BXBX NOVEL Chapter 58: Connections (2)
Ingrid could have imagined Jake's happiness upon seeing other archers and getting to know them, only for that group to kick him away because of one failure!
As his master, Ingrid wanted to speak with those teenagers, but she understood she would be fanning the flames with that move.
Jake smiled, "I wanted to get a cop of a recurve bow before crafting it… I haven't had time to get other subclasses yet. Since you say I'm ready for it, I can't wait to craft it, though!"
"Of course you are ready for it," Ingrid automatically replied, lost in thought. It was rare to see her thinking so much, but unlike the archery, she was considering many options now, so she could not provide an immediate answer to her pupil.
Jake remained by her side.
He wanted to tell her he could try the bow on monsters outside the capital, as those were low-level monsters good enough to threaten newbies like him.
It'd be rude to disturb his master now, though.
Ingrid's eyes gleamed then, "Let's get you your own training ground. Follow me."
"Huh? Wait, Master!" Jake belatedly reacted as Ingrid acted faster than her voice. He ran after her and ended up tracing her shadow past the capital's colossal walls, walking to the Last Night's outskirts.
They went through the moat beneath which the raging water mixed with mana raged. Ahead of the thoroughfare were hills where poorer people grew their crops.
Their houses were wooden, not because they were poor, but because they had been built there in less than ten months.
"Ten months? It sounds like the players' arrival caused it," Jake said as Ingrid explained the storyline behind the villagers' circumstances.
Ingrid nodded, "See the forest behind them? It's been animated since players could come to this world. For us, it's a mere leveling ground for newbies like you, but villagers had no means to survive in that forest. The empire relocated them to the capital's feet, saving their lives.
If you venture to the forest to level up, pick up two quests first—Newbie Hunter Quest #1 and Newbie Gathering Quest #3."
"Are those quests from the statues?" Jake asked.
Ingrid's eyes flicked with bright light, and she shook her head, "No. Those are military quests from the empire."
"Great!" Jake replied before musing aloud, "Are we going to the forest now?"
Although they had stepped off the main road, Jake and Ingrid were heading toward another cluster of trees. The difference was that those trees were much taller and rose straight like a man-made wall.
Once closer, Jake could see many batches of those trees, each belonging to different people.
Ingrid went past various one-story wooden houses before stopping in front of the shabby one.
She knocked on the door.
A minute later, a broad-shouldered man with raw stubble opened the door. He wore a green tank top and short pants, sporting his thick muscles. He appeared to be in his early thirties.
"You need wood?" he asked.
"It's me," Ingrid said.
She and the man stared into each other's eyes for a few seconds before the man clicked his tongue and invited Jake and Ingrid into his workshop.
Behind the door, the interior unfolded before Jake, similar to a typical garage. Many tools and medieval machines, enhanced with magic for woodcraft, were strewn around. The smell of wood was so pungent that Jake momentarily couldn't inhale and needed to smell his hand instead.
There wasn't a wall on the other end of the workplace. Instead, the lack of it opened a view to a vista of unique trees standing tall and erect. One of them rested on the others, its feet cut.
'Woodman?' Jake thought.
Ingrid snatched his attention, then.
She said, "This man is Viktor Asta Bow, the imperial master of archery."
"Excuse me?" Jake asked. "Did you just say he's the royalty, Master?"
Viktor yawned, "Spare me your surprises."
Ingrid ignored him and explained to Jake, "The Warmonger Empire's royal lineage is heavily invested in strength. In the far past, the emperor got himself two football teams and passed each descendant a weapon."
Viktor scratched the back of his head, "Football team?"
Ingrid carried on, "Each descendant was given a royal mission to master their weapon. The strongest descendant, regardless of age and gender, would take over the throne. The rest would create their own households and train offspring for the second royal mission. That's more or less how the succession to the throne goes in The Warmonger Empire.
Viktor's household held the throne five times until the golden era of magic dawned on the world."
Jake looked at the man and gave him a slight bow, "I'm honored to meet you! I'm Archer!"
"What a surprise," Viktor said listlessly. He sank into his wooden chair and glared at Ingrid, his head resting on his palm. She knew him, and for some reason, Viktor was also aware of her.
He had given her so much room that Jake really wanted to ask again about Ingrid's first character. Alas, she wouldn't tell him.
"I want to leave Archer in your care," Ingrid said. "He can't currently go to the training ground, so he could use your area of trees to practice his archery. I think you can fetch one of those effigies here without any problem."
Viktor narrowed his eyes, "You only have one favor from me. Do you understand it?"
"I do," Ingrid replied instantaneously. "That's why I want to leave him in your care and have you teach him your woodman and fletcher subclasses, besides renting your spot."
"You could literally get into the royal household through me, yet you want me to take care of your pupil? Reconsider," Viktor pressed Ingrid.
She, however, wore an aloof mask on her face.
Any familiarity with the man Ingrid had vanished from her expression, leaving only a cold stare.
Just like she could shoo away her peers during her school days with this countenance, so Ingrid could impact the imperial descendant with it.
Viktor waved his hand, "Archer, was it?"
"Yes," Jake nodded.
"I hate complaints the most."
"Understood."