by Fujino Omori
At the same time I was trying to figure out the true meaning of her words, Ryuu-san continued and said the next sentence.
“You are an Adventurer.”
Following just that sentence, it spread apart from my chest, entered the depths and remained there.
“The things you desire. Although it is only speculation, it is probably nowhere to be found except right ahead.”
“Ha…Ha……”
“……No, please do not worry too much. This is only my 6th sense, there are often always mistakes.”
Although in that instant, I seem to have slightly widened my eyes towards Ryuu-san, who was smiling. However, in the blink of an eye, I was greeted by the usual cold face.
I could not believe it and continued to stare. After I was inquired by her sight “What is it”, I hurriedly replied “Nothing at all”.
After some period of time, we finally finished washing the dishes.
“Many thanks, Cranel-san. If I can, then please visit this bar again next time.”
“Okay, I’ll come again next time.”
I was watched by Ryuu-san, who still have work to do, as I walked out of the kitchen entrance. I passed through the doors of the
“Bell-san.”
“……Seal-san.”
After being called upon, I turned around. Seal-san was currently standing at a position not too far away.
Did she desperately tried to finish her work as a waitress, the pair of white cheeks were currently glowing red.
“Today, I am so sorry…….I am really grateful for it.”
“Ah, no. Although I had said these words in the beginning, but I have been subjected to a lot of care by Seal-san everyday……”
My gaze lingered towards the ground. Only then did I notice a tail and a bun that was connected the back of head was nearby. At the same time, I slightly slurred.
Having such a serious attitude, wouldn’t it make the things that should be blamed for become something that is impossible to be blamed?
Anyways, I originally did not have any intentions to go into this further.
“……Bell-san.”
“……?”
Seal-san looked up and used her pale gray eyes to look at me.
Her shallow lips opened up and gently closed, as if she was struggling to say something. I tilted my head.
“Because I…am not an Adventurer-sama, so I do not know what to say……”
“Seal…san?”
“……Isn’t it fine to not go on an Adventure?”
Towards the quietly words, I widened my eyes.
Afterwards, Seal-san looked away slight, her upright eyebrows dropped, as if she was revealing a wry smile.
“Please don’t…force yourself. No matter what. Only this point I wanted to convey.”
“……”
“……Why am I afraid right now?”
With a foggy heartbeat, Seal-san whispered the last words.
Probably, she had heard the conversation between me and Ryuu-san.
As a civilian, she must have sensitively reacted to the content, which we, Adventurers, may have already been numbed about.
“Sorry, saying these unclear words.”
“No……”
“The lunch, I will continue to make. Please continue to accept it from now on.”
Actually, there is no need to force yourself, I said while revealing a wry smile. At the same time, I understood the meaning behind that sentence.
She hoped that the day, where I could not accept this lunch, will never come. This was what she was conveying.
After bowing down beautifully with a neatly dressed waiter outfit, Seal-san returned to the shop with a face filled with smiles.
“……”
The warm orange light and the bustling laughter sounds continued to leak out from the bar. I stood there, staring at the sky.
There was a feeling that there were two paths in front of me.
The path pointed out by Ryuu-san and the path that was advised by both Seal-san and Eina-san.
??
??
Probably, most certainly, it was two sentences that were extremely opposites.
My heart did not continue to think and the voice of those people continued to quietly overlap together.
Maintaining the state where I was at the entrance of a crossroad, I continued to stare at the sky.
* * *
The first light of the morning shone down from the dawn skies. It faintly illuminated the outer edge of the city.
The dazzling light emerged from the mountain ridge slowly revealed the figure and reflected upon. The face appears to be bright red.
It was soon the time for it to end.
While our weapons fiercely clashed on top of the surrounding walls, I understood this.
From that person, whose golden hair was swaying, a merciless attack was released.
The continuous attacks from the sheath passed through my body. At the same time, the topic that she had given out was the final part of the training. It was to show it through my own actions.
I blocked the sheath that flew over.
Widening my eyes slightly, the number of times that I defended against the oncoming attacks continued to increase.
So far, I had witnessed this person’s amazing defensive method countless times.
It was not directly deflecting the enemy’s weapon, but instead striking it from the side or diagonally in order to spread the strength and to stop the attack.
So far, I had continuously experimented and improved these movements. On this final day where it was about to be declared as the end, I dished out everything I had learnt.
“??!”
I forcefully suppressed my thoughts about retreating and courageously defended.
