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Since it was pointed out that my presence as Hom’s master might hinder her accurate judgment, the special training in the evening was to be conducted without me.

Unexpectedly finding myself with some free time, I decided to check out the evening market on Canado Avenue. It was my first time at the evening market, and as the landlady had mentioned, the items on the stalls were indeed very cheap. It seemed that the merchants preferred to sell their goods at lower prices rather than taking the trouble and effort to bring them back to their homes or shops.

Given that, it wasn’t a bad idea to browse through the market if you didn’t have anything specific in mind. Although I felt a bit uneasy about being alone due to the recent kidnapping incident, there were several policemen visibly present, so it seemed safe enough unless something very unusual happened.

Considering that the military and police kept a close watch, and Torch Town itself wasn’t a particularly dangerous city, I felt at ease. Besides the police, I noticed that soldiers were also patrolling the area, making the evening market a peaceful place where one could enjoy the exotic atmosphere of Canado culture.

There wasn’t much haggling or shouting of bargains which the landlady had called the local specialty. People were curiously eyeing the goods marked down to half price or less. Most of them seemed to be tourists like me, wandering without a specific item in mind.

Since I was here, I thought it would be nice to buy some souvenirs for my parents. I also wanted to thank Alfe for sacrificing her summer break to accompany me.

As I pondered these thoughts, I noticed a hair accessory that resembled the flower on the gauntlet Alfe had shown me during her armament transmutation. It was brightly colored and seemed to be made of leather. It looked durable and was a design Alfe would likely appreciate.

Knowing Alfe, she might want matching ones for us, and it would feel natural to get something for Hom as well. So, I decided to buy three of them.

As I reached out to buy the hair accessories, I noticed a display of Mad Thunder Beast leather.

The Mad Thunder Beast was a large magical beast with six constantly electrified horns on its head. Its bones and horns, altered by the electricity, were extremely hard and dyed a clear blue, making them highly valuable. The meat was edible and fairly common, so the leather, a byproduct, was relatively cheap due to the beast’s large size.

The thick, rubbery leather was electrically resistant, tanned, and offered at a very low price. It seemed like a good investment.

“Excuse me, this Mad Thunder Beast leather…”
“Oh, young lady! You have a good eye! This is a very rare material!” the shopkeeper eagerly leaned forward to pitch his goods.

“Just between you and me, a friend of mine, an adventurer, sold me this after he took down the beast. How about it? If it’s too heavy, I’ll deliver it to your house!”

I had intended to buy a small amount, but the shopkeeper seemed keen on selling the entire roll. Judging by his tone, the price tag might be for the whole roll. If so, it would be a great buy and a nice souvenir for my mother, fitting within my budget.

“I just want to confirm, is this price for the whole roll?”
“Hahaha! Yes, yes. Let’s go with that!”

It turned out I had misunderstood the price, but the shopkeeper kindly agreed to sell the Mad Thunder Beast leather at the listed price and promised to deliver it to the inn where we were staying.

It was an unexpected purchase, but I figured Hom could carry it. Considering its electrical resistance, it would be perfect to make shoes for Hom once she mastered the secret technique. I could enhance them to help her run faster or stay airborne longer. It would undoubtedly be useful.

“Leafa, welcome back! Look, look!” Alfe greeted me with a beaming smile as I returned to the inn, eagerly urging me to the garden.

In the garden, Hom and Tao Ran were sparring lightly. Noticing my return, Hom immediately knelt before me.

“Welcome back, Master.”
“I’m back, Hom. How did the secret technique training go?”

Even in the dim light, I could see that Hom was somewhat grimy. She must have worked hard with Alfe, intensely focusing on mastering the technique in this short time.

“…Well, I have not been told whether I passed or not yet.”
“It’s okay! Hom did an amazing job! Right, Grandpa?” Alfe declared confidently, contrasting Hom’s lingering uncertainty. Tao Ran nodded warmly, looking straight at me.

