Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: 3. Training Begins (2)
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"The first training we'll do is 'No Magic'."
It was the initial step in the training schedule I'd set up for Vivian.
Vivian furrowed one eyebrow, as if she'd misheard.
"Uh... Pardon?"
"No Magic. For the next fourteen days, you absolutely cannot use magic."
There were all sorts of reasons for this, but where should I start explaining...
"Yes. Got it."
Eh, why'd she accept so readily?
I'd been gearing up to explain...
"If it's... No, if it's what you say, Ian, I'll follow it without question. I'll do just that."
I appreciated the trust, but it left me feeling a bit empty.
Still, this meant no headaches during training.
The 1st Hero Party had rebelled against my methods at first, insisting they made no sense.
"Uh... Ahem. Aren't you curious why we're doing it this way?"
"I am, but if it's you saying it, Ian, I figure it's fine to just go along. You know way more about this than I do."
Hmm. She trusted me that much—nothing to be done about it.
...Thanks, but why does it leave such a bittersweet aftertaste?
"Ian seems like he wants to explain it."
"Hey, no I'm not."
"Hmm?"
Mercy, you...
"Ah! I-is that what it was...? Sorry, I'm just no good at reading the room..."
This felt like she was prostrating herself in apology...
With Mercy and Vivian pressing me for an explanation, I had no choice but to speak up.
"Right now, Vivian, you have several unnecessary habits when casting magic. Not just in your external movements, but probably in the internal step of opening your circuits too. The reason for no magic is simple: to relearn from scratch by erasing what you learned before."
"Ooh...!"
Vivian nodded repeatedly, as if gaining sudden enlightenment.
It couldn't be an act...
Anyway, breaking habits was crucial.
To build a proper foundation, you need to forget what you learned wrong.
"Just no magic for fourteen days?"
"No, of course not."
That was merely the bare basics among basics.
It was just one part of the training I'd prepared.
"There's a lot to do, but the second training is that."
This one barely qualified as training, really.
Like no magic, it had to become part of daily life.
If anything, this was closer to everyday living.
"Eat well."
No magic was a countermeasure for Vivian's bad habits.
What elevated the 1st Hero Party to their current level was nothing other than 'eating well'.
"Eat well?"
Carbs, proteins, fats.
Fiber and vitamins besides.
To maintain health, the body needs a full daily caloric intake with balanced nutrients.
'Mana' demands enormous energy, so heroes especially must eat well.
It wasn't well-known in this world, but I had modern nutrition knowledge.
I never imagined the stuff I'd learned as a fitness hobby would help raise heroes here.
That heroes need proper portions and balanced nutrition above all was something I'd verified with my own body in my second go-around.
The 1st Party's mana control and physical abilities skyrocketed after I changed their diet—proof positive.
That was why I'd enforced three meals a day for the 1st Party.
And why I'd poured insane amounts of money into food costs.
Heroes need to eat well, and a lot.
Though they didn't know it.
"Yes. Let's go right now, then."
"Where to...?"
"To eat."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The 1st Hero Party's campsite.
Today was their last night camping outside.
Thanks to a follow-up letter from Badenverk city—whom they'd asked for patrol duties—Penny had been able to set a travel plan.
If Ian hadn't just burned the paperwork, she wouldn't have had to go through all this trouble.
The four heroes were thrilled at the news they'd show their faces to the citizens and attend a banquet.
They grumbled that Penny hadn't brought dungeon or demon intel, but at least the camping was over.
So yesterday, everyone had definitely been pleased.
This morning was different.
Gathered at the breakfast table.
The four heroes glared murderously at the food before them, then shifted that gaze straight to Penny.
"What's with that look?"
As always, Penny smiled with narrowed eyes.
"What's with it?"
Kaily shot back, looking ready to flip the table.
"You expect us to eat this slop?"
"This is plenty luxurious."
And it was.
The spread before them could've graced any noble's table.
A heap of fancy dishes piled high.
But it wasn't the quality from Ian's time.
Cheap spices masking fishy meat.
Stew so thin it was basically water.
Bread as hard as rocks.
Pasta clumped thick with low-grade oil.
