Chapter 22

This time, the perspective changes to Rauスト, Ralma, and Narusena.

"Anarestria..."

It was right near the room where Narusena and the master were talking.

I was repeating the words I had just heard, my voice trembling.

I am not here in this place because of any evil intentions.

After being kicked out of the room by the master, I was waiting in the back of the guild until Narusena and the others came out.

I thought it would cause unnecessary trouble if I waited at the front of the guild while waiting for Narusena.

However, while waiting, I heard a sobbing sound coming from the room, and I hurriedly approached it.

The master has a very bad temper.

So, I thought Narusena might be crying because the master was bullying her.

—And that was when I heard the name Anarestria.

At that moment, all the thoughts I had in my head vanished.

Even the idea that the master was not bullying Narusena, which had dominated my mind until just a moment ago.

The name Anarestria was a word etched into my heart.

A few years ago, I was able to become an apprentice to a top-notch adventurer due to a series of coincidences.

It was a truly miraculous event, but I couldn't make the most of that miracle.

Because I could only perform the basics of magic and ki, and I couldn't reach the level required to be a competent adventurer.

...No, saying I had no talent might be a bit misleading.

The master said it wasn't about talent, but about my constitution.

It was abnormal that I could learn both magic and ki in a short period of time but couldn't do anything more.

Because of this, I might only be able to use the healing spell "Heal."

...But the principles didn't matter to me.

The fact remained that as an adventurer, I was only capable of being called defective.

After all, I couldn't use magic or ki in battle, and even my healing magic was useless.

...A few years ago, I only had abilities that would make me a disgrace as an adventurer.

But even in such a situation, I didn't give up on being an adventurer.

The master advised me to become a magic item craftsman, but I ignored his advice and continued to be an adventurer.

Even when I was told I had no talent, I trained myself desperately.

Every day, I thought, tried, and trained to the point of near-death, and eventually created my own way of fighting.

—And the reason I worked so hard was all because of the girl from the Anarestria family who recognized me back then.

She was the first person to recognize me.

I never believed that she would let me join her party.

It was just a word spoken by a feverish girl.

There was no guarantee that she would remember those words a few years later.

Yet, whenever I was in a difficult situation, the image of that girl always came to my mind.

The only words that recognized me.

The image of the girl who comforted me and said she would let me join her party.

Because of those words and the existence of that girl, I was able to struggle so hard to get to where I am now.

"...That girl and Narusena are the same person."

So, when I was confronted with the possibility that the girl and Narusena were the same person, I was so shocked that I couldn't move for a moment.

Narusena was the person who saved me, and she might also be the girl who had supported me all these years.

The thought was so shocking that it robbed me of my composure.

I tried to convince myself that it might be someone else because of the different hair color, but it was all in vain.

I was already convinced that the girl was Narusena.

So clearly that I couldn't understand why I hadn't realized it before.

And in the next moment, my face suddenly turned bright red.

"Ah, that, why..."

I was flustered, not knowing what was happening to me.

Just then, a feeling of affection for Narusena, different from the gratitude I had always felt, welled up inside me...

"Thank you, Ralma-san!"

"Yeah, don't worry about it. Go to Rauスト after you wash your face."

"Ah! Absolutely don't tell my brother!"

...But the moment I realized Narusena was coming out of the room, I turned my back and fled.

I don't know why.

I just felt embarrassed about facing Narusena with such a red face.

I was confused by this feeling.

But I couldn't resist it, and I quickly left the scene...

◇◆◇

"Haa... They're such a handful."

Watching Narusena and Rauスト leave, I, Ralma, couldn't help but mutter those words.

Right now, I might be more tired than after slaying a monster.

Pretending to be casual was more exhausting than I imagined.

"...I'll never do such a poor act again."

I recalled my actions just now and couldn't help but say those words, blushing slightly.

I had noticed that Narusena was acting strange, so I tried to act casual and talk to her.

...I was quite flustered when she started crying, which was unexpected, but mentioning the Anarestria family name was intentional.

Magic is a very useful ability, allowing you to sense the magic around you and use it for detection.

I had known that Rauスト was nearby all along.

"...Can I erase Narusena's memory?"

...I really wanted to avoid such an act if possible.

But it seemed that Rauスト and Narusena's relationship wouldn't progress without it.

Both Rauスト and Narusena are important to me, and I understood their connection when they came together this time.

But Rauスト, who is either insensitive or stubborn, hadn't realized that Narusena was important to him.

If I didn't tell him, who knows when he would realize it.

"...I thought I wouldn't deal with that foolish disciple anymore."

Thinking up to this point, I muttered those words.

When I found out that Rauスト had no talent as an adventurer, I tried to make him quit.

An adventurer without talent would only end up dead.

I didn't want to see my first disciple die.

...But Rauスト absolutely refused my suggestion.

Because there was someone who recognized him even when he was like this, he wouldn't quit being an adventurer.

After that, I couldn't deal with Rauスト anymore.

I am an adventurer in the capital, not in the labyrinth city.

For years, I only knew that Rauスト was alive.

That's why I was both shocked and relieved to see Rauスト, who had developed such skills and seemed to be enjoying himself.

"...What a hassle."

Thinking up to this point, my face was still flushed...

◇◆◇

"Hmm-hmm!"

After talking with Ralma-san, I, Narusena, was heading to the guild reception with a cheerful expression.

The words Ralma-san said about my brother being in high spirits kept repeating in my head.

"Hehe..."

And I couldn't help but smile at those words.

I haven't forgotten that I couldn't help my brother when he was going through the toughest time.

That fact still lingers in my heart as a sore spot.

It will remain in my heart as long as the admiration I felt for my brother, who fought desperately in that carriage, and the desire to repay him don't fade.

But I don't intend to let that feeling hold me back anymore.

I think it's more important to consider how to repay my brother from now on rather than worry about the past.

"So, I should tell my brother that it's time to get a house for the party..."

Thinking about this, I walked to the reception with a bright red face.

My brother might have already returned to the inn, but I thought he might be waiting at the reception.

"...!"

...But the one waiting at the reception was not my brother.

There were several adventurers looking at me with lecherous eyes.

Their presence gave me a very bad feeling.

So, I tried to leave the guild quickly...

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"What!"

...But the moment I left the guild, I was stopped by a man who grabbed my shoulder rudely.

I glared at the man who was holding me, trying to convey that I wanted him to let go, but he just laughed, completely ignoring my actions.

"Hey, girl, let's talk for a bit."

...His face was filled with a dark, jealous flame.

To clarify, the master never looked down on Rauスト.

A few years ago, Rauスト was indeed incompetent as an adventurer.

But the master is just excited as an adventurer to see Rauスト, who had gone from the bottom to the level of a top-notch adventurer in a few years.

He doesn't think of Rauスト as a lab rat.

It's a natural reaction for an adventurer with such skills.

Rauスト is that exceptional.