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22. Like a Master Sometimes…
The church in the city of Neuville was now filled with light.
The source of the warm light is the treatment room.
A gravely injured adventurer was being treated by a priestess.
Sharon was casting a healing spell on a knight lying in bed.
Bruises, multiple fractures, and bleeding from internal organs.
She healed countless injuries and completely healed the knight.
As expected of healing magic from a priestess- that too belonging to the highest class, “Priestess of Prophecy”.
“This should be enough.”
Sharon exhales in relief.
“Thank you very much, “Priestess of Prophecy”-sama.”
The one who bowed his head in reverence, was Mysteltam.
“To think a great priestess like you was in a place like this… We were truly blessed.”
“Not at all… I have only fulfilled my duty, so there is no need to thank me.”
“I will surely return this favor…”
Mysteltam had a humble personality.
He then glares at Pafimia on the side.
“So you’re the hero chosen by Sharon-sama.”
“Y-yeah. Um… Mysteltam-san?”
“What is it?”
“Can… can you train me!?”
Mysteltam narrows his eyes.
His vision then turns to me, who was standing on the side.
“Was she not your pupil, Capua Dia-sama?”
His tone was respectful, but his line of sight remained sharp.
I know this is his natural state, but since he suspects me, my heart keeps skipping a beat.
“No. The gap between me and master is too big.”
Pafimia hangs her head down.
Mysteltam then strokes his chin.
“True… the word ‘big’ doesn’t begin to cover it.”
Seeing Mysteltam’s frankness, Pafimia becomes even more depressed.
“Mysteltam-sama, can I not request as well? Pafimia-sama has… well truthfully, little combat experience…”
Sharon joins her hand and pleads.
Her eyes staring upwards at Mysteltam, were wet around the corners.
In reality, Pafimia’s quest completion rate was less than 10%.
She started her career as a bronze rank adventurer and as a hero selected by the “Priestess of Prophecy”, but she hasn’t been able to produce the desired results.
She had hit a wall early on.
I was consulted by Sharon about this many times, but I decided to wait until Pafimia asked me herself.
That’s because it’s easy to give advice, but I didn’t know whether giving it so readily was a good idea or not.
Mysteltam answers after a short pause.
“Alright. I do owe the priestess for saving my partner after all.”
“Thank you very much!”
“Thanks, Mysteltam-san!”
Sharon and Pafimia entwine their hands and start jumping in joy.
Besides their smiling figures, Mysteltam remained serious.
“However, since you said the word “train”, I won’t be sparing you.”
“Yeah– is not what I meant. Yes!! Please train me!!”
Pafimia resolves herself.
It’s not like I care, but can you at least not decide without my consent?
In fact, I haven’t even said a word yet.
◆◇◆◇◆
Mysteltam and Pafimia began their special training.
The two start off early in the morning, and train till late in the evening.
Pafimia continued her routine of training herself till she was worn out, return to the inn, and pass out in her bed.
Finally, 5 days later-
After completing my guild request, I went to see how they were doing.
They say, boys change if you don’t see them in 3 days, but It seems you could say the same for girls.
Pafimia’s face had gotten a lot more mature since I last saw her.
“Master!”
Noticing me, Pafimia rushes to hug me.
It was our first hug in 5 days.
I feel somewhat nostalgic.
That’s because we were only grazing past each other for the past 5 days.
However, I know.
That this Pafimia, is not the same as the one from 5 days ago…
I mean, I know since she’s strangling my neck with twice her usual strength.
“Ow ow ow ow!! Pafimia, get away.”
“Ah… My bad, my bad. I got too excited, since I hadn’t seen master for so long.”
Oi. Don’t say things which could be misinterpreted by others.
“Good work today, Capua-sama.”
Sharon, who had been following the special training this entire time, approaches me.
This one was as neat and clean as it was 5 days ago.
“Are you the guy who Pafimia keeps calling master?”
A knight-like man stood there.
He wore light clothing and held a large shield in his hand.
He’s probably a type of adventurer called “Shielder”.
“You’re the guy who got treated at the church.”
“Yes. I was taken care of by you, indirectly. My name is Verdana. Verdana the ‘Unsinkable’.”
“I see. My name is Capua.”
“That’s a weak reaction. I thought the name of Verdana the Unsinkable was quite famous, If I may say so myself.”
“I was living in the mountains training till now. The mundane knowledge of this world means naught to me.”
“Hmm~, the mountains huh… Well, nice to meet you!”
Verdana waves lightly and greets me.
The last one to come was Mystertam.
“–So? What are you here for today?”
“Is it wrong for me to see my student’s training?”
“I see. That’s perfect… Then see till your heart’s content. Have a mock battle with me, Pafimia.”
“Y, yes.”
Pafimia and Mystertam face each other.
In my view, there should be no big difference in abilities between Pafimia and Mystertam.
If there is one thing, it would be battle experience.
However, Pafimia endured severe training under a silver rank adventurer.
That difference should have been filled up to some extent.
Then, a simulation battle with their fists begins.
The one to charge first, was Pafimia.
The girl from the red-wolf tribe, traverses the ground like a red arrow.
“Ohh! So fast!!”
Like I thought, her abilities had certainly improved.
“Well, she has become faster.”
Verdana shrugs his shoulders slightly.
His expression looked like he was trying to imply something.
In the meantime, Pafimia’s hand extends towards Mysteltam.
*Swish*!!
Her hand slices thin air.
“Almost!”
I howl involuntarily.
However, Pafimia does not give up.
She turns around and swings her fist again at Mysteltam.
*Swish*!!
It misses again.
Even after that…
*Swish*!!
*Swish*!!
*Swish*!!
*Swish*!!
“…..”
Pafimia’s swings don’t hit Mysteltam at all.
This isn’t because Mysteltam is amazing or anything.
To begin with, he had–
–Not moved even a single step.
Verdana says this:
“Her basic abilities are awesome. Enough to make our jaws hit the floor. But…”
Her sense for battle is close to zero.
“Her abilities are first class. She also has fighting spirit, but she has no sense. How to exploit gaps, intuition… no, this an even more fundamental problem than sense. To be frank, that girl is not suited for battle at all.”
Hearing this, it was Sharon who becomes the most disappointed.
Her face, which always had a slight smile, was now deflated like a withered flower.
I can’t blame her either.
It was Sharon who chose Pafimia.
The hero selected by the “Priestess of Prophecy”, was called unsuitable for battle.
It is natural to feel depressed.
Regardless, Verdana’s words were true.
Even how I see it, Pafimia has no sense for battle.
It was bad enough to be called a disability even.
The number one cause for this is Pafimia’s high physical ability.
Her techniques hadn’t caught up with her physical ability.
To do that, an extraordinary amount of training would be needed.
If she took some time, then Pafimia could be raised into an amazing hero.
However, society probably wouldn’t forgive that.
Sharon would wait, but the royal palace which sent her, would be different.
Even now while we’re doing this, many humans are dying at the hands of demons.
At this rate, the hero finally chosen by the “Priestess of Prophecy” will get crushed.
That would be a welcome occasion for the demons…
“Hm? What’s wrong, scholar?”
As I take one step forward, Verdana questions me.
I scratch my hair inside my hood in a troubled manner.
“Well, how do I put it… I have to act like a master sometimes. Besides–“
–She reminds me of a certain someone, whenever I look at her…
I approach Pafimia, who had dropped her shoulders.