Sir Hero, It’s Time to Train!

“Is the Count Worden’s family issuing another large-scale commission, aside from the regular hunts?”

Masaya, like a merchant who had just closed a big deal, spoke with a businesslike smile.

“It’s a personal matter.”

However, upon hearing those words, her expression immediately shifted to one of mild disinterest.

“A personal commission?”

It was only natural. Typically, commissions from noble families required significant human and material resources. Thus, they provided long-term high rewards and were a crucial funding source for the Magic Tower.

On the other hand, personal requests tended to be simple tasks.

Of course, the frivolous young masters of noble families sometimes spent money lavishly, but the return on investment wasn’t particularly favorable.

“Why? Do you not accept personal commissions?”

At Masaya’s dramatic change in expression, Christian tilted his head curiously.

“No, it’s not that… I just thought it might be a big deal since the young master of the Count Worden’s family came personally. It’s a bit disappointing.”

“Were you hoping for a big deal?”

“Well, around this time, other clients usually refrain from making requests. Thanks to a major client, of course.”

Knowing full well who that major client was, Christian shrugged his shoulders.

“Oh, by the way, are there any workers left at the branch?”

Due to monster subjugation commissions, many mages at the Logia Magic Tower branch were on assignments. Remembering this fact, Christian wore a troubled expression.

“There’s enough capacity to handle personal commissions. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“That’s a relief. Also, everyone’s health is in good condition, right?”

“… Why the sudden concern about health?”

“Because this task requires a lot of stamina.”

“A lot of stamina?”

Masaya’s curiosity piqued at the notion of a task that required physical endurance from a mage. Smiling slightly, Christian explained further.

“We need to install a mana concentration array.”

“Huh? A mana concentration array? I can manage something like that by myself.”

It was puzzling why Christian Worden, a direct descendant rather than a mere servant of the Worden family, had come for such a simple task.

“It might be tough to do it alone?”

“Drawing a mana circle is time-consuming and a bit bothersome, but it’s not particularly difficult.”

The mana concentration array, designed to artificially focus mana into a small area to produce various effects, required manual effort despite its simplicity.

However, Christian looked at Masaya with a slightly concerned expression and asked.

“We need it to cover the entire training grounds.”

“…?”

“Well, since it’s not for the great training grounds, maybe it’ll be okay alone? Hmm, it’s about three times the size of this hall, so it should be suitable.”

“…”

A mana concentration array, meant to enhance the mana sensitivity of the user, is typically installed in an area of about one-pyeong (approximately 3.3 square meters).

Yet, its classification as a laborious request stemmed from the need to draw the complex mana patterns by hand.

Installing it in an area of just one pyeong required a skilled mage to stay glued to the ground all day. The larger the area, the more patterns must be drawn, and if it spanned three times the size of the hall…

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Th-three times the size of this hall?”

“Well, maybe a bit larger? Not that it’ll make much difference.”

“And you want me to draw the mana circle? By myself?”

“I didn’t say do it alone, did I? You were the one confident you could handle it alone, Masaya.”

Masaya stared at Christian. Christian met her gaze nonchalantly.

Masaya, pondering something for a moment, soon relaxed her expression and flashed a kindly smile.

“I’m sorry, sir. I’ll have to decline this commission. Goodbye.”

“But weren’t you hoping for a big deal! And now you’re just kicking me out?!”

“Installing a mana concentration array for an area three times the size of this hall could break our backs! Especially since most of the mages are already frail, are you going to take responsibility if their backs go out, Christian Worden? Many of them are still single!”

Masaya’s outcry carried an abundance of emotion.

Yet understanding her reasoning, Christian kept his composure as he spoke.

“Would it suffice if it covered medical expenses and provided marriage funds?”

“… Money?”

“Yes, money. Isn’t there nothing in this world that can’t be solved with money? Our family’s motto is, ‘If it can’t be solved, it’s because there isn’t enough money,’ as my Aunt always says.”

Drawing a circle with his fingers, Christian gave a sly grin. Though it did not sit well with Masaya, she ceased her push to send him off.

As befits a mage, after weighing the pros and cons briefly, she seemed to have reached a decision and addressed Christian.

“A mana concentration array enveloping an entire personal training ground, three times the size of this hall, you said? Calculating the mana stones needed, the number of mages to dispatch, the time…”

Masaya pulled out a magic-imbued parchment for calculations and checked the required items. A radiant light gleamed from the parchment, displaying the total amount at the bottom.

“The total amount is 8,000 gold coins.”

“8,000 gold coins…”

“I’m charging you only 8,000 gold coins out of consideration for the relationship between the Logia Magic Tower branch and the Worden County. If you’d commissioned another magic tower, this amount wouldn’t even come close.”

“Alright, alright, I understand. Please calm down.”

Seeing that they were about to launch into a long speech about how much they had conceded, Christian quickly nodded.

“Let’s proceed with the contract without reducing even a penny.”

“Is this really a personal commission?”

This was a commission worth 8,000 gold coins.

It wasn’t something that should be handled personally but rather a commission that should be done in the name of an organization, such as Christian’s Worden family.

“It’s my personal commission. Although it will indeed be beneficial to the family.”

“Hmm.”

Hearing this, Masaya had no choice but to believe it.

“Oh, and I also want to commission the production of a mana tool. Can you work on it as quickly as possible?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t give you a definite answer on that. However, if you tell me what functions it should have, I will try to accommodate you as much as possible.”

“The function is not complicated. I want to apply a gravity array so that the user feels an artificially increased weight.”

“Increased weight? Not reduced?”

Masaya wondered if she had heard wrong and reconfirmed, asking again.

Mana tools utilizing gravity arrays were usually used to reduce weight, such as magic armor to secure mobility by reducing weight or a magic carriage used for transporting a large amount of cargo at once, being typical examples.

