Black Iron Magician

One night after the turmoil yesterday evening, the morning came with a cloudy atmosphere. I unusually woke up before Haru did, and started to make today’s schedule. Unusual? That’s a matter of course since the next few days will determine the direction of my life. Even if I have to stay up all night until the graduation festival, I’m determined to contribute to Haru’s growth. Well, considering how awake my head is, I will actually sleep properly.

「Huh? Good morning, Shishō. You’re awfully early, aren’t you?」

「You got up at four o’clock as usual, though. Good morning, Haru.」

Haru got up at this hour to prepare breakfast and go for her daily running. Similarly, her subordinate, Gobuo, is following her.

「Lily-senpai and Touko-chan aren’t likely to wake up for a while yet.」

「Yeah, they are still sleeping soundly.」

After finishing our discussion, Nell and Chinatsu returned to to the mansion. As for Touko, she decided to stay at our house right away. She dashed to the castle and dashed back here carrying a sleepover set. With some anticipation, I stopped her when she was about to get into the bed in my room. I told her to sleep in Haru’s bed, but she refused, saying it’s too embarrassing. Why is she embarrassed to sleep in Haru’s bed but fine in my bed? I can’t understand her sense of ethics. Well, because of that, she decided to sleep on the sofa in the living room, just like Lily. Both of them are still sleeping next to me.

「Um, Shishō… about yesterday, I’m sorry.」

Haru suddenly bowed her head. Eh, did you do something?

「Because of my unnecessary words, Shishō and Nell-san had a quarrel… I’m sorry that I didn’t think enough…」

「About that, huh. Even if you didn’t say it that time, we will have to decide it at some point. Rather, because you said it, we can decide it with the match of you disciples without future trouble. That’s why don’t worry about it. That said, I’m sure you are still minding about it. Then, win for my sake. That’s enough to reward me.」

「Shishō…! I will do it! I will do my best more than usual and beat Chinatsu-chan! I will do her in!」

Yeah… yeah? It ended with a good feeling, but I feel that ‘do her in’ will be converted into ominous characters and that’s scary. Non-killing is the most important rule at the graduation festival, you know?

(TLn : She uses ‘yarimasu’ here. It has many meanings and one of them is ‘kill’, so ‘Chinatsu-chan wo yarimasu’ can also mean ‘I will kill Chinatsu-chan’)

「So, what kind of training should I do? Is it hell special training like what we did with Nell-san?」

「… I won’t ask what Nell did to you, but I won’t do that. After all, you always do your best no matter what the situation is. We are going to thoroughly improve the basics so that you can use the magic you’ve learned anytime and in any situation.」

「I see, thoroughly train the basics in a short time!」

Haru’s fighting style includes short, medium, and long distances, so she has no weak spot. It’s not that she has no room for improvement, though. In this short time, it’s better to improve what she has rather than learning something new. She still can’t handle Doggan Staff that well and her magic is not perfect after all.

「That’s right. By the way, Haru, how much can you use All Break that you learned before from the scroll?」

「I feel like I can somehow use it if I get close to the opponent. But, the success rate when applying it to fist, kick, or Doggan Stass is still low…」

「Right, the success rate still low. That’s not how you normally use it after all. I understand that it’s difficult to control the magic. However, your dark magic is over level 90 and it’s close to the max level. At least, you have to be able to control the magic you’ve learned even while sleeping.」

「Uhh, you hit where it hurts…」

「Don’t be so pessimistic. As a practical person, you will be able to do it as soon as you get the hang of it. I guarantee it.」

「If you say so, then I don’t have to worry. I’ll do my best!」

I will teach her magic and staff arts. As for her martial arts and throwing, let’s ask Lily and Touko. I want Haru to have an actual battle practice with Touko whose strength is close to her, but her Berserk is effective against Doggan Staff… If Touko’s fist collides with Doggan Staff, with the price of her fist being crushed, Doggan Staff will likely be destroyed. Ignoring endurance is unfair, isn’t it? It’s not funny if the staff is damaged before the graduation festival.

「I will do it… really do it… fuhee…」

I feel uneasy hearing her sleep-talk. It’s probably a bad idea if you leave it to her.

「Even if I ask her to adjust her power, I don’t think she’s skillful enough with her reason being removed… It can’t be helped. I’ll be your opponent in the actual battle practice. I have to use my staff for the first time in a while.」

「Your staff? Come to think of it, I’ve never seen you use it. What kind of staff?」

「It’s like your Doggan Staff. Or rather, it’s the original. It’s just that at my age, a lot of things happen to my back. That’s why I usually keep it sealed. You see, it’s tiring.」

「Hee~, it’s fatal if you hurt your back after all!」

Yes, it is rather a serious problem. I’m glad you understand. Even if I say it to Nell, she will have a blatant face.

「I’m really looking forward to the actual battle with Shishō! After all, you were barehanded when facing me so far.」

「It’s about time for me to have a hard time facing you barehanded. By the way, Haru, are you not going for your daily running?」

「Ah, that’s right! I’m going to change my clothes and go!」

「Hey, what about the preparation for breakfa――」

Hey, she’s gone already, huh? I woke up early, so I wanted to have breakfast earlier…

「Gobugobu~♪」

Looking at the destination where the cheerful humming came, there was Gobuo holding a kitchen knife, cutting up the ingredients for cooking. I see, Gobuo was starting to prepare, huh. Then it’s fine.

「Yawn… I’m sleepy. I guess I’ll take a bit of nap until Haru returns…」

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「One two, one two.」

Haruna’s daily routine, early morning running, increased the distance day by day, and now having one lap around the outer circumference of the town is not enough. Even so, it’s only a light run for her and it shows how much she has grown recently. Because of the late start, Haruna is running a little faster than usual and while doing shadow boxing as usual.

「One is effort, two is victory~, health management to strengthen the foundation of life~ ♪ …… Hmm?」

The running course extended by one kilometer every day. On the roadside that she’s accustomed to, it’s unusual to see a person at this hour. In running, a greeting is the most basic of basics. Haruna cheerfully says her greeting with a big smile.

「Good morning!」

「Yes, good morning. Haruna-san.」

Haruna stopped her feet reflexively. Since coming to this city, the number of people who know her name has been increasing. However, the voice of the one who just called her name is not included among those people she’s getting along with. She was told many times by her master to be careful and not to follow strangers. Therefore, Haruna is wary. Looking at the person, it was an old person who seems to be quite aged. Also, she knows this person.

「You are… Joseph-san?」

「It’s been a while, Haruna-san.」