The Hunting Festival was divided into the Summer Hunting Festival and the Winter Hunting Festival. It was said that by law, hunting was prohibited in the spring and autumn, except for those in related professions, as many animals were breeding during those seasons.
It was explained that not only were the seasons divided into summer and winter, but the participants, rules, and hunting methods also differed for each Hunting Festival.
“The Summer Hunting Festival is an event for young Young Masters and Young Ladies who have just debuted into society, and the Winter Hunting Festival is for those who have already found their partners and participate in the New Year Festival held at the Crystal Palace, not the Opal Palace.”
“Ah, so they gather people of the same age.”
“Well… it also has that meaning.”
Ivan lowered his voice and continued.
“Since the bows used in the Hunting Festival are too expensive for newly graduated Single-rank title students to afford, the imperial family lends bows of the same specifications in the manner of an academy for the Summer Hunting Festival, and it is customary to bring one’s own bow to the Winter Hunting Festival.”
“…Ah.”
Come to think of it, I remembered seeing various colorful bows and arrows at the weapon shop.
Ivan said that only those who had found jobs or started businesses and could easily afford a bow participated in the Winter Hunting Festival. He continued to explain that many people did not show up quietly at this time, and many others came out to enjoy hunting even without a partner.
Some hunting enthusiasts often participated in the Winter Hunting Festival with their young Child, so even wealthy students who could afford a personal bow mainly participated in the Summer Hunting Festival to play with their peers until they got married.
There were many things to do and not to do for each season, and many rules to follow. The older I got and the more I learned about this world, the more amazing it became.
I picked up several bows that Ivan recommended and measured them, choosing one with a blue ribbon. Ivan and Damian held bows with orange ribbons. Jenny held one with a white ribbon.
Marianne hesitated for a long time between a bow with a white ribbon and one with a yellow ribbon.
“Didn’t you participate in the Summer Hunting Festival last year and the year before?”
“Ah, that’s right… but I’ve been working out a bit harder lately thanks to Michael, you know?”
“That’s… true.”
“Last year, I grabbed a bow with a white ribbon, but this year, it feels too light. I feel like I’ll fly away if I swing this around, so I tried the yellow one… but I’m not used to it.”
“A heavy bow isn’t always a good bow. Choose one that you can extend your left arm straight without it shaking,” Benjamin added from the side. Benjamin came with a bow with a black ribbon. Shayden, who stood next to him, held a bow with a red ribbon. Marianne, seeing the blue ribbon on the bow in my hand, said,
“If we’re choosing based on hair or eye color, should I bring a purple one too?”
“I’m starting to get some gray hairs these days. I’ll just go with this one.”
Jenny held the white bow tightly, as if trying to protect it, and everyone laughed.
I was the only one who had never touched a bow before. Even Jenny, who was the least skilled, said she could hit the target five out of ten times.
I had once heard that when learning the throwing knife technique for the first time, I should move my arm as if shooting a bow. It wasn’t just the arm movement that was the same. The way to look at a distant target and read the direction and path of the wind also had a similar feel in both the throwing knife technique and archery.
Benjamin taught me the movements and had me shoot a few times, then immediately stood next to me and demonstrated.
The first arrow hit the center of the target.
The second arrow split the first arrow in the middle and pierced through.
It was an amazing skill. Benjamin’s lips were set, but his cheeks were flushed, so it was obvious that he was trying to act dignified to hide his satisfaction, which was amusing.
As Benjamin began to shoot, Child passing by began to stop and watch. The response, which started with exclamations, soon turned into applause. I also clapped loudly for Benjamin.
My companions pretended to whisper, raising their hands to their mouths, but spoke in voices that everyone could hear.
“Benjamin is really relentless.”
“But isn’t it a bit different this year since Michael is here?”
“How can you beat that? I heard Michael is holding a bow for the first time.”
“I’ll try.”
I couldn’t help but feel a surge of competitiveness. I couldn’t dismiss it as a game played among Child. I was even more tempted because I thought the skill Benjamin had just shown was very impressive.
Even though the space was surrounded by walls, it was very wide. I could read the gentle breeze blowing in the quietness, as if a window somewhere had been opened. I narrowed my eyes, examined the target, and drew the bowstring with my fully trained arm. The arrow tip, lightly hooked on the straight fingertip, caught my eye.
Whoosh…!
Because the bowstring was drawn so tightly, the sound of the arrow cutting through the wind echoed dully. Thwack, the arrow that pierced the center of the target at high speed protruded more than halfway out the back of the target.
The Child’s eyes popped out.
“No, what? Are you using aura right now?”
“Didn’t you practice somewhere without us knowing, Mika?”
“Even if you’re a Sword… isn’t this a bit of a cheat… At this rate, we might as well just pick up a pebble and throw it…”
Ivan, who had once heard that I didn’t want to widely publicize that I had become a Sword Master, trailed off. I was embarrassed and didn’t answer.
I had concentrated because I was competitive after seeing Benjamin demonstrate, but I didn’t intend to put that much power into it. Embarrassed, I coughed a couple of times. When the surrounding Child cheered, I gestured for them to be quiet.
