She Keeps on Missing

Her shocked eyes quickly sought the hunts master who didn't react to the takedown. Larkin was so far from her that she didn't know if she could go and ask. She only stared as the servants moved to examine the shot target and announce the full mark for Clarissa. Artie's eyes then went dim.

'This is a devildom. They probably have been enjoying this sport for a while. Then again, why did Larkin not tell me about the targets? Was it because he figured this is a natural thing to make use of humans instead of animals? Or was it because he thought it would have been the same from where I came?' Artie bit her lip. 'This is wrong. I might have to make use of other things for the showdown...'

"Did you see that? We only have five targets so be vigilant in spotting them—" Clarissa was boasting towards Artie when Marissa remained stationary and pulled back an arrow. It then went loose, and for a strange few seconds, there was silence. The older twin turned to Marissa and lifted her brows. "Did you miss?"

"...I think so." Marissa frowned. She was sure that she had hit a black running body, but there were no cries of pain. She then turned to Artie. "Lady Shen, we'll give you the chance to shoot the next one. Let's see if you will hit it… or miss just like me."

[Random event is commencing! Follow through with Clarissa Wessel's instructions. (0/4)]

"...uhm..." Artie held onto her bow, but she couldn't bring herself to bluntly say she wouldn't shoot a live human. If she wouldn't shoot one, then she wouldn't be able to accomplish the quest connected to listening to Clarissa's lesson. She could only clench her jaw before chuckling nervously. "I never hunted before. Any tips on making it easier? I mean, I can shoot an arrow..."

"Hmph, how ignorant. Well, at least I don't have to tell you how to use a bow." Clarissa rolled her eyes and began to demonstrate things for her like how to position her body during moving shots, where to put her weight, and how to effectively keep her balance. 

The older twin seemed to start forgetting that she was speaking to a deemed enemy. She was so enthusiastic in lecturing Artie that she didn't care if that woman was their father's new wife.

Artie kept on nodding as she started seeing the four instructions she must attend to. It was the shots she needed to master while moving the horse and setting arrows loose as she went. She must pull off a forward shot, a backward shot, a high shot, and a ground shot. These four shots would give her Aristocracy.

A sliver of light came to her eyes. She didn't have to shoot a person; she only needed to carry out the shots. 'While all the other three are doable, what am I supposed to be aiming for a high shot?'

"Sister, there's one over there!" Marissa spotted another and pointed it out to them. It was Artie's turn so she wanted to see how well Artie would be able to do it. Clarisa then glared at Artie. "This is a free shot, take it."

"Okay." Artie rode Lupina to a moderate speed just to get closer to the running target. She raised her bow and pulled on the string to an anchor point. She then brought the bow slowly down to take aim before her. Loose! The arrow then flew across their distance, seemingly homing towards the running target.

The man looked back earlier and saw that the archduchess was taking aim. Their job was one of the most dangerous as no one knew what could happen to them during a game hunt. The prince used to shoot them all dead, and that caused Larkin to change the rules of the hunt. However, it didn't mean that the designated targets could get away without pain.

'That stance is too smooth! Dead! I'm dead!' The target cried inside as he continued to run. However, he didn't think he would run into a close one instead. His shoulder that had a red mark was Artie's target. It's just that when the arrow rushed past him, the head only grazed against the cloth. The only reminder was a small cut.

'She missed!' The target and the servants almost called out in unison. However, Artie didn't stop when she set that arrow loose. She appeared in front of the running target and performed a backward shot. However, just like earlier, her arrow only grazed the other red-marked shoulder. 'It's a miss again!'

Artie stirred Lupina to the side and disappeared from the target's sight. When she suddenly showed up behind him, he turned back to take a look at her again. A root caught his foot, and he was quickly sent to the ground. When he landed with a loud thud, he knew that it would be impossible for Artie to miss at this point. 

It's just that… strike! Another arrow went loose and strongly struck the root just next to the man's shoulder. After the ground shot, Artie slowed down and momentarily stared at the target in the eyes. Within those hazel eyes shone a light that was warm and righteous. It was as if she promised that she would never hurt the man. She didn't draw another arrow as the man hurriedly got up and ran free from her.

The archduchess pursed her lips. She still needed to do a high shot.

"She keeps on missing..." Marissa pouted as she watched Artie deal with the second target on sight. She then went through the motion of drawing her bow. However, Clarissa only clicked her tongue. "She's not missing. She hits exactly what she's aiming for. Precise shots like that don't miss. She's just wary of harming the target.

"Well, if that the way she wants to play this hunt." Clarissa licked her lips. She also drew her bowstring and loosed an arrow without getting any closer to her target. Wrong, the live target wasn't her real target at all.

[Warning! Health anomaly! An arrow is headed to your right shoulder!]

Artie quickly reacted and evaded the arrow that came from behind. She then turned to see that Clarissa was the one who shot the arrow. A strange smile curled Clarissa's lips like she was indeed looking for trouble. 'This girl!' Artie frowned in response and rode Lupina to circle around, inviting Clarissa to play with her somewhere else. If they started a fight like this, who knew which one of the servants or the spectators would be shot?

The hunts master had seen this behavior with the prince before so he wanted to stop them when they rode away from the group. However, Larkin called out to him, stopping his actions: "Hunts master, patrol the perimeter. We're not alone in these woods."