1-Second Invincible Player in the Game

93. The Archer (2)

The Delsi family estate lay in a coastal village on the fringes of the realm.

A wretched location, devoid of trade routes, where fishing was the sole means of survival in such a destitute land.

Yet, the head of the Delsi family was a man of substance.

With exceptional strength, he toiled as a fisherman himself, cherishing his domain, earning the deep trust of the villagers, and possessing a knack for business that made life in this impoverished land more bearable than before.

In contrast, his son Limberton was…

“Tsk, tsk, I wish he had inherited even a fraction of my father’s traits.”

“Given the lack of fortune in his offspring, perhaps the name Delsi is cursed?”

Small in stature and frail, he lacked even the courage to stand tall.

He would weep at the mere barking of passing dogs, and though he was of noble blood, he was perpetually ostracized by the village children.

Yet, in his foolishness, he often sought the attention of women, only to be treated as a simpleton, and when he accompanied his father on the boat, he would display such a pitiful sight that he earned nothing but scorn.

Thus, his mother, Lady Rulren, had always raised Limberton with excessive care.

“Another hunt? I distinctly told you not to go, didn’t I?”

“But I must do something, I tell you.”

“Even so, look at your arms. A wild dog would come and gnaw on your bones.”

“Look at this arm. I’ve been learning archery, and it’s stronger than before.”

“Looks thinner than my fingers, doesn’t it?”

Of course, there was a bit of exaggeration, but it was indeed thinner than the plump wrists of Lady Rulren.

“But archery is safe. I can shoot from afar and run away if things go awry.”

“Look at your skin. Softer than a calf’s flesh, isn’t it? What will you do if you grip an arrow and it draws blood?”

And every time Limberton received such overprotection, he would throw his sibling under the bus.

“Mother, you’re being unfair. Selverton can go to the back mountain without a word. Why is it only me you treat this way, truly?”

Yet, he had to endure such remarks every time…

“Your brother takes after our father.”

Limberton’s brother was tall and had a pleasant disposition.

His looks were also commendable, receiving letters from girls with alarming frequency.

Limberton felt a mix of pride and bitterness; his younger brother’s success gnawed at his sense of self as the elder.

“…I swear, if I stay here any longer, I’ll lose my mind.”

“Honestly, I feel the same, brother. Every time father drags me along on the boat, it drives me mad. But still, it’s a relief.”

“A relief? How so?”

“I’m leaving this place. You’ll be the one to take the lord’s seat now.”

The brothers often engaged in a peculiar power struggle, both unwilling to inherit the barren land, yet the younger one was already gazing into the future.

Once he graduated from the academy and secured a position, their father would surely let him go without a fuss.

“…No way. You got in? To the academy?”

“Indeed. To Valyrian, the one I applied for.”

Limberton could never forget the shock of that day when he saw the acceptance letter his brother had presented.

“But what’s this? Did you apply somewhere else too?”

“Oh, this? It’s an invitation letter, I think? Frostheart or something… I felt it would be unlucky, so I planned to use it as kindling.”

“You’re throwing it away? If it’s useless, give it to me. I’ll go.”

Of course, it required a guardian’s signature, and Limberton’s father had grumbled over his son’s decision.

“…Frostheart? What kind of place is that? I’ve never even heard of it.”

“I don’t know either, but it’s an academy, after all. Please, grant me permission. Yes?”

“Kid, what if you decide to go? I’ll be the one dealing with your mother.”

“But if I stay here for life, my future is all too clear. If I don’t go out and find a girlfriend, I’ll die alone in misery!”

“If it’s a lady, then this father—”

“Last time you mentioned my name, they rejected me outright, didn’t they? There’s no girl in this region who wants to meet me!”

“Ahem. Fine, I understand. If that’s truly your wish.”

And that was how he came to be accepted into Frostheart.

Compared to others, it was a light and pitiful circumstance.

* * *

Limberton felt a twinge of regret over this choice.

Outwardly, he feigned ease, but inside, he was consumed by fear.

‘Now that I think about it, on the day of the third exam, I was planning to beg for my life when those Lethe b*stards swarmed in.’

If it weren’t for Asleiman, it would have been different.

Yet, why put on such airs?

Perhaps he had been influenced quite a bit over the past few months.

The reckless fool, whom I thought would never change, had transformed into a remarkable human, showcasing his prowess one after another in my absence.

Asleiman had fulfilled his role with tremendous strength, and the one who didn’t even know the imperial tongue had outperformed me in the written exam.

