With the sparring pushed to tomorrow, I had nothing to do.

But even so, spending a rare holiday stuck in the corner of my room felt like a waste. Besides, sitting quietly in my room leaving a letter only made me realize useless facts.

So, I kicked the door open and stepped out. Then, at a speed where no one would even notice I was leaving, let alone try to catch me, I quickly slipped out of the Temple.

"Boss, where are you going?"

And yet, DeB stubbornly tagged along.

As if worried I might just vanish on him, his refusal to let me out of his sight for even a moment seemed a little different from usual. The same went for his strangely sharp gaze.

As for why he was acting like that... Well, the only plausible reason was probably because he mistook my attempt to drain my HP as self-harm.

Of course, I could roughly understand how he felt. My concept wasn't exactly the type to inspire relief in that regard, was it?

Looking at my track record so far, well, it wouldn't be strange if I tried to die right this second. I'd shown plenty of words and actions that made it seem like I was living with a death wish.

But regardless of the justification for that behavior, it's annoying! Sure, it's true you shouldn't leave someone alone when they're suffering from a mix of depression and self-loathing, but the self-harm was a complete misunderstanding!

"Get lost."

It was true that I hated being alone, but that only applied when I was in a forest filled with a deep sense of isolation where I couldn't communicate, or in a room where the surroundings were completely silent.

Where I was going now, it was more comfortable to be alone. Because I was about to do something that slightly contradicted my concept.

"I'll be quiet so I don't get in your way, sir."

'No. It's not that I hate being with you, I just want to do something without worrying about breaking character...!'

"I won't say it twice."

I rested my hand on my scabbard and threatened him once more. However, DeB only flinched and showed no intention of leaving. It seemed he had really made up his mind.

Good grief. Why won't he just leave?

I debated whether or not to get even angrier. However, after thinking about it a bit more, I decided it was better to just give up.

Yeah, even if I chased him away here, what was the point if he just followed me secretly? If nothing else, he certainly had the skills to pull that off.

"..."

In the end, I had no choice but to give up. With a face full of annoyance, I strode ahead without any consideration for him.

DeB, who was easily ten centimeters shorter than me, hurriedly trailed after me.

And after heading down to the lower levels for quite a while, I found a spot to my liking. It was on a bridge that cut through the air over the lake in the middle of the city.

"... Wow."

Perhaps it was because of his background? Even DeB, whose sensibilities were bizarrely dried up, let out a gasp of admiration.

It was understandable. Thanks to the wonderfully cast sunlight, the buildings shone like stars, and the waterways flowing here and there were as radiant as thousands of tumbling jewels.

On top of that, there were the strangely echoing reverberations whenever the wind blew, and the sight of trees growing all over the city swaying and shedding their leaves.

It was a beautiful city, truly.

CLICK.

So, I would leave it not as a fading memory, but as a permanent record.

I pulled out the pen I always carried from my inventory. As for paper, I had stolen—no, requested—a few sheets from the Temple, so there was no need to specifically look for any.

"...?"

SCRATCH, SCRATCH.

Black ink stained the paper, little by little creating a world made of lines.

"... Boss, you're really good at drawing."

Right. I figured this would happen.

Actually, this was why I wanted to come alone. Drawing wasn't exactly contrary to my concept, but it was a bizarre hobby to call fitting for it, either.

But my original self liked drawing so much that I had even made it my profession.

Since coming here, I hadn't had the time to draw, the situations never allowed it, and I thought it was a bit ridiculous to draw while playing a game, so I had lived forgetting about it, but now it was different.

Now that I had a few days of free time, there was no reason I shouldn't enjoy this hobby.

Not to mention, right now... it had been a long time since I felt such a strong desire to draw.

Listening to the commotion of the people passing by, I vigorously scratched away at the paper resting against my board.

Starting with line art without a sketch wasn't my preference, but there was nothing here like a pencil that could be drawn and erased.

