Arcadia's Ignoble Knight: Dark Elf Arc

Chapter 5

The shop known as Three Rivers Archery was located a little ways out from the craftsmen district and wasn't really what Caspian would call a shop so much as an archery range. Certainly, the storefront resembled the kind of general store most people would expect from a shop. However, beyond the general store was a large, outdoor archery range that looked like it spanned several hundred feet. Given Axium's limited space, seeing a place like this was kind of surprising, especially to Caspian, who was certain he'd seen everything there was to see in this city.

When he and Elincia entered the storefront, it was to see all kinds of different bows set on various display stands. Caspian knew a little about archery because knights were required to take a basic archery course, but because muskets had replaced archery thanks to the range and penetrating power of muskets, he knew more about guns than he did bows and arrows. He didn't recognize any of these bows.

"Greetings." A man who looked like he was in his late fifties walked up. "I assume you are here for a bow. I have many that... wait a minute." The man looked between the two of them before his eyes settled on Elincia. "You are... Elincia, ain't you? The sorceress from the tournament who was outed as an elf?"

"Um... y-yes, that is me." Elincia clasped her hands in front of her and bowed politely but with a hint of nervousness. "I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance. Um... um..."

"No need to be so nervous." The man waved off her polite greeting. "You probably don't know this because you were so busy that day, but I was one of the people who you rescued when those Murakumos attacked the stadium." The man scratched his balding head. "I didn't know you was an elf, but, well, I don't think you're a bad person. I mean, you did everything you could to save the people of this city."

Elincia looked well and truly stunned by this man's words. Her eyes had grown wide and round. That shocked look was soon replaced by tears of gratitude.

"T-thank you very much!" She bowed again.

The old man looked away as his cheeks became stained slightly red. "Aww... you're welcome. Ahem." He coughed into his hand. "A-anyway, my name is Alex Boweman, and I'm guessing you're here to buy a bow, right?"

"Y-yes!" Elincia straightened and looked at the man. "I wanted to buy a bow... Um, my style of summoning is very exhausting, so I can't use it like other sorceresses can. However, I don't want to be useless, so I was thinking that if I could at least learn to use a bow, I'd be able to help Caspian when we were in danger."

"Hmm... well, with those elf eyes of yours, becoming an archer should be a simple matter." Alex scratched his beard and eyed Elincia up and down, which would have normally pissed off Caspian, but this man seemed more like he was sizing her up than staring lecherously. "What kind of bow are you looking for?"

"I... I don't know," Elincia confessed.

"Neither of us know much about bows," Caspian added to the conversation.

Alex nodded as though he had expected this. He gestured for them to follow him and led the two deeper into the store. As he did, he began speaking.

"There are several different kinds of bow. I'll explain each one to you, and then I guess we'll have you test them out to see which one fits best. That said, given your slight frame, I imagine you'll either be using a recurve bow or a reflex bow."

He stopped in front of a display rack with several bows of the same type. These bows had a center that curved inward, toward the one who would be using it, but then the end of the limbs curved away from the user. It was a strange design that Caspian had never seen before. Alex picked up one of the bows, turned toward them, and began explaining.