Chapter 64

This is the final episode of the first part ('ω')

"Welcome back! Yuuk"

"Back home"

When Yuuk returned to the base, Marina was in the living room, maintaining her weapons. Her enthusiasm, suggesting they might go on an adventure tomorrow, was endearing.

"Did you get any good requests?"

Yuuk had told her he was just going to greet them, but it was hard to tell if she had forgotten or seen through him.

"I was consulted about a named request. For three people?"

"Silk is in her room, Rain is in the bath, and Nene is out."

"I'll talk about it at dinner. Let's decide together whether to take it or not."

"Got it! Then I'll go out for a bit. I'm running low on magic whetstones."

Before he could finish speaking, Marina left the living room. She was as energetic as ever.

"Yuuk, welcome back"

After a while, Rain, in light clothing, appeared in the living room from the underground bath. Although he was used to it, he sometimes wished she would remember he was a man. Even eye candy has its limits.

"Back home. Your hair is still wet."

Rain, with water droplets still on her damp hair, sat down in a chair.

"Is it okay?"

"Yes, yes."

He carefully dried her head with a towel. Despite looking young, she was the same age as him... but it was nice to do this sometimes.

"Did you get any good requests?"

"You're asking the same thing as Marina."

"Marina has been restless since yesterday."

Indeed. The stress from the suspension period seemed to have built up...

"I want to go on an adventure. This time, to the 'Door of the Abyss'."

"Right. I hope the seal is lifted..."

"Until then, we need to get stronger."

"To do that, you need to dry your hair properly."

Rain smiled and turned slightly.

"It's fine. I just want you to do it for me."

"Yes, yes."

He dried Rain's head with a towel, smiling wryly. She swung her legs and even hummed a tune.

"There, it's dry."

"Thanks, Yuuk. I'll take a nap now."

"Sure. Don't catch a cold."

"You can come warm me up if you want."

Rain disappeared upstairs with a mischievous look, making his heart skip a beat. She was impossible...

He took a deep breath and regained his composure. Then, Silk came down the stairs.

"Yuuk, welcome back. It was cold outside, wasn't it? Would you like something warm?"

"Yes, please."

Silk, who had disappeared into the kitchen, returned after a while with a steaming cup. It was... hot ale. The alcohol had been removed, leaving a slightly bitter taste with a hint of sweetness and aroma, a winter staple for Silk.

"We're finally resuming activities. Do you have any plans?"

"I was hoping to hear your ideas, but I got a named request when I went to greet them."

"That's great. At this time of year, it's probably a dungeon-related request, isn't it?"

Through the series of events with 'The Colorless Darkness,' Silk had significantly improved her skills as a sub-leader. She had the talent to be a leader from the start, but with experience, she had grown into an excellent sub-leader. Thanks to her, he could avoid making mistakes like he did with 'Thunderpike.'

"I was thinking of talking to you first before dinner. It seems a new dungeon has been discovered recently, and they want us to do the initial investigation."

"That sounds like a good experience. It could also be beneficial for our stream."

Silk was undoubtedly already thinking about the schedule and item preparation list. She even held the purse for 'Clover,' so she was practically the leader.

"No, Yuuk."

And her intuition was sharp.

"I'll help, but the leader is you, Yuuk."

"No, I understand that..."

"Teacher?"

The sudden use of 'Teacher' made him flinch.

"Yuuk, you really underestimate yourself. Our leader is no one but you. Please continue to lead us."

He scratched his head and smiled wryly at Silk's words. Indeed, giving up halfway was not a good thing.

"Understood. About this... I haven't heard the details yet. Since the guild hasn't made it public, I didn't want to commit before hearing more. What do you think?"

"I think we'll probably take it."

"Right. I'll go and get a rough idea of the request. Can you check if we have the usual dungeon exploration supplies?"

"Sure."

He nodded to Silk, finished the remaining hot ale, and stood up. He put on his coat, which enveloped his slightly warmed body, and was about to open the door when Silk tapped his shoulder.

"If you're going to the guild, please let Jamie know. We're planning a small party to celebrate the end of the suspension today."

"Got it."

"And..."

Silk lowered her voice.

"Not just Rain, but please spoil me sometimes too."

"..."

He was caught and heard.

"Hehe, just kidding. Have a good trip."

"Ah... yeah, I'll be back."

Was he being teased? His heart raced as he left the house, feeling like he was running away. He had never had much interaction with women back in his hometown, so he didn't know how to handle this kind of treatment. The sudden increase in feminine presence around him made him acutely aware of his lack of experience. A few experiences wouldn't be enough to bridge this gap.

"Even as a red mage... some things just don't come easily."

He muttered to himself and headed to the Adventurer's Guild. The main street, well-prepared for winter, had fewer people, but the number of adventurers passing by remained the same. Winter had its own adventures to offer.

For example, the discovery of a new dungeon would make it even busier. Thinking that this would be the first big job for 'Clover' after their return, his heart leaped a little.

This was the first job after settling the grudge with 'Thunderpike.' As a leader, he didn't want to get carried away, but he wanted to approach it with a fresh start.

He took a deep breath in front of the Adventurer's Guild and spoke the words that perfectly matched this new beginning, filled with hope.

"Alright, let's be cautious and enjoy it."

---

~End of Part 1~

How was it ('ω')? Thank you very much for reading this far.

This work is a fantasy adaptation of a certain aspect of modern life. Both Simon and 'Thunderpike' have real-life models, and some of you might have felt a sense of déjà vu. If you thought, "There are people like that," please cherish your current relationships.

This story, centered around the theme of departure rather than expulsion, is also a success story of independence and growth. If you are currently going through a tough time, remember that there is always a way to live and people who need you. Consider whether it is really necessary to be bound by the present and whether there is a future in enduring.

My works always contain a message for you. I hope that reading this work will ignite a small spark of courage and energy in you.

As I mentioned before, this work will be published and adapted into a manga by Kodansha. Although I can't provide any information yet, it might not be long before you see it in bookstores. When that happens, I hope you will pick it up.

Finally...

If you are "satisfied!" and "looking forward to the second part," please support the author by changing the ☆☆☆☆☆ to ★★★★★.

If the second part starts, I hope you will enjoy Yuuk and the cute 'Clover's adventures again. Thank you very much.