That was the standard for a mid-tier noble here, and it didn't suit the 1st Party's tastes, refined by Ian's meals.
Ian had used Memory Correction to map supply chains in nearby cities, procuring only the best ingredients.
Spices too—only the premium stuff fit for royalty.
But Penny and the party didn't know that side of things.
To her, this was lavish.
"This breaks your promise!"
Aria shot to her feet.
"You said you'd cut costs without changing our lifestyle!"
"I did."
"Then what the hell is this?!"
"Please understand the menu change. Ian's stockpiled food ran out, and the cook he hired left."
Beatrice jumped in.
"So it's not the same lifestyle. What the hell are you doing?"
"I promised better 'treatment' than before. With your extra free time and gold compared to this food, isn't it much improved?"
Penny parried politely but sharply.
"And if you eat all this, you'll get about the same satiety as before."
The quality and variety had changed, but the total volume hadn't.
In terms of sheer 'quantity', nothing major had shifted.
From that angle, Penny wasn't lying.
"I can't understand your reactions. It's all the same once it's down the hatch. Does it matter what you eat?"
"Still, this is too much!"
Aria fumed.
"Hmm... Weren't you the one complaining about excessive food costs, Aria? And hating the forced meals?"
"Th-that's because you had the ledgers..."
"I did point out the food expenses were too high. But you were the one voicing complaints. Weren't you?"
"......"
Sly and infuriating, but Penny spoke no falsehoods.
"If you really hate it, use your increased pay to handle your own meals."
"It's not enough for food too! We used to borrow from Ian before..."
"...?"
Penny blinked at that.
Fine, famous heroes indulging in luxury was common.
But borrowing from Ian?
'That guy took the biggest cut but still loaned money to the heroes? Then why distribute pay so stingily...'
She saw these heroes in a new light.
She'd tricked them, sure, but how dense could they be?
Or maybe Ian was the idiot?
Neglect management and education, and idiots just get dumber—natural progression.
"Sigh... For now, this is a campsite, so forgive the drop in quality. Supplies aren't easy. Once we're in the city, I'll pay more attention."
With that, the heroes grudgingly ate.
Penny couldn't stand watching and retreated to her tent.
'Philip... Your party's turning into this mess. Where are you?'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "......"
Vivian silently stared down at the food before her.
She looked pleased, but also scared.
The food wasn't going to eat her—why the face?
Anyway, I kept hauling dishes.
The training hall cafeteria had a self-cooking area, so I flexed my skills for the first time in a while.
I'd asked Kati and Mercy to source the freshest ingredients, then made everything possible from there.
Finally placing the last plate, Vivian spoke.
"I don't think I can finish all this..."
Enough food to hug with both arms.
Passersby gawked in shock.
"Who knows. I bet you can."
Cream stew over beef pasta.
Chicken grilled in olive oil, sprinkled with pepper, salt, and asparagus...
Too many to list.
Vivian insisted it was impossible, but no way.
This was about half a single meal for one 1st Party member.
Vivian was malnourished with a shrunken stomach, so I'd reduced it further to avoid overload.
Even superhumans don't know their own capacity or needs.
They become superhuman midway through life, not from birth.
So most stick to prior eating habits.
"Just try. Leftover's fine if you can't."
"O-okay... But which to start with...? I've never seen food this fancy..."
Carbs, proteins, fats, fiber.
Vitamins from dessert fruit.
Balanced nutrition with taste in mind.
Why quality matters as much as quantity for superhumans? Simple: mana operation.
Don't eat enough, and the body can't generate mana properly.
Don't eat balanced, and gunk builds in your circuits.
Like clogged arteries blocking blood.
Not just mages—all heroes handle mana.
Whether manifesting spells, miracles, or body enhancement.
Classes differ by method, but the root is the same.
Eat well to wield mana smoothly.
Sylvia's magic improved just from diet management.
Vivian, starting nearby dishes, suddenly teared up.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
"N-nothing, sorry... It's just... so delicious..."
Whoa.
Thought it didn't suit her.
"D-do I even deserve to eat this...?"
"Eat up and keep up. That's it."
"Y-yes... I'll do my best..."
Practically dipping bread in tears.