For some reason, it felt as if I was the only one standing still, while they surged ahead.

Limberton despised that.

As always, he loathed the thought of someone like me resigning to fate, and he didn’t want to crawl behind them, even if it meant trailing after their backs.

Perhaps it was after hearing those words that such thoughts began to stir within him.

—Limberton? I think you’re a splendid fellow. Even when you show a pitiful side, you still manage to do your part when it truly matters.

Hearing such a compliment about himself from another was a first.

And now was the time to do his part.

“But you lot, your skills with women leave much to be desired. So, shall I offer you a piece of advice?”

Limberton continued, gazing at the two who had seized Sila.

“Think of women as dragonflies. If you remain still, they might just come to you.”

Limberton nocked an arrow.

Luon stripped the sack from the head of the leader.

The three-headed wolf grimaced at the sudden burst of light.

At that moment, Limberton’s eyes widened.

“Huh?”

In an instant, his grip slackened, and his body stiffened.

Whoosh!

An arrow, still unaimed, flew off wildly.

Luon approached and spoke.

“Hm, judging by your reaction, I see you didn’t know.”

Limberton strained to squeeze out his voice.

“W-why is my body…?”

“When your eyes meet, paralysis sets in. But, thinking it over, it’s quite amusing, isn’t it? A marksman facing a creature he cannot see. Not a common sight.”

Limberton quickly shut his eyes.

The body began to move once more.

Then it scoffed.

“Is it paralysis when I meet its gaze?”

Then I shall simply look at its legs.

Yet the wolf lowered its left head, its eyes glinting with a fierce light.

It had turned its eyes into a shield, rendering it impossible to even glance.

Fwoosh!

The second arrow flew away, meaningless.

Roon opened his eyes, which he had kept shut.

“There are two chances left.”

The wolf, which had only been creeping closer, now charged with a growl.

As the leader, it was far swifter than the previous three-headed wolves.

Thud!

Limberton hurriedly closed his eyes, predicting the wolf’s range of movement from the last sight he had seen, and aimed his bow.

He released the bowstring.

The sound of the bow was still filled with despair.

Crack!

The third arrow lodged itself in the tree.

His arm ached.

It was precisely because he had brought a bow with strong tension that he couldn’t even be sure if he could draw the string properly, let alone hit anything.

‘What am I to do?’

The approaching wolf did not wait for an answer.

Tatata!

Limberton shifted his thoughts.

In truth, it would be easier to hit if it were closer.

And even if the power was weak, at close range, it would surely penetrate.

‘Yes, this is the only way.’

Limberton squeezed every ounce of strength to pull the string back.

The bowstring was drawn halfway.

It was the moment when he closed his eyes, betting everything on timing.

“Erra! I don’t know!!”

-Then how shall the heart be aligned?

A voice that resonated deep within the chest.

And the sensation of a palm conveyed through the eyelids.

Someone pried open Limberton’s eyelids with their hand.

It was a man draped in tattered cloth.

“Uh?”

His face was shrouded in shadow, obscured from view.

What was most astonishing, however, was that the wolf, its maw thrust forward before him, seemed frozen in time, suspended in the air.

Limberton tried to speak.

But his lips would not move.

“What is this? Wh-who are you?”

-I do not wish to answer just yet.

From the response, it seemed communication was possible through thought alone.

“Is this… that mystery or whatever it is…?”

It was a tale often told in legends.

Typically, the stories revolved around beings who breathed fire, not magic, but there were records of encounters with transcendent entities.

The meaning of mystery was thus broad and encompassing.

-When you bundle it all together like that, it sounds trivial. Such things matter little. But what of that bow? Truly pathetic.

Regardless, it was clear that this was not a being to be trifled with, one who could halt time itself.

“W-well, you seem quite extraordinary. What is your purpose?”

-There is no time for lengthy explanations. I shall soon vanish.

The man caressed Limberton’s arm.

Limberton found himself helplessly adjusting his posture.

The bowstring was drawn back to its limit, and even the grip of his fingers on the arrow was altered to the man’s will.

-This is how you hold the bow. You shall aim for the heart yourself.

“Y-yes?”

The man covered Limberton’s eyelids with his hand.

Limberton caught a final glimpse of the man’s neat upper teeth and heard a voice filled with anticipation.

-It is good that you have transcended fear, but it is still mere recklessness. Then, I shall await the day you reveal your true name.

As he uttered incomprehensible sounds and vanished, his body stirred.

