Chapter 271 - Open a New Door! Winter Intensive Special Training
By the time the move to the Headquarters was complete and everyone had settled in, winter had fully set in, and snow covered the ground every day. The winter arena tournament had already begun, but it was on a smaller scale than before and, having experienced it once, the work should go a bit more smoothly this time. The members, dressed in new quasi-archery outfits, looked particularly dazzling. Their reputation in this area was excellent, and this good word of mouth was expected to carry over into spring, bringing in even greater rewards.
The outfits made for the former adventurers and mercenaries we hired as contractors were also popular. The outfits, black quasi-archery uniforms from head to toe, looked impressive when worn by the gruff middle-aged and elderly men, who all seemed to be proud of their Brillonvest-made, well-tailored attire. Initially, quite a few had been reluctant to wear them, but no one refused the well-paying job, and they eventually accepted them. Now, many have grown to like them, and the outfits have fostered a strong sense of camaraderie, just as I had hoped. It would be ideal if wearing these outfits became a status symbol.
The Clad Family and Anastasia Union have also started an underground arena this winter, eager to incorporate popular elements to attract more customers. They even came to me for advice on their uniforms, which I reluctantly provided to avoid their copying our quasi-archery outfits.
I'm hopeful that the fighters I've scouted will do well in the weapon-specific tournaments. As for Garcia, the champion of the autumn tournament, I decided to have him participate in the greatsword division and aim for another championship. The additional titles will be a great feather in his cap, and I hope he works hard to achieve them.
With the Exembra Arena running smoothly both openly and underground, this winter, though not as lucrative as autumn, will still generate substantial wealth. I've left the management of the arena to the others and am working with the Construction Bureau to finalize the new Headquarters and complete the secret underground facility. This is a massive project, and even with my full magical power, it's taking a long time. I plan to take my time and not rush it.
Simultaneously, we are quietly progressing with our investigations for the summer. Gathering intelligence is essential to completing Rosmerta's orders. The initial information we were given is far from enough. We need to learn about the pirates' operations, the nearby towns and terrain, local conditions, and potential allies. There's a lot we need to investigate, and although we can't move openly yet, we're making progress through libraries, guilds, and trade associations. The Intelligence Bureau members are working hard to gather this information, and we plan to send them to the area in the spring.
Even in winter, the members of the Security Bureau and the Intelligence Bureau remain busy, but others have become relatively free. With this in mind, the annual winter intensive training can proceed without hindrance. I ensure that even the busiest members get a turn. To maintain the Kikyo Society's high combat standards, this training is essential.
The primary goal this time is to teach Combat Body Transformation Magic to a select few. We've been working toward this for a while, and it's time to see some results. This is a high-level technique, so not everyone can learn it, but only a select few: Siegrune, Gradena, Valeria, Zenobia, and the leaders of each combat unit. Eventually, I hope to extend this to key personnel in the combat units, security, and intelligence bureaus, but it's not necessary for non-combat sections.
While lost in thought in my office, the doorbell rang. The new Headquarters is soundproof, so a knock wouldn't be heard. My office, which doubles as the president's room, is particularly grand to intimidate guests. I also have a private office in the Living Wing, which feels a bit redundant, but it's fine.
I pressed the response button to let the visitor in.
"Sorry to disturb you, Yukari-san."
It was Josephine from the Intelligence Bureau. The investigation into the pirates was still in its early stages, so I wondered what she needed.
"Take a seat on the sofa. I'll make some tea."
I poured hot tea from a pot into cups without any fuss. After we both took a sip, I asked what she needed, though it was fine if it was just a visit.
"We've been busy with various things and haven't been able to act yet, but what should we do about the Ljungberg Family?"
"Oh, right. They were the ones from Donditch, weren't they?"
They were the organization that orchestrated the bombing at the arena using the Boid Gang in old Retnark. Their base was the city of Tanbury in West Donditch.
"That's correct. We have everything in place and still have members in the area."
"I see. You've been keeping an eye on them for a long time. I appreciate that."
"No problem. We've made good progress with information gathering in Donditch. We're also expanding our reach beyond Tanbury."
"Good to hear. It would be best to wrap things up soon. We'll deal with it as soon as the snow melts. As I mentioned before, I'll be going myself, so I'll need your support."
"Understood. I'll prepare accordingly."
That was all she had to say. We chatted over tea until the doorbell rang again. This time, Valeria had come for a casual visit and joined our conversation.
"By the way, Onee-sama, I heard you've been declared a bounty hunter."
"Apparently. It's the Medek-Legisamo Empire, right?"
"Yes, it started shortly after the expedition. It hasn't spread much in the eastern part of the continent yet, but I expect you'll become a target eventually."
"So far, no one has challenged me. By the way, how much is the bounty?"
"One hundred million Gist."
"Is that all?"
"You're underestimating it. I'll write a letter to increase it."
Being declared a bounty hunter doesn't bother me much; I have a reputation for welcoming challenges. But the existence of bounty hunters as a profession is intriguing.
While chatting with the knowledgeable Josephine about interesting stories from other countries, we moved on to the upcoming topic.
"The winter intensive training has started. The first group should be finishing up soon."
"Yes, Valeria and I will start tomorrow."
