"Speak honestly, Yugo. You have an idea of how to resolve Misery's weakness, don't you?"
"……Yeah, well, I do."
"Then why won't you tell her? If you've taken her on as a Disciple, however reluctantly, you should fulfill your duty. Even if it is difficult, isn't it your role as the master who accepted her Apprenticeship to point out her flaws and correct them?"
The first day of training had come to a close after Yugo observed Misery's abilities while building up her basic skills.
Immediately afterward, as they were cleaning up in the shower room near the training grounds, Yugo and Marcos had a serious conversation about her.
Marcos insisted that Misery couldn't stay as she was and that Yugo should teach her a strategy to compensate for her Lack of Finishing Power if he had one. In response, Yugo voiced his own perspective.
"I think you're right. But... I'm bothered by that word 'Yearning' Misery used."
"Yearning, you say……?"
"Yeah. I don't know who she yearns for, but I think she's kept polishing that Fighting Style specifically because of that emotion. My own desire to learn martial arts and become someone who could help others was triggered by my Yearning for Heroes... so I understand that feeling all too well."
The emotion of Yearning is a powerful driving force when pursuing a goal.
The reason Misery had continued to refine that strategy despite knowing its flaws was likely due to that very feeling.
Yugo, who had yearned for the image of Heroes he had watched since he was a young boy, understood Misery's heart painfully well.
That was precisely why he couldn't bring himself to simply reject the Fighting Style she had refined alongside that Yearning.
"However, she won't get any stronger if things remain as they are. If a path could be opened by changing her Fighting Style, shouldn't you be the one to recommend it?"
"I know. But if I force her to throw away her current style before she's ready, I think she’ll end up throwing away the Yearning that drives her along with it. If that happens, it'll all be for nothing. It doesn't mean anything unless Misery herself is convinced she needs to change."
Marcos sensed the weight of Yugo's conviction as he spoke about Misery.
Realizing that Yugo hadn't taken her on as a Disciple with half-hearted feelings, Marcos turned off the shower, looked toward Yugo in the next stall, and spoke.
"……It seems you've been thinking about Misery in your own way. My interference was unwanted meddling. My apologies."
"No, it's fine. If anything, thanks to you pointing it out, I was able to reaffirm my own responsibility."
Responding to Marcos's apology, Yugo—who had also finished his shower—grinned broadly.
Thinking that Yugo was a good person in many ways—bearing no resemblance to the man he once knew—Marcos continued.
"But what do you plan to do? It's all well and good to respect her Yearning, but at this rate, that Yearning will end as just a Yearning. How do you intend to convince her?"
"……First, I think I need to get to know her better. Whether I'm trying to persuade her or anything else, I can't even start a conversation if I don't know who she is, right?"
Let Yearning Become Reality…… A familiar song lyric naturally floated into his mind.
To ensure Misery's Yearning didn't end as just a dream, what was his next move? Having reached a conclusion, Yugo shared his thoughts with Marcos.
"Who does Misery yearn for? The story won't move forward until I know that. Besides……"
"……What is it? Is something the matter?"
"……I'm curious about why she suddenly became so desperate to get stronger. To me, Misery looks like she's in a hurry. I feel like I need to know what's driving her."
There had to be a specific reason why Misery had volunteered for an Apprenticeship under him.
He felt certain that this information would be indispensable for successfully persuading her.
Staring at Yugo's profile as he seriously and earnestly tried to fulfill his duties as a master, Marcos snorted and gave a small shrug.
"If you've thought that far ahead, I assume you've already taken steps?"
"Well, yeah. I've asked Melt and Hex to gather rumors and information about Misery. It's frustrating that I have to leave this kind of thing to others, though."
"Fuhaha! Well, it can't be helped. Your Bad Reputation won't be overturned so easily. Just do your best with what you can, my friend."
"You bet! I'll do just that! Thanks for worrying about me, Marcos."
At Yugo's words of gratitude, Marcos only snorted again.
Knowing that this was his friend's awkward way of responding, Yugo wore a cheerful smile. He vowed to become a master who could meet the expectations of his companions and Misery alike, and began to search for the path forward.