Before training began, Minerva's question appeared before my eyes.
Should I train Luna, or should I train Hare?
Minerva was saying to train only one person intensively, not both simultaneously.
The reason would be clear if I looked at the answer sheet.
I immediately opened the answer sheet for '1. Train Luna' to check.
...
Luna was delighted that her skills had improved from the training.
She swung her wooden sword alone in her room, burning with enthusiasm for training.
However.
Perhaps because Hare hadn't received training.
She sat alone on the bed, fiddling with her wooden dagger.
Her expression was gloomy, full of disappointment.
"I want to get stronger and help Mister too... I want to train... but I don't know anything..."
Drip drip—
Late at night, Hare shed tears alone while looking at the moon.
She got up from the bed and tried to practice by herself, but...
"...It's no use. I, I can't do it alone... *sob*..."
Hare couldn't do anything by herself.
In the end, Hare put down her wooden dagger on the desk with a regretful look.
...
Hmm.
Certainly, Hare hasn't learned anything from me.
I taught her briefly before, but only showed her how to hold a dagger.
I'd never properly taught Hare.
*Hare's talent, if I had to categorize it, is in learning and memorization. It's not a talent for creating things independently.*
When I taught her letters, I felt that Hare's talent was like an absorbing sponge.
She acquires information, memorizes it, and uses it.
Hare's talent is developed in that direction.
So self-study probably wouldn't help much.
*Then the answer is automatically number 2.*
Before that.
I should check answer sheet number 2 as well.
The more thorough you are, the fewer gaps there are.
With that thought, I checked the answer sheet for '2. Train Hare.'
...
"Hyah! Hah!"
Hare was training in her room, shouting battle cries.
The movements seemed unfamiliar, as if she'd learned them today, but with each strike, they grew closer to perfection.
"This is for Mister's revenge...! Die, you monster...! Hehe! I'll protect Mister...!"
Swoosh swoosh—
Hare was taking revenge on an imaginary Demon King in the air.
The future Hare, not thinking I might be listening, was shouting strange battle cries.
But did she really need to use those kinds of cries?
I had some doubts.
Well, she's young, so I suppose it's understandable.
*Next is Luna, I suppose.*
Passing Hare's room to Luna's room.
In the previous answer sheet, the child who wasn't trained was dejected.
So naturally, I thought Luna would be sitting still too.
However, Luna was the same whether I trained her or not.
"Why! Am! I! The! Only! One! Not! Training! This! Is! Too! Much!"
Aaaah—!!
Luna was training while screaming, even though it was early evening.
...I'd be sleeping in the next room.
Though I suppose it wouldn't matter since I'd be asleep after drinking.
Luna swung her sword even louder, as if deliberately wanting me to hear.
"After! So! Long! You! Said! Training! But! Left! Me! Out! Alone! Really! Too! Much! Totally! Too! Much! Ugh..."
Luna shouted as if feeling hurt.
Moisture was gathering slightly in her eyes.
She seemed sad, as if hurt feelings were washing over her.
Even so, she didn't stop her sword training, and rather seemed stimulated, her growth accelerating.
With Luna striking down her sword while sobbing.
The answer sheet closed its pages.
And I could decide on my answer too.
Reality after viewing all the answer sheets.
Blue eyes and red eyes were watching me.
"Training! What kind of training is it today, Mister!?"
"I, I can do well! I'll do my best!"
"..."
Luna and Hare, full of anticipation.
Whoever I chose, one would definitely be hurt.
But from a future perspective.
That is, from the Hero Party's viewpoint, the answer was decided.
"Luna."
"Yes, Mister!"
Clench—!
To Luna, who clenched her fist tightly and steeled her resolve.
I announced the correct answer.
"Practice alone today. Hare's dagger progress is too far behind."
"...Huh?"
Luna made a dazed sound, as if she'd suddenly been struck by an arrow to the heart.
It was an expression of hearing something completely unexpected.
"Today is self-study, Luna. Look into your swordsmanship on your own."
"B-But Mister! It's been so long since we trained!? We haven't trained in a whole week! And you're telling me to self-train!?"
This doesn't make sense!
Luna shouted that this was an unfair contract.
However, having seen the future and knowing this would also help Luna.
I had no intention of stopping.
"No. Go back. Today's training is only for Hare."
"Wh-why! We can do it together!!"
"You're learning swordsmanship. Hare is learning dagger techniques. The curriculum is different."
"Aah!! Then I'll learn daggers too!!"
"Once you finish learning swordsmanship, I'll teach you then."
Not today.
Today was time to teach only one person intensively.
I ignored Luna's words and approached Hare.
"Hare, get ready. I'll teach you the dagger."
"Y-yes! I'm, I'm ready...! P-please start...!!"
