Chapter 9

Longer than usual

I have made some changes to the past events as per the feedback (such as the way the story is written).

Also, the description of the cafe in Chapter 7 has been changed (including the incontinence scene). None of these changes affect the main plot.

At one point, the name "Elder" was mixed in, but it should be "Baus," not "Elder." I apologize for the confusion.

"―――――Hmm…… Where should I start?"

After some time had passed, only I, Yuzuki, and Elka were left in the shop. I felt bad for the customers, but I had Elka use her Enchanting Eyes to make them promise not to speak of what happened inside, and then I sent them home. The promise made under the influence of the Enchanting Eyes usually remains in their minds even after the eyes are removed, unless something extraordinary happens. The same should be true for my classmates and the princess's request.

"……Alright, let's start with my relationship with Elka."

"Uh-huh……"

For now, I told them that I had been to this world before and that I have a mysterious master-servant relationship with Elka for some reason. I skipped the reincarnation part as it's too complicated.

"What do you mean by a mysterious master-servant relationship!?"

Yuzuki's question is valid, but it's hard to say that she discovered her M nature during training. Sorry, Yuzuki.

"That's fine, the important thing is that I've been to this world before, right?"

"Your serious face makes it feel like you're brushing me off…… Yeah, I guess so."

Then I told them about my journey across various continents, gaining strength along the way. I also mentioned that I had somehow made the country's enemies and that I was going to meet someone I met there.

"―――――So, Yuki, you're really leaving, huh?"

"……Did you know?"

"I kind of had a feeling you'd go somewhere."

Am I that easy to read……?

Elka is nodding beside me.

"Hey…… Can I come with you?"

"……No, you're not ready yet."

"But! I can fight too!"

Indeed, Yuzuki's magic is top-notch, but in this case, it's not about strength.

"You lack experience, the experience of killing monsters, the experience of killing enemies――――"

I almost said, "The experience of killing comrades――――" but I stopped. That only applies to me; Yuzuki doesn't need such experiences.

I don't know how she interpreted my expression, but Yuzuki stopped throwing a tantrum.

"Then…… What should I do? I…… I want to be with Yuki……"

It's a proud feeling for a man to have a woman say this much.

I can't take her, but there's something I was planning to suggest.

"If you really want to come…… Train under Elka. She can make you strong enough to travel the world with me. Elka, can you do it?"

"Of course, Setsu-sama. If Yuzuki-san is determined, I'll give her as much experience as she can handle."

She's a reliable woman, really…… If she weren't a pervert, my opinion of her would be different.

"What do you think?"

"……I―――――want to become strong, strong enough to travel the world with Yuki…… Elka-san, can you help me?"

"It won't be easy."

"I'll do anything."

Yuzuki's eyes were filled with a clear determination to become strong. Until now, she had been aimless because she wasn't affected by the princess's Enchanting Eyes, but now her eyes were as strong as a different person's.

"―――――You're qualified, Setsu-sama."

"Thanks, Elka."

"Leave it to me. I'll train her to be a mage who can burn continents to the ground."

No…… I just wanted her to cover for my lack of experience…… And at least keep it to the city.

"That's not necessary…… Let's see, how about we set a time for the next meeting? If you're qualified then, we'll go together."

"Okay! It's a promise!"

Yuzuki seems to have a goal for the first time since coming to this world.

"It's already evening……"

After leaving the shop, the three of us walked through the city. I was supposed to have already left the country, but I stayed a bit too long.

"I have to prepare to leave the country, so I need to go somewhere…… What about you two?"

"Can I have a moment alone with Yuzuki-san?"

Alone, huh?

"Alright. I'll be back later."

"Yes."

The next time we meet will be for our farewell……

Elka takes a puzzled Yuzuki and walks away.

Well, I need to finish my business quickly……

After parting ways with Setsu, Elka and Yuzuki are walking through the city, which is becoming less crowded.

"Um…… What did you want to talk about?"

"It's not anything important. I just wanted to talk a bit about him."

Elka avoids mentioning Setsu's name, remembering the lesson from earlier.

"He has a belief that is too pure for this world. That's why he got angry earlier."

"Belief……?"

"Yes―――――No matter how much he is insulted, ignored, or attacked, he will never take revenge. However, if someone he cares about is in danger, he will do anything to protect them…… That's his belief."

In other words, it sounds like he's saying he doesn't care what happens to himself.

"Well, with his strength, he can say that. He probably thinks the dangers we consider to be like a swarm of ants."

"Yuki is that strong?"

"He's beyond the norm…… But if those ants try to bite his friends, he will crush them with all his might…… That's the kind of person he is."

