The room where my mind was linked to the Jewel through spirit.
That room was showing me a dream.
The conference room inside the Jewel was also part of this vivid dream world.
In that room, I sat across from the First Generation. The Third Generation was also present today.
Though she was only present—she didn't seem to participate much in the conversation.
"Is this about Aria?"
*"That's right. What do you think about how anxious Aria-chan is?"*
I could understand Aria's anxiety.
She was spinning her wheels because she wanted to become independent so badly. Unlike me, there was no doubt she was brimming with ambition.
As for me, I did have the desire to feel my own growth soon.
But if someone asked me how I intended to live as an adventurer going forward, I was still at a loss.
"...She's spinning her wheels. I wish she'd just calm down a bit."
To be blunt, I hadn't expected much from Aria as a fighter.
Personnel-wise she was talented, and I knew about her background, so I was at ease.
She wasn't a person who would pose any harm to Novem or me.
*"I'd like to handle that side of things smoothly. Can I count on you?"*
"...Huh? Me?"
When the First Generation asked me to handle it, I crossed my arms.
They were my companions, so there was no problem.
If it could be resolved smoothly, I'd actually prefer to take the initiative. But the Third Generation looked at me and shook her head with an exasperated expression.
The First Generation, on the other hand, was pleased that I'd agreed.
*"That's the spirit! I can't rest easy until Aria-chan—who's the living image of Alice-san—gets her worries sorted out too."*
As for me, I couldn't understand why Aria was so anxious.
Right now was the time to steadily build her strength under Zelphy's guidance. If she overdid it and got injured, that would defeat the entire purpose.
The period of training was limited.
*(Maybe I should seriously ask for an extension.)*
That was how I was feeling.
*"Well then, let's get to it. Lyle, you fight Aria-chan. Naturally, Aria-chan will use the Jewel too. As for you... Skills are off-limits."*
"...Huh?"
Because of the First Generation's proposal, I ended up fighting Aria.
After Lyle left the Jewel—
*"Are you sure about this?"*
The Third Generation looked up at the First Generation, who was sitting on top of the table.
She had realized the First Generation's true intentions behind having Lyle and Aria fight, but she didn't seem to think it would go well.
*"...I'm not very smart."*
The Third Generation nodded at the First Generation's words.
*"Indeed."*
*"Give me a little credit! You're my grandkid, for crying out loud!"*
When the First Generation shouted at the Third Generation's cold response, the Third Generation burst out laughing.
Though they had different personalities, the First Generation was her grandmother. Compared to the other heads, she was noticeably softer in how she treated her.
Watching the Third Generation keep laughing, the First Generation gave up and continued.
*"I'm not bright. This is the only way I can think of. You lot would probably come up with dozens of better methods."*
The Third Generation stopped laughing and calmly outlined the method that had come to mind.
*"I think it would be fine to just build Aria-chan's confidence little by little. Have her use the Jewel and let her shine in battles against Monsters. Then those around her can praise her or back her up. Though Lyle is off the charts, so she probably can't afford to hold back around him. I figured that sort of subtlety could be left to Novem-chan."*
Nobody grew overnight.
The Third Generation intended to take the long view and let the three of them build a good relationship while shaping the party's dynamic.
The other Successive Heads shared the same opinion.
The Second Generation in particular hated people who felt disgruntled about tasks they were given, like Aria. She would likely propose an even harsher method.
*"That's probably fine then. Building the relationship methodically, and all three of them work together. That's how it goes. The clever approach is the sure one."*
Having Lyle and Aria fight so they would each understand what they were lacking—that was the plan the Third Generation had realized the First Generation was after.
For Aria, it was her lack of real strength.
For Lyle, it was his ambition and strength of will.
He wanted them both to understand that they each had something the other didn't. Of course, the First Generation and all the Successive Heads had been waiting for Lyle to find his own motivation.
And yet, the Third Generation had felt the First Generation growing impatient, which was why she'd stepped in as an observer for the discussion.
