Episode 19 Training

Translated By: Niladri

One fine day.

The party of adventurers approached me with a strange proposal.

“Erd-sama! We want to become stronger! Please help us to undergo training!”

“Haa...”

At the moment, I have no complaints about their earnings.

Since the mage Akane joined, they’d been able to take on even higher difficulty quests, increasing their efficiency. I didn't think there was any need for them to bring in more money.

“Nah, Domingo. You guys are working hard enough as is.”

“No, we want to be of even greater service to Erd-sama!”

“Well, if you insist...”

And so, I decided to accompany them in their training.

The training method went as follows.

First, two out of the three would engage in a serious duel.

After the battle, I would heal the wounded participants.

The remaining person would take a break while acting as the judge.

Next, they would continue to repeat this, alternating between them.

The goal was to become stronger by repeatedly healing the injured muscles and reinforcing them.

Additionally, by repeatedly sparring over and over again, they would push themselves to become stronger and stronger.

Normally while questing, they would generally only fight monsters that can be handled without much difficulty.

Taking risks like this once in a while and engaging in intense battles were necessary to become stronger.

“Man, they're really pushing it...”

The three adventurers of the adventuring party were really going all out, as if they were seriously trying to take each other's lives.

It didn't take long for limbs to be severed and eyes to be blinded.

I wondered if it's because they trusted my healing magic so much, but wasn't this relying on it a bit too much?

“Uwah...”

“Gyaaaaaaaa!!!!”

“Guwaaaaa!!!!”

The three of them mercilessly traded blows.

And one by one, I would attend to their injuries, diligently healing them.

“Oi oi, you guys should take care of each other...”

Honestly, even though it's for the sake of getting stronger, I was a little taken aback by far they were willing to go.

Just because they can be cured, they had been pushing themselves too far even disregarding the pain…

However, thanks to that, their combat abilities steadily grew.

Domingo had become an entirely different person since I first met him at the slâve market, currently sporting a muscular and macho physique.

Otto, on the other hand, developed massively robust arms from his intense archery training, to the point where he could be mistaken for a monster in the darkness.

As for Akane, her magical power and proficiency as a mage had been steadily increasing.

It appeared that when I healed Akane's body, her magical energy also somewhat recovered.

After all, magic was deeply intertwined with one's mental and physical well-being.

In any case, through the cycle of repeatedly getting injuries followed by healing, the three of them attained an extraordinary level of strength.

◆

The adventurer group grew stronger and finally earned the title of A-rank adventurer.

One day, when they returned...

“Ouch ouch... almost died this time...”

“Uughh... dying...”

The three of them returned, covered in blood.

They were seemingly on the verge of death, with several limbs severed.

I quickly rushed to their side and administered treatment.

“Hehehe……Thank you, Erd-sama. Thanks to you, we survived.”

“You guys... what happened...!?”

I inquired of them.

They've never had injuries to this extent before, it shouldn't have happened until now.

Well, of course, when you're battling monsters, it's natural to sustain some minor injuries.

But this...

Could it be that the quest ended in failure...?

“That's... We decided to challenge a quest with a slightly higher degree of difficulty. We are slâves after all, so we thought it wouldn't matter even if we died... You see, it's Erd-sama's birthday, isn't it? So we really wanted to achieve a great achievement for you... That's why we decided to challenge a nearly impossible S-rank quest... And this is the result.”

That's how Domingo explained.

I got mad.

“You idiiiiiiooooottssssssssss!!!”

“Eh…………?”

“You, there would be no point to it if you dieeeeeeeeeeee!!! (Me raising you guys would become meaningless)”

“Erd-sama...”

“Who cares about achievements?! (What I want is a stable income)

Treasure your life more! (Because dying will ultimately result in a net-loss)

I don’t matter! (What matters is money)

If you guys die, then I...! (I'll lose my stable income, won't I?)”

I explained with tears in my eyes.

It seems like they haven't fully understood my intentions.

I need them to start taking care of themselves more.

Just because they are slâves doesn't mean their lives are cheap.

I must find a way to change their ingrained mindset on slâvery.

“Erd-sama I'm sorry. We will work harder. We will become stronger! To the point where Erd-sama wouldn’t have to worry about us!”

“No, you're already strong enough. Please continue accepting quests only of moderate difficulty.”

“Erd-sama...you worry about us to such an extent...you're so kind...”

◆

[Domingo’s POV]

“You idiiiiiiooooottssssssssss!!!”

“Eh…………?”

When I explained what had happened, Erd-sama suddenly became angry.

He admonished us similar to how a parent scolds their child who stayed out playing late at night.

“You, there would be no point to it if you dieeeeeeeeeeee!!!”

“Erd-sama...”

We were just slâves, and yet Erd-sama said those words with a serious expression.

“Who cares about achievements?!

Treasure your life more!

I don’t matter!

If you guys die, then I...!”

Eld-sama pleaded with tears in his eyes.

I couldn’t help but feel moved by his appearance.

Only this person would say such a thing as “treasure your lives” to us slâves.

Even though we slâves are supposed to be disposable, to be worried about us like that...

What's more, he even shed tears...

“Erd-sama I'm sorry. We will work harder. We will become stronger! To the point where Erd-sama wouldn’t have to worry about us!”

“No, you're already strong enough. Please continue accepting quests only of moderate difficulty.”

“Erd-sama...you worry about us to such an extent...you're so kind...”

I realized I couldn't allow myself to die, as I wanted to repay Erd-sama's kind-heartedness.

For this person's sake, let's strive to become stronger and stronger.

I made this vow in my heart.