Chapter 83

Chapter Eighty-Four: Ais’ Troubles (Fourth Update)

The bright moon slowly fades, the dawn begins to rise, dyeing a corner of the night sky in a shade of rosy red, signaling the start of a new day.

Following her internal clock, Ais rises from bed before the sky has even begun to lighten.

Her mind still feels a little hazy, but over the years, she’s grown accustomed to this sensation.

She raises her hand to cover her lips, her enticing mouth slightly agape, while her slender back straightens and her golden eyes squint.

With an adorable yawn, tears well up at the corners of her eyes, finally clearing her head.

Instinctively, she rubs her palms on her arms, lightly pinching them twice.

“Hmm… it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

The young girl checks her physical condition.

Ever since Ize started aiding her daily training with magic, waking up every day sore and unwilling to move has become a routine part of Ais’ life.

In the first few days adapting to Ize’s magic, she could barely stand each morning.

Now, things have improved significantly. After just one night, the muscle soreness is mostly gone.

Thanks to this, Ais’ sleep quality has been excellent recently.

She falls asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow and sleeps soundly until morning.

And her ability values have made remarkable progress.

For the first time, Ais feels she has a chance to elevate her abilities to S-rank standards.

All of this is thanks to Ize…

Recalling the unprecedented rapid growth of her junior faction member, Ais lowers her eyelids and starts changing clothes.

She swaps out her pure white loungewear (a one-piece dress) for her usual combat outfit – a black-and-white dress paired with tight-fitting undergarments.

In the central courtyard of the headquarters.

The sound of a blade cutting through the air echoes.

The delayed whoosh that follows each slash testifies to the speed and sharpness of the swordplay. Even a wooden sword carves multiple ghostly trails in the thin morning air.

At this pre-dawn hour, Ais trains alone here every day, practicing her sword swings.

No one told her to do so; it’s something she demands of herself.

Perhaps to refine her sword skills, she repeatedly practices day after day. As long as she’s at the headquarters, she almost always does this.

Compared to the results achieved in the dungeon, this technical study seems trivial, yet she never considers slacking off.

Rather, she refuses to slack off.

Like many others, Ais fears stagnation most of all – being unable to advance.

Even though the path forward is now clear, after all these years, practicing the sword has become second nature to her.

Vertical cuts, horizontal slashes, diagonal strikes – to correct the minute errors in her sword techniques, she continues swinging her wooden sword in a secluded corner of the verdant courtyard.

She minimizes the movement of her lower body, like a conductor wielding a baton, playing her own symphony of flashing blades.

“If only Ize were here to help now…”

Practicing under the effects of Ize’s magic would likely yield better results.

Unfortunately, for everyone’s health, Ize strictly limits the duration of his magic to four hours or less.

Any longer is forbidden.

Both the Three Giants and Loki agree with Ize’s approach.

It’s good to want to grow stronger, but taking care of your body comes first.

If you damage your body in pursuit of strength, it’s counterproductive.

With thoughts of insatiable greed, Ais swings her wooden sword even faster.

“But I can’t keep going like this forever…”

“I need to repay him…”

In the young girl’s heart, taking and giving should be balanced.

She shouldn’t keep benefiting from Ize without offering anything in return.

Finn seems to give Ize a “salary” every month.

But Ais feels that’s Finn’s gesture, not hers.

Thus, she’s been troubled lately about how to repay Ize.

With some distracting thoughts in mind, Ais instinctively swings her wooden sword.

As the light announcing sunrise turns the eastern urban sky crimson against the gradually whitening horizon,

Ais tightly grips the hilt, forcefully swinging her arm upward, creating a sharp whistling sound, stirring up a gust of wind in the courtyard.

Thus concludes her morning exercise.

Instead of immediately returning to Twilight Manor to rinse off her sweat, she simply wipes herself down with a towel, puts away her wooden sword, and sits on a bench under the shade of a tree.

Amidst a space dotted with a few courtyard trees and patches of grass, Ais gazes blankly at the lush flowers and plants carefully tended by her guildmates.

“Should I send flowers?”

No… right?

Boys don’t seem to like flowers much… And these plants are carefully cultivated by everyone; she shouldn’t pick them.

“Red bean cream-flavored fried potato balls?”

It feels so insincere, just thirty Valis.

Ize’s help far surpasses what such a meager value can represent.

As for adventurer equipment, Finn mentioned that the silver-gray spear should last Ize for quite a while.

Regarding armor, Ais has learned that Ize apparently possesses rare and powerful defensive magic, making armor unnecessary.

So frustrating…

Can’t figure out what to do…

Deep within her heart, the young Ais hugs her knees, curling up, her pouting face clearly showing her disappointment — unable to come up with a solution.

“Hm?”

Near the entrance connecting the tower of Twilight Manor to the garden, a strikingly beautiful elven woman appears, immediately spotting Ais sitting lost in thought on the bench in the courtyard.

With maternal concern, the elven woman approaches Ais.

“Ais.”

At the same time, she calls out to Ais.

“Riviria…”

Hearing her name, Ais looks up, meeting Riviria’s gaze, then quickly shifts her golden eyes back to the lawn in front of her.

Seeing this, Riviria tilts her head slightly. All these years of being a “madam” haven’t been wasted.

Riviria easily discerns that Ais is troubled by something.

“What’s wrong? What’s troubling you?”

“…”

Ais’s gaze wavers slightly.

But not for long.

Riviria is practically the person closest to her. Perhaps asking her might lead to a good solution.

Thinking this, Ais hesitantly confides her troubles to Madam Riviria.

“About Ize…”

“Hmm.”

“I want to repay him…”

Listening to her words, Riviria gradually understands why Ais was sitting on the bench, troubled.

Simply put, she wants to repay Ize for helping her grow stronger but doesn’t know how.

“…puh…”

Understanding the situation, Riviria turns her head and lets out a small laugh, shaking her shoulders.

“!!”

This suppressed laughter is noticed by the perceptive Ais, who instantly blushes red, puffing her cheeks in irritation.

Ais extends her hands, playfully letting her tiny fists fall on Riviria, prompting Madam Riviria to finally burst into laughter.

Being troubled over such a thing.

It’s like a child seeing candies scattered all over the floor, allowed to take only one, and crying over the perceived “injustice.”

“Alright, alright, Ais~ I have a way to help you, stop hitting… ”

Though enjoying the intimacy of their playful scuffle, Riviria hasn’t forgotten that Ais is genuinely troubled by this.

It’s time to wrap it up.

Sure enough, upon hearing this, Ais immediately stops, withdrawing her fists and directing her expectant gaze toward Riviria.

Madam Riviria smiles and leans close to Ais’s ear, whispering her suggestion in a voice only the two of them can hear.

Loki might explode in anger if she finds out about this matter later, but what does that have to do with Riviria?