I'm a Immortal Tavernkeeper, But My S-Rank Daughter Doesn't Know That!

Wanda watched as the Golden Canary dodged her arrow with a dexterity that only added to the mystical aura surrounding the little bird. The golden glow of its feathers shimmered in the sunlight, making it an even more irresistible target. She barely had time to process her frustration before the other candidate revealed himself.

It was Lucian, a slim, agile young man known for his skill with traps and for never losing a kill. His black hair contrasted with his pale skin, and his blue eyes shone with determination. He moved like a shadow, fast and silent, the net in his hand, ready to catch the bird, but Wanda knew the canary wouldn’t give in so easily.

"Well, well, it seems I have competition, Wanda," Lucian said, his voice filled with an almost arrogant confidence. He didn’t look at her directly, concentrating on the canary who was still jumping from branch to branch.

"This isn’t a competition between us," Wanda replied, keeping her voice calm even though she knew every second was crucial. "It’s a test against the forest, and the Golden Canary is the real challenge."

Lucian laughed softly and finally gave her a sideways glance. "Maybe for you. But I prefer to think that whoever catches the bird first wins. And I don’t usually lose."

Before Wanda could answer, Lucian threw his net with a quick, precise motion. The object flew through the air, cutting off the space between them and the bird in a split second. Wanda held her breath, waiting for the inevitable - but the golden canary was faster than either of them had expected. With an agile leap, he narrowly avoided the net and soared to a higher branch, out of reach.

Lucian cursed softly, but wasted no time. He quickly began moving around the tree, trying to find a better position for his next attempt. Wanda, on the other hand, stayed where she was, watching the bird’s behavior. It was scared, but it didn’t seem to want to run away completely. It was almost as if the canary was having fun, playing with the hunters who were chasing it.

The surrounding forest seemed to share this mood. The branches of the trees seemed to sway slightly, as if they were laughing together, and the bushes rustled with a breeze that hadn’t been there seconds ago. Wanda knew that Elmar’s forest was enchanted, but there was something deeper going on. Something she couldn’t quite define.

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to connect with the magic of the forest, something her father had taught her from a young age. "The forest has a life of its own," he used to say. "If you learn to listen, it can be your ally." Wanda had always been a good student, but in the tension of this moment, it was difficult to find the peace she needed.

When she opened her eyes again, she noticed something strange - the surrounding trees seemed to have shifted slightly. The clearing she was in now seemed more enclosed, and the sound of the nearby stream was farther away. It was as if the forest was testing her, changing the scenery to see how she would react.

"Concentrate, Wanda," she whispered to herself, adjusting the position of the bow in her hands. She knew she had to come up with a different approach.

The Golden Canary was intelligent, perhaps more so than any of the other candidates, but he was in just as difficult a situation as she was. He had to be tired of flying, of dodging, and eventually he would make a mistake.

Lucian, on the other hand, seemed to rely more on his physical abilities than on any subtle strategy. He had climbed part of the tree, trying to get closer to the bird, but his every move caused the canary to jump to another branch, always keeping a safe distance.

Wanda realized she had to take Lucian out of the equation. He was a formidable competitor, but he was also impatient and impulsive. If she could distract him, she might have a golden opportunity to capture the bird.

"Lucian..." she called, her voice soft but firm. "You know the canary won’t come down until it feels safe, right? Pushing him like this will only scare him away more. Maybe we should work together."

Lucian paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he considered the suggestion. "And why should I share the credit with you?"

"Because if you continue like this, none of us will be able to catch him. The Golden Canary is a magical creature; it senses our intentions. If we try to take it by force, it’ll keep running away. But if we’re more subtle, if we surround him and corner him together, we might have a chance."

He hesitated, obviously not liking the idea of depending on someone else. But Wanda could see that his own frustration was beginning to wear him down. Finally, Lucian climbed down a few branches, still keeping a certain suspicion in his eyes.

"What’s your plan?" he asked, crossing his arms as if he doubted that she could offer anything better than he could.

"We need to let him calm down," she replied, lowering her bow and putting the arrow away. "If we go back and pretend to give up, he might think he’s safe again. The Golden Canary is curious by nature; it will come closer to see if the danger has really passed. If it has, we’ll have a better chance."

Lucian looked at her for a long moment, then finally nodded, albeit reluctantly. "All right, but if he escapes because of this, it’ll be your fault."

Wanda just nodded and slowly backed away, while Lucian did the same. They moved away from the tree where the bird was perched, until the bird could barely see them between the leaves. The surrounding forest seemed to hold its breath, as if waiting to see what would happen next.

There was silence for a few minutes, broken only by the distant songs of other birds and the occasional rustling of leaves. Wanda remained alert, watching for any sign of movement. Then, at last, she saw a slight change - the Golden Canary began to descend and move among the lower branches, as if checking to see if the humans were really gone.

Wanda exchanged glances with Lucian, who was now holding his net in a more relaxed manner, but with an underlying tension, ready to act at any moment. She gestured for him to wait, knowing that any abrupt movement would send the canary flying again. The bird hopped from branch to branch, getting closer and closer to the ground.