Today marks the third day of summer vacation.

What I have come to understand over these three days is that, as expected, my family home is the strongest. The food is delicious, I can focus entirely on training without being distracted by household chores, and I don’t have to deal with people crying, screaming, or cowering whenever I pass by. Most importantly, I can always keep an eye on Alice.

It’s not that I feel inconvenienced by academy life, but the reactions of those around me do take a mental toll, and the physical distance when something happens to Alice has always been a source of anxiety. Even if it’s only for the duration of summer vacation, being freed from these stresses and worries is a huge relief.

────Home is just too amazing.

I want to stay like this forever. I don’t want to go back to the academy… But there are still things I need to do there. Even if there weren’t, it’s obvious I’d be forcibly sent back, so I have no choice but to savor this moment to the fullest. Reality is merciless and cruel.

“Already lamenting the end of vacation on the third day… How dramatic.”

I know I’m being overly anxious. But nothing in this world remains eternal and unchanging. Everything is dragged along by the flow of time and inevitably changes. That’s why I must cherish the ‘normal’ I can enjoy now and make the most of it while I can.

As I was lost in thought, the Hero beside me, who had just finished morning training, groaned in agony.

“I think I miss the academy…”

“Well, you did get beaten to a pulp again today. Even the great Hero needs time to adapt to that muscle-brained old man’s training, huh?”

“Honestly, I still can’t understand how little Clay managed to endure such ridiculous training without issue…”

He looked at me as if I were some kind of monster, leaving me at a loss for how to respond. If anything, the training now was gentler compared to back then────

“Well, you know… Kids have good memory retention, right…?”

Yeah, probably something like that.

“That was so half-hearted…”

Weiss gave a weak chuckle and slumped his shoulders at my evasive answer.

That was bad of me. As a mentor, I shouldn’t be so dismissive. Just the fact that he hasn’t run away from that old man’s training is already incredible. Instead of getting discouraged, he should be more confident.

“I couldn’t keep up with the training at first either. If anything, I had it worse than you. So don’t put yourself down. You should have more confidence. If there was no potential in you, the old man wouldn’t bother tailoring his teachings to you. To him, you’re still brimming with room to grow, which is why he gets so fired up.”

“You think so…?”

“Definitely.”

Weiss looked slightly reassured, his expression lifting a little. Just a little more encouragement and—

At that moment, the old man in question suddenly appeared behind us, laughing loudly.

“Oi, Weiss! What’s with the long face?! We’re heading to the garrison today for unlimited mock battles, so make sure you eat a full breakfast!!”

“Gah?! …Y-Yes, sir!!”

Weiss winced as his back was smacked hard. Meanwhile, the old man seemed to be having a blast ever since he started mentoring Weiss.

“Clay, you coming along today?!”

Following the flow of the conversation, he called out to me, but I shook my head.

“I have a prior engagement today, so I won’t be going. …Don’t cause too much trouble for Gordon and the others, alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, I got it!”

The old man laughed heartily, which only made me more anxious. He was the kind of person who could cause trouble at any moment.

────I should drop by while I’m on break.

The knights at the garrison had looked out for me in many ways. It was true that I wanted to train with them again, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stop by when I had some free time. With that in mind, we wrapped up our morning training and headed to the dining hall for breakfast.

After finishing breakfast, I had decided to take a break from training for the morning and evening and visit the town instead.

“Take care on your way, Master Clay. I will come to fetch you when the time comes.”

“Thanks for bringing us here, Grandpa Rob. We’ll be off now. Alice, hold on tight.”

“Yes, Brother. Thank you very much, Grandpa Rob.”

After getting off the carriage, we thanked Grandpa Rob, who had driven us to our destination. Watching as the carriage returned to the mansion, we turned to face the grand plaza at the center of the city.

“Alright then, today’s all about spending time with you, Alice.”

“Yes! There are so many places I want to visit today, let’s get going right away!!”

Alice clung to my arm, barely containing her excitement.

────If we weren’t in public, I’d be dying from how adorable she is.

As you can see, my ‘prior engagement’ for today was exactly this────a long-overdue date with Alice.

“Haha, we have plenty of time. No need to rush, let’s take it slow.”

────Oh no, my excitement is skyrocketing!!

Contrary to my words, I struggled to maintain my composure. Inside, I was even more thrilled than Alice.

After all, it had been a long time since I had gone out with my little sister. We had only just arrived in town, but I was already having fun. What’s more, I had asked the other servants, as well as Freesia and the others, to refrain from accompanying us. This was a completely private outing. Who wouldn’t be excited about that?

…What? You think I’m gross?

Who cares? No matter what anyone says, this is a proper date. It’s a rare opportunity for some quality sibling time. I’m going to enjoy this date to the fullest. The best way to recover from the exhaustion of academy life is through bonding with my little sister. Alice is the best, after all.

“So, where are we heading first?”

“I’ve already planned out the route for today! First, we’ll walk through that street lined with stalls and head toward the commercial district!”

When I asked about our first destination, Alice pointed toward a bustling street filled with market stalls. Seeing her excitement, I nodded.

“Got it. Let’s go then.”

“Yes!!”

With Alice eagerly pulling me along, our day together began.