Chapter 78: Book Two – Chapter Six – Part Three – Training Time!

As Servi left at 7 AM in the morning, Momo laid comfortably on that pathetic excuse of a bed. A thin nightgown covered her naked body as she laid on her side underneath a thin white piece of fabric, and her pink tail slowly wagged awake.

This continued for five or so minutes, then a knock came, and the snoozing girl slowly opened her eyes.  

Morning already? Wait?! Morning?! Momo hastily stood up, taking off her nightgown and putting on her underwear and pants in one swift motion.  The sun peeked through the single small window and briefly illuminated her pink hair. 

“Hello? This your wake-up call,”  A muffled voice came from behind the door.

“Yeah! Just a second, please!” Momo replied. She tied her belt around her waist and put on a white shirt she had laid out the night before. Then she slid her damaged chainmail, which needed to be repaired, on over her shirt, and finally equipped her armor. She grabbed her bag, which held everything else, and opened the door to see Claire.  

“Good morning, Momo!” Claire smiled brightly at her other favorite adventurer. 

“Hi, Claire. Thanks for waking me up,” Momo’s hair was a bit frazzled and out of control like a pink storm of falling petals, and a slight amount of sweat dripped down her nose and chin.

“You’re welcome. Here, take this.” 

Momo saw the ten coin dupla in Claire's hand and shook her head.  

“The chocolate was a gift. You don’t need to pay us back.”  

Claire laughed. “Servi said the same thing, but I know it was a gift. This is your stipend.” The Elf went on to explain that it was money to help cover her stay during her mentorship.

“I see. Thanks!” 

“You’re welcome. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready for the day. But seriously, thanks again for the chocolate. Yesterday was rough.” 

“You’re very welcome. I’ll see you later, okay?” 

Claire nodded and waved to Momo, whose tail was wagging. She went into her room and stuffed her nightgown in her bag before going downstairs. Dineria had told Momo to be there before 8 AM for training.  

Oh jeez, I wonder how Servi's doing? Her thoughts went to her friend instead of her own situation as she made her way through the exit.  The sun was already so bright and hot, but that was the perfect thing to warm her up.  

Knowing her, she’s doing fine. You know, one of these days I’d like to make us lunch or dinner.  I hope I can get a chance soon. Momo left the Warden office and made her way to Levadia Woods. It was a store that was partly owned by Dineria and her family. It mainly sold archery items like bows, strings, arrows, and other things. That itself was ironic because Dineria favored the sword. She was blessed by a Major God of Wind named Kirchta, and he gave her no skills that would help in close-quarters combat.  When Momo thought about it all, she figured it was pretty ironic. 

Oh, it’s that food cart we ate at when we were standing in line yesterday. About that time, Momo had walked into the smell of chicken. Even so early in the morning, people were out and about. Some were heading to work at bakeries and restaurants, others had to head on out to different villages to find jobs, and some had no plans for the day. The city was full of very different people who lived very different lives.

Seeing everyone all living in a city together is incredible... My village had like, 40 people, but it seems like thousands and thousands of people live here. After waiting patiently in line to buy her  two sticks of chicken and a small cup of milk, Momo continued her short journey to the shopping center where Levadia Woods was at. It took her around twenty or thirty minutes, and she was afraid she’d be late.  

The shopping center was a large department store-like building. Standing six floors high and taking up a sizable amount of space, it was still smaller than Parrel’s mansion. She glanced at a clock and discovered she had just a few minutes left.  

I better skedaddle! I don’t wanna be late on my second day! Momo tossed her garbage into the nearby can and rushed through the open doors with a tense heart.  She didn’t like the building that much since it was mainly visited by nobles. 

I couldn’t believe the number of slaves I saw yesterday. Even the Demi-Human nobles have them… I’m glad Dineria doesn’t have one.  

Shaking her head, Momo briskly walked up to the large set of stairs in front of her. The center's six floors contained nothing but shops and stores. And they were organized in alphabetical order, which also didn’t make sense to her.  