Benjamin, who alternated between looking at the target I had pierced and the target he had pierced with two arrows, nodded.
“Originally, shooting a stationary target is the easiest. Later, when you shoot while running, or shoot on horseback, or shoot while hanging upside down, Michael will miss too.”
“Are you going to make me shoot until I miss?”
“Yes.”
Marianne laughed again and patted Benjamin hard. Benjamin staggered again like a reed in the wind. It was amazing to see Jenny glancing at him with a satisfied expression.
This big guy had once confessed his love to me. I couldn’t help but wonder when he would find his partner.
Marianne was caught casting magic on her arrow to beat me and received a warning from the instructor.
Damian and Shayden said they would shoot next, but after looking around, they went to find another spot. When I told them to go together, they pretended to be annoyed, saying that they couldn’t save face if they were with me, but I knew it wasn’t sincere and followed them.
There were many spectators even after moving spots. Shayden still shot near the center of the target, but Child who were not Martial artists often dropped their arrows. I also tried shooting a few more arrows, switching bows.
Benjamin, who was watching me, brought up the bet we had made last time and glared at me, saying that he would definitely beat me at this Hunting Festival. But this time, my prey would be dedicated to Rubel. I couldn’t lose to a Child.
I didn’t answer and just smiled quietly.
❖ ❖ ❖
I had plenty of free time throughout early May, during the final exam period.
Maelo Sanson taught me how to cut and refine the sharp edges of my newly acquired enlightenment. He said that he had become a Sword Master at the young age of twenty and had become a Grand Sword Master after thirty.
For more than ten years, he had carefully told me in advance about the path he had walked and cultivated. All the teachings he gave me, telling me not to make such mistakes and to think deeply about such things, were precious and grateful.
It had become difficult to see Mage Boulder these days. He said that he had started wandering around the Magic Towers across the country to find out about the Pressure Point Striking and other things I had given him. He was trying hard to interact with the Magic Towers of other kingdoms, but it seemed that he was having a hard time because he was outgoing but didn’t have anyone with whom he had deep friendships.
Douglas was very happy to learn that I could use aura like internal energy. He taught me several amazing tricks that he mainly used, and the most interesting of them was how to use aura in a blunt way.
It was exactly like what I had seen when I first took Douglas’s class. I was surprised to learn that I could stop people in the same way I used to tickle Child. To think that I could draw the energy of the atmosphere and use it like a rope. I thought that if I combined it with the Martial arts using Mithril thread that Wilton had taught me, I could create something amazing.
Calypse Agrigent seemed to be working out these days. Before Walter told him something, he was uncomfortable, dragging his legs and constantly patting his back as if he was uncomfortable. These days, he walked around with his arms and legs trembling. I thought he must be doing exercises such as push-ups.
It seemed that Walter was making him do physical training to take care of his older lover. Even though he was a graduate and I couldn’t see his face, I nodded involuntarily, feeling satisfied and pleased as I recalled his delighted face.
I often went to shoot bows with a group of three or four Child to refresh myself.
I only had to take one exam, Understanding of Circle, so I asked the three Child from the academic, law, and business departments, who usually had a lot of studying to do, why they looked so relaxed. All the Child said that they had taken all the difficult and challenging subjects during the past two years and were preparing to graduate with only a small number of subjects.
Instead of studying for exams, Jenny brought several books and talked with us, reading them slowly page by page and occasionally writing down a few things. The academic department had to write and submit a thesis before graduating. I thought it was amazing that she was already writing and publishing books at this age, so I didn’t ask any further.
In the second week of May, a seamstress sent by my mother, Seiren, came to the academy dormitory.
I just nodded at her words that she would make hunting clothes and tailcoats to fit my more grown body and bring them by the end of this month. I knew that my mother, Seiren, was very concerned about all the clothes I wore, so I intended to follow her words obediently.
After that, I became very anxious and found it difficult to calm my mind.
It was the weekend of the second week of May, when we gathered in the library’s conference room to study for exams. Marianne, who was helping me with my magic studies, raised one eyebrow as if puzzled and asked,
“What’s wrong, Michael? Is there a hair in your clothes?”
“…No, it’s not that.”
“Then is it because of the exams? It seems like you’ll do better than the midterm exams if you just keep doing what you’re doing now.”
“…It’s not that either.”
Yes, it wasn’t because of the exams.
Rubel had promised to come as soon as the exams were over, but I wasn’t sure if I could manage my facial expressions well. Even though I could now harden my expression or silently suppress my laughter to show a serious appearance, I didn’t think I could do that in front of Rubel.
I was worried that if I, who had been looking at the Child with honey dripping from my eyes, suddenly hardened my face, the Child would be upset again. It was fine when I wasn’t conscious of it, but when I thought about treating the Child with a sweet face, it was embarrassing.
I took the notes that had been written down and read them again, but I was so distracted that my pen kept stopping. I was glad that the Child, who were busy right before the exams, were looking at their books instead of teasing me. If the Child had asked, I would have just made awkward noises.
The day the Child promised to come quickly approached.