--I'm going to practice hard and burn some fat around here.

　I started running in the courtyard with such a light-hearted attitude, but my heart was on the verge of breaking before I had even started.

　Running in the sweltering heat makes me sweat all over.

　If you try to catch your raging breath, the hot air enters your body, and the more you run, the more it seems to repeat itself, burning your body.

　Or rather, I was aware that I'm not a physical person, but was I ever this low on energy?　I feel like I had more stamina in my training before I went to Kagura.

　Even if I exclude the fact that it is the sunshine of summer, I should not have been tired so quickly.

　Is this also a bad effect of skipping practice for a long time?

　It is hot. It was hot and tiring. Such words kept going round and round in my head.

It's hot. "Al, you're slowing down a lot, aren't you?　It's even harder if you don't run with your face up and your arms waving firmly,

　I look up when I hear the advice from Nord Dad.

　You're right. Even when I'm tired, if I don't run with a firm body position, I'll get even more tired.

　My dad is right, I look up and wave my arms firmly, which makes me feel a little better.

　Wiping the beads of sweat that spill from my forehead, I run with my eyes firmly fixed on the road ahead.

　About twenty meters ahead of me, Brother Silvio was running with a firm stance.

　Somehow, while I was in Kagura, he seemed to have grown a lot more robust.

　I've been reading books and studying all the time indoors, so Brother Silvio had only a little more physical strength than me, but now, even just doing a normal run, this is the difference.

　I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that my brother Silvio has been training while I've been in the capital. It's only natural for him to get tougher.

　

'If you can afford to think, I suppose you could pick up the pace a bit more, right?

　As I was thinking about this in a daze while looking at Brother Silvio, Father Nord said while running behind me.

'Hey, how do you know that?'

　I don't think I even said it out loud.

　I turn around and say it, and Dad Nord lets out a sigh.

'Al's eyes just keep dying more and more when he thinks about it. I'll know that much soon enough.

　It's a reason I can't get my head around....

'Look, if you can afford it, run more.

Yes, sir.

　........What is this feeling of déjà vu? I feel very much like Elinora's sister.

　Elinora's sister used to follow closely behind me like this and put pressure on me.

　Was that an imitation of Father Nord?　It's scary to be stuck behind me like this, like I'm being chased by a predator.

　Oops, I'm going to be pissed if I'm skipping thoughts again.

　I increase my speed and run forward, gung-ho. Along with that, Nord Dad sticks to me to match.

　I glanced behind me and my eyes met with Nord's.

"..........

　If you can afford to look behind you, run properly. Those words were in my gaze.

　Since that's exactly what I was doing, I quietly looked ahead and ran.

　

　But how can Brother Silvio and Father Nord run with a cool face?

　Do you think they have cold air on their bodies?　

　Hmm?　Cold air?　You've been told to run, but you haven't been told not to use magic. It's okay to use a little bit of magic, isn't it?

　Nah, a little bit of cooler air makes it easier to run. If it becomes easier to run, my fat burning effect will increase.

　I'll use ice magic to cool the air a bit.

　I try to smile so that Nord-Dad can't see me, and then I activate my ice magic.

　Then a chilly air begins to leak out. I control it so that only my body is clothed in it.

　However, perhaps because I'm running and moving my body, I can't concentrate on controlling my magic power for a while and the cold air doesn't settle.

　It's pretty hard to activate and control the magic while running.

　But it's not hard if you want to get over this painful situation. It's a very good idea to be able to have a good time. It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

　While moving my body firmly, I let my consciousness dive inward and control my magic power.

　As usual, I picture an image and let the cold air settle on me.

　The air around me feels chilly as I run like this.

　No, it's only cold around my body.

　I'm a little more unsteady than usual, but I seem to be able to firmly control the magic even as I run.

　Ahh, cool. It's like the hot, stuffy air we were in earlier is a lie.

　In such a comfortable temperature, I'll be able to run with more time to spare.

　I was running calmly as I thought that, when I was knocked on the head from behind.

"Hey, you can't run while using ice magic!

'What?　I had to control the cold air so it wouldn't go behind me, how did you know!

It's pretty obvious when you're leaking your magic to the outside world.

　Dad Nord replies to my words with dismay.

　That's right. Nord-Dad and Erna-Mom are very sensitive to the reactions of magic power.

　It's a good thing that you're able to get the best out of it.

''Look, if you can afford to control your magic while running, run more.

　I bite my teeth, and Nord-Dad pushes me back.

　I try to run faster, but he's still pressuring me. He wants me to run faster.

　I pick up the pace, and he catches up with me.

"What?　Do you still need to pick up the pace?

'Al thinks a lot of nonsense when you give him room. I'm trying to get him to pick up the pace and just focus on running.

..........

　Hearing the words announced with a fresh smile, I was crestfallen.



　◆



Ha, ha, ha I'm tired.

Good work, Mr. Alfried.

　As I sit in the shade of a tree in the courtyard, Saara hands me a cool towel and a water bottle.

　It seems that Meena has gone to give them to Brother Silvio and Father Nord.

Thank you.

　I thanked Saara and accepted a chilled towel and a water bottle.

　Then I wiped the sweat off my face at once with the cooling towel.

　The towel cooled by the ice mages is chilly and feels good just by holding it against my skin.

　I breathed a sigh of relief as I covered my face with the cooling towel as it was.

''........Haha.''

　You can't help but let out a reluctant voice at the comfort of it.

　The heat from my burning body seems to be absorbed by the cooling towel with a thump.

　I'm in a daze as it is, and I carry a water bottle in my hand to my mouth.

　This is also cooled by the magic tool, and it feels very nice to put it in your mouth.

　The water is probably mixed with lemon, so it was very easy to drink, even right after exercise. The refreshing sourness of the lemon permeates my tired body.

'........Haha, the lemon water tastes good.

　I wonder how it can taste so good when it's just mixed with water.

　I drink the lemon flavored water with a cuppy. Don't let it go into Don's stomach because my body was craving water.

　As I drink the lemon water and breathe a sigh of relief, someone comes up to me.

'Al, are you alright?'

It's something.

　My vision is dark because I'm covering my face with a chilled towel, but I can tell by the voices and signs that Brother Silvio is approaching.

　Probably, seeing me limp, Brother Silvio is smiling bitterly.

''Father Nord was so frightening because he would stomp his footsteps with a bang if you slowed down even a little.

Dad wouldn't have done that if he was running seriously.

　I was being silently chased by Nord Dad, and I was already running frantically for it.

　My dad and I were like a herbivore on the run and a carnivore on the run, running through the courtyard.

　It seemed like such a crazy run, but I didn't collapse from heat stroke, and I didn't run out of oxygen.

　That's because my dad is also my pacemaker.

　He won't let me run at a pace that really limits me, and he won't push me. He even warns me if I'm pushing too hard.

　That's the difference between me and Elinora and Roomba.

　They get amused when I pick up the pace and demand that I pick up the pace.

　It's a good idea to stop training in the middle of the session, but not with Nord Dad.

"If you try to use your magic to make things easier, he'll notice immediately, and he's not easy to deal with.

'No, it's just running and let's not use magic.

　I'm the one who wants to do everything the easy way. I'm going to have to come up with something magical to fool even Nord-Dad.

　As I'm thinking, my father claps his hands together.

The break is over. Let's pretend.

Yes, sir.

Yeah.