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Chapter 17
“Hey kid, do you know how to throw darts?”
“Darts?”
At Mikael’s words, Jaina stretched her neck to look ahead.
A dart contest?
In the distance, an announcer with a magically amplified voice was calling people together.
“Alright, whoever scores the highest points will receive the prize of their choice!”
The rules were simple: the one with the highest score wins.
Following Mikael’s suggestion, Jaina decided to participate in the dart competition. She had never thrown darts before, but thought it might be fun to try regardless of the result.
“You’re not joining, Mikael?”
“If I joined, I’d obviously get first place.”
Well, that made sense. As the disciple of the Tower Master, there was no way he couldn’t throw darts. Magic required precision, after all. Of course, darts involved physical tools while magic involved tossing fireballs and such, but still.
“Good luck, little miss!”
Jaina paid the entry fee and entered.
The problem was, none of the magic she had learned involved throwing things far away. She wasn’t sure if she could even throw darts properly.
“If I held back to give you a chance, and you don’t even win first place, you’re in trouble.”
Mikael planted his hands on his waist with a hmph.
That’s not encouragement, is it?
Unaware that Mikael didn’t even have the word “concession” in his vocabulary, Jaina reluctantly took her number tag.
Since she had come late, her turn was near the end.
Other participants, watching her, chuckled.
“Isn’t darts dangerous for such a little kid?”
“Ha! Can she even throw?”
She was clearly still chubby-cheeked and childish-looking. Nobody took her seriously as competition. Her stance gave away that it was her first time, and she didn’t even look nervous—like someone just here to make memories.
“What a cute kid.”
But that only lasted a moment.
Whoosh!
Jaina’s dart landed right in the bullseye. Everyone stared, jaws open.
“Wh-what… Did that just hit dead center?”
“Was she born with a dart in her hand?”
Unlike the others’ shock, Jaina looked calm, shaking her hand lightly after throwing.
Not bad… it’s easier than I thought.
Even though it was her first time, after a few throws she quickly got the hang of it.
Thwip!
She threw again, then again, her scores climbing higher and higher.
“Phew.”
She only hit the bullseye once, but overall, she now held the highest score among the participants.
I’m no Holy Dragon, but I am a dragon after all.
Dragons’ innate sharpness and focus made darts practically perfect for her. She was starting to enjoy it.
“The little miss is pretty good!”
“She might actually win this.”
Jaina still kept her calm expression, but her cheeks were faintly flushed.
“Wow, you’re amazing at this, kid!”
“What, have you done nothing but throw darts your whole life?”
Both participants and spectators were looking at her differently now—mostly with admiration.
“Hey, Dartreesh, weren’t you supposed to win this one?”
“Didn’t you say you’d buy drinks with the prize?”
“Shut up!”
From the corner of her eye, Jaina looked over. The man they called Dartreesh was standing next to her. Unlike her, he had scored high from the start. But after a few mistakes, his score had dropped to almost the same as Jaina’s.
Glare.
He shot her a furious look.
“A brat like you doesn’t know the dangers of the world, huh?”
It was a muttered remark, low enough that others wouldn’t hear.
Really? That’s what you choose to say?
Jaina frowned slightly. Was he venting his frustration at her? For a grown man to pick on a child like this… how pathetic.
“And now, it’s Dartreesh’s turn!”
Though Jaina’s score was high, her fumbles early on left them nearly tied. Dartreesh’s next throw would decide the winner.
With grim determination, he steadied himself and threw the dart with all his strength.
“Huh? Whoa—ahh!”
Suddenly, he pitched forward, as if yanked by some unseen force.
“Gyaaah!”
He tumbled head over heels—once, twice, three times—rolling across the ground like a fool, dirt smeared all over him.
“Hahaha! What on earth is that?”
“Couldn’t win at darts, so he’s trying to win us over with comedy?”
“That’s more entertaining than his darts, honestly.”
Passersby, drawn by the loud laughter, stopped and burst out laughing at Dartreesh’s ridiculous fall.
“D-damn it…”
Several more participants followed, but after witnessing Jaina and Dartreesh, their attempts were timid. Soon, the contest was over.
