2 people and a horse arrived at the training ground with the owner absent. (TL: Owner/lord referring to Lumina)

Well it was me.

“Anyway, Yanbus-san is work good for you here?”

“Yes. The stables I am managing houses the horses ridden by the Valkyrie Paladin Corps as well as the horses in charge of pulling carriages to receive VIP guests, so now the stable houses not only a few horses.”

“I see. Then could you introduce this horse to me.”

“Yeah. This horse is called Fornoir.”

Fornoir sounded like the name of a cake, it gave a feeling that it means a dark forest. (TL: He is totally referring to black forest noir cakes called Forêt-Noire.)

“Fornoir, nice to meet you I am Luciel. I have not ridden on a horse before so please give me guidance.” I lowered my head and was surprised by “Luciel-sama what are you doing!”.

“Eh? Aren’t horses smart and can understand what people say?”

“That is true but suddenly lowering your head makes it look like you are asking it to make you it’s servant.”

” … Seriously?”

“I don’t know for sure but that was how it looked like. This guy is exceptionally smart so it should be okay but do be careful.”

“I’m sorry. Thank you for the advice.”

Thus I had already made a mistake at the very first step so I was determined to absolutely listen to everything Yanbus-san says as I received my instructions.

“First face forward and stand beside it while calling the horse and touching it gently. If you mount it without warning the horse will be frightened.”

“Yes.” As I was told I stood at its side facing forward and touched it’s flank.

“It’s warm.”

“Yes. They are warmer than people. Although it is currently wearing a saddle, please press onto it’s back to signal it that you are going to mount it.”

“Yes.” I tried pressing 『Gutsu Gutsu』. But there wasn’t any reaction.

“Okay. It doesn’t seem like it dislikes it so you are fine. Please mount it.”

“Eh already?”

“Yes now, I believe you’ve prepared yourself?”

“Understood.” I kicked the ground and sat on the saddle.

“Okay. That’s good. Please maintain your vertical posture with your upper body raised and your legs apart.”

“Ye … yes. Erm Yanbus isn’t this is quite high up?”

“Initially anybody who saddles up for the first time thinks so as well, it’s going to be fine. You will get used to it eventually.”

“Are there no stirrups?”

“What are stirrups?”

“A place to place your feet or a support tool that gives a foothold?”

“Erm~ I have never heard of it. Where is this local specialty from?”

“Ah ~ never mind, I heard about it a long time ago so I only tried asking. It doesn’t matter.”

“I’m sorry that I can’t help. Once you are done, try to actually steer. Please sandwich the horse between your knees and make sure that your axis doesn’t s.h.i.+ft. It will be tough on the sides of the horse as well if your axis s.h.i.+fts.”

At that moment, I recalled something from my previous life. Thinking of the knee grip I used when I once rode on a motorcycle for fun, I maintained my posture. However that height was still scary. It made the area around the groin felt chilly.

“The cue to advance is by shaking the reins, pulling on the reins is the cue to stop. When turning pull the reins towards the direction you wish to turn to.”

“Understood.”

I lightly shook the reins. As a result Fornoir began to lightly trot.

“Okay. That’s good. Please do a lap around the perimeter here with that pose.”

“Here I go.”

『Pakopakopako』 With a pleasant rhythm, Fornoir trotted forward and reached the end in no time at all. I pulled slightly using my right hand to prompt it to turn and it turned for me.

“Thanks” I thanked it, we once again reached the end and turned, after we moved to the side of Yanbus-san, I slowly used both hands to pull the reins and it stopped for me.

“Okay. Wonderful. Makes me think that this is not your first time.”

“No, it is because Fornoir is smart. Also, it feels like my b.u.t.t and knees will feel terrible if I ride for too long.”

“That will happen. Not only will the skin on your b.u.t.t get irritated, you will also need to keep flexing the muscles on your knees that you rarely use. Well for a healer-sama like you there would be no problems?”

Now that he mentioned it. Just being able to use 「Heal」 is a considerable cheat.

“Could I continue for a bit more?”

“Yes. Fornoir have not ran enough as well. However, please do not raise your speed unreasonably.”

“Okay. Understood.”

Just like that with multiple breaks interposed between horse riding, without noticing quite some time had pa.s.sed and the Valkyrie Paladin Corps returned.

“Even though you are a beginner you are already looking pretty good.” Lumina-san called out.

