I walked away from the noisy crowd, making my way toward one of the club blocks. It didn’t take long before I arrived at the archery club.
The place was impressive. Rows of modern equipment lined up neatly, each bow sleek and polished, paired with the latest adjustable sights.
The targets weren’t just simple circular boards; they were equipped with advanced scoring sensors that immediately calculated precision and power. The whole area had a futuristic vibe, with clean lanes and digital screens displaying statistics and real-time scores for each participant. It was a blend of tradition and technology, a place that demanded skill but welcomed innovation.
As I scanned the area, trying to figure out where to sign up, I heard a loud, familiar voice behind me.
"You...Why are you here?"
I turned around and locked eyes with the unmistakable platinum-haired figure who radiated pride as if it were her birthright.
"Why can’t I be here?" I asked calmly, meeting her glare without a hint of reaction.
Her flustered expression was almost amusing. "You can. I mean, you’re free to—No, wait! I meant, are you stalking me?"
I blinked at her accusation, unsure if I should laugh or sigh. "As far as I know, I was the one who arrived first. You came later."
Freya shut her mouth, clearly unable to refute, her lips pressing into a thin line as if trying to will herself into thinking of a comeback. But before she could, two girls from her entourage stepped forward, their glares sharp and filled with disdain.
"Miss, is this boy harassing you?" one of them asked, her voice laced with hostility.
"Hey, filth," the other chimed in, "know your place."
I stared at them both, keeping my composure. Their uniforms had two stripes on the lapels, signaling their seniority as second-years.
"Why aren’t you speaking?" one of them snapped, seemingly irked by my silence.
"I didn’t do anything," I said coolly. "You can ask her." I gestured toward Freya, clicking my tongue in annoyance.
"Miss, did he—"
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"Stop," Freya cut them off sharply, her voice colder than ever. "He didn’t do anything. Stop being annoying and get the hell out of here."
"But, Miss—"
"I said, know your place," Freya hissed, her gaze piercing. "How dare you voice your thoughts without permission?"
The two girls shrank back, visibly intimidated, while I chose to ignore the entire exchange. Freya had shifted back into her usual self—proud and domineering. I walked over to the sign-up counter, where a senior girl greeted me with a nervous yet sweet smile.
"Hi!" she said, her voice slightly shaky but friendly. "Are you here to join the club?"
"Yeah," I replied simply.
She cleared her throat and continued. "Once you join, you can’t resign without a valid reason. Also, attendance is mandatory, or you’ll lose your extracurricular grades. Are you sure about this?"
"I know," I said with a small smile, watching her face turn a shade of pink.
"Do...do you know archery? I mean, if you don’t, I could teach you..." she stammered, her voice growing quieter.
Before I could respond, there was a loud BANG on the counter, making her jump.
"Stop your useless chatter and do what you’re here for," Freya’s icy voice cut in, her glare cold enough to freeze.
The senior girl opened her mouth to argue but stopped, recognizing the infamous platinum-haired girl from Osborne.
Bowing her head slightly, she handed me the testing permit. Freya and I completed the procedure without any further interruptions, receiving a week’s testing period to see if the club suited us.
As we walked toward the testing room, Freya glanced at me with a mixture of disgust and irritation.
"You’re really a bastard, aren’t you?" she said, her tone sharp. "Seducing girls left and right."
I raised an eyebrow, amused by her words. "When you’ve got a pretty face like mine, it’s hard for others to resist, isn’t it?"
Freya scoffed, her lips curling into a sneer. "You’re right about that. Despite how much I despise you, I’ll admit—your sharp, chiseled face and athletic build are...pleasing. Honestly, you’re one of the most handsome people I’ve ever—"
She stopped abruptly, her eyes widening in realization.
"What did you just say?" I asked, staring at her in shock.
Freya’s cheeks turned crimson as a sudden breeze swept past us. She opened her mouth but couldn’t seem to form words. Then, with a sharp glare, she stepped on my foot, her heel digging in painfully.
"KYKKK!" I yelped, hopping on one leg.
