chapter 34

The next day…

We rode to Izuruli by carriage.

Meld-sama, Ryll-sama, Rifill, and the knights sent us off.

“You’ve done a great service to us, Aruto-dono, Meryl-dono.”

“Keep well, you too.”

We shook both Meld-sama and Ryll-sama’s hands.

“You’ve been a great help.”

“Let’s meet again.”

And then I saw Rifill.

“Rifill…”

Not forgetting Rifill’s expression from yesterday, I hung my head down.

Rifill wasn’t looking too happy, but she kept her head up.

“Aruto!”

She shouted my name, and kissed me on the cheek.

She really didn’t care what other people were thinking…!

“I’ll be waiting! Let’s hang out again!”

“…Yeah. I’ll definitely be back. See you, Rifill.”

With that said, Meryl, Sixteen, and I got on the carriage and rode off.

Meryl waved at the people who sent us off, until the city of Gheil was visible no more.

With the carriage out of sight, the knights went back to work.

As Rifill was about to head back, Meld-sama placed his hand on her shoulder.

“You got yourself a good friend, Rifill.”

“Father…”

“We would approve of you being betrothed, if it was to him.”

Hearing this, Rifill’s face flushed red.

“Maybe I can’t do it today, but I’ll show him one day…”

Looking up at the cloudless sky, Rifill smiled.

In the carriage…

“Sixteen-san! Wanna eat this?”

“I don’t need to.”

While riding the carriage, Meryl had been looking after Sixteen somehow.

They totally seemed like sisters…

Then, as if he had an idea, Glenn suggested something.

“Speaking of which, Sixteen’s name comes from her Armed Series model and number, right?”

“Right… my real name is A16.”

“Then let’s get you a new name!”

Come to think of it, we’ve been referring to her by her Armed Series name all this time.

“Is that alright, Sixteen?”

“I don’t mind.”

Now then, time to pick a name…

Meryl raised her hand.

“How about Angelyn?”

“Nope.”

“Why?!”

Glenn and I denied Meryl’s name suggestion.

Having been shot down, Meryl turned to look at Sixteen…

“Impossible…”

How harsh.

Being rejected by the person in question, Meryl cried.

Glenn raised his hand next.

“I’m up next, huh? Then, how about Homurako!”

“You idiot.”

“What are you saying?!”

“You guys are cruel!”

Meryl seemed angry about earlier, because her words hurt…

And when it came to Sixteen…

“The worst.”

Right…

Glenn fell into a slump.

“Aruto-san, it’s your turn now.”

Everyone looked at me, but… I couldn’t think of anything.

“Hmm… Speaking of which, what do you think would be a good name, Sixteen?”

As I asked Sixteen, she thought for a moment, then craned her neck.

“I don’t know. I’ll accept any name you give me.”

Oi, that’s such a heavy responsibility.

“But names are important. We have to properly give them… Can we put this on hold?”

“Alright.”

We’d have to give her an actual name at some point…

As we were talking, we reached Izuruli.

The carriage returned to Gheil, and Glenn, seeing it off, returned to look at us.

“Alright then, I’ll head back to my allies at the guild.”

“You’ve been a great help, Glenn!”

“I’m getting a good reward from this, don’t worry. And we’re allies now, right?”

“That’s right.”

Glenn and I laughed together and shook hands.

Seeing this, Meryl and Sixteen smiled.

Letting go of my hand, Glenn said, 'see ya,” and left.

We turned around and entered Izuruli.

“Thanks for the hard work, Aruto-kun and Meryl-chan.”

Hearing a voice, we turned and saw Garuna.

“Garuna, you came to see us.”

“It’s a coincidence, just a coincidence… who’s this?”

Garuna looked at Sixteen, who was hiding behind Meryl.

Eh… she was that kind of person?

“Oh dear… are you shy?”

“No, not really.”

Garuna seemed a bit hurt.

“Sixteen, this is Garuna Scheeling. She’s an informant, and a good friend of ours.”

And so, I told Garuna about Sixteen.

“That’s tough, Sixteen-chan. It’s okay, I’m on your side.”

“You believe…”

Seeing Sixteen’s smile, Garuna’s eyes sparkled.

It was as though she saw a small animal…

Then she hugged Sixteen and pat her head.

“S-so cute! What’s with this girl? I didn’t know magic dolls could be so cute!”

… Garuna’s character seems to have changed…

Sixteen struggled to get out of her embrace.

“Garuna, Sixteen hates when you do that. Stop it.”

“But she’s so cute!”

“She’ll hate you.”

At those words, Sixteen left Garuna and went to hug me.

Garuna was shocked at this.

What a troublesome guy…

Sixteen looked menacingly at Garuna.

One way or another, we made it inside Izuruli and headed to the Adventurer’s Guild.

Lulu-san came out to greet us.

“Aruto-san!”

“It… hasn’t been that long, Lulu-san.”

I explained Sixteen’s case to Lulu, and she stroked Sixteen’s head with tears in her eyes.

But unlike Garuna, she did so gently.

Sixteen didn’t seem to mind her, and felt comfortable.

Why is it just me who gets turned down, Garuna wondered. She glared jealously but was ignored.

“Ah, that’s right. Garuna-san, Lulu-san, there’s something I want to tell you about…”

I told them about the case of Sixteen’s new name.

“Hm, a new name for Sixteen, huh…”

“Wouldn’t it be better to use a name that you picked?”

…well, if you say so…

“Then, how about Eim?”

“…Eim?”

Everyone was confused at my choice of name.

“Well, her original name is A16, so from that you get a-i-mu…”

Everyone except Sixteen looked at me disappointedly after hearing this.

“Aruto-san…”

“You…”

“And you said that names were important and shouldn’t be handed out randomly…”

“You said I could pick whatever I thought was best!”

You asked for it, so stop glaring!

I looked towards Sixteen, the most important one…

“Eim… Eim…”

She called out the name I chose.

Does she think I’m an idiot too!?

“N-not a fan?”

She craned her neck in confusion and spoke when I asked.

“Eim… That’s a good name…”

…seriously…?

“A-are you fine with this name? It’s really simple.”

“Yes. He picked it for me…”

Wait, why was she blushing?

“Eim… From now on, that’s my name.”

She smiled, accepting her new name. We smiled too.

“Well… it’s great that you like it.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Aruto-onii-chan.”

Eim called me Onii-chan.

But I wasn’t her elder brother or anything at all.

“Wait, wait. I’m nothing of the sort, so stop with that. Just Aruto is fine.”

“…master?”

Wait, what!?

I told her it was okay to refer to me as just Aruto, so why master?!

“No, seriously, just Aruto is fine! Stop with this! I’m not your master!”

“I’ve decided to live life on my own terms, so you’re my master…”

“That’s not what that means, you know!?”

“I can’t?” she said, looking up at me and craning her neck.

Behind her, I saw Meryl and the others with smug grins.

…I can’t run from this!

“Ugh, I get it! As long as it isn’t Onii-chan!”

“Understood. Then I’ll call you master.”

Eim laughed.

She laughed—not like the expressionless girl she once was, but like a real girl.

“Pleasure to work with you from now, Eim.”

“Yes, master.”

We smiled at each other.

And so, a new ally, Sixteen, or Eim, joined the group.

Now, to wait for the guild home to be ready!