Chapter 16

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Wow. Thank you. I can't say anything else, but I'm really happy.

This is a story from when I had just started working at the guild's reception desk.

I heard someone in the guild talking about a mercenary who was said to be strong in this town and had apparently died.

I knew him.

I knew that if I heard the details, I would regret it, but I still looked into it. It was a quest I had sent out.

I thought I understood.

No matter how much I added a word of caution, not everyone could escape danger.

It's strange to think it's my fault. Who do I think I am?

Still, that day, I cried alone. For two or three days, I ate and then vomited repeatedly.

I never got used to it. Would I get used to it if I lived in a different world? Should I get used to it?

Still, from the fourth day on, I ate meat and managed to do my work.

For example, if you trip over a stone, anyone can be careless. However, I don't want to deliberately go in front of a monster and end up tripping over a stone.

Still, I can't ignore someone who is about to trip.

I want to warn them of the danger and help them if they get hurt. Instinctively, normally.

Is it because I was Japanese?

I press my hands to my face and look through the gaps in my fingers.

As a guild staff member at the reception desk.

It had been a while since Eugene's companions came to the guild.

They were still in this town. I thought they hadn't been seen for a while, but it turned out they had been injured and resting.

At Irene's desk, they were complaining loudly, their voices echoing throughout the guild's entrance.

"It's because you told us to team up with him that we did!"

"I did my job, but what happens after that is a problem within the group. The guild does not take responsibility in any case."

If you want to form a party, the guild will mediate.

It's like a provisional registration. You can form a temporary party, and if it goes well, you can register as a permanent party.

The guild mediates but takes no responsibility for any conflicts within the party after that, which is explained during provisional registration.

The distribution of rewards and compatibility are issues between the members themselves, which is only natural.

The two of them were probably looking for a member with scouting skills to replace Eugene.

They teamed up with a beastman who was also looking for a member and went into a dungeon, but the beastman ran away, and they got injured.

"Just a little kick, and he ran away!"

"We had trouble with just a few goblins without us."

They really don't learn.

If you say such things in the guild, you really won't be able to form a party in this town anymore.

"It hurts so much. Miss, can you take care of me?"

Bang!

I was startled.

It was the sound of Irene slamming her hands on the counter.

"Excuse me, but it's your own fault."

The guild's entrance fell silent.

"No one wants to team up with people who don't value their companions. You almost died because you neglected the one who was supposed to protect you from danger. Don't you understand that?"

That's right.

Eugene probably didn't dissolve the party until he was seriously injured because they were from the same village, and he didn't want the two of them to die. They were comrades.

The two of them were speechless, overwhelmed by Irene's presence.

"Also, I am not 'miss,' but a respectable married woman. If you understand, please leave immediately."

I could hear a subtext of "Don't underestimate me, brats." She's scary.

The two of them, clearly shocked by the cute lady, mumbled and then turned around and left the guild.

They said they would never come back to this guild.

Fine, don't come back.

I glanced at Irene. She looked like she had done something wrong.

The people in the guild who had heard everything were applauding Irene.

Those who looked a bit awkward still had room to grow.

Irene regained her composure, and the atmosphere in the guild returned to normal.

It was almost noon. The line was thinning, and it was time to sort through the paperwork.

I listened to stories about Irene's children and the branch manager's complaints.

I faked a sore back from sitting all day and spent a leisurely time.

It was time to switch shifts, and I stood up from my chair and stretched.

The sun had set, and the stars were shining outside the window.

The guild was bright thanks to the magic-infused stones.

After the handover, I said, "Good work today," to the staff and left the guild.

Irene works until the evening. Unlike me, she has a family, so she's probably having dinner with them now.

"Noah, it's been a while."

I was walking dazedly to the guild dormitory when I was suddenly brought back to reality.

"Alex, it's been a while."

"Yeah. Hey, you're off work, right? Want to go for a drink today?"

I've gone out for drinks with Alex a few times.

Today, I felt like eating with someone, so I nodded right away.

"I thought I had gotten stronger."

After drinking and eating to satisfy our hunger, Alex started talking.

I had heard from him before he left town that he was going to participate in the tournament.

To participate, you had to be from this country and registered with the guild.

Solo participants advanced through a tournament system.

Intentionally killing your opponent was not allowed.

The kingdom didn't want excellent adventurers or mercenaries to die.

If you made your opponent give up, you won. If you killed your opponent, you lost. It was considered very dishonorable to kill your opponent.

Whether you were a swordsman or a mage, there were no particular restrictions.

There were differences in strengths and weaknesses, but many used both, so it was impossible to differentiate.

Use all your abilities and fight with all your might.

Still, there were deaths and injuries every year. Apparently, you had to sign a consent form before the tournament. No complaints if you died.

What would it feel like to use the power you normally use on monsters on people?

Would it be the same if you thought of the other person as an enemy?

Alex said he was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

To me, that's impressive. He made it that far out of hundreds of participants.

"The guy I lost to was really strong. It was a difference in class. I could tell he was holding back. Before I knew it, I was looking at the sky and had no choice but to give up."

"I see..."

In the end, the person Alex faced won the tournament.

He had encountered a truly strong person and returned safely.

But for Alex, it wasn't something to be happy about.

"I told you my brother is a knight, right? He's been excellent since we were kids, and I've always admired him, but I've always had a complex about it."

"You mentioned that. Isn't he the prince's bodyguard now?"

"Yeah. He's been in good form lately, and if he won, he could meet the king and receive his words. I wanted to show him up, I guess."

It's rare to see the usually energetic Alex looking so down.

The issue with his brother is personal, and there's not much I can say about combat.

"Alex"

"Hmm?"

"You can get stronger. You still have room to grow. I know it sounds cliché, but the opportunity will come again. Try your best next time."

Alex was silent for a while.

Then he suddenly laughed and said,

"Haha. If Noah says so, I feel like everything will be okay. I can still get stronger, right?"

"Yeah."

When I nodded, Alex nodded too.

After that, he returned to his usual self.

We drank until late, laughed, and parted ways.

2013/04/22 Typo corrections