Chapter 59
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Group Bullying, Stop! (1)
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The Dwarf Principality kept its promise in spectacular fashion. No sooner had we returned to Lionheart Fortress than they sent over the heaps of equipment and top-grade supplies they'd pledged.
Thanks to that, our nearly empty warehouse was now almost fully stocked. The only issue was the lack of a blacksmith to manage the weapons, but that could wait. For now, satisfaction would do.
Fortunately, everyone knew the basics of weapon maintenance and repair. Anyone who wielded a blade had to, or so they said. It made me feel a bit guilty, though.
Thanks to my army days importing firearms and picking up scraps of knowledge by peeking over shoulders, I could at least fake it. That's when Helia came rushing over to me.
"Teacher! All the maintenance is done!"
"Good work."
"Could you take a look, Teacher?"
Helia, oh Helia. Why must you test me like this? I was the guy who got chewed out for botching firearm cleaning. As if I'd know swords.
But I couldn't ignore her. She plopped down in front of me, gazing up with sparkling eyes full of expectation.
I took the sword from her and gave it a once-over. It looked clean enough... but that was all I could tell. Too much oil? Just right? My head hurt.
"Impressive. You done this before?"
"First time today."
"You've got a natural talent for it."
"Oh yeah, hasn't Helia gotten super strong lately?"
"You're just getting weaker. Shrimp."
Clara and Ruby started bickering, but that was par for the course. Meanwhile, Helia had started speaking casually with the others. Were they getting closer? That'd be nice.
As Clara and Ruby said, Helia's growth was shining through lately. It even showed in sparring sessions. What used to be clean defeats...
...had turned into back-and-forth exchanges where she could hold her own to some degree. Sure, neither Ruby nor Clara used swords as their main weapons, but it was still an incredible feat.
"It's been about a year and a half since you started learning the sword, right? What a gift."
"I wouldn't have made it this far without you, Teacher."
"Talent and an eye for it too. You're a real asset."
"Just stumbled across you by chance and lent a hand. Got nothing to do with talent."
"That modesty of yours is a vice, Captain."
Yeah, yeah. Chatter away. I'd be stepping down as captain in half a year anyway. Right now, we were in the armory, maintaining and repairing the weapons from the principality.
And while we were at it, I'd told everyone to pick one they liked. A craftsman doesn't blame his tools, but why let good gear rot?
Clara grabbed a solid bow, Ruby a massive hammer specially made by the dwarves. Helia chose the finest longsword. Cluna and Yuren passed.
Why?
"My strength breaks weapons too easily. Can't waste good ones."
"I prefer ones I make myself~."
Fine, you pros.
I couldn't say it aloud, so I picked a decent sword and sheathed it at my waist. Naturally, eyes turned to the last one standing.
Bayard stared blankly at the item before her. A whip made of iron chains. According to the dwarf envoy, it was for "just in case," so they'd thrown it in.
Please tell me that "just in case" wasn't what I thought. Shaking off the silly thought, I approached her. She noticed and jumped.
"Ah! C-Captain."
"Want the whip? Then take it."
I wanted to watch my knights pick their weapons firsthand. It'd boost efficiency on the next mission, and a bit more mental stability...
The Comfrachico fight was manageable, even against a Blood Tide-level demon. Her stats weren't exceptional. But that slime right before...
One slip-up, and it would've been over. Life or death. The stress from that came right back to me. The fear of combat itself.
Of course, I couldn't complain. I was the Royal Knights' captain, and whining with my absurd time-stop cheat? No way.
"N-No, it's nothing."
"Is that so?"
"Y-Yes! Captain!"
"If something's up, don't hide it."
I was beyond sure. There was definitely something. No one misses a face that dark unless they're an idiot.
But pushing too hard from the start would make her clam up. Better to draw it out slowly. With that in mind, I addressed everyone.
"That's it for today. Good work, all!"
"Ah, I'm starving."
"Who's on meal duty this week?"
"Helia and the captain."
Cluna used to handle meals at first, but it felt unfair to burden one person. So I suggested rotations, even for food.
Cluna said it was fine, but everyone felt guilty enough to agree. Last week, I choked down her charred coal meat. Meaning?
I wholeheartedly regretted suggesting shared duties. Ugh, such a hassle... damn it. But unlike me, Helia beamed.
"Anything's fun if it's with you, Teacher!"
Helia, Helia. When you say that, what am I—the guy grumbling about the hassle? Her radiant smile purified me, melting away my woes.
Fine. If we're doing it, let's do it right. Plus, managing the fortress alone was a real burden for Cluna. We headed to the kitchen to prep.
Lionheart Fortress's kitchen had everything. Ovens, griddles, even a primitive freezer. I gathered ingredients.
"First rule of cooking: hygiene. Then a balanced diet."
"Got it."
Problem was, that was all I knew. Royal Knights on the front lines—military rations it'd be. Veggies and chicken.
No gochujang, sadly, but soy sauce? Weirdly, yes. Multiracial alliance knights, apparently stocked with each race's staples and spices.
Today's dish: chicken stir-fry stew. Usually red, but soy sauce versions existed. I prepped the tools.
"These flippers and griddles are trickier than they look."
"Leave the heavy lifting to me!"
"You just watch from the side..."
I held Helia back. The griddle—frying pan in modern terms—was tough. And fire was dangerous. I explained to her, then planned to cook solo.
But what? She handled it better than me? Stunned, I stared. She explained.
"Cluna taught me a lot about cooking."
"Taught you? You cooked?"
"Yeah. I've even made some for you before, Teacher."
"R-Right."
That explained her clingy taste-tests sometimes. Mystery solved. But why cooking?
"That's when I realized: just watching the person you like eat a meal you poured your heart into... brings this much happiness."
While I wrestled the griddle, she'd finished prepping and loaded the ingredients on. Lit the fire like a pro and started cooking.
Suddenly, I was the spectator. Lucky she asked questions now and then, or I'd look like a total fraud.
Not that I helped much. My hazy recipe led to mistakes, but she smiled faintly and plated the food.
"Done. How is it?"
"W-Way better than me."
"You're too kind, Teacher."
Impossible to believe from a 13-year-old. She casually tidied the kitchen. I could only gape. Like a goblin had enchanted me.
Was this the same wild Helia from before?
My heart swelled with pride.