Freya’s face burned brighter, her voice a mix of anger and embarrassment. "Forget what I said, idiot!"
And with that, she stormed off, leaving me standing there, both confused and mildly entertained.
...…
The shooting range was quiet, save for the occasional thrum of bowstrings and the faint chatter of other club members. Freya and I stood side by side, each holding a bow. She gave me a sidelong glance, her lips curling into a smug smile.
"Do you even know how to use a bow?" she asked, her voice dripping with mockery. "If not, I can teach you. Think of it as repayment for saving you."
I blinked at her, my expression morphing into exaggerated shock. "Ohhh! So you do remember that I saved you."
Freya’s face twitched, her pride visibly ruffled. "What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing," I said, shrugging casually. "It’s just… the way you’re acting all wild and smug doesn’t make it feel like I saved you. If anything, it seems like you’re the one who saved me."
"Youuu!" she growled, her voice hitching in frustration as her mind scrambled for a retort.
I could almost hear her cursing me in her thoughts. Her hand clenched the bow tightly, her fingers squeezing around it as she glared at me.
Finally, she managed to spit out her next words through gritted teeth.
"Just say you don’t know archery, and I’ll teach—"
TWANG!
The sound of the string snapped through the air, followed by the faint whistling of an arrow. It shot forward and struck the dummy dead in the chest with a resounding clang! The force was so precise that it caused the dummy to sway.
Freya’s jaw dropped. She turned to me, pointing accusingly. "How… how did you do that? Don’t you use daggers and blades? So why are you good at archery?"
I smiled satisfied with her expression.
Even keeping aside Lukas’s skills, I was already a pro at archery. Not as good at the international level but I can hit targets between 30-40 meters with great eyesight along with dexterity, I can manage 100 meters despite not holding a bow for a long time.
I tilted my head slightly, raising an eyebrow. "Hmm. How do you know that? Are you keeping tabs on me?" I asked, a teasing grin spreading across my face.
Her expression faltered, her confidence shaken for a brief moment. "No! I just… heard it from someone."
"Who’s that someone?" I pressed, my grin widening as I leaned slightly closer.
"Why do I need to say that? Stop butting into my matters and know your place!" she snapped, her glare sharp and defensive.
I smirked. "I will… if you can hit that dummy just like I did." I gestured toward the swaying target.
"Then deal," she said, her pride flaring back up as she squared her shoulders.
"Deal."
Freya wasted no time. She took her stance, lifting the bow and drawing an arrow. Her movements were confident—too confident. As she pulled back the string and released the arrow—
SWISH!
The arrow slipped past the string and dropped pathetically to the ground.
Her expression froze, and then she quickly turned to me. "That… I was just uncomfortable. Let me try again, alright?"
I gave a nonchalant shrug and watched as she reloaded the bow. Her brows furrowed, and her lips pressed into a determined line. This time, she pulled back harder, only to repeat the same result.
The arrow slipped and hit the ground.
Freya’s eyes darted to me, likely noticing my calm, unwavering gaze. Anger flashed across her face, and she gritted her teeth. Without a word, she pulled the bowstring again, this time with far too much force. A faint ripple of energy and mana flared around her, a sign she was losing control of her strength.
The string snapped out of place, and with a loud snap, the bow flew out of her hands.
"Huh?! The bow—where did it go?" she exclaimed, spinning around in confusion.
She glanced ahead, scanning the range, then looked behind her. Her confusion turned to horror as her eyes landed on me.
The bow was plastered against my face, the wooden frame slowly slipping down.
For a moment, there was only silence as Freya stared at me, frozen in disbelief.
"…Well!What can I say more," I finally said, peeling the bow off my face.
Freya’s cheeks flushed red, and she bit her lip, her pride clearly stinging more than anything else. I didn’t say another word, letting my grin do all the talking as I handed the bow back to her.
Despite maintaining a smile to pressurize, I was cursing inwardly.
’Ahhhhh!’
’Fuck!It hurts like hell!’
’Which idiot made her into the main cast with such poor skills.’