Lydia Schaffen's Notch

Advice on the use of tools given by Lydia Schaffen to her apprentices. Readable.

## In-Game Text

This story is said to have taken place one day at the Astral Tower. A dispute among the disciples of Lydia Schaffen broke out. Several disciples gathered after the training and in the process such a dialog is said to have come up: 'No matter how good your bow is, if your skills are lacking, you can't bring out its full potential. Therefore, what is important in the end is your own skill.' Such was a claim of a certain disciple, which started the dispute.

'You are forgetting the basics of archery. What is an archer? It is someone who uses a tool called a bow, right? Do you think an archer existing without a bow is possible? Even if one gets famous for their skill with sword and spear, can one still call themselves an archer? In the end, archery is the concept of depending on tools, isn't it?'

The disciple who had a different view argued back: 'You said tools are important, let's talk about that. What is a bow? There are various weapons for an archer. Just like there are weapons that don't need much skill to handle, like a crossbow, there are also weapons, effectiveness of which varies a lot based on a user's skill, like the ones of the Wugushi. The Wind Arrow of the Wugushi is hard to master, it's a difficult weapon to wield for someone without experience, no matter how good the materials of one's bow are.

However, calling a catapult or a crossbow a weapon anyone can handle is not correct. You claim archery exists solely because there are tools, this is wrong.

This is the same as saying that since people will die if they don't eat, their lives are less important than food and depend on it. Are you claiming that since you eat to be able to live on, you are living to eat?' Upon that, another disciple shared his viewpoint: 'You are arguing about the path of the Archer, but you are only concentrating on one aspect. What you fail to address is that no matter how famous an Archer one is, no matter how eagle-eyed one is, what they are using to their advantage is the wind.

The arrow could not be shot if it wasn't for the wind and air that carries it to the mark, how could any sharpshooter exist, or rather, how much would an archer be able to do in that case? In the end, what is necessary for an archer is to sense the wind flow and to be able to act on it.'

From then on, the disciples argued to no end, claims became more diverse and interesting, theories fired back and forth. Finally, they started wondering about what their master, Lydia Schaffen, would think of this. After having told her about the discussion they've had so far, they waited for her reply.

When the disciples came to Lydia Schaffen, she is said to have been eating chestnuts using an arrowhead, dangerously perched on the railing of the Astral Tower.

Lydia Schaffen continued eating while listening to the disciples, keeping her position on the railing. After they finished, she kept quiet for a while, but before long she fiddled with her fingers through the pile of shells of chestnuts she had eaten and picked out something, reportedly saying this: 'What is this?' The disciple with the sharp eyes answered before anyone could. 'It's the inner skin of a chestnut.'

It was very obvious that it was indeed the inner skin of a chestnut, so the others nodded in agreement and waited for their master's next words. And so Lydia Schaffen continued. 'No. This is the notch of my arrow.'

Having said so, she pinched the inner skin of a chestnut between her fingers, took her bow that was lying beside her as always and fired into the sky using the inner skin as a notch. It is said that Lydia Schaffen has settled the dispute of the disciples that way, jumped from the railing she was sitting on and left, leaving the disciples bewildered.