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Childhood

008. Return And Report




Thinking that it was a little too early to return, I spent some time practicing my throwing skills and picking wildflowers in the forest near the village. The cool morning air of the forest feels like it's cleansing my body as it passes through my nose. I was tempted to catch something, but I gave up the idea because it would become luggage and, unlike wildflowers, it's not easy to carry. 


I entered the village gate before noon and headed straight for my parents' house. At my parents' house, in addition to my entire family, Wolf and the Village Chief were also there. They had been waiting for my return since the morning. I felt bad that I had wasted so much time, but I couldn't help myself. 


"So, how did it go?"


The Village Chief spoke up on behalf of the others.


"Yes, I received a <Grace> called <Move>."


"<Move>?"


[T/N: Same reasoning as last time. 移動 could mean "movement; transfer; migration; removal; travel", and I used <Move> here since it fits the context. Basically, although I'll be using them interchangeably, they're the same thing!]


Several voices sounded together. They all looked surprised.


"It's not archery or something?"


"No, it's <Move>."


I don't know why my father made such an assumption, but I answered honestly, there was nothing I could do about it.


Luca then told them about how he competed with a soldier to see how fast he was because of his Grace being called <Move>.


"I lost."


"Yeah, but he's a young soldier on active duty, so it's a foul."


"...... True, they're a soldier."


My parents, for some reason, were in a hurry to follow up about the matter. But I didn't really care about it though.


"The word 'move' is a very broad term. You can't tell a Grace's true value just from a short-distance run alone. In fact, Luca has mastered a whole range of skills when it comes to hiking in the mountains."


Wolf gave my Father a keen look. His snort reminding me of a wild boar.


My Father agreed with Wolff, though he was a little intimidated. He was glad that it was a practical Grace! Everyone was happy. Though, I don't know if my brother was happy or not, since he didn't say a word.


After lunch, Luca returned to the cabin with Wolf.


"Don't be mad at Oscar."


On the way back, Wolf suddenly said something like this. Oscar is my Father's name.


"I'm not mad at him, why?"


"We're under the impression that because you were so good with the bow, your Grace specialized in archery."


Wolf laughed in spite of himself. His back muscles swayed (flexed) in front of Luca. Wolf is a big man with a robust physique. Although he should be over 50 years old, his muscles are well defined. Luca's father is also one of the tallest men in the village, but even so, he is only around Wolf's shoulders. Luca couldn't help but grin as he recalled his Father's pale face when Wolf glared at him.


"Was that the kind of glare you put on the eyes of your prey?"


"That's right."


"That's something I practiced in order to strike a big blow to my prey even before actually striking."


Speaking of, my archery was not a Grace. It was a skill that I honed from scratch under Wolf's guidance. The fact that my technique is stolen from Wolf's is at the root of it and is undeniable. Hence, I am not convinced that it is thanks to a Grace.


"Hahaha, they're so 'accurate.' It's no wonder you're misunderstood. The soldier who tested you should have had you draw a bow, not run a short distance. By then, they would have broken out in a cold sweat, realizing that they had almost missed their golden egg."


"Then they missed the golden egg entirely in the end anyways."


"What a pity." 


I rode along and simply took it as a joke, Wolf was in a surprisingly good mood.


We then went back to the mountains to hunt, soon two years passed.





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