My gaze snapped towards the source of the sound, revealing a child sprawled on the ground.
Beside them, a large teddy bear hat, clearly meant for an adult, lay abandoned, rolling across the dusty festival floor.
A tell-tale trail of cotton stuffing, scattered liberally, suggested it had likely been pulled from a plush lion toy.
The child looked as if they were on the verge of a seizure, their small body trembling violently.
The reason for their terror was immediately apparent, Sir Chris’s formidable sword, with its menacing, zigzag-carved blade, was blocking their path, glinting ominously in the daylight.
“Don’t worry! Don’t worry!”
I quickly assured the child, my voice as soothing as I could make it.
Sir Chris, ever professional despite his unconventional attire, seemed to grasp the situation immediately.
He swiftly sheathed the sword he had drawn, making it disappear back into its scabbard with a barely audible click.
“S-sorry…! My child wasn’t looking where they were going…”
A voice filled with palpable fear emerged from behind the child.
The mother, having rushed to embrace her child, tenderly wiped away the streaming tears from the little one’s distressed face.
“Hiccup, sniffle…!”
The child’s sobs were heart-wrenching.
It became clear to me that the oversized hat had likely obscured the child’s vision.
That must have been why they had been running blindly, almost colliding with me.
‘Oh, dear. How frightened they must have been.’
My heart ached for the little one.
I knelt down in front of the child, who was still shedding fat, tear-like droplets the size of chicken droppings.
Their small faces were blotchy and red from crying.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
I asked gently, my voice soft and comforting.
The child looked at me through their swollen, reddened eyes, then slowly nodded.
“You must have been really surprised, right?”
I continued, trying to ease their fear.
“That big brother, well, he’s a very strong warrior! He can swing his sword faster than anyone, so just now, his sword appeared poof! right in front of your eyes, and no one else even saw it. Isn’t that amazing?”
I exaggerated the tale a bit, hoping to turn fear into wonder.
The child seemed to ponder my words for a moment, recalling the recent event.
Then, quite unexpectedly, they offered a piece of information that I hadn’t even asked for.
“I’m the biggest bear in the world.”
The words were spoken with a child’s unwavering conviction.
Could that be why their hat was so enormous?
A chuckle escaped my lips at the unique, uninhibited thought process of a child.
“Really? No wonder you look so cool!”
I responded, playing along with their imaginative assertion.
“…And what about you, Big Sister?” the child inquired, their gaze now shifting to my own disguised appearance.
“Me… well, I’m…”
A creature with a pig’s nose and a rabbit’s head.
It was truly difficult to explain.
I looked at the Emperor with a look of playful resentment, asking for help, and he simply shrugged, completely unconcerned by my plight.
“She loves to eat too much,” he offered, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“That’s why she’s a pig-rabbit.”
Fortunately, the child seemed to find his answer perfectly acceptable.
They giggled heartily, a bright, unrestrained sound that brought a sense of relief.
“What is that? A pig-rabbit, that’s so weird!”
The child burst into a fit of laughter, their worries momentarily forgotten.
After a long bout of giggling, the child seemed to calm down.
They brushed off their hands and stood up from the ground.
Then, with a surprisingly polite gesture, they gave us a small bow.
“From now on, I’ll look carefully where I’m going…” the child chirped, their voice trailing off as they began to walk away with their mother.
I waved goodbye to the departing child, but they suddenly halted their steps and ran back to me in a flurry of motion.
They extended a crumpled piece of paper they held tightly in their hand.
“I’m giving this to you, Big Sister!”
“What is this?”
I asked, taking the small, folded item.
“It’s a talisman! They said if you have this, the wolves won’t come to get you on the night of the full moon!”
His words were difficult to comprehend, a mix of folklore and childish fear.
However, seeing the child, who had been crying so sorrowfully just moments before, now smiling brightly and sweetly, I found it utterly adorable.
I gently accepted the talisman.
“Thank you. I’ll cherish it carefully.”
“Then see you next time!”
The child grasped their mother’s hand and skipped away.
Their characteristic giggling, so full of innocent joy, was truly endearing.
I watched them until they completely vanished from my sight before turning back to the Emperor.
“What do you think that means, ‘the wolves will come to get you’?”
I asked, puzzled by the child’s parting words and the superstition surrounding the full moon.
The Emperor glanced at the talisman I held, a faint flicker of recognition in his eyes, before he began his explanation.
“Beware of unfamiliar places. Be wary of guests who visit late at night. If you carelessly open your door, a scary wolf will come and take you away.”
“…Huh?”
