In the grounds of the Marieles School, there is an exercise area where no buildings have been built.

　The size of the area is quite large, as if it would take thirty minutes to walk from one end to the other.
　Considering that not only martial arts training will take place, but also exercises using magic, this much is naturally necessary.
　It's a good idea for the school to prevent students from uncontrolled attacking magic from causing damage to their surroundings.

　Of course, that was the school's situation, and the students - especially the new students - had another way of looking at it.
　It's good to be able to move around during exercises without worrying about the impact on the surroundings, but for the new students, this expanse of space is cursed beyond belief.

'Oraa!　Your pace is slowing down!　You better run fast, freshman!

　The instructor in charge of basic practical skills yelled at them.

　Half of the students who were being run endlessly in the name of exercises were already groggy.

　Kirill and the other new students were currently attending a lecture on basic practical skills.
　Basic practical skills may sound good, but at the end of the day, it's basic physical fitness.
　In order to help them acquire basic physical strength before undergoing tactical training, the academy requires Kirill and the other new students to attend a mandatory lecture. It was a not-so-pleasant tradition called 'baptism' among the senior students and graduates.

　Today, this large exercise area is filled to the brim and has been running since the start of the lecture.
　I don't care if the grounds are large or small, it doesn't make a difference that we are running for the same amount of time, but that's just the way humans feel. The size of the unnecessarily large exercise area and the distance to the wall that marks the end of the exercise area is a relentless source of psychological pain.

　The students in this situation are of one mind. Right now, they just resent the vastness of the grounds.

'Oh dear, how long are we going to let it run?

　Rae, who was running with Kirill, blurted out in disgust.

'It's true,'

　In short words, Kirill agrees.
　Run in the forest, run in the school. You'd think you were training to be a legman, not a mage.

'But there's more room for you than you might think, Kirill.

No, it's not.

'You say that, but look at you. Kirill's the only one in the mage program who hasn't been wasted yet.

　If you look around at Rai's words, all the students who are running are all majoring in the warrior course.
　It is true that Kirill is the only one still running in the mage course.

　This basic skill is compulsory for everyone in the warrior and mage courses.
　Originally, the majority of people in the warrior course are students who aspire to join the military.
　Naturally, they will have trained to acquire basic physical strength without waiting for admission.

　On the other hand, those in the sorcerer's course have an insatiable appetite for knowledge, but they do not have the desire to train their bodies.
　As a result, Kirill and the other students of the mage program are the ones who are suffering the most from this basic skill.

　Kirill himself, who until last year was a shopkeeper in the Chamber of Commerce, if he had time to train his body, he would have spent it memorizing business practices and trading rules. There was no way he could be confident in his physical strength.
　He couldn't help but envy those students in the civilian and liberal arts programs who were exempt from basic practical skills.

''Even the ones in the warrior course are down here and there, but Kirill in the mage course is unconcerned, so that's plenty of time, right?

It's a buy-in.

　Compared to Rai, who can still have a normal conversation after all this running, Kirill doesn't have that much time to spare.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most of it.
　In fact, I'd rather not talk to you. I've been thinking about this for a while now.

It's a good thing that you're not talking to me. You don't have to pace yourself with me,

　Kirill says under his breath, and Rae replies to Kirill, even giving him room to laugh.

''No. It's pretty easy to run this pace. My body feels lighter.''

　Apparently, Rae is only going to keep running at Kirill's pace.

''Yeah.''

　Then, as if there was nothing else to say, Kirill returned his mouth to its original role - the important and paramount role of bringing in air.

　There wasn't as much room for Kirill as Rai said.
　The reason he could barely keep running was probably due to the fact that he had gained some strength from the recent chase with Rona and the environment in which he was running.

　The ground under my feet is clear and uneven.
　There were no branches, fallen trees or bushes to block their path.
　There was no relentless pursuit, and there was no need to run while trying to find an escape route.

　Compared to that training session where I was being chased by Rona, all I had to do was run.
　It wasn't exactly easy in his current state, with his body complaining of fatigue, but it was a manageable level as long as he kept up the pace.

'Alright!　That's enough!

　The instructor's voice echoes through the exercise area.
　The students sat down on the ground when they heard it. From here and there, they heard voices saying, "It's finally over?

　After a few minutes of pause, the instructor called for the students to assemble and opened his mouth in front of the exhausted students.

It's just that most of the people in the warrior course have completed their runs. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work. But even if one person is left behind, it's a big deal.

