Chapter 96

"Basic form is good. When you release the arrow, your hand is slightly shaking, which is why your aim sometimes goes off."

"Ah, I see."

After causing such a commotion, no envoy from the Blauer family had yet arrived. With no choice, we continued to occupy and secure parts of the eastern territories while I spent my time idly at the headquarters of the Baumister Dukedom's army.

Thomas and the others were busy as military governors in the villages and towns they had declared occupied, and the nobles' territories they had conditionally released. Moritz was also busy helping the Count of Breichrader with the defense of the camp.

But we were quite idle. Occasionally, supplies and documents would come from our territory, but it seemed that I was not to be overburdened at this point. I had only received status reports from Roderich.

The territory was still short of manpower, but development was progressing smoothly.

After confirming and signing the documents, I would either practice magic or learn archery from Carla, who was now treated as a guest.

Honestly, I wanted to go hunting in the Demon Forest, but since it was wartime, I couldn't leave the headquarters, so I spent all my idle time on these activities.

Among us, Elise, who was serving as a temporary priest, was the busiest. There were occasional injuries from hunts for food and work, and sick people were a given.

Eina was training with spears between meal preparations, and Louise seemed to be free. She was teaching Vilma the basics of the martial arts.

"Wow, you're really talented..."

Vilma, who was often seen as a power fighter due to her hero syndrome, was actually quite dexterous. She was good at learning martial arts, and she had also learned knife throwing and archery from Carla, who praised her talent.

"But in return, you have no talent for commanding troops."

According to her real brother Moritz, Vilma had no talent for being a commander. She was excellent in power and martial arts, and the best use of her was as a bodyguard for me and Elise.

"Try not to release your magic all at once. Imagine the magic flowing as thin as a thread, as long as possible."

"Yes."

Katarina was receiving special magic training from Blanterac. Like me, she was inexperienced, so she was learning to control her magic for long periods every day. She was good at flashy magic, as befitting her nickname 'Storm.'

"Is this right?"

"You're getting better."

Katarina seemed to feel the improvement and was seriously taking Blanterac's guidance.

"It's getting closer to the center of the target."

"Good progress."

I had also improved my archery skills noticeably after just two or three days of instruction.

"But I was surprised. I didn't know you were good at archery as well as magic."

"My family is from that backwater."

As a child, I had tried to hide my magic and diligently practiced archery in case my magic ran out. I also felt that, in my family, "you had to be good with a bow."

"If you can't catch prey, you can't eat meat."

"I was the same."

Carla, whose mother's family in the capital was poor, had to hunt to get meat.

"Even so, it's uncomfortable to be a guest."

She was expecting a small allowance from the Count of Blauer, but she was treated as a nuisance by her grandparents, her uncle and aunt, and her cousins.

"Even so, I was treated as if I didn't exist in the Blauer family..."

Suddenly called to take care of her father, whom she didn't like, and even given the honorary position of general. Honestly, she wanted to return to the capital and live with her mother as soon as possible.

"Well, what can I say... I'll listen to your concerns..."

I didn't intend to marry her, but I couldn't help saying it when I saw a beautiful woman worrying. I think beautiful women have an advantage in society.

"Thank you."

After a while of practice, it was lunchtime, and Elise called us to eat. It was a peaceful lunch, thanks to my successful wide-area spell.

"I want to go hunting."

"Yeah..."

Eina's mutterings made not only me but also Elise, Katarina, and Carla react. According to Carla, when it comes to hunting, you want to go out and catch prey as soon as possible.

"Then, why don't you become an adventurer and go hunting in the Demon Forest, Lady Carla?"

"That's a good idea."

To El's invitation, which was hard to tell if it was serious or a joke, Carla responded with a smile.

"If I go with you, the risk will be much lower. Oh, by the way, I actually want to learn archery from you."

"Sure, no problem."

El then asked Carla to teach him archery, which was accepted without any issues. After lunch, El happily received archery lessons from Carla.

"You're quite good, Mr. Elwin."

"You can't beat Lady Carla. But, it's great that you're a good teacher."

El, praised for his archery skills by Carla, continued to chat with her with a relaxed smile.

"That idiot..."

"He's so obvious..."

Eina, who was watching from a distance with me, had noticed. El was in love with Carla.

"Let's see..."

Louise also joined to observe the two, and she quickly noticed as well, given their long acquaintance.