The announcer looked at the scoreboard and grinned.
“And the winner of today’s dart competition is our cute little miss!”
He raised Jaina’s arm high, and applause erupted.
“As the first-place winner, you may choose any prize you wish! What will it be?”
Jaina carefully surveyed the prizes. A magic lamp… a magic safe for hiding savings… All rare and valuable. Surprisingly luxurious for a street fair dart contest. But she didn’t need any of them.
“I’ll take that one.”
The crowd stirred in surprise. The announcer blinked.
“You… really want the teddy bear?”
“Yes.”
“But that’s not a first prize—it’s just one of the participation gifts. You still want it?”
Jaina nodded again.
Living in the Tower, she had no use for magical gadgets. Sure, a fluffy teddy bear didn’t suit her, but since she had joined the contest, she wanted at least one keepsake to remember it by. That was all.
Why does this feel so embarrassing… I wish there was a more neutral choice.
Her cheeks, already pink from the contest, burned hotter.
“You picked a doll that suits you perfectly, miss.”
The contest host, perhaps relieved she hadn’t chosen something costly, looked warmly at her.
“Here you go. But how will you carry it?”
He was right. The teddy bear was massive. Not only heavy, but far too big for her to manage alone. Each step she took, she staggered, struggling to keep her balance.
“Huh?”
Suddenly, Mikael appeared beside her and plucked the bear out of her arms with ease.
“Honestly, kids… you can’t help yourselves.”
He carried the heavy bear effortlessly with one hand. Compared to her clumsy attempts, he looked graceful.
“Sigh… Kid, what are you gonna do if you’re smaller than the doll you’re carrying?”
“I’ll grow eventually. A little slower doesn’t matter.”
“And if you don’t? Then you’ll be a stunted tadpole, not a kid anymore.”
With a shrug, Mikael tossed a cold glare at the fallen Dartreesh before leaving.
“An idiot like that dares…?”
But when he noticed Jaina watching him, he cleared his throat.
“Your darts weren’t half bad. Better than most, anyway.”
Jaina’s eyes narrowed.
It wasn’t her throw she was worried about—it was how strange Dartreesh’s fall had been. Obviously, in a bad way.
“Mikael… you helped me just now, didn’t you?”
“Nope.”
His denial came quick, almost too quick.
That only confirmed her suspicion. If he truly hadn’t known, he would’ve asked, “What are you talking about?” But instead, he looked away in silence.
“You heard that guy say nasty things to me, right?”
“Imagine insulting a tadpole that hasn’t even become a frog yet. What a jerk.”
Mikael feigned ignorance.
“But really, you just let him talk? Should’ve blasted him with magic.”
“If I did, it might’ve been his head flying instead of my magic.”
Jaina said it jokingly, but Mikael stroked his chin with a satisfied grin. He clearly didn’t take it as a joke.
“Lopping off heads, huh? I like the sound of that.”
Truly the right hand of the final boss—who else would be pleased at the thought of cutting off someone’s head? Watching him mull over the most efficient way to decapitate someone, Jaina sighed quietly.
“I don’t even know that many spells. I can’t do things like you—moving people around at will.”
As she sighed, a voice called from behind her.
“Little one, did you come out with your brother? Having fun?”
Jaina turned and saw a vendor. Out of the corner of her eye, Mikael was pretending not to listen, his ears tilted toward them.
His expressions give him away so easily…
What if she said she wasn’t having fun? The mischievous thought crossed her mind, but instead she answered honestly.
“Yes. I like being out with my brother.”
He wouldn’t hate being called “brother,” right? She was only repeating the vendor’s words.
“Ahem, ahem.”
Mikael cleared his throat, looking oddly pleased. Even more pleased than when he’d been fantasizing about cutting off Dartreesh’s head.
Why’s he so happy?
Was it just because she said she enjoyed being with him? He seemed way too delighted for that.
“Really? You must be showing her a good time. Then why not buy her one of these too?”
The vendor grinned at Mikael.
“They’re delicious, and come in several flavors. Same supplier as what we sell to nobles.”
“No tha—”
“Come on, if you’re out with your little sister, buying her treats is how you earn favor, don’t you know?”
