"Sure! Maybe we can even find you a beginner's bow and practice arrows."

"You don't think it'd be redundant to get one?"

"Not really? Beginners' bows are easier to use, if we're gonna teach you. Though I might have an old one in the Slate somewhere, actually..."

"Do you use it for more than killing things?"

"Not really..." Shrug, slight disappointment. "Never mind, then."

Oh no he upset Link, oh no.

"I think since there aren't any at home I should... it'll be less complicated to pretend I invented it, but I'm thinking about who to market it to. Caralendri and humans are the only people the right shape to use a bow, I think, but hunting will be kind of a hard sell for herbivores. Anyway, of course I want one, if they're cheap enough."

"No, you're right that we have to consider whether it's practical. Caralendri are herbivores? I'm pretty sure humans and hylians are omnivores, is why I ask. Maybe a crossbow'd be better, you could fire one of those with a paw, but those are way harder to make and maintain."

She peers at the Sheikah Slate. "Aha, looks like I do have a nice, easy bow. You can have it. And practice arrows with dulled tips are cheap enough, like three rupees each."

"Yeah, they're herbivores, they can hunt and sell game to other people but farms are more efficient and safer and I wouldn't expect killing things to appeal to them like it does to predators. There's interest in self-defense at home, but not as much as here, some people have magic for that and the rest don't really expect to need to fight for their lives more than maybe once or twice if they're unlucky. Well, maybe I'll only get to shoot things in Hyrule, that still might be worth it if I'm here for a while. Thanks for the bow!"

"Too bad with only hylian-shaped people around and most of the monsters hylian-shaped too we only have hylian-shaped fighting traditions. Let's go see if they have a practice range."

"Good idea. ...I think hylian-shaped people need weapons more, other people have claws and bigger teeth. Or are too small to do much without magic, armed or not."

"If you take it far enough, our weapons are better than claws and teeth. But a crude club against a giant beast? Yeah..."

Out they go. The archery shop is just across the street. The shopkeeper looks bored. "Got any practice arrows?"

"Sure... Three rupees each... Bring them back when you're done practicing and you get two rupees back..."

He buys a handful of practice arrows.

"Not better than magic, though, and anything you can't use for... oh, that's what I can do, I bet there'd be caralendri who'd like archery contests. I'm sure there's a way to profit off creating a new sport."

"Before the Calamity we had some of these things called 'cannons', those weren't magic but gosh, they might as well have been for how destructive they could be!"

There's a space Link identifies as for archery practice out side the store, facing away from the rest of the village. The targets are red painted circles on the side of hay stacks. She starts explaining the different parts of the bow and demonstrating how to hold it.

"I'll have to read about those in Milliways."

It turns out stabbing haystacks from a distance is even more fun than it sounds. He's not an awful shot for a beginner but he is clearly a beginner.

"Want to show me how a real archer compares?"

"On stationary targets? I can do it behind my back."

She tries that... But misses. 

"...Okay I'm not that good."

She tries again, holding the bow properly, and gets three bullseyes in a row.

Giggle. "I like you. A lot."

"...I'm glad. I like you too."

"I can go collect the arrows, unless you want to stay out longer."

"Hmmm... I already corrected the worst beginner's form mistakes. We can go in and it won't harm your bow skills long term. Just remember that practice makes perfect though."

"That and the staff! ...I might have to carry weapons to a job interview. Weapons I definitely wasn't carrying when I opened the door. I'm not sure how I'll explain myself."

"I think Milliways will rent you a room - measured in subjective time - and you could put stuff there? The door likes you, you'll get another sooner or later."

"Yeah, maybe. Do you think our cake is ready?"

"Oooh, maybe! And it smells nice even if not so let's head back."

They turn in the practice arrows and get most of Valanda's money back. Link buys a few actual sharp arrows and one - slightly pricey at 80 rupees - set of five fire arrows before returning to the general store.

He offers to buy her the fire arrows but he won't insist if she'd rather just get them herself.

"No really, I've got the money. And I'll be the one using them. It's fine."

So they can go look at the cake! Link inspects the oven and declares only about five more minutes until it's ready.