If someone has a store that starts with a ‘U,’ and they leave or sell their business, what happens if a store called ‘Momo’s Wonders’ takes over? It wouldn’t be in order. The trouble it would take to move a whole store from an upper floor to a lower floor doesn't seem like it would be worth it.  It just seems like a dumb rule, but I’m just a commoner. Maybe there's something I don't understand?

---

The day before, Momo had been denied entry from the building by the two guards out front. The stubborn bastards didn’t even let her in when she showed them the card she received from Estela.  As she begged them to let her in, with tears nearly flooding her eyes, an Elf walked over.  She had green hair and deep emerald-like eyes.

“What's going on?! Why does this girl look like she's about to cry?! What did you two do to her?!”  The Elf demanded.

The two guards were taken back but kept their composure. “Dineria, she said she was your mentee, but this Singi isn't a noble.” Dineria reached her hand out and grabbed Momo’s card, and that was when the Singi saw the tattoo, a red flower on the back of her hand. It wasn’t that big, but it was cute.  

Dineria?! So she's my mentor? She looks so cool! The few tears that managed to form slid down Momo's cheeks, but that was all.  Her red flushed face soon returned to its original color.

“It checks out to me. What’s your name?” Dineria flashed a smile, and Momo answered her.  

“Hi, Momo. I'm sorry this happened, but you two won’t stop her again, right?” Dineria narrowed her eyes, and the two guards shook.  

Wow… Dineria's tough...  I like her!

“Sorry, Miss Dineria, it won’t happen again!” 

“Not to me, say it to her.” 

The two armored guards looked towards the Singi and smiled. “We're sorry, Miss Momo. It won't happen again.” Instead of feeling relieved, Momo felt nothing but confusion.  She wasn't used to people seriously apologizing to her, and she didn't know how to act.

“Oh..umm…. It’s fine. It was just a simple misunderstanding, right?”  Momo gently smiled, displaying a perfect smile that carried no hard feelings.

Dineria stood off the side and nodded, and her green hair looked like liquid leaves with the way it gracefully shook with every moment of her head.

“Now, Momo, if you’ll come with me, we have to begin.” 

“Yes, ma’am!” She eagerly said. And the rest of that day was history. She met Srassa, a noble girl who seemed to be friendly enough. After drinking some tea, both her and her fellow mentee witnessed the reason why Dineria was chosen as a mentor. Her skill with a bow was almost supernatural because it was like her arrows curved to hit her targets.  

And that was because that was the truth.

Kirchta, the Major God of Wind who blessed Dineria, had an exclusive skill only he could give. It was a passive skill called String Bender, meaning it was always on, and it allowed her to curve her arrows. She did so by using her thumb and index fingers to lightly twist her bowstring. And it wasn’t just left and right. She could make her projectiles arc up and down. It was difficult, but she could bend the string in such a way that her arrow had enough curve to hit a target behind her. Momo's and Srassa's jaws dropped to the floor when they saw that.   

“That’s pretty much why I use the sword,” Dineria said after her exhibition. “It almost feels like cheating to me. Oh, but I’m not embarrassed. Not at all. If it came to it and I was forced to fight for my life, I would use everything I could to give myself an advantage. But if I’m training or sparing, or maybe doing a quest that isn't that dangerous, I'd rather use my sword instead to get the practice.” Momo couldn’t help but admire her Elven teacher, who seemed to radiate beauty and technique. Momo found herself thinking about her mentor as she ran home to the Warden office that evening.

She’s the perfect one. The one I wanna learn from. Come on, Momo! You gotta do your best!! 

---

Back in the present, Momo had just reached the third floor. Every business from ‘I’ through ‘L’ was on this floor. And Levadia Woods, one of the largest stores in the shopping center, was at the far back. Momo wanted to run over to it, but she knew she couldn’t.  After all, it was bad manners to run inside a store, and Momo considered herself a proper rule-abiding girl. Still, she walked so fast it was like she was running.

