Standing ten meters from me there is a wooden plank.
I draw the bow while staring at that plank.
I push the arrow to the limit, then I aim carefully and I shot.

The arrow magnificently passed beside the plank and disappeared into the forest.

……

「Leader, you suck. This is already the tenth time」
「S-Shut up! Then, are you able to do it!?」
I pressed the bow against Ron-kun.

The art of using a bow is very complicated.
I have to use all my strength if I want to be able to pull the bowstring.
But if I do not use all my strength the bow wavers.

It’s not that I suck at this, but is that the bow is difficult to use!

Ron-kun pulls the arrow to the limit, and takes aim.
And finally shoots.

The arrow sinks to the ground right next to the plank.

「So, Ron-kun can’t do it too. It seems like we will not be able to go hunting. What to do? This is troubling」
「Don’t say it with such happy face! You’re so childish!!」
「But I’m a kid, you know?」
「But with the mind of an adult!!」
What an annoying fellow. The mind is something that is pulled by the body!!

When Ron-kun and I were busy quarreling, Gram-kun came and stole our bow.
And without saying a word, he stretched the bow and fired.
The arrow hit the target splendidly.

「It has to be a lie!!」
「That he can do it’s strange!!」
「E-Even if you tell me that…」
A coincidence. It has to be a coincidence.
There is no possibility that Gram who at first glance seems to have slow reflexes to hit anything.

「Try to do it again」
「O-Okay」
Gram-kun nods, and again he prepares the arrow.
The arrow hit the target easily.

This is obviously not a fluke…

「You were able to easily stretch the bow string which is even for me something difficult to do, and not only that, you have even been able to hit the plank that I could not even touch… Could it be that you… really have good reflexes?」
「Eh? Y-Yeah… Maybe…」
What do you mean with maybe! Be more confident.

「Please, teach me the trick」
「Um… You don’t use the arm to pull the bow, you use your back」
Stretch the bowstring with your back?
I had Gram-kun taught me patiently and in details.

And then I was able to pull the bow easily.
But I did not hit it either.

Oh well. Let’s leave the hunting to Gram-kun.

「We will lose Griffon support after three years. And then we will not be able to eat meat anymore. Whether we are able to eat meat or not will depend on your ability. Please work hard!」
I said that while patting Gram-kun’s shoulders.
Gram-kun nods with a nervous expression.

「But isn’t there only one bow? It would be difficult if it’s just Gram-kun. We must get more」
「Now now, don’t panic. I also thought about it. For now I want you to look at this」
「What is it? A pouch?」
「It’s a slingshot⌈[^1]⌋ 」
The Griffon is always hunting animals like rabbits on his own initiative for our sake. So I used the skin of the skinned animal to make this slingshot.
Though the structure is simple, I went through a hard time making it.

「You use it like this」
I put the stone in the sling and swayed my arm in a big way.
The stone went considerably far.

「If you train, you may even be able to drop at least one or two birds. And not to say that it is easy to make it. I’ve already made three. So if you all help me, In a blink of an eye, we can all have one」
All the children came to me, asking me to let them try it too.
Well, what can I say? It’s hard to be a popular guy.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

「Yeah, I’ve caught!! Look! It’s pretty big…」
I look around the feet of Ron-kun.
There were five fish bigger than the ones I had caught…

「What!」
「Leader is just really bad at this. Really bad」
「Don’t say it twice!!」
My heart would not be able to bear it.

「Since we only have two fishing rods, it would be better for someone else to grab the one from the leader」
Gununununu
It’s a sound argument…

However, fishing alone will not fill our stomachs.
So it’s not that important.
And it’s not because this is frustrating!

「Can’t be helped, all right, I’ll give it to Soyon-chan. It’s okay even if you two have a lovey-dovey fishing date」
「Wha-! What are you saying, leader! Soyon and I are not like that」
Ron-kun blushes.
Alright, I won.

I was soaked in the sense of superiority.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

「This herb can be eaten. That fruit will give you a stomach ache, but you can eliminate the toxin if you soak it in water」
「As expected from the Griffon-sama. By the way, does Griffon-sama eat anything other than meat?」
「Naturally. There are times when this one feel like eating herbs too」
As expected from the Griffon.
The Griffon eats healthily.
Or rather, it has the upper body of a bird, so it would not be uncommon for it to eat nut.
But wait, even if the Griffon is a bird, the bird continues to be a bird of prey, so is not that strange?

Now that I think about it, how should I classify this fellow, a mammal or as a bird?
Does it matter?

「Why have you come to ask such things? Was not that you were going to cultivate?」
「It’s difficult to cultivate with the climatic changes. And it’s not like I’m very well informed about agriculture. There is also the possibility of failing. Therefore, this is like an insurance」

Since these children were abandoned due to a famine.
In addition, there is no certainty that the same will not happen again in our fields.

「Umu, is that so? Then this one will slowly return to its territory. Since this one is sleepy」
The Griffon said so and flapped his wings.
In a blink of an eye the Griffon flew away.

「I should also go back slowly」
It happened at the moment when I was about to go to the village.
I heard a scream.

This is Roswald-kun’s voice!!

I started running.
I grasp with my hands the iron sword I brought for my self-protection.

