“Well, fine, I get the gist of it. …Come to think of it, I forgot to mention this back at the guild, but my classes cost money.”
Actually, I was planning to mention it, but the receptionist sitting next to me looked like she’d be annoying about it if I brought up money, so I didn’t.
If I had brought up fees right there, Satoria definitely would have complained endlessly.
“I don’t have much on me… would this be enough?”
Eve held out her status plate. Once again, without a single shred of hesitation.
Sighing at this eccentric behavior following what she did earlier, I nonetheless accepted it.
“…Like Satoria was saying, don’t show your plate to people so easily. This contains an adventurer’s vital information. Treat it as the next most important thing after your life and your weapon.”
In this world overflowing with monsters, adventurer parties are cutthroat gatherings. At the end of the day, they’re nothing more than connections bound by money. Pretty ideals like “joining hands together” don’t apply to adventurers.
That’s exactly why you need to hide information about yourself. Because if they know it, there might be guys who come to harm you out of malice.
“Does that… apply to you too, Sensei?”
To Eve, who asked with a troubled expression, I replied, “Nah.”
“I’m an exception. Since I’m your teacher.”
“Understood.”
Seeing that Eve looked satisfied with her question resolved, I dropped my gaze to the status plate I’d received. I double-checked her proficiency with weapons and magic that I’d seen back at the guild, just to be sure.
Then, looking at the [Funds] section, I frowned.
“…For someone who’s been acting as an adventurer for half a year, you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel. Don’t tell me, have you been handing over your quest rewards to your party members all this time too?”
“…………”
The response was silence, but that was all the answer I needed.
“Hit the nail on the head, huh. Like Satoria said, stop doing that. If you let them do it even once, they’ll just treat you like a convenient decoy or a handy extra and use you as a sucker.”
“N-no… I think it’s because I’m weak, so…”
“…Oh, boy.”
Seeing how she genuinely believed it was her own fault, it seemed Eve’s case was quite severe.
Realizing I’d have to correct this mindset of hers in the near future, I let out a heavy sigh and looked down at the funds section on her status plate again. The displayed amount was small, but I never intended to squeeze money out of a Rank 6 adventurer from the start. What I was anticipating was her future earnings; for now, it didn’t really matter.
I took out a pen and paper and wrote down the amount I had prepared in advance.
“As for the money… let’s see… it’s about this much. You probably can’t pay it right now, so consider it a tab—you can just pay me in the future once you make it.”
“Understood. I will pay a portion of it now.”
“…I know I’m the one who brought it up, but are you really sure?”
Somehow, it felt like I was conning an innocent child, so I ended up asking again.
Well, I fully intended to teach her properly, and the fee wasn’t that high. …I mean, it is my asking price… but anyway, it’s not a scam.
When I returned the status plate to Eve, she accepted it with both hands, nodded firmly, and immediately pulled a bag of gold coins from her pocket and placed it on the table.
What a girl who truly doesn’t know how to doubt, I thought, letting out a small breath.
“Then with that, the contract is sealed. By the way, I plan to hold classes every day, but you’re still going to continue your adventurer activities, right?”
“I don’t have any money, so I’d like to continue… but would it be better to stop?”
“No, you can continue. Just stop forming parties.”
While checking the contents of the gold coin bag I received from Eve, I absentmindedly warned her.
“If you form a party the way you are now, things will just end up like they have been. In that case, you should take on low-difficulty quests solo. You can take on non-dangerous quests without any issues, right?”
“Eh… B-but I need to coordinate more with other adventurers…”
“…Listen here.”
Slightly irritated by Eve’s reaction, I slammed my hands on the table and leaned in closely.
Glaring at her intensely, I declared.
“I’ll say it once more, okay? If you’re going to do it, do low-difficulty quests solo. Forming parties or taking on high-difficulty quests is forbidden. Absolutely follow my instructions. No matter what anyone else tells you. Got it?”
