The Veret estate has lands befitting a ducal house.
Besides the manor, various facilities exist — including a magic-permitted area I built for [Magecraft Funeral (Delete)] training.
For a typical mage that’s enough, but for her, not satisfying.
So Mashiro and I trained again today in the garden.
“[Ice Meteor]!”
Numerous ice shards spread above her.
Individually small, but a direct hit hurts; she swung her arm and they came at me.
Not straight — curved paths, staggered first and second volleys with time differences.
Effort to land hits.
But still — too soft.
“[Magecraft Funeral].”
I judged each shard instantly, prioritized, responded.
Dodge the misses, [Magecraft Funeral] for unavoidable ones.
If I can do it, Floné can.
She’d surely set up curtain fire surpassing [Ice Meteor].
Having handled all shards, I taunted Mashiro.
“This much can’t break my [Magecraft Funeral]! Or is that your real level!?”
“Gh……! Then……!”
Reacting, Mashiro gathered greater mana.
A stronger spell to counter.
But spells requiring charge give close-combat fighters perfect openings.
“[Gear Change].”
Body-boosted, I kicked off and closed the distance.
If she’s defenseless like that idiot prince, failing grade——
“——Got you.”
Just as I neared her, her body floated.
“[Wind Booster]…… you can’t catch me in the air, right Ouga?”
Her plan succeeded; she grinned.
I see. The earlier mana-gather was a bluff to bait me.
While attacking, her eyes stayed on me.
At the right moment, she leapt up.
From my dead angle as my left arm reached for her — she launched a spell to finish.
Brilliant idea.
If she can switch like this, in the Floné battle she won’t be dead weight.
She’s no longer a soft fluffy girl.
She’s grown to face a strong foe.
“Got you, Ouga! My win!”
No need for a big spell.
I sensed instant-speed magic via mana.
—— But she forgot one thing.
I’m not the only one who’s grown.
“[Dragon-Slay Fist · Empty]!”
I’d swung my left arm to capture her.
The right — [Dragon-Slay Fist · Kai] — remained as a last resort.
You can never have too many tactics.
Battles are like card games.
To opponent’s plays, you counter with your own.
Repeating this builds advantage.
Not solely deciding, but the basic flow.
“That’s…… wait, no——!”
“You let your guard down after taking my blind side, Mashiro.”
I know her position without looking.
My right fist flew, caught her ankle.
“Lesson: don’t relax until you’ve finished the opponent!”
“Eeeeeeh!?”
I’d slam her into the ground — stopping just before.
Releasing the ankle, she fell with uh-beh.
I ran to her.
“Sorry, misjudged?”
“No. So close…… frustrated at myself.”
“Haha, that’s all?”
Happy at her words, I sat beside her and poked her puffed cheek.
“You move much better now. Before, actions were isolated; now they connect with purpose.”
“Fufun. Morning training with you and Alice paying off, huh.”
Praised, she puffed her chest.
Since Enkalton, Mashiro’s drive grew.
Her magic not landing on the dragon must have stung.
If ineffective on the dragon, no chance against Floné.
So she trains harder to be useful.
Early morning. I lay beside her; the still-dim blue sky filled my view.
“Let’s end here, do review later.”
“Mn. The last hit dusted me up; want to bathe soon.”
“Hm, didn’t consider that.”
“It’s fine, all-out is better. ……Ah, if you feel bad…… ”
She nuzzled close.
Her small hands cupped my ears; her breath at my mouth-proximity reached clearly.
”—— Bath together?”
A sweet whisper.
Nothing else audible; as if only we existed in stillness——
“Hey, kid! Come back, I want to verify operation!”
—— A wrecking volume called me.
Mashiro’s cheeks puffed enormously.
”…… Mou, Yueli-san……! Good mood ruined!”
”…… Heh heh heh, forgive her. She didn’t mean to.”
“I know. That’s why I can’t direct my anger.”
The morning training served not only Mashiro but [Dragon-Slay Fist · Kai] adjustment.
As the engineer, Yueli wanted user feedback fast.
“Cute.”
I poked her cheek-balloon again, popped it, took her hand, walked toward Yueli — at least holding hands as consolation.
◇ Chapter 5 begins! No diary format this time. ◇