On the way back after dinner with Jessica, Keiichiro and the others rode in an arranged car.
As expected of someone wealthy, perhaps.
Jessica had prepared a luxury car straight out of a picture book.
Inside the long vehicle was a space large enough to be called a small room.
The seats at either end of the car’s interior were so soft it felt like one could sink right into them, and it didn’t feel cramped even with all the members of 【Omokage】 inside.
“First, I need to become A-Rank myself.”
Keiichiro voiced this thought aloud.
He clenched his fist.
Still—not enough.
His reunion with Yukiko had made that painfully clear.
Having gained strength only made him feel it more acutely.
Besides—
“Skill alone isn’t enough. If I can’t prove it properly with a rank, I won’t even be able to participate in the selection trials.”
The external fact remained: Keiichiro was a C-Rank Adventurer.
No matter how much strength he’d gained, he had no way to prove it.
Rank equated to credibility.
Capturing the Origin Gate would undoubtedly be a major, state-led project.
An Adventurer who couldn’t be trusted wouldn’t be accepted.
Skill and reputation.
He had to acquire both within the next three months.
“Hey, Onii-chan~”
“?”
As Keiichiro pondered this, Tsukasa leaned closer.
Close enough for their shoulders to touch, he looked up at Keiichiro.
“Aren’t you forgetting something~?”
Tsukasa gave a small smile.
He reached out and tapped Keiichiro’s nose with a fingertip.
“Those selection trials are something you take as a party, right? Not just you, Onii-chan.”
“—Right.”
Tsukasa’s words made Keiichiro realize.
(That’s right. Tsukasa and the others have no reason to go to the Demon Capital.)
Wanting to get stronger and return to 【Holy Sword】.
That was purely Keiichiro’s own desire.
“Wanting to take the selection trials is just my selfish wish… I can’t drag everyone else into it…”
Keiichiro let out a hollow laugh.
Looking out the car window at the night sky only brought a feeling of emptiness.
That had been the understanding from the start.
The moment Keiichiro took a step towards his dream.
—That would be the time he left 【Omokage】.
“I’m really sorry. I… I can’t let this chance pass me by. So, even though it was only for a short time, 【Omokage】 is—”
“Okay, sto~p.”
“Mmph…”
Tsukasa’s fingertip pressed against Keiichiro’s lips.
“Onii-chan, you’re jumping to conclusions way too fast~”
“Indeed, you are.”
Tsukasa wore an exasperated smile.
He wasn’t the only one.
Akino wore a similar expression.
“What I meant was, it’s not just you, Onii-chan; we all need to get stronger together!”
Tsukasa wasn’t suggesting they part ways at all.
“…”
“I told you, didn’t I? I don’t mind if 【Omokage】 is just a stepping stone for you, Onii-chan.”
It had been like that from the start.
Both Tsukasa and Akino had been supporting Keiichiro’s dream.
“It’d be lonely if you jumped ship just as we’re about to take off~”
Tsukasa’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.
He gripped Keiichiro’s sleeve tightly—
“Let’s all get stronger, together,”
he said.
Quietly, yet firmly.
“…Akino, are you okay with that?”
Keiichiro turned to Akino.
Even if Tsukasa agreed.
Akino might not share the same opinion.
So, he asked.
“When I first decided to become a member of 【Omokage】, I had already resolved myself.”
“…I see.”
Akino replied nonchalantly.
Sipping her tea elegantly.
Just as she said, she had likely already made her resolve.
“Um…”
Just then, a timid voice spoke up.
“Um… Kageura-san.”
The voice belonged to Tōru.
She sounded awkward.
“What is it, Usui?”
“I… well…”
Tōru started to say something but trailed off.
She seemed hesitant.
If there was a reason—
(Right—)
(Usui doesn’t really know the details about me or 【Omokage】.)
The fact that Keiichiro used to belong to 【Holy Sword】.
That he wanted to go back.
That 【Omokage】 was formed as a temporary party until that time.
He hadn’t explained these circumstances to Tōru.
(Besides—forget aiming for the Demon Capital, now that she has the Elixir, she doesn’t even have a reason to continue being an Adventurer.)
Tōru’s goal was to get the Elixir to treat her mother.
She likely had no desire to aim for the Demon Capital.