“Is that so? That makes me happy but it is because this child here is smart. I am sure that if it was an unruly horse the moment I jumped on its back I would be shaken off.”

“Kukuku. I see. Training ends here today. I look forward to you joining our training next week.”

“Ah, yes. Likewise I look forward to it as well.”

Just like that training with the Valkyrie Paladin Corps and my first horse riding experience ended.

I am a guy who can read the atmosphere … I think. Which is why during dinner time, I had dinner at a different time from everyone else from the Valkyrie Paladin Corps.

Well it was for official business, but it seems like I didn’t train at all today. Upon using appraisal, the skill proficiency for horse riding was definitely there but pretty much everything else didn’t grow at all.

“I had not thought that it would stop growing. I feel extremely uneasy. No, maybe this is how a normal life is?”

I had such a thought but, “If I get attacked by people at the level of the Valkyrie Paladin Corps I will definitely die, I need to work harder after all. Whenever one feels anxious, train.”

Thus I went and returned from the tenth floor, had my dinner and slept.

From the next day I started capturing the labyrinth again.

“There were traps from the sixth floor onwards so there should be traps from the 16th floor onwards as well.”

After casting 「Aura Coat」 and 「Area Barrier」 just in case, I searched for traps while drawing the map and destroying monsters.

“Just because I don’t have a rucksack now, movement has become abnormally easy, I’ve got to thank the Pope for this.”

In truth, to pick up items with the magic bag, I don’t necessarily need to use my hands to touch it, I found that even stepping on the item was enough.

“If we had this on Earth then everybody could become magicians.”

While such a corny thought floated in my head, I discovered a trap and stepped warily. 『Biiiiiii』 An alarm sounded and monsters surged towards me from all around.

“I see. So there are these kinds of traps as well.” I nodded while casting purification magic to crush the monsters from one direction and escaped from that gap.

And then I defeated the approaching monsters individually using purification magic and my sword.

I used this combat method because during this morning in the dining hall Elizabeth-san pa.s.sed a message from Lumina-san advising me that if I attempted things that I cannot accomplish it will become a strange habit so it is better to stop.

Elizabeth-san and Lipnea-san both use dual-swords so I studied under them.

“This may be an order from Lumina-sama but you still owe me one.”

I lowered my head while praying that there was no interest rate for the favour I owe.

With a neat slash the undead monsters immediately disappeared. Although it is crude but this should be a stepping stone in preparation for the next boss battle. While I pondered, I finished mapping the 16th floor and stopped to eat my lunch.

While having my bento I considered “I wonder just how many monsters can Object X repel.”

As I contemplated, once I completely explored the 17th floor I once again returned to the 10th floor boss room and annihilated the monsters there. Every time I enter via the boss room I will annihilate them, every time I leave via the boss room I will annihilate them as well. So I left via the boss room, annihilated the monsters and left the labyrinth.

The next day, I returned after exploring the 18th and 19th floor. And the following day I finished exploring the 20th floor.

“So the boss room is here. Yeap. It gives off a terribly bad feeling.” (TL: Spider senses are tingling.)  

Without directly bursting into the room, I returned from the labyrinth.

And then I directly asked Katria-san who was at the shop “Are the main boss rooms hierarchical in nature? What emerges from the one at the 20th floor?”

“I have no idea. I have never entered the labyrinth before. But, just maybe, like before it might be a person related to the Healer’s Guild who lost their lives in this labyrinth.”

She made a sorrowful face at that moment. If this was an act it is way too amazing. If she was born in a different world, with her youthful look and beautiful charm she could have lived a comfortable life as an actress.

“I see. Thank you for your valuable opinion. Are there any important items that I require?”

“If you intend to go I can’t stop you. But I advice that you don’t go. There’s no telling what kind of traps are there.”

“I won’t go there yet. It won’t do if I don’t first hone my foundation more.”

“I see. Well this does not only pertain to this labyrinth, but potions that recover magical power and physical power are indispensable. Also, connecting the stories I’ve heard about the other labyrinths, survival rates increases if you bring food along with you.”

So these were hints for capturing labyrinths. Understood.

“If that’s the case please show me the type of potions with high recovery values.”

I purchased the potions and for the next two days, I travelled back and forth from the 10th floor boss room and defeated monsters using magic and sword with breaks sandwiched in between. I worked to train my mental spirit such that I do not panic when faced with one-vs-many situations.

And then my second Valkyrie Paladin Corps training began.