It was the morning after I had decided to use Jaune Arcs employment, by that I actually meant servitude, on making Jaune Arc be a better fighter than I had known him to be. I had already made his armour using the Crusader Plate Steel I had gotten the other day from fighting the Crusader. He better appreciate the work I've put into this, despite it being very little, this particular one made me hesitant to part with the armour.

[Noble Knight Armor(White)]

[One of a knight's many best friends. +2 To all Stats, x1.1 HP, x1.1 AP]

"…You better get good Jaune Arc, because of what I'm going to put you through, you are either going to get stronger…" I placed the armour in my Inventory . "…or fuck up in the future. And quite honestly, it's no skin off my nose if you fucked up."

I rubbed my hands together in glee at the prospect of making someone suffer in what I could conceive to be the most humorous manner I could imagine.

74 days before Beacon Starts

That was how much time I had with Jaune Arc. Let's start by gauging how much I should work on him.

"Hey Arc!" Jaune looked up from where he was sweeping, badly I might add. "Get over here!" He scuttled over, leaving the broom to lean on a wall. I kicked a wooden crate full of Metal Scraps out from behind the counter. "I want you to bring this upstairs."

"Yes Mr Moor!" He tried lifting the box and only managed to lift it up from the ground a few centimetres. I stared there in silence as he moved the box to the stairway in a…at this point even using the word 'slow' would be a compliment.

"You …uh…you need some help there?" He waved me away, stating that he could do it, and tried moving the box again.

I was slightly impressed at the fact he managed to get it to the stairway before I waved him off and lifted the box with one hand before bringing it up the stairs.

Looks like I was going to have my work cut out for me.

72 days before Beacon.

I had not made progress with my big box trial and decided to tone it down a lot by separating the weights of the first box into several boxes.

"Hey Arc! Got some more boxes for you here!" I called out once he entered the shop from…somewhere.

In fact, where did he sleep? How would he have enough money for maybe 70 more days of living before Beacon? Do I have to ask?

Nah.

71 days before Beacon.

Alright, now we were making progress. After yesterday's slight success I cut down the boxes' weight by half. Now I had a total of eight boxes that I will have Jaune carry up the stairs every day for his time here and when things look easy enough I'll double their weights.

68 days before Beacon.

"I have a question." I looked up from counting my legally earned Lien. The afternoon sun shone through the slightly cracked windows of the shop.

'Observe'

[Jaune Arc Lvl5]

[Hunter Wannabe]

[1050/1050 HP]

[15000/15000 AP]

"What is it Arc?"

"Why do you keep making me bring heavy boxes upstairs?"

"You see Arc, when I agreed to make you your armour I figured that I might as well make an effort into doing it." I lied. "Those boxes are metals that I'm using to make your armour."

"Ohhh…" Realization was evident on his face. "Thanks! Mr Moor."

"Arc, I'm literally as young as you, quit calling me Mr Moor."

"But I don't know what else to call you…you didn't give me your name."

"Ah…" I felt embarrassed about not giving him my name. "Well, you can call me Euca, Euca Vinmoor is my full name."

"Well Euca, you can call me Jaune!"

"Don't count on it Mr Arc, I'm still your boss and you should get back to work."

65 days before Beacon.

I had double the box weights today, it looked like he was getting used to the weights. I almost laughed myself silly when he realized that the boxes were now heavier. He should be able to lift a full box by the end of this or else he won't be able to use the armour I made for him.

Now that he was actually getting stronger I had a new problem to tackle. I had decided not to touch his fighting since at Beacon he would probably end up a better fighter than me, I didn't mind that, I wasn't a fighter, I was a Merchant first and foremost. I now needed a way to improve his toughness and throwing things at him was out of the question…

Which had brought me to my new project.

"Item Crafting."

[Item Crafting has levelled up]

[Training Armor]

[Leaves whoever is wearing it mostly intact. +1 VIT]

[Steel Warhammer]

[A heavy warhammer designed to smash into things. Whoever is hit is in for a world of hurt. +2 STR, +2 VIT, -2 AGI]

64 days before Beacon.

"Hey Arc! Would you come here for a bit?" I yelled from the second floor when I heard him enter the shop. He made his way upstairs.

"Euca is that what I think it is?" He excitedly eyed the Training Armor I got him.

"No, this is just to see if I got you measurements right and if you can handle the armour I'm making you. Here, put it on."

"It's a bit heavy…" He complained after putting it on.

"That's the point." I suddenly hit him in the chest with the hammer and he went flying into the wall before sliding off of it.

[-48 HP]

Oh good, It didn't hurt him that much…should I be insulted that I didn't? I feel like I should be insulted.

"What was that for!?" He yelled after getting up while I marvelled at the fact that the armour didn't show any visible signs of damage.

"Armour testing...y'know, for your armour." I lied, rearing up for another smash.

"Wait wait! Shouldn't you ask if I'm ready?"

"Are you?"

"No!"

"Too bad." Another blow and this time I knocked him down the stairs. I heard a low whine of pain from the first floor and the distinct sound of my wares falling from the shelves. "Oh man up, I'm not even putting my back into it…also you're picking that up."

The groan of exasperation was music to my ears.

It was late in the evening when I finally concluded this little beating session with Jaune Arc, stopping when a customer came in or to have a snack. His HP made him a ridiculously good punching bag for a hammer. He now laid battered and exhausted on the second floor as I stood over him. "Hey, it's closing time. Get up and get out."

"I am too tired to even move…" He weakly gestured with his hand. "Can I..uh…spend the night here?"

"…" I was by no means a nice person. I was selfish, I enjoyed making people suffer, I enjoyed taking advantage of others when I can. "Fine…" I lifted Jaune Arc off the floor and placed him on my bed. "You're buying breakfast tomorrow and we're going to be doing this again." That didn't mean I couldn't be a nice guy every now and again. And besides, this made for slightly more time to work on his strength.

"Thanks Euca...good night."

"Can it Arc and get some rest." I made my way downstairs. "And good night…"

I closed the shop's doors and turned off all the lights before retreating into the Workshop with one resolute thought.

I was not a tsundere.