Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu
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TL Notes:
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Chapter 329
This time, it begins with Usato’s journal.
——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———
Training Record, Session 1
[Number of Participants]
36 people
[Log]
On the first day, I had planned to let the members get a feel for things, but I quickly decided to change that.
Partly because of what the two demons said, but even without that, those who gathered through recruitment were demons with physical abilities superior to humans, and some of them even seemed to be former soldiers, so I thought it would be rude to go easy on them.
So today I tried out a training method I had been considering for some time.
Forging an unbreakable spirit is no easy task.
I wonder if I can accomplish it.
I’m seized by an inexplicable anxiety, but even so, I have no choice but to do it.
Training Record, Session 2
[Number of Participants]
22 people
[Log]
Fourteen people dropped out since yesterday, but fewer ran away than I expected.
To be honest, I had planned to reduce the number to single digits by yesterday, but it seems more capable people gathered than I anticipated.
However, the goal of this training is to explore the domain of monsters.
Frankly, I want to avoid casualties, so the members who go on the expedition must be strictly selected.
As for my personal assessment,
The three people I had been training before are excellent.
Among them, I have high expectations for El.
Training Record, Session 3
[Number of Participants]
18 people
[Log]
Four people have dropped out, but I won’t change the training content.
If anything, I’ll make it even harsher from here on.
As for Vina-san, well... yeah, I guess there are all kinds of unusual people in the world.
Sometimes, the way she looks at me is scary in a different sense, though.
Keira is a quick learner.
How should I put it? She works incredibly hard, so she’s very rewarding to teach.
I need to make sure I don’t fall behind the ones undergoing training either.
It looks like the analysis of the gravity spell I asked Nea to handle is about finished, so starting tomorrow, I’ll try setting up some scrolls.
Training Record, Session 4
[Number of Participants]
15 people
[Log]
Today, we decided to conduct sparring practice.
The participants were myself, Koga, and Senri-sama.
Koga and I put up gravity scrolls and sparred while effectively under a handicap, and it turned out to be quite good.
Becoming heavier means your movements become slower.
If that’s the case, the body naturally eliminates unnecessary movements and becomes more conscious of performing optimal actions with minimal motion.
I thought this might be useful for training, so today I asked the Demon King to order additional scrolls.
For some reason, Hannah-san and Nea seemed completely taken aback, though.
Training Record, Session 5
[Number of Participants]
15 people
[Log]
Oh, we made it through a full day without losing a single person.
Isn’t this a remarkable achievement?
These are pretty good signs, so I was quite pleased with myself and decided to put extra effort into training today.
The scrolls I had ordered from the Demon King yesterday were distributed to all members, and we proceeded with the usual training menu plus sparring.
The scrolls themselves aren’t as strong as the ones used by Koga and me; at most, they only impose a load of about two to three times the user’s body weight.
... But maybe I overdid it a bit?
Senri-sama was happily bouncing around even with the scroll active...
Training Record, Session 6
[Number of Participants]
8 people
[Log]
Suddenly, we lost seven people at once.
What’s unexpected is that Nono-san is still among those remaining.
The fact that she, who wasn't physically strong to begin with, has kept up with the training this far is surprising to both me and Hannah-san. When I sincerely praised her for it today, she looked at me like... "Is this guy really human?"
Seriously, why...?
Still, I have a feeling a few more people might drop out today as well.
I wonder if Rose always felt like this while watching over the training of new recruits.
It makes me feel somewhat reflective.
Training Record, Session 7
[Number of Participants]
6 people
[Log]
The remaining members are:
Male members: Kevin-san, Wol-san, and Sein-san from the recruited members.
Female members: El-san, Nono-san, and Vina-san.
It is likely that this will be the final composition of the expedition team.
I don't think it's too few.
To be honest, I was coaching them with the expectation that only about three people would remain, so I'd say this is more than a great result.
●
——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———
It has already been a week since we began training with the recruited members included.
The content has been satisfactory.
They have become able to handle the training I imposed on them, and it could be said that they are shaping up well.
During the training period, I stayed in the training grounds’ dormitory, and while writing down notes about each of the members in my journal, I was also considering the future training policy.
"Kukuku, is it about time?"
"Are you up to something again?"
Due to her position, Hannah-san also ended up moving to the dormitory with me, and she spoke to me with a suspicious tone.
Sitting in the seat in front of me, she rested her chin on her hand while giving me a flat, scrutinizing look.
"We're going to do some survival living in the forest."
"...Does that mean I’m participating too?"
"If possible, I’d like you to come. I also need to take care of some work requested by the Demon King while I’m at it."
"By the Demon King? This is the first I’m hearing of it."
Well, I had been told to keep it confidential.
I had only told Koga and Nea about it.
"It's that kind of request. It's what you'd call confidential information."
"Ah, one of those troublesome ones, huh. Then you don’t have to tell me. I don’t want to get involved."
...
For now, I crushed the magic bullet forming in my palm and confirmed there were no hidden presences nearby.
"...Usato-kun, why are you suddenly using mana detection?"
"If you’re going to say that much, I guess I have no choice."
"Eh?"
"Actually, the Demon King asked me to retrieve something."
"Could you please stop actively trying to involve me!? Ah, aah!! I-I don’t want to hear it!!"
I didn’t think she’d react that badly.
Hearing Hannah-san's scream, Nea comes out from the back of the dormitory.
"What are you doing? Your voice was really loud."
"Ah, sorry. I was just about to talk to Hannah-san about the upcoming schedule."
Nea, who yawned sleepily, tilted her head.
"...Is it what the Demon King asked you to do?"
"No, something else. Since you’re here, you should listen too."
I decided to talk with Nea included about the training plan I had in mind.
That said, it wasn’t anything particularly complicated; it was based on the training Rose had once put me through.