The heartbeat of the wolf echoed loudly, as if it were right before him.

Time had surely begun to flow again.

Limberton instinctively lowered his left hand, gripping the bow at an angle, and released the arrow.

Thwack!

That was undoubtedly the sound of flesh being pierced.

Yet, Limberton was knocked down by the charging wolf’s bulk.

Right above him, the wolf’s maw dripped with saliva…

Fortunately, it only twitched briefly before its neck went limp.

“Gah… Gah…”

Luoan flipped the wolf’s carcass over with one hand.

Limberton rose, gasping for breath.

Had he not received aid from that unknown something,

had he not struck true to the heart, he would surely be dead.

‘What was that earlier…?’

The bizarre phenomenon had left him no time to ponder, all due to Luoan.

“Remarkable. The arrow penetrated.”

“What?”

“Look at that tree over there. That’s your last arrow, embedded deep within the wolf’s body.”

The arrow was buried so deeply that only its fletching protruded.

Luoan wore a face of intrigue as he asked.

“Speaking of which, I haven’t heard your name yet. What is it?”

“…Limberton. Limberton Bell Delsi.”

“Good, Limberton. I’ll take my leave now. That woman will be my responsibility; I’ll ensure she’s returned safely.”

Limberton’s eyes widened in shock.

To send her back meant it would be done immediately, not later.

“…You’ll return her? Let her go right now. This isn’t the promise we made.”

Luoan blinked, seemingly puzzled.

“A different promise? I intend to fulfill my word, you know?”

“What do you mean…?”

“I only said I would spare you, not that I would set you free.”

A tone so pure it bore no trace of malice.

Limberton felt a strange chill at his incomprehensible demeanor.

He had seen countless wretched souls, but this kind was unlike any he had encountered before.

“How peculiar. Isn’t it enough to simply send him back unharmed…?”

As Luon pondered with his chin in hand, the man holding Sylla approached.

“What’s the matter? Is that little brat unhappy or something?”

The man glared menacingly, his fist clenched as if ready to strike.

“Perhaps you’re being too gentlemanly about this? In times like these, one must make a sacrifice—”

At that moment, just as the fist was about to fly,

Slick!

A line of crimson traced across the man’s cheek.

Luon relaxed his troubled expression, letting out an “Ah.”

“You’re uncertain whether I’ll keep my promise, aren’t you? That’s understandable. But there’s no need to worry, Limberton. If they dare to lay a rough hand on that woman, it will be in this manner.”

“Ahh!”

Luon’s eyes widened as he yanked the man’s ear.

Blood trickled from it.

“I’ll intervene from the side. Of course, you’ll cooperate, won’t you? Alcis.”

“…Ugh, yes.”

“Then loosen your fist. I told Limberton from the start that he could go.”

“Ah, understood.”

The man named Alcis slunk away like a frightened puppy.

Luon turned his back, withdrawing his gaze from Limberton.

Limberton swallowed hard, fear tightening his throat.

‘…The Swordmaster.’

The evidence lay in the fact that he had cut the man’s cheek without even wielding a blade.

A Swordmaster capable of severing the aura of a knight and rendering a sorcerer’s attack futile.

Those who etched their names into history were nearly all Swordmasters, objects of both reverence and terror.

It was likely that the corpses of the wolves scattered about were all taken down by Luon alone.

What would happen if he were to grasp the man’s ankle and plead for Sylla’s release?

—

‘Turning away is a warning that I shall speak no more. If you refuse…’

The invisible blade would sever his neck.

Limberton found himself paralyzed, his feet unwilling to move.

As Luon perched upon the tree, the two men cast their gazes.

“Look at that fool, just staring blankly.”

“Leave him be. He seems to want to watch; once he’s seen enough, he’ll soon vanish.”

“Ugh, ugh, ugh!”

It was at that moment when they were about to strip the last of Sylla’s garments.

“Hey, Alpis. What’s with your cheek?”

“Hmm?”

The man named Alpis was rubbing his cheek.

Blood oozed from the opposite side as well.

Only Luon could do such a thing.

“Hey, Luon. Did I do something wrong again?”

“…It wasn’t me.”

Luon was watching a man approaching from afar.

He gave Limberton’s stiff back a light tap and spoke.

“What are you standing there like a statue for?”

“…Hussel?”

“What do you think of that guy’s face?”

“Snicker, what kind of mischief has he gotten into this time…?”

“I thought he looked empty, so I made him something. Cat whiskers.”