Mountain Hunt

There were still a few days left before she had to go to Lady Falan's to tend to the flower fields.

One afternoon, after Sylutia finished tutoring Mick, Karen, and the others, she picked up her own bow and arrow to practice.

Since she couldn't display her swordsmanship, practicing archery seemed like a good alternative. After a month of intermittent training, her archery skills had gradually reached a respectable level.

[Basic Archery Lv.3]: Fundamental techniques for using a bow and arrow; one of the arts of ranged combat. (Progress 342/900)

Swish. Another arrow flew out, landing precisely in the bullseye 60 meters away. ("Basic Archery" proficiency +1)

Unlike swordsmanship, archery seemed to rely more on muscle memory and intuition, so her growth rate was slower.

"Amazing! Tia's archery is almost catching up to Karen's now," Comia cheered.

"I'm still not as good as Sister Karen," Sylutia replied modestly.

"This level of archery is already quite good. However, if you have time, Tia, you should try shooting at moving rabbits or birds in the mountains; you'll improve much faster that way," Karen suggested.

"I see." Sylutia pondered this. It wasn't just her archery; her swordsmanship also needed real combat to hone.

"Tomorrow is a day off. Can you come with me, Karen?"

"Of course." Karen nodded; she had been planning something similar anyway.

"Then I'm going too," Comia insisted, not wanting to be left behind.

"I'm going as well," Mick said, having overheard them, and walked over.

"If you run into any danger, I can be of quite a bit of help." He felt it was still too dangerous for a few girls to go out alone.

"Me too," Ray added, stepping forward.

"Alright then."

It seemed a group of five was unavoidable. Sylutia thought about it and realized there was no need to keep hiding things forever. Besides, they were all trusted friends; she could just ask them to keep it a secret when the time came.

Currently, her skill levels were roughly [Basic Swordsmanship Lv.4], [Military Swordsmanship Lv.4], [Basic Archery Lv.3], [Basic Spearmanship Lv.4], [Secret History Knowledge Lv.5], and [Gardening Skills Lv.4]. Among these, the combat-related skills all required real-world experience to break through to the next level.

With the plan for tomorrow set, the group grew excited. Comia began chattering away about what they should bring.

"A picnic basket, water, food, gauze and medicine for emergencies," she listed.

"Isn't that a bit too much trouble?" Karen couldn't help but interrupt. They were going hunting, not on a picnic; carrying too much would slow them down.

"Aww, can't we?" Comia looked disappointed.

"I... carry," Ray said, thumping his chest with his fist, producing a deep, resonant sound.

"See? Ray promised to carry it for us, so it's not a problem," Comia said, raising her hand.

Karen could only shake her head helplessly and agree.

The next morning, the well-prepared group gathered at the gates of Scorched Stone City.

"Tia, you brought quite a lot of things too," Comia said, looking curiously at the black-haired girl.

Sylutia was wearing a simple, short black dress today that allowed for easy movement, revealing a glimpse of her healthy, fair thighs. Below that, she wore black over-the-knee socks to ward off the late autumn chill. As for her upper body, she wore a form-fitting long-sleeved hunting outfit, with a leather corset cinched at her waist—not only could it hold her quiver and short sword, but it also provided a layer of protection.

Holding her longbow in one hand, her black hair flowing, she moved with a light and agile grace, like an elf emerging from the woods.

"Wow, Tia, you look absolutely stunning today!" Comia exclaimed, jumping for joy, while the others stared at her in surprise.

Being the center of such attention made Sylutia a bit embarrassed, especially since she was wearing a short skirt that felt a little breezy.

"Let's go, let's go, stop staring," she urged them helplessly to start moving.

"Alright, alright, giggle, if we keep staring at Tia, she's going to get shy," Comia said, covering her mouth with a laugh, knowing the girl was feeling self-conscious.

Leaving Scorched Stone City, they arrived at the mountain forest a few miles outside the city walls. The grass was still wet with morning dew, and the air was crisp.

Karen led the way, followed by Mick; both had extensive hunting experience. The other three followed behind, with Sylutia holding her bow and keeping watch, Ray carrying the bulk of the supplies, and Comia skipping back and forth, keeping the mood lively.

The journey was far from dull. Along the way, they chatted about recent interesting events, and occasionally Sylutia would stop to pick herbs and mushrooms by the roadside, placing them into the basket Comia was carrying.

There were rarely any large beasts around Scorched Stone City, and even if there were, they were usually cleared out by the city's hunters to ensure the safety of merchants and travelers.

They didn't encounter any large living creatures on the way, though they did spot a few small rabbits and forest falcons.

"There's a rabbit, Tia~" Comia whispered a reminder.

"Mm." Sylutia had already nocked an arrow. Her posture was standard and her expression focused. Almost as soon as she drew the bow, the arrow flew out, pinning the rapidly running rabbit in the grass.

("Basic Archery" proficiency +6)

"A direct hit! That's amazing!" Comia turned into a fan, cheering loudly. Karen, who had been standing by to provide cover, lowered her bow.

