Things began to fall into a rhythm for the days until the tournament, Not only for me but for my companions as well. As soon as everybody wakes up we all head off to our own activities. I know that Kera had set up a stall in town somewhere and that Gero was spending his days in the library, but I don’t really know where everybody else is running off to. Kiel and the imps seem to wake up even earlier than I do, and before I ever see them they disappear somewhere. Kurobe just naps around somewhere most of the time, but occasionally he vanishes too. I suppose I shouldn’t complain, with everybody occupied it leaves me free to focus entirely on my training.

“Bye, bye Mano!” Mana says with a wave as her and the princess go off to play again

They seem to really get along, but doesn’t the princess have things she needs to be doing? Aside from her duties as royalty doesn’t she also have to deal with that annoying Yuusha? I hope I’m not taking up all her time by having her watch Mana for me. Plus, although nothing has happened so far, it will be hard to explain to someone with as many questions as the princess why Mana is so powerful if she ever screws up and shows her true strength.

Oh well, for now, I need to focus on training. I might get a real opportunity to slay the Yuusha in this tournament if nothing goes wrong, so for now getting stronger is my top priority.

After seeing Mana off I head towards the park. We have been doing the same exercise for a while now, but I’ve not grown anymore used to it. I still find the slime incredible disgusting, and it is still hell to have Shishou attack me where my guard is down over and over again. No matter how hard I try I can’t seem to prepare myself for an attack at any angle, and whatever angle I leave open he skillfully strikes.

Sigh

“I suppose the faster I get there, the faster it will be over with,” I say aloud as I look up at the clouds to heal my soul

It’s rather dark today, isn’t it? The sun should have risen by now, surely. The weather doesn’t seem so bad as to obstruct it though…

『Attention: Eclipse will begin in 15 minutes.』

A window appears before my face as I am wondering about the weather.

An eclipse, huh? I wonder why my menu notified me about this? So far it has only ever told me about changes to myself, but now it’s giving me a preemptive notice of an event. Perhaps this is something big.

“Heeey~ Shishou!” I call out as I approach the park

“Oh? I didn’t figure you would show up today.” He says with a raised eyebrow as I draw near

“Why not? You didn’t tell me I had a day off or anything.” I state with a slightly confused look

“You really come from the boonies, don’t you? People in the capital don’t do any kind of work or practice on a new sun.” He says with a shrug

A new sun? Is that to do with the eclipse?

“So then why are you here?” I ask attempting to pretend I understood him

“Training you has gotten me in the mood to have a serious training session as well! Haven’t worked up a good sweat in years. For that reason, leave. You’re in the way.” He says coldly as he turns away from me

『Eclipes has begun:

+10% Stats

+50% EXP

-20% Summoning cost

Time remaining: 00:06:00』

I want to get annoyed and say something, but before I have the opportunity another window pops up in front of me.

?! This is something amazing, isn’t it?! If you think on the fact that Maou typically gain experience by splitting themselves into monsters and having them gather, having a discount on summoning and an EXP boost would stack up exponentially! Even if I don’t plan to use the same strategy, a boost like this should be taken advantage of! It doesn’t look like it has much time left though… I should gather everybody up quickly and try to do some hunting.

“Alright then! Guess I’ll take the day off then!” I yell out as I wave goodbye to Sishou

Who should I go for first? I only know where to find Kera and Gero… I’ll go for Gero first, and call Kera on the way.

“Kera, are you there? I need you to meet me at the library quick!” I yell into my inventory screen as I dash towards the library

“Princess? What’s the emergency? Did you piss off another criminal group?” Kera responds in a snarky tone

“Seems like I get an EXP boost from the eclipse. It will be more efficient if we hunt as a group, so I need everybody to gather. Do you have any idea where the others are?” I explain not acknowledging her jeer

“Monster huntin’? Now’s my time to shine! Screw the library, just meet us as the east gate! I’ll get everybody together there. Your automata gonna join in too?” She asks with an excited tone

When Kera gets excited things rarely work out well for me… but whatever. At least she will be in striking distance this time.

I hurry to the library. I had passed it a few time while wandering the town but never entered before. Since I can’t read it doesn’t really appeal to me. I’ve considered taking up reading as a hobby though, so perhaps I should get Gero to teach me or something. The building itself is rather plain. Unlike the guild hall, it has nearly no design and is a dirty color of the bricks used to construct it. The stairway leading up to the front entrance looks more pristine than the building, which only highlights the plain nature of it further. Those that frequent it still manage to give it an air of nobility, however. Even with the building being so run down and plain, with fancy clothed nobles constantly coming in and out of it, you can’t help but feel like it’s important.

“Ah, welcome miss. Can I help you find something?” An attendant ask to my surprise when I enter

He popped out of nowhere. Was he hiding behind the door or something?

“Just looking for a friend, have you seen a man in a black suit and a porcelain mask?” I ask trying not to show my surprise

“Do you mean the Grey Scholar? I believe I saw him in the lecture hall earlier.” The attendant answers with a slight look of amazement

The Grey Scholar?...

I head in the direction the attendant pointed for the lecture hall, hoping with everything I could that I had the wrong mask wearing weirdo.

“Mano-sama?”

Alas, I didn’t.

Gero was standing in the middle of a dozen nobles papers strewn everywhere looking through a book so old it seemed to be falling apart at the seams.

Sigh “We need to go, how quickly could you get ready?” I ask simply trying to accept the fact that I know the weirdest people

Gero gero “Please give me 30 seconds. The fine for damaging the books I have borrowed is hefty so I must be careful.” He responds with a bow before skillfully stacking the books and organizing them away

All the while the nobles are staring at me with a look of total bewilderment.

Must I make Gero stop referring to me with “–sama”? He stands out too much for people to know he thinks so highly of me.