"Wait...!"

"Priest, stop."

"Huh?"

"The Demon Knight refused."

"B-But Berserker. The Demon Knight is..."

The Inquisitor looked at the back of the departing figure, and then at the one who had grabbed her, one after another. She couldn't understand the reason why the Berserker was holding onto her.

"Respect his choice, Priest."

To her, the Berserker spoke clearly.

"You do not have the right to intervene with him. Because you are weaker than him."

They were incomprehensible words.

"... I know I am lacking in many ways. However, me being weak has nothing to do with my right to reach out to him!"

The level of one's martial prowess did not dictate one's rights. Furthermore, hadn't she already made a resolve with that slacker earlier? She had no intention of giving up.

But the moment she shouted that, the Berserker tilted her head slightly to the side.

Her amber eyes, which usually seemed to resemble a beast of prey or the sun, shone like gold. It was gold that had changed somehow after festering underground for a thousand years.

"You are wrong, Priest. The weak are not given any rights or qualifications whatsoever."

"The qualification and right to reach out to others is given with courage alone. It has nothing to do with martial prowess."

"Priest."

In the Inquisitor's eyes, the Berserker suddenly seemed to age in an instant.

It didn't mean she had gained more wrinkles or her hair had turned white.

With a single breath, the Berserker changed the weight in her eyes. The thousand-year gold sank underground, deep into the ocean. It no longer flowed with brilliance.

"It's not that I don't understand what you're saying. I, too, love those who muster their courage and fight. However... there are things in this world that cannot be solved with courage, perseverance, and desperation alone. There are things... that can only be settled through sheer personal strength. Just like right now."

The hot gold turned into cold iron.

"Why... why is this something that can only be solved with personal strength? How so? The Demon Knight is just hurting—"

"If the Demon Knight goes mad and runs wild, can you subdue him?"

"T-That, I would try. I would somehow subdue him and..."

"Can you picture that 'somehow' in a clear form? To a level that could convince not only you, but the Demon Knight as well?"

"..."

"Priest, anyone can attempt to save a person even with meager strength. Holding their hand and dying alongside them would be salvation to someone. But protecting is different. Protecting is a completely different matter."

A chill descended with every single