyes fixed on the shield and Marta's feet, but whenever the obstacle (Diona) got in the way, even for a moment, the target (Marta) would disappear from my sight, and my concentration would waver.
(This is scary...!)
Even if I accidentally hit Diona, she wouldn't get hurt thanks to the simple barrier. I knew that, but my fear was growing stronger than before.
I closed my eyes once, took a deep breath, looked up at the sky, and slowly opened them again. I gazed at the blue sky for a few seconds before focusing forward.
I fixed my gaze on the target. I observed Marta's feet. Ah, I took a breath and heightened my concentration.
For a moment, my focus wavered when Diona got in the way, but I furrowed my brow and refocused on the target. Marta's feet slowed down, and it felt like my field of vision had opened up. Now's the time――
"I did it!"
The three of us exclaimed at the same time.
Marta was holding the shield with an arrow stuck in it, and Diona was running towards me with a smile. I was panting, watching as they approached.
"As expected, Laura has incredible concentration. That's amazing!"
"There's no one else among us who can use a long-range weapon besides magic, so if Laura can master the crossbow, it'll be a huge help!"
Diona, who was more excited than usual, nodded in agreement with Marta. Encouraged by their words, I was too exhausted to respond properly due to the unfamiliar task.
The two of them seemed to notice my condition and pulled me by the hand to a shaded area. I sat down as they suggested, leaning my back against the tree trunk.
Just as I thought, the water spirit suddenly flew into my chest. I somehow managed to catch it and sat it down on my knees. Then, the little pup started to curl up on my lap and began to breathe softly.
(It seems like Wentle-sama and the others are teaching this kid various things...)
For now, I don't think there's any significant change.
There's no need to rush. But if I can borrow the power of the water spirit, I think it would be reassuring.
As I slowly stroked the water spirit's back, which was breathing softly, I suddenly noticed a shadow in my field of vision. When I looked up, Diona was holding out a water bottle to me.
"You must be tired, Laura."
It seemed that Diona had gone to get water while I was sitting there, taking my time.
When I looked around, Marta was nowhere to be seen. I wonder where she went.
As I thought about it, I thanked Diona, who was sitting next to me. She had stayed with me for a long time, even though she must be tired from the battle. I'll have to find Marta later and thank her properly too.
"Thanks for sticking with me, Diona."
"It's nothing, I'm just glad I could be of help."
Diona modestly shook her head. Her silver hair, which was swaying gently, caught the sunlight filtering through the trees, and it was really beautiful.
I took a drink from the water bottle. The water was cold and refreshing.
During our journey, Diona had always been looking out for me. Marta was the same. Lukas and the others were also concerned about me, but it seemed like Diona and Marta were my main caretakers.
"――...Do you have something you want to do when our journey is over, Laura?"
I turned to look at Diona, who had suddenly asked me this question. She was smiling awkwardly, looking a bit troubled.
――Why did she suddenly ask that?
Even though I was curious, I didn't press her for an answer, and instead responded honestly to her question.
"I'm not really sure, but I think I'd like to support a local alchemist."
"Support?"
I nodded slightly.
That's the road I found in Petania, a town I visited just the other day. I want to help the alchemists of this town, who are desperately working in an environment that's not well-equipped, unlike the Royal Alchemists.
"I had a chance to talk to the alchemist of this town the other day, and I thought, 'She's desperately trying to save people's lives in a place that's not well-equipped...' I may not be able to do anything grand, but I thought, 'Maybe I can help by delivering documents or holding study groups...'"
What comes to mind is the image of the town's alchemist, who listened to my story with desperation. The alchemists from the Flaria branch, who looked at me from afar, were also excellent.
So, I want to help them a little, so they can make the most of their abilities――
It might be a arrogant thought from someone in a privileged position. The hand I'm offering might be a nuisance to them. But I thought, "I want to do it."
Diona came over to me with a bright smile, her eyes sparkling.
"That's wonderful, really. If there's anything I can help with, please let me know. I can even be a bodyguard, if needed."
Diona laughed with joy. Her warm words made me smile back.
It's ridiculous to think about being a bodyguard, but I thought it would be really fun to travel with Diona. That future looks wonderful, too.
On the other hand, I wondered what Diona wanted to do in the future.
"What about you, Diona? ...Are you going back to the city?"
The people of Rustu live in a hidden city, usually, to keep their bloodline from being cut off. Diona is traveling now because of her mission as a member of the Rustu people. If she can fulfill her mission, she'll have to go back to the city, won't she?
When I asked, Diona slowly shook her head.
"I used to think that, but the higher-ups suddenly changed their minds the other day. Now, I'm free to do as I please."
Those who have changed places. It was probably like the young Lord Hagen-san, who was at his wit's end, dealing with those "old men who are short-tempered and stubborn".
When we conducted Elvira's experiment, the people of Rustu tried to interfere. The conservatives who thought it was better to fail the experiment were controlled by monsters, causing an accident. Hagen-san took this as an opportunity to corner the conservatives, but―― maybe everything went well after all.
The people of Rustu are probably changing too. No, they've already started to change.
"But when I'm told I can do whatever I want, I don't know what to do. That's why I'm asking everyone like this."
Diona forced a smile.
Somehow, I understood her feelings. Diona, who had been shouldering her mission since birth, had always had a mission behind her actions. So, for her, the mission was like a guide to living.
With the completion of her mission, Diona would gain freedom, but at the same time, she would lose her guide.
I peeked at Diona's face and said in a deliberately casual tone:
"Can't you take it easy for a bit? You've been living for your mission since birth, after all."
Haha, I laughed out loud on purpose.
Diona is a serious and good girl. That's why she tends to think too deeply about everything.
She can think more simply, more lightly. People don't have to live with a mission, after all. There are days when they don't have to decide anything and can just live slowly and carefree.
Diona smiled, influenced by my smile.
"I'm thinking of going on a trip... going to various places, seeing various things, touching them... eating delicious food."
"That sounds great."
It seemed like Diona needed that time, and I showed my agreement. Then, Diona let out a relieved sigh.
"And... um, if Laura is okay with it, then..."
Diona looked down, hesitant to continue, and closed her mouth once.
"What's wrong?" I wondered, peeking at her face to prompt her next words. Then I gazed at Diona with an upward glance.
She stared back at me intently, then opened her mouth as if she had made up her mind.
"Can I still meet you sometimes after our journey ends?"
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and her voice trembled.
Why did she have to ask such a thing? It's already decided that we'll meet.
I swallowed the words that almost slipped out of my mouth. It might be a given for me, but for Diona, who had been living her life solely for her mission, it wasn't a given at all. She asked me with all her heart.
I gently took Diona's hand, and she looked up at me with a smile.
"Of course."
As I nodded, Diona's eyes sparkled. She said "thank you" with a shy smile, looking more like a lovely girl of the same age rather than a dignified woman burdened with a mission.
After everything is over, let's have tea together. It might be fun to travel together too. In any case, my friendship with Diona will continue. That thought made me incredibly happy and excited.
The harsh journey. The fear of overwhelming power. But there's a certain hope beyond that. There's a future. There's a promise.
Just thinking about it made me feel like I was gaining strength.
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