The Training Monster……!
It was just another ordinary day. Helena and I strolled leisurely through the Academy, chatting about trivial things.
"You'll be going home for the break, right?"
"……I suppose I should."
Home. Since I'd never given much thought to my family, Helena's sudden question made me hesitate for a moment before I nodded in agreement. After all, the only reason I could attend the Academy was thanks to my family's support. On top of that, I couldn't keep avoiding them forever.
Once I'd made up my mind, Helena gave me a meaningful nod.
"Helena, aren't you going home too?"
"Huh…? Me……? I don't know……"
"Planning to stay at the Academy?"
Given her personality, I'd assumed she'd definitely return home, so her hesitation struck me as odd.
"That's not it."
"……Do you have somewhere else to go?"
Did Helena have a place to stay around here? She didn't have any close friends, so it wasn't like she was thinking of staying at someone's house. When I asked with that in mind, Helena gave an awkward laugh, clearly trying to brush it off. I was a little curious, but it seemed she didn't want to talk about it, so I just shrugged and changed the subject.
"Then we won't be able to go back together?"
"We… we probably could……?"
It seemed Helena's destination was somewhere near our house. But when I remembered there wasn't really anywhere suitable near the Astria Count Family, I blinked in surprise.
"Ah, anyway, just know that!!"
"……Know what?"
I couldn't understand what she wanted me to know, but Helena simply smacked my shoulder as a gesture to stop asking. Her face had turned bright red with embarrassment, and though I didn't quite get it, I quietly shut my mouth, figuring my shoulder wouldn't survive if I pressed further. Of course, it felt a bit weaker than before. Whether that was because I'd gotten stronger or she'd gotten weaker, I wasn't sure. Lately I'd been training a lot, so it was probably the former.
"By the way, Helena."
"Uh… yeah…?"
At my somewhat suggestive tone, Helena's body naturally shrank back. I took a step closer and whispered into her ear.
"You know……"
"Yeah……"
She lifted her shoulders as if it tickled and turned slightly away. I smiled faintly at the sight.
"Why haven't you been coming to training lately?"
You left me training alone yesterday, too. After we first trained together, it seemed like she'd keep showing up for a while, but after a few days, Helena was nowhere to be seen. That wouldn't do. No matter what, consistency was the most important part of training.
At my words, Helena's eyes widened, then she took a step back, her gaze wavering.
"Th-there's just been a lot going on……"
I raised my index finger firmly at Helena, who was forcing an awkward laugh, and shook my head.
"No matter how busy you are, you can't skip training. Even one day off and you'll get rusty."
"But I also have to prepare for exams……"
"You should be doing that in your spare time, right? And if you don't prepare for the practical exam too, you'll regret it."
"I-I'm satisfied with my practical scores……?"
Helena forced another awkward smile and took another step away from me. I closed the distance again and continued.
"Nonsense!!"
"Eek……!"
"Being satisfied with your current level isn't the mark of a true knight!!"
A knight must constantly strive for improvement! At my sharp rebuke, Helena jumped like a startled cat. I began lecturing her with a strict, solemn, and serious expression.
"There's no such thing as satisfaction with the sword. The only thing that makes a knight is moving toward greater heights. That's why you can't afford to neglect training."
"……"
"You're still not used to it. So, let's start again from today, okay?"
The carrot and the stick were both important. Having swung the stick with my rebuke, I realized it was time to offer the carrot and softened my voice to coax her.
Helena blinked slowly at my change in tone, then shook her head vigorously.
"N-no…. It's too hard……!"
"Everything's hard at first. You'll get used to it if you keep going."
Nothing worth doing is easy. But if you keep at it, you'll get used to it, and once you're used to it, nothing feels more natural. When I calmly refuted her words, Helena shook her head wildly and started backing away.
"I don't want to!!"
"Come here, let's talk about this…!!"
"Save meeee!! The training monster is here…!"
A monster?! Do I really look like some training-obsessed maniac? As I hurried after the fleeing Helena, she picked up speed to get away. Chasing after her, I reached out my hand.
"Silvia, help me!!"
Helena, who had been running in a panic, spotted Silvia approaching and raised her voice. Silvia, who had been walking toward us with her usual light steps, looked startled at Helena's cry and turned to us.
"H-Helena? What's wrong…?"
"The training monster is trying to eat me…!"
Helena hid behind Silvia with a pitiful expression. Only then did Silvia grasp the situation. She smiled and looked at me as I ran up.
"Felice, were you bullying Helena again?"
"……Bullying? I was just trying to help her with the best of intentions."
After the Leonhardt incident, I'd worried Silvia might become timid, but that concern had been unfounded. She was still as bright as ever. Having grown much closer to both Helena and me, Silvia answered my words with a familiar smile.
"Helena says Felice's training is too hard."
"Training is supposed to be hard……?"
If it isn't hard, it isn't training. There's even a saying about that. And if you don't feel muscle soreness after training, that means you didn't train properly. When I shared my philosophy with Silvia and Helena, Helena's face turned deathly pale.
"He really is a monster……"
"Pfft…! I think I understand why Helena calls you the training monster."
Silvia laughed leisurely, still shielding Helena behind her. I looked at Helena hiding behind Silvia, then blinked as something occurred to me.
Come to think of it—
"Silvia."
"Uh… yeah……?"
Perhaps sensing something ominous in my sudden tone, Silvia answered with wide eyes. Grinning, I placed my hand on her shoulder to keep her from running away like Helena had and said,
"Want to train too?"
"M-me……? I'm a healing type, so I don't think I really need to……?"
I shook my head at Silvia, who only knew one thing and not the other, and began persuading her.
"No. Even if you're a healing type, on the battlefield you're still a combatant just like everyone else."
"I-is that so?"
"Of course. Do you really think monsters will spare you just because you're a healer?"
On the battlefield, everyone is equal. In fact, support types like Silvia are in even greater danger. Since having supporters makes combat more difficult, there are those who deliberately target them first. Isn't it common sense in games like this to take out the healer first?
"So shouldn't you at least be able to protect yourself?"
"……"
Only then did Silvia's face turn as pale as Helena's as she finally understood the situation.
"H-Helena? H-help me…?"
She looked for Helena to help her, but Helena had already noticed my intentions the moment I started talking to Silvia and fled far away. Realizing Helena was no longer behind her, Silvia bit her lip with a resentful expression as she watched her retreating figure.
"You traitor!!"
"Sorry……! I'm sorry!!"
Helena kept repeating her apologies like a parrot as she disappeared into the distance. Caught by me, Silvia looked completely lost, trapped between fleeing and not being able to flee.
"Now then, shall we go 'train' together?"
It was a shame that neither Silvia nor Helena seemed to understand the importance of training. At the same time, I was glad I could show them the joy of it.
"Eek……!!"
At that thought, I smiled brightly, and Silvia let out a piercing scream upon seeing my expression. Holding onto Silvia's arm as I headed for the training grounds, I couldn't help but hum a little tune.
Everyone, let's train! And as she passed by and witnessed the scene, Pamela frowned.
"What are those guys doing…?"
Felice grinning creepily, Helena running away from him… and Silvia. Seeing that, Pamela quietly hid herself and shook her head.
"That guy really is insane."
It was an incident that caused Felice's evaluation in Pamela's mind to drop another level.