Chapter 284: Individual Training

A week had already passed since the dark elves arrived.

Most had adapted well, and they really liked the food from the welcome party, which was a relief.

As for Soara and Luna, they were already glued to the recreation room, playing games with Sheera and Helena.

They had adapted so quickly that it was hard to believe it had only been a week—perhaps because they were troublemakers, they fit right in.

However, one concern remained: Lucia had not adjusted at all.

She seemed poor at customer service and couldn’t use polite speech naturally.

She dominated others in mock battles and excelled at physical labor—but she didn’t fit the relaxed atmosphere here.

I had suspected from the start that Lucia might struggle to adapt, and unfortunately, that turned out to be true.

She was also appointed leader, so she likely felt pressure.

Honestly, I thought it might be better for her to move to the orchard—but with Soara and Luna under her watch, she couldn’t easily switch.

To resolve this situation, I decided to have a proper talk with her.

“Lucia-san, sorry for calling you here today.”

“No problem. I wasn’t doing anything anyway… Did I mess something up again?”

She sounded negative from the start, and her complexion looked worse than before.

“No, you just seemed a bit down. Are you feeling unwell? Or is the food not to your taste?”

“I’m fine. I feel good, and the food is delicious. It’s just…”

“Does the work not suit you?”

“…Yes. I’m used to harsher environments, so I can’t adapt to this atmosphere. And I’m supposed to be the one scolding others—yet here I am as leader, struggling like this…”

After a pause, she opened up about her feelings.

As expected, she couldn’t keep up with the change in environment.

“I see. Have you considered moving to the orchard?”

“No. Everyone already knows I’m struggling, and… it might sound like pride, but as leader, I can’t move at this stage.”

“I don’t think that’s foolish at all. In that case… I’ll train you thoroughly. If you don’t like the relaxed atmosphere, then we’ll take everything seriously—even play.”

“Even play… seriously?”

“Yes. But on one condition—you won’t force others to follow your pace. How about it?”

“If you’re willing, I’d appreciate your guidance.”

“Alright. Let’s begin now—slowly, step by step.”

And so, I began one-on-one training with Lucia.

With personal instruction, I could teach her thoroughly until she mastered each skill.

Honestly, I wanted her to rest—but since she was willing, I wouldn’t stop her.

Of course, I wouldn’t let her overwork herself either.

For the next two weeks, we trained every night for two hours.

Starting with reading scripts aloud, she gradually learned through practice.

After about two weeks, Lucia had learned how to switch into “customer service mode,” and could now speak fluently according to the manual.

Step by step, her issues were resolved—and she eventually became one of the best among the dark elves at customer service.

She was now good enough for the inn to open—and as her skills improved, her energy returned.

At the same time, I also taught her games, and she became the third strongest among the dark elves, after Soara and Luna.

Seeing her enjoy herself made me glad I spent the time training her.

After all, I want everyone here to be happy.

“Sato-san, thank you for everything until now. I’ll continue improving on my own.”

“No, you did great. As expected of the leader of the dark elves—you have talent.”

“It’s not my talent. It’s your teaching. I’ve adapted here… and I’ll repay this kindness through my work.”

“You don’t need to feel indebted. If anything comes up, just let me know. I’ll help however I can.”

“…Then if there’s anything I can do, tell me. I’ll do anything.”

Her eyes were filled with absolute determination.

But honestly, I didn’t need anything special—just having her work well was more than enough.

More importantly, I was truly glad she had finally found her place here.