Hare gripped her dagger tightly, steeling her resolve.
"I, I was... w-waiting... wh-what is this..."
Behind me, I could hear Luna's deeply disappointed voice.
But I decided to pay no mind and focus on Hare's training.
Luna alone getting stronger wouldn't be enough to defeat the Demon King.
*Shake off those hurt feelings and train, Luna.*
Unlike Hare, you have the talent to refine your swordsmanship on your own.
So even self-training would be efficient for you.
No matter how hurt Luna felt, the Hero Party's purpose was only one thing.
'Eliminate all Demon Kings.'
To do that, we had to minimize impact on mental health as much as possible.
We had no choice but to focus on improving skills.
Growth without pain doesn't exist.
And so Luna...
"...Ugh, I hate you, Mister! Don't talk to me!! You kidnapped me and won't even train me! You don't keep your promises! I totally hate you!"
Hmph!
She began swinging her sword alone with a thoroughly sulky appearance.
Whoosh— whoosh—
The sword she swung was filled with emotion.
"I'm the one who works hardest... but you always discriminate against me..."
Mostly negative emotions.
Hero Luna felt wronged.
"Hare, did you remember everything?"
"Yees...! I, I think I remembered everything...!"
Hare answered with a bright smile.
Sweat was flowing down her cheeks and her body was trembling, but she seemed happy to have trained with me.
*I hope she absorbs it well.*
Dagger techniques.
If I had to teach swordsmanship and dagger techniques to a mediocre person, I would choose swordsmanship without hesitation.
The reason is simple.
Without physical talent, you absolutely cannot survive or use dagger techniques.
*An agile body, and keen senses.*
Only when you have all of that do you gain the qualification to use a dagger.
In that sense, Hare's qualifications were overflowing rather than merely sufficient.
*...She snatched my wallet at a speed I couldn't notice, and what she showed in today's training exceeded expectations.*
In terms of evasion, she quickly dodged a punch I threw with all my strength removed.
With the resolve that being hit would mean death.
When I asked why she had that expression...
*I-if Mister's punch hits me... it, it hurts twice as much... both body and heart hurt...*
*...*
While desperately avoiding punches that wouldn't even hurt if they landed.
She just said something difficult to empathize with.
And she was so good at dodging that I couldn't say anything.
"For now, I've shown her how to hold the dagger, what movements to make, and how to thrust... so she can refine it through review..."
Thief.
Silent movement is the basic movement of assassination.
That ability would be very helpful to the Hero Party.
"By then, the other Hero Party members will probably have grown too."
If Cecilia is close to a finished form that needs polishing.
Luna and Hare could be considered growth types.
Estia hasn't even started yet...
"Thinking about Estia makes the future look bleak."
Sigh—
I let out such a sigh and checked on Estia, to whom I'd given the scripture.
She was lying on the floor sleeping, either tired from reading or resting after finishing.
The warm sunlight seemed to have lulled Estia to sleep.
I approached Estia, who was making purring sounds like a cat.
"...Estia."
"Uh, huh? Wh-who is it!! D-don't come...!!"
"It's me, Estia."
"Oh, it was you, Oppa."
Estia momentarily took a defensive stance in surprise.
Once she confirmed it was me who woke her, she lowered her guard.
I picked up the scriptures scattered around and asked Estia.
"Estia, you finished reading the scripture, right?"
"Hmph, do you think I'm stupid? Of course I read it all!"
Confident Estia.
Her golden eyes shining in the sunlight asserted confidently.
Then it would be fine to check.
I opened the scripture and asked to confirm the contents.
"Page 12. What is the name of what the Saint created to oppose the Demon King threatening the world?"
"Oppa, do you think I'm stupid or what? That's obviously..."
Holy Water!
Holy Water.
The name of the item to oppose the Demon King is Holy Water.
Estia was saying this with complete sincerity, without a trace of falsehood.
Even though the scripture said 'Holy Sword.'
"Page 12. The Holy Sword that saves and liberates sinners. It was created to oppose the Demon King. Surely the scripture says this?"
"...!!"
Estia instantly realized something was wrong.
With an expression of being fully awake, she shouted loudly.
"Wait! I, I got confused...! D-did I say Holy Water!? N-no, it's a misunderstanding!! I, I said Holy Sword! Really! Really, Oppa!"
"...No Holy Water today either."
"O-Oppa! Sorry! Just forgive me this once! Pleease!!"
...Heavy.
Estia grabbed my pant leg and began throwing a tantrum.
However, wrong is wrong.
No matter how much Estia wanted Holy Water, since she hadn't concentrated, I had no intention of giving her Holy Water today.
The next lesson was Cecilia's time.
I headed toward Cecilia's room, dragging the weight I felt on my leg.