I'm not running! I swear I'm not! This... I'm just walking fast, okay? There's a difference! Jeez... I have to leave earlier tomorrow...

Even with her late start, the pink Singi made it with a minute to spare.

After she entered through the large glass door, the artificially created forest-like smell overtook her nose. Since it was owned by Elves, Levadia Woods used little to no metal in any of its products. The only metal in the entire store was on the door handles.  That was something that Dineria was proud of, and she made sure to brag about during the first day.

“Hello there, how can I help you?” a young Dwarf asked. He was about the age of thirteen or so. Short, bald, little red beard, he reminded Momo of a Dwarven child, but he was considered an adult in his culture.

“Hi! I’m here to see Dineria. She’s my mentor.” 

“Momo, right?” he asked. She nodded but looked confused.  

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“Dineria told me to be on the lookout for a pink-haired Singi. She’s right through that door there.” Momo looked to where his stubby arms were pointing. It was the same door they went through to reach the training room the day prior.

Saying thanks to the Dwarf, Momo excitedly walked on over and opened the door. Usually, she would’ve knocked, but Dineria mentioned that there was no need to.

“Ah!” she said out loud, meaning to keep it inside. She saw Dineria, with her light green hair and soft face sitting at a table talking to Srassa. She was a noble girl, but she didn’t want to give out her last name. Her long blond hair nearly came to the end of her back, and her green eyes stared at her mentor.  Being a noble meant she had the perfect posture.  Her legs elegantly crossed themselves as she placed her hands in her lap.  

I mean, that’s fine and all. There’s no reason to give out last names. I mean, I don't have one... Suddenly, they both looked over to her and waved. Momo waved back as she walked towards the table.

“Ah, Momo. How are you this morning?” Srassa asked with the slightest hint of a posh accent.

Srassa's a fancy noble girl, but she's friendly. I know it’s only been a day, but I like her. Maybe there’s a chance we can be friends? 

“I’m doing good. How are you?” Momo answered.  Even though she tried her best to limit her tone to something professional, Momo's tail betrayed her.  Srassa took note and silently giggled.

“I’m doing wonderfully well,” she replied. She had the tiniest bit of an accent, causing her to inflate just a little bit on certain vowels.  

“Dineria. How are you doing?” Momo smiled at her mentor, and she smiled back.  

“I guess I can't complain. Alrighty!" Dineria stood up, retrieved a nearby chalkboard, and brought it back, "Let me go over the schedule for the day.”

She knew it was silly, but Momo thought the way Dineria walked was graceful in itself.

“So...” Dineria picked up a small chalk piece and began to write in large and cute bubble-like letters.  

“We’re going to start off with a display of what you two can do. Keep in mind, it involves using both the sword and bow. Then, I want to see your Rank 10 skills, if you have any, in action. After that, we’ll have a small break for some tea, and I’ll tell you both about the things I saw. Then, if you feel up to it, I want to see you two spar. Oh, don’t worry, it won’t be with metal swords. I have plenty of wooden ones here. Any question?” 

Srassa raised her hand up.  

She even looks elegant doing that!   

“Yes?”  

“Dineria, what if we have no experience with shooting a bow or a sword?” 

Ah, that’s right. Srassa said she just signed up like three days ago. 

“That’s fine. That's what this mentoring thing is all about. Rest assured, you’ll know your way around both by the time this month is over,” she replied with a smile. Srassa’s face slightly blushed red with faint heat.  

“Anything else?” Dineria asked. But neither Momo nor her potential new friend said anything.  

“Good! Now then, if you can follow me, please,” Momo and Srassa stood up, pushed their chairs in, and followed Dineria over to a corner of the training room.  

Speaking of the training room, it was bigger than the one at Warden, but this one was prepared with all types of training equipment.  

There were a few archery ranges, a spot to practice attacking skills, and even a massive obstacle course that spanned the entirety of the training room.

