Chapter 12
【Otto’s POV】
My name is Otto.
Ever since I was little, I have been extremely skilled with the bow.
I live in Muranose Village.
I usually spend my days hunting.
I really love shooting my bow and hunting prey.
The moment my arrow hits its target, I get this indescribable feeling.
「Otto’s bow is the best in the village…no, the best in the world!」
My father praised me like that too.
Today, as usual, I’m out hunting in the forest.
However, today I’m the one being hunted, that’s the only difference.
「Haa… haa…」
I’m running through the forest.
I’m being chased.
「Damn… For the slave hunters to come this far into the forest…」
The slave hunts have been happening a lot lately, I’ve heard.
They capture innocent villagers and sell them off as slaves.
The demand for slaves in the world has been rising.
The nobles use slaves like garbage, discarding them and demanding more and more.
To meet that demand, the slave merchants have been expanding the areas they hunt for slaves.
「He went that way! Don’t let him get away!」
「Tch…」
It was careless of me to enter the forest alone.
I’m surrounded by multiple slave hunters.
My bow alone is no match for them.
I wonder what’s become of the village.
The thought crosses my mind.
I’ll head back toward the village while fighting back.
「Take this…!」
「Gwah…!?」
As expected of my bow.
It’s the first time I’ve shot arrows at people, but I can hold my own.
However, there are quite a lot of them.
If they close the distance on me, I’m done for.
Using my natural running speed, I slowly widen the gap while heading toward the village.
「No way…」
When I returned to the village, an unbelievable sight awaited me.
The village was set ablaze, with no one to be found.
Most of the villagers seem to have been captured by the slave hunters.
Some who resisted lie dead.
「Ugh… damn it…」
I’m suddenly overcome by nausea and dizziness.
In that moment, a man with a blade emerges from behind me.
「Hehehe… Gotcha! Don’t you dare resist…!」
「Let go…!」
「Take this! Don’t resist…!」
I desperately fight back.
Gripping an arrow in my hand, I stab it into the man’s arm.
「Shit…! Stay still already…!」
「Gah…!」
The man raises his blade and slashes at my arm, severing it from my body in an instant.
「No… My arm…! Gaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!」
「You little shit! That’s what you get for not behaving!」
And so, I was captured by the slave hunters.
I was in despair.
But not because I was to be made a slave.
It was because I’d never again be able to shoot my bow and race through the mountains and forests—
◆
I was lined up at a shop in the slave market that sold defective slaves like me.
To be honest, I was leftover merchandise.
Well of course, I can’t even shoot my beloved bow anymore…
Damn, if only I still had my arm.
Even as a slave, I might have been purchased for my skill with the bow and been able to keep shooting.
I had completely given up on life.
My face was sullen, and no one wanted to buy me.
At this rate, I’d soon be disposed of.
「Should I take him?」
Then someone appeared wanting to purchase me.
His name was Eld Schmerzen.
He was just a child, younger than me.
What is he thinking? As I wondered that, I was brought to Master Eld’s mansion.
「Now then, I’ll treat you.」
「Huh…?」
Saying that, Master Eld started using healing magic on my arm.
「Um, what are you…?」
「What do you mean? I’m regrowing your arm.」
「R-Regrowing my arm!? That’s impossible with healing magic!」
「No, it’s not impossible…」
I didn’t understand what he was talking about.
Just what was this person saying? There was an old man in my village who could use healing magic too.
But all he could do was treat colds and heal scratches.
「It’s… It’s really growing back…!?」
「Like I said, it is.」
As I stood there quietly, my arm really did come back to life.
「Amazing…! Master Eld, thank you so much!」
I was moved to tears.
I thought I’d never be able to shoot a bow again, yet here I was regaining my arm.
I’m so fortunate.
To think someone so wonderful bought me.
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