The moment Shido arrived at his residence in the capital, he didn't see anyone inside. However, he quickly sensed several presences in the backyard, accompanied by the sounds of battle.
Curious, he made his way over and saw the figure of girls engaged in a fight.
Multiple blasts of concentrated mana rained down on Clementine as she darted about in an unpredictable manner, making it difficult for Rumia to land a hit.
At the same time, the relentless barrage prevented Clementine from closing the distance, leaving the two locked in a stalemate.
"Oh, you're back."
Frieren was the first to notice Shido, having sensed his mana the moment he teleported in. Tuare, on the other hand, was startled by his sudden arrival, but her surprise quickly gave way to joy.
She ran toward him with a bright smile as her expression radiating warmth.
"Welcome back, Acheval-san."
"Yeah, I'm back." Shido replied with a gentle smile as he greeted them in return. He placed a hand on Tuare's head, softly caressing her hair, which earned him a sweet, adorable smile.
Frieren gave him one last glance before turning her attention back to the ongoing fight between Rumia and Clementine.
"Finished with your business?" Frieren asked, still not looking at Shido as she spoke.
"Yes, it's almost done."
Shido didn't mind her casual manner, he was already used to it. With a small nod, he withdrew his hand from Tuare's hair and then sat down beside Frieren.
Though Tuare felt a slight tinge of disappointment when Shido withdrew his hand from her head, she didn't voice it. Instead, she quietly followed him and sat at his side, placing him between the two girls.
"Rumia's getting better at this, huh," Shido remarked as he watched the fight between Clementine and Rumia.
"Well, she's got the best teacher right here," Frieren huffed, her expression brimming with confidence. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, revealing just how satisfied she was with Rumia's growth.
"…" Shido.
He was left speechless by how shamelessly narcissistic this elf could be, though he couldn't deny that Frieren truly was an excellent teacher of magic.
Shido himself could also be considered Frieren's student, as he had learned from her magic and teachings as well.
While he merely copied the spells she passed on to Rumia, the knowledge Frieren shared with him was on a different level. It deepened his understanding of mana and magic, allowing him to wield it with far greater proficiency.
Shido shook his head, choosing not to voice his thoughts. Instead, he shifted his attention back to the ongoing battle between the two girls.
"But it would be strange if Rumia still couldn't stand a chance against Clementine, especially now that her level is higher."
"That's true." Frieren agreed, as the sounds of mana blasts and clashing weapons echoed through the backyard.
"That's why I made Clementine her sparring partner, to give her real combat experience." she explained.
Though Rumia had grown stronger than before, she was still inexperienced in actual combat, making Frieren's plan all the more beneficial for her.
"It's good that you thought of this." Shido remarked.
Frieren said nothing, keeping her eyes fixed on the fight. Shido did the same, curious to see how the battle would play out.
The two didn't seem to notice that Shido had already returned, as they were too absorbed in their fight to pay attention. Rumia, in her Half Djinn Equip, had parts of her clothing shifting into the form of her Full Djinn Equip.
She wielded her metal vessel, a flabellum with a long metal handle like a staff. Thanks to Frieren's training, her control over mana had grown more refined, and through constant sparring with Clementine, she felt she had become far stronger.
Rumia unleashed a constant barrage of concentrated mana blasts at Clementine, but her opponent's speed made it difficult for any to land. Clementine, by contrast, appeared far more relaxed compared to the tense and serious Rumia.
She would seize any opening to charge forward, then retreat the moment she risked being cornered.
It wasn't easy for Clementine either. Whenever she closed in on Rumia, her weapon was intercepted by a hexagonal barrier, and the moment one shattered, another instantly formed in its place.
And that brief delay was all Rumia needed to react and fire a blast of mana at her.
The fight soon turned into a battle of attrition, where the first to exhaust their mana or stamina would be defeated. Yet that wasn't the true purpose of this spar, it was meant to give Rumia real combat experience. Victory mattered, but learning how to endure and survive mattered even more.
The clash dragged on for over fifteen minutes before it finally ended in Clementine's victory.
But her victory wasn't all that surprising to Shido and Frieren, given the dangerous environment Clementine had once lived in.
"You're really strong, Clementine-san." Rumia admitted.
Though she felt a pang of bitterness, she let out a quiet sigh, recognizing her own weakness. She wanted to grow stronger as quickly as possible so she could be of real help to Shido, but it was clear she still had a long way to go.
