At The Span Of 5-Days

Chapter 31 - The Span Of 5-Days

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Mad props to Lily for securing victory in the entrance exam using just her formidable Platinum Bow. Her strategic brilliance with the utilization of the Steampunk Boots to leverage mobility—backstepping and creating distance from her opponent. It's impressive, especially considering this is her initial combat against a conscious adversary. The academy now recognizes her as a formidable force, acknowledging her strength as a notable opponent.

Then, think of the possibilities if she maximized her Mana. Well, it's been a while since I discovered that using Mana Essence not only permanently boosts an individual's mana but also enhances other physical attributes.

As I pondered these possibilities, I found myself planting Mana Flower Seeds in the vast yard behind Rina-san's Villa. Naturally, I sought her permission before undertaking this venture. It would be really shameful of me if I just went and do as I please inside her territory.

Before then, I also explained the concept of permanent mana increase. Upon hearing my plan, Rina-san expectedly turned dubious. In the end, with a bit more push, not only she granted approval but also expressed enthusiasm. The vision of witnessing someone evolve from vulnerability to strength sent chills down my spine, it was of romance to my cup of tea.

With Rina-san's blessing secured, I began the process of planting the Mana Flowers under the night sky, pondering that as of this time, Lily and Luna were most likely asleep. 

Successfully sowing all the Mana Flower Seeds in my possession, I dug a sizable hole and poured in the remaining Mana Water. Recognizing the need for a more substantial space to realize my plan, I supplemented the Mana Water with ordinary water until it reached the desired level.

To optimize growth, I introduced a dozen Slime gel into the mixture, allowing them to absorb the Mana Water blended with normal water and distribute the mana. The result was a man-made Mana Pool, a crucial component for accelerating the growth of the Mana Flowers.

Finally, I placed an Anti-Disturbance Core on the ground, serving as insurance against monsters spawning due to the influence of the Mana Pool.

"This should do it..." I mused, satisfied with the setup, and returned to the Villa. After a refreshing shower, I retired for the night, marking the end of an eventful day.

* * *

While I waited for the flowers to blossom, my days mostly revolved around with academic activities. I found myself mingling with Sora and some of the boys. Fortunately, my bad reputation seemed to have cooled down, although a few still regarded me as a troublemaker. I couldn't entirely blame them. Y-Yeah, not like I care about it, right...? Sobs.

Meanwhile, Lily, Luna, and Seia were forming close bonds, engaging in girly activities even when I wasn't around.

Occasionally, the girls sought my assistance in understanding certain subjects. In response, we would gather at the library, a serene haven conducive for the girls, allowing for enhanced learning.

"Starting today, we'll engage in sparring practice, and each of you will face me one by one," I declared, holding a wooden sword firmly planted in the ground.

One day, I decided to organize a sparring practice for the three girls to impart some combat experience against an opponent. I included Seia in the training session, given our friendship starting to develop.

We chose the expansive pond near the Villa, a secluded area far from other residences to minimize disturbances.

"If you aim to thrive in an academy teeming with talented students, including yourselves, I want you three to take this seriously," I emphasized.

"Um, is it really okay for me to be here?" Seia asked, her voice tinged with anxiety.

"You're already here; why question it now?" I replied, chuckling. "Besides, you're already one of our friends, so it's perfectly fine for you to join us, right? Lily, Luna."

"Absolutely, you've been with us for a while now," Lily affirmed.

"Yes, your presence is quite reassuring. After all, you were the first person to become our friend in the academy," Luna added.

With nods of approval, I marveled at their camaraderie. How wonderful. "You girls have really gotten close." I grabbed the wooden sword and pointed it towards them. "Then, shall we begin?"

The girls equipped their training weapons—Luna with a wooden sword, Lily with her Platinum Bow and an arrow without a tip. As for Seia,

"Um... I don't have any training weapons," she timidly admitted.

"Eh? Can you tell me what weapon you use? I might have something suitable as a substitute," I suggested.

"...I mainly use Guns as my weapon," Seia replied.

A sudden realization struck me, recalling why Seia seemed so familiar.

Seia, neither a main heroine nor just an NPC, for she is one of the mini antagonists in the story. Now I finally remember...!

Seia was one of the unfortunate students in the game who experienced a tragic fate of bullying, ultimately leading to a massacre. Her role in the story was minimal, a brief event that wouldn't alter the main narrative even if ignored. I remembered she met a tragic end, having been targeted by higher-ups to stop the massacre. Her existence was a reference to a real-world school shooting incident, adding a layer of misery to her character...

Yet, here she was with us, alive and kicking... I...

"...S-Sai?" My eyes were glued to her face, turning her quite reddish in response.

I made a silent vow that her life wouldn't be one of misery, I will not let it. I'm so glad I saved and met her from that incident.

"That's too bad; I don't have any substitutes to offer you," I sighed.

"Ah... Well, it's okay; I'll just watch you three," Seia said, a tinge of disappointment in her voice.

"No, I have plans for you, so stay right there for now; you're next," I announced. "Don't worry; fighting offensively isn't the only aspect of combat."

