Black Iron Magician

――Fourth day of training.

On this day, Haruna woke up very well in the morning and got out of bed earlier than usual. Even though she just had a fierce battle with the ash kobolds yesterday, there’s no fatigue left in her body. Her brain was also clear as if she had washed her face with cold water and she was even in better shape than usual.

「It’s way too early to wake up Shishou, isn’t it? There’s plenty of time to do some morning prep work… Okay, let’s do independent practice for now!」

Haru took off her tracksuit which she used as a subtititute for sleepwear, changed it with her practice clothes, and then left the house while humming.

Back in Japan, she would try her best to avoid making noise when she was preparing breakfast or lunch box, she was paying attention not to wake up her little brothers who were still sleeping. Now, however, she doesn’t care even if she makes a little noise. It’s because she recently learned that her master, Deris, won’t wake up easily. It is troublesome to wake him up, but this is also a good point for Haruna that she can feel at ease.

「First is―― found it! Let’s see… yep, it feels good!」

Haruna discovered something near the roots of the trees. What she triumphantly held was a tree branch that has a good vibe. She adjusted the shape a bit and confirmed the feel of it. And then――― she vigorously swung it.

Haruna used the tree branch as a wooden sword and began to practice-swinging from up to down. Accompanied by the sound of slashing the wind with each swing, the tempo of the swing gradually become faster. At first, the intervals were slow, but now the speed is so fast that the tip of the branch disappears.

She did it wholeheartedly for each swing. Even if the speed changed, her concentration for each swing didn’t change. The branch followed the same trajectory more accurately and faster. After five minutes of practicing, Haruna’s practice clothes were already sweaty.

「Fuu. Now, how is the result?」

Haruna checks the status screen while wiping off her sweat with the towel she brought from home. Then, she saw that the Staff Arts skill had increased to level 3.

「Hmm, even a tree branch can be properly recognized as a staff. Memo memo.」

It was the moment of the world’s first equation of wooden sword=staff was established.

「Still, it seems it’s a bit insufficient for the growth…. I guess I should train with a proper staff after all? Well, there’s no point in thinking it now. For the time being, I will just do running.」

She leaned the tree branch against the outer wall of the house and put the towel around her neck. ‘Alright, let’s go~’ and Haruna left for her daily running. The road is an animal trail, and if you go off the road even a little bit, it’s the deep of the mountain where the monsters live. For Haruna, such an environment is just right for her training place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Haruna has not been told yet what is Deris’s work. She hasn’t been told yet, but she understands that he has been properly accompanying her training these days.

「Crap, I forgot about work…. Haru, I’m sorry, but can you go to Diana by yourself? I want you to hand over the ore to Gan-san at the Bristly Beard and report the completion of the subjugation request to the guild.」

Deris asked so to Haruna when he woke up. It’s a bit something if it’s said to be her first errand at this age, but she agreed pleasantly with an immediate reply since he’s always taking care of her (actually, she’s the one taking care of him, though).

After getting ready, she went to the Castle Town Diana while shadowboxing. She’s wearing the combat robe so she looks like an adventurer and a pouch on her waist with the ore and the ash kobold’ tails inside. With the shadowboxing on the way, her hand-to-hand combat skill only leveled up once. Probably due to the skill level is high.

「The fish is cheaper today than before…!」

While rummaging through the city’s market a bit, Haruna’s footsteps first made their way to the Bristly Beard. Deris said it was okay, but Haruna wondered if the ore in that state was really okay or not, so she somewhat felt nervous. The market rummage was Haruna’s own means of relieving such nervousness.

「Well, it’s small, but you brought in a fair amount. It won’t be a problem with this much.」

「So heavy! Boss, this ore is damn heavy! Haru-chan, how can you look so calm while holding it!?」

Apparently, it was okay. Haruna takes a breath of relief while being calmed by Anita who tries to lift the ore with a red face. Perhaps because she was relieved, Haruna suddenly remembered something.

「Ah, that’s right. Gan-san, do you have a staff for practice?」

She used a tree branch as a substitute for staff in today’s morning practice. However, the growth of the skill was unexpectedly slow. Haruna, who remembered those, thought that she might want a proper staff even if it’s cheap. Deris said that she can do whatever she wants with the reward from the guild’s request, so first is a preliminary inspection. She’s planning to buy it later after she got her reward.

「A staff for practice? There are plenty at Deris’s hous―― oh, I see. It’s about getting used for that thing, eh? Alright, wait a minute.」

As if he guessed something, Gan disappeared into the workshop at the back while playing with the black ore in his hand. After a while, a sound of metal being hit by a hammer can be heard.

「Boss is the same…. Hey, Haru-chan. You guys carry it around like it’s normal, but that blacky is damn heavy, y’know? Just what was Deris-danna asked for?」

「Uh, I’m sorry. I also don’t know the details.」

「Seriously? Boss has a habit of not showing unfinished products to anyone…. Is he gonna make a great shield? I can’t imagine what kind of a big man who will use that though!」

「Ahaha, you’re right~」

Haruna laughs with Anita while recalling the appearance of a muscular and big woman that she met at the national tournament. By the way, it was a complete victory for Haruna in the match against that woman, so it was not a laughing matter. Then, in the shop where no customers come, she kept on her friendly talk with Anita until Gan came back while carrying a black rod.

「I kept you waiting. Here you go, Jou-chan. You can take it.」

While saying so, Gan threw the rod to Haruna

「Uwahh… Gan-san, what is this?」

Even while staggering a bit, Haruna caught it with her both hands. The heavy rod in her hands was a staff. It’s much longer than a walking stick, and the color is unified with the same black as the ore. It has a simple shape with no particular decoration. Haruna guessed it’s a staff for practice that she asked.

「There were extra ores, so I made this test product for my practice. You don’t have to pay for it, just take it.」

「「Ehh!?」」

Along with Haruna who raised her surprised voice, Anita matched her surprised voice for some reason.

「I-I can’t receive such a splendid thing for free. I will pay you properly.」

「Das right! Boss, you should accept Haru-chan’s goodwill here!」

「Shut up. I told you, I made this stuff for practice. This is not a product! This is used for practice!」

「F-for practice… did you mean that thing…!?」

What Gan made for his own practice is not something that can be displayed as a product. However, there’s no place to put it in the store, so it’s just a nuisance. Nobody wants it even if they were to throw it away, so take it.

That was the sophistry Gan had laid out.

「Thank you very much, Gan-san! I will practice hard with this!」

「Yeah, you should get used to it while you can. If not, you will seriously get crushed by the real thing.」

「……?」

Gan holed up in the workshop since then. Haruna didn’t understand his last words, but with her black staff in her hand, she left Bristly Beard with a smiling face.

And her next goal is the guild.