chapter 153
Kang Garam.
She had invited our classmates to her house by saying that there was a training hall in the basement.
“…It’s pretty rare for someone to build a training hall in their own basement.”
Even wealthy people usually wouldn’t think of doing such a thing.
A training hall only serves a purpose if someone uses it, and it must be constructed with materials capable of withstanding an awakened person’s abilities, which makes the construction cost enormous.
Even if built with such materials, continuously enduring an awakened person’s power would eventually wear it down, so it requires regular repairs. Even if the hall has a magical system for automatic restoration, the ambient mana in the air isn’t enough to sustain it, meaning money must be spent to replenish mana.
In other words, maintenance costs are considerable.
“So, typical small-to-medium guilds either don’t build training halls or, if they do, they operate them by renting them out to outsiders for a fee.”
Of course, exceptions exist.
It’s rare, but some wealthy people do build training halls in their homes—like installing a swimming pool or a helipad in a mansion.
People who build a training hall in their house usually fall into two types: one, those who create it out of vanity with no real need, and the other…
“…those who actually need to use it.”
Which type does Kang Garam’s family fall under?
“Wow…”
“Is this Garam’s house?”
“Yeah.”
The kids marveled at Kang Garam’s house—the garden inside the gate, and the enormous mansion beyond it.
“…I had no idea there was a house like this in our neighborhood.”
Well, I don’t go everywhere in this area.
Besides, this mansion is quite far from the city center, so it was understandable that I hadn’t noticed it.
“Judging from a mansion like this, Garam’s family must be really well-off.”
At the very least, living in a mansion like this would require a family at the executive or chairman level of a major company.
I thought this as I watched Kang Garam press the doorbell.
“I’m here.”
[Welcome home, Miss.]
Click!
The gate, which had been locked, opened, as if someone on the other side had confirmed Kang Garam.
“Come on in, everyone.”
Kang Garam naturally stepped into the garden, and I, along with the others, followed her.
“Hmm…”
I took in the view of the garden.
The ornamental trees and topiary were all neatly maintained.
Someone had clearly been taking care of them daily. The owner could be managing it personally or might have employed a gardener.
“Miss, are these your friends?”
As I pondered that, an elderly man in a butler’s uniform emerged from the mansion and asked Kang Garam.
“Yes, they’re my school friends.”
“Is that so? It’s cold outside, so please come in. It’s warm inside.”
At Kang Garam’s words, the man, presumably a butler, smiled kindly and guided us into the mansion.
His gaze looked as if he were watching his daughter or granddaughter bring friends home.
“It’s not like our villa, but it’s still pretty…”
“Ahem…! Elliot…?”
“Ugh…! Ah, sorry.”
Meanwhile, Elliot was giving his impression of the mansion when Elena jabbed him in the side.
After regaining his senses, Elliot asked Kang Garam,
“So, how do we get to the basement training hall?”
“That’s not the point, you fool!”
Thwack…!
Elena suddenly punched Elliot in the face as he was searching for the training hall, scolding him that when invited to someone’s house, one should first greet the adults of the house.
“…Adults, huh…”
I extended my perception and sensed the adults present in the house.
“One butler in front of us… one person in what seems to be the kitchen… one cleaning staff… that’s it?”
The person in the kitchen would likely be a chef, and the one cleaning a housekeeper.
In other words, the likelihood of the mansion owner being present was low.
“…My parents are at work, so there’s no need to go around greeting anyone.”
Kang Garam said.
Indeed, it was just past lunchtime. Most adults would be at work.
“To use the training hall, you can go this way.”
The elderly butler said this as he opened the door to the staircase leading to the basement and turned on the lights.
We followed the stairs down and saw the training hall at the end.
“…It’s not incredibly huge.”
It was a training hall of average size.
Wealthy people who build training halls out of vanity usually make them as large as possible.
Since this one was modest in size, it seemed either they were concerned about taxes or built it out of genuine necessity.
And…
“…Not bad. It’s stripped of unnecessary stuff but packed with essential features.”
I muttered as I checked a panel in the training hall.
It wasn’t a high-tech training hall with miscellaneous features like environmental changes, but one focused purely on training and the growth of an awakened person.