*"You don't like the clever approach?"*
*"I don't. But I also know that approach tends to be more successful. It took me a long time to realize that, though."*
The First Generation had a bold personality.
Though she also had a surprisingly delicate side, she was the type who had led a pioneer corps through Monster-infested territory, clearing forests and expanding farmland.
Any normal person would have understood the difficulty from the start and either given up or made adequate preparations.
*"Your methods would probably produce a neat outcome. But you see... that makes them too dependent on each other."*
*"There's nothing wrong with relying on others for the things you lack. That said, I do wish Lyle would show a little more initiative."*
The First Generation had been giving the Third Generation—the one who was perpetually laid-back—a sidelong glare.
*"Coming from you, that's not very convincing."*
*"I know, right~"*
They exchanged smiles, but the First Generation stopped laughing and put on a serious expression.
If you were a complete fool, you'd get your entire pioneer corps wiped out and be eaten by Monsters. Relying on instinct like that was something the Third Generation wasn't good at.
But she also knew it was sometimes necessary.
*"Let them clash, and if that doesn't work, I'll accept it. If she's the descendant of that person, I'm sure she won't lose to Lyle in terms of willpower."*
*"...You're saying Lyle couldn't possibly lose? Well, I suppose he wouldn't."*
The gap in ability between Lyle and Aria was quite significant.
Aria was also the daughter of nobility. She could surely use magic as well. Seeing her carry a spear, it was clear she'd been trained as a daughter of a martial house.
But compared to Lyle, she was inevitably inferior.
She was inferior even to Lyle, who himself still hadn't felt his own growth. Like Lyle, she hadn't yet acquired the skills an adventurer needed, but beyond that, she didn't understand herself either.
She was just flailing around aimlessly.
*"I'll leave the healing to Novem-chan, but I believe the two of them need to clash at least once. It's my own way of finding a solution."*
*"Beat each other up to confirm their friendship? No, in this case, I suppose it'd be affection. Lyle still hasn't acknowledged her, after all."*
The Third Generation was enjoying this.
In truth, seeing Lyle flustered after having Novem approve a harem was amusing.
*"Including all that, I want them to clash. Lyle isn't looking at Aria-chan. I want him to acknowledge her. That guy, knowing full well how painful it is to be ignored..."*
The First Generation let out a sigh.
The Third Generation had the feeling the First Generation was seeing her own past self in Lyle.
*"...Is that about yourself in the old days?"*
The First Generation shot the Third Generation a glare when she heard those words. But she quickly shook her head and took a deep breath.
*"Maybe it is."*
The two of them stood in silence for a while, lost in thought.
---
Morning.
After finishing breakfast, I asked Novem to have Zelphy come to the house.
I decided to tell Aria I needed to discuss something with her.
*(The First Generation asked me to, so I guess I'll go ahead and fight her.)*
I didn't know the exact purpose, but I could roughly guess.
It was probably to show Aria her current level of strength.
Going out to the yard, I turned to Aria and made my proposal.
"You have the family heirloom Jewel, right?"
Tilting her head at my question, Aria pulled out the red gem she wore as a pendant from her chest and showed it to me.
"I do. I keep it on me at all times so I don't lose it. So what's this about? We're heading outside to hunt Monsters today, right? Why are you calling Zelphy too?"
She was anxious after all—she wanted to get ready and head outside quickly. As for me, I wanted to intersperse breaks and take a planned approach to hunting.
Pushing herself to the point of injury was pointless, and it wasn't like we were strapped for cash right now.
"...When Novem and Zelphy get here, there's an open lot over there—how about a spar with me?"
Aria looked confused at my proposal.
"Why should I? If you don't like me, just say so!"
For some reason, she seemed to think I didn't like her.
I had no recollection of treating her poorly, so this was quite the accusation.
"It's not about liking or disliking you. If you have the Jewel, then you know how to use it, right? Then we need to test it."
Hearing that we'd be using the Jewel, Aria's expression stiffened.
She was probably remembering the big thug from the bandit group.