"To put it simply, I’m going to throw the remaining six people into the forest and have them live a survival life."
"Hmm," "Survival, you say?"
"There will be six sets of supplies prepared, but one of them will just be a fake filled with weights."
"Hmm?" "Yes?"
"On top of that, I’ll unevenly distribute the food inside those supplies. Let’s see... enough for about three days, more or less?"
"..." "..."
"I want to test their teamwork and bonds as a group."
It might be a little cruel, but the domain of monsters is full of danger.
There may be situations where they cannot secure food and become cornered.
I wanted them to experience what kind of actions and decisions are required in such circumstances.
Of course, it's my job as vice-captain to prevent such a situation from happening, but... we must be prepared for the worst-case scenario.
"Honestly, I was put off. I know I have a bad personality, but this really put me off."
"If you ask whether it’s acceptable or not, I’d say it is."
"Eh..."
Hannah-san was completely taken aback, but unexpectedly, Nea seemed somewhat convinced.
"Well, I’ll admit the method is thoroughly underhanded, but I don’t think it’s wrong to conduct drills that assume situations like that. It’s just thoroughly underhanded."
"You said it twice."
"That’s just how it is, underhanded. Ah, I made a mistake. Usato."
I was just casually called underhanded.
Well, I do understand that what I’m doing is pretty harsh myself.
... Let’s continue the discussion.
With that thought in mind, I unrolled the map that I had placed on the table.
"This will be the training location. I decided on this place because it seemed just right."
"Ah, this is the one you asked me to show you before, right? ...It’s a bit far from the city, isn’t it?"
"The Demon King’s request happens to be nearby."
In fact, the Demon King’s request is more like a side task.
As for the duration... well, I guess it would be around a week to ten days.
"I decided to choose this location because there are a lot of monsters here."
"I’m not going to say anything anymore... but isn’t it dangerous?"
"That's what we're here for. Of course, we're on standby to ensure nothing goes wrong."
I would be leaving temporarily, but since Koga, who is the captain, Hannah-san, Ururu-san, and Blurin would remain, it should be fine.
"Well, this is actually on the gentle side."
"This is...gentle?"
"Our commander once threw me into the forest and told me not to come back until I defeated a Grand Grizzly."
From Rose’s perspective, it was probably a joke... or rather an impossible demand.
At that point, there was no way I could have defeated a Grand Grizzly in the first place.
"Well, I took it seriously and was about to fight a Grand Grizzly, but then my training period was extended for the unexpected reason that 'it seemed interesting'."
"Nea-san, is this person crazy, or is the commander crazy?"
"Needless to say, they're both crazy."
Nea sighed in exasperation, crossed her arms, and leaned back in her chair.
"So, when are we going to start that?"
"We’ll prepare tomorrow, and depart the morning after."
"...That was pretty quick."
"I thought that would be better for them."
Right now is the best condition.
Six people.
We know their personalities to some extent, and they’ve started to get used to each other, so this is the right timing.
"Haa... expeditions really are such a hassle."
"Hannah-san, you always say it’s troublesome, but you end up going along with it anyway?"
"It's my job, after all."
Hannah-san widened her eyes slightly in surprise, then looked at me with a doubtful gaze.
"Honestly, life in the city right now isn’t bad. I don’t have to deal with troublesome things like fighting, and there’s no need to think too deeply about schemes."
"I thought you liked plotting things."
"I don’t particularly like it. Ah, but I do like watching people fall into traps or suffer."
That really shows your personality.
Nea commented lazily, then turned her gaze back to me as Hannah-san responded.
"I suppose I do have some gratitude toward you for that. I’ve been through quite a lot of unpleasant things because of you, though."
"..."
"What’s with that surprised face? You’re really quite rude, you know."
I mean, I didn’t expect to be thanked so straightforwardly.
Hannah-san looked away slightly, almost as if embarrassed, then slowly stood up.
"Well then, I’m going to sleep."
"Ah, yes. Good night."
Hannah-san then headed toward her room.
In the now-quiet dining hall, I finally took a breath, only to notice Nea, who had moved in front of me, staring at me with a flat, scrutinizing look.
"Eh, what...?"
"No, I was just thinking you’re really a natural people charmer. And that’s saying something coming from me, but she’s pretty twisted herself." (Note: hitotarashi means someone who is well-regarded, very good at attracting or charming others)
"...? No, Hannah-san has a bad personality, sure, but she’s not twisted?"
"...Is that so?"
I nodded at Nea’s words.
Having spent time with her up to today, I have come to understand.
"I think she’s actually kind at heart."
"Ehh..."
"She was also watching over Nono-san with concern during training."
I think Hannah-san’s personality used to be much brighter.
What dulled it was her past.
I have no intention or qualification to touch on that, so I don’t say it out loud... but she is likely one of the demons who was betrayed when the former Demon King's territory was destroyed.
"There’s no need anymore to betray or deceive anyone. I think that’s a good thing for Hanna-san."
"...You really are a charmer."
Nea, who seemed to be glancing behind me, said those words.
I looked back, but there was no one there.
I could confirm it with healing perception if I wanted to... but well, it didn’t seem necessary.
"I guess I should go to sleep soon too... but before that, I need to think about tomorrow’s training."
"What are you going to do next?"
"Same training as usual, but I want to add some variation. Maybe we’ll try onigokko (tag) again... with scrolls."
"I can already see the scene of hell."
We both let out a wry smile.
Even so, I have to train them responsibly.
Even if it earns their resentment.
I have to be strict———just like with Nack.
——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———
Author's Notes:
The training policy was brutal, but it was ultimately meant for everyone’s sake—so in a sense, it was (kindness).
Meanwhile, the Demon King was left utterly bewildered by the massive order for scrolls.
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