In the end, the surrounding scenery was roughly and messily drawn. Unused to the ink, I failed at line control here and there, and drawing for the first time in so long meant my perspective was off too—it was a truly crude picture.

But it was comfortable. The pouring breeze, the pouring sunlight, and the natural noise of my surroundings.

If I closed my eyes and erased the fantasy landscape, it felt just like Korea.

"Boss."

... Maybe coming here with DeB was actually a stroke of genius.

I had come here to avoid getting lost in my thoughts, yet I was about to fall right into them.

"Um, your ink is dripping."

I looked at where DeB was pointing. While I was zoning out, a rather large stain had formed on the paper. It didn't really matter since I was going to throw away the first drawing anyway, but the ink was a bit of a waste.

Ink is quite expensive, after all.

CRUMPLE.

"Ack! Why are you crumpling it!"

It was a drawing to be thrown away anyway. I crumpled it into a ball and tossed it aside.

A startled DeB smoothed out the crumpled drawing, but the already crushed paper wouldn't uncrease perfectly, and in that brief moment, the still-wet ink had smeared everywhere.

"If you're going to throw it away, give it to me."

'No, why do you want that piece of trash? It's utterly useless.'

"Throw it away."

"But it's drawn so well, why..."

"I. Said to throw it away."

I had let it slide that he followed me, but I wasn't going to let this slide. I subtly gripped the hilt of my sword.

Perhaps noticing my mood, DeB eventually crumpled the smoothed-out paper back up.

SCRATCH, SCRATCH.

The temporarily paused drawing resumed on a new sheet of paper.

"Oh..."

Even if I had put it down for a few months, perhaps it was because the days I spent drawing far outnumbered the days I didn't.

Fortunately, my senses returned quickly.

Thanks to that, the drawing finished shortly after was of much higher quality than the first.

It was because I could control the line weight more naturally and had regained my skills in perspective and composition. I used fewer lines as well, making this one much cleaner.

"This one turned out really we—"

'Looks like I've somewhat rehabilitated my skills.'

But it was still a piece of trash.

Judging it as such, I crumpled the paper again. DeB let out noises of pity from start to finish, but that was none of my business.

SCRATCH, SCRATCH.

SCRATCH, SCRATCH, SCRATCH.

The black lines that devoured my distracting thoughts continued endlessly.

"... This is."

And when those lines became sufficiently close to my usual standard, I started drawing two people.

The first person with a layered bob, styled with enough volume to give off an elegant vibe.

The second person with strikingly handsome features, befitting a working actor.

Then the wrinkles around their eyes, the laugh lines around their lips, the cheekbones that naturally seemed to protrude as they aged...

"...!"

Ah. Mom, Dad.

Being careful not to smudge it, I gently stroked my parents' portrait with my fingertips. Naturally, I couldn't feel any warmth from it.

Even so, it was nice.

My memories of your faces were still, still completely intact.

"... Is it your family?"

'Unlike your hazy voices, I still remember your faces clearly.'

"... Yeah."

Swallowing down the sorrow rising up to my throat, I stared blankly at the drawing.

They hadn't cared much for comics or web novels, but they loved the drawings I made, so it was a real relief that I had often drawn family portraits for them.

Because my hands were used to it, I could draw them reflexively even if my memory was a bit blurry.

Perhaps, that was how I managed to draw it.

"..."

Leaving the silenced DeB be, I took this opportunity to draw a few more faces I remembered.

One male friend. One female friend...

"Demon Knight!!"

Then, suddenly.

At the booming voice ringing out from quite a distance away, I reflexively gripped the paper tight. Because of that, the drawing got a little crumpled, but...

"That clueless nerd..."

'No, considering you kept trying to make small talk next to me even though you know my temper, you're not exactly bursting with tact either.'

But him turning his head away was a very good move. I carefully smoothed out the crumpled papers, and taking advantage of the moment DeB wasn't looking, I shoved them all into my inventory.

