Previously: At the night festival in the slums, the women secretly decided to compete for the right to confess to Zenos.
The night festival in the slums was underway, and with it, a hidden battle among the women for the right to confess their feelings to Zenos.
The first booth Zenos’s family and the demi-human leaders visited was the Lizardman’s booth.
“Could you lend me a bow?”
Zofia asked the Lizardman staff member.
The game was archery.
You aim at a target with a small bow and arrow, and the closer you get to the center, the higher your score. It seems that you compete for the total score after shooting three times.
“Eh, are you going to play too, boss?”
“Yeah, I have a reason why I can’t lose.”
Zofia nocked an arrow, took aim, and released. All three arrows struck the center of the target perfectly, eliciting a small cheer from the surrounding crowd.
“Hah, that’s about it.”
“Kuh, Ringa won’t lose.”
Ringa was next.
However, while two arrows hit the center, one missed. Ringa dropped to her knees in disappointment.
“Kuh…!”
“Hah hah hah, too bad, Ringa. I’m next.”
Reve stepped forward and drew the bow, but her strength was too great, and the string snapped.
“Nuh, what the…!”
“Oh dear, that’s too bad, Reve. You can’t shoot an arrow if the string is broken.”
“Pukuku. Reve gets 0 points. Quite a difference from Ringa.”
“What did you say?!”
Reve grabbed the arrows directly and threw them at the target. With a thunderous roar, two of them pierced straight through the center. The surrounding crowd gasped in astonishment at her brute strength.
“Kuh, you’re a persistent woman. But I’m in the lead!”
“Don’t be hasty. Ringa thinks the game is not over yet.”
“Yeah, I’ll turn this around in no time.”
Zofia struck a triumphant pose, while Ringa and Reve gritted their teeth in frustration.
“Why are those guys so desperate…?”
“Kukuku… I wonder why.”
Behind them, Zenos and Camilla stood with their arms crossed, as Lily nervously stepped forward.
“Li, Lily too.”
However, even when she drew the bow with all her might, the arrow didn’t reach the target.
“Mumu…!”
Lily clenched both fists, revealing her frustration.
“Lily, don’t you think it’s unnecessary for you to push yourself this far?”
“There is a battle there that I absolutely cannot lose…”
“Hey, are you listening?”
“…Sky, earth, hear the voice of the wind… All you particles of the atmosphere…”
Lily began muttering something. As she did, the surrounding air began to swirl slightly.
“Hou, wind magic. As expected of an elf, who is said to be born with vast magical power. Kukuku, things are heating up.”
“This is just a festival game, right…?”
Zenos retorted to Camilla, who grinned. With Lily’s incantation of “[Gust] (Wind),” the arrow she released, riding the wind, struck the center of the target.
*Sha!*
“Eh, Lily?”
“Hmph… not bad, Lily.”
“…I see. Lily may have been listening to Ringa and the others.”
“Hmph, if that’s the case, she’s our rival.”
The three demi-humans and one elf, under the gaze of the audience, cut through the air with their shoulders and headed for the next game booth.
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to win.”
“Ridiculous. Zenos-dono must want Ringa to win.”
“Hah, this is getting interesting.”
“Lily will not lose…”
“Lily, your way of speaking is strange?”
Left behind, Zenos was beside Camilla, who chuckled.
“Kukuku… I smell it. I smell it. The scent of a romantic comedy.”
“…No, what are you talking about…?”
A/N: I smell it…!