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Chapter 224 Chapter 49.4 - Lilia Thornheart

That was what I thought the moment I saw Lilia training in front of me. She utilized her own mana to create anchors around her body, which acted as her second or third arms.

\'Why did I miss such a thing?\'

It was a slight damage to my ego, if I was completely honest, since the fact that she was able to come up with a thing that I couldn\'t make me feel a little inferior.

Of course, that was only for a second since I had taken control of such thoughts immediately. My head was hurting a little, and my eyes were about to bleed, but the pain wasn\'t unbearable like I had initially expected.

\'This seems to be my limit for the time being.\'

Everyone had a natural limit on their bodies. It was an inevitable occurrence, and I am no exception to that rule. One may even say I am the one especially subjected to it.

In any case, as I withdrew my mana from my eyes, my eyesight returned to a normal state, and the scene before my eyes brightened.

"Why do you think he called us?"

Lilia asked while using her mana to clean herself from the sweat.

"I don\'t know."

I answered though I knew the reason why Adrian had called us.

\'It must be the time.\'

Since the mid-terms had ended, it was about the time the club would start its activities.

"Is that so?"

Lilia said, squinting a little. It seemed she was not that convinced, though it was not like I needed to convince her.

After shrugging my shoulders, I made my way out of the training room. The memories of this time were already printed in my head, ready to reply every time, and that was enough for the time being.

"Sigh…."

I heard a small sigh coming from her mouth just as I left. However, she did follow me without saying anything at all.

********

As Astron made their way to the Archery Club Center, where other members of the club were already gathering, Lilia was pondering to herself.

\'Was that my imagination?\'

She was not sure for a fact, but she felt like she had seen Astron\'s eyes following her movements, even at the end when she showed her most complex skill.

\'No, that can\'t be right.\'

Her eyesight was something she was very proud of herself, especially her photographic memory. Thus, as she reviewed what had happened a second ago, she realized that was not the case.

\'But…..\'

However, there was a feeling. A feeling that she didn\'t want to disperse as random but had no choice to do so.

\'Sigh….\'

In the end, she just took it to a shelf, saying she would investigate this matter more, as she lacked sufficient data to even make a comment.

Just as they both reached the meeting location, Adrian, a tall and imposing figure, stood at the front, waiting for everyone to assemble.

\'Tch…..\'

It was this guy again. The one who held that unacceptable and daring gaze. She had been dealing with people because of her guild; thus, she was well aware of what that gaze meant.

It was greed.

"Why are you glaring daggers at him?"

At that moment, Astron asked.

\'Hmm?\'

From what she had observed, it was unusual for that guy to speak first to her.

"What do you mean?"

"Will you feign ignorance?"

As she looked at his relaxed reaction, she knew that guy was right on the point.

"You are pretty sharp."

"We marksmen need to be sharp."

"….."

There was no reply she could give aside from silence.

"He is quite daring, if I must say. To openly show such a gaze to the goddess Lilia."

His voice was filled with sarcasm, but Lilia didn\'t mind. After all, what he was pointing out was right. Adrian was basically saying he was not afraid of her with such a gaze.

"Indeed. Some people don\'t understand without someone showing them."

"I must agree on that."

"You speak like you have many experiences," Lilia said, looking at Astron for a reaction. If she were going to recruit him for the future, knowing about him would be optimal, and even small details like this could be detrimental.

"No comment."

"You are not fun."

"I hear that a lot."

"From who?"

"Does it matter?"

"Probably not. Since almost everyone you meet will give this reaction anyway."

"I don\'t meet a lot of people, so it is fine."

"Your kindness shows no bounds."

Just as they were talking to pass the time, suddenly, the place was filled with the members of the club. It seemed everyone was there, as Adrian also was ready to go.

"Cough!"

With a cough filled with mana, he gathered everyone\'s attention immediately. It was a good way to show his prowess, as the sound amplification with mana was actually quite a high-

ranking technique that not many students could master before the third year.

"It seems everyone is here."

Adrian\'s stern voice echoed around the club room, commanding attention with its authority. His sharp eyes scrutinized each student, evaluating their progress and dedication.

"As some of you may have noticed, the Archery Club is not just a casual gathering. It\'s a place of rigorous training and constant improvement," Adrian declared, emphasizing the gravity of their commitment.

He then began to delve into the specifics, highlighting the advancements made by certain members. "I\'ve observed commendable progress from many of you. Your dedication to refining your skills has not gone unnoticed. The club facilities are here to assist you, and those who have utilized them have shown remarkable improvement."

Adrian\'s gaze shifted subtly, focusing on Astron and some other students who stood among the assembled students. "However," he continued, his tone becoming more pointed, "some of you seem to be lagging behind."