At the cafe earlier, Setsu wasn't worried about his identity being revealed but about Elka's position. If it were known that she was connected to someone who had made the country his enemy, the country would never forgive her. Even now, her position is precarious because she was once Setsu's companion. It was quite risky for him to visit Setsu's room the other night. Well, Elka wouldn't make such a mistake. Yuzuki saw everything clearly, but it was fine because she wasn't under the princess's mind control. For anyone else, it would have been a different story.

They are in the castle under the condition that they do not participate in the war and focus on training the hero.

"We don't really need to be in the castle anymore……"

Their goal, Setsu's return, has already been achieved in an unexpected way.

"Are you not going with Yuki?"

"No, if we go, we'll be pursued."

The country keeps them there not only to train the hero but also to monitor them. To prevent any trouble related to Setsu…… They are more vigilant at night, but Elka's victory in the war was due to the lack of personnel.

"Well, I'm starting to enjoy training you, and there are some things I need to investigate."

The investigation…… It's about a certain person Tia and Elka reported to Setsu.

It's so important that it must be clarified.

"Is it that…… important?"

"At least…… to us."

She starts to explain the content.

"Five years ago…… When he was summoned, he formed a friendship with another person who was summoned with him. They got along well as they were from the same hometown. Both of them grew stronger and tried to adapt to this world…… But something went wrong, and the other summoned person became obedient to the country and actively participated in the war…… He, on the other hand, refused and fled the country, forming relationships with demons and beastmen."

And―――――they clashed.

"The person who wanted the human kingdom to win led an army into the demon continent to crush the demons…… He stopped him to protect the demons he had befriended. After a fierce battle―――――he…… buried that person."

Elka remembers that the battle was so intense that the landscape changed. It was truly a battle between heroes…… Heroes, but with a difference: one was a hero of the human kingdom, the other a hero of the demons and beastmen.

"After killing his friend, he fell into a depression but managed to recover by swearing never to kill again. He said with a bitter smile, 'I've had enough of carrying lives.' When I mentioned earlier about the resolve to kill, he doesn't have it. He lost that resolve there."

"……"

Yuzuki falls silent, overwhelmed by the intensity of his story.

"I've become accustomed to taking lives in this world. No matter how many enemies I kill, my emotions barely move―――――but if he takes another life, what will happen……"

"……"

Yuzuki is still speechless, unsure of what to say about this unknown side of Setsu.

"Let's get back to the topic. The important investigation we mentioned is about that dead person."

"……Even though he's dead?"

"―――――He might still be alive."

"!?"

The possibility that the person is alive is a statement that could shake the country.

"There's no proof, but Tia sensed his magic. It was just for a moment, but we're investigating to confirm……"

"If he's alive…… What will you do?"

"……We'll have to eliminate him. He's too dangerous."

The fact that the area is becoming less crowded is fortunate. It's almost like declaring a murder, and it wouldn't be strange to be arrested.

"Is he that dangerous……?"

"He seemed to want to destroy the demons and beastmen. He lost someone important in the war…… That's what I've heard."

In other words, it's revenge. His active participation in the war started from that point.

"If he's alive…… He might join the war. If that happens, he might have to fight again. To prevent that, we need to confirm it first."

If he's alive, they'll kill him before he can join the war.

"―――――Oops, sorry. That's not what I wanted to talk about."

The heavy atmosphere from Elka disappears. Yuzuki, who had been unconsciously tense, lets out a breath.

"What I want to say is, after you become strong, I want you to help support him."

"Huh…… Of course I'll help."

Yuzuki's face suggests, "Why are you asking me this?" Elka reassesses Yuzuki's understanding. She thought hearing about Setsu killing someone might change Yuzuki's mind, but it seems not.

"Yuki helped me many times when I was in Japan. Everyone looks at Yuki strangely, but he's really kind. I've always been protected, so when I came to this world and realized Yuki wasn't strong, I was a bit happy. I thought I could protect him this time…… But he was just hiding his strength…… I was a bit disappointed."

Yuzuki laughs bitterly.

"Can I really support Yuki?"

"Yes…… But the way to support him is different. He's strong, so the way to support him is to avoid putting him in situations where he has to take lives. If we don't get into dangerous situations, he won't use his strength. That's his belief."

"So…… If I become strong enough to avoid dangerous situations, that's how I can support him?"

Elka nods. For Yuzuki, becoming strong means supporting Setsu, which is exactly what she wants.

"So from now on, it's going to be tough. Don't expect any breaks."

"Y-Yes! I'll do my best!"

The two walk through the evening city.