“Okay, do you two know about the different types of bows?” their mentor asked. She picked up two wooden bows from a nearby wall. The three of them were next to a pair of archery lanes containing five targets a set distance away.

 “I don’t.” 

“Neither do I.” 

If Dineria was irritated, she didn’t show it. Instead, she smiled. She always enjoyed teaching. That was why the training room was large and well equipped. She was so devoted that she took a month's pause from teaching her regular training classes so she could be in the mentor program.  

“This is a recurve bow. Notice the sharp angles? And this is a traditional bow. Unlike the recurve bow, it is made from one piece of wood and not three. There is a third type, called compound bows. It uses a series of pulleys to ease the amount of strength you need to pull the string back. But, those have metal parts, and I don’t really like them.” 

“What’s the difference between recurve and traditional?” Momo asked. She usually wouldn't be the first to ask questions, but Momo meant what she said when she and Servi had their talk the previous day. Throughout the month, she was devoted to giving 110%, even if it meant overcoming her fears and taking the initiative.

“Good question! A recurve bow can shoot an arrow faster. It’ll hit your target quicker, but that’s not to say the traditional bow is any slower or weaker. The speed mainly depends on the quality of the string and wood used in the bow's construction. As for the draw? A traditional bow is going to require more muscle to pull back. If you aren't confident in your arm strength, you might want to start with a recurve bow and work your way up. Oh, traditional bows are more silent, which are useful if you’re hunting.”

Dineria glanced around and saw Momo nodding. She was storing the information in her brain and repeating it back to herself. Srassa, meanwhile, took out a piece of paper and began to write, and Momo felt like she wasn't prepared. 

I hope she doesn’t think I’m not paying attention.  Argh, you stupid cat! Bring paper with you next time.  

“Alright! Now comes the fun part! Momo, come and pick which bow you want to try,” Dineria presented both weapons to her mentee, and she chose the recurve bow.

“Good. Now take these arrows and show me what you got! Remember, I’m not judging you or anything like that.” Dineria smiled again and walked over to where Srassa was, leaving Momo with the space to move around. There was a small table nearby, so she laid the wooden arrows on them.  

Okay, Momo. Remember what Claire said. I’m nervous. If I mess up, it’s okay. Take a deep breath and remember what Servi taught you! 

She closed her eyes and reopened them. Taking the bow in her left hand, she gripped it and picked up an arrow.  

Her body slowly moved to the stance that Servi had shown her, and she drew the arrow back.

Come on, Momo! Just take deep breaths in, and then let them out...

Once her lungs were empty, she let loose the arrow and watched where it landed. Even though her target was five meters away, she didn't get the bullseye. It was close, though. Still, Momo couldn't help but sadly sigh at coming up empty.

“Alright. I’m impressed with your form. Not many beginners know to straighten up their chin. Your arms were a little bit off, but your back was straight. Do another shot and aim for the second target. 

“Okay,” Momo nocked another arrow and pulled the string back. It was a little bit heavier than the bow at Warden, but not by too much. She aimed for the second target, ten meters away, and loose when she was out of breath. It landed near the bottom, almost missing, but it landed.  

Dang it, Momo. You’re nervous. Calm down a little! 

“I see. I see. Do one more and aim for the third one.  

Momo pushed the hair from her eyes and nocked her third arrow of the day. The third target was fifteen meters away.

Okay. I’m gonna have to aim up a little.  

And she missed the whole thing. Momo's arrow ended up sailing right past her intended target, avoiding it by a country mile.

The fourth and fifth marks were twenty and twenty-five meters away, and Momo missed them as well. Sure, she was irritated she missed them, but Momo knew that Dineria planned to teach her the right way. But that’s not to say that Servi didn’t do anything. She taught Momo the pure basics, and Servi was saying things that might be good. After all, Servi's body understood how to move, but her mind didn’t. Just like how her body couldn’t process the afterimages, her mind could. The two concepts of her body and mind had to work in harmony using the skill as a go-between.

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