That doesn’t mean features like environmental change are useless, but for a high schooler like Kang Garam, they weren’t particularly important.
“The master built this training hall only after thoroughly researching what young awakened people need after awakening.”
The elderly butler explained, perhaps in response to my muttering.
I turned to Kang Garam and said,
“You’re loved by your family.”
It’s hard for non-awakened people to understand what kind of training hall is best. Non-awakened people lack the experience to judge. But this hall was tailored perfectly to what Kang Garam needed, which implied significant research went into it.
“….”
Garam looked away, embarrassed.
“Anyway, let’s train! I want to start!”
“So how do we operate this thing?”
Meanwhile, Elliot and Idumin were eager to start training and looked to me, assuming I knew how to operate the hall.
“…I only know the training settings.”
“……”
With a little exploration, it wouldn’t be hard to figure out. Perhaps since Kang Garam was the only awakened person in this house, there was no need to look beyond the basic training functions.
I adjusted the training settings on the panel. It primarily blocked collateral damage from spilling outside the hall and prevented fatal injuries—sufficient for practice. Many cheap training halls don’t even have these functions.
“Alright. Now pick up your training weapons and fight…”
I suddenly looked around and realized something was missing. I asked Kang Garam,
“Where are the training weapons? Usually a training hall has—”
“…We threw them all out… Is that a problem?”
Kang Garam asked nervously. I widened my eyes and looked at the butler.
“…Since you are a mage, not an aura user, all training weapons were discarded.”
I sighed inwardly. I guess it’s understandable for non-awakened people to make such mistakes.
“Even mages should learn basic self-defense and weapons techniques. You’ll need ways to protect yourself when your mana runs out.”
This applies not only to mages. Psychics, elementalists, and those with other minor powers also learn some martial arts. At the academy, physical training is a required liberal arts course for all students.
“…Ah, so it was because of Richard, the association chairman, who enjoys close combat without using physical enhancement magic.”
Anyway…
“If there are no training swords, then Elliot, you’ll fight bare-handed today.”
Elliot uses a sword, while Idumin fights bare-handed. Having Elliot fight without a sword would level the playing field, as he’s stronger than Idumin.
“Fine. That handicap is okay.”
“Don’t cry if you get hit by my fist.”
Elliot and Idumin stretched and headed to the center of the hall.
“One’s a knight who uses aura, the other is a cyborg psychic… this should be an intense battle.”
Jin Chunha commented, observing them. To a stranger, it might look that way. I initially thought Elliot was an aura user too.
“Elliot isn’t a knight. He’s a spellblade.”
Elena corrected Jin Chunha. Kang Garam, being a mage, reacted.
“…Spellblade?”
“Yeah. Some mages use swords too.”
“But… spellblades can’t achieve greatness…”
“That’s common knowledge.”
Still, Elliot chose to become a spellblade. A spellblade can’t usually achieve greatness because mastering multiple disciplines simultaneously is difficult. But someone like Elliot, talented in both magic and swordsmanship, with ambition and effort?
“…He might excel as both a spellblade and a swordsman.”
Elliot’s twin, Elena, said.
“…A mage using a sword… a rare specimen… gulp…”
“Quiet, everyone. The training is about to start, so keep it down.”
Upon hearing me, the commotion quieted as they realized Elliot was a mage.
Satisfied, I told the two in the center of the hall to begin.
The training ended with Elliot’s victory.
As before, Idumin tried to block and evade Elliot’s attacks while looking for openings, but Elliot baited him into a trap. Idumin rushed at the first gap he saw and fell for it. The same strategy doesn’t work twice.
“I won!”
“Ugh…!”
Still, Idumin didn’t give up and charged at Elliot again, turning the match into a battle of endurance. But having taken significant damage, Idumin couldn’t win.
“Next time we can use the school’s training hall, we’ll train again!”
“Yeah…! I’ll win next time!”
Geez… like something out of a shounen story.
I smiled wryly, and someone grabbed my sleeve.
“Hm?”
“…I have a request.”
It was Kang Garam, the one who had invited us to her house.
“What request?”
She pointed at the sword I carried at my waist.
“Teach me how to use a sword.”