My eyes widened in surprise, and the Emperor let out a soft, dismissive chuckle.
“Why so surprised? It’s just a superstition. And if you think about it, isn’t it perfectly logical?”
“Oh, now that you mention it…?”
“It’s probably meant to scare children into being careful.”
Even in Medderland, there were similar tales.
The most widely known was that Priyah, the sister of Briyah, the sheep beast-folk’s god, would visit naughty, disobedient children.
Unlike Briyah, who was a benevolent deity, her sister Priyah was an evil goddess.
It was said that Priyah would visit at night and snap off the horns of sleeping lambs.
‘How scared I was, thinking my horns would disappear if I woke up after hearing that story!’
A faint smile touched my lips as I recalled the days I spent sleeping with the blanket pulled over my head to protect my horns.
“Why are you suddenly laughing?” the Emperor asked, noticing my amusement.
“It’s nothing. I just realized how childish I used to be.”
As we continued walking, I spotted a stall far in the distance, surrounded by a large crowd.
A sign there promised magnificent prizes if you could hit a target with an arrow.
My curiosity piqued, I pricked up my ears, listening intently to the hawker’s enthusiastic cries.
“To the person who hits this target, we will give the twin daggers crafted by the legendary weaponsmith, Perello Krichel!”
At his booming announcement, the surrounding crowd began to murmur and chatter excitedly.
“Perello Krichel? Isn’t he a super famous artisan?”
“Right. They say swords made by Perello Krichel, the Rhino Beast-man, absolutely never break, no matter what happens.”
“But… how did that person get hold of such a precious item?”
Some people showed keen interest, while others immediately shook their heads, dismissing it as a scam.
Given these conflicting reactions, I turned to the Emperor.
“Do you think that’s true?” I asked.
“You won’t know until you hold the sword in your hand. However, the pattern carved into that blade does look like something old man Perello would have left.”
At the Emperor’s words, I took a closer look at the twin daggers.
Sure enough, there was a distinctive rhino horn shape carved into the hilt of the swords.
Seeing that instantly brought Perry to mind.
If it was such a rare and valuable item, I wanted to gift it to Perry, who was currently laid up in bed.
I imagined her delight when she woke up and discovered such a wonderful present.
“Should I give it a try?”
I asked, a spark of determination igniting within me.
“Do you even know how to shoot a bow?” he questioned, his voice skeptical.
“Hmm, I learned a very, very long time ago,” I admitted.
That was true.
My father, who was good at anything physical, had taught me how to shoot a bow.
However, my athletic sense was notoriously bad, so no matter what I learned, I never truly became proficient.
But perhaps, just perhaps, with a stroke of luck, I could succeed.
“Then, go ahead. I’ll pay for it.”
Just then, the Emperor’s permission came, much to my surprise.
I then looked at Sir Chris, who was standing beside us.
“Aren’t you going to join in, Sir Chris?”
“Oh, that sounds fun!” Sir Chris’s voice chimed in from beside me.
However, the Emperor’s reaction was as indifferent as I had expected.
***
“That thing doesn’t move. That kind of thing is boring,” Sir Chris declared, a dismissive wave of his hand accompanying the words.
His lion mask, though impressive, seemed to amplify his disdain for stationary targets.
“Really? Well, then there’s nothing we can do,” I replied, a touch of disappointment in my voice.
It was a shame, as I had hoped he might join in the fun.
As I approached the front of the stall, I saw it was packed with people eager to try their hand at archery.
Yet, despite their enthusiasm, arrow after arrow flew wide of the mark, consistently missing the target. Indeed, hitting the bullseye was practically impossible.
The target was nothing more than a tiny dot, barely visible, at the bottom of a feather stick. Striking such a minuscule mark required a level of skill that only a seasoned archer could possess.
“Ah, what a shame! The arrow just grazed past the flagpole!” the hawker cried out, his voice a practiced mix of feigned sympathy and encouragement.
I joined the line behind the other hopefuls, and before long, my turn arrived.
‘I can do this, Mayhen!’
I silently encouraged myself, a surge of nervous energy making my heart pound as if it would burst from my chest. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing pulse and compose myself.
It was in that exact moment, as I carefully drew back the bowstring, aiming with all the focus I could muster, that disaster struck.
Snap!
A sharp, brittle sound echoed, and with it, the bowstring suddenly snapped, completely severed.
“Huh…?”
I muttered, my eyes wide with disbelief.
The arrow, which had been aimed at the target with such precision moments before, soared wildly, carrying with it the very hat the game stall owner had been wearing.
It sailed far into the distance, a comical projectile.