"You're involved throughout, aren't you?"
"I'm leading a special training session for a select few. I can't take everyone at once, so I'll do it in three groups."
Of course, this is the special training to teach Combat Body Transformation Magic. Unlike the training in the Northeast Forest, this will take place elsewhere.
"Will it be successful?"
"Probably, with Valeria and the others."
"What kind of training will it be? It's a hot topic among the members, even though the Intelligence Bureau isn't included this time."
"Well, the only thing decided is to push them to their limits. They've done the basic training, so we just need to provide the trigger. It's more about grasping the right moment than the technical details."
I learned Combat Body Transformation Magic myself by being pushed to my limits. While I can't recreate that exact situation, I can create a similar one.
"I'm a bit worried."
"Don't worry. You won't have time to think about it."
I'm not sure if my words were reassuring or worrying, but we enjoyed our tea together.
The morning of the winter intensive special training arrived. The weather was overcast, not terrible, but without a temperature-regulating coat, the cold would have been unbearable. The selected members for the first group gathered in their combat gear and heavy backpacks as I announced the start of the training.
"The training begins here. No talking during the journey; consider it an important part of the training. Let's go!"
My companions were Valeria, Siegrune, Angelina from the First Combat Unit, Mary from the Second Combat Unit, and Verone from the Sixth Combat Unit. Gradena had wanted to join the first group, but it wouldn't be wise to have both the president, vice-commander, and acting vice-commander absent. Frederica, the Head of Operations, and April, the Deputy Head of Operations, insisted she finish her paperwork first.
I led the five of them into the training, running through the snow without vehicles. The real training began here, pushing them to their limits. Our destination was not the Northeast Forest but much further northwest.
"Yukari-dono, is the destination still a secret?"
"On purpose. I want to push you both physically and mentally. Be prepared!"
With that, I started running. We were heading northwest from the base, so some might guess our destination soon.
Running through the snow is incredibly exhausting. Despite the strong group, our speed was not very high, and I was unsure how long it would take to reach our destination. Everyone was likely anxious, not knowing where we were going.
The road, though snowy, was a familiar one, leading to the nostalgic Girls' Re-education Camp at the foot of the Romariel Mountains. This time, we would use the camp as a base to push everyone to their limits in the mountains. It would be the most efficient way.
The journey, which usually takes three days even with a limited-speed vehicle, would be done on foot through the snow. I planned to minimize breaks to push them further.
We ran without speaking, through the snow, from midday until nightfall, and even when the snow started falling. By now, everyone must be extremely thirsty, tired, and stressed. We ran through the dark, illuminated only by the faint light of lantern-type magical devices. Everyone followed my lead, enduring the fatigue and hunger without complaint.
After hours of silent running, we finally stopped as the day turned into night.
"Stop! Time for a break!"
Everyone collapsed into the snow, trying to catch their breath. The silver landscape and falling snow made it difficult to find a suitable place to rest, but this was part of the training.
"Once you've caught your breath, drink plenty of water, but only a little food."
"Onee-sama, how far are we going? Is it still a secret?"
"We're heading in the direction of the Romariel Mountains, I think..."
"I thought so too. Angelina, maybe—"
"Yes, probably."
Siegrune pointed out the direction, and Verone and Angelina exchanged glances, guessing our destination. Mary must have realized we were heading toward her hometown village.
"That's right. Our destination is the base of the Romariel Mountains, the Girls' Re-education Camp. By the way, there won't be any proper rest stops until we get there."
Revealing our destination didn't make anyone feel better. The journey was long, and I declared that no one would rest until we arrived. This likely increased their mental fatigue.
As expected, they stopped thinking and quietly replenished their energy. We started running again once they had recovered somewhat.
Staying still made even the warmest coats feel cold, and proper rest was impossible until we reached our destination. It was better to run and get there quickly.
We ran through the night, taking brief breaks, and continued this cycle. The cold, fatigue, and insufficient food and sleep pushed everyone to their limits, including me.
We arrived at the camp after three days, a bit behind schedule but within acceptable limits. The running itself was a brutal training that tested our mental and physical strength.
Returning to the camp after a long time, I felt a strange sense of familiarity, but we weren't here for a visit.
"You won't be resting just yet. Let's clean up first, then we'll have a proper meal. After that, you can sleep."
"Here we go again..."
"It's nostalgic."
Siegrune and Mary had met us in a village at the foot of the mountains, while Valeria, Angelina, and Verone had been here together. Verone and the former adventurers had been released earlier and joined the Kikyo Society later.
"Hurry up, or you'll never get to rest."
The camp was like a ruin, covered in dust. The magical devices for lighting and air conditioning seemed to be working, but minimal cleaning was needed. We cleaned the bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, and even the baths. Using purification magic made it easier, but the camp was vast.
After a frantic cleaning session, we enjoyed a warm meal and a proper rest. It was still evening, but everyone fell asleep immediately. I, however, stayed awake as the training instructor.
It would be counterproductive to let them fully recover after pushing them to their limits. The real training was about to begin.
With everyone asleep, I expanded my magical senses to search for the target beasts. I concentrated deeply and found several suitable ones.
About two hours after everyone fell asleep, I let them rest a little longer before ending their rest.
I was about to push them to their limits.