His words hung in the air, creating a moment of tension. The other students exchanged uneasy glances, curious about whom Adrian was referring to.

Astron maintained a calm exterior as he was already expecting such treatment. After all, even if he didn\'t play the game and did this sub-quest chain, the information that was given to him at the start of the club was sufficient.

Adrian\'s gaze swept over the students, his eyes narrowing as he continued his speech. "Let me make one thing clear. The Archery Club is not a charity. It is supported by the dedication and contributions of individuals who have dedicated their lives to the art of archery. Lagging behind will not be tolerated."

The weight of his words settled on the students, and a sense of urgency filled the room. Adrian\'s stern demeanor hinted at the high expectations he held for each member.

"Now, let\'s move on to an important tradition of our club," he announced, transitioning to another crucial aspect. "Archery Competitions."

A hushed murmur spread among the students as the mention of competitions always stirred a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

After all, many of those knew how notorious the club competition was, and this was one of the reasons why the Archery Club was viewed as too strict. Most clubs would just check the practical skills of the students and leave it like that, but this club was strict and kicked the members out if they were unworthy.

Adrian explained the significance of these competitions and how they served as a means to assess each member\'s progress and dedication.

"In the upcoming weekend, we will hold a series of competitions. These will not only test your archery skills but also your adaptability, precision, and the ability to perform under pressure," Adrian elaborated.

He cast a challenging gaze across the room. "These competitions will determine who remains in the Archery Club and who will be asked to leave. It\'s a harsh reality, but it ensures that only the most dedicated and skilled individuals continue to represent our esteemed club."

The tension in the room heightened as Adrian concluded, "Prepare yourselves, give your best in the upcoming competitions, and remember, excellence is not optional in the Archery Club. It\'s the standard we all must strive to achieve."

With those words hanging in the air, the students were left to contemplate the challenges ahead, knowing that the path to remaining in the Archery Club would be carved with fierce competition and unwavering dedication.

However, one person knew this would be the starting point of everything.

\'I guess this starts the chain sub-quest.\'

He thought inwardly while watching Adrian leave. After all, in the game, this competition was the point where Lilia\'s story of Bow Empress would start.

"What a bastard."

Lilia seemed ready too, as this time her daggered gaze was directed at the back of leaving Captain.

**********

Sylvie had been feeling weird these days, especially after the events of that trip.

Things that she would never have expected happened that day. How Mason revealed his true colors as a demon contractor, and then how they ambushed them.

How Astron nearly died once again.

And how she had witnessed that masked person killing Mason right in front of her eyes.

None of those events once left her head, haunting her constantly. Even though she forcefully took some mana-

enhanced drugs to calm herself down.

But even then, she herself was able to deduce one thing from that day. She was weak.

\'Both mentally and physically.\'

She had powers. She instinctively knew that. But she didn\'t have the courage to use that at the start.

\'Not anymore.\'

However, she decided to spend her time training. To both escape that feeling of helplessness and those memories.

After she returned, she had been training her magic and stamina, even reducing her sleep to four hours. And even that was because of the sleeping pills she took.

She knew that wasn\'t healthy, but until she was able to adapt to this, she was going to pay any price.

"Hufff...Hufff….."

Just like how it is right now. After running for a whopping 1 hour, she closed her eyes while calming her breath. Her muscles were screaming at her, saying she needed to stop. Her lungs and her heart were no different.

"Haaaaa...Haaaaa….."

Her chest constantly rose and lowered.

"Heal."

However, she just closed her eyes and focused on her own body. Moving her mana in her own body was something that she was most comfortable with. There was a saying that the shoemaker\'s son always goes barefoot, but that wasn\'t the case for her.

As she always experimented with herself first. Thus, she healed all her fatigue using her powers. The pain in her muscles was gone, and her incredibly speeding heart slowed.

"Sylvie."

The unexpected voice cut through her concentration, causing Sylvie to open her eyes. Standing before her was Jasmine, clad in her training uniform, a worried expression etched across her face.

"Sylvie, you\'re pushing yourself too hard," Jasmine admonished, concern lacing her words.

Sylvie, however, dismissed the worry with a determined smile. "It\'s the price I need to pay. I can\'t afford to be weak."

Jasmine sighed, squatting down to be at eye level with Sylvie. "Being strong doesn\'t mean pushing yourself to the brink. You have to take care of yourself too."

She looked at her friend and how she was sweating.

\'I had been lazy for long enough.\'

She thought inwardly while standing up.

"I am fine, don\'t worry."

Saying that she slowly made her way to the closets to change her clothes. After all, now she was going to meet him to grant her request.

And Jasmine could only look worriedly at her friend.