Sir Hero, It’s Time to Train!

“Royal capital, huh…”

Christian pondered over Roberto’s words. Being told to go to the royal capital didn’t hold any significant meaning.

It was simply about delivering a letter there—a straightforward task.

When examined more closely, this mission was essentially an annual report, conveying what had transpired in the territory over the past year to the king.

It wasn’t confidential, nor was it anything more than a formal gesture to greet the king for the new year.

However, since the recipient was the king, the courier also needed to maintain a certain level of formality.

Up until now, Ketn had been the one delivering the letter to the capital on behalf of the Worden family.

Yet, with the heirs now matured, there was a need to match this level of formality.

“And does ‘matching that level of formality’ mean Aira and me?”

Each territory and the royal capital had a magic communication network.

Yet, the Count Worden’s family voluntarily took on this cumbersome task because they were a noble family.

Unlike in his previous life, nobility came with its own set of burdens, which Christian tried to understand but still found hard to accept.

“Could it be that the mothers insisted on this in a rush?”

Ahead of a large-scale monster subjugation, Ketn suddenly became busy preparing to subjugate a nest-type demon beast.

The knights who had just returned needed treatment and rest, so they had to fill the ranks with those who remained in the territory.

Of course, retired Ketn would not participate, but he had to act as a proxy for Garcia and others, who handled certain duties, leaving him with no time to rest.

“… Won’t he collapse from overwork?”

With age, even a trained knight like Ketn had reason to worry about his health under such heavy workloads.

Given the family’s situation, Christian and Aira were the only ones left who could manage such a formal letter delivery task.

However, even that was met with opposition from their mothers, who were currently engaged in a debate with Roberto in the dining room.

Amidst a weary and stressed-out situation, the only person who seemed cheerful was Aira, who smiled brightly.

“Aira, you look extremely happy?”

“Of course! It’s the capital city—the royal capital—a magnificent city! Delicious food! Famous attractions!”

Flamme was already quite expansive and splendid, with its streets brightly lit with mana lamps, and for mercenaries or hunters, Rangar province might as well be a tourist spot.

Christian looked at Aira with a puzzled expression. Aira was jumping around excitedly, seemingly oblivious to his gaze.

‘Well, I guess it wouldn’t be so bad for me either…’

The suggestion to visit the royal capital, though unexpected, was still enticing.

‘I have stayed in Flamme for quite a while.’

Thus, he had little understanding of external affairs. Information from the outside world was scarce due to limited interaction.

While this allowed full concentration on training Aira, it was necessary to have some insight into the outside world.

In this context, the capital city of Rondel Kingdom, londia, was one of the best places to gather such information.

A multitude of people would converge there, and significant information would inevitably circulate.

“It might be good to grasp the continent’s current state,” he thought.

Besides becoming more powerful, the peace of the continent was just as important.

Christian decided to think about ways to continuously obtain information during this opportunity.

As Christian seemed to have already made up his mind, he spoke to Aira.

“Are you planning to go even if the mothers oppose it?”

“Ugh, if they keep opposing, there’s nothing I can do…”

“Then we should persuade them to let us go, right?”

“You said I was excited, but you seem more eager to go.”

Although Aira pouted discontentedly, she soon nodded.

Despite her concern about their mother’s opposition, her excitement to leave Rangar and explore the capital city seemed more overwhelming.

Looking at such an eager Aira, Christian felt a bit peculiar.

“Well, it’s not like we’re running away this time. It should be okay, right?”

Aira’s first journey outside, initiated by a runaway, was a turning point in her life.

However, Christian also knew all too well how much trial and error she endured to fully seize that opportunity.

“Yeah. It sounds absolutely exciting. So let’s make sure to get permission and go together.”

“Yep!”

With a wide smile, Aira nodded vigorously at Christian’s words.

Though Christian couldn’t say what her feelings or demeanor were like during her runaway adventure, he knew she wasn’t as bright and pure as she was now.

“This time, I’ll protect you!”

Christian determined.

Just as his master once allowed him to smile, Christian now wanted to preserve Aira’s smile.

***

Christian and Aira’s outing was more easily permitted than expected.

There was no solid reason for strong opposition—after all, they weren’t headed somewhere dangerous for monster hunting.

Moreover, there was an educational aspect behind the two mothers’ approval.

Rondel Kingdom’s cultural and economic hub was where the children could broaden their perspectives and reflect on how they would manage the territory once they became family heads.

Thus, the entire manor and Flamme became busily active.

Additionally, amidst the general hustle and bustle, there was one person busily moving in a slightly different way…

“Ugh.”