No matter what kind of animal it is, they are all weak on the face.
So, surely they will escape if I hit them in the face.
But if the animal goes berserk… I’ll make Roswald-kun escape first. After all, this is a life that was supposed to have been lost already.

As I ran, several voices were brought by the wind towards me.
「Oi, don’t run stupid brat!」
「Stop it!! There is no point in kidnapping me. I was abandoned by my parents! They will never give you food!!」
「You’re an idiot! I already know that. You have a lot of iron swords, right?」

The opponent is a human!
Damn, was it a mistake to show off those iron swords?

But a human is weaker than a bear or a wolf.
I let out a sigh of relief.

At last the time has come to use the kendo I learned from the director of the orphanage.

A man and Roswald-kun enter my field of vision. It’s a relief. Roswald-kun is safe and sound. The man was also alone.
Moreover, I was able to position myself behind the back of the man.

I took out the slingshot. And since Roswald-kun is being protected by the back of the man, I do not have to worry about hitting him. I can throw without worries.

The stone thrown from the slingshot struck the man’s head splendidly.
「It hurts!!」
The man released Roswald-kun and held his head.

「Roswald-kun!! Before it’s too late!」
On saying that, Roswald-kun came running to my side.

Now we must escape quickly.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

「Wait! Stupid brats!!」
This is bad, he will catch us!

After all, there is no way that a child can beat an adult in terms of running.
The distance is getting shorter.

「Keep running, Roswald-kun! I’ll stop him」
「B-But…」
「Do it fast!!」
Hearing my shout, Roswald-kun began to run at full speed. That’s all right.

「Oh, you are stalling for time so your friend can escape? You make me cry. However, look at you, you’re making such a lovely face, isn’t it?」
With a stick of a tree in one hand, the man laughs.
Even for it to be the stick of a tree, this is considerably thick. Depending on where he hits me, it’s an instant death.

「Let me ask you something. What is your goal?」
「Take away the swords from your hands」
「And then?」
「Exchange those swords for food. I don’t feel like working in the field. And I’ll get a few slaves. But since you’ve appeared, I’ll have to change my plans」
「I understand. Now I’m relieved」
「Relieved?」
「It means that in addition to being an idiot you are trash!」

I pulled out the iron sword and quickly get close to the man.
The man tried to defend himself using the stick but it was too late.
My sword tore up the man’s flesh together with the wooden stick.

「Gyaaaaaa!!」
「Die!!」
I once again raised my sword, thrusting it into the heart.
Fresh blood blew upwards.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

「Thanks god he relaxed his guard」
If you talk about fighting, what should be considered first is your physique. The taller one has the advantage of looking down at the other party, since a large build can display more power.
If you take into account the difference between our ability with the sword and the quality between our weapons, then, they are worlds apart.
But nevertheless, this guy was careless.

There is no difference between two novices as long as one approaches.
In reality, the one that caused the murder, is not a martial artist expert or anything like that.
The one who stabs first is the one who wins.

「I had no other choice. My *** would have been violated if I had not done something. And If our swords had been stolen, we could starve too. And not only that, if our location had been discovered a large number of adults could come too. This was a necessary murder. I had no other choice」

I justify myself. That I’m right. That there was no other way but to do this.

I look down at the body.
The next moment, I was assaulted with a terrible desire to vomit.

So I throw up.
I threw everything I had in my stomach.

This does not mean that I have sympathy for this guy. It is natural for such a garbage to die.
It’s just that doing something that I’m not used to makes me feel bad.

「Leader!! Are you okay!?」
I heard Ron-kun’s voice.
In front of me were children carrying iron swords.

Roswald-kun looked also lively.

「It’s alright. I’m fine」
Immediately after saying that, I fainted.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

I do not know my parents’ faces.

My guardians were the teachers of the orphanage.

Sometimes when I see children crying for wanting to see their parents, I feel lonely.
And the reason is because I’ve never met them in my entire life.

For what reason have they abandoned me?

Perhaps they could not raise me financially?
Or it could be that my mother was a minor?
Or could it be that I was the result of a violation?

I wonder if they abandoned me in the same way as I am making excuses for having killed a person.
After all, the child of a frog is still a frog.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

「Uu… Where I am?」
「!!! Almus has woken up!!」
The loud cry of Tetra-chan entered my ears.
What’s going on? You guys are very noisy! Let me sleep a little longer.

While making a rattling noise, the childen began to gather around me.
「What. Why are you all so flustered?」
「Even though three days passed, leader was still asleep」
Three days?
Why I slept so much…?

Ah, I see. It’s because I’ve killed a person.
Is that why I fainted?

Even if I remember, I do not feel like throwing up.
It may be that sleeping three days has restored my spirit.

「Nii-san! Are you alright?」
Roswald-kun came to look into my face.
Nii-san… It has a good sound.

「I’m fine, you see? Sorry for making you worry」
I patted Roswald-kun’s head.

Roswald-kun jumped to my chest in tears.
「I was worried, you know! I thought that my brother had died because of me… And I!!!」
「I’m sorry. I did something I was not used to, so I only got tired. I can start working from today」

I said so while still patting Roswald-kun’s head.

If it were possible, I would have wanted him to call me dad…

1. [^1]:A forked stick with an elastic band attached for shooting small stones