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The day after Maxwell told me about the intensive training during my homecoming, the curriculum began. Though I called it special training, it was just gathering everyone in Maxwell’s mansion, and giving us individual lessons, so it wasn’t that different from before.

The only thing different was that Cloud and Michelle were also with us to explain the situation to them.

Cloud, Michelle, and Letina were playing cards to waste time, while Finia and I were receiving magic lessons. Incidentally, Michelle went to meet her parents not too long ago, so she was staying here this time.

Even if the situation improved compared to before, she was still targeted by nobles, so we had her hold out for now.

“The foundation of magic is an image and concentration. The rest is how precisely you remember the magic circle.”
“I already remember it though.”

It was the magic circle of the scroll that I have used many times by now. I was so used to seeing its shape that I could even imagine it if I closed my eyes. But Maxwell flatly rejected my point.

“You fool, if remembering alone was all it took, even average students would be able to do it. The issue is that it needs a precise image of pouring your magic power into the magic circle in your memory.”
“Ugh.”

He bonked me on the head while lecturing me. Finia was looking at us with an empty smile and a difficult expression. Knowing who I was, she probably had some thoughts about this scene.

“Ahh, Cloud, I’m so bored.”
“It hurts that we can’t go out.”

Michelle and Cloud were chatting carefreely while glancing at the two of us. But I brought the two here for a reason.

“Apologies, but could you wait a little longer? I have to inspect whether there are any side effects of the Fungus left in you.”
“Okaay. Thank you for your help back then.”
“We got drugged despite the fact that I was alert… I still have ways to go.”
“Worry not, just the fact that you were trying to be careful is already an improvement. You are all still young.”
“Still, for them to drug Michelle… I should have punched them for that too!”
“What about me?”
“…………Well, for you too, as a bonus.”

Sitting at the living room table, the three plus Maxwell were having a light chat. I was really getting distracted on my magic training while they were doing that in front of me.

I was pouring magic power into empty space, and trying to form a magic circle out of it, then interrupting the spell. Magic worked that as long as you didn’t say the activation keyword at the end, it wouldn’t gain form, so I could safely practice it as long as I stopped there.

However, only someone as skilled as Maxwell would know how accurate I was in constructing the spell.

“Maxwell, pay attention to what I’m doing too.”
“Ah, my apologies.”

I called Maxwell, who had gotten off-track, back to come and grade my magic circle.

Letina was glaring at me with puffed cheeks, but this was for learning, so I wish she gave me a break. We repeated these back and forth from the morning, but then someone knocked messily on the living room door as we approached noon.

There was only one person who would do something like that here.

“Old man, it’s almost noon. What are we having for a meal?”
“Oh, Mateus? Good timing, come in. I have something to discuss with you.”
“What’s with being formal all of a sudden?”

Hearing the voice from the other side of the door, Maxwell urged him to come in. Mateus opened the door and entered, and though he didn’t have his armor, he still had his trademark longswords hanging on his waist.

Seeing that, I saw Cloud stiffen a little in the corner of my vision. Their relationship was improved to the level of mutual acknowledgment of skill after their joint struggle, but there was apparently still some unpleasant feeling left in it.

Thinking about it, Cloud’s arm got lopped off during their first meeting, so it was only natural.

“Frankly, I would like for them to team up with someone other than Nicole, so I was thinking of entrusting that duty to you.”
“Me? Again?”
“Again?”
“Oh, I forgot to mention it to you, Nicole? He teamed up with Letina one time. I did let Sullivan accompany them, of course.”
“That was quite reckless of you.”
“Hey now, I don’t hate myself enough to lay a hand on the old man’s woman, you know?”

He was giving me a meaningful look while saying that. I checked if my charm power was properly working, but seeing that Maxwell leaned closer and whispered so only Finia and I could hear it.

“Actually, I have already explained your situation to Mateus. I was thinking you would need more collaborators from now on.”
“But wouldn’t that get Lady Cortina really angry when she hears it? She would probably rage that you let that guy know while hiding it from her….”
“Well, she would rage either way, so a little more or less matters not.”
“Look, I’ll be the one she would snap at so I wish you would care about it.”

We drew our faces closer as if drawn in by Maxwell and continued our discussion. The sudden secret talk had the others puzzled. Also, Letina’s cheeks swelled up even further.

As for Mateus, he seemed to have realized what we were talking about since he already knew the situation.

“Ahem. Mateus, since you teamed up with Letina, you should have also realized the risk of always teaming up with the same person.”
“Yeah, she did go Nicole did this every time something happened.”
“W-Well… It’s because she taught me the basics of adventu—”
“Still, there is no harm in knowing that not everyone would be able to follow your actions. You have a long life ahead of you too, right?”
“Ugh, it pains me that you have a point.”
“Miss Michelle is also the same. Teaming up with someone other than Nicole should be a good experience for you too.”
“I see.”
“We’re teaming up with you? I really feel complex about this.”
“Are you skilled enough to complain about that?”

Being talked down by Mateus, Cloud also reluctantly agreed. Like this, Mateus and my comrades made up a mixed party and were given a job to go and hunt a game for dinner.