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“Alfe, I’d like to bring the old master a gift. What do you think would be appropriate?” I brought up what I couldn’t ask during our magic history class just before heading home.

“Are you planning to go every day during summer break?” Alfe leaned in, anticipating my thoughts.

“No, going every day would be a bother to him. Hom is steadily improving so I was thinking more about allowing her to focus for a few days.”

“A training camp, then! That’s great, Hom!”

Alfe jumped slightly, her voice bright with excitement after guessing what I was about to say. Hom placed her hand on her chest and bowed her head.

“Thank you, Master, Lady Alfe.”

Hom’s willingness to participate indicated her commitment to protecting us. Although I had some initial concerns about my first homunculus, these signs were reassuring.

“You mentioned that you’ve mostly covered both the basics and applied techniques. What do you plan to learn next, Hom?”

Tao Ran had subtly suggested secret techniques for Hom, but her response was more specific. “If Teacher permits, I would like to learn techniques that combine lightning magic.”

“Ah, do you mean like what he used when helping us?”

It seemed Hom was aiming to acquire a technique with considerable offensive power. While her physical abilities were already enhanced to the limit, she recognized the effectiveness of combining them with magic, like armament transmutation, against multiple adult opponents.

“That sounds great! It looked really cool,” Alfe said, clapping her hands in agreement. She likely intended to join us for the training camp as well.

“So, Alfe, about the gift…” I brought the conversation back on track, and Alfe placed her hand thoughtfully near her mouth.

“Hmm… Food doesn’t last long, and anyone can give a store-bought gift, right? Since you want to show appreciation for Hom’s training, it should be something only you can make.”

Her response was more thoughtful than I expected, but she was right. To express my gratitude, it would be best to create something unique through alchemy.

That night, I got permission from my parents and arranged with the red-roofed inn to contact Tao Ran. He agreed to a five-day training camp, separate from our usual weekend practices, with the condition that we complete our summer homework first. So, we planned to start the camp in early August, halfway through the summer break.

For the gift, after some pondering, I decided on a custom-made frying pan. It was something highly useful in both my and Alfe’s households, and Ms. Judy had mentioned wanting another one for the port cafeteria where she worked, so I made three pans, including a spare.

Alfe focused on her summer homework while Hom and I worked on the frying pans. Having made them once before, I was quite satisfied with the results this time.

In early August, we began our training camp at Tao Ran’s place.

“This is a fine piece of work.”
“I’m honored, Teacher.”

Tao Ran said, clearly pleased with my gift at first glance. As a traveling martial artist, Tao Ran had a keen eye for quality. Following Alfe’s advice to make something myself had been the right choice.

The first and second days were spent assessing Hom’s current skill level. She performed every movement flawlessly and without hesitation, impressing Tao Ran with her precision and stamina that made all of it sustainable.

As for Alfe and me, we couldn’t keep up with Hom even at the basic level. Instead, we took on the task of preparing snacks and drinks for the breaks. This was still helpful to Tao Ran, and Alfe seemed to enjoy it, so it wasn’t all bad.

When I first came here, I didn’t want to be just an observer, but it seemed Tao Ran had foreseen this outcome from the beginning.

“Miss Alfe, you’re skilled in magic, right? There are countless ways to make use of that. And Miss Leafa, you have a sharp mind. You can always figure out how to open a path forward, just like when we first met.”

Tao Ran’s words echoed in my mind. Reflecting on them, I realized he was emphasizing the importance of leveraging Alfe’s magical abilities in crucial moments. As for me, he seemed to be reminding me that rather than alchemy, my intelligence, that is, my memories and experience from my previous life were my key assets.

While I hoped we wouldn’t face such dire situations again, it was unlikely given the attention I seemed to attract from those whimsical goddesses.

On the third day of the training camp, the opportunity to learn the secret technique finally arrived.

“Miss Hom, I think it’s about time to teach you my secret technique. Are you ready?” Tao Ran asked during breakfast.

Having been informed beforehand, I was on edge, listening intently to the conversation between Tao Ran and Hom.

“I am always ready, Teacher,” Hom replied, looking directly at Tao Ran. She stood up and performed a formal Canado-style bow to show her respect. Tao Ran gestured for her to sit back down, smiling with satisfaction as he finished his chicken porridge.

“…By the way, Miss Leafa, this frying pan you made is excellent. It cooks rice much faster than any clay pot I’ve used, and it’s easy to clean.”

“I’m glad it’s useful to you,” I replied.

Since the start of the camp, Tao Ran had been trying various dishes with my frying pan. This morning’s breakfast was chicken porridge, featuring tender, simmered chicken, with a gentle flavor from chicken juices. The rice used was a smaller, shorter variety called Canado rice, known for its slight stickiness and rich flavor, which we didn’t typically use.

Given that I was getting accustomed to the inn’s kitchen, it might be a good idea to ask if I could handle some of the meals. Breakfast might be tricky due to the other guests, but lunch and dinner should be more flexible.