“Welcome!”
Such was the voice that greeted Keiichiro and the rest of [Omokage].
The speaker was a blonde girl who still looked quite young.
Kiryuin Jessica.
Akino’s friend and the organizer of the previous Raid.
“Well, you did invite us.”
Keiichiro scratched his head.
Jessica’s invitation had arrived just yesterday.
Several days had already passed since the Raid battle.
Keiichiro couldn’t quite grasp her intentions.
“For now, please take your seats. We can talk after that!”
Jessica gestured with her eyes towards a large hall.
A large, long table.
It was laden with food, leaving barely any space uncovered.
“…I see.”
It seemed Keiichiro and his party had been invited to dinner.
“Somehow, I feel like I’ve been eating nothing but delicious food lately,”
“Mm… I’m scared I won’t be satisfied with normal cooking someday.”
Tsukasa and Tōru said as much, but still walked towards the seats.
Still, it was true that the conversation wouldn’t start until they sat down.
Keiichiro also took a seat.
“There are several things I wish to discuss, or rather, things that must be discussed. But first, I should start with these words.”
After confirming that everyone from [Omokage] was seated, Jessica opened her mouth.
Then, she closed her eyes and—bowed her head.
“Regarding the Raid battle the other day. You truly saved us.”
The words spun from her lips were ones of gratitude.
Contrary to her usual haughty demeanor, her attitude was sincere.
“Well… thanks. But did you really call us all the way out here just for that?”
Certainly, being able to express gratitude was a virtue.
However, Keiichiro and the others had been specifically invited by her.
A word of thanks and a meal.
It was hard to believe it would end with just that.
He had assumed there was some other business—
“Of course not. You should understand that if you just think about it, shouldn’t you?”
Saying so, Jessica swept her blonde hair aside.
And after a brief pause.
“Thank you for your patronage—”
“Don’t you dare get up!”
Jessica grabbed Keiichiro’s sleeve as he started to leave his seat.
She was on the verge of tears.
It seemed there was no ill intent behind her earlier words.
—Honestly, he had known that.
“Keiichiro-sama. Please don’t tease her too much.”
“…I know.”
Prompted by Akino, Keiichiro returned to his seat.
It was just a little joke.
Probably best not to drag it out.
“Th-That’s right! This dinner features plenty of the Abalone you were eating like a fool!”
“—Even assuming it was my favorite food, I don’t recall eating it like a fool…”
Apparently, Jessica had some difficulty with her choice of words.
As he was thinking that, Tsukasa, who was next to him, nudged him with his elbow.
He grinned and—
“Onii-chan. You were really gobbling up that girl’s Abalone, weren’t you?”
“That sounds bad. Besides, I don’t particularly like it that much.”
“Girls?”
“Sorry, but my preferences are normal.”
Keiichiro’s sexual orientation was towards women.
And he neither liked nor disliked shellfish.
“Anyway, let’s get back on topic, shall we?”
Jessica swept her hair back and said so.
“I feel like there was a fair bit of fault on your side too, though.”
He felt like Jessica’s words were what started it all.
However, pointing that out would likely be pointless.
“Of course, I don’t intend to end things with just thanks.”
Finally, Jessica’s conversation steered back to the main topic.
“It has been decided that the ownership rights for this Raid’s drop items will be transferred to you, [Omokage]. Naturally, the other Parties have already been informed. …Although, it seems there wasn’t much need for explanation.”
—They practically offered it themselves, you see.
Normally, the drop items from a Boss belong to the Party that defeated the Monster.
But what happens in a Raid battle where multiple Parties participate?
Legally, the ownership of drop items belongs to the Raid organizer.
However, when the organizer’s goal, like this time, is the fact of clearing the Dungeon itself, the drop items are often given as rewards to the participating Adventurers.
The prospect of obtaining drop items undoubtedly boosts motivation.
When that happens, the Parties discuss among themselves and decide which Party receives the drop items.
Alternatively, the drop items are sold, and the money obtained is distributed among the Parties.
It seemed this time, the former option was chosen.
“Therefore, this time’s drop item, the [Death Mantis Scythe], is yours.”
Jessica stated.
“The Death Mantis Scythe can also be used as material for powerful weapons, so it won’t go to waste.”
Akino smiled, looking satisfied.
Weapons crafted using the [Death Mantis Scythe] as material become masterpieces favored even by A-Rank Adventurers.
While they had no plans to use it currently, it was certainly a valuable item.
There was no harm in accepting it.
“The Reizei Family won’t have trouble finding a place to store the materials, right? I’ll have it delivered soon.”
Jessica crossed her arms and said.
Akino could surely arrange a way to store the materials without degrading their quality.
“Now then, that was the first matter.”
Jessica closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, she held up one finger.
“Next is a proposal from me.”
The corners of her mouth lifted slightly.
“Actually, I received some homework the other day.”
“Kanji writing practice?”
“An elementary schooler…! That’s not it! It’s a trial to test my qualifications as one who will bear the Kiryuin Family name!”
“…………Kanji writing practice, then.”
“It wouldn’t be hard work if that’s all it took to bear the family name!”
Jessica slammed the table, her face bright red.