"Eh...? O-okay!" Seia's eyes lit up, her response quivering, yet firm.

As the sparring was about to commence, Lily and Luna prepared while Seia stepped back to observe. Before the match began, I approached Seia and whispered through her fluffy fox ears.

"Seia, if anything's bothering you, don't hesitate to ask for our help. You're already one of us, so there's no need to hold back," I encouraged. I patted her head, eliciting a surprised twitch from her fox ears. She pressed her lips together, her face reddening.

Her charming response made me skip a beat in adoration. I purposely did that for reassurance, but I'll take it. Anyhow, I'll have to set the thought aside in the meantime...

The sparring commenced. I guided Luna in getting accustomed to the Steampunk Boots while imparting strategies beneficial for melee combat. With Lily, I engaged her aggressively, encouraging her to fight while maintaining a distance. Over time, Lily began adapting to the Steampunk Boots, and our bouts extended. Lily skillfully distanced herself, utilizing her ranged weapon. As expected of the main heroines, their leaning capabilities were beyond the normal means. 

"I-Is this really necessary?" Seia groaned; her face tingled with confusion.

Finally, it was Seia's turn to learn. I handed her heavy-weight spheres, each weighing 5kg.

"Dodge my attacks while holding those weights," I declared. "Gunslingers, like Rangers such as Lily, need to keep their distance in fights, or they'll be at a disadvantage. In the future, the guns you'll handle will be just as heavy, so get used to it now."

"Y-yes!" Seia responded, seemingly convinced.

Our sparring match commenced. I took an aggressive approach, and Seia, although struggling initially, gradually adapted. Her nimbleness allowed her to cope, it's the great characteristic of Demi-Humans to have enhanced physical strength compared to humans and other races.

In the end, she managed—just barely. It wasn't realistic to expect her to fully acclimate on the first day, right? Nonetheless, it was pretty great for her first time... the sparring, I mean.

After our sparring, the three of us accompanied Seia home. While we intended to escort her directly to her house, she insisted we accompany her to her district instead. She seems to be rather conscious about it, so I didn't ask further.

* * *

Night fell, and the enchanting sight of the blossoming azure Mana Flowers captivated Lily's attention.

"Wow! What is this? It's so beautiful!" Lily exclaimed enthusiastically.

"I could have helped if you just called me Master..." Luna pursed her lips, playfully teasing.

Five days had passed since I began planting these extraordinary flowers. Thanks to the expansive Mana Pool, their growth surpassed that of normal flowers, not that they were ordinary to begin with.

"Well, sorry about that, but now you can help me," I chuckled. "I think it's time for Lily to maximize her mana, right?"

"Eh? What are you talking about?" Lily tilted her head, clearly puzzled.

"Ah! Actually, I planted these flowers mainly for you," I confessed. "The thing is—"

I proceeded to explain to Lily about the flowers and how consuming them would permanently increase her mana. Initially skeptical, Lily bombarded us with countless questions.

Luna and I, growing tired of the inquiries, dunked her head into the Mana Pool, enabling her to use the Appraisal Skill and check our stats. In the end, she finally believed us and enthusiastically joined us in harvesting the Mana Fragments.

With the three of us working together and no monsters in sight, the harvest progressed swiftly.

"Wow, we got many, didn't we?" Luna exclaimed. "I wouldn't be surprised if there's some extra Mana Essence leftover after this."

"Yeah, I guess it was thanks to us harvesting these for a week. I managed to gather many seeds," I replied.

After counting, we found that we had harvested at least 57 Mana Fragments—exactly as Luna had predicted. I dropped all the Mana Fragments into the Mana Pool, resulting in 11 Mana Essence with an extra 2 Mana Fragments.

"Here, Lily, please use this," I said, handing her the 9 Mana Essence.

"Y-yeah." Lily stared at the Mana Essence and gulped. "Here I go."

Lily crushed all the 9 Mana Essence in her hands, and its blue contents flowed into her body.

"Th-there's nothing happening..." Lily said anxiously.

I used the Appraisal skill and checked Lily's stats:

『Lily Helianthus』

『HP: 360』

『MP: 200』

『Armor: 0』

『AGI: 180-360』

『DEX: 25』

『ENDURANCE: 60』

"No, it did. Although the stats haven't started to increase yet," I reassured her.

"I-I see..." Lily smiled. "Sai, thank you for giving me this."

"Haha, no problem," I replied. "We're probably going to see some change tomorrow."

"Master, what are you going to do with the 2?" Luna inquired.

"W-well, I have someone in mind, and you two probably know it. I won't say it because it's embarrassing," I admitted, quickly making my way inside the Villa.

The two exchanged amused glances, laughing softly, then followed me indoors. We enjoyed our dinner, engaged in lively conversation, took showers, and eventually retired for the night.

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Midnight

"Hmm... Mhn..."

Lily began to moan in her sleep, her body seemingly torn apart by an unseen force.

"Guh...! Ugh..."

The nightmarish ordeal persisted for about an hour before finally subsiding, leaving Lily in a state of calm.