I returned to the Temple, strongly sensing an aura of being totally fucked. It was a relief that DeB hadn't run away and was at least sticking with me.

Actually, it wasn't a relief at all.

"You're back early."

‘Archmage, please, instead of taming me, take care of this guy first. The Min SelfEsteem setting is part of my concept, but what's his deal?!’

"You!"

"Your cheek... are you alright?"

"Huh?"

Fortunately, the party didn't miss DeB's cheek. The Inquisitor's reaction was especially strong.

"U-Uh, did you get caught stealing?!"

‘Hey.’

"..."

‘Meat Dumpling, why are you staying still? Shouldn't you be saying something like "Are you kidding me, Softie?" or "What do you take me for?!" like usual?!’

"Inquisitor."

"Ah, um. I didn't mean it like that..."

"Inquisitor."

"... I'm sorry."

"Young hunter, did someone hit you?"

"... It's nothing serious."

"Ah, did you hit them back as much as you got hit?"

The Inquisitor was scolded by the Archmage, and the Berserker nonchalantly tossed questions at DeB. DeB neither denied nor affirmed it.

"Just what in the world happened... Get treated first. Inquisitor, please. And Demon Knight, do you know what the situation is?"

With that attitude, the Archmage turned his gaze to me, full of worry. It was the question I wanted to receive the most, yet the hardest to answer.

‘Because honestly, there's no compromise between giving a detailed explanation and avoiding breaking my concept.’

"Whose procedure is it to ask me instead of the person in question?"

‘But I have to answer somehow! In a way that minimizes any negative effect on DeB!’

I desperately racked my brain.

"It's because he doesn't seem like he's going to speak."

‘Ah, right! The important thing here is to let them know it's not DeB's fault, isn't it? In that case...!’

"Then go ask the one who committed the sin. Why they struck that guy."

‘This way, at least the Inquisitor's misunderstanding will be cleared up. She's already treating him, anyway.’

"The one who committed the sin...?"

"What, you didn't kill the guy?"

"What on earth happened? It doesn't seem to be your fault."

"... I told you it's really nothing. I just... got swept up in something. Anyway, I'm tired. Can I rest?"

"Ah, right. If you're tired, you should rest."

"The treatment is done for now. The swelling will go down soon, so you don't need to worry."

As soon as the Inquisitor finished speaking, our Meat Dumpling went deeper into the lodging.

"Is this my room?"

"That's right."

Then he found his room and slipped right in. The voices of the party left in the living room-like area abruptly ceased.

However, as if to replace their voices, the Berserker popped a question mark over her head, while the other two began to sweat drop.

Me? Of course, I was sweating too. On the inside.

"U-Um, what should I do? I said something too harsh."

"Inquisitor..."

"I didn't mean it with that intention..."

"Apologize to him later."

"Yes..."

"More importantly, I don't know how this happened. Goodness. Just what did he get swept up in?"

"Didn't he just get into a fight with some thugs?"

"Hmm. Perhaps that's it. Since he was holding a cloak in his hands... I heard they disliked green hair, but to think it was bad enough to assault an unrelated traveler?"

Still, the rational Archmage quickly gathered his senses.

He confirmed there was nothing he could do, despite feeling pity, and finished by saying he would have to badger the city guard.

It was practically the best thing he could do.

"If I catch that guy, I'll shatter his spine."

"You shouldn't do that. You have to hand him over to the guard; what are you going to do with private revenge?"

"The Berserker knows nothing about that."

On the other hand, the Berserker swore physical revenge. From my perspective, it was something I wanted to talk her out of a little.

Just as the Archmage said, private revenge wasn't the right thing, and the reason DeB let that guy hit him wasn't because he lacked combat power, but likely because his past had held him back.

"Um..."

"What is it, Inquisitor?"

"Shouldn't we go see the Young Lord after getting ready...?"

"Ah."

"B-But is it okay to just leave him behind..."

