Chapter 50

The feast welcoming the immigrants had ended, and the next morning,

while practicing archery with Reedia as part of the morning routine, the elves, led by Alte, came over, apparently drawn by the sound.

Looking at their restless eyes, it was obvious they wanted to try it out.

“Are you going to join in, Alte?”

“It’s okay! Then, we’ll go get our bows!”

When I invited them, the elves ran home with shining eyes.

They returned with their bows and quivers, each taking a position and starting to nock their arrows.

“Do elves like archery?”

“Yes, most of us enjoy it as a hobby. We also play some musical instruments.”

It seems to be a common hobby among the elves. It’s not just Reedia who likes it.

After finishing the conversation, Alte nocked an arrow to her bow.

Her expression changed from cute to fierce.

The other elves, who usually had a gentle aura, also seemed to change their demeanor. For a moment, they looked like hunters rather than female elves.

When Alte released the arrow with a beautiful form, it hit close to the center of the target.

The other elves also hit the target beautifully.

“Ah, I haven’t practiced much recently, so I’m a bit rusty.”

Despite hitting very close to the center, Alte and the other elves seemed unsatisfied.

“Isn’t that close enough to the center?”

“It’s not good enough to hit the center when standing still at this distance.”

When I tried saying that, Alte gave a firm evaluation.

Her tone was unusually natural, so for the elves, this must be the norm.

“...S, so it is.”

What am I, if I can’t hit the center from this distance while standing still?

No, I’ve only started recently, and I don’t have the same experience as Alte and the others. I just enjoy it as a recreational activity.

While I was lost in thought, Reedia approached Alte and whispered something.

Alte then let out a short, surprised cry, “Eh!?”

“Ah, I mean, this is just an evaluation from an elf who is used to using a bow...”

“You don’t need to be so considerate.”

Among the residents here, my archery skills are the worst by far.

I’m easily outdone by Renshiro and the others, and I’m used to losing.

I just need to enjoy it in my own way.

“What’s going on? Morning practice? Let me join in.”

Just as I was coming to that conclusion, the Demon King appeared, looking cheerful in the morning.

From his expression and mood, it seemed he had slept well.

“Yeah, morning exercise.”

“Archery, huh? It’s fun to play with such things.”

The Demon King muttered this and suddenly began to channel magic, creating a black bow.

This scenario seemed familiar. Specifically, it reminded me of Carmilla.

The Demon King converged his magic and generated a black arrow, which he then released.

I thought it would pierce the target and explode like with Carmilla, but instead, the arrow split into more than ten and each hit a different target.

Reedia and the other elves were taken aback.

However, the Demon King himself looked satisfied.

“Hmm, all hits.”

“...You do the same things as your daughter.”

“What? Carmilla can split arrows too!?”

Is that what he’s concerned about?

“No, Carmilla would pierce it straight through and make it explode.”

“So, it’s the same as always. Carmilla’s rough way of using magic.”

“Hmm? What about me?”

The Demon King snorted in a bored manner, and Carmilla arrived with Claire.

“Carmilla, I heard you can’t split magic yet? What a waste. As your father, I’ll train you!”

“Eh, I don’t like the detailed training from Father.”

It’s nice to see a good father-daughter relationship in the morning, but when you two train, the practice ground gets completely wrecked, so please do it in a wider area.

◆

After the morning training, which became lively with the addition of the elf immigrants, everyone went home for breakfast and then started their work.

However, the Demon King had to return to his country soon, so I was there to see him off.

“So, next time, bring some dwarf ale.”

“Sure. I’ll come when I have some free time—when I’m not busy with work.”

“There’s no need to pretend; you’re the only one here.”

You said yesterday at the feast that you wanted a place to escape to.

“Hashira... You’re a good guy.”

The Demon King was touched by my words. Since we’re both men and have a long relationship ahead, I hope he can come and visit without any reservations.

“Ah, I almost forgot. Hashira, can you do me a favor and grow this plant?”

The Demon King said this and handed me a pouch. When I opened it, I found small red seeds inside.

“What kind of plant is this?”

“Mandrake.”

As soon as I heard the name from the Demon King, the blessing I received from Elphira provided the appropriate information.

“Is this the one that lets out a loud scream when pulled out?”

“Yes, it’s a very dangerous plant. If handled improperly, it can rupture eardrums and cause shock death. However, I think Hashira can cultivate it stably.”

For a normal person, it is indeed dangerous. The scream when pulled out can be fatal.

It has anesthetic properties and is used as a painkiller and sedative. In some places, it is also used as an aphrodisiac or love potion. It has a wide range of effects beyond just medical use.

It’s natural for the Demon King to want high-quality mandrake.

“Sure. I can silence it the moment I pull it out using my ability.”

With the power of my blessing, I can silence the mandrake’s scream. Besides, the Gaia Note users like Rento are spirits, so they won’t be affected no matter how much it screams.

“Ah, that’s right! Then, can I ask you to do it?”

“It’s a bit of a hassle to manage it strictly, but I’ll do it. In return, try to accommodate any requests I have.”

“Leave it to me. That’s no problem for me. I’ll return to my country now. Farewell!”

The Demon King said this, flapped his cloak, and used a transfer spell to return to his country.