Chapter 69: You Really Should Practice Everyday, Yes?

After that, Tsutomu left the Ealdred Crow's main party for the time being, leaving them to explore layer sixty-two themselves. Meanwhile, he watched them through Monitor #2, observing their moves and compiling a more detailed schedule for Stephanie's training.

Having been told by Rook that there were almost three weeks left until the Clan's next party assessment, the schedule was made to fit into those limited days. He then handed it over to Stephanie once she returned from the sixty-second layer to the Clan House.

"Excuse me, Mister Tsutomu. What could this be?"

"The schedule of everyone's training up until the day of assessment. For the time being, I've tried slotting things down for the next three weeks."

The beautifully drawn grid's cells had been painted in with colors signifying their respective training content, on an hour-per-day basis. Stephanie stared at the schedule while she sat at the round table of the conference room, then Rook next to her snuck a peek and promptly pulled a horrified face.

"From what I can see... there isn't a single day of rest, is there?"

"I didn't know if you had anything planned during this time, you see. Is there something you must attend to, Stephanie?"

"Um, well... I plan to visit my home during the weekends two weeks from now."

"Then on that particular day, practice on just the things you can do anytime — the basic things like <<Heal>> and timing."

"Come again?"

Stephanie, having thought all she had to deal with was the reading material and the two aforementioned practices, stared at Tsutomu, not hiding her confusion. The latter looked back, his expression doubtful.

"Yes? Is something the matter?"

"From the way you referred to those two topics as what I could do anytime... is it safe to assume that there are other things I must practice?"

"Of course there are. Those two are, again, things that could be carried out anytime — so please remember to practice them whenever you have a free time. There are many exercises that could only be carried out in Dungeons and the training grounds, so I'll explain them on the spot during the dedicated timeslots. That's the gist of it, anyway — now, shall we begin practicing the <<Heal>> spell?"

Tsutomu immediately proceeded to cast <<Heal>> and sent it spinning around over his head. Stephanie, although hesitant, waved her baton-like staff and cast <<Heal>> as well, spinning it in the air where she should still see it.

Having practiced her <<Heal>> shot control only by shooting it at her allies, Stephanie was having quite a bit of struggle trying to direct it properly. She looked at Tsutomu, fearful that she had shown him an obviously shoddy work, but the latter only smiled.

"Everyone is like that when they start off. Keep up your practice, and you'll eventually get it right."

"I see... that's reassuring."

"It doesn't seem like you can divide your attention to everything just yet, so please get used to controlling your <<Heal>> first. Once that's done, try making it move in various ways other than simply spinning."

Stephanie nodded as she occasionally spun herself around, following her <<Heal>> shot that flew around like an erratic fly.

"Now then... you must be tired after all we've done, so please just do this practice for the rest of today. That shouldn't be particularly exhausting, if anything."

"Yes, of course," Stephanie replied in a calm, motivated voice, having gotten used to Tsutomu's eccentric atmosphere. Then, she returned to her room, which had been assigned to her within the Clan House.

Rook, after seeing her off, proceeded to call out to Tsutomu as the latter was locked into a cheerful smile.

"Y-you sure you can keep this up, Tsutomu? I did ask you to prioritize the Buffer's training, but this..."

"Yes, you did, but it'll be some time before your Buffer is back, right? Do you know when exactly?"

"The one in question isn't in town, so... about three weeks, maybe."

"Oh, that's perfect timing, then — I can just shift focus to the Buffer's training after Stephanie's three weeks. I'll adjust the schedule for that," Tsutomu promptly said, while his wands kept on sorting up the documents so that he could vacate the table.

Rook then replied, albeit reluctantly,

"No, that's... I mean, I didn't even plan on requesting guidance for Stephanie in the first place, you see. Wanted you to just inflate her confidence a bit, is all — that's why I had you rate her performance."

"Well, that didn't work out quite as intended, did it?"

"Right — and it's our own problem to deal with. No need for you to go out of your way, Tsutomu. In fact, she's still like that even after you gave her some favorable words — goes to show that I've read her character wrong, if anything."

"Oh, it's quite alright, really. I've already talked to her about it, after all. There won't be any additional fees attached, of course, so please don't worry about that, if anything. Anyway, it's getting late, so I'll take my leave for the day now..."

"You already did what-!? Hey! Wait a second!"

Tsutomu, having unilaterally ended the conversation, left the conference room in a hurry. Rook reached his hands forward, but it was too late; the former had already shut the door behind him.

[...Could he have taken a liking to Stephanie? At first sight? No, he didn't give off that vibe. What's going on here...?]

Rook was drawing a total blank as to what Tsutomu's reasons were, having seen the latter's persistence with Stephanie and the aggressive way in which he had cut the conversation short.

――▽▽――

The next morning...

"Apologies if I came off as excessively upset yesterday, Mister Tsutomu. It was like a dream come true, to have gotten to learn from you — and I'll be in your care today as well," Stephanie said as she lifted her skirt and bowed, and while also spinning around a <<Heal>> sphere low on the ground.

"Yes, likewise. I see you've been practicing as instructed," Tsutomu said happily, making eye contact with Stephanie as she looked back up. "First things first, let us proceed with your training at the training area. Please follow me."

"Yes."

Tsutomu, having consulted with Rook on who and what to procure for today's training, immediately went to the Guild's training area for his planned morning activities. Stephanie followed, her eyes bright with determination.

