Again, and the First Quest
Strangely familiar. "Again."
"Huff... huff..."
"Too slow. At that rate, you couldn't even take down an ogre, let alone a demon."
"No... the Knight Captain is just too fast..."
"Again."
It had been about ten days since Adella's training began. The heroes had all returned to the goddess's embrace after the very first bout, but that was just to show them the gap. Adella held back her power and continued sparring with the revived heroes, and passers started emerging in short order.
NyaNya and Kazen, who focused on magic, passed on day three. Yongba and Yugi on day five, Hidni on day seven, and by day nine, one dropout appeared.
'I'll quit. Doesn't seem like it'll work out.'
One of the two failures. Whether she sensed she'd be cut if things continued or just planned to bail anyway, she left. There had been a few quiet deserters before, but she was the first to state it outright, and I nodded like I got it.
The remaining failure was just one guy. He stomped around begging Adella for another match, but it was no use. His challenges were getting fewer and farther between—he might follow the dropout soon.
And so, on the night of day ten.
Clang!Cliiing!Scraaaape...!
"Eek...!"
"Again."
"Why am I the only one getting beaten this hard!"
"No need to take it badly. It means the Knight Captain sees potential in you."
"If I fail, it's over...!"
"Is it?"
Haring was the only one who hadn't passed Adella's spars for real. The sole hero in the nest wielding a sword. Swordsmen were a dime a dozen among mercenaries or heroes, but oddly, there were hardly any here.
Haring charged again and again with the training sword I'd given her, but Adella blocked effortlessly.
Thud...!Clang!
"Urk!"
Pfft! Adella deflected Haring's strike once more and leveled her wooden sword at Haring's throat.
"Again."
"...I'm grateful for the extra lessons, but why just me?"
"You're the only one using a sword."
"No, just tell the others to use swords too. They'd pick 'em up if you did."
"No time."
Whoosh! Adella gripped her wooden sword. Instead of her usual beatdown, she began flowing through elegant sword forms in the air. Sometimes razor-sharp, other times undulating like water about to collapse.
Haring watched, eyes wide, drinking it in.
Swish! As the wooden sword retracted, golden afterimages scattered in the air.
"The Knight Captain only has two weeks to teach you all. Can't spare more, so only those with promise."
"...I'm not even that great with swords."
"It's not just familiarity with the weapon. Among you, you seemed to have the most potential for her style."
"Oh? I got talent? For real?"
"Then let's continue."
"That's recognition! Yep!"
Haring reignited her fire and dove back into spars with Adella. The other heroes watched their bouts, trained solo, practiced magic—everyone doing their thing. No need for me to teach; they grew on their own. I watched them fondly...
"Kuaaaah..." and slept.
"Little Flame Dragon."
"Ugh... five more minutes..."
"Little Flame Dragon. Two weeks have passed."
"Huh? Already?"
"Yes."
I opened my eyes at Adella's call and sat up. Still in dragon form, so I polymorphed and stretched languidly.
"Sleep well?"
"Yeah. Decent nap."
A bit noisy now and then, but heroes gonna hero. White noise for sleeping. Felt refreshed after a solid rest.
Refreshed from just two weeks' sleep?
"That's why power naps are key to health..."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. How'd everyone do?"
"Taught them basic self-defense and swordsmanship. Had the most promising one, Haring, learn the fundamentals of Iri Style Swordsmanship."
"Passers?"
"Six, including Haring on day fourteen."
Day fourteen, huh. Even half-asleep, I'd heard her whining about failing, but she pulled through. Adella hadn't been passing her on purpose for training, anyway.
Whatever. I stared at Adella, packed to leave.
Good times are over.
Two weeks of proxy training had been peaceful. Once she left, I'd have to oversee the heroes again. Golem broken too, so definitely me.
Refreshment faded; laziness crept in.
"Hmm..."
"Something troubling you?"
"...Any golems left in the kingdom?"
"Pardon?"
"The one from the former tower master broke. Too lazy to go to the magic kingdom; need a replacement."
"Why a golem?"
"Well..."
I explained the golem's role and the heroes briefly. Even simplified, Adella nodded like she got it all.
"The heroes are disrupting your peace by sticking around the nest."
"Yeah. Too late to kick 'em out now. Or should I?"
I spread my fingers, folding them one by one. Taught top-tier mana circulation, magic, planned to hand out decent gear.
That's plenty, right?
Need more? Just write a five-year training manual, hand it over, and sleep?
Adella shook her head.
"Give them quests, then."
"Quests?"
"Yes. Hunt some monster, fetch something—errands like that."
"How's that different?"
"Completing quests makes heroes stronger. The goddess's mystical blessing for this generation."
"...They level up from errands?"
"Yes. Don't know the details, but... probably the goddess's design for her immortals."
"......"
"To cherish and love this world..."
"......"
"What's wrong?"
"Strangely familiar."
Someone issues a task, success brings rewards and growth. Just like...
"Sounds like quests."
A word I'd heard endlessly in my past life. And lately in this one too.
"Bye!"
"Knight Captain hottie! See ya!"
"Adella! Adella! Adella!"
"Don't gooooo!!!"
Adella waved to the heroes' heartfelt send-off and left the nest. She'd beaten and killed them plenty, but she was sincere about teaching. Focused on Haring, sure, but cared for the rest too.
I sat on a rock watching, then it hit me.
Bahamut told her to teach me.
All I'd done in two weeks: one spar, then dump hero training on her. Felt a twinge of guilt, then shrugged it off.
If teaching me, should've stayed half a year, not two weeks.
Can't expect much from a pittance. Plus, Adella was already a monster—mastered Bahamut-style mana circulation and Iri Style Swordsmanship. Only thing I could teach was magic.
"Just tips would've sufficed."
Anyway, I'd done my part.
But still...
"Lea!"
"What's next?"
"I made almost two stars!"
"When's the golem coming back..."
"Lea?"
I stared down at the heroes. Silent for five minutes, their haha-ho-ho giggles turned dead serious. Mood had been peak, now iced over.
Like with the rabbits, I grinned at the huddled, murmuring bunch.
"You're official disciples now."
"Huh?"
"F-for real?!"
"Yep."
"Woooah!!"
"Ooooh!!"
My words sent the six survivors cheering at the sky. Funny calling immortals "survivors," but they'd stuck it out with talent too.
Whether they'd break the mass-produced mold remained to be seen—long-term watch.
"First quest for my official disciples..."
"Ooh! Official quest?"
"What is it? We'll crush it!"
"You giving weapons...?"
"Nope."
"Huh?"
Quest wasn't quite right. Needed something sleeker, familiar. Heroes came and went, I'd heard it plenty but ignored.
I redefined it.
"I'll give you a quest."
Quest.