"Ive heard about it, but it's an amazing training course. I am afraid for your future, Master Rid, that you have been training like this for so long."
"Is that so? I'm not interested in being the "strongest in the empire's history," but I do enjoy martial arts training."
Cross was pale at first when he heard about my recent trainings, but now he is nodding his head in amazement.
The slightly silly atmosphere that he had just shown when talking with Rubens and the others had vanished, and he was now a little more collected.
I guess he seems to be good at making things snappy.
Cross pondered for a moment, then called out to Rubens.
'Rubens, I have a question about Master Rid's martial arts training. Come over here'.
"Yes, sir."
After confirming Rubens' reply, Cross turned his attention back to me.
"I'm going to talk to Rubens now, if you'll excuse me for a moment."
"Eh? I'll be right back."
Cross moved a little further away from me with Rubens in tow, and it seems that the two of them started talking about something .
What are they talking about? As I was thinking that, I heard Capella's voice coming from behind me.
"I felt that the vice-commander Cross has a very different atmosphere from Rubens and Deanna, and he seems to be very experienced in real battles."
"Is that so? I don't know much about it from what I've seen, but if Capella says so, then I suppose it's true."
Capella is a dark elf who used to be a member of the Renalute's dark side.
Naturally, he must have experienced many battles and training sessions with opponents.
The fact that Capella is 'used to it' when he sees Cross must mean that he has had quite a bit of real battle experience.
At that moment, Deanna entered into the conversation as if to supplement Capella's words.
"I heard that Vice Commander Cross was a 'famous adventurer' before he joined the Knights of Bardia. As I recall, he decided to join the Knights in order to marry his current wife and seek a more stable life."
...... I see. I didn't know that Vice Commander Cross was a former adventurer. But it is not a dream come true for a "famous adventurer" to join the Knights of Valdivia in search of stability, is it?
I spoke frankly about what I was thinking in response to Deanna's words.
I have the impression that adventurers pursue "dreams and romance.:
But it is a little sad that even after gaining achievements as an adventurer, one can only settle down in a place of stability.
But Deanna looked at me with a stunned expression, and then added a few words of her own.
"I don't know what kind of impression you have of adventurers, Master Rid, but even adventurers are no match for age, and if you get hurt, that's the end of it. The word 'adventure' has a good ring to it, but if you are not always adventuring, you will never earn any money. Besides, the reason why you have a good track record as an adventurer is usually because it gives you an advantage in getting a job with a mercenary group, a knighthood, or as a nobleman's guard. I don't think anyone would want to work as an adventurer for the rest of their life."
"Oh, adventurers are more difficult in the world than I thought. ......"
Does Diana dislike adventurers? I have a feeling she has a pretty bad impression of adventurers.
However, Deanna still seems to have not said everything she wants to say, so she continues talking.
, "Hah, when I was a ...... child, Rubens once told me he was going to become an 'adventurer' and I stopped him as best I could. My parents wouldn't allow me to 'marry' an 'adventurer.
'I know. I'm sure Deanna had a tough time of it, too."
I decided to let Deanna's words slide by lightly, but I wondered if she knew what she was saying.
I felt that what she just said was self-defeating.
I was thinking that, but then Capella poked me in the eye.
"...... I see. Since Rubens was a child, Diana has been aware of marriage. I see."
"What? ......⁉ Oh, no, I didn't mean it that way."
Meanwhile, Cross and Rubens seemed to have finished their talk, and they came back here looking pleased.
"I am sorry, Master Rid. My talk with Rubens took a little longer than I expected."
'Don't worry about it, it's all right. By the way, may I ask what you were talking about?"
Cross and Rubens heard my words, they looked at each other and smiled, then Cross nodded and then muttered.
'Yes, in fact, I was asking Rubens about Master Rid's ability. I thought it might be difficult for him to say anything in front of you, so with all due respect, I spoke to him at a little distance away from you."
"I see. By the way, what do you think of my ability from the point of view of Rubens? I'd like to ask him."
I have never really asked people about my abilities.
I asked Rubens with a twinkle in my eye, curious. He thought about it for a moment and smiled.
"... Yes, that's right. I think there are probably very few people in your age group who can match Rid's. But the world is a big place, so don't be too proud. Besides, you can't beat me yet, but if you keep training like you are now, you might be able to beat me someday."
"I'm happy to hear that ......, but shouldn't you just be honest there and say, 'You can beat me in the future?'"
I felt a little stuck in Rubens' words and muttered with my mouth agape.
He smiled as he looked at me.
" I want Master Rid to become stronger until you is able to defeat me. Of course, I will become stronger than I am now,' so I won't let you defeat me so easily."
Rubens looks a little mean as he finishes.
Apparently, he still has no intention of giving me the victory.
I let out a sigh of resignation and dismay.
, "I understand ....... But I'm going to get stronger, and I'm definitely going to beat Rubens eventually, okay?"
"I'm looking forward to that time."
Rubens and I looked at each other, and we both broke into a smile.
At that time, the noise of Cross, who was watching our interactions, clapping his hands with a "pan" echoed around the area.
"I understand how you both feel, Master Rid and Rubens, but I think that's enough talk for now. Next, I will explain to you about your future martial arts training."
'I understand. But does that mean you are going to change the training?"
Cross nodded at my question and then smiled.
"I will be taking over the training that Rubens and I have been doing together as planned, but in that case, we will be doing more hands-on martial arts training, including magic along with martial arts.'
"More practical ...... training that includes magic?"
