My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 58

Time flowed quickly, and daily life continued on.

Occasionally, I would meet Duke Tori, Princess Ella, and Urka, and made several trips to the capital to buy ingredients.

Every year, I would visit the Pretéum Festival and participate in village festivals, but I avoided the New Year’s celebrations and the social events hosted by nobles.

Sometimes, the Crown Prince called for me, but I had ignored him.

Crown Prince Chris had become much more cautious in dealing with me after knocking out the Knight Commander in one hit.

I wondered how the Princess was doing, but the Emperor was still healthy, and the Succession War had not broken out.

If any problems arose in the royal family, announcements would be posted on the town bulletin board, so there was no need to worry excessively.

The Heroes’ attitudes changed completely after Paroco came home, and they were quickly growing stronger.

I hadn’t specifically gone out searching for artifacts.

I was the only one who knew about the artifacts in this world, and I checked to see if any were circulating in the black market, but since there were no items presumed to be artifacts, I was at ease.

And thus, two years passed.

The Heroes turned thirteen, and they could no longer level up through training.

I had taught them everything I could, and what remained was only ‘real combat experience.’

Since the game setting indicated that “Heroes grow stronger in the presence of demons,” it was about time to send the Heroes to the Demon World border.

Just as I was thinking that, a thief event suddenly occurred.

Of course, it happened while Ariel was away in the Spirit Realm for the annual Spirit Conference, so I had no choice but to handle it myself. I managed to chase them off using a Magic Scroll I had saved years ago.

But seriously, who was the one spreading rumors that I was useless…?

There were three Heroes living here! They would be dispatched in no time!

After some commotion, morning came the next day.

It was an ordinary morning, but today felt slightly different.

Now that their strength was complete, I needed to take action to let them start their activities.

Originally, they were supposed to begin their adventurer activities at the age of fifteen.

However, since they could no longer level up through training, they would have to start earlier.

“You all should become adventurers.”

“What?”

The Heroes, eating the breakfast I prepared, responded in unison.

“Is that really an adventurer?”

“I have nothing left to teach you. Maria, you heard from Ariel, right?”

“Yes.”

Maria was already capable of casting magic close to the 8th tier. According to Ariel, starting from the 7th tier, one had to break through on their own, so she did not give her any more advice.

Tina and Iris were similar.

From what Pasma told me, their swordsmanship was already perfect, and if they reached the level of a Sword Master from here, they would give birth to swordsmen surpassing their prime.

As of now, both of them had only learned how to use Aura and had yet to reach the Sword Master level.

“What you need to build now is real combat experience. Why do you think you have been working so hard up to this point?”

“Me! To keep Master from being lonely!”

Tina’s words were echoed by Iris and Maria, who agreed.

Why are you still remembering what I said two years ago…?

“The correct answer is to protect the Empire.”

At my words, Iris and Maria widened their eyes in unison.

Tina muttered beside us, “But that’s to keep the Master from being lonely….”

Why do you never seem to mature in mental age even as you grow older?

“M-Master… You know how much we resent the Empire. But to protect the Empire…?”

“That’s right. We want to liberate the Other Races from slavery, but you say it’s for the Empire.”

“Without the Empire, the Other Races wouldn’t survive.”

Unfortunately, this was the reality.

If the Empire fell, that would be the end of everything.

The Fishis continent would completely belong to the Demon Tribe.

That was the destiny of this world.

Of course, if the Heroes were still alive, there might be hope to overcome the situation.

But what would it mean to liberate slaves after countless humans, Beastmen, and Elves had died?

“But, but we’re here! I’m not able to use Meteo yet, but I’ll get stronger soon…!”

“You can’t protect everyone alone, Maria.”

When the Empire is fighting against the pouring demons, these three Heroes must defeat the Demon King.

In fact, they probably wouldn’t have enough time to defend the Empire anyway.

“…C-Can Master not do it either?”

“I can’t.”

I’m not even in their league. I’m weak.

“Still, don’t worry. I’ve prepared a strategy for the future you want.”

It’s not that I’m trying to catch the Princess’s interest and save Duke Tori for no reason.

“Indeed, you are my Master!”

Iris’s spirits were lifted once again. She clapped her hands and wagged her tail wildly.

“But…”

“Maria, if you can’t trust the Empire… trust me.”

“You say that every time… it’s cowardly.”

What’s cowardly about it?

As I looked at her with some confusion, I noticed her ears peeking out from her blonde hair were turning red.

“Master’s words give me a sense of reassurance. That’s why… I can’t refuse.”

Well, that’s a relief.

Upon hearing Maria’s whispering voice, Tina furrowed her brow while chewing on her bread and thought for a moment before swallowing and speaking up.

“Maria, do you like Master?”

“Uh, huh?!”

“I like Master too!”

Before Maria could answer, Tina raised one arm and exclaimed.

“…Is that so.”

I scratched my head awkwardly.

I’d be grateful if they liked me. In that other world, it was unimaginable for a woman to follow me.

Damn, thinking back, it wasn’t the time to make fun of Pasma for being a virgin.

Considering the time it would take to raise the Heroes and pass through the Demon War, it would be over a decade.

In other words, it meant there was a chance I could reach my thirties.

I’ll have to find a proper lady before the Demon War happens, but who would like a man who talks like this?

