Gather Divine Coins and Gacha! - Chapter 270/Alec Side

 After that, the branch leader’s office was about to turn into a full-fledged drinking party, so Ashley and I excused ourselves.

I was heading back to the estate, and so was he, so we walked together, but this was the first time we’d been alone.

Might as well… I’ll ask what I’ve been curious about.

“What's Rick like? Is he useful?”

It was a vague way to ask, but it seemed to get through. Ashley opened his mouth.

“The Captain? Well… maybe in 5 or 10 years, he’ll be worth something. For now, he’s still no good.”

“You’re harsh… but he doesn’t have a bad reputation, even during the summer patrols.”

“The reason he’s in that position now is because of his family background and his work attitude in the Knights… Maybe also his academy record? The point is, he’s a captain even though he hasn’t yet achieved anything as a knight. He can’t accept that. And, well, the fact that he couldn’t turn down the position in the first place plays into it.”

“I get how he feels, but he sounds like a real pain…”

Hearing that, Ashley stifled a chuckle.

“He has the ability, though. The knights’ main duty in Riana will still be dealing with monsters for a while. I’m planning to let him grow during that time. If he’s still no good by then, I’ll take over.”

“You should’ve just taken over from the start… Oh, are you going to succeed your father?”

Carlos, the current steward of the Liselia family, serves under Riesel.

He’s the son, isn’t he…?

“That’s right. My role now is to solidify the organization for the next generation.”

Seriana-sama is incorporating adventurers into her forces. Riesel-sama, on the other hand, is strengthening the knights… Still, the balance is leaning heavily towards Seriana-sama.

“I see… Then Rick really does need to grow up.”

“Don’t worry… In a few more years, he’ll have the chance to distinguish himself. That should help him settle down a bit. Until then, I might need to trouble you with him a bit…”

“Got it. Well, if it’s just that much, I’ll handle it appropriately.”

Ashley seems to trust Rick’s ability enough to believe that, once the opportunity arises, there won’t be any problems.

If that’s the case, it’s not my place to interfere.

◇

“Hmph! …Nunununu… Hah.”

I activated [Danlem’s Thread], pulled the string, and then deactivated it just before shooting.

That makes 10 successful attempts in a row!

“Well done, Princess,”

Theresa immediately praised me as I caught my breath.

“Honestly, I came all the way to the basement expecting to see you get crushed… What a disappointment.”

Seriana spoke with genuine disappointment, rather than as a joke.

“Well, I guess it’s something you can handle… This is typical of you, with your multiple blessed items. I’m impressed you even thought of it,”

Elena said, sounding impressed.

We’re in the basement of the lord’s mansion, in a vast space about 100 meters in all directions. It’s a training facility exclusively for the people connected to the lord. There are apparently tunnels leading from here to various external facilities, but many parts are still under construction, so I haven’t been informed of all the details.

Well, that’s beside the point. Let’s talk about [Danlem’s Thread].

It’s big and heavy, and there was no way I could use it like a regular bow. I couldn’t even draw or hold it.

But fortunately, I have [Floating Orb].

By placing the bow on the ground and supporting the upper end with both hands while floating in mid-air, I could make it stand upright. Then, I activated it while keeping my left foot on the bow.

The string appeared, but neither my arms nor my legs had the strength to draw it.

That’s where [Scarlet Bee’s Sting] came in.

By activating it, I could kick the string with my right foot, making it as if I’d drawn it.

If it were an ordinary bow, I would need to notch an arrow, but this is a fantasy item. Once the string is fully drawn, a magic arrow automatically sets itself, and it’s ready to fire.

By riding on [Floating Orb], stretching my arms to support the bow, and then spreading my legs 180 degrees, I could fire it. I admit it’s a ridiculous posture, but it works for me.

Since I can’t move while doing this anyway, I’ve resigned myself to being a fixed artillery cannon!

If I deactivate the power before firing, I can use it again without waiting the usual 10 minutes, so I’ve been able to practice plenty.

Though I haven’t actually fired it yet, since testing this kind of power indoors—even underground—is far too dangerous. But, well, I’ll save the fun for after the rainy season when we head to the Zelkis Dungeon!

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Seria・【Hideout】+1 【Prayer】【Mira’s Blessing】・【Floating Orb】【Shadow Sword】【Scarlet Bee’s Sting】【Fairy Eye】【Dragon’s Lung】【Amber Sword】【Danlem’s Thread】・1 card

Seriana・【Area Identification】・【】・35 cards

Elena・【】・【Green Fang】・5 cards

Alec・【】・【Red Shield】【Fierce Horn】・12 cards