Hunting in the Mountains

There were still several days left before Xilutaiya was due back at Madame Falan's estate to tend the fields. One afternoon, after finishing her tutoring session with Mick, Kailun, and Lei, she picked up a bow and arrows to practice on her own. With no chance to display her swordsmanship openly, archery had become a fine alternative. Over the past month of intermittent practice, her skill with a bow had steadily reached a respectable level. [Basic Archery Lv. 3]: Basic techniques for using bows and arrows; a ranged combat skill. (Progress: 342/900) *Whoosh!* Another arrow shot forth, striking true in the bullseye sixty meters away. ('Basic Archery' proficiency +1) Unlike swordsmanship, archery seemed to rely more heavily on intuitive reflexes and muscle memory, making her progress somewhat slower. "Amazing! Tiya, your archery is almost catching up to Kailun's now," Kemiya said, clapping. "I'm still not as good as Sister Kailun," Xilutaiya replied modestly. "Your marksmanship is already quite impressive," Kailun suggested. "Still, when you have time, you might want to head into the mountains to practice on moving rabbits or birds. You'll improve much faster that way." "Is that so?" Xilutaiya mused. It was not just archery; her swordsmanship also needed real combat to be honed. "Tomorrow is our day off. Kailun, would you like to come with me?" "Of course." Kailun nodded; she had already been considering a similar outing. "Then I'm coming too!" Kemiya chimed in, unwilling to be left behind. "Count me in." Mick walked over upon overhearing them. "If you run into any danger, I can be of plenty of help." In his view, a group consisting solely of girls venturing out was far too risky. "Me too," Lei rumbled as he stepped up. "All right, then." It seemed a five-person excursion was unavoidable. After a moment's thought, Xilutaiya decided there was little need to keep hiding her skills indefinitely anyway. Besides, the four of them were trustworthy friends; she would simply ask them to keep it a secret when the time came. At present, her various skills stood at [Basic Swordsmanship Lv. 4], [Military Swordsmanship Lv. 4], [Basic Archery Lv. 3], [Basic Spearmanship Lv. 4], [Secret History Knowledge Lv. 5], and [Gardening Skill Lv. 4]. Her combat-related skills all required practical experience to achieve a breakthrough. With their plans settled for the following day, everyone grew excited. Kemiya babbled endlessly about what they should pack. "A picnic basket, water, food, gauze, and medicine for emergencies..." she counted off. "There's no need to make it so complicated," Kailun could not help but interrupt. "We're going hunting, not having a picnic. Carrying too much will only slow us down." "Aw, really?" Kemiya said, disappointed. "I'll... carry it." Lei thumped his chest with a fist, letting out a deep, resonant voice. "See? Lei agreed to carry it for us, so it won't be a problem at all!" Kemiya raised her hand triumphantly. At that, Kailun could only shake her head with a wry smile and concede. *** Early the next morning, the well-prepared group assembled at the city gate of Burnt Stone City. "Tiya, you brought quite a bit of gear too!" Kemiya looked curiously at the dark-haired girl. Today, Xilutaiya wore a short black skirt and tunic designed for ease of movement, revealing a touch of her fair, healthy thighs, paired with over-the-knee black stockings to keep out the chill of late autumn. Up top, she wore a tailored, long-sleeved hunting coat, cinched at the waist by a snug leather corset that not only held her quiver and short sword, but also offered a measure of protection. Holding a longbow in one hand, her black hair drifting softly in the breeze, her posture was light and nimble—like an elf stepping straight out of a primeval forest. "Wow, Tiya, your charm is off the charts today!" Kemiya squealed in delight, while the others stared at her with wide, astonished eyes. Having everyone's gaze converge upon her made Xilutaiya slightly self-conscious, especially since the short skirt felt a little cool and airy. "Come on, stop staring," she urged helplessly, prodding them into motion. "All right, all right! Tee-hee! If we keep staring at Tiya, she's going to turn red," Kemiya giggled behind her hand, clearly aware of the girl's embarrassment. Leaving Burnt Stone City behind, they reached the wooded hills several li outside the walls. Morning dew still clung to the grass, and the crisp air was wonderfully refreshing. Kailun took the lead, followed closely by Mick; both were seasoned hunters. The other three trailed behind them: Xilutaiya kept watch with her bow in hand, Lei bore the heavy packs, and Kemiya hopped along, looking left and right to keep the mood lively. The journey was far from dull. Along the way, they chatted about recent amusing happenings. Occasionally, Xilutaiya paused to forage medicinal herbs and wild mushrooms by the roadside, placing them into the basket Kemiya carried. Large beasts were rare in the vicinity of Burnt Stone City. Even when one appeared, local hunters usually cleared it away to safeguard traveling merchants and pedestrians. True enough, they encountered no large creatures along the road, only small hares and forest falcons. "There's a rabbit over there, Tiya!" Kemiya whispered an alert. "Mm." Xilutaiya had already nocked an arrow. Her posture was textbook, her expression entirely focused. Almost the instant she reached full draw, the arrow loosed, pinning the frantically fleeing rabbit to the grass. ('Basic Archery' proficiency +6) "A hit on the first try! That was amazing!" Kemiya turned into an instant fan, cheering loudly, while