With Lucy's help, the problem of the magic runaway was solved, so I made preparations for Filia to go and attack the ruins.

　First, I went to the woman merchant Perse's shop and bought a new staff.
　Considering the size of Filia's magical power, I chose a highly durable apple tree staff this time.

　Filia lightly shook it happily and murmured that it felt good.

　Perse, on the other hand, looked tired at the time and said apologetically, "I've been making less money lately.

　Since I'm the investor in Perse's store, the profits from it will directly affect my property.
　I'd like to consult with Perse, even if it simply means that he's in trouble.

　However, Perse shook his head.

''I'll think of a way to do something about it.

　That was Perse's answer.

　I'm curious, but for the time being, I also have to spend my time educating Filia and investigating the Necropolis.

　At any rate, there was only a little over a month left until the implementation of the Necropolis mission.
　There was no time to make Filia a competent adventurer or to stop the Necropolis attack.

　The only saving grace was that Filia's acquisition of magic was going well.
　In about two weeks, Filia had learned a whole range of simple offensive and defensive magic.

　Filia has a high aptitude for magic to begin with, and thanks to her young age of fourteen, her swallowing is quite quick.

　If she learns it in the blink of an eye, she will now have to learn the rudimentary magic of the support system.

''You're not quite a good master,''

　Lucy says with a laugh.
　I shrug.

　This is a dining room and living room of sorts on the ground floor of my mansion.
　Filia is now taking a break from her classes.

'We could not have done it without Lucy's help,'

　I need to get Filia growing as soon as possible, so I'm getting Lucy to help me teach her Filia as well.
　However, Lucy is also busy with her classes and research at the magic school.

　In that sense, it would be nice if there was someone else who was a mage to teach her, but Notaras, the summoner in our mansion, seems to be busy working on his own to deal with the Necropolis attack.
　The mechanic Rylen Remilia is also staying with us, but after being severely beaten by Arte and the others, she has become mentally and physically ill and is recovering.

　So that leaves........
　Lucy says.

''Why don't you ask Sophia?''

'No, I don't think Sophia is very good at this...'

　Saint Sophia was kind to younger children, just as she was to young Esther, and she was well-liked by younger students at school, but she had a slight flaw.

　It was too much of a genius skin, and she wasn't very good at teaching people magic.
　One time, when asked by a junior first year how to learn one type of support magic, Sophia replied.

''Well, you just need to do it appropriately and bang.

　The junior was pouting, and after all, I taught her how to use that magic.

　The substandard genius saint-sama doesn't understand how people can't use magic.
　Lucy has a tendency to do that too, but as expected, she's been a teacher for years, so she's getting used to teaching.

''Solon used to teach magic to juniors too, so you must be used to it, right?''

'That said, this is the first time I've taught him systematically as a master. And Filia is my first apprentice.

　Well, the chances of taking a second apprentice were not high, though.
　Come to think of it, Lucy must have had another apprentice.
　She is a girl who is enrolled in a magic school and would be my sister apprentice.

''Are you sure?　Leave that boy alone and stay in my mansion.

It's okay. He's an easy child to care for. He's a great kid who can do everything on his own. Not like Solon.

Unlike me?

As a teacher, I find the ones who are a handful are prettier.

　After saying that, Lucy looked up at me with her crimson eyes.
　I would like to meet Lucy's other disciple once, I suppose.

　But for some reason, Lucy didn't seem to want her to meet me too much.

'Anyway, the question is whether Filia will be strong enough to get to the Necropolis by the time we get there. I'm not exactly an adventurer, and Solon is probably better at teaching that sort of thing than I am, right?

''That's right. I'm sure that in a month, Filia-sama will be able to learn at least the basics.

　Me and Lucy spread out a piece of paper on the desk and planned out a plan for Filia's future education.
　At that moment, Clarice, the maid, peeked out of the corner of my eye.

　Her flaxen hair was shaking and her cheeks were upturned.
　She must have come in such a hurry.

''Solon-sama has a guest!

Um, who are you?

An enemy of Master Solon's, I mean, of all of us.

My enemy?

The visitor claims to be Creon, the leader of the Creon Rescue Order.