Eventually, Yuzuki's name, with unimaginable strength, will reach Setsu, who has left the continent, before the name of the holy sword-wielding hero, Hikama. But at this moment, no one could have predicted it.

After parting ways with them, I headed to the outskirts of the city. This area has poor security, so I don't want to stay long, but I have business here.

My destination is in a relatively safer part of the outskirts. Safer, but I just saw a mugging. The stolen items were from someone else, so it was like a stolen bicycle being stolen again. Poor guy…… If this is considered safer, the country really needs to improve.

"Still as run-down as ever……"

My destination is a bar. A sign saying "Preparing" hangs outside. The exterior is wooden and looks like it could collapse at any moment. The only readable part is the sign above the entrance.

"Baus's Bar"

This is my destination.

I try to open the door, but it's stuck……

"Fix this already…… Here goes."

I give the door a light kick, shattering it. The door flies into the bar, scattering inside.

This place is mysteriously built to withstand such force. It looks run-down, but it's surprisingly sturdy…… It hasn't changed in five years, which is unbelievable.

"Who the hell is it!!"

A familiar angry voice reaches my ears.

"You broke the door!! What are you going to do about it!?"

A tall man over two meters tall emerges from the back of the bar. His sunburned, muscular body bulges in his sleeveless shirt. His face is stern, and his white-streaked hair indicates he's in his early old age.

"Still as loud as ever…… Old man…… My ears hurt……"

"Huh? That tone…… You…… Setsu?"

"Long time no see, Baus. I came in the usual way."

"Whoa!! It's really you, Setsu!!"

The big man's excited reaction as he slaps my back makes me realize he hasn't changed, and I'm glad.

―――――Stop it, it hurts!!

"Ha-ha, I see. So that's why you were kicked out of this world."

"Don't say it like that……"

I explained the reason for my disappearance from the beginning. Baus was nodding while fixing the door, but his responses were annoying.

"Got a grudge against me or something……"

"Of course! You broke the door and occupied my warehouse for five years!"

Ah, right. I remember why I came here.

"Can you open the warehouse? I need to prepare to leave the country."

"Don't just brush off the door thing, brat…… But if that's the case, I'll open it for you."

"Thanks."

Baus, who had been fixing the door, opened a door behind the bar's shabby counter and went in. I followed him into a room at the back.

The room was surprisingly sturdy, unlike its appearance. The floor was undamaged, and not a single splinter fell from the ceiling.

"Still the same build, huh?"

"All your stuff is just as it was. It should be in good condition, but I did dispose of some of the old and useless things."

"That's fine. Most of it was stuff I didn't use much anyway."

"Then why did you keep it……"

The old man has a point, but I wish he could understand my situation.

"Here you go."

Baus opens a particularly large door in the room.

Inside are huge swords, shields, bows, and other equipment, heavy armor, glowing minerals, and dazzling gold coins……

Everything in here is what I collected back then. I had a brief career as an adventurer, and this is where I stored the gold, equipment, and gems I acquired.

The reason I entrusted it to Baus is that he was once the pinnacle of human adventurers and the strongest adventurer.

"You made more money than I did in my prime…… Damn."

"Young blood, old man."

"Shut up, I'm only 163."

"What's the average lifespan in this world!?"

We've known each other for a while, but this is the first time I've heard his age.

Well, thinking about it calmly, it's not that strange. In this world, the amount of magic power affects one's lifespan. Baus, the former strongest adventurer, is a muscular man, but he had a lot of magic power. He used body-strengthening magic frequently. He's retired from adventuring and runs this bar, but he's definitely showing his age……

"Shut up, you're my disciple."

"You're a noisy old man."

My eardrums are always at risk with this guy.

……Anyway, I'm officially Baus's disciple. It was a coincidence, but he saved me when I was being reckless and took me on as a disciple. I think it was when I was a new adventurer and was about to fail……

"……You were trying to eat poison herbs, mistaking them for medicinal herbs."

"Hey…… Don't say that."

It was a mistake even a beginner wouldn't make…… But medicinal herbs are delicious.

Since then, I've sworn never to eat herbs I pick without thinking.

That's why I entrusted my belongings to Baus, the top-class adventurer. He's good at maintaining weapons.

"Alright, talk is good, but since I opened it for you, get to work."

"Right, right."

I enter the warehouse and start looking through my old belongings. This place is really spacious, is it magic?

"It's the same principle as a magic bag. Did you forget?"

"No…… I never heard about it."

A magic bag…… A convenient bag whose capacity changes based on the owner's magic power. Some people can even fit a whole dragon inside.

"Like this?"

I pick up my magic bag nearby