Thud.
Ryan’s arrow struck right in the center of the straw target.
“As expected of you, Ryan-niiue!”
Royce cheered happily, then shot Ren a smug look. Even though he wasn’t the one who fired the arrow, Ren wondered why he looked so proud, and simply shrugged.
“Having a skill really is amazing! …I should work harder on my earth magic too!”
With that, Royce ran off toward the back of the yard and began practicing his earth magic. He stretched both hands toward the ground, muttering something under his breath.
Ren watched him for a moment.
A faint, hazy light began to gather around Royce’s abdomen, swirling before slowly rising. It passed through his arms and flowed out from his fingertips.
(Is that… the flow of magic power?)
Ren shifted his gaze to Ryan, who was holding his bow.
A dim glow gathered along Ryan’s straightened back, then flowed to his shoulders, arms, bow—and even the arrow itself seemed faintly wrapped in light.
(Does it appear when you use a skill…? So it really is magic power…)
Ren looked down at his own palm.
Focusing, he summoned a “small box,” about the same size as the first one he had ever created. A faint light wrapped around his hand, and within it appeared a small box enveloped in a soft glow.
The light surrounding the box looked the same as the glow around his own palm—and the same as what he had seen on Royce and Ryan.
“Ah! Ren-niisan!”
At the sound of a young voice, Ren turned around.
The fifth son, Yuan, and the second daughter, Yona, were walking toward him with swords in hand. Yuan carried a slightly oversized wooden sword on his shoulder, while holding Yona’s hand. Yona dragged a thinner wooden sword behind her.
“Ren-niisan, what are you doing? …Huh? A bow?”
Yuan tilted his head curiously when he saw Ren carrying a bow and quiver.
“Ren-niisan, your skill wasn’t archery, was it…?”
“That’s right. They said it was a dud skill.”
The innocent words from his younger brother and sister pricked at Ren’s chest.
“Then why are you carrying a bow, Ren-niisan?”
“…Because bows are fun.”
“Really?”
Ren answered as if squeezing the words out, and Yuan blinked in surprise.
Yona tugged lightly at Yuan’s sleeve and whispered,
“…Hey, maybe I should try using a bow too…”
“What? No way!”
Yuan’s eyes widened, and he spoke more firmly.
“Father and Mother said we have to practice swordsmanship! They said this time we have to get the ‘Swordsmanship’ skill!”
Ren caught his breath at those words.
(…Ah, because I’m the ‘failure’…)
His mood sank.
He imagined a future where his younger siblings would gain proper, respectable skills next year, leaving him as the only odd one out in the family.
Now that he thought about it, Yuan and Yona used to ask him to read picture books to them all the time—but since they started sword training, they rarely came to the study anymore.
While it meant he could focus on his adventurer activities, it still felt a little lonely.
Thwack!
The sound of an arrow hitting the straw echoed sharply, and the air seemed to tense slightly.
“You’re being noisy. Didn’t you come here to train, Yuan and Yona?”
“Ah, yes!”
“I’m sorry, Ryan-niisama.”
Without even turning toward them, Ryan spoke in a cold tone while aiming his next shot. Sensing they were about to be scolded, Yuan and Yona hurriedly apologized and left.
Thwack!
Ryan released another arrow, not even glancing at the two as they ran off.
Ren watched his older brother’s back.
(Ryan-niiue is in a bad mood about something…?)
Thud.
From the far end of the yard, Royce kicked down a wall of earth he had created with earth magic.
Thud! Thud!
He kept kicking it apart repeatedly.
(Royce seems irritated too…)
After observing both Ryan and Royce, Ren lowered his gaze to the bow in his hands.
(I’ll stop training for today…)
“Well then, I’m heading back.”
He called out to them, but neither responded.
Without even looking at him, Ryan continued aiming his bow, while Royce began forming another wall of earth.
We don’t use ads!
If you enjoyed our translation, please consider buying us a cup…
Thanks!!!
Become a Patron!
We don’t use ads!
If you enjoyed our translation, please consider buying us a cup…
Thanks!!!
Become a Patron!