He had used his Skills so excessively that blood had sprayed from every part of his body. His muscles had torn open, blood had poured from his eyes and mouth—it wasn't a pleasant sight to witness.
Granted, the injuries had been healed with medicine, but what about the damage inside?
Abnormal use of Skills—
The toll was enormous. After all, using someone else's Skill instead of one's own was a tremendous burden.
I myself had experienced the difficulty of using the Skills of the Successive Heads.
Even Skills created by my own bloodline ancestors felt difficult for me to use.
Even if you could use them, without proper control you'd end up destroying your own body like that bandit thug had.
"Are you scared?"
"I-I'm not scared! If I use this, I'll definitely hurt someone, which is why I don't want to!"
Seeing Aria trying to hide her fear, I thought there was nothing to worry about.
I had gauged the difference in our abilities, and even with Skills, Aria would still be weaker than that bandit thug.
Not because she was a woman, but because she simply lacked overwhelming experience. The magic and spearmanship she'd learned as basic training couldn't compare to what a Monster-fighting bandit had.
"If you're worried about injuries, there's no problem. Novem will heal you, and I'll stop if things get dangerous."
My words seemed to anger Aria—her expression changed.
She was clearly upset.
"What's that supposed to mean? That I'm no match for you? Sure, you're strong. But you won't know until you try!"
Showing her determination, I proposed that we fight then.
"Then let's start once Novem and Zelphy get here. I'm fine with a wooden sword."
"Just use your regular saber like normal! I've been practicing with my Skills too, you know!"
Hearing that, I was a little surprised.
"Oh, really?"
Aria glared at me, apparently displeased with my reaction. I couldn't understand why she was glaring.
It was just an honest reaction.
"Go ahead and mock me. You're the one who'll get hurt!"
Watching Aria turn her back and stride away, I let out a sigh. The First Generation had asked me to fight Aria, but now I was wondering if this was really the right call.
It felt like I'd made a fatal error as a party member.
Then the Third Generation spoke to me, now that no one else was around.
Her tone was exasperated.
*"Lyle, have you ever looked at your own face in a mirror?"*
"What are you talking about? I look at it every morning when I wash my face."
*"It was a jab. But setting that aside, I think there's a problem with your current attitude."*
Told there was a problem, I tilted my head.
The irritated Fourth Generation spoke up in a low voice.
*"Giving that attitude to a girl is one thing, but fighting her doesn't sit right either. More than that, Lyle, you're really dense. Or do you understand and you're doing it on purpose?"*
I couldn't understand.
I didn't know what the Third and Fourth Generations were trying to tell me. Weren't we fighting so Aria could see her current level of strength and experience using Skills?
The Sixth Generation, who rarely spoke up, was at this moment not on my side.
*"Can't you see? Lyle, you..."*
The Seventh Generation also made a statement that felt like a mild reproach.
*"Your current attitude is certainly rude. But Lyle—I too think you need to take a hard look at yourself."*
Even the Sixth and Seventh Generations, who were usually more on my side, were telling me I was in the wrong.
Wondering if I'd done something seriously wrong, the Fifth Generation joined the conversation.
*"If you can't see it, then so be it. Well, you're young, so there's that. Anyway, go get yourself ready soon. And regarding Skills—don't use magic either."*
Told this by the Fifth Generation, I said I'd already planned on that.
"I won't be using it. I don't want to hurt her."
*"...You don't want to hurt her. That's quite the bold statement."*
The Fifth Generation's tone was also one of exasperation.
I returned to the house and began preparing. I strapped the saber to my hip and brought a spare just in case.
Aria must have left already—the house was empty.
Times like this reminded me of living in the deserted mansion.
"It's really quiet. Just like back then."
I said that while glancing around the room. Lately, it had become the norm for Novem to handle the housework with Aria helping out.
I'd only started feeling that as natural recently. Before that, having Aria around had made me somewhat uneasy.
*(A harem really has nothing to do with me. Besides, I don't think it's a good thing.)*
I'd taken Aria in because of the circumstances around me and the First Generation's request.
