"Apprentice Ing, you must understand, Aure City needs a leader. A leader with experience, like your Master. We have been short of wood elves so it is fortunate that your mother chose to settle here. But, you are unfamiliar with the history of this forest and, moreover, young."
"So you think me less just because I am a half-blood?" Ing's voice was all kinds of condescending.
I'll say something about the elves. Fine hosts they might not be, but they got the Slytherin Bitch Face and tone down to a fine art.
[Nori, the tree to your left— Yes, that one.]
I continued to listen to the conversation 37 was relaying to me as I snuck closer to my goal. Yes, I was bugging their secret meeting in the middle of nowhere.
It was slightly unfair, having a super-advanced alien AI on my side, but I'll take what cheats I can get for being dumped unprepared in the middle of an elven forest in another world.
As it was, I had to sneak over mulch and plants quietly enough the three elves would not be able to hear (their hearing was about three times better than humans; I checked with 37). I was a bit preoccupied getting into the zone amidst nature.
Scoping the tree the AI directed me to, I let the overheard conversation fade a bit into the background as I focused climbing up to one of the many tree-platform decks this forest seemed to have.
The feeling I was reenacting a scene right out of the Assassin's Creed franchise just increased as I refocused on the conversation while I ran eyes over what was present in the fort. Corrupt politicians and a questionable political regime that seemed more aimed toward Power for the Individual than Stability for the People?
While a part of me was incredulous that Eti really went there and was holding Captain Grine hostage, I pointed to several things for my accomplice AI to put into the Inventory (which had increased a slot with level up). Yes, Eti Lifeflight really fucking went there and kidnapped Ing's mom to blackmail her into compliance.
Turning to face the direction of the clearing, I increased my spatial vision and night vision as I got comfortable in my claimed temporary sniper's nest. The action of enhancing my physical ability was almost frighteningly easy. Simple. It was like reaching for that zone when you're hanging air or the breath before you release the arrow.
It felt like I had always done it. Kinda creepy, not going to lie.
'I knew this guy was an asshole, Thirty-Seven, but I truly underestimated how slimy he was.'
Vode was probably one of Eti's men. I can't imagine how that super competent, can kick my ass to Sunday, elven Captain could be quietly restrained otherwise. Either that or they were doing a double fake-out.
Maybe Captain Grine really wasn't under their control and Eti was simply saying she was. Someone else might be doing the exact same thing to Ing's mother, to get the Captain to comply by threatening they had her daughter (when that wasn't true).
It wasn't as if Ing could risk the chance, which was why the little blonde was hesitating. Eti's mind games were actually affecting her.
Receiving two arrows with a thought, I held the spare between my pinky and ring fingers as I slowly drew the bow. Wind?
[5km/h. We are downwind.]
'Hey, Thirty-Seven. Probably should have asked this earlier but, just to make sure, the gravitational force on this planet is the same as Earth, right?'
[Yes.]
Alright… 10^2+113^2 …
[The draw weight for your Elven Bow is 90.3lbs]
'Thanks.' Now, calculate the parabola…
I exhaled.
The conversation was cut off and there was the sound of movement. As I didn't have a clear sight of the trio, I relied on 37 to relay to me the results, the second arrow already notched and ready for some blind shooting.
[Nori, your arrow landed exactly an arms-breadth behind Eti. He turned around in surprise and is looking in this direction.]
I dropped the arrow and unstrung the bow.
[Apprentice Ing has—]
The forest came alive and the ground started shaking.
Why were tiny girls always scary? 'Yeah, I can see,' I thought wryly. Like I said, Ing didn't need me to rescue her directly.
I scrambled down the trunk, jumping down while still halfway up and started running.
'Thirty-seven, it is time for us to leave.'