Chapter 22: I Trampled Upon
A few days had passed since the red-haired girl had leaped into the Hero’s embrace. The boys decided to take a break under the pretense of shaking off their lingering fatigue, opting not to head to the next town just yet.
Ichiro Yamada found himself repeatedly recalling the scene from that day and the murky depths of the red-haired girl’s eyes. Whether he was lying down at the inn or eating alone, the image would suddenly flash through his mind, and he would mutter to himself, “No, this is wrong. It must be a mistake. Ange and I—”
I was at a loss for words.
The next day, Ichiro finally resolved to search for the red-haired girl. It was lunchtime, and as he scanned the familiar dining hall they often frequented, he spotted her sitting there.
“Hey! How have you been? Are you feeling better?”
That single greeting took an immense amount of courage.
“Ah, I’m fine, I guess.”
Her curt response made Ichiro scratch his head, thinking, “Haha, yeah, what am I even saying?” Still, he steeled himself and conveyed his message.
“Since you’re feeling better, let’s get back to our magic research today!”
He tried to sound particularly cheerful, but inside, his heart raced like a drum, and he could feel his voice trembling.
“Sorry, but I’m busy. I don’t need magic research right now, so could you just continue on your own from now on?”
At that moment, Ichiro looked into her eyes. What he saw there was an empty, hollow color—complete indifference towards him. He gasped, unable to believe her words and demeanor. He desperately wanted to wish it was all a joke, but just as he was about to say, “That’s a harsh joke,” he heard a voice from behind.
“Hey, Ange. Have you been waiting long?”
The voice belonged to Ryuguin, who began conversing with the girl while standing between her and Ichiro.
“Hero-sama, I wasn’t waiting at all,” she replied, her cheeks flushed as she answered bravely.
“Good to hear. We still have some time before the performance, so let’s grab a bite to eat before heading over. Huh? Is that you, Yamada? What are you doing standing around here?”
With exaggerated nonchalance, he glanced back and forth between Ichiro and the girl a couple of times before clapping his hands together.
“Oh, could it be that you had business with my Ange?”
Without missing a beat, the red-haired girl shot back.
“Of course not, Hero-sama! That’s impossible! Please don’t misunderstand! I have no business with him!”
Her complete denial made the Hero smirk.
“Well, Ange says that, but does Yamada have something he wants to say?”
Ryuguin asked Ichiro, trying to hide a chuckle.
“Well, it’s just perfect timing. We were thinking of having a fun meal here, and you’re welcome to join us. Even if Ange says she has nothing to discuss with you, if you really, really, really have something to say, you can say it right there. I’ll just listen quietly.”
No, it’s nothing. I’m sorry. Ichiro finally managed to respond and hurriedly left the establishment.
How did it come to this—
From that point on, Ichiro spent most of his time alone.
The boy, looking a bit more rugged than before, called out my name.
“Angelica! It’s okay! Don’t lose your focus!”
His words were meant to reassure. Yes, he always had such kindness.
After conquering the Mirror Labyrinth, he continued his reclusive lifestyle for a while, but after much contemplation, he soon sprang into action. He resumed his daily training, made appearances at the Guild, took on requests to warm up, and consulted the Guild Master about the next Labyrinth, engaging in a fair amount of energetic activity.
One afternoon, he found himself eating less frequently at dining halls. Instead, he often ordered food to be brought to his room, but that quickly became monotonous. So, to change things up, he decided to head to a food stall. Coincidence piled upon coincidence.
In his line of sight were the Saintess, the Hero, and the red-haired girl.
Why—
Upon spotting the three heroes, Ichiro quickly concealed himself to avoid being seen. Yet, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from them. They sparkled with joy. The Saintess and the red-haired girl wore melting smiles beside the Hero, immersed in supreme happiness.
Seeing that, Ichiro was overwhelmed by a crushing sense of powerlessness and loneliness. He covered his mouth and rushed to the restroom. Returning to the inn with a pale face, he collapsed onto his bed, soaking the sheets with his tears.
Didn’t we say we’d always be together? Didn’t we say we were the best team?
I thought I could do anything with you—
So why, why—
Of course, Pul-san was out of magic, and so was I. Ichiro, with a pale face, still nodded, “Leave it to me.” It felt reminiscent of a time long past. Ah, that was a time I could never return to—
This happened on the way to the next town.
Despite being a party of four, they ended up renting two carriages. Ichiro’s carriage was empty, while the other one was filled with the three heroes.
The journey to the next town would take about a week. As night approached, they would rent lodgings in villages or towns, but if there were none nearby, they would camp out.
Ichiro hated camping. In his line of sight, the three of them were engaged in cheerful conversation. Camping would force him to confront a reality he didn’t want to see.
To Ichiro, they appeared as heroes from a story, accompanied by their heroines.
So what am I? What am I to you—
Maintaining Narukami was becoming increasingly difficult. Just as Ichiro had said, the Liquid Dragon transformed the Fog into Mana, rapidly healing its body. Yet, whether it was due to the pain or the fact that even that monster was beginning to show signs of exhaustion,
“GRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”
It let out a deafening roar—along with that, its body began to bubble violently.
That was right after they conquered the Labyrinth of Power. Even with newfound strength, Ichiro found himself in dangerous situations several times. However, no one came to his aid when he was in peril. He muttered to himself, “What a terrible experience,” and forced a cynical smile. He felt he had to do something to keep himself from breaking down.
His once vast reserves of magic had dwindled to less than twenty percent. Yet, he still managed to smile. If it were permissible, he would have wanted to embrace him.
One day, Ichiro was invited to a meal. When the Hero extended the invitation, Ichiro hesitated for a moment, but the Hero said, “It’s to deepen our friendship. That will ultimately be the foundation for conquering the Labyrinth and bringing happiness to the people,” and Ichiro reluctantly agreed.
They were to meet at a designated restaurant. When Ichiro arrived, the Hero waved him over. As Ichiro took his seat, he let out a sigh.
“You’re late. We’ve already started.”
The Hero mocked him.