Curiosity was curiosity, but everyone still held back. No one rushed over to surround Lucas the moment it happened.
Honestly, it was lucky the two were elf girls. If they'd been people from Lucas's hometown, they probably would've swarmed him immediately to spectate and gossip.
The door to the house hadn't been closed. From the sofa, everyone had a clear view of the small courtyard shrouded in rain.
They didn't have to wait long. Just a few minutes after the commotion outside, Lucas's smiling figure appeared in their sight.
The moment he noticed all eyes snapping toward him, the corners of his mouth shot up uncontrollably. If he hadn't received professional training, he probably would've burst out laughing on the spot.
"How did you know I mastered a new magic?" he asked smugly.
Jeanne: "…"
Lorie: "…"
Aura: "…"
This guy… does he have no shame at all? Did he seriously not realize how much noise he'd just made?
Looking at their various expressions—
Jeanne wore a helpless look, Aura's face was blank.
Lucas instantly felt awkward.
"Ahem," he tried to explain. "You should understand that feeling, right? That insane excitement and curiosity when you get a new toy. And this is magic we're talking about!"
Jeanne pressed a hand to her forehead and shook her head. "Lucas, are you a child?"
Instead of feeling embarrassed, Lucas puffed out his chest, righteous and confident.
"Haven't you heard the saying? Men stay boys until the day they die, especially after their fantasies become reality. Hehehe."
Before he realized it, he was already laughing out loud.
Aura turned to Jeanne, her small face full of sincerity.
"Sister Jeanne, was Lucas always like this before? Is he… mentally okay?"
"…"
Jeanne fell silent, genuinely unsure how to answer.
If she said he was normal, his current behavior clearly wasn't.
At that moment, the man who'd just gotten a brand-new toy was completely oblivious to the looks of confusion and concern aimed his way. He was fully immersed in his fantasy of overwhelming enemies with magic, utterly unable to pull himself out.
"—Lucas!"
"Huh?"
Five minutes later, forcibly awakened by a fed-up Jeanne, he found himself staring at the Holy Maiden's forehead, veins twitching visibly.
"You listen to my—"
Unfortunately, before Lucas could begin his defense, Jeanne cut in, her tone heavy and earnest.
"Lucas, be more mature. Lorie and Aura are still children."
Lucas: "…"
Lorie and Aura: "… …"
---
Dinner time arrived.
At the table, Aura and Lorie kept their heads down, desperately pressing the corners of their mouths, trying to laugh without daring to.
Watching Lucas get shut down by Jeanne with their own eyes was just… way too entertaining.
Clearly, the two elf girls had also discovered the joy of spectating drama. Jeanne and Lucas's dynamic was simply too fun to watch.
Tonight's main dish was Truffle Mushroom Pasta, paired with Roasted Garlic Cheese Zucchini, Vegetable and Fruit Salad, and Borscht. Simple, warm, and comforting.
Considering Aura and Lorie couldn't drink alcohol, Lucas squeezed fresh orange juice for them.
"To celebrate Lorie and Aura joining the Familia, cheers!" Lucas said with a smile, raising his wooden cup and clinking it with the others.
"Cheers!" x3
---
"This is delicious! And this too! Wow… I didn't know vegetables and fruit could be made like this!" Lorie exclaimed while shoveling food into her mouth, speaking through full cheeks. "Those old fossils back in the village really need to open their eyes and come to the big city to learn how to cook!"
Aura rolled up some pasta with her fork and shot her a sideways glance. "When they actually show up, will you dare say that to their faces?"
"…" Lorie choked, hurriedly gulped down some orange juice, then patted her chest to catch her breath. "W-Who says I wouldn't!"
Aura: "Heh…"
Watching the little elves bicker had its own charm.
Lucas felt that having moments this lively once in a while wasn't bad at all.
"Eat more. You're both still growing, so don't worry about gaining weight. And starting tomorrow, besides studying, you'll also be joining daily training. You can't train properly on an empty stomach."