Kailun, who had prepared to loose a follow-up shot, lowered her bow. Had Xilutaiya missed, Kailun would have taken the shot to ensure the quarry did not escape—a standard practice of mutual cover among hunters. Mick waded through ankle-deep grass, retrieved the rabbit along with the arrow, and brought it back. "Not bad. We have meat for dinner tonight." He gave the gray rabbit a gentle shake, grinning broadly. "Let's keep going and find more game for Tiya to practice on." Though all five were out together, everyone deliberately made opportunities for Xilutaiya to practice her archery, keeping watch and offering pointers to protect her from mishaps. Being cared for and looked after in this way felt a bit unfamiliar to Xilutaiya, yet it brought a quiet warmth to her heart. Neither Mick nor Kailun lacked hunting experience, nor did they need this single outing to hone their skills. But since this was likely Xilutaiya's first time hunting in the mountains, they naturally wanted to take extra care of her. She was usually the one tutoring them in their studies; being able to return the favor today filled them with satisfaction. Following the mountain trail deeper into the forest, Xilutaiya grew increasingly adept with her bow. Regulating her breath with the Breathing Method allowed her to maintain her stamina in prime condition. This real combat practice provided her with fresh insights into archery, breathing techniques, and wilderness tracking alike. Indeed, practical combat was the fastest path to improvement; her 'Basic Archery' was steadily approaching the threshold of a breakthrough. In the afternoon, the party found a clearing in the woods to take a brief rest. "Finally, a break!" Kemiya flopped down onto a rock, her legs feeling like jelly, not wanting to move an inch. Among the five, she was the only one who did not know the Breathing Method, placing her dead last in strength and endurance. That she had managed to walk this far was largely thanks to her naturally lively, active nature. The others could not help but smile at the sight. Rather than urging her to get up, they first scouted the perimeter before returning to sit down. "I think we have an animal pelt in the pack we can lay out," Kailun mentioned. Rocks were scarce in the forest, and sitting directly on the ground invited all manner of crawling insects. Besides, it was time to eat. "Right." Lei swung down the massive pack from his back. Kailun opened it, pulled out a rolled-up pelt, and spread it across the grass. The group gathered around it, easing their fatigue. "Aren't you tired, Tiya?" Kailun was genuinely curious. The dark-haired girl seemed to possess even greater stamina than herself, showing not a bead of sweat, her movements as light and effortless as when they had first entered the mountains. *Could Tiya really have elven blood?* The thought suddenly crossed Kailun's mind, though unfortunately, Xilutaiya lacked the pointed ears characteristic of elves. "Not yet." Setting her longbow aside, Xilutaiya knelt gracefully on the mat. After a moment's consideration, she took off the glasses she always wore and set them down. Without them, her striking figure was complemented by her exquisite facial features, drawing another round of amazed looks from her companions. "I swear, Tiya just keeps getting prettier," Kemiya said, voicing what everyone was thinking. The others nodded in agreement, though seeing the girl's shy, flustered expression, they found her endearing and decided not to tease her further. "What's to eat? I'm starving," Mick said, glancing toward the cloth-covered picnic basket. "Right, food!" Kemiya pulled back the napkin, revealing its contents. The picnic fare had been prepared by Kemiya's mother: meat pies, bread, smoked sausage, and two bottles of beer. Clean drinking water was hard to come by in the wilderness, whereas alcohol kept far better and was clean, as the fermentation process killed bacteria. "Blessings upon this meal," Mick muttered a quick word of thanks before seizing a meat pie and ravenously taking a bite. The pie was filled with dried fruit and diced vegetables, offering balanced nourishment alongside the savory crust. As they ate, the conversation turned to conditions in the mountains. "I didn't see any wolf tracks along the way," Xilutaiya remarked, recalling the path. "That's because the Hunter Guild in the city clears them out regularly," Kailun explained between bites of bread. "Burnt Stone City is Lord Xuefeng's personal demesne and seat of residence, as well as a trade hub for the surrounding villages and towns. Safety is paramount, so the local Hunter Guild is obligated to sweep the surrounding wilderness. If they do a good job, they're exempted from paying extra taxes to the lord." She was well-versed in the affairs of hunters. "Ah, that makes it a little dull," Mick said. He had been hoping to encounter something larger to test the fruits of his recent training. Like Xilutaiya, he had spent the past month studying and training under Scholar Haide, with no opportunities to take on adventuring commissions or properly gauge his own progress. "Isn't it better to be safe?" Kemiya asked, puzzled by his complaint. Once they finished eating, Kemiya produced five wooden cups and poured beer into each one. "Phew! That hits the spot!" Mick took a hearty swig, nearly draining his cup in one go. Xilutaiya, on the other hand, drank slowly, savoring the subtle maltiness on the tip of her tongue. Birds chirped pleasantly in the mountains, and a cool late-autumn breeze drifted past, bringing a sense of pure contentment. Even without any big game, having a picnic out here was a delight in itself.