I thought throwing them away would fit my concept better, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Since I had already committed an unfilial sin, wasn't throwing away their pictures too much? And those idiot friends of mine... yeah. Since I already drew them, I figured I'd keep them too.

Instead, I stood up from my spot pretending nothing had happened. I could clearly see a red head waving from afar. Akata and the Berserker were with him.

Akata was sitting on the Berserker's shoulder, munching on a meat skewer, and the Berserker was continuously devouring apples in two or three bites.

"Tsk."

I crossed my arms and leaned against the bridge's railing. DeB, realizing the drawings had disappeared, kept throwing sidelong glances at my hands, but it was too late.

Because I had already put away the remaining paper and even the pen.

And I would never show them to anyone again. It was only because of what happened a few days ago, but my concept inherently wasn't the type to show a broken appearance.

Above all... who knows if he might see my 'in-setting' family someday. Good thing it was a black-and-white drawing and somewhat deformed due to my art style, but if he saw it often, he might go 'Huh?' later on.

I wanted to prevent that, at the very least.

"So you were here! I looked everywhere for you!"

"If you're going to wander around, just wander. Why did you look for us?"

I briefly glanced at the Kimchi Dumpling bouncing over and the Berserker taking massive strides.

I had expected it from the way they were munching on things, but they must have stopped by the market, as both of their hands were full of food.

"I wasn't looking for you, so don't worry. Ah, would you like some? It's delicious!"

"Berserker thinks this is the most delicious."

Right. At the end of the day, food is all that's left.

I looked at the wooden cup Kimchi Dumpling was offering and the meat skewer the Berserker was shrugging with. The wooden cup contained pickled fruits, and the meat skewer the Berserker was holding was roasted scorpion.

A strong scent of meat wafted over.

"I don't need it."

I was somewhat tempted by the pickled fruits, but my concept wasn't the type to accept things so easily.

I turned my body, shooting them a look that asked if that was all they came for.

【Ah!】

Akata, who had been fidgeting with her hands on the Berserker's shoulder, let out a small sound.

"Oh, right. This little friend said she had something to tell you."

Akata?

I turned my body slightly. Hearing that Akata had something to say made me a bit anxious but also curious.

Of course, the reason for the former was because of what I had done.

【Um...】

Was she going to argue about why I didn't give her the chance to kill her sworn enemy?

But kid. No matter how much of a sworn enemy he was, as an adult, I couldn't just stand by and watch a child kill someone. People in this era didn't put much meaning into killing and being killed, but I wasn't like them.

【So...】

Or, did she find out I made a deal with the Magic Tower? Was she going to get mad and ask why I was pitying her?

Just because she's a kid doesn't mean she has no pride, so this possibility was quite high too. It wasn't intentional, but it was true that I was the one who harmed her parents.

No matter how hard things are, taking money from someone like that would feel a bit...

"Th-Thank you."

... Huh?

"Truly, thank you."

Awkward like words she had just learned, yet with a distinct tone like words she had repeated dozens of times, her gratitude was conveyed.

I didn't know when the Berserker had set her down, but she was saying it while firmly standing on the ground.

"And, I was sorry."

Akata held something out. Resting on her small hand was a white thread bracelet with a slight greenish tint.

【I... probably won't ever be able to like you. Whenever I look at you, I keep thinking of my family. But... but I think you are a good person. A really, truly good person.】

When I just stood there blankly, Akata gently took my hand and placed the thread bracelet on my palm.

Considering my setting of hating physical contact, it would be right to slap it away, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

【I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. You committed no crime, and you really helped me so much. Even so... I...】

Ah, damn it.

【... Will the day ever come when I can look you straight in the eye? I really want to convey my heartfelt thanks with all my sincerity. Could such a day ever come?】

I'm suddenly about to cry.

Snapping back to my senses, I pulled my hand away. Reflexively, I tightly grasped the thread bracelet, and the child had already let go as if having no lingering regrets.

My mind felt blank, as if I had been struck in the head.