Sir Chris, witnessing the spectacle, let out a hearty giggle, then burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“Wow, what incredible skill!” he managed to gasp between chuckles, his words laced with undeniable mockery.
I couldn’t hide my indignation at his sarcastic remark.
“That doesn’t count! It’s invalid! The perfectly fine bowstring suddenly snapped, I tell you!”
I protested, my voice tinged with frustration.
The stall owner, his head suddenly bare, rubbed his forehead with a wry, bitter expression.
However, he met my gaze with a firm, resolute voice.
“I’m sorry, but no. That still counts as having used your opportunity. Next customer, please!”
‘This is simply robbery!’
My heart churned with frustration, and I stomped my foot on the ground in a childish display of anger.
Just then, the Emperor, who had been silently observing the entire scene, stepped forward.
And then, he uttered something utterly unexpected.
“In that case, this time, I’ll take a turn.”
“Ah, confirmed the next participant! Please step this way!” the stall owner announced, his voice regaining its usual enthusiasm, clearly not wanting to lose a potential customer.
The Emperor calmly surveyed the assortment of bows laid out on the stall counter.
Unlike me, who had carelessly grabbed just any bow, he seemed to be meticulously examining each one, his eyes scanning for something specific.
Finally, he picked up a grimy, worn-out bow, clearly marked by the passage of time.
Its appearance was so unappealing that I would have absolutely never chosen it.
After selecting the bow, he casually picked up a single arrow from the quiver, holding it in his hand with an air of relaxed confidence.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile played on his lips.
“Your tricks are quite amateurish,” he murmured, his gaze fixed on the arrow.
With a deliberate motion, the Emperor pressed his thumb firmly against the tip of the arrowhead.
For a brief moment, I had the distinct impression that one of his forearms visibly bulged, the muscles tensing and swelling slightly beneath his black robe.
Crumble, crackle.
Within moments, the arrowhead, initially dull, became sharply pointed, molded by the sheer force of his hand.
Once he had finished this series of peculiar preparations, the Emperor looked directly at the stall owner and inquired, his voice calm and authoritative.
“There’s no rule, I presume, that states the game must be conducted by only one person, is there?”
“Uh, um, yes, that’s correct… but…?”
The stall owner stammered, clearly taken aback by the Emperor’s unusual question.
At that moment, the Emperor gestured towards me.
“Over here.”
“Me? Suddenly?”
I asked, surprised by his unexpected invitation.
“I’ll only teach you this one time, so listen and learn,” he commanded, his tone firm.
Before I could even give a proper answer, he had already pulled me tightly into his embrace.
My back was pressed flush against his chest, and his body, so close behind me, was strangely distracting.
Despite my heightened awareness of his proximity, the Emperor calmly placed the bow into my hands, his fingers guiding mine, and continued his instructions.
“You’re gripping the bow too tightly right now. Hold it more gently, with a softer touch.”
His voice, pleasant and low, resonated softly in my ear, a soothing melody that, ironically, sent my heart into a frantic, unfamiliar rhythm.
My pulse quickened, a frantic beat that had nothing to do with fear.
“L-like this?”
I stammered, trying to adjust my grip as he instructed.
“Yes. But your fourth finger on this side still looks unstable. Grip this as well.”
He gently took my hand, guiding my fingers into the correct position.
His fingers brushed against mine, a light, ticklish sensation that sent shivers through me.
It felt as though a breeze, though none was blowing, was stirring my heart.
“Imagine the target is a little lower than what your eyes perceive it to be.”
Every single one of my senses became acutely focused on him, on his every word, his every movement.
I found myself so deeply concentrated that, without realizing it, I had even forgotten to breathe.
“Yes, right now.”
At his signal, I released the bowstring, which I had been holding taut.
Thwack! With a sharp sound, the arrow flew powerfully through the air, and to my utter disbelief, it struck the exact center of the target.
I stared, wide-eyed, at the arrow.
Even though I was seeing it with my own eyes, I simply couldn’t believe it. I had actually managed to do it.
Overwhelmed with a surge of pure joy, I impulsively threw my arms around the Emperor, hugging him tightly.
“I succeeded, Allen! Thank you so much! It’s all thanks to you!”
It was only then that I became acutely aware of his body, stiff and rigid in my embrace.
Belatedly, the realization hit me, I had wrapped my arms around the Emperor, entirely without permission.
I quickly began to pull back, my face flushing with embarrassment, when suddenly, a chilling voice shattered the comfortable silence that had briefly enveloped us.
“I’m afraid… the two of you cannot take Perello Krichel’s daggers.”