Her reactivity was honestly quite cute.
Perhaps this purity was the reason Akino continued their friendship.
“In short, it’s about investment. Reading the flow of the world, how much can I expand the funds I’ve been given? When I eventually take on the duties of the Kiryuin Family, do I have the power to discern the correct path? That’s what’s being tested.”
“…How does that involve us?”
Keiichiro voiced his question.
He understood Jessica’s so-called homework.
But that was ultimately her own affair.
It didn’t seem like a problem Keiichiro and his party should intervene in.
“You’re dull-witted!”
“That came out of nowhere.”
—She probably meant to say ‘Foolish question’.
“I, Kiryuin Jessica, have decided to bet my entire allowance on you!”
Saying so, Jessica pointed a finger straight at Keiichiro.
The success or failure of Jessica’s homework was entrusted to Keiichiro.
Indeed, this topic deeply involved Keiichiro.
At least, for Jessica.
“Meaning, from now on, I am also your sponsor!”
“Even if you declare that so arbitrarily—”
Keiichiro glanced sideways.
His gaze fell upon Akino.
—Kageura Keiichiro had a Sponsor Contract with Reizei Akino.
The document they signed didn’t include the word ‘exclusive’.
But in Keiichiro’s mind, his relationship with Akino was close to an exclusive contract.
The thought that there probably weren’t many eccentrics willing to invest in an Adventurer who hadn’t made it big yet.
At the same time, the awareness that he was receiving enormous support, enough that it wouldn’t be worth it unless it was an exclusive contract.
These were the reasons he couldn’t easily react to Jessica’s words.
“I do not mind, you know?”
Meanwhile, Akino, noticing Keiichiro’s gaze, smiled.
With elegance, and even a sense of composure.
“The Reizei Family and the Kiryuin Family both operate in the Adventurer business. However, our customer bases do not overlap, and the risk of competing for profits is relatively low.”
Akino replied.
She didn’t seem to be holding back out of consideration for her friend Jessica.
She truly believed this matter wouldn’t pose a problem.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. We, the Reizei Family, target the beginners to mid-tier Adventurers who make up the majority. In contrast, the Kiryuin Family mainly focuses on a limited number of high-ranking Adventurers.”
Akino explained step by step.
She and Jessica were both in the same Adventurer industry market.
However, when the market was segmented, their actual business targets were fundamentally different.
That seemed to be the reason their profits wouldn’t be harmed.
Furthermore—
“In other words—if Keiichiro-sama aims for the Demon Capital, having ties with the Kiryuin Family will not be a disadvantage.”
—Because she knew that a contract with Jessica would benefit Keiichiro.
That was why Akino didn’t assert her own rights.
She prioritized Keiichiro’s interests above all.
If Akino had insisted on an exclusive contract—
Keiichiro would likely prioritize his obligation to her.
But then, Keiichiro wouldn’t be able to obtain the maximum benefit.
Therefore, Akino wouldn’t stop the contract with Jessica.
“If that’s the case, then I suppose I’ll gratefully accept your investment.”
If so, the only thing Keiichiro could do was accept the contract with Jessica.
To accept Akino’s consideration.
“You don’t even need to tell me!”
Jessica laughed happily. Her smile conveyed trust and expectation. It showed just how highly she regarded the Adventurer named Keiichiro.
(I never thought the day would come when people would have such expectations of me, huh?)
He couldn’t help but smile.
It wasn’t just the members of 【Omokage】. The Adventurers who fought alongside him in the Raid had acknowledged him.
Even knowing he was still only partway there, he couldn’t suppress his joy.
“That concludes what I wished to discuss.”
Jessica clapped her hands. The crisp sound echoed through the room.
“In that case—”
“However, there is one more visitor this time.”
Jessica spoke just as Keiichiro was about to return to his meal. Her words cut him off, announcing the arrival of someone other than Keiichiro and his companions.
“Kageura Keiichiro. It seems they are here specifically to meet you.”
“?”
Keiichiro tilted his head at Jessica’s words.
He had assumed it was a guest connected to her. But judging from the conversation, the visitor seemed to be an acquaintance of Keiichiro’s.
However, he couldn’t think of anyone it might be—
“Shouldn’t you show yourself now?”
Jessica addressed the empty space.
There was no one where she looked.
But—
(A chair… is pulled out?)
A chair was unnaturally pulled away from the table.
No one was sitting in it.
Yet, it looked as though someone was.
“Nn… I spaced out because of the talk about Keiichiro-kun devouring a girl’s abalone.”
—A voice was heard.
It was a girl’s voice, flat and emotionless.
At the same time, the figure of a small girl materialized atop the chair.
“…!”
“Since when was she…!”
“…That’s…”
The girl had appeared out of nowhere.
Akino, Tsukasa, and Tōru looked shocked.
—Though Tōru’s surprise seemed slightly different in nature.
Her body was petite, like an elementary school student’s.
Her silver hair was tied back with a barrette.
And her face was completely expressionless, not even twitching.
“It’s been a while, Keiichiro-kun.”
“………………Yu…k…ko…”
Standing there was his former Party member—Oshindari Yukiko.
A reunion with 【Holy Sword】.
Her intentions were—