Then Tsutomu left the PT once and had Aldoret Crow's first army PT dive into the sixty-two levels. In the meantime, Tsutomu was observing the first-tier PTs reflected in the second tier, while also putting together and scheduling more practices for Stephanie to perform.

　Tsutomu had been told by Luke that there were nearly three weeks left until the day of Aldoret Crow's PT assessment, so he made a schedule based on those days. He then handed it to Stephanie, who had returned to the Clan House from the sixty-twoth level.


'Well, Tsutomu-sama. What's this?
'It's a practice schedule for the day of the assessment. I've written out three weeks' worth of practice first.


　It was filled with neatly drawn squares with dates and hourly practices assigned in color. Stephanie was staring at the schedule as she sat at the round table in the conference room, and when Luke next to her peered at it, he pulled a neutral face.


'Um ... from what I can see, it doesn't look like you've had a day off.
'I wasn't sure what Stephanie's plans were. What are your plans?
Well, I'm supposed to go home to my parents' house the weekend after next.
'Then let's just do the exercises we can do at any time that day. Let's just practice the heels and figure out the seconds.
What?


　Stephanie stared at Tsutomu as if trying to be true, thinking it was just a matter of reading the material she had just read and two exercises. He was, hmm?　He tilted his head slightly.


'Is something wrong?'
'Well, the two practices you mentioned that you can do at any time are the two practices you mentioned earlier, right?　Practicing heels and understanding seconds of support skills. Do you have any other practice besides that?
'It's obvious. Those two practices can be done anytime, anywhere. Always go when you have a free hand. There are many practices that can only be done in dungeons and training grounds, and I will explain them to you when we do them. Therefore, would you be willing to practice your heels now?


　As soon as Tsutomu said that, he began chanting the heels and spinning them over his head. Stephanie, too, was frightened, but chanted the heel with her thin, short, commanding stick-like staff and began to spin the heel, sending it flying in a position above where she could see it.

　Stephanie, who had yet to practice manipulating the skill only by flying it to her allies, began to spin the heel with difficulty, struggling with her eyes. Stephanie looked at Tsutomu in horror at his obvious inability to do so, but he was smiling.


'Everyone is like that at first. I'm sure you'll get used to it after today and you'll gradually be able to do it.
Okay. That's good.
'By the looks of it, you won't be able to devote your attention to anything else, so get used to controlling your heels first. Once you get used to it, see if you can incorporate other movements on your own, not just the gyrations.


　Stephanie nodded at the heels that were spinning around her own body and moving like a fly.


''Then you must be tired today, and you can just practice that. I don't think you'll be particularly tired then.
Yes, sir.


　Stephanie calmed down, getting used to Tsutomu's unusual atmosphere, and answered in a motivated voice. Then she returned to her room assigned to the clan house. After seeing it off, Luke called out to Tsutomu with a radiant smile.


''Tsk, Tsutomu?　You okay?　In the meantime, I'd like to ask you to give priority to teaching the buffer...
'Yes. But buffer people take a long time to call back first, don't they?　How long do you plan to take?
Now that he's not in the city, he'll be gone for three weeks.
'Oh. Then it would be just as well if we raised Stephanie in three weeks and then instructed the buffers. I'll schedule it that way.


　Although he said quickly, Tsutomu packed up his papers and began to prepare for his return, Luke returned the words to Tsutomu, though he seemed to have difficulty saying them.


I didn't plan to ask for guidance on Stephanie in the first place. I wanted to give her some confidence. So I thought your appreciation of Stephanie would give her some confidence.
'Oh, he didn't seem to gain any confidence from the way he felt.
Yeah. So it's our problem from now on. Tsutomu, you don't have to go through all the trouble, okay?　In fact, you gave Stephanie the greatest credit, and this was my mistake in misreading her thoughts.
'No, that's fine. I've already told Stephanie about it. Oh, of course, I won't charge you any additional compensation, so please don't worry. Then it's late, so I'll leave it at that....
'What?　Ah!　Hey!


　After ending the conversation unilaterally, Tsutomu slipped out of the conference room as if he were slinking away. Luke reached out to Tsutomu, but he had already closed the door and left.


(.........maybe he had a crush on Stephanie at first sight? No, but that wasn't how it felt. What the hell........)


　Seeing Tsutomu's rather forceful termination of the conversation and his seeming obsession with Stephanie, Luke tilted his head, unsure of the reason for Tsutomu's actions.


　--Oooh--


I'm sorry for being a little distracted yesterday. It's just like a dream to have Tsutomu-sama teach me. I look forward to working with you from today.
'Yes, nice to meet you too. You seem to be practicing properly.


　The next morning. Stephanie lifted her dress and bowed while spinning her heels around on the ground. Tsutomu looked at Stephanie who looked up while replying happily.


''First we will practice at the guild's training grounds. Please follow me.
Yes, sir.