Upon arrival, Tsutomu started doing some squats to limber up. Then, once he was done, he explained to Stephanie the training session's contents,

"We'll begin with your support skills, Stephanie. Could you cast <<Protect>> and <<Haste>> on me, Stephanie?"

"Yes. <<Protect>>, <<Haste>>."

Stephanie swung her staff and cast the requested skills for Tsutomu. The earthy-yellow and blue spheres hit the latter, raising his VIT and AGI.

"Now, could you cast me a support skill within the ten seconds before these effects' expiration? I'll just go stand over here."

"Yes, I understand."

Tsutomu walked away a short distance then stayed put, doing some stretches to pass the time. Stephanie used her left hand to create a rhythm to time the effect of <<Protect>>, and did the same with her left foot for <<Haste>>.

After fifty seconds had passed, Stephanie shot a <<Haste>> to Tsutomu, who was currently bending down to touch his own toes. Once the <<Haste>> effect was applied, Tsutomu started talking without looking at Stephanie,

"Five seconds late. Remember: you're not supposed to cast the skill at the fifty-second mark — what you need is to have the skill hit at the fifty-second mark."

"Y-yes."

The training session continued for approximately two hours, and while Stephanie managed to correct her timing by two to three seconds, she could not achieve any better results than that. Tsutomu, after he was done stretching and dusting his pants, decided to give Stephanie a ten-minute break.

"Isn't it about time you took a break?"

"Yes. I have no objections here."

"Now then, next time, please do the same as before — but now I'll be avoiding your support skills."

"Hmm? Avoiding them... as in deliberately?"

"Yes. This will double as a practice of your direction," Tsutomu said and waved his hand, urging Stephanie to begin.

Stephanie cast the skills for Tsutomu, then watched him carefully and counted the time as the latter stood a short distance away, yet to make a move.

And then, at the mark of forty-five seconds, she shot a <<Haste>>, which Tsutomu attempted to dodge by repeatedly side-stepping — a training method he had come up with from observing Diniel during his time with the Golden Tune Clan. He had thought this method could be put to practical use, and had initially wanted to ask someone with high AGI to do the job.

But this time, he settled on doing it himself, showcasing a surprising level of speed in dodging the <<Haste>> shot. And then, once the <<Haste>> effect on him expired, he stopped and let Stephanie cast another on him. He proceeded to imply with a smile that <<Protect>> was next, prompting Stephanie to tighten her grip on her spear and focus her energy.

The process went through several repetitions, but more than half the time, the support skill effects expired before they were renewed. Tsutomu, seeing Stephanie mentally strained from all the unfamiliar maneuvers, had her take a break after lunch.

He took Stephanie along outside, thinking it would not do her good to stay in the Guild all day, eventually entering a well-regarded and reasonably-priced restaurant.

Tsutomu wiped his hands and scanned over the menu, and then passed it over to Stephanie after making his order. With a gloomy face, she immediately turned the menu to a specific page and pointed at her order for the waiter to write down. The waiter bowed and left to the kitchen, after which Stephanie heaved a sigh,

"I couldn't do it at all..."

"Your progression is on-schedule, so please don't worry about it."

"Huh...? A-all right, then."

"I forgot to mention — you can direct around the energy shots, be it <<Heal>> or <<Protect>> or other things, even during meals, so please remember to do it. Under the table, of course — wouldn't want to bother the establishment."

Stephanie shook under Tsutomu's calm aura, thinking the latter was angry at her, while sipping her cup of cold juice that had just been served. Then she proceeded to cast <<Protect>> and directed it to spin around at her feet.

After about ten minutes, the waiter came back to serve the food. Though seeing Stephanie looking down and apparently focusing on something, the waiter said nothing before leaving.

"Stephanie, your food's been served."

"Ah- yes!"

Called back to her senses by Tsutomu, Stephanie looked forward in surprise, her <<Protect>> shot disappearing as soon as she took her eyes off it. Tsutomu reminded her to keep at it, albeit without pressuring her, while cutting up his sautéed duck with citrus sauce.

Stephanie, having been distracted by her food for a moment, pulled her chair back slightly and cast <<Protect>> again, this time spinning it around the table's legs. Then she saw that Tsutomu had three different energy spheres spinning around under his chair, and was naturally quite startled by the sight.

After he was done eating, Tsutomu quickly paid the bill. Stephanie finished her meal at just about the same time as well, and so they headed back to the Guild. Along the way, she asked Tsutomu,

"Um, the bill..."

"Ah, don't worry about it. Rook has already provided me with all the training expenses, so I've got all the coming three weeks covered."

"Oh, all right, then."

But of course, Tsutomu's words were a lie. Not that there would have been any expenses in the first place, what with his activities so far requiring no equipment nor consumables. As such, he had thought of investing a little into the high-potential Stephanie's improvement.

"We'll be exploring the Dungeon in the afternoon, together with some party members that Rook has appointed for us. Today's location will be... the Swamp biome."

"The Swamp, you said?"

"Yes. Oh, there they are."

Ignoring Stephanie's suspicious stare, Tsutomu waved to the appointed Ealdred Crow party members, who had gathered up and been waiting near Monitor #30. They were some of the lowest on Ealdred Crow's priority list, their number being higher than twenty.