The wild duck had two gunshot wounds, one on its left wing and another on its neck near the head. An arrow was also embedded in its right wing.
I pulled the arrow out and inspected it carefully. Finding no damage, I wiped the blood off on the grass and returned it to my quiver.
Hank grabbed the duck by the neck and lifted it easily. His gun rested over his shoulder as he turned toward me.
"Let's go, Jax. They must be getting impatient."
We first returned to the pond where Yato and Mikasa were waiting. After meeting up with them, we headed home together.
Once we arrived, Hank gathered everyone and announced that I had changed my surname back to Ackerman.
Mikasa and Yato were both delighted by the decision. They warmly welcomed me back into the Ackerman family without hesitation.
Time passed quickly after that day.
Before I realized it, three months had gone by.
By then, I had already spent more than three months in this world. Just as I was wondering when that event would finally happen, Hank suddenly walked into the room one evening holding a letter.
He raised it slightly and spoke to us.
"Doctor Jaeger wrote to say he will visit us on May 23rd, the day after tomorrow. He will also bring his son, Eren. Mikasa, you met Doctor Jaeger when you were younger, so make sure you get along well with Eren."
Mikasa nodded and responded with a soft hum of agreement.
"Oh, and Jax, you too," Hank added as he looked at me. "Eren is around your age. I think you will have a lot in common."
"I will," I replied with a nod.
Hank seemed satisfied and continued speaking.
"Doctor Jaeger is also a very capable man. He once cured a serious infectious disease when many other doctors could do nothing about it."
During these past three months, I had made considerable preparations.
I created ten of each of the three talisman cards I used most often, Healing Cards, Lightning Cards, and Explosion Cards.
In addition, I enchanted three arrows, increasing their speed and sharpness while giving them the ability to track enemies automatically.
My hunting dagger also underwent reinforcement. It was now far stronger and more durable than an ordinary dagger. Although it still could not compare to the sacred silver dagger I once had, it was more than enough for now.
If those three human traffickers dared to appear, I would make sure none of them left a complete corpse.
Two days passed quickly.
Tomorrow would be the day Doctor Jaeger and Eren arrived.
This morning, I planned to hunt a little more prey. After that, I would remain at home for the rest of the day and wait for tomorrow. When they arrived, I intended to stay nearby to ensure everything went smoothly.
The weather today was not very pleasant.
Dark clouds were already gathering in the distance, while scattered gray clouds drifted across the sky above the forest. At this rate, rain would likely fall in the afternoon.
"Jax, go early and come back early!" Yato called out as she waved at me.
"I need to prepare for Doctor Jaeger's arrival, so I will not go with you today," Hank said. "The weather is not great, so do not stay out too long."
I nodded and turned toward Mikasa.
"Mikasa, do you want to come with me? We can take a walk through the forest."
Mikasa looked tempted at first. However, after glancing at Yato, she shook her head.
"No. I am going to continue learning embroidery with Mom today. Next time, Jax, you can take me."
"Alright, next time then. I will be back soon."
I smiled and began walking toward the forest.
For some reason, a faint sense of unease began rising from the bottom of my heart. It made me restless as I walked.
I had the strange feeling that I might miss something important.
Still, after carefully checking that I had forgotten nothing and confirming that Doctor Jaeger was indeed arriving tomorrow, I forced myself to dismiss the uneasy feeling.