While blocking another and another blow, while it occasionally grazed my body, I held the
I broke away from my defensive posture and for the first time, I counterattacked her.
“……!”
The cry of a metal hitting a metal.
She easily parried my blow. But I had really conveyed it.
Facing me, who was breathing raggedly and had my
Suddenly, a brilliant light came down from the morning sun. Under this increasingly intense light, it was difficult to open my eyes.
Following that moment, on the opposite side of the light, I had a feeling that person was happily smiling.
“With this, it is over……”
Aizu-san quietly murmured to herself.
From the surrounding walls, you could clearly see a portion of the sun had emerged from the eastern skies. That is the signal declaring the end of this week-long training.
My face turned to the side temporarily and watched the scenery. Then as my gaze intersected with hers, who was also watching the same view, I bowed my head.
“Thank you for everything so far.”
While I stared at the stone floor, I bowed down for a period of time.
When I recalled this, it feels so short. In essence, it was only a very short week. Towards this dream-like moment, I clenched my teeth tightly.
Shortly after I raised my head, Aizu-san still had a face that lacks emotions, but her eyebrows had relaxed. At the same time, she whispered with a warm voice.
“I should also thank you……I was happy.”
For this appearance, for this fleeting smile, the beautiful morning scene created a golden border for it.
In the end, I was still completely red. After opening and closing my mouth, I bowed down my head and did nothing.
“……Then from now on, good luck.”
“……Okay.”
After the farewell that was treasured like god, that
person turned her back from this side and slowly walked away.
Staring at her back that was disappearing in the dazzling light, I wondered if I could reach her.
I thought to myself. These pair of hands, just like the moment earlier, could it reach that person’s side?
During this week’s time, I could see that the distance from that person was still arguably far away.
Simply to the extent where I would stand there in stun. Simply to the extent where it made one feel it was hopeless.
Can I really chase after that silhouette?
“……”
Even so, I must chase after it.
If I do not try, then it will definitely be out of reach. Nothing will ever begin.
In order to stand by her side. In order to catch up to her.
Towards that silhouette……That height, I must continue to stretch my hands out once again.
Even if I am currently embracing my shapeless and collapsing, weak heart. Even if that’s the case, I must vow towards this clear morning.
I also turned my back towards her, who was gradually disappearing, and began to walk in the opposite direction.
* * *
After Eina had organized the documents spread on her work counter, she sighed out loud.
From her surroundings, rustling sounds of preparing to return home came from the colleagues that were split apart due to work.
Hanging on the wall, near the ceiling, a clock was currently hovering around 8 o’ clock at night. Inside the office of the guild headquarters, there were only a few groups of staff left. It looks exceptionally quiet.
Why not find something to drink? Just when Eina had this thought while she surveyed the surroundings, the sound of her receptionist friend came from the depths of the room.
“Fu?ah, Eina, help me out?! There is so much that I won’t finish even if it is till tomor?row!?”
“……You brought this up yourself. It is Misha’s fault for not working until today.”
After a deep sigh, she bluntly refused the cry of her human friend.
On the work counter of the female employee with a child-like face, Misha, numerous documents were piled up like a tiny mountain.
It was to assemble the records of the information, which they requested from Gods, for various
“Why are there so many people that
“I say you, don’t talk about the crystallization of Adventurer’s blood and sweat as that kind of thing. If you had honestly worked from the beginning, then you would not have been reduced to such a fate, right?”
“Yes, I’m reflecting on it, reflecting on it……Eina, help!?”
“No?Way.”
As if the conversation had ended, Eina turned her back away. While Eina received a complaint “How unloyal?!”3, she sighed and thought about bringing a coffee over later.
“……”
As if she was immersed in the aftertaste after her work was done, she supported her slim chin with her two elbows propped up. Eina gazed at the paper that was swiftly written.
An application. On this document written with a few large characters, the summary of it was to persuade and change the operational attitude of
It was her own handwritten report after listening to Loki’s and Bell’s words.
Eina did not want to punish the
However, if she really wanted to punish them, based on Bell and Lili’s words, they should indeed be the side that was punished from a fair standpoint. Regardless of whether or not there were appropriate reasons, being condemned was unavoidable.
Eina had never thought of wanting to be like a Goddess of Justice and holding a sword and a scale in her hands.
At least, she believes that it was a territory that she should not be involved in.
Only, although that is the case.
