BXBX NOVEL Volume 5 4.3
「So what about you, Mio?」
「Geno’s gotten into making unclassified potions, so I will be observing him all day tomorrow. If nothing problematic comes up, then I’ll come around to the library the day after.」
「That right. Sounds like it’s goin’ pretty well.」
「Mm. I sincerely applaud his highness Layotte for bringing along such a gem. Still, it’s also super disheartening for Geno.」
「Nah, that’s just normal. Right now is the time for accumulatin’ failure upon failure, and of course yer gonna feel a bit down when that happens.」
A grimace on his face, Hiroshi backed up Mio, who had conveyed Geno’s disappointment. In the original game, there had already been many discouraged individuals when it came to crafting-related activities. If anything, you should compliment those people for not just throwing down the towel.
「At any rate, once he gets to unclassified potions, even Teres and the others with all their busy work can help out.」
「Yup. Also, dependin’ on the situation, I’ll directly look at the progress ‘n maybe you can come help Bro instead.」
「I personally think you should oversee their progress up to class 8 minimum, Sensei.」
「Sure I can, but why?」
「Considering everything that will happen from here out, as long as I’m here as a leader, it’s better that Sensei exudes more authority by not instructing them with kind explanations from the get-go.」
Everyone had to agree with Mio’s oddly well thought-out retort. While it wasn’t a problem with this scale, now that new members coming in was set in stone, having the workshop master himself come and explain everything in detail from the very beginning for every new recruit and stick by them was simply impossible for many reasons.
「I do wonder if it’s cool to talk about concepts like cultivation of human resources or authority with middle schoolers, y’know?」
「It’s true that Mio’s oddly sharp for thinking that up at her age, but if anything, I think you didn’t give it enough thought, Hiroshi.」
「I mean, I won’t deny that…」
Thanks to Mio’s speech on organizational theory, Hiroshi and Makoto had a conversation most teens and early twenties didn’t even get to have.
「So there are other things on your mind you have yet to say, right?」
「Mm. I think there will be a lot more problems cropping up than just authority if Sensei’s personal pupils increase.」
「Like what?」
「If Sensei directly teaches them, their skill acquisition will grow way too fast.」
「Ah～……」
Makoto couldn’t find any rebuttal to Mio’s point. Of course there was Haruna, a visitor from the unknown continent who frequently gave direct guidance to the workshop members, and Hiroshi who gave direct guidance to Teres and the others, who were oddly quick with learning and with growth in talent. Everything Hiroshi had taught them was not something that could normally be acquired in a half year or full year.
Azuma Workshop was already beginning to protrude as it was with their technology, so having the new trainees match that pace could seriously beckon chaos. Even if Teres and the others went hard on raising their juniors to a high level, this senior junior apprentice relationship would probably have to continue without serious repercussions.
And even before that, Hiroshi and Mio both could not stay in this world indefinitely to help train people, so they should probably install a system that solved this issue.
「But Teres and the others are in fact your pupils, right Mio? So if you’re the one to instruct them, won’t the result be the same?」
「The material I teach is way different from the material Sensei teaches in proficiency, adaptability, and the spirit of inquiry involved in both.」
「Is it really all that different?」
「Yes, it would astonish you.」
While they somewhat understood what Mio was getting at, Makoto and Tatsuya also knew that Mio had brought Teres and the other two’s abilities up to making class 7 potions in under a year, so she really wasn’t one to talk. But at that very moment, Mio mentioned something that would put a stop in their line of thought.
「Lime is a prime example.」
「Whaaa?」
「Whenever Sensei instructs someone, he occasionally puts Lime on his lap. She has a special seat to observe Sensei’s mana diffusion and work procedures, so even though he hasn’t directly taught her, Lime just learned how to do all this by herself.」
Apparently you can’t underestimate a child’s absorbing power or curiosity. When work didn’t involve much stamina or physique, Lime could do it better than the average craftsman. Lately, when friends were too busy to play with her, she went off and used remaining materials to make unclassified potions or thread and paper from weeds she obtained while helping to cut the grass in vacant land.
This was another reason that Geno was dejected. Lime learning work on her own and helping out/making things instilled the impression in him that this was something that was expected, which was why no one had caught on to that. The adults thought that it was fine as long as you did it in front of them.
Furthermore, the potions Lime made all had great quality, which was why Merizza Trade Guild had them delivered. The only thing to be wary of was when she made class 8 potions while everyone let their guard down.
「Actually, Sensei, Teres and the others are almost at the wall for novice rank.」
「Well yeah, that’s prolly right. Gotta tell ‘em to use their free study time for smithin’, engineerin’, ‘n furniture makin’. Then if they can gather ingredients from Ortem or Crest Cave, we’ll be off to a good start for many reasons.」
Mio pointed out the problem of quick pacing, and Hiroshi came up with a countermeasure.
「They’re partially catching up to Haru. How’s that going by the way?」
「I’m thinkin’ of havin’ Haruna-san make a small lil boat when she’s got free time. I think that’ll kick her up to Makin’ Mastery.」
Hiroshi proposed a new genre of trailblazing for Haruna, who was quite a bit stuck against the wall of Beginner. She nodded at what he said. By this point, making potions every day was something Teres and the others were expected to catch up to her on. This wasn’t all that problematic, but Haruna was their senior and it would surely look good to maintain that rep.
Also, people tended to forget about fishing as part of the crafting skills, and Haruna had for a time been diligent in fishing for ingredients to train her cooking, so by this point she didn’t even have to train because those requirements were met.
「Well now I finally feel like I understand the requirements for Making Mastery.」
「Sounds about right.」
When you have one high-level field of expertise, you need a wide foundation in order to put it to more than enough use. Making Mastery and its burdensome acquisition requirements were probably a result of this line of thinking. Every time a new field came up, Haruna thoroughly reflected on this fact.