I had a bad feeling about Cross's reply and tilted my head with a tightening of my face
"Ive heard about it, but it's an amazing training course. I am afraid for your future, Master Rid, that you have been training like this for so long."
"Is that so? I'm not interested in being the "strongest in the empire's history," but I do enjoy martial arts training."
Cross was pale at first when he heard about my recent trainings, but now he is nodding his head in amazement.
The slightly silly atmosphere that he had just shown when talking with Rubens and the others had vanished, and he was now a little more collected.
I guess he seems to be good at making things snappy.
Cross pondered for a moment, then called out to Rubens.
'Rubens, I have a question about Master Rid's martial arts training. Come over here'.
"Yes, sir."
After confirming Rubens' reply, Cross turned his attention back to me.
"I'm going to talk to Rubens now, if you'll excuse me for a moment."
"Eh? I'll be right back."
Cross moved a little further away from me with Rubens in tow, and it seems that the two of them started talking about something .
What are they talking about? As I was thinking that, I heard Capella's voice coming from behind me.
"I felt that the vice-commander Cross has a very different atmosphere from Rubens and Deanna, and he seems to be very experienced in real battles."
"Is that so? I don't know much about it from what I've seen, but if Capella says so, then I suppose it's true."
Capella is a dark elf who used to be a member of the Renalute's dark side.
Naturally, he must have experienced many battles and training sessions with opponents.
The fact that Capella is 'used to it' when he sees Cross must mean that he has had quite a bit of real battle experience.
At that moment, Deanna entered into the conversation as if to supplement Capella's words.
"I heard that Vice Commander Cross was a 'famous adventurer' before he joined the Knights of Bardia. As I recall, he decided to join the Knights in order to marry his current wife and seek a more stable life."
...... I see. I didn't know that Vice Commander Cross was a former adventurer. But it is not a dream come true for a "famous adventurer" to join the Knights of Valdivia in search of stability, is it?
I spoke frankly about what I was thinking in response to Deanna's words.
I have the impression that adventurers pursue "dreams and romance.:
But it is a little sad that even after gaining achievements as an adventurer, one can only settle down in a place of stability.
But Deanna looked at me with a stunned expression, and then added a few words of her own.
"I don't know what kind of impression you have of adventurers, Master Rid, but even adventurers are no match for age, and if you get hurt, that's the end of it. The word 'adventure' has a good ring to it, but if you are not always adventuring, you will never earn any money. Besides, the reason why you have a good track record as an adventurer is usually because it gives you an advantage in getting a job with a mercenary group, a knighthood, or as a nobleman's guard. I don't think anyone would want to work as an adventurer for the rest of their life."
"Oh, adventurers are more difficult in the world than I thought. ......"
Does Diana dislike adventurers? I have a feeling she has a pretty bad impression of adventurers.
However, Deanna still seems to have not said everything she wants to say, so she continues talking.
, "Hah, when I was a ...... child, Rubens once told me he was going to become an 'adventurer' and I stopped him as best I could. My parents wouldn't allow me to 'marry' an 'adventurer.
'I know. I'm sure Deanna had a tough time of it, too."
I decided to let Deanna's words slide by lightly, but I wondered if she knew what she was saying.
I felt that what she just said was self-defeating.
I was thinking that, but then Capella poked me in the eye.
"...... I see. Since Rubens was a child, Diana has been aware of marriage. I see."
"What? ......⁉ Oh, no, I didn't mean it that way."
Meanwhile, Cross and Rubens seemed to have finished their talk, and they came back here looking pleased.
"I am sorry, Master Rid. My talk with Rubens took a little longer than I expected."
'Don't worry about it, it's all right. By the way, may I ask what you were talking about?"
Cross and Rubens heard my words, they looked at each other and smiled, then Cross nodded and then muttered.
'Yes, in fact, I was asking Rubens about Master Rid's ability. I thought it might be difficult for him to say anything in front of you, so with all due respect, I spoke to him at a little distance away from you."
"I see. By the way, what do you think of my ability from the point of view of Rubens? I'd like to ask him."
I have never really asked people about my abilities.
I asked Rubens with a twinkle in my eye, curious. He thought about it for a moment and smiled.
"... Yes, that's right. I think there are probably very few people in your age group who can match Rid's. But the world is a big place, so don't be too proud. Besides, you can't beat me yet, but if you keep training like you are now, you might be able to beat me someday."
"I'm happy to hear that ......, but shouldn't you just be honest there and say, 'You can beat me in the future?'"
I felt a little stuck in Rubens' words and muttered with my mouth agape.
He smiled as he looked at me.
" I want Master Rid to become stronger until you is able to defeat me. Of course, I will become stronger than I am now,' so I won't let you defeat me so easily."
Rubens looks a little mean as he finishes.
Apparently, he still has no intention of giving me the victory.
I let out a sigh of resignation and dismay.
, "I understand ....... But I'm going to get stronger, and I'm definitely going to beat Rubens eventually, okay?"
"I'm looking forward to that time."
Rubens and I looked at each other, and we both broke into a smile.
At that time, the noise of Cross, who was watching our interactions, clapping his hands with a "pan" echoed around the area.
"I understand how you both feel, Master Rid and Rubens, but I think that's enough talk for now. Next, I will explain to you about your future martial arts training."
'I understand. But does that mean you are going to change the training?"
Cross nodded at my question and then smiled.
"I will be taking over the training that Rubens and I have been doing together as planned, but in that case, we will be doing more hands-on martial arts training, including magic along with martial arts.'
"More practical ...... training that includes magic?"
I had a bad feeling about Cross's reply and tilted my head with a tightening of my face