"Huh? Training and combat? That sounds way more fun than studying!"
The moment that came up, Lorie was wide awake. For her, books were pure torture. She'd rather exhaust herself until she collapsed on the ground than touch a book.
Seeing her attitude, Jeanne's expression turned serious, both as a commander and a senior.
"Lorie, thinking like that won't do. 'Knowledge is power' isn't a joke. Training and studying must go hand in hand."
"Only after you've systematically familiarized yourselves with the adventurer profession and passed my evaluation," she emphasized, "will we take you into the Dungeon for real combat. Right now, you're still far from ready."
Lucas and Jeanne had already discussed Lorie and Aura's training plan long ago.
They were still young. Whether it was Combat Proficiency, understanding the Dungeon and adventurers, or even knowledge of city rules, they were severely lacking. They couldn't become immediate combat power like Jeanne. They needed gradual, structured training.
This process might take just a few days, or it could stretch into several months. It all depended on how quickly they absorbed things.
After dinner, with Aura and Lorie's help, the chores were finished quickly.
The group gathered on the sofa around the coffee table, reading while sharing snacks—Pancake Balls. They looked similar to takoyaki, but the inside was sweet instead, unexpectedly earning unanimous praise from all three girls.
Watching their satisfied expressions, Lucas couldn't help smiling.
As expected… sweets have an eternal pull on women.
---
Once people focused, time flew by. In the blink of an eye, it was the next morning.
The air after the rain was especially fresh.
The potted plants and greenery Lucas had carefully tended looked even more vibrant after being washed by rain, lush and dripping with green. Flowers of all colors bloomed in full glory, releasing a captivating fragrance that lifted the spirit.
Before the sun had fully risen, everyone was already awake. After a day of rest, Aura and Lorie had mostly recovered.
After a quick wash, Lucas, Jeanne, Aura, and Lorie changed into light training clothes and gathered in the courtyard.
Lucas exchanged a glance with Jeanne and nodded. Jeanne stepped forward, her expression stern as she announced to the two elf girls.
"For a long time from now on, you'll be participating in daily training."
"Starting today, mornings will be physical conditioning, mornings will also include studying basic adventurer knowledge, and afternoons will be physical enhancement and combat training. Only those who pass my evaluation will be qualified to enter the Dungeon for real combat."
"Alright, enough talk. Warm up starts now!"
Jeanne carefully guided Aura and Lorie through their training. Lucas watched for a bit, then walked off on his own.
He knew strength was the foundation. Naturally, he wouldn't slack off.
After stretching, he sat down at the stone table, opened the Grimoire to the bookmarked page, and continued studying [Magic: Fireball].
His learning efficiency was extremely high. Under the effects of Heart of a Scholar, Fireball had already reached the introductory stage.
But "learning it" didn't mean it was "usable" in real combat.
It was like mastering a technique flawlessly in training, only to completely fail to execute it when stepping onto an actual battlefield, leaving nothing but an awkward mess for others to laugh at.
This was the difference between "knowing" and "being able to use."
The process from "learning" to "skilled application" required massive amounts of practice, thought, and real combat. It was never something achieved overnight.
Especially when it needed to be integrated with [Scorch] into a systematic combat flow. This wasn't something as simple as one plus one.
Nearby, Lorie kept zoning out during training, sneaking glances at Lucas. Sometimes she'd see him frowning as he buried himself in the book, occasionally gathering magic at his fingertips to form a small flame, then sighing and shaking his head in confusion.
"Aura, look… Lucas seems to be learning magic," she whispered.
"I know."
"Uh, but… isn't magic something drawn out through blessings? Could it be that what he's studying now is that kind of… old-fashioned, overly complicated junk the clan keeps stored away?"
Aura glanced at Lucas as well and gently shook her head.
"I'm not sure either. Don't you think our leader himself is full of mysteries? For example, that kind of incredible [Magic] he uses that can grant blessings…"
Lorie blinked, realization dawning on her face.
"Oh, right!"
Aura: "…"