If Sylutia had missed, Karen would have fired a second arrow to prevent the prey from escaping—this was how hunters covered for one another.

Mick stepped through the ankle-deep grass, picked up the rabbit and the arrow, and brought them back.

"Not bad, we can have meat tonight," he said, shaking the gray rabbit with a smile.

"Let's go, let's keep moving. Let's find more prey for Tia to practice on."

Although the five of them were acting as a group, everyone was intentionally or unintentionally letting Sylutia practice her archery, while also protecting and watching over her to prevent any accidents. This feeling of being cared for and pampered by the group made Sylutia feel a bit unaccustomed, yet it also brought a faint warmth to her heart.

Mick and Karen had no shortage of hunting experience and didn't need the practice today, but since this was likely Sylutia's first time hunting in the mountains, they naturally wanted to take extra care of her.

Usually, it was Sylutia who tutored them in their studies, so being able to return the favor today made the group quite happy.

The five of them followed the mountain path deep into the forest. Along the way, Sylutia grew increasingly proficient with her bow. By adjusting her Breathing Technique, she kept her stamina in excellent condition. This practical training gave her many new insights into archery, breathing, and wilderness tracking.

Indeed, real combat was the fastest way to improve, and her "Basic Archery" was gradually reaching the verge of a breakthrough.

In the afternoon, the group found a clearing in the forest to take a short rest.

"Finally, a chance to rest." Comia plopped down onto a rock, her legs feeling weak and sore; she didn't want to move at all.

Among the five, she was the only one who hadn't learned a Breathing Technique, leaving her stamina and endurance at the bottom of the group. That she had made it this far was entirely thanks to her naturally active and energetic personality.

The others couldn't help but smile at the sight. Instead of urging her to get up, they scouted the surrounding area before returning to sit down.

"I remember there's a piece of animal hide in the pack; we can use it as a mat," Karen mentioned.

Stones in the forest were limited, and sitting directly on the ground meant dealing with bugs and ants. Besides, they were planning to have something to eat.

"Good idea." Ray set down the large backpack he had been carrying. Karen opened it, found the rolled-up hide, and spread it out. The group sat around it, easing their fatigue.

"Aren't you tired, Sylutia?"

Karen was quite curious. This black-haired girl seemed to have even better stamina than she did; there wasn't a trace of sweat on her, and her movements remained as light as when they had first entered the mountains.

Could Sylutia really have elven blood? Karen suddenly wondered, though it was a pity Sylutia lacked the iconic pointed ears of an elf.

"I'm not tired yet." The girl set down her longbow and knelt gracefully on the mat.

After a moment's thought, Sylutia took off the glasses she had been wearing and set them aside. Without them, not only was her figure striking, but her captivating features were fully revealed, surprising the others once again.

"I feel like Sylutia is getting prettier and prettier," Comia said, voicing everyone's thoughts.

The others nodded in agreement, but seeing the girl's embarrassed expression, they found her cute and amusing, so they decided to stop teasing her for the moment.

"What do we have to eat? I'm starving," Mick said, looking at the picnic basket covered by a cloth.

"Right, right, the food." Comia lifted the cloth, revealing the contents.

The picnic food had been prepared by Comia's mother, consisting of meat pies, bread, smoked sausages, and two bottles of beer.

Clean water was hard to come by in the wild, whereas alcohol was easier to store and remained sanitary. (The fermentation process of alcohol kills bacteria.)

"Thanks," Mick muttered before grabbing a meat pie and biting into it impatiently.

The pie contained a small amount of dried fruit and vegetable chunks, making it a nutritionally balanced meal when paired with the crust.

As they ate, they discussed the situation in the mountains.

"We haven't seen any traces of wolves along the way," Sylutia recalled.

"That's because the local Hunters Guild clears them out regularly," Karen explained while chewing her bread.

"Scorched Stone City is the direct territory and residence of Lord Xuefeng, and a hub for trade with surrounding villages. Safety is paramount, so the local Hunters Guild is required to help clear the surrounding environment. If they do a good job, they don't have to pay extra taxes to the Lord." She was quite experienced when it came to the hunters.

"Aww, that's a bit boring," Mick said, still hoping to hunt a larger beast to test the results of his recent training.

Just like Sylutia, he had spent the last month studying and training under Scholar Heide and hadn't had the chance to participate in any adventure missions, nor had he found a suitable opportunity to test his progress.

"Isn't it better to be safe?" Comia asked, not quite understanding.

Once they finished eating, Comia took out five wooden cups and poured beer into each one.

"Whew, this taste is really something," Mick said, taking a large gulp and nearly draining his cup.

Sylutia, on the other hand, drank slowly, savoring the faint taste of beer on the tip of her tongue.

The birds chirped melodiously in the mountains, and the cool late-autumn breeze blew, making everyone feel comfortable. Even without hunting, having a picnic here was a wonderful experience.