I couldn't bring myself to deceive her, so I answered truthfully:

"A silver-haired, blue-eyed, petite elf maiden skilled in ice magic."

"Excellent. I happen to know a charm that can change hair and eye color... Wait, no. Why is the description so specific?"

"Because he is currently alone with such a maiden, being all affectionate."

"How do you know that?"

"Because that maiden is the elf contracted to me, and the one I hold feelings for."

I... Merry fell into silence, then looked at me with sincere eyes.

I was deeply moved.

The world is vast and fate is capricious; the bonds between people are fragile and unreliable.

Yet, for two doomed strays like us to have the fortune of meeting is nothing short of a miracle.

Merry said:

"They're just alone together. Aren't we alone too?" ...

The way she stubbornly ignored the presence of the other people in the mill moved me even more.

I concisely laid out all the details about Wilson and Sylvia.

The contract Sylvia prepared for Wilson, her journey across half the kingdom for him.

Wilson drunkenly wielding Sylvia's old sword, the flirting and intense eye contact that started the moment they met, oblivious to anyone else.

Under this barrage, Merry was successfully sunk, her fiery red hair seeming to lose some of its luster. I successfully sank myself too.

However, perhaps it's because she was once a warrior, but Merry quickly rallied and delivered a brief summary much like the ones I usually give.

"I see. I understand now."

"Mhm. Well, since I couldn't provide you with valuable information, I'll go ask Darien to arrange for a new trainer."

"It's fine. I'll continue training you as usual."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it. It's mutually beneficial. I'm going to train you until you can pound Gray into the ground and take your elf back."

We're not some primitive tribe.

It seems that although we are both strays, there are also significant differences between us. Such is the disparity of human nature.

"...Leaving aside everything else, I don't think there's any chance of beating Mr. Wilson. Even if you joined in, it would be impossible."

"What a spineless fellow. This is what they call 'Do good deeds, don't ask about the future.'"

Is that really a good deed?

But, you're right. I do really want to punch Wilson.

Even if I can't win, I still want to punch him.

I gave Merry a shallow bow.

"I'm counting on you, teacher!"

Merry laughed heartily and said:

"Very obedient! You have no combat experience, but you're proficient in construction-related magic, right?"

Literally, construction magic is magic for creating objects.

This type of magic cannot create something from nothing; it's primarily used to process raw materials. For example, turning an iron ingot into plate armor, or refining herbs into potions.

"More or less. I'm also quite familiar with perception runes, and I possess a few high-tier ice elemental runes that I haven't used much."

"Got it. That's indeed similar to my own system."

Merry pulled over the nearby detection crystal and punched it hard. The crystal, which had just barely returned to white, turned blue again.

Pointing at the floating runes, she said:

"I possess construction, perception, and a few high-tier fire elemental runes. What do you think is the greatest weakness of our type of system?"

Weakness? I recalled the fighting styles of Mr. Wilson, Sylvia, and Necros.

Wilson basically relied on vast amounts of mana and complex runes to spam powerful stationary magic, supplemented by all sorts of shameless defensive and survival methods.

As for Sylvia, I've only seen her fight once—when she crushed that magical beast in the forest. From that one instance, her combat method involved reinforcing her body with mana, creating weapons, and then... it had nothing to do with magic anymore.

Finally, Necros. Although known as the spirit governing life and death, she didn't use any related magic when fighting. Her method was to reinforce her body with mana, create weapons, and then...

Huh, how does that feel exactly the same as Sylvia's? Perhaps elves are just used to fighting that way.

No, wait, that's not right. She also seemed to use potions for support. Yes, that scoundrel's despicable actions shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Sylvia's upright fighting style.

Hmm? Compared to them, what are Merry and I lacking?

After a moment's thought, I answered Merry:

"Is it the ability to withstand damage? Our physiques are relatively fragile, and we lack healing abilities. Once injured, it's hard to recover."

Merry said:

"Correct. Precisely because of this, we must suppress the enemy as much as possible, keeping them busy with defense and evasion, never giving them a chance to attack."

"However, we also lack mobility, making it relatively difficult to catch fast-moving enemies and organize sustained, effective attacks."

"But, the solution is quite simple. There are two different approaches. Well... It might be hard to explain with words. Let's see it in practice."

Merry backed away several meters to create distance, forging two fire lances in her hands.

"Get ready, here I come. I'll control my speed so that you become the one with the speed advantage."

"Um, is it okay to use fire lance magic directly?"

"It's fine. My fire lance isn't complex, easy to heal, and won't leave scars."

Before I could voice any objection, Merry crouched, swung her arm, and hurled a fire lance.

A scorching pillar of fire shot through the air. I hastily jumped sideways, barely dodging the first attack, letting the lance pierce the ground.

