Chapter 40

In this world, deities are also worshipped.

However, in the Kingdom of Halperia, religion has been on the decline for the past few centuries.

Halperia, being an agricultural nation, has traditionally worshipped the sun god. However, as the neighboring Kingdom of Sangreale continued its invasions, the sun god, who was the main deity there, began to be resented. As the saying goes, "If you hate the monk, you hate the habit," and it's not hard to understand why people might come to resent the deity as well.

Thus, the Kingdom of Halperia, in a move to break ties with the religious state of Sangreale, adopted the moon god as its main deity, abandoning its previous sun god worship. While it might seem odd for an agricultural nation to adopt the worship of a moon god, it was probably because they had a deep-seated aversion to Sangreale.

Initially, when the change in worship was made, the people were confused and plagued with anxiety. Farmers, in particular, feared the sun god's wrath, and there were even riots in some areas. However, contrary to the people's fears, the crops continued to yield bountiful harvests as usual. There were no significant droughts or cold damage, and the neighboring Sangreale was struck by famine, which helped to quickly dispel the people's doubts about their new faith.

With the decline of religious influence due to the break with Sangreale and the growing number of people who became indifferent to religion due to the influence of their neighbors, the country now has a rather casual attitude towards religion, treating it more as a tradition and performing rituals accordingly. As a former Japanese person who is rather casual about religion, I find this country quite relatable and it's a relief. Still, the people here are more devout than the Japanese.

Now, the moon god worshipped in the Kingdom of Halperia is said to be the deity of hunting and magic, often symbolized by staffs and bows. Given that it is a deity associated with bows, it is considered a lucky deity for those who use them.

In other words, when shooting a bow, one must pray to the moon god.

"My country's moon god, Hidroa. I beseech you, let me hit the center of that straw pile. If I miss, I will hang my bow on the wall and go back to using a bastard sword. If you wish to increase the number of archers in this land, do not let this arrow miss its mark..."

"Mr. Mongrel, you're the type who starts with form, aren't you?"

"Quickly!"

The arrow I released with all my might plunged deep into the ground, 10 meters in front of the target, which was 20 meters away.

"Well, that's about it."

"What do you mean?"

"Mr. Mongrel, aren't you worse than before...?"

"It might be because it's winter and my hands are cold..."

"But you just warmed your hands with hot milk, didn't you?"

Right now, I am receiving archery lessons from Rina and Ulrika at the guild's training ground. I boldly asked, "I'd like to try practicing with a bow. Could you teach me?" and they surprisingly agreed. However, it seems that my motivation might die before I get any useful advice. Archery is tough.

"Your stance is wobbly. The most critical issue is that your left hand, which supports the bow, is moving."

"Also, Mr. Mongrel, you're nocking the arrow backward. It was facing outward just now. It should be facing inward."

"Even though you have the strength to draw and hold the bow, your posture feels unstable."

"Wow... you two are really pushing me today..."

"That's what we call giving honest feedback."

"Rina and I have been practicing archery for a long time. Since you asked for our help, we'll do our best to make you a competent archer."

After a few attempts guided by my instructors, I managed to get the arrows to fly in the general direction I aimed, albeit somewhat erratically.

I wish they could attach a laser pointer to the tip of the arrow... but even if they did, I doubt it would fly straight to the target.

"Is this distance not suitable for beginners?"

"Even this is quite short. If it weren't so cold, we'd practice near the forest."

"Well, if you're hunting in the forest, this distance is about right, but it's still a bit tight."

If there were a crazy boar or a charging deer 20 meters away, I might not even get a shot off. It's not unusual for the enemy to notice me first.

Considering this, I need to be able to hit targets from much farther away.

"How far can you two hit a target?"

"I can hit a target at 60 meters in calm conditions. I can shoot much farther, but that's the limit for accuracy."

"Wow."

"That's with my skill."

Rina's skill is called "Sight." It completely suppresses hand tremors and allows her to maintain a steady aim. However, it doesn't automatically track the target; she still has to make the necessary adjustments herself.

Is that strong? I wonder, but apparently, being able to hold a steady aim for a long time without hand tremors is very convenient. It also consumes less magic power.

"I'm about the same as Rina. It's tough without a targeting skill..."

"Ulrika is also as good as Rina... Artemis has a lot of talented people."

"I have skills that expose the weak points of living creatures and increase the power of the bow, so I focus on those."

"Ulrika is amazing. She can even repel charging beasts with her shots."

"Hehe... Rina is so cute..."

While feeling a bit of yuri-like warmth from the interaction between the two, I diligently retrieve the arrows.

It's a bit sad that most of the arrows didn't even hit the target.

"Hey, can you both give me a demonstration with this bow?"

"I can shoot two arrows with an unfamiliar bow, so that's fine."

"Ah, I'll do it too. I guess I have to show you an example, Mr. Mongrel."

"I'm a poor student, I'm sorry."

"...Hehe, this is the one time I'm more experienced than Mr. Mongrel. Please watch carefully."

Afterward, Rina shot two arrows without using her skill, and Ulrika shot two as well. The first arrow from each of them landed away from the target (but still much closer than mine), while the second arrow hit the straw pile perfectly.

The first shot was probably a test shot, and the second was adjusted based on that. From my current level, it seems like a whole different level of skill.

"As spring approaches, more beasts will appear. It would be good if you could at least get the form down by then."

"Hmm, I don't know... If you practice seriously, you might make it in time... But Mr. Mongrel probably won't practice much, right?"

"I will, sometimes."

"Practicing half-heartedly isn't good, you know."

Still, I don't really feel the necessity for archery.

It's more of a hobby. It would certainly be convenient if I could use it, though.

"...Well, I won't charge you for this. If you want to learn more, feel free to ask Rina or me when we have free time. But, I'd like you to buy us a drink after the lesson, okay?"

"Ah, that sounds good."

"Learning from two professionals for that price is a great deal."

"Yay, free drinks!"

"...On the other hand, could we learn swordsmanship from you?"

"From Rina? Well, basic self-defense skills are useful, but I'm completely self-taught. If you want to learn, Alex is the best."

"Ah, then that's fine."

"...Do you dislike Alex?"

"No, not at all."

In my case, my techniques are all about brute force, so it would be dangerous if someone tried to copy them. It's better to learn from someone who has been trained in a systematic military technique.

"Spring... It's going to get busy when spring comes."

"Indeed..."

"People, money, and monsters all start moving. It's the earning season for guild members. I don't mind this season, but I'm getting a bit bored."

Oh, I finally hit the straw pile.

"Great job, senpai!"

"Congratulations, Mr. Mongrel."

"It seems the moon god hasn't abandoned me."

"It's good that the deity is merciful."

"Does that mean I won through perseverance?"

"Ahahaha."

The season of melting snow is approaching.

When the slush turns into puddles, it will be another busy year.