Suddenly, I felt a wave of depression wash over me.

“What about Iris?”

“Uh, hmm?! Ah… um, I wonder…”

She fidgeted with her fingers, and her gaze wandered.

Her ears stood straight up as if she were nervous, and her swaying tail had come to a halt.

“Was this something to think so hard about?”

Tina tilted her head in confusion.

It seemed that Iris and Maria were interpreting Tina’s ‘like’ differently.

There was no way their response could be this delayed otherwise. Maybe they were just shy about expressing it.

Even though my experience with romance was limited, I still had this much sense.

“Th-That’s a topic that, um, is still early to talk about….”

“Uh-huh, me too.”

As Maria and Iris stumbled over their words, Tina looked puzzled with question marks over her head.

“So, you don’t dislike him?”

“It’s not that I dislike him.”

Maria waved her hands as she cautiously glanced at me.

Don’t look at me like that, Tina.

If I left this be, it felt like Tina would sweep me up into her pace and confess.

Shifting the topic would be my job now.

“Let’s put that aside. Anyway, you all need to become adventurers.”

Adventurers are evaluated based on their abilities, so there are no age limits, nor does status matter.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve lived as a beggar or as nobility, human or Other Race—none of that would be a problem.

“If you don’t become adventurers, can’t you still participate in activities?”

“You can participate. But even then, you won’t receive any rewards, and you’ll have to reveal your status wherever you go.”

However, if you become an adventurer, you get an ‘Adventurer’s Badge’ that, based on your rank and reputation, offers many benefits.

Just looking at S-Class adventurers, they were treated almost as affluent nobles. Even the royal family wouldn’t dare act recklessly towards them.

For slaves or commoners aiming to rise, this was the fastest path. Or they could join the royal family or a noble family’s knight brigade.

“If you become adventurers, you can eliminate those cumbersome procedures.”

Since they were still new to being adventurers, they would likely still be called ‘Heroes’ rather than S-Class adventurers.

According to the game’s setting, the ones surpassing the most powerful S-Class adventurers of the current era are called Heroes.

“Rewards… Does that mean if we become adventurers, we’ll help Master?”

“Of course.”

Since most adventurers started at F-class, it would naturally take considerable time to reach S-class.

Of course, there were ways to rise quickly.

One could either overpower the guild master in the adventurer exam or prove victory against currently active A-Class or S-Class adventurers.

Given the current abilities of the Heroes, that might be possible.

“So today, I plan to test your skills. I’ll watch a duel between Tina and Iris and check out Maria’s magic casting abilities.”

“Can we spar with you, Master?”

“…Me?”

A year ago, that would have worked, but not now.

Even if Pasma possessed my body, I wouldn’t be able to defeat the Heroes now.

Pasma acknowledged that as well.

No matter how hard I secretly trained my stamina and muscles, facing them was out of reach.

“No.”

“But you gave me sparring sessions a year ago!”

That was Pasma who did that.

Did she realize I was bedridden with soreness from muscle pain the next day?

“Tina, don’t throw a tantrum. Don’t you understand Master’s intentions?”

“Huh?”

“Master is saying that the gap between you two is too great. If you spar with someone so vastly superior, you won’t improve.”

It was somewhat different, but not entirely incorrect.

The difference between me and Tina was like night and day. Of course, I was the ground.

“Is, is that so? Master, do you still feel lonely?”

“I’ve never felt lonely.”

“Master always thinks of us, so that’s why you say that.”

That’s wrong, Maria.

“Is that so…? I’m still inadequate. Master, don’t feel lonely.”

I gently brushed aside Tina’s hand on my arm and felt the throbbing at my temple.

*

“All right, then, Tina and Iris, let me know when you’re ready.”

Tina stretched leisurely, while Iris was earnestly stretching to warm up.

“Today, I’ll pierce through Iris’s sword! And then I’ll definitely receive tons of compliments from Master!”

“Sorry, but I’m going to receive all of them and counterattack today. The one who gets praised by Master will be me.”

After warming up adequately, both of them drew their swords.

In Tina’s hand was the “Revenge Sword,” and in Iris’s hand was “The Unbreakable Glory of the Past.”

“Be moderate.”

“Master, if I go moderate, I won’t be able to show my true strength.”

Do you even know how much the ground gets destroyed every time you spar?

The view of the famed hill in Secul was no longer what it used to be.

It had truly become a coliseum.

If Maria hadn’t repaired it with her magic, the mountain would have been reduced to flat land by now.

“Well then… go all out. Maria, cast a soundproofing spell.”

“‘Sound Blocking’.”

As she waved her fingers in the air, a wind barrier formed, enveloping the entire hill.

“Done.”

“Good job.”

Now, as a matter of course, I ruffled her hair. Maria smiled shyly and accepted my touch.

“Hey! That’s so cowardly! Maria!”

As Tina pointed and shouted, Maria merely chuckled, covering her mouth.

“Hehe.”

“Ugh…!”

Sighing at Tina, who glared at me with a pout.

“Are you ready?”

At my words, Tina quickly replied.

“Ah! I’m ready.”

“I’m ready too, Master.”

“Okay… then let’s get ready.”

The two gazed at each other.

“Start.”

Clang!

As soon as the words finished, the sounds of clashing echoed from the hill.