“Ho ho ho, Miss Alfe is right. But it’s not for me to decide whether she passed or not—I’ll leave that to you, Miss Leafa.”
“…So Teacher, you are saying Hom managed to perform the Thunder Step, right?”
“Indeed. Thanks to Miss Alfe,” Tao Ran said, nodding repeatedly, his long beard swaying as he gestured toward Alfe. Although I wasn’t there to see it, I wondered how Alfe managed to guide Hom to successfully execute the Thunder Flash Step.

“Alfe, how did you manage to remove Hom’s fear?”

Alfe responded with clarity and simplicity, “I thought about it. Fear doesn’t go away, and it’s not something you can just remove. But I figured I could help Hom trust me completely.”

Alfe’s answer shattered my rigid assumptions. Of course, I had been fundamentally wrong. Thinking that unnecessary things should be removed… if it were Alfe, I would never think that way, and I couldn’t do it myself either. So why did I think Hom could do it?

“…Alfe, you’re amazing.”

I was just so happy that Alfe had thought this through and done something for Hom that I hugged her tightly.

“The amazing one is you, Leafa. I couldn’t have done anything without you.”

Alfe, now much taller than me, gently yet firmly embraced me. It reminded me of the many times we had hugged and reassured each other since we were little. When we were babies, I used to think holding Alfe like this would calm her down, but now… it was the other way around.

Being held like this by Alfe brought me genuine comfort.

“I see… So that’s how it is… Hom…”

As Alfe held me, I opened my eyes and saw Hom slowly nodding. Her expression didn’t change much, but her eyes seemed a little more serene.

It seemed like Alfe took her time to gently embrace Hom, ensuring she felt secure. This act has deeply engraved a happy memory in me since I was a baby. Alfe’s embrace brought back that memory, giving Hom the strength to overcome her fears.

“Thank you, Alfe. For embracing Hom like this.”
“…How did you know?”

Alfe, gently releasing the embrace, blinked curiously.

“Because when you hold me like this, I feel incredibly safe and fulfilled. So I thought, maybe you’ve actually let Hom experience that feeling too, since she holds my memories.”
“Yeah. I love Hom just like I love you, Leafa. You’re still my favorite though.”

Blushing slightly at being seen through, Alfe admitted her feelings. My cheeks must be warm too, hearing her confession again. But I treasured this happiness, and I didn’t want to lose this peaceful life.

“Master.”

Perhaps sensing my thoughts, Hom, standing at the center of the training ground, spoke. Just her calling me “Master” conveyed her determination.

“…It seems Miss Hom is ready now.”
“I’m always ready, Hom.”

Alfe stepped forward towards the edge of the training ground, closing her eyes. Tao Ran and I moved to a position where we could see the two clearly.

“…Steel body show your might. Armament Transmutation.”

As Hom chanted her armament transmutation spell, her limbs were enveloped in armor. With fluid movements, she tensed her entire body and stepped forward, simultaneously issuing a command.

“Come to me, rails.”

Two steel rails rose, breaking through the rocks, as Hom assumed a forward-leaning posture ready for launch between them.

Without delay, Alfe activated lightning magic through her element enchant, sending electrical currents through the rails. The sparking current gradually intensified and converged at Hom’s feet, as both of them sharply focused ahead.

““Blitzraid!””

Their voices merged as Hom, clad in crackling lightning magic, vanished into the air in an instant. The kick released caused a fierce sonic boom that shook the eardrums.

――――!!

Summer clouds scattered and vanished from the sky, replaced by shockwaves that reverberated through the surroundings. Its power surpassed even Tao Ran’s demonstrations.

“Thank you, Lady Alfe.”

Hom returned to the ground, deeply bowing to Alfe. Mastering this secret technique in just a few hours, despite supposed fatal flaws, showcased astonishing growth.

Hom…

I thought I had to say something, but the words didn’t come out. I was profoundly moved by the secret technique Hom and Alfe had demonstrated.

“Well, what do you think, Miss Leafa?”
“If I may be frank, Teacher—”

I was surprised. I never expected to feel so moved by something like this.

“I don’t see this as anything but a pass.”

At my response, Tao Ran’s deeply wrinkled face crinkled even more as he laughed.

“Same here.”