In fact, now that she had the Elixir, it was unclear if she would even continue being an Adventurer.
“Usui. Let me say this upfront: you’re under no obligation to follow the party’s direction.”
Keiichiro said this,
so she wouldn’t feel obligated to stay with 【Omokage】.
“Besides… no matter how I put it, this all started because of my own selfish wish. So, I want you to decide what you want to do, Usui, based on your own feelings. Whatever you decide, our relationship won’t change.”
Aiming for the Demon Capital would naturally involve danger.
Shouldn’t she quit being an Adventurer and just live life as a normal student?
He couldn’t help but think that.
“Mm… In that case… may I be honest?”
Tōru began.
“Yeah. Of course.”
Keiichiro nodded.
Anything less than her true feelings would be meaningless.
He couldn’t let her decide her future just based on the mood of the moment.
As Keiichiro waited for Tōru’s words, what came was—
“I was a little… irritated.”
—Words of anger.
Her expression remained unchanged.
With flat eyes, Tōru stared right through Keiichiro.
“Eh?”
“Saying I don’t have to follow the party’s direction… It makes me feel like I’m just a guest.”
“No…”
Keiichiro hurriedly tried to deny it.
But Tōru leaned forward.
“It’s true that I might have joined this party by chance… But somehow… it feels like I wasn’t really seen as a true member of 【Omokage】.”
“That wasn’t my intention—”
He started to say, but stopped.
Because a part of him couldn’t deny her words.
(No… can I really deny it?)
Keiichiro thought.
(Honestly, I probably still saw Usui as just a temporary member.)
Of course, it wasn’t that he thought less of Tōru compared to the others.
Still—he had thought of their connection as something that would end once she obtained the Elixir and paid back its cost.
He’d seen it as a temporary arrangement.
He couldn’t deny that fact.
“Instead of telling me to choose for myself… honestly… I’d be happier if you just told me… ‘If you can’t follow our direction, then leave 【Omokage】’.”
Tōru squeezed out.
She wouldn’t be happy with such considerate phrasing.
If he truly thought of her as a comrade, she wanted less reserved words.
That’s what she was saying.
“And—I won’t leave 【Omokage】.”
As she said this, Tōru smiled.
Forgetting her usual blank expression.
“Honestly… my reason isn’t that profound.”
Tōru lowered her gaze, clutching her skirt.
“Going into Dungeons with Kageura-san… Getting to meet Oshitari-san, who I admired, in person… I realized… I really do want to be an Adventurer.”
She continued, listing her thoughts.
“As a student, this was the only option I had to earn money… I used to think that was probably the only reason I became an Adventurer.”
Tōru looked up.
“But I realized that wasn’t the only reason.”
Keiichiro and Tōru.
Their eyes met.
“It seems… I want to continue being an Adventurer with this party.”
Her confession.
Hearing this, Keiichiro closed his eyes.
He closed his eyes and thought.
“Usui… No. Tōru.”
“Y-Yes… Kage… Keiichiro-san.”
As Keiichiro spoke, Tōru straightened up, her expression tense.
“Starting today, the goal for us, 【Omokage】, is to become an A-Rank party. And then, to join the front-line Adventurers in the Demon Capital.”
Keiichiro declared.
Their path forward.
And having stated this—he asked.
“—If you don’t like it… leave the party.”
Silence filled the car.
And then—
“—I won’t leave!”
Tōru replied.
With a bright, untroubled smile.
“…I see.”
Keiichiro sank back into his seat.
Faced with that smile, how could he possibly refuse?
(I’ve really been blessed with good comrades.)
Keiichiro looked up at the ceiling and smiled.
Even though this was supposed to be a temporary party.
He was growing attached.
But perhaps that was alright.
For now, he would surrender himself to this comfortable feeling.
“Alright then, everyone—let’s get stronger.”
“Of course,” replied Akino. “Yeah!” cheered Tsukasa. “Mm…” agreed Tōru.
Until the day Kageura Keiichiro’s dream comes true.
Chapter 1: 【Omokage】 was formed.
Chapter 2: The goal was identified.
And Chapter 3 will be about preparing to achieve that goal.
Next time is an Another Epilogue.
The focus will be on Itomi Kukuri, a member of 【Holy Sword】 who holds the title 【Night Parade of One Hundred Demons】.