Chapter 1: The Lovely One
I glanced out the window. There, a dull gray sky, heavy with moisture, loomed above.
“I hope they don’t do anything reckless,” Anon remarked, sounding somewhat exasperated. However, my concern was less about whether they would be a problem for my exploration of the Sealed Labyrinth and more about the possibility of reuniting with them, which made me break out in a cold sweat.
I couldn’t help but recall the eyes they had directed at me when we were in the same party. Those were… eyes filled with indifference, as if looking at a mere stone by the roadside.
Yet, even that was better than when I left the party in anger. Back then, they had looked at me with fear, trembling, their eyes glistening with tears. I never wanted to experience such feelings again.
Despite my inner turmoil, Saga was oddly engrossed in the discussion about the Hero Party.
Anon sighed, as if exasperated, and began explaining who the members of the Hero Party were, summarizing the rumors circulating among the townsfolk and the whispers among high-ranking Seekers.
However, Saga, who had seemed so interested, now appeared disinterested… As I tilted my head in confusion, the conversation shifted to the Hero Party’s strength, and Saga’s eyes gleamed with a fierce light. In short, what mattered to this battle junkie was whether the Hero Party was truly strong or merely a paper tiger. Ugh, such a musclehead.
Compared to that… just look at Kuroe on the other side of the screen.
From the start of the meeting, he remained calm and composed, refraining from unnecessary comments. Whenever there were questions or points for improvement, he would speak up at the right moment. His demeanor was utterly unflappable.
With Anon, Sensei, and Ash present, we had more information, so Kuroe’s attitude of being a listener was entirely reasonable. I couldn’t help but admire him as the leader of a major clan.
Another thing caught my attention. I sensed a certain mocking air from Anon towards the Hero Party. As for Ash, whenever their discussion arose, she would lower her gaze, making her expression unreadable.
At the end of the meeting, there was some unpleasant news, but overall, it was a satisfying discussion.
I asked Kuroe to quickly lend the completed Crane’s Guidance to Virtuous and Arrogance.
If we could communicate back and forth, it would facilitate the smooth transmission of information, and we could swiftly send reinforcements to areas in need of strength.
“Row, I was just about to ask you for this. Thank you,” Kuroe said, revealing his sincerity.
Crane’s Guidance belonged to them, and just considering the patents and usage fees, they could have lived lavishly for generations.
In the first place, I had not sought anything from them other than their participation in this battle. So, they could have simply offered a reasonable amount of money. I would have accepted it as a reward without hesitation. Yet, Kuroe made the decision to part with the asset known as Crane’s Guidance so easily—
“You are a sincere and kind-hearted person,” I thought, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
“W-what? Where did that come from? What are you saying all of a sudden?” he stammered, clearly flustered.
“Row, please stop. That kind of thing is… a bit embarrassing,” he added.
What is this? Even though he is a handsome man, he is still a man. Yet, for some reason… I felt my heart racing!
“Y-yeah,” I replied, my voice trailing off awkwardly.
Meanwhile, Saga let out a long sigh and scoffed, “Tch! Is this a game or something? You guys are so naive,” he snorted.
With Anon’s words, “Well, that’s a wrap,” the meeting came to an end.
We stood up and filed out of the room. Sensei, who was next to me, called out to Ash, “Ash, wait a moment.”
“What is it, Omi-san?”
“Well, I was hoping to borrow a Communication Orb tonight.”
“Oh, that’s fine. Here you go.”
Without even asking what it was for, Ash readily agreed and handed the Communication Orb to Sensei. She must have trusted her that much.
But that wasn’t the only reason. The orb, which had been so precious to her, was now everywhere, making it feel like a bargain sale on Communication Orbs. In fact, they had even developed a magical device for better use of the Communication Orb. It was as if I had shown a girl playing with a pager a high-end smartphone all of a sudden.
So, Ash was probably feeling overwhelmed by it all. It was frustrating, but it couldn’t be helped.
“Sensei, who are you going to call?” I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.
“What, Row? Are you concerned about me?” Sensei replied, her eyes narrowing in amusement. She then pulled me into a gentle embrace, stroking my head as she cooed, “My lovely one, my lovely one.”
I managed to pull away, gasping, “Whew!”
“Don’t worry. I just want to reminisce with an old friend from yesterday’s meeting.”
“A friend, you say?”
“Yes. I believe they mentioned they are currently the Guild Master in the town of Green Eyes. Hmm, perhaps you might know them.”
Could it be someone I once relied on…?
“That expression. You do know them, don’t you? Yes, it’s Pulmy En Dynast. She is my friend.”