Chapter 6: The Hidden Master Archer

With a mind of its own, the system lit up silently.

[Dragon Maiden Safiya]

[Level 35, Strength 25, Agility 25, Intelligence 30, Charm 30.]

[Bow and crossbow weapon proficiency: 200.]

[Skills: Archery 5, Mounted Archery 5, Riding 5]

[Attention! Only your own attributes can be trained. The attributes of others remain fixed and unchangeable.]

[Assessment: It appears that the one more suited to wielding bowls and chopsticks is actually you.]

‘Damn! Safiya is even stronger than I am!’ Draxel realized in disbelief, looking at the text.

“Draxel, do you have a bow and arrows? I forgot to get them from Rollins. If you can procure them, perhaps I could offer some assistance.”

Draxel’s mind registered a flash of realization that the bow he had seen in the Abyssal Mountains must have been Safiya’s cherished possession. 

“I believe I have one for you,” he said with a decisive tone. “Just wait a moment.” 

Internally engaging with the system, Draxel accessed the weapons shop interface.

[Purchased a standard nomad bow, a quiver of standard arrows, and standard leather gloves.]

[Subtracting the cost of recent food purchases, you have 1200 Denars left.]

“Take these, my fair lady. The gloves are an extra gift from me. Make sure you don’t scratch yourself.”

“You surprise me, Count. You’re quite thoughtful and caring.”

Receiving the gear and slipping on the gloves, a subtle excitement stirred within Safiya.

“It seems the surprise is on me. I remember when we first met, you were frantically running scared, and yet, here you are, an exceptional archer.”

Suddenly, Safiya’s face blushed with a shy radiance. “Well, I, I… You can be so annoying!”

As the pair engaged in playful banter, Owens found no joy in the scene, overseeing his four novices shivering with trepidation.

“My Lord, please focus. This is a battlefield,” Owens solemnly reminded.

In the blink of an eye, Safiya drew her bow to its full span and released an arrow with a swift ‘Swoosh!’ sound. The projectile darted like a cheetah, striking true into the heart of a forest bandit.

[Shared gain: 100 experience points awarded.]

“Owens, you don’t need to be scared anymore, hehe,” Safiya gloated, her face a picture of arrogant delight, her laughter a ringing bell of joy.

‘I really did meet a good girl, thank you, system,’ Draxel couldn’t help but mentally thank the system for encountering such an adept young woman.

[Random Reward: +1 to Charm]

[Evaluation:  Knowing to thank me. Here’s a generous reward for your gratitude.]

A comforting warmth spread throughout Draxel, leaving him feeling inexplicably more handsome and suave.

‘It actually works like this? System, you are truly benevolent. My thanks, thank you very much–’

[Shut up.]

‘Understood.’

Safiya’s arrow, swift and precise, had not only claimed the life of a bandit but had also pierced through the gloom of despondency that hung over Draxel’s men. 

“Thank you, the charming and lovely Miss Safiya. Might we request a few more of those ‘swooshes’?” he asked, hoping for a repeat performance.

“Hey, Count, you don’t hold back with requests, do you? Luckily for you, I’m in a good mood, so I’ll protect you for now. But remember, you owe me a protection fee later.”

Draxel pondered in silence, ‘What a fine thing it would be to take such a valiant beauty for a wife instead of employing her, what a foolish girl you are.’

His daydream, however, was abruptly interrupted by the system’s icy update.

[I neglected to mention the hiring fees.]

[For Dragon Maiden Safiya, the weekly hiring fee is 350 Denars.]

[For a Swadian recruit, the weekly hiring fee per person is 10 Denars.]

[For a Swadian soldier, the weekly hiring fee per person is 20 Denars.]

[Evaluation: Perhaps she should be the lord, you don’t quite have the knack for it.]

Draxel couldn’t help but curse inwardly at the system’s blunt assertion, ‘Damn, this is daylight robbery!’

The journey to supremacy, the road to becoming a lord, was proving to be far from the leisurely ascent Draxel had imagined. Financial ruin seemed just around the corner.

However, for Draxel, such concerns had to be momentarily cast aside as he found himself amid the throes of battle.

Owens, embodying the spirit of leadership, courageously led four new recruits in a charge against the forest bandits, engaging in a brutal skirmish.

Draxel, spurred on by the scene before him, felt a rush of adrenaline. He clenched his fists in anticipation, ready to dive into combat himself.

“Safiya, look after yourself. I’m joining the fight.”

With nimble grace and swift strides, Draxel charged into the melee. He fell into his familiar rhythm of parry and thrust, interspersed with the brutal use of elbows, knees, and kicks, felling enemy after enemy.

Safiya kept her focus on the bandits attempting to flank Draxel, her arrows finding their marks with lethal efficiency and saving Draxel from potentially being stabbed in the back.

The scales of battle swiftly tipped to their favor, culminating in yet another resounding victory for Draxel.

[You have gained 2000 character experience points and have leveled up.]

[Reputation +10, Denars +200, one Swadian soldier ready for promotion.]

[Current character status: Draxel]

[Level 31, Strength 21, Agility 21, Intelligence 21, Charm 22, Prestige 25, Honor 1, Denars 1400.]

Aside from the soldier’s upgrade, all these stats brought satisfaction to Draxel.

‘Time to upgrade,’ he thought to himself.

[Upgrade successful, 1350 Denars now remain.]

Owens had become a veteran Swadian soldier, his fate seemingly sealed on the path to knighthood. Once a troop type was upgraded, there was no turning back. The hierarchy of military classes was eternally unchangeable.

Draxel observed Owens, now more robust and better equipped, clad in armor with armguards affixed, an embodiment of martial prowess.

As Draxel admired the finely crafted longsword and the keen, elongated spear wielded by his warrior, he couldn’t help but picture Owens as a fearsome Swadian Iron Knight in the days to come. Nevertheless, he spared no one from his exacting standards, believing firmly that leniency bred defeat.

“Damn it, Owens, why haven’t those four shown any progress?”

“My valiant lord, you fight with such prowess that they scarcely find an opportunity to strike the enemy,” came the response.

“I do not need your flattery. In the next battle, I expect to see improvement from those four, or it shall be on your punishment. Understood?”

“By your command, my lord.”

Safiya bristled at the autocratic tone and rigid stance. “Draxel, you’re too harsh, you lack compassion. These are your faithful servants!”

“Because they are faithful, I press them for quick improvement. They may fall in battle if they do not progress. We defeated our foes today, but can we always be so fortunate? Facing stronger opponents, I need them to protect you and themselves.”

His delivery was stern, yet Safiya felt the underlying concern and gentleness he held for her, and the protective hope for his loyal subordinates. With this understanding, she tempered her emotions and held her tongue.

‘After all, he is an esteemed Count, a lord of the Kingdom of Swadia. How could he be anything but aloof? Maybe like other men of power and riches, his mind is preoccupied with his lands and prestige, leaving little room for sentiments,’ These thoughts weighed on Safiya’s heart.

[Your friendliness with Safiya has decreased by 10, currently standing at 40.]

[Be advised! If friendliness reaches 0, special characters may leave your company.]