　I have already consulted with Luke to get an assortment of things and people needed for today's training, so Tsutomu first moved to the guild's training area to do the morning training. It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

　When Tsutomu arrived at the guild's training grounds, he crouched down on the ground and began to do some preparatory exercises. Then he stood up and told Stephanie what he was going to practice.


''The first thing we need to do is support skills. Stephanie. Can you grant me Protection and Haste?
"Yes. Protech, Hast.


　Stephanie waved her staff and gave Tsutomu two support skills. His body is hit by an earthy and blue chi, increasing his VIT (sturdiness) and AGI (agility).


It's a good idea to have a few of these in your possession.　I'm going to stay put for a while.
Yes. Okay.


　Tsutomu then waited for ten seconds before the effect time, carefully stretching after a short break from Stephanie. Stephanie began to count the seconds, using her left hand for the protection and her left foot for the hasten in rhythm with her left foot.

　Then fifty seconds passed and Stephanie let the heist fly on Tsutomu. Tsutomu, who is holding his toes in his hands, opens his mouth without looking at Stephanie as the heist is granted.


'You're five seconds late. Instead of flying after fifty seconds, be aware that the support skill will land in fifty seconds.''
Yes, sir.


　The exercise lasted about two hours, and while Stephanie was able to correct the discrepancy down to a couple of seconds, she couldn't correct the discrepancy in seconds any longer. Tsutomu finished stretching and knocked the sand off his pant and pants and gave Stephanie a well-deserved break.


'Is it time for a break?'
Yes, sir. No problem.
''Then I'll avoid the support skills myself this time as I see fit, so please do the same as before.
'What?　Are you going to avoid it?
Yes. This is good maneuvering practice for me.


　Saying that, Tsutomu held out his hands to Stephanie, saying please. After granting Tsutomu the support skill, she carefully watched Tsutomu, who hadn't moved away from her for a bit, but was still counting the seconds.

　Then, in the second half of forty seconds, she flies her Haste to Tsutomu. Tsutomu moves left and right to avoid the heist. This is the training method he came up with when he saw Diniel in the golden study. At the time, Tsutomu thought he could use this training method and was going to ask someone with a higher AGI to do it for him.

　Tsutomu was surprisingly quick to avoid the haste with his quick movements. And when the Haste granted to Tsutomu disappeared as time expired, he stopped and took Stephanie's Haste. The next step is protection, said Tsutomu with a smiling face, and Stephanie grabbed her staff and steeled herself.

　After that, Tsutomu was able to apply his support skills a few times, but most of the time he was out of time. Stephanie, who was becoming mentally exhausted from performing unfamiliar maneuvers, let Tsutomu take a break for lunch.

　It's not a good idea to stay holed up in the guild forever, so Tsutomu took Stephanie outside and went into a restaurant that was well known for its good taste and price.

　After ordering, Tsutomu looked at the menu and handed her the menu as well. She looked at the menu with a downcast look on her face, and without hesitation, she turned the page and pointed to it, letting the waiter know her order. Then she sighed loudly after the waiter bowed and walked away.


'I couldn't do it at all...'
That's okay. We're right on schedule.
'What?　Oh, yes.
'And while you're eating, please skip the heels and protection, or whatever kind you're wearing. Oh, and please do it under the desk so it doesn't bother the restaurant.


　Stephanie, who thought she would be offended, was upset by Tsutomu's conciliatory atmosphere, and sipped the cold mixed with refreshing fruit juice that was brought to her. Then she began to twirl the protector at her own feet.

　And in ten minutes or so, the waiter brings in the food. The waiter walks away, wondering at the sight of Stephanie looking down eagerly and concentrating on something.


'Miss Stephanie. Your food is here.
Yes!


　Stephanie turned forward in surprise when Tsutomu called out to her, and the protector disappeared as she took her eyes off him. Good luck in moderation, Tsutomu said, but cut the sautéed duck with a citrus sauce with a knife and brought it to his mouth.

　Stephanie, whose attention was unconsciously turned to her food, pulled her chair back a little and began to spin it around the legs of the desk, chanting ProProtection again. She then gawked at the three different colored gases that were sizzling under Tsutomu's chair.

　Afterwards, Tsutomu finished eating his meal and quickly paid the bill, and then returned to the guild with Stephanie, who had just finished eating. As he returned to the guild, Tsutomu was asked by Stephanie, who was following him on the way.


''Um, the bill is........''
'Oh, that's fine. Luke has given me this as an expense, so we'll take all the money from these three weeks of practice.
'Oh, I see.'


　The words of Tsutomu were of course a lie. But Tsutomu was in the process of saving up money, as he was currently spending very little on equipment and supplies. Therefore, he was planning to invest some money in raising the promising Stephanie.


'We're going to dive into the dungeon this afternoon. The place is a swamp, and I've asked Luke to prepare the PT members for us.
A swamp?
Yes. Oh, I think he's in there.


　Despite Stephanie's dubious expression, Tsutomu waved to the Aldoret Crow PT gathered near the guild's thirty-second stand. The PTs were the lowest PTs in Aldoret Crow, those below the 20th Army.