“Are you planning to transport criminals or something?”

When the weight is increased, its usage is rather limited, usually intended for transporting criminals who have committed serious crimes.

“It’s for training, training.”

“Training?”

Christian didn’t seem inclined to further explain the purpose.

Realizing this, Masaya decided not to pry further into the client’s circumstances and simply nodded.

“Alright, it’s usually difficult to reduce weight, but increasing it won’t take much time. How many do you need?”

“Four for now. It would be preferable if they were in the form of bracelets or rings.”

“So, two bracelets and two rings. Do you have any particular design in mind?”

“As long as they’re made quickly, the design doesn’t matter.”

“Then I’ll proceed as you’ve requested.”

When Masaya snapped her fingers, a sheet of paper flew over from the reception desk.

Picking it up, Masaya laid it out on the table and began drafting a contract with a pen.

“How would you like to handle the payment?”

“I don’t have cash right now, so I’d like to pay with something of equivalent value.”

“Equivalent value…”

Indeed, dealing in gold coins was cumbersome due to their bulk. Therefore, an IOU from a reputable trading company or something equivalent in value was a sensible choice.

Noticing the change in Masaya’s expression upon mentioning equivalent value, Christian quickly took out a bracelet gifted by his Aunt and placed it on the table.

“I believe it’s worth at least 10,000 gold coins.”

“This is…”

Masaya’s eyes widened considerably while gazing at the ornate bracelet on the table. She carefully lifted it, fearing the slightest scratch.

“Mithril! And the gemstones embedded here are mana stones containing elemental energy?! Wait, this is a mana seal personally engraved by the Imperial Mage Boress of the Granier Empire! You’re paying for the installation of the mana concentration array with this?”

Masaya Rio looked at Christian, unable to believe it.

“Including the cost of making the mana tools. I hope it’s not insufficient.”

“… Not at all.”

“Then, please make as many cheap potions as possible for the remaining amount. For the strong friendship between the Logia Magic Tower branch and the Worden County.”

A mana concentration array enveloping the entire training ground, mana tools with applied gravity arrays, and even potions…?

The orders seemed entirely unrelated, and even a smart mage couldn’t see any connection.

But…

“We look forward to doing business with you, dear customer.”

A new important customer was indeed acquired.

***

Christian had acquired everything he wanted.

And he did so using someone else’s money! Specifically, his Aunt’s money.

Perhaps because of this, his steps were light and quick as he returned home, contrasting with the journey to the Logia Magic Tower.

He reached the mansion rather swiftly. However, Christian had to stop at the front gate.

“……”

“……”

There stood Aira, the gatekeeper, or rather, she seemed to have the face of a ghost.

“What are you doing here? Isn’t it time for training?”

“Training? Did the word ‘training’ just come out of your mouth? The same person who ditched the first day we were supposed to train together?!”

“No, I never said I would start training from today, did I?”

“Well, I decided I would start!”

“… Was it your decision that mattered?”

“Obviously.”

Was it? For a moment, he almost agreed.

It felt like the roles of teacher and learner had been reversed, making him want to say something.

However, seeing the fierce aura emanating from Aira, he decided against it, as her appearance overlapped with that of his master.

“Every day is precious to me, and urgent too. In such circumstances, you’re wandering around carelessly…”

As Christian merely watched her blankly, Aira spoke, scowling at him.

“I’m not wandering carelessly. I also went out early this morning to prepare for our training.”

“Huh? What kind of preparation?”

“Obviously, it’s class preparation.”

“Is that necessary? Weren’t you planning to just hit me hard and torment me with strange things?”

“Uh, that’s similar, but…”

Well, strictly speaking, that was indeed the core.

As if she had expected it, Aira’s expression quickly relaxed.

“Ahem! But can you really train just by doing such brutish acts? I was planning to prepare something more intellectual, you know, focusing on efficiency while observing magical effects…”

“And you planned to make me run like a brute?!”

“That’s a form of efficient training, too.”

“Efficient, my foot…”

“But do you know what I ordered there? You’d be surprised if you heard.”

“Not really?”

At Aira’s indifferent reaction, Christian spoke heatedly.

“I ordered none other than a mana concentration array! How’s that? Surprised?”

“mana concentration array?”

“Yes, a mana concentration array!”

At this, Aira merely stared blankly at Christian.

“So what?”

Christian was disheartened by the completely unexpected reaction.

“What do you mean ‘so what,’ it’s obviously helpful for trai—”

“I have one in my room too.”

“In your room?”

“Yeah. I have one in my room, and I’ve been using it every day.”

“… I’ve never used it.”

“Oh, really? Ah, well. Because it’s expensive… do you want to come and use it?”

“……”

Christian began to understand, at least a little, why his mother disliked his Aunt so much.

“No need. Besides, I’ve already arranged for it to be installed….”

“Well, it’s nice to have one more, right? But you mean to tell me you went out so early just for a single mana concentration array?”

“A, a single one?”

“I was excited to hear you went to the Magic Tower branch, but it turns out it wasn’t anything special.”

It wasn’t anything special… He had invested as much as 10,000 gold coins into that ‘not anything special’.

“Hahaha…”

As Christian recalled the countless gold coins vanishing before his eyes, he suddenly burst into laughter, causing Aira to flinch and take a step back.

“Why are you laughing all of a sudden?”

“You, you waited for me here for training, right?”

“Huh? Well, that’s….”

“Then why don’t we start right away? We can’t waste precious time, can we?”

“R-right?”

“Oh, by the way, did you have breakfast?”

“No, I didn’t. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

“A relief?”

… because if you eat and then throw up, the floor would get messy.

Christian merely smiled with a meaningful grin.