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For the time being, I succeeded in my goal to hear Cloud’s thoughts. As such, I no longer had any reason to get in the way.

I also made sure to forbid Michelle from speaking about my second, Manipulation Gift. I told her she was to keep quiet about it even with Lyell and Maria. My excuse for that was that two Gifts were a rarity.

In reality, I had three Gifts, and I was just trying to hide my identity, but the two readily accepted it without questioning anything.

And the next day, in our usual training lumberyard, there were more people than I was used to seeing present at the same time.

Me, Cloud, Lyell, and Gadius… As well as Maria, Cortina, Finia, Michelle and even Maxwell.

“There are too many of you here.”
“Ah, well, Finia wanted to tag along for some reason… So I couldn’t just leave her.”

Lyell answered while scratching his head at my glare. I understood why Maria would be here. It would be very helpful for her to be here in case we got injured.

I could understand Maxwell too. We needed his teleportation magic to bring Gadius here, after all.

But I didn’t know why Cortina, Finia, and Michelle were here.

Noticing my gaze, Finia answered while fidgeting.

“Lady Nicole, I… This incident made me realize that I still have ways to go…”
“Nicole, she’s feeling responsibility because you got injured.”
“Huh?”

Maria followed up on her words and explained to me. Thinking back on it, I ignored her attempt to stop me and rushed out back there. As a result, I got my fist crushed beyond recognition, but that was in no way Finia’s fault. She shouldn’t feel responsible for it.

“That was not your fault, okay, Finia?”
“But if I was a little bit stronger, you would not have ended up fighting alone.”
“I mean, I had Michelle with me. Besides, that guy was strong enough that someone not qualified enough would’ve only made the situation all the more dangerous.”
“And that is the problem! I understand that you are far stronger than your age suggests, Lady Nicole, but even so, I wish to be able to protect you.”
“Uhh.”

If there was someone else at the scene back then, I would’ve been able to concentrate on my fight with Mateus.

Still, I’m not sure if I would’ve managed to win against him with my current body. If I had the physical ability of my previous body, I would not have fallen behind, however.

“That’s why, I decided I also want to become strong enough to be able to fight by your side!”

Finia declared while pumping her fists and making a hum with her nose. She wasn’t wearing her normal maid uniform, but a workout one with exposed arms and legs.

She currently looked so young you’d mistake her for a senior high student of my academy. I mean, she was still in her twenties, so by the elven standards, she was the very definition of youth.

“Either way, Finia herself wants to do it, so we should let her. It’s not a problem if she gets stronger, is it?”
“W-Well, yea.”

Trouble’s been growing more frequent in Raum as of late. Finia was a definite beauty so it would be wise for her to know how to defend herself.

She has been learning the sword from the Adventurers Leon and Ellen ever since we came to Raum, but they were obviously not always available. Rather, they were more often away from the city, so what she was doing was hardly a ‘studying’.

Even so, her passion and incessant trial and error have led her to acquire a decent skill. Nevertheless, her current skill was still quite lacking to accompany me to battles.

She could one day get rolled up into one of my battles, so it was definitely not a mistake for her to train herself.

Ignoring my hesitation, Maria turned towards Lyell. And then, she warned him with a warm smile.

“Dear, Finia is a girl so don’t get her injured, you hear?”
“O-Okay.”
“Also, don’t go overboard and turn her into a macho either, okay?”
“That would be a little hard.”
“I said don’t, okay?”
“…Okay.”

Looks like his reins were still held by Maria, as always. Actually, I feel like her grip’s gotten stronger ever since I left their side.

Thus, Lyell nodded while breaking into a sweat, and the genuine training had begun.

First, Lyell and Cloud faced each other to approximate each other’s combat ability. I also faced Gadius to grasp my own present ability. We decided on this combination because otherwise, Lyell would not be able to make a proper judgment against me.

“Hey, hold your weapon more firmly! If you drop your weapon in the middle of a fight, consider yourself dead!”

Right after they started, Cloud’s sword was knocked off his hand, making him crouch while holding his wrist in pain.

Still, his competitive spirit quickly kicked in and he once again took the sword and stood up. Lyell’s training seemed to be harder than it was with me…

“That Lyell, his intentions are obvious. He’ll never learn no matter how long passes.”
“Huh?”

I was also exchanging blows with Gadius, but we weren’t going as crazy about it as they. Regardless of how extraordinary my abilities were compared to my age, I wasn’t able to do anything against a defense expert like Gadius without body strengthening.

I charged at him several times, but he easily deflected each with his shield. He even had time to be looking away. I was made to realize his skill once again.

“You weren’t paying attention to him as of late, so he’s venting it on your comrade Cloud. Good grief, he can be so immature.”
“Is that so?”

Well, ever since I moved to Cortina, I haven’t been paying much attention to him indeed. I suppose he has been stressed and was releasing it all with Cloud as his opponent.

Cloud had my condolences, but you could tell how pure he was for mistaking his venting for strictness and becoming more motivated.

“Maybe… I should entertain him a bit more.”
“Please do.”

Gadius agreed with my unconscious mutter with a deep sigh.