“Y-yes…”
“Absolutely, right? Don’t break this rule no matter what happens, okay?”
“U-understood…”
“…………”
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Eve nodded her head frantically.
Honestly, I was still worried, but surely if I went this far, she wouldn’t be swayed by Satoria or other adventurers. If she did get swayed, then it just meant I misjudged her.
“…Alright, complete quests as an adventurer during the morning. Then, from around noon or the evening, you have classes here. I’ll be here, so come every day starting tomorrow. Got it?”
“Understood.”
“Then next, let’s see your current abilities. We’re going to spar a bit outside.”
“Understood.”
I’d been conversing with Eve for a while now, but all her replies were overly polite. Because my way of speaking was pretty casual, it felt a little awkward, and I didn’t see the need for all that politeness.
Staring down at Eve, I told her with a slightly stronger tone.
“Just say ‘I understand.’ Stop speaking so overly politely every time. It’s too stiff.”
“…I understand.”
Eve immediately adapted and shrank back as if intimidated.
I let out a huge sigh and held my head.
The classroom wasn’t the only thing Ittetsu-san built for me. When it comes to making things, he can build practically anything. The only things he supposedly can’t make are weapons like swords and spears, and magical weapons like staves. Though apparently, his younger brothers Ninotetsu-san and Satetsu-san can make those.
And so, I brought Eve to the back of the classroom.
I had Ittetsu-san level out the uneven ground and even make some targets for magic training. It was like a little open plaza, the perfect spot for moving your body.
“…By the way, did you choose the sword on a whim, too?”
When I asked, Eve nodded.
“Yes, my intuition told me it suited me best.”
“I see.”
Then, a sword is fine for now, I thought.
I gave Eve instructions and had her step away a bit. We took our distance in the middle of the plaza and faced each other.
“Alright, come at me for real.”
“…B-but…”
Told to suddenly attack, a bewildered expression surfaced on Eve’s face.
That being said, Eve was a Rank 6 adventurer, and I was a Sub-Rank 2 in terms of ability. There was a three-rank difference between us. A gap of three ranks is actually quite huge.
“It’s fine, just do it.”
“…Okay.”
Perhaps having made up her mind, Eve drew the straight sword from her waist and took a stance.
Seeing that, I unfastened my blade from my waist and secured the sheath so it wouldn’t draw.
“Here… I go!”
Despite her hesitation, Eve stepped forward. Her white hair fluttering in the wind, she closed in. And the moment she entered striking distance, I saw a downward slash coming from above.
“Hmm.”
I forcefully deflected it with my still-sheathed blade. However, perhaps having anticipated being deflected, Eve launched a follow-up attack without a moment’s delay.
I accurately watched and deflected each and every blow from Eve’s sword as they rained down one after another.
By the time I figured out exactly how much force I should use to push her back, sweat was forming on Eve’s forehead from swinging her sword so many times.
“Ugh…”
Rather than just knocking them away, I continued to return her strikes with an exquisite amount of force—enough to throw Eve’s grip slightly off, but not enough to send her sword flying. Every time she struck, I unfailingly retaliated with that exact force.
By now, I could see that Eve was swinging her sword without any breathing room.
“You’ve got good form.”
“So this… is a… Rank 2 adventurer…”
“My ability is Sub-Rank 2, you know~”
This time, I put a bit more strength into parrying Eve’s sword. I figured I would blow her sword away this time, but…
“Tch!”
“Oho?”
The sword didn’t leave Eve’s hands. It seemed she used her body to disperse the impact.
(Heeh, she absorbed the impact when that arrogant guy shoved her at the guild, too… she’s really good at using her body. Having a solid core is a massive strength as a swordswoman.)
Right as I was admiring that…
“[Heavy Slash]!”
Eve shouted, using a Combat Art. The sword glowed faintly, and a powerful strike rained down on my head.
“Oh, good strike. Not bad.”
I lightly caught her full-bodied strike with the sheath in my right hand and praised its power.
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