　The instructor in charge looked at Kirill and cut off his words.
　Most of the people in the sorcerer's course were not able to run long enough. There are even those who retired within three minutes of the start.
　I'm sure the instructor was not expecting Kirill, who is not particularly fit, to complete the 30-minute run.

Wasn't it Kirill?

Oh, yes.

It wasn't bad. I didn't have to run too hard, and my pace didn't slow down until the end. Did you do any training before coming to school?

No, not particularly: ......

　I'm currently receiving training from Aldis in progress, but this is not before I enrolled.

'I see. But it's good that you're physically fit. The other students need to train their bodies a bit more. There are a lot of people who think it's none of their business, especially those who are in the mage program, but on the battlefield, mages are the first to be targeted. When the time comes, if you don't have the physical strength, you'll easily end up in the afterlife.

　The valuable lessons from the instructor, who was once a soldier and mercenary in the country's army, did not seem to resonate at all with the students in the mage course.

　It is true that there are many mages who put themselves in the field of battle as soldiers and mercenaries, but not everyone is willing to throw themselves into battle from the start.

　Most of the students aim to be called up as mages for the regulator of the country or for the nobility.
　They don't even want to put themselves in the middle of the battlefield, and they probably don't even think about that future.
　In fact, not a few sorcerers end their lives working in-house like that.

　All of the students in the mage course who listened to the instructor's advice had a blank expression on their face or otherwise looked like they had bitten down on a bitter bug.
　Some of the students had a look of exasperation on their faces. Perhaps they were imagining the basic practical skills that they would be required to do regularly in the future.

'That's it for today. Dismissed!

　The instructor signals the end of the lecture on basic skills.

"Kirill, let's go get something to eat. Let's go get something to eat.

Yeah, okay. But first, you need to get dressed--I mean, just give me a minute, Rae!　Don't pull me away!

　Kirill is forced to run even though Rai pulls his arm and starts to run as if he can't wait, causing him to stagger on his trembling legs.
　The person in question went to the cafeteria with mixed feelings, 'I've been running all the time since I entered the school.





And that's what happened at the school. I'm a bit of a wreck today, so I can't run. ......

　That day, too, after the academy's lectures were over, Kirill had come to the forest house with Aldis.
　Kirill, who had been drained of more energy than usual by the basic practical skills at the academy, modestly claimed that it was indeed impossible for him to do his usual training .......

''I see. Then it's just fine. Today, when we run out of energy, how can we train in a more realistic way to increase our chances of survival?

"Um, ......, can't we just say we're taking a break from training ......?

'I don't care if Kirill is tired or injured, the beasts of the forest aren't going to show any mercy, are they?　Instead, it will be more likely to come at you as an opportunity. What you can do when you're fit, you can't do when you're tired. It's a convenient way to realize the difference.

It's ......, right?

　At the words of the black-haired instructor, who was more stern than expected, Kirill's mouth spat out a voice that sounded like it had been drained of his soul.

''Don't look at me like that. It's true that even if you train for a long time in that state, it won't be very effective. We'll be out of here in about 30 minutes. I'm not a demon either.

　No, no, he's a demon instructor enough. Kirill barely swallowed the words "I'm a demon instructor".

　At least the school's instructors were in perfect condition and only let him run for thirty minutes.
　As for Kirill personally, he couldn't say he was in perfect physical condition, but that was due to his behavior outside the school.
　At least all of the students, except Kirill, are attending the basic practical skills lectures with sufficient physical strength.

　Aldis, on the other hand, knowing that Kirill is exhausted and exhausted from exhausting his physical strength, is going to say 'just fine' and let him run through the forest for thirty minutes.
　I don't need to tell you which one of us is more relentless, I dare say.


　In the end, Kirill was seized eight times that day by Rona.

　Since Rona was taking the place of the beasts that attacked him to prey on him, that means he was attacked and killed by the beasts eight times in thirty minutes.
　Looking at the results alone, it was dismal, but surprisingly, Aldis appreciated the number of times, "Not bad," he said.

'I thought I'd die ten times in thirty minutes ......, but you stuck it out more than I thought you would. If it only took you eight times, then you did well.

'Huh ......, I see.'

　Kirill's reply in response was lackluster.

　If this wasn't training, he would have died eight times in a short time.
　It wouldn't be a very pleasing result.

'That's enough for today. Can you talk to the twins for the rest of the day?　Because I'd like to correct my language, even if it's just a little bit.

　Anyway, Kirill was relieved that he didn't have to run any more.