But now I was wondering if that had been a mistake.
I'd never really had any particular thoughts about Aria. I'd never even considered what my feelings toward her were.
Staring blankly up at the ceiling, I heard a voice.
Zelphy and Novem had arrived at the front of the house.
Heading to the open lot, Aria was already there waiting.
She looked like she'd finished her warm-up exercises—she was slightly sweaty. Her eyes, fixed on me with fierce determination, radiated strong resolve.
The surrounding area had been cleared for redevelopment—buildings had been torn down, creating many open spaces.
In one of those lots, Aria, with the red Jewel around her neck, and I faced each other.
It was still early—the sun hadn't fully risen yet.
*(I should be done before noon.)*
I planned in my head to finish the fight with Aria before lunch.
"You sure look relaxed."
Maybe she thought I was taunting her—Aria spoke sharply at my lack of focus. She was angry. Without a doubt, Aria was angry.
Seeing her like this, both Novem and Zelphy looked exasperated.
Yesterday they'd been exasperated with Aria; today they were exasperated with me. Their gazes seemed to be saying something.
"I wish you'd told me about the change in plans yesterday. I've got my own schedule to manage too. Well, I'll follow the client's lead. It won't be a complete waste, at least. But Lyle—are you actually motivated?"
Zelphy looked at me with exasperation, and Novem standing beside her wore the same expression.
"Lyle-sama, please focus. This is disrespectful to Aria-san. You could end up seriously hurt."
I nodded at the worried Novem, then drew my saber and took my stance.
Aria before me had her spear ready as well. Her eagerness had outrun her—there was unnecessary tension in her posture.
"I'm going all out."
When Aria declared she would fight seriously, I nodded.
"I'll be careful not to hurt you."
The next instant.
Aria lunged forward and thrust her spear at me as if to skewer me through.
It was the same Skill the bandit thug had shown.
I dodged by shifting half my body to the side, then deflected the spear with the handle of my saber. As Aria lost her balance and stumbled forward, I leaped back.
Aria caught herself with one hand on the ground, looked up, and her eyes went wide. Then she clenched her teeth in frustration and glared at me.
"Why won't you attack me?"
Standing up and resuming her stance, I was the one who was confused.
"Huh? Well, because... it would be over too quickly."
When I answered honestly, Aria's expression grew even more severe.
Looking at that expression, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my chest.
*(What is this?)*
Aria swung her spear and launched a slashing attack. I dodged—its power and sharpness were both inferior to what the bandit thug had shown me before.
Pulling her spear back from the wide swing, Aria was panting.
She'd been forcing herself to use Skills, and her stamina was severely depleted. It was proof she lacked the technique and strength to use Skills consecutively.
But she wiped her sweat, gasped for breath—and still came at me.
"I'm not done!"
The spear glowed faintly, and she thrust it straight at me. I deflected it with my saber, but the feel was different from before.
Hardening—
That had to be a Skill too. Having had her first two attacks dodged, she'd probably realized I was reading her.
Considering the remaining Skills, it was likely a strength enhancement. She didn't seem to have the aura of active use, so maybe she hadn't gotten used to it yet.
I dodged the incoming thrust, closed the distance to Aria, and grabbed the spear with my left hand.
"Damn!"
Struggling to pull away, Aria tried to object, but I was going to tell her it was over. However, the words wouldn't come out.
*(Why—)*
I pushed Aria back to create distance, and she glared at me.
"You're acting so superior... If I'm that weak, then just finish it quickly!"
Tears traced down Aria's cheeks as she panted in frustration.
Seeing that, I finally understood in a vague way what my ancestors had been trying to tell me.
*(I see—the way I've been treating Aria... was the same as with Ceres.)*
I felt as if I now knew the cause of the pain in my chest.
I understood what my ancestors had been trying to say.
I could see why Novem and Zelphy had been exasperated.
And I could understand why Aria was so frustrated.
"I... wasn't looking at you, was I?"
Aria, clutching her spear in frustration with tears welling up—her figure seemed to overlap with my own from the past.