Mid-meal, Vivian muttered bitterly.
"The kids would love this too..."
Thinking of the kids even now.
Her character was spot-on—satisfying pick.
Couldn't cook at the abbey myself, but donations were doable.
Handle that later.
As Vivian settled into steady eating.
Mercy sliced into the arm-thick beef she'd awaited eagerly.
Kati ate the cafeteria's paid meal.
Checked if they minded nutrition—total mess.
Seemed they just used whatever scraps daily.
And Kati always ignored my cooking anyway.
All talk of ownership.
I couldn't skip either, so I'd brought my meal.
Gruel of chicken, whole grains, veggies, nuts, milk boiled together.
Tasteless, but fully nutritious, cheap, and easy.
"...What's that?"
Vivian eyed my bowl.
"Hmm... Total nutrition gruel? Want some?"
"I-if it's okay..."
I slid the bowl over instead of answering.
Vivian scooped a spoonful, chewed tentatively.
Her face hardened like she'd bitten a bug.
"...Um, if it's not too forward, can I be honest?"
"Not forward at all. Say whatever. Cuss if you want."
"I-I wouldn't...! Anyway, this tastes like... tree bark boiled in milk."
Hmm...
Now that she said it, yeah.
"Why give me this and not you...?"
"'Cause it's cheap?"
I hadn't always eaten like this.
Adjusting to the 1st Party's tastes meant sacrificing my preferences.
More food for them, loans when they whined.
Donations in their names too.
Refugees, orphanages, etc.
Why I took the biggest pay share? That reason.
No financial sense—they blew cash wildly.
Easier to hold it and dole out when they fussed.
First thing I gave up: my food.
Nutrition and volume sufficed for me.
They mattered more than me then.
So I lived on sugar sticks.
Couldn't quit that sweetness.
Ah, finished those—need to remake.
"Do you hate food, Ian?"
"No way. I love good stuff too."
"Then... eat together."
"...Yes?"
Not just me—Mercy and Kati looked up sharply from their meals.
Three gazes converged; Vivian floundered.
"Wh-what? Did I do something wrong...?"
Blink blink.
Probably same reaction from Mercy and Kati as me.
Kati's eyepatch hid hers.
Eat together...
When was the last time I heard that?
Specifically from someone outside Mercy and Kati—it'd been ages, awkward as hell.
With the 1st Party, I mostly survived on this gruel alone.
Occasional meals with Mercy or Kati.
No hero cared what I ate.
Longer ago, when we were closer, maybe.
Felt bad for Mercy and Kati, who'd cut portions because of me.
No intent to touch their food budgets, but they insisted on matching my reduced intake.
Who'd have thought Vivian would suggest eating together.
Totally unexpected.
I chuckled unwittingly.
Mercy followed suit.
"Uh uh..."
Vivian went from anxious to awkwardly mirroring our laughs.
"Picked a good one."
"Yeah."
"Heh, hehe..."
"Sure, let's eat together."
Need more ingredients from now on.
"That tasteless gruel though..."
"We share it too."
"Eek."
"Sharing reduces your portion, right? So fill up with this."
"Ah..."
Recalling the taste, Vivian pursed her lips tight.
But nodded acceptance.
First time in forever: Mercy, Kati, me, and my chosen hero eating amiably together.
* Vivian's prediction of leftovers didn't come true.
She scraped bowls clean before declaring fullness.
"Now I really can't eat more..."
"Told you you'd finish."
"Didn't know it'd all fit..."
We strolled slowly from cafeteria to training field out front.
Aspirants trained or attended classes in clusters.
Stopped at the edge.
"Next training now."
"Eh... I just ate... No, let's do it."
Good posture.
Hero bodies differ from normals.
No issues with intense exercise post-meal.
Pulled training tool from my pocket.
"...What's that?"
"Oh, this? Hammer head coated thick with solidified slime chunks."
They called it the thunk hammer in modern times.
Here, for whipping trainee heroes.
By me.
"Why..."
"Run."
"Pardon?"
"Around the field edge. One whack per second late."
"Eh..."
"Run!"
"Y-yes-!"
Vivian bolted off panting.
The real training.
Now began.