"El, you're completely smitten."

Louise, seeing El infatuated with the beautiful Carla, was genuinely disapproving. First, El had the job of being my bodyguard. While it wasn't necessary, Moritz had assigned subordinates to the camp, so there was no problem, but slacking off wasn't good.

"You're a much better teacher than Louise."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. Compared to you, Lady Carla is like 'the moon and the toad.'"

"That guy..."

Indeed, Carla was not only good at archery but also good at teaching. Louise, who was told she was bad at teaching by El, started sending sharp glances with a lowered voice.

But El, who was infatuated, didn't notice at all.

"Well, well. Louise, you're strong and cute (El is a fool!)."

To prevent Louise from hitting El, I gently hugged her from behind to calm her down.

"Martial arts and archery are different. I think you're cute, Louise, and I want to marry you. Ignore what others say."

"Is that so?"

It was a sweet compliment, but Louise's mood improved, and I was relieved.

"You can be quite silly."

"That's true. It's impossible anyway."

Katarina and Eina were also harsh. A vassal falling in love with a noble lady they were holding as a captive was acceptable in a story but a nuisance in reality.

"Is there any hope?"

From the outside, it was clear that El was infatuated with Carla. Despite being better-looking than me, his expression was so relaxed that he looked somewhat unattractive.

Katarina, who had always kept her distance from El, looked as if she was seeing something creepy, and Eina was calmly criticizing El for his inappropriate love.

As for me, what I was most concerned about was how Carla felt.

"In this situation, I don't think El is on her mind."

The youngest among us, Vilma, answered very calmly. She seemed to be knowledgeable about the nuances between men and women, even if she was inexperienced in romantic matters.

"Carla understands that her current treatment is favorable. That's why she responds to El's lecherous face with a smile."

Vilma, who rarely spoke at length, was quite harsh. In essence, Carla was treating El with social courtesy.

"Is that so? She doesn't seem to mind?"

"I think you're still too soft when it comes to women, Mr. Ver."

"That's harsh, Miss Vilma."

Vilma's comments made me feel a bit down.

"Regardless of Miss Vilma's harshness, it's a hopeless love."

Katarina was right. Even if she had been treated as an unwanted daughter, Carla was the daughter of the Count of Blauer. It was impossible for her to marry a vassal like El.

"Mr. Vendelin, shouldn't you wake up a bit?"

"Of course, it will end soon. Personally, I want to support him, but..."

As a noble, his position would become a burden.

"What do you think, Elise?"

"Me!"

Elise, who was unexpectedly peeking, seemed to be unnoticed by everyone except me.

"Elise, do you like this kind of thing?"

"Miss Louise, I do have some interest."

Elise, blushing while answering Louise's question, was quite cute.

"Carla was popular with men when she was in the capital."

Unlike Elise and Katarina, Carla, with her transparent beauty, was quite my type. Her face was a bit plain, but as a former Japanese, she reminded me of a nostalgic beauty.

"She's beautiful, has a good figure, and is good at cooking."

"Carla also studied housework seriously at the church before returning to the Blauer family."

Due to her family's financial situation, she helped with meal preparations and other tasks, which she did efficiently.

Naturally, she caught the attention of many men, but when they learned about her background, they hesitated. This continued, and there were few men around her.

"Is it because of the status difference that you don't want to make the Count of Blauer your enemy?"

"Yes."

"I understand that, but is there any hope for El?"

"No, I don't think so..."

Elise, who had been talking to Carla while cooking, learned that what Carla sought in a man was sincerity.

"Her father, the Count of Blauer, is the type of man she dislikes the most."

Seeing how her father treated her mother, it was difficult for her to have a favorable view of the Count of Blauer.

"El is..."

El, who had learned about women from Blanterac, might be seen as lacking sincerity. There were many women in our camp, and while Moritz and the others tried to avoid such topics, women were sensitive to such gossip.

El, in his special position, tried to fit in with the other vassals by drinking and engaging in vulgar talk, which Carla had noticed.

"Moritz is a materialist."

"All men are like that to some extent!"

El might have been seen as similar to a certain brother, who was treated as a nuisance by his sister and was in a half-crying state.

"What's with that guy? He looks so relaxed."

Blanterac also appeared, observing El's lack of seriousness with a sigh.

"He's in love."

"Poor