But Merry used that gap to charge at me, closing in with her other fire lance raised. However, she did control her speed and wasn't running very fast.

I didn't dare slack off, turning to run sideways. But as soon as I took a step, I felt the ground beneath my feet suddenly bulge upwards.

The impact on my soles threw me off balance. I barely managed to right myself, but Merry had already closed the distance, standing right in front of me.

She raised her fire lance and threw it right past my ear, saying:

"This is the first approach: use construction magic to manipulate the surrounding terrain, hindering the enemy's movement. With all those runes you have, you should know how to attach magic to projectiles to increase your casting range."

I began to understand.

"So, since we can't increase our own speed, we bring the enemy down to our level and then win with our greater experience?"

"Exactly. Now, for the second approach."

Merry forged another fire lance.

But this time, she poured a massive amount of mana into the small space, ultimately creating a powerful weapon shimmering with a bluish-purple flame that distorted and danced, warping the air around it.

Even standing several meters away, I was sweating profusely from the wave of heat it emitted.

Merry explained:

"My fire elemental rune, and your ice elemental rune, are both quite high-tier, allowing us to create extraordinarily powerful finishing moves."

"For example, I've infused this fire lance with an 'Unextinguished' rune and a 'Scorching Death' rune. Once attacked by it, even just grazed, one will be cursed with an inextinguishable flame and burned to death."

"But our casting speed and mana reserves aren't outstanding, and we don't have many auxiliary runes either."

"If we just throw it like this, anyone with decent skill could dodge it, analyze and negate it, or even reflect it back. It would be completely meaningless, just a waste of our energy."

"So, the correct way to use it is..."

Merry raised the fire lance high, holding it ready but not releasing it.

"...Maintain a posture of imminent attack, making the enemy certain that any offensive move will be met with a counterattack. This way, the enemy is forced to devote all their energy to guarding against this one move, unable to organize their own attacks freely."

"At that point, we can secretly set up traps or corner the enemy where escape is difficult. After that, victory is within reach."

"So, do you understand?"

I thought over her words repeatedly and nodded.

"Yes, thank you for your instruction!"

Merry smiled, but I felt an inexplicable chill.

"Good. Now, it's time for practice."

After a whole afternoon of being tossed around, I had exhausted my mana and stamina, barely grasping a fraction of the essence. I was now sitting on the ground resting.

Merry was still full of energy. She said:

"Very good. Let's stop here for today. You're quite perceptive. Given time, you might really have a chance to beat up Gray."

Being acknowledged, I felt somewhat pleased.

I said:

"Merry..."

"Call me 'teacher'."

"Teacher, how did you and Mr. Wilson meet?"

"He doesn't know me. I know him, one-sidedly."

"...Then what attracted you to him?"

"His face and status. I really, really want to drag that handsome, powerful, high-and-mighty hero into a bedroom and force him to show a foolish expression. It would definitely be interesting."

My disapproval must have been written all over my face. Merry frowned and said:

"You seem quite displeased. Then let me ask you in return: what attracted you to that elf?"

Because she saved me? That doesn't seem quite right. Wilson saved me too, but I didn't fall in love with him. Lately, I can't even bring myself to admire him anymore.

Because of her good personality? I only realized that after I'd already fallen for her. Although I like her even more for it now, it wasn't the initial trigger.

Because she's stronger than me? That's ridiculous.

So I'm also a physical attraction type after all...? Although I thought so at first, I now feel I don't particularly want to drag Sylvia into a bedroom and do this and that.

To say I'm completely uninterested would be a lie. But it's definitely not comparable to Merry's level.

To be more specific, I want to stay by her side, keep looking at her, and I want her to do the same for me.

But why is that?

While I was tangled in my thoughts, Merry said:

"Can't answer, huh."

"Is that not okay?"

"It's perfectly fine. I just advise you to think it over again, lest you become her lover only to realize you actually wanted to be her son."

I really wanted to punch her.

But it's true. What kind of relationship do I actually want with Sylvia?

Merry gave an ambiguous smile and said:

"Think it over slowly. Also, come find me at the Star God's church tomorrow afternoon to continue training."

"Why the church?"

She took a special necklace from her pocket and put it on. The chain was silver, threaded through a translucent white crystal carved with an eye-like pattern.

I recognized this pendant. It was called the "Eye of Stellar Memory,"

possessed only by devout followers of the God of Stars and Memory.

Merry said:

"Because my main occupation is that of a nun. I have to go preside over the Star Prayer ceremony later."

I recall the Star God has no requirements regarding marriage or relationships for followers.

But Merry and the profession of nun are completely mismatched in temperament.

However, didn't Wilson say something about needing holy water?

"Take me with you."