【... It seemed like you liked the tea made from white-haired ribbon leaves, so I tried making a bracelet out of its stems. I wanted to give you something better, but I heard you need money here.】

I wouldn't have panicked if she had just cried like a normal kid, asking why I took her parents away.

I would have accepted it if she had gotten angry, asking why I even took away her chance at revenge.

Why are the children in this world so resolute?

"【I should have learned more words.】 Thank you. 【This is the only thing I can say.】"

Why is she so mature that it only makes me feel more sorrowful?

Suddenly, feeling an overwhelming surge in my chest that I couldn't even explain, I reflexively bit my lip.

The cause? I didn't know. If I did, I wouldn't be panicking like this.

However, the rims of my eyes betrayed me. I felt the edges of my vision blur slightly as heat rose up.

Ah, damn it.

It was true that when emotions piled up too much, the threshold lowered, making it easy to suddenly tear up or get angry.

But I pulled off that massive fire show at the Bigabol tribe. I thought I had let off some steam with that, but did I still have that much sorrow left? Had I built up so much stress that my mood swings were this extreme??

"What a useless thing to do."

Ah, no. I definitely cried in my room earlier too. I cried a whole bunch before coming out.

"You."

Or maybe, did thinking about my parents just now accumulate even more sorrow? And then she just delivered the direct hit??

"This isn't something for you to apologize for, kid."

I had absolutely no idea what the damn emotional trigger was.

However, the moment my voice trembled, the cause was no longer important.

Escape. An urgent escape was needed.

"Demon Knight?"

"Uh, Boss—"

But a way out of here without breaking character was...

"Hmm! Yeah, I can't wait anymore!"

"...?"

In that moment, the Berserker, whose default voice volume was about twice that of a normal person, opened his mouth.

"I'm too annoyed to wait until tomorrow!"

No, was it just opening his mouth? Smiling like a mischievous brat, the Berserker shoved the food he was holding onto DeB. When that massive palm slammed the food onto his chest with a BAM!, DeB reflexively took it all.

"Let's fight right now, warrior!"

"—?!"

And what followed was a charge so straightforward it was almost comical.

"Uwahaha!"

It was even aimed right at me. The Berserker's hand grabbed me just like that.

Not only was the distance too close, but it was such an unimaginable variable that I had no time to react.

"What—"

"Uh, u-uh!!"

Thanks to that, I was lifted up by that hand and dragged right over the railing next to us.

Yeah, on this bridge built high over the lake, I was dragged over nothing else but the railing.

"Y-You crazy fighter boss!! We're over a lake right now!!"

"C-Crossing the railing is a restricted act...! More importantly, Demon Knight!!"

It was a sudden, completely accidental tandem dive.

"Let's go!"

But well... maybe this was actually better?

"Uwahahaha!"

At the last moment, I didn't reach out to grab the railing. Instead, as a substitute, I swatted away the Berserker's hand.

Ah, I naturally put the thread bracelet into my inventory. Can't have it getting lost.

"Demon Knight!!"

"S-Sir Knight!!"

【Wh-What?! Suicide? A suicide?!?】

Regardless, my body, having naturally missed the chance to grab onto anything, began to plummet down toward the lake along with the Berserker.

"Aack! Boss!!"

"W-We need to go down!"

"Crazy, why are you trying to jump in too!"

【H-He's falling!!】

SPLASH!

And when my body finally plunged into the lake.

BLUB!

When I reflexively rose to the surface with a trail of air bubbles and let out a breath.

"You bastard..."

I subtly wiped the corners of my eyes and reviewed the situation.

"Haha! How about it, Demon Knight! Your body is all clean now, so we can go a round, right!"

"... Yeah."

Since I was swept up by the Berserker, it wasn't breaking character, and since I was soaking wet, it was hard to tell if I was crying.

In other words, I had managed to both prevent myself from breaking character and make my escape.

"I'll drill some manners straight into your bones."

It was a very satisfying turn of events!