Aira swung her sword with a dissatisfied expression.

Though the sword, infused with substantial mana, moved gracefully in a long arc and beautifully, it was violent enough to make the observers flinch.

“As expected, it’s not working out.”

Turning the sword around discontentedly, Aira sighed lightly.

“What isn’t working?”

Christian, standing nearby, tilted his head questioningly.

“This, you see, this. There’s no change, right?”

“Change? Your use of brute magic remains the same, right? It doesn’t seem like you’ve infused any greater amount of brute magic…”

“Eek!”

Although Aira attempted to control her mana, the amount imbued in her sword remained fearsome.

She was gradually learning to reduce and compress the mana, but progress was still slow in this area. Even Christian found it challenging.

“The mana reservoir’s efficiency being too good is a problem.”

The materials used to create the mana reservoir were superior, offering exceptional capacity and output compared to standard reservoirs.

Even when compared to the total amount of magic Christian possessed before overcoming mana contamination, Aira’s current mana capacity was not lacking.

Her capacity made her comparable not only to her peers but also to most knights and mages. Her only flaw was the lack of precise control.

“So, what exactly isn’t working out?”

Pouting, Aira dismissed her magical wave, then explained to Christian.

“Like Father, and like you, I can’t manage to do it.”

“Huh? I can understand Father, but what do you mean by like me?”

“You know, casting the wave like a breeze, and things like that.”

“Ah.”

Despite possessing ample magical reserves, her practical use of waves was basic.

Seeing the Worden family’s ‘wind’ or the diverse applications Christian showcased made her acutely aware of the difference in talent.

“Father said with time it will naturally come to me…”

She seemed to have repeatedly sought Roberto’s guidance despite several training sessions, trying to understand what didn’t quite make sense.

“How did you manage to use such waves like our father?”

Christian then replied, “Well, obviously…”

“If you’re going to say talent, forget it.”

“Hmm.”

This time, even in jest, he couldn’t say it was talent.

Aira seemed genuinely upset, and Christian, recognizing that, offered some sincere advice instead of teasing words.

“Like Father said, it’s something that resolves over time. This is something embedded in our family’s magic circuits that you naturally grasp as you grow.”

“I know, I know that, but…”

The idea of learning slowly and incrementally over time was frustrating to her, giving her the sense of being distant or disconnected despite learning the same wave technique.

Aware of her feelings, Christian spoke softly with a little smile.

“An old hero who once saved the continent by reaching the end of a wave left an insight.”

Surprised at this sudden mention, Aira looked up, her ears perking up at the talk of a hero who mastered waves and saved the continent.

“The starting point may be the same, but the endings are different.”

“How are the endings different?”

“Right. Do you know what the end wave that hero reached was?”

With a calm voice, Christian told Aira while gazing at her.

“Survival.”

Aira was startled by the seriousness in Christian’s demeanor.

Nevertheless, Christian continued his explanation without regard for her reaction.

“To him, a wave was just one of the many tools he had to survive.”

In his past life, Christian realized the essence of waves as a way to survive, and he knew what lay at a wave’s end, so he didn’t grow impatient.

“In the end, if its usefulness is determined, what does the form matter, right?”

“And you’re saying the use of a wave is survival?”

“Yep. As far as I know, nobody else has reached such a realm, so I’m not familiar with other thoughts on the matter… but that’s at least how that person felt. So don’t get too hung up on others’ waves. Just walk your own path. You’re working hard to tread it.”

When Aira once trained Christian in his previous life, it was the same.

Diligently establishing foundational skills, honing the body, and learning to compress mana—within this repetitive process lay the discovery of one’s own path.

Through this arduous journey, the master stood as the disciple’s firm support.

Although now their roles were completely reversed, Christian found greater joy in being in this position.

“Puh, your words are really eloquent.”

“Well, am I only good with words? I’m good at various things.”

“Ugh! So insufferable!”

Although Aira expressed her discontent, she picked up her sword once more and adopted a stance, trying again to draw out and wield the wave.

The wave carried a heavy amount of mana, yet her sword showed no signs of hesitation or doubt.

‘Truly, her strong-willed nature remains unchanged in this life or the previous one. I thought she might reflect a bit more!’

Christian reflected with a small smile while observing Aira.

‘What lies at the end of the path Aira seeks?’

And what was at the end of the path he pursued?

Whatever awaited them, Christian wished to reach the end of this life alongside Aira.

TL’s Corner:
I really like this novel. It’s simple, straightforward and full of wholesome moments, with a sprinkle of fun here and ther.