Chapter 17

On a rainy day, when I arrived at work, there was a woman loitering in front of the guild.

"Hey, who are you?"

"Kyaa! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

She was standing in the rain without an umbrella.

"You're in the way."

"S-Sorry... I'll leave..."

"Where are you going?"

"Huh?"

"That's the entrance. Customers come here. If you have something to say, come inside quickly."

I turned around and opened the door.

"Frederica, take her to the shower room. Then get her some clothes."

"Of course, Master. You're so kind."

"Don't get the wrong idea. If I left a wet woman as she is, the guild's reputation would suffer."

Frederica smiled and led the woman to the shower room.

After a while.

"Master Act, it turned out to be a boy."

"Is that so?"

He had fine features, large eyes, and a slender build, so I thought he was a girl.

"He's a boy. This is rare."

"I don't know. ...What's your name?"

In my room, I asked the person, who turned out to be a boy.

"I-It's [Eli]."

"I see. Eli, you were kicked out of a party, weren't you?"

"Y-Yes... How did you know?"

"I can tell just by looking at someone who's been abandoned."

I've seen many people in the same situation... including myself.

"I heard... that there's a guild master here who is kinder and more considerate of his subordinates than anyone else... I thought maybe he would take me in..."

"That's a complete lie. Who spread such a ridiculous rumor?"

"I have no idea at all."

It must be you, Frederica.

"Indeed, I do gather people in situations like yours. But I don't take everyone unconditionally."

"Haha... There are conditions, right? Someone like me, who's incompetent, wouldn't be accepted, right?"

Eli smiled weakly.

"The only condition to join my guild is whether you have the will to do it. That's all."

"Will...?"

"Everyone has hidden talents that they don't realize. I can see and nurture them. But... it's a waste of time to nurture someone who lacks the will."

I saw a tremendous talent in the depths of his eyes.

But if he lacked the will, it would be a waste of a precious talent.

"You may not realize it, but you have an incredible talent. In the past few years, you're on par with Urgar... the spear user who joined the Hero's party."

"…I can't believe it."

Eli bit his lip and said, tears streaming down his face.

"I've always been clumsy, failing at everything, causing trouble for others... I've been treated like a jinx."

I see, his lack of self-esteem stems from his background.

"I... no matter what I do, it's all in vain."

"Look at me, Eli."

I grabbed his shoulder and looked him straight in the eye.

"I, who have assessed many talents, guarantee that you have a strong magical talent."

"Do I... have talent...?"

"Yes. The best. Believe in me, Eli."

I held out my hand to him.

Eli wiped his eyes and took my hand.

His eyes were filled with determination.

"Please take care of me, Guild Master!"

★

At the guild-owned training facility.

"Phew... huff... phew..."

Eli was running laps around the field.

"Master, he has a talent for magic, right? Why are you making him run?"

Frederica came to me, who was supervising.

"Especially for someone who uses magic, the body must be strong."

Magic consumes mana and generates powerful natural energy.

But every energy has a reaction.

A weak body can't withstand the strong reaction energy.

Therefore, mages tend to unconsciously control their power to protect themselves.

"So, we train the body to withstand the reaction. That way, they can control powerful magic."

"I see. As expected, Master, you have a deep reason for doing this. I thought you were just bullying the new guy."

"I don't do such pointless things."

With a thud, Eli collapsed.

I went to Eli.

"Are you giving up at this level? You're a wimp. ...Alright, get up."

"Wait... I can still do it!"

With a strong resolve in his eyes, Eli stood up.

"Guild Master... you... created a training program for someone like me. To make me stronger... I want to live up to your expectations...!"

Eli started running again.

"I don't want to be a loser anymore! Wooooo!"

He ran beyond his limits.

Eventually, he collapsed with a thud.

I carried him and left the training facility.

"Thank you... for carrying me."

"What are you thanking me for? If I left you there and you caught a cold, it would delay your training."

"...You're so kind... I like you."

Eli hugged my back tightly.

"Of course, Master. Not only women but even men fall for you. You are indeed a charming and wonderful person."

★

About two months later.

At the guild-owned training facility.

"【Inferno Fireball】!"

A huge ball of fire appeared from the tip of Eli's staff.

It exploded in the center of the field, destroying the golems used for training.

"Excellent. To be able to cast a grand spell without incantation in such a short time. And the power to break through the strong defensive barrier in the training facility. ...You're a genius."

Frederica nodded in admiration.

He approached me, smiling and waving.

"Guild Master! I did it!"

Eli hugged me from the front.

"I never thought I had this much magical talent... sniff... Thanks to you, Guild Master."

"Don't say that. You had the talent. It's not my achievement."

I can't give talent to others.

Talent is a gift from the heavens.

I merely polished the raw talent Eli already had.

"Hold your head high, Eli. That power and effort are yours."

"Sniff... Waaaaah! Guild Master!"

He hugged me and cried like a child.

"Thank you, thank you!"

"Don't thank me yet. You've only completed the basic training. Practical training starts now. It will be several times harder. Can you keep up?"

Eli wiped his tears and said firmly.

"Yes! I'll do my best! For you!"

★

Later.

In my room.

"Master, Eli and his party successfully defeated a fire dragon."

I received the report from Frederica.

"Even though S-rank Orge was in the party, they worked well together, and Eli's grand magic delivered the final blow."

Since then, Eli has grown at an abnormal rate and has become a mage on par with S-rank parties.

"From the basic training to today, Eli's performance has been remarkable, and guilds are sending him offers like mountains."

"Indeed, they're a bit too eager."

"They're just blind. As expected, Master. You saw and nurtured this much talent in him."

Just then, the door to the room opened with a bang.

"Hey, are you the guild master here?"

The people who entered were a rough bunch.

They didn't seem like ordinary people.

"Guild Master! My performance... ah."

Eli, who entered the room, noticed the rough people.

"Hey, Eli. You've become quite useful, haven't you?"

The leader-like man noticed Eli.

On the other hand, Eli lowered his head and trembled.

"W-What...?"

"It's obvious, right? We came to pick you up. Let's go."

The man grabbed Eli's arm roughly and tried to leave.

"N-No... help..."

"I'll use you plenty again. It's an honor, Eli... hahaha! Bwah!"

The man was punched and fell to the ground.

"Guild Master!"

I pulled Eli close and looked down at the man.

"I'm still nurturing him. It's too early to let him go. Especially to a scum like you, I'll never hand him over."

【To the Readers】

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