“……Carol, look at your friends’ faces.”
“Hmm? —Ah……”
Carol’s gaze drifted toward Sophie and Log. Both of them were wearing expressions of undisguised bewilderment. Sophie, in particular, looked so pained she seemed on the verge of tears.
“The smiles you love so much have vanished. Do you know why?”
I posed the question gently, and Carol gave a small, hesitant shake of her head.
“It’s because you’re hurt.”
“B-but, the injuries are already…”
Carol’s body began to tremble.
“They aren’t just the wounds we can see. When you get hurt, they feel the pain, too. If you keep doing this, those smiles will never come back. Are you okay with that?”
“N-no… I don’t want that! I hate it! What… what should I do?!”
Carol was shaking violently now. As I’d suspected, the thing this girl feared most was the loss of the smiles directed at her.
“It’s simple. You’re used to the sensation, but it still hurts, doesn’t it? Then you just have to stop doing things that ‘hurt.’ When you feel pain, Sophie, Log, and I feel it too. But we aren’t used to it like you are. When we’re in pain, we can’t smile.”
“I-I understand. I get it, so… I won’t do anything ‘painful’ anymore! Just please, smile again… Please… Don’t hit me…”
Tears streamed down her face as she pleaded, her expression still fraught with terror. I forced myself to maintain a gentle smile and reached out to stroke her head.
“Hiee!”
Carol let out a small shriek, flinching as if she expected a blow. I kept my hand light and continued to stroke her hair.
“It’s okay. I’m not angry. No one here is going to hit you, so you can relax. And if anyone ever tries, I’ll knock them flat. It’s okay, everything’s okay…”
I kept repeating those words until her breathing finally steadied.
Perhaps because of the physical contact, she calmed down faster than I anticipated. Ideally, I would have liked to observe their coordination a few more times before finishing, but given the circumstances, I decided to scrap that plan.
“Alright! I’ve seen enough of how you three fight for today. Let’s head back.”
I made sure to emphasize that I’d achieved my objective of evaluating them individually as we prepared to return to the Clan Headquarters. On the way back, I used my magic to incinerate every monster that entered our vicinity before the students even noticed them. I didn't want to risk seeing how they—especially Carol—would react to a combat encounter right now.
“Well, it’s still early, but there’s no need to overdo it on the first day. We’re done for this evening. As for the schedule going forward, I’ll be providing instruction every other day. On the off-days, the three of you are free to dive into the Great Labyrinth on your own. However! When you do, you must follow four rules: stay together as a party of three, do not challenge floor bosses, do not go beyond the 11th Floor without my permission, and absolutely no recklessness. Understood?”
Back at the headquarters, I laid out the ground rules.
“Understood,” Log replied on behalf of the group.
“Also, if you do go into the Labyrinth on an off-day, you must treat the following free day as a rest day. You won’t grow if you push yourself past the breaking point. Spend that time however you like—relax, have some fun. …Actually, if you’re looking for something to do, I recommend reading. Check out the library in the Exploration Department. The books there are well-organized, easy to follow, and incredibly educational.”
Sophie’s expression had stiffened when I mentioned “spending time however you like,” which was why I’d pivoted to suggesting books. Does she not have any hobbies?
With that, I dismissed them. On the surface, Carol seemed to have returned to her usual self, but I couldn't be sure what was happening in her head. At the very least, it didn't feel like she was about to have a breakdown.
I turned to go find Estella-san.
“Master! Do you have a moment?”
Log stopped me just as I was leaving the room.
“What is it?”
“Well…”
Log seemed to be hesitating. I waited patiently until he finally found his voice.
“Master, I want your honest assessment. How strong am I, really?”
I wondered what had prompted the question, but his eyes were deadly serious. I wasn't sure of his intent, but based on his attitude this morning, I didn't think he was the type to let a compliment go to his head anymore. If anything, his reaction would be a good litmus test to see if he really had changed.
“……Honestly? I think you could hold your own in the lower ranks of an A-Rank Party right now.”
“……I see. Hearing that from you gives me a lot of confidence. Thank you. In that case… would you teach me how to use a sword?”
Wait, what?
Why the sword all of a sudden? Did he think he’d already mastered being an Enchanter? He still had plenty of rough edges to iron out.
“……Why do you want to learn the sword?”
“After seeing Carol today, I realized we can’t keep letting her be the sole Defender. She has a habit of charging in the second she sees a beast, but in her daily life, she always puts others first. She just wants people to smile. I figured if I could fight on the front-line too, it would take some of the pressure off her. Besides, I want to be an explorer who can do everything, just like you, Master. I think swordsmanship is essential for that.”
It wasn't arrogance. He was thinking about his teammates.
In a three-person party, having two people capable of holding the front-line was certainly a valid strategy. Since Log was already a proficient Enchanter, branching out into a new skill set made sense.
“I understand your reasoning, Log. But keep in mind that trying this could potentially undermine the foundations you’ve already built. Are you prepared for that?”
“Yes! I won’t reach the top without taking risks. I’m ready!”
I ran some mental simulations of how the party would function with Log on the front lines. Even if he moved forward, he would still need to maintain his support magic. However, managing buffs and commanding the party while locked in melee combat was nearly impossible. That would mean Sophie would have to take over leadership.
Might be a bit much for a girl that shy…
“I hear you. But this isn't a decision we can make alone. Let's talk to the girls and see what they think before we commit to anything.”
“Right. Understood.”
“……And one more thing. Even if you do move to the front-line, I won’t be teaching you the sword. Keep that in mind.”
“Why?! Is it because I don't have the talent for it?!” Log cried out, clearly shocked. It was a fair reaction to a sudden rejection.
“That’s not it. I’ll teach you how to fight. But you’re still an Enchanter, Log. You need a weapon that lets you keep your distance and disengage quickly if you need to cast. So, I’m not going to teach you swordsmanship. I’m going to teach you spearmanship.”