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During the night of that day, we once again decided to camp when we were about halfway back to Stollar.

Since we obtained Giant Spider carapace, our luggage increased unnecessarily so we got delayed more than expected.

“I guess we should assume it’ll take a day longer.”
“Yes. It’s good that we prepared spare food.”
“Oh, I’ll make food today, okay?”

Michelle uncharacteristically volunteered to cook just for today.

Since she knew Finia’s cooking skill, she usually just accepted and ate up whatever was given to her and asked for the seconds on top.

She knew cooking was Finia’s domain so she never intruded on it until now.

But this day, she had rolled up her sleeves and was looking motivated.

“It’s rare for you to cook. Are you plotting something?”
“N-N-N-No such thing!”
“At least say that while your eyes aren’t clearly swimming around.”
“Come on, Nicole, you’re focusing on trivial details too much. Even I feel like cooking sometimes!”
“Is that so?”

Michelle’s cooking was actually not bad.

Her skill used to be miserable when we were kids, but it’s been three years since we moved to Stollar. Since then she wasn’t just eating in the cafeteria, but also learning how to cook herself.

Apparently, her reason was that she couldn’t eat what she wanted from the menu lists.

For that, she sometimes even shut in the kitchen along with Finia during the off days.

So the fact that she wanted to cook wasn’t weird in itself. She was simply holding back since Finia, who was more skilled, was present normally.

“But it’s been a while since you cooked, Michelle. Since that time ten years ago when you almost made me eat mud balls?”
“Don’t bring up something so ancient! Actually, you still remember that?”
“Of course I do. The danger I felt that day was even bigger than with those Kobolds.”
“I don’t think it was that serious…?”

I often played with Michelle when we were little. But she was also a girl, so though she played with boys, she also played house and such too.

During those days, I focused on playing as a way to strengthen my body, but doing just that would make me look suspicious, so I played with Michelle as much as possible too.

For better or worse, playing with her taught me how “girls would play.”

Feeling nostalgic for the past, I closed my eyes and nodded to myself over and over. Michelle gave me a weird look and started getting ready for cooking.

She took out the pot that we used as a support for the Ligus potatoes so they wouldn’t break, then washed it, spread the oil in it, and started frying meat.

It was a wild bird that she hunted on the way. With her by our side, we never had a problem with food in the forest, so she was extremely helpful.

Then she had Finia put water in it, where she added dried vegetables, jerky, and other ingredients and started to boil them.

Once it boiled for some time, she threw in some unfamiliar white meat, and then added wheat flour and spices for seasoning and thickness. That was when the trio suddenly approached me.

“Hmm? What’s wrong, you three? You have strangely serious faces.”
“Big sis, we have a favor to ask.”
“Sure, but we’re about to eat. Why not do it after?”
“We’d like to do it now.”

They declared it with serious voices, so I fixed my posture to listen to what they had to say.

Seeing that, the three knelt…no, prostrated themselves on the ground, their heads lowered deeply.

“Please make us into your disciples!”
“No.”

I reflexively rejected their sudden request.

These people looked too different from people aspiring to be disciples. How would you fix it if I got known as the leader of mohawks?

“Seeing your battle today, we learned that there’s always someone better. We were driven away, so we wanted to get back at those who drove us out.”
“And then we saw your sword skill. Not relying on strength, yet having the technique to overwhelm the Giant Spider. We charmed from the bottom of our hearts!”
“Being adored by you folk doesn’t make me any bit happier. It would be another matter if it was Finia or Michelle.”
“Oh Lady Nicole…”

They said something unpleasant so my true feelings leaked. Finia squirmed restlessly at my words.

Doesn’t it seem like Fina is going a bit wild lately?

“Big sis, let’s put that aside for now.”
“Please don’t put it aside.”
“Uhm, big sis Finia, we’re having a serious talk here.”
“Oh, my bad.”
“Anyway, putting Finia aside. After telling me you wanna get back at someone, you think I will teach you the blade?”
“We understand that. But we shouldn’t lie about that here.”
“Oh…?”

It was amusing that these guys thought that much. They used to be the classic examples of thoughtless people, so it looks like they really learned something, after all.

Also, this situation made me remember the time Cloud asked me to be instructed. It seemed that Cloud was reminded of it too. He wasn’t saying anything but was glancing in our way.

Maybe it reminded him of himself.

“Even if you say that, we are Adventurers. We’re with you on this commission, but that doesn’t mean we can always stay and instruct you.
“We know that, but…”

This time, it was a commission for us, so we were going along with it.

This was work. But taking disciples was another matter altogether. We had our lives, so we had to go on adventures.

And it wasn’t something we did on the side during our free time as we did in our younger days.

This time we were earning mainly from our Adventuring work. As such, we wouldn’t have that much time to train them.

“Even so, even just during your free time, or even during the night would do. The way we are, we couldn’t have even defeated that spider.”
“Oh, so you are aware of it? I guess you’ve made big progress if you realize that much.”
“Yes. We didn’t even know that much until now. That there were enemies we couldn’t beat. Monsters that make our legs give out just by confronting them… So, we wanted to train more.”
“Not only to get back at the villagers that drove you out?”
“Yes, we swear.”
“Hmm?”

I planned to reject them at first. But it would leave a bad taste in my mouth to abandon them now that they awakened to a desire to improve themselves.

But I was still busy all the time, even having to show my face in the northern village.

I really didn’t have time to look after them. Which would leave—

“I have no time to teach you.”
“Please, there must be a way!”
“So, Cloud, how about you teach them?”
“Huh, me?!”

Since I was busy, I could just push it on someone else.

Fortunately, Cloud was my disciple who also received the Six Hero training. He had no Gifts, but he was first-class as far as quality went.

And if he teaches them how to fight, it should direct them in a good direction.

Gift holders tended to teach in a way that was based on Gifts.

Cloud, who had climbed this far with his hard work alone, should be the ideal person to teach them.