What are you saying? I actually had a hard time defeating you, you know." Clementine walked toward her, a light sheen of sweat on her forehead showing she was just as worn out from the battle.
"If you had the same experience as me, you'd be able to defeat me easily." She offered a wry smile, thinking about how the innocent girl she'd once met had grown so strong in just a few months. Still, she already suspected that Shido had a involvement in this.
"So don't be discouraged. You're strong, and you'll only grow stronger in the future." With those words, Clementine extended her hand toward Rumia.
"...Clementine-san." Rumia was moved by her words. She gave a small nod and took the hand reaching out to her.
As Rumia stood up, the sound of clapping reached her ears. She turned her head, and there stood Frieren, Tuare, and Shido, who had vanished the entire morning, applauding them.
"Ah~! Master~!"
Clementine's serious demeanor melted away the instant she spotted Shido. Overjoyed, she dashed toward him and leapt shamelessly into his embrace, paying no mind to the other girls watching.
"Womanizer." Frieren muttered with a snort before turning away, choosing to ignore them.
Tuare, on the other hand, simply smiled as she already knew a little about the things happening. She walked over to the still-stunned Rumia and cheerfully congratulated her.
"You were amazing, Rumia-san! You could fire rays of magic and even push Clementine-san back!"
"Thank you."
Rumia felt glad for the praise, yet she couldn't completely enjoy it while Shido was being so openly touchy with Clementine. Seeing how close the two were, she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.
'Jealous? Why am I feeling jealous…?'
Those thoughts swirled in her mind, leaving it a tangled mess. Placing a hand against her chest, she felt her heart pounding so hard it seemed as if it might burst out.
'...What is this feeling?'
Rumia's thoughts were in disarray as her eyes lingered on Shido and Clementine. She only snapped back to herself when Tuare's voice gently called her name.
"W-What's wrong?"
"Nothing, it's just… you suddenly went quiet. I was worried you might be hurt or something."
"No, no, I'm fine." Rumia quickly waved her hand, though her face flushed red at the memory of her earlier thoughts.
As the two chatted, Shido finally managed to make Clementine release him after whispering something in her ear that left her blushing. When he stepped up to Tuare and Rumia, he smiled warmly and offered his praise.
"You've become strong, Rumia."
"...No, I'm still nowhere near being able to help you." After a brief silence, Rumia answered with a faint, sad smile. But that sadness faded the moment she felt a familiar warmth resting on her head.
"I think you're misunderstanding something, Rumia."
"Eh? What do you mean, Acheval-san?" Startled by his words, Rumia quickly turned to face Shido.
"While I do want you to grow stronger, it's so you'll be able to protect yourself when I'm not by your side, or if something unexpected happens."
Shido smiled gently as he spoke, his hand softly ruffling her blonde hair. "But when I'm with you, it's my job to keep you safe and make sure nothing ever harms you. You can rely on me completely, because I'll always be by your side."
"Our lives became intertwined from the moment we first met. That's why it's my responsibility to protect you."
"...Acheval-san."
Rumia's heart skipped a beat at his heartfelt words. Her eyes grew misty, and tears began to well up.
The atmosphere between the two grew strangely warm, their gazes locked as if they could read each other's thoughts without words.
But a sudden cough from the side pulled them out of their little world.
"We're still here, you know?"
"S-Sensei~!" Rumia quickly pulled herself back, her face burning with embarrassment under the scrutinizing gazes of her teacher and the other two girls. Flustered, she glanced at Shido for help, only to find him smiling at her, making her blush even harder.
"I'm hungry. Cook us something," Frieren said lazily before turning and heading back into the house.
"Am I your servant?" Shido muttered, speechless at how bossy Frieren could be as a wry smile tugging at his lips. Fortunately, Tuare quickly came to his side.
"I'll help you, Acheval-san!"
"...Tuare." Shido was touched by her words, warmth filling him as he felt genuinely glad she was there.
"Ah! Me too!" Of course, Clementine wouldn't let herself be left out.
"Alright then, let's cook a feast today!"
"Yay!" ×2
The three of them started walking back toward the house. Shido, however, paused and glanced back at Rumia, who was still standing frozen in place.
"Rumia." Shido called out to her, making her flinch slightly. She held a hand to her chest as she met his warm smile.
"Let's cook dinner together."
The words were simple, yet they made Rumia's expression blossom. Her face lit up, and she revealed a radiant smile, one capable of leaving any man stunned.
"Un!"
With that cheerful reply, Rumia ran toward them, her face glowing with happiness.