If they were to change a bit and allowing the living environments of Adventurers and Supporters to be improved, there is no need to hesitate whether she should get involved or not.
No matter what, Eina, who placed more importance on whether the Adventurers would return from the Dungeon than anything else, would wade through this flowing water.
(Since I had taken up a side of a specific
In front of this report that seems to rat upon someone, Eina was already aware that it was mixed largely with her own personal affairs.
The specific
Based on the results, Eina was too concerned about that boy. So she did acts of intruding upon the
On the surface, it was an act that betrayed the neutrality behavior of the guild. This was a completely different matter than the act of giving advice out to Bell after discussing with him.
Abuse of power. As a member of the guild, she could be considered as a failure.
(……However, it is worst to sit here idly without caring about it)
Even if she did not deserve to be a member of the guild, Eina did not want to lose her identity as Eina Tulles. Even if it was only a specious argument, she had already decided.
The noble blood that runs inside her body was the same as Riveria. Even if she was to say it was for the pride of her insignificant half-elf side, but she still did not want to pretend that she had not seen it. This was something that Eina thought from the bottom of her heart.
(If she was fired……Then let me join
They can’t be that irresponsible for their actions. She playfully thought about this and continued to think about the events after switching her job.
While swaying her semi-long brown hair, Eina could not help but give a wry smile towards her own delusions.
“What is it, Eina? You suddenly giggled.”
“I did not giggle. That’s going too far!”
“What’s the problem with it, did something happen? I was curious.”
“No……Only that I thought about the future events after switching my job……”
“After switching jobs, huh……It can’t be! Eina, you’re not going to work in the guild!?”
The moment Misha raised her voice, “Gata!?”, the other employees all stood up from their chair at the same time. All of them were male.
Eina was suddenly dumbfounded in front of this uniform scene, at the same time, she hurried to correct the misconception of her friend.
“N…Nono. I am saying, the events after I get fired by the guild. I do not have any plans on resigning.”
“What, don’t scare me like this……Eina being fired, impossible, impossible.”
Towards her friend’s words, it might not be the case, Eina held back in her impulse of giving a wry smile.
The male lineup that stood up all sighed, “Fu……”, and sat back down at ease.
(Well, anyways……)
If this report was approved by the top, then perhaps they could made Soma care more about the management problems in
Even if the faction, itself, has no problems, the Adventurer members’ activities outside of their headquarters were also reaching closer from a grey area to a black area. Also, according to Bell’s testimony about harming the civilians, it was almost confirmed that they will receive some sort of a punishment.
If they ignore the warning, based on the situation, they may be forced out of Orario. It was about the continued existence of the
Even if it was Soma, who is only interested in his hobbies, he would have to seriously consider the management direction.
(Arde does n
ot seem to be a Hobbit that has evil intentions……)
After interviewing with the flower shop that was forced into the dispute between Lili and the
They say, since the day that girl was driven out , some money would be placed in front of the shop unknowingly. It was because of this that they did not submit an application of being harmed to the guild.
They had wish Eina to convey words of apology towards the girl on behalf of them, but Eina did not accept. Conveying these words would the job of the parties involved.
(……Adventurer’s blood and sweat, is it?)
Eina once again muttered the words that she had said by herself.
As if she was looking at a very far away about, her gaze slightly raised up.
(If the Adventurers use their own feet to trample others……Then that blood and sweat is also the thing from an unknown person)
There is no way that everything will go smoothly, Eina thought.
Eina, who wished for the Adventurer’s safety, wanted to support them. However, this belief was deliberately shaken. Among them, there exist people who could keep a straight face while doing hideous acts that could not be ignored.
Two contrasting, complex emotions. It was not limited to just this incident. Eina had occasionally felt a sense of emptiness for her own actions. It was a feeling that was enough to shake her.
Although she understood that she was just overthinking about this, but she could not eliminate these negative feelings.
“……Tu?lle.”
“Ah, yes?”
Eina, who was immersed in her own thoughts, raised her face as she was called by a nearby voice.
The male employee that was sitting near the window of the work counter pointed towards the entrance of the hall.
Eina’s gaze moved over to that side. Only then did she notice that Bell, who came back from the Dungeon, was entering the guild headquarters.
“…….Sorry. Thank you very much.”
Eina bowed her head and got up from her seat.
Her originally cloudy face had brightened up, not even she, herself, had noticed it.
She picked up this pace a little and walked in the direction of the hall.