The Archmage's eyes wavered as he scanned our faces. It seemed he also didn't want to leave DeB alone.

"Hmm."

But looking at our party, did any of us really have the personality to stay behind and take care of DeB?

In the case of my concept, let alone comforting him, I had the disposition to hole up in my room and chew over my own worries, and the Inquisitor was just clumsy at human relationships in general. The fact that she blurted out a reprimand instead of words of worry earlier was proof of that.

Then what about the Berserker? The Berserker was surprisingly good at taking care of others, but... uh, hmm...

"Mmm..."

The Archmage realized this as well and pressed a hand to his forehead.

It was the groan of a person who knew the world would explode if he sent only the three of us to the Young Lord, making him unable to volunteer to stay behind himself.

"To think our social skills are like this just because one person is missing..."

‘S-Sorry. If I hadn't been maintaining my concept, things wouldn't have ended up looking like this... No, wait, this isn't solely my fault—you guys are also to blame.’

"Berserker, later... um, you stay behind and take care of him..."

"Hmm? Ah! I just have to restore the young hunter's energy??"

"... Please just call out the Weapon Master."

"Haha! It's not something I need to call my sister for! Don't worry! I'll take care of everything!"

‘Ah, right. There was also the Weapon Master. Though I actually haven't seen her once since Pa Enoch.’

I recalled the person who left behind what could have been a pretty sweet tip. ‘Damn it. I still haven't heard the rest of it. So frustrating.’

"I'm not sure if this is right..."

Anyway, those who were staying and those who were going had been decided.

Harboring a bit of anxiety, I finished a high-speed shower—though I say high-speed, the remark about a fishy smell bothered me so much that I scrubbed myself vigorously—and headed to the castle where the Young Lord was.

"Hmm. Food is definitely the best thing for lifting the mood!"

Meanwhile, the Berserker, left behind, carefully pondered what she could do for the young hunter.

As expected, there was only one answer. Alcohol to lift his spirits or help him pour out his honest feelings, and delicious food to fill his empty stomach.

She happened to have delicious food on hand. Although it was cold, she could just ask the Priest to warm it up.

"No, it'd be better to just ask that cook for a new one."

It was absolutely not a method chosen because she wanted to eat other dishes made by the owner of that restaurant. In any case, it wasn't.

The Berserker practically skipped as she ran to the restaurant.

"Hey, owner!"

"Y-Yes?!"

Since barely an hour had passed, only one table was occupied, so this should be enough to ask for a delivery.

"Do you deliver to the Temple?"

"T-The Temple, you mean? If it's the Temple, then of course I'll do it, but..."

"Then I'd like to order some food! The most delicious meat dish here, regardless of the price! Ah, if you have anything sweet, give me that too! The young hunter likes sweet things."

The Berserker roughly placed her order and opened her wallet with a hearty grin. At that, dozens of gold and silver coins clinked together.

It was money saved up to prepare for the incidents and accidents she might get entangled in, just like when she shattered the bridge last time. It wasn't that she thought of saving it herself, but rather what her sister had nagged her into collecting.

"T-That's too much."

"Take it! If it's too much, then make it that much more delicious!"

She still didn't really understand how the world worked, but she at least knew that the more money you put in, the better the result.

Despite the owner's refusal, the Berserker shoved a handful of copper and silver coins into his hands.

"Make it tasty enough to make my friend shake off his sadness and smile again!"

"...! Yes!"

With this, the food was sorted. She headed back to the Temple. She didn't forget to ask the Priest to deliver the food to them once it arrived.

She was an easygoing person who overlooked most things, but she couldn't stand seeing her food handed over to someone else without her permission.

"Then what I need to do now is..."

‘Do I just wait while the food arrives? That's a bit lame. Then should I go to the young hunter?’

She recalled the face of the young hunter she had seen earlier.

He looked exhausted. There was no benefit in bothering someone with a face like that.

"I have nothing to do..."

‘Then do I just sit still until the food arrives? I don't want to do that.’

But when she thought about training, she didn't have the motivation for it. This was all because of the young hunter.

"Ugh."

They hadn't been together for long, but she quite liked the companions she was currently traveling with.

The half-and-half hair was thrillingly strong, and the redhead was fun enough to be a sparring partner.

On top of that, the old man was weak but nice because he reminded her of her sister, and she just plain liked the young hunter.

Especially his skill at making up for her clumsy speaking skills, which always caused problems, was truly the best. His lack of confidence compared to his skills was a bit funny, but she was willing enough to go along with his telling her not to fight to some extent.

Because of that, with the young one drooping so much right now, she didn't have much energy either. The Berserker lay sprawled out on the floor.

"Ah!"

Fortunately, she easily thought of one thing she could do.

"I just have to go snap his spine and come back!"

She just needed to find the bastard who supposedly landed a hit on the young hunter and snap his spine just as she had promised. The young hunter would definitely like it, too.

‘Is that right?’

"Sister?"

‘Would he really like that?’

However, her steps were blocked by a voice ringing in her head.

"Wouldn't he like it? The Berserker would like it."

‘My opinion is a little different.’

"Sister, do you think he would hate it?"

‘You know the truth too, don't you.’

"... The Berserker doesn't know."

‘Really?’

"I said the Berserker doesn't know."

She blinked her eyes. The inside of her throat felt hot. She didn't know the reason.

"The Berserker..."

‘You already know.’

She didn't know the reason.

"This got annoying."

The 'Berserker' had to not know.

"Sister, you take care of it."

She didn't even want to argue.

She turned her gaze away from her sister who was quietly looking down at her. She turned a blind eye to the one who was much smaller than her, the one soaking the piled-up snow with blood.

"The Berserker is going to sleep."

Not yet, she didn't want to face it yet. She wanted to act like a spoiled child a little longer.

She closed her eyes and untied the small ponytail in her hair.

"... I thought you would have been stimulated by what happened last time."

And soon, the 'Weapon Master' opened her eyes.

"Does it mean combat power, the realm beyond, isn't urgent yet?"

She twirled her platinum blonde hair with her finger; even untied, it barely covered her neck and lacked any flow. Her fingers, firmly calloused and deformed from handling weapons, were dull even to the touch.

"But little sister, you can't do that. We are no longer..."

It was a hand that the 'real' one could never have.

She looked down at her hand before deciding to handle the immediate task first. It was a proper choice, as a worry harbored for a long time wouldn't be resolved in a day or two.

Thus, she cleared the table, brought out utensils and plates in preparation for the food that would arrive soon, and additionally bought some snacks that the young hunter seemed to like.

And just when the food arrived.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

She knocked on the door.

"Are you sleeping?"

Would it be a bit troublesome if he was sleeping? But if he was, it might be better to let him keep sleeping rather than force him awake.

"Excuse me for a moment."

However, there was also the possibility that he wasn't sleeping and was just staying silent. She opened the door slightly.

Perhaps because he specialized in stealth attacks, his breathing while asleep and his normal breathing were both incredibly steady, making this an inevitable choice.

It was difficult to tell whether the other person was asleep or not just by his presence.

"... Oh my."

However, what she saw when she opened the door was by no means a good sight.

"Ghk!"

What exactly should one call choking oneself in one's sleep?

"Wake up, young hunter!"

At the very least, one thing was certain: it was absolutely not a good sign.

"Young hunter!!"

The amber eyes that had carried a hue of calmness instantly transformed into desperation.

"You called them in because you thought it was about time people forgot, didn't you?! To dispose of us this time! Did you think I wouldn't know?!"

There was a group of people in front of the castle we finally arrived at. And standing at the center of them was the very person who—presumably—punched DeB in the cheek earlier.

"I definitely saw it! I'm telling you, I saw it!"

‘If I tattle that this guy hit our soft Meat Dumpling right here, it'd break my character, right? Yeah, I know. I know, but...’

‘Ah, I want to hit him just once.’

"It seems they are holding a protest."

"Indeed. Though the contents of their protest are somewhat questionable..."

I stared fixedly at the person screaming at the top of their lungs. Was it because I put my aura into my gaze? The man stopped mid-sentence, briefly turned his eyes this way, and completely froze.

When the loudest person stopped, the others grew puzzled and looked my way. Kindly enough, they all held their tongues.

"Um, Archmage. They're looking at us and quieting down; is there perhaps a problem?"

"... Aren't they just being considerate so as not to be loud?"

The Archmage seemed to have roughly noticed that I was the cause, but he didn't explain that fact as it was.

Then again, saying 'They're shutting up because they're terrified of the Demon Knight behind you' wasn't something to say for their sake, either.

"What brings you here..."

"Didn't the Temple send envoys?"

"Ah! You must be them! Please wait a moment. I will inform those inside."

Anyway, if we could go inside quietly, that was enough.

By the time the butler came out to greet us, I gave the protesters one last look—it was intimidation for completely personal reasons, but it couldn't be helped. Our Meat Dumpling got hurt, didn't he?—and followed the party into the castle.

A garden where flowers and trees grew abundantly unfolded before our eyes, which was unusual for a time when the land was drying up.

Compared to the completely dried-out blades of grass outside the castle, it was a bizarrely vibrant flower garden.

"Could it be magic?"

"It doesn't seem like it, but..."

Recalling what I heard at the restaurant we ate at earlier, this might also be the Young Lord's doing. They said the fields grew lively whenever he came and went.

"It's because they are things the Young Lord raised himself."

The butler who had come out to greet us quietly explained.

The story was that the Young Lord grew all kinds of plants as a pastime, and they would grow this vividly green just from his touch. It was similar to what the restaurant owner had said.

"A talent...?"

"I don't think this can be explained simply as a talent..."

‘Freaking awesome. With an ability like that, you could get a landscaping license, set up a farm, and somehow whip up a money-raking corporation in no time.’

‘You could make a room totally green without killing a single succulent!’

I thought of my own situation, being called the 'Hand of Death' among my industry colleagues, and remembered a colleague who said they kept cherry tomatoes in a corner of their room to pick and eat fresh.

‘That Young Lord of Ednium guy could probably do that too. Hah. I'm jealous. So jealous!!’

"Aren't you gilding my name a bit too much?"

"Young Lord."

Was I being envious, jealous, and resentful instead of congratulating someone else's talent?

Just as the noir heart of my jealousy was shining black, someone approached. It was a jaw-droppingly beautiful person.

I thought the Outlaw of Montata Island was the absolute peak of appearance in this world's setting, but here was someone who went one step further.

"Welcome to Ednium. I am Leon of Ednium."

‘Wow, there really are people born with everything.’ I stopped acting jealous—it was just a joke to begin with—and received his greeting.

I ignored my right arm, which had suddenly started to itch.

"Hello, Young Lord."

"It is an honor to meet you, Young Lord Leon."

Ah, for the record, when I say I received his greeting, I don't mean I actually replied. I mean the Inquisitor and the Archmage returned it.

"The honor is mine to meet the chosen Hero and the renowned Great Sage of the Magic Tower. And..."

As always, I kept my silence in the back. I didn't even bother giving a silent nod.

I had never done so until now, and since no one had ever picked a fight with me over it, it didn't really matter.

"He is the Demon Knight."

"Ah, I have heard of you. You are the adventurer renowned as the Demon Butcher. It is an honor."

However...

"A fishy smell..."

"Pardon?"

"It is nothing. Welcome."

I inwardly traced the shape of his mouth from the words he muttered—though I couldn't hear it because he whispered it almost like the sound of the wind.

‘A fishy smell...?’

‘A fishy smell?’

‘Do I still smell?!?!? ’