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nThe battle training was arranged to be for the duration of winter, but for some reason, it continues even in spring.

n「Haa, haa, haa, wh-y is, training, still, ongoing?」

nAs always, Barack-san smiled and laughed at the question I rolled out well.

n「That’s cuz I’m boー, no, we’ve already trained this much, won’t it be a waste to stop now?」

n「Haa, j, just now, you were about to say “bored”, weren’t you?」

nAfter coming back from Volton, we received our reward for the subjugation of thieves, but Barack-san told us to hurry up rising to B rank. I was told that I, who had tamed the familiars known as Kaede and Tsubaki, being a C rank was a rank fraud. At that time, I was coerced into the continuing the battle training. Sophia and the girls were eager to, so refusing was difficult, and so, here I am, working hard everyday.

nAs it is now spring, adventurers are coming back to Volton, so adventurers apart from us could now be seen here and there at the training center.

n「Oy, that person in a mock battle with Strong Arm Barack is the mage brat that came to Volton last spring, ain’t it?」

n「Yeah, there’s no mistaking it with that silver hair.」

n「Wait, ain’t that weird? How is he able to have a mock battle with Strong Arm Barack?」

n「No no no, what’s with the movement of that female knight slave?」

n「Hey, they increased by one.」

nAdventurers make a racket every time they watch our training, but we were involved less than before. It’s hard to say that it doesn’t happen though.

n「Switching topics, Hans said to hurry up and think of a name for your party and submit it.」

n「A party name?…… like Heath-san’s party is the 『Lion’s Fang』, right?」

n「Yeah, all your rankings are rising, and even your party rank is D rank, ain’t it? As expected, it would be awkward if you’re forever nameless.」

nA party name, huh. It never occurred to me, but what should we do?

n「I’ll discuss it with Sophia and the girls.」

n「A’ight. Tell Hans when you’ve decided.」

n「Understood.」

n「A name for the party?」

n「Right, Barack-san told me to. It seems that once we decide, we need to tell Hans-san and register.」

nReturning from the Adventurers Guild, we discussed what Barack-san said about our party name.

n「Now that you mention it, Heath-san’s party was the 『Lion’s Fang』, was it not?」

n「It’s difficult now that I’m thinking about it.」

nSophia and Maria gave it some thought too.

nA name like 『Lion’s Fang』 doesn’t suit us. In the first place, our activities as adventurers are a pretext for gathering materials.

n「 How does『Takumi-sama and his servants』 sound?」

n「No, just what is that.」

nMaria’s naming sense is at a negative.

n「Hmm, how about 『Wings of the Goddess』?」

n「Wings of Goddess Norn-sama? That’s nice.」

n「But Takumi-sama is the leader, so rather than Goddess, wouldn’t Wings of Norn be better?」

n「『Wings of Norn』, huh. It might be seen as us picking a fight with the Divine Empire of Sydnia. But it might be alright.」

nAnd with that, our party name as 『Wings of Norn』 has been decided. It would be great if I could be of help to Goddess Norn who had guided me to this world.

nThat night, figures of people dressed in black crept into Takumi’s mansion.

nUsing the shadows of night to their advantage, they crossed over the high walls. The figure of one person who made sounds of footsteps suddenly vanished. Disappearing soundlessly, the companions didn’t notice. They infiltrated into the mansion when one more person vanished. This time, they noticed this abnormality but it was already too late. One person, then another had their freedom taken away and vanished.

nOutside the building, the person taking command noticed the abnormality in the unit’s performance.

nA crisis was ongoing. He hurriedly took one step back, then his body could move no further.

n「Guh!」

nThe figure of the person clothed in black groaned and, then and there, vanished.

n「Master, what to do with this?」

nFirst thing in the morning, Kaede asked me this and pointed at a pile of large silk cocoons in the garden.

n「Did you do this, Kaede?」

n「Yup, last night, you see, they broke into our house so Kaede caught them.」

n「………… let me check for a bit.」

nWhen I cut up one of the silk cocoons and peeked inside, an obviously suspicious person covered in black clothing had broken in.

n「Kaede, are they dead?」

n「Hmmm, it’s temporary death.」

n「Ahh, you used a paralytic toxin.」

nNo matter how you look at it, they definitely trespassed to kill us.

n「Takumi-sama, what is wrong?」

nSophia and the girls noticed that something was abnormal and gathered.

nOnce gathered, I explained to contents of the silk cocoons to them.

n「It might be better to ask for assistance from Barack-sama of the Adventurers Guild.」

n「That’s right, perhaps this matter should be discussed with even Margrave Volton.」

n「Sophia, Maria, can you two make contact with Barack-san? For the time being, I’d like you two to always move as a pair no matter where you go.」

n「「Yes!」」

nSophia and Maria rushed out of the mansion and ran to the guild.

nName: Kaede (Takumi Iruma’s Familiar )

nRace: Arachne Unique Species

nAge: 5

nLevel: 82

nCondition: Healthy

nVitality: 570

nMagic Power: 620

nStrength: 530

nAgility: 540

nStamina: 374

nDexterity: 528

nIntelligence: 320

nUnique Skills

nSpider Thread Creation

nPassive Skills

nPoison Resistance Lv7

nParalysis Resistance Lv7y

nSpatial Understanding Lv7

nInsight Lv5

nActive Skills

nThread Manipulation Lv9

nPoison Creation Lv7

nPresence Detection Lv8

nMagic Perception Lv7

nStealth Lv8

nSewing Lv7

n***

nSphy’s note:

nAnd so, I will end the year in a small cliff? Can this really be called a cliffhanger? Advanced Happy New Year to everyone!

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