Second Arc: Thirtieth Chapter

Brand-new silk caught the wind and fluttered. The wind against my cheeks felt good, and I narrowed my eyes.

Riding sidesaddle is very elegant, but it's terribly unstable, and putting on any speed brings out a certain fear. On that count, sitting astride and facing forward heightens the sense of oneness with the horse and makes it far easier to pick up speed. My newly made boots had settled just right against my feet, and the dress, built for freedom of movement, didn't hinder my riding in the least; in fine spirits, I sent my horse racing across the grassland.

As I savored the joy of riding for a while, a voice called from far off.

"It went that way!"

"R-right! …Nngh."

Having the quarry's whereabouts pointed out to me by that voice, I drew the bowstring taut toward a shadow that looked like an animal, flickering in and out of sight among the grass.

Mmf… this is hard!

My fingers on the bowstring trembled, and the nocked arrow bobbed and wobbled with the horse's every movement — there wasn't the faintest sign of my aim steadying.

"Take thaaat!"

The all-out arrow I loosed with that cry went boing-ing straight up into the air. As I watched it, mouth agape, a "Whoa" came from a little way ahead.

"C-Cosette… that's dangerous. Shoot the arrow forward, not up, would you."

"…Soorry… you're not hurt?"

Georg, holding the arrow I'd just loosed, came ambling over on his horse, clip-clop. I felt bad about it, but I honestly couldn't tell why it kept flying upward myself.

Because my arrows, going who-knows-where, were so dangerous, the King and the rest of the royal family were watching us from a good distance away. The nobles fond of hunting had spread themselves out around us — it was one of them who'd told me where the quarry had gone just now.

"Hmm, that's weird…"

Taking the arrow back from Georg, I flexed the hand holding the bow and tilted my head. Believe it or not, I'd lately been secretly practicing archery under Georg's tutelage. For the truth is, Georg's archery is second to none.

"Like I told you before, right? You go whip, pull it back like this, gwoon, and then flick, and it goes bwoing and — shoop, like that."

"W-wait a second. Um, so you go gwiiin, then whip, then boing, and — what now?"

"No, no. You go bam, and pull here gwiiin, and then boom—"

Even as he explained, in one flowing motion Georg loosed an arrow that flew off high into the sky… and then, the very next moment, came falling back down together with a bird that let out a squawking "Kweh!"

"Ooh~! Georg, amazing!"

When I gave him a round of applause, Georg rubbed under his nose with a smug "heh" and puffed out his chest proudly.

"Yeah! You give it a go too, Cosette!"

"Right! Um, so I go whip, then gwiiin…"

Checking Georg's instructions as I went, I put my strength into drawing the bow taut once more. My hands were shaking again, but I took aim as best I could.

"And… now!"

Bwoooooing.

"Whoaa!"

The arrow I loosed shot off vigorously behind me and stuck fast in Georg's shoe.

"…………Sorry."

"…………Yeah."

Falling silent after that, the two of us gazed at each other wordlessly for a while.

Strange. Why, when I'm facing forward, does the arrow fly backward? It defies understanding.

"It defies understanding."

Just then, words that might have read my very mind came from close by. When I whirled around, there stood His Majesty the King and Knight Commander Reineed, difficult expressions on their faces, hands to their chins, heads tilted.

"Why, Your Majesty. It's not my place to say so myself, but it's dangerous here. There's no telling when a stray arrow might strike."

At my grave words, Georg nodded along, mm, mm. Turning a stern look on him, Knight Commander Reineed suddenly seized Georg by the scruff of the neck and, without any warning, brought a fist down on his head.

THWACK!

Georg's horse startled and stumbled, but Knight Commander Reineed swiftly drew his own horse alongside and, working the reins, settled it.

"Gah?! That huuurt! F-Father! What was that for, all of a sudden!"

"Quiet! I've been listening this whole time, and what in blazes is that way of teaching?! It makes no sense whatsoever! Woman or no, of course she can't do it!"

"Ehh… you think so…?"

"I do! Look, the way you draw a bow is you go gwiiin, and whip here, and then gwah—"

Let me say it plainly. It's exactly the same.

As I gazed vacantly at the two of them, thinking, so father and son really do take after each other, the King — still wearing his difficult expression — spoke to me.

"Lady Cosette. Why is it that your arrows fly to the rear?"

To the King's earnest expression, I answered with a look of grave sorrow.

"I haven't the slightest idea. It's a mystery even to me."

"Mmph…"

"Riding is a joy, and I practiced archery a great deal, and yet…"

I really had practiced almost every day. I'd hit a stationary target, and had been sure I could hunt as well. Shooting arrows while on horseback was harder than I'd expected. I regretted that, for lack of time, I hadn't practiced shooting from the saddle.

Perhaps taking pity on my dejection, the King patted me on the shoulder in consolation.

"…Don't be so downcast. It isn't taking the quarry that matters. What matters is enjoying the hunt. …Hunting is a pleasure, is it not?"

"Yes, it is!"

I smiled back at the gently smiling King. It was, without a doubt, a pleasure. Even in my past life, my grandfather used to say the same: fishing, he'd say, is about enjoying the process of fishing. Fishing and hunting may be different things, but enjoying it that way is a specialty of specialties for me.

"…Heh. You truly do look to be enjoying yourself. Cutting through the wind, chasing the quarry, racing your horse. I never thought there'd be a lady who understood this pleasure. …Your attire is a splendid thing."

"…Yes! Thank you very much!"

After that, the King himself instructed me in how to shoot, and my arrows somehow began to fly forward. Sadly I couldn't take any quarry, but while I was practicing, Georg and Knight Commander Reineed had brought in a tremendous amount of game.

"Ha-haa! Georg! You've a long way to go yet!"

"Tch! I told you that one was mine! No fair!"

"First come, first served! There — there — there — there — there!"

"Like hell I'll lose—!"

"Will you two stop—?! You'll clear out every animal in the place!"

…In the end the King, in a towering rage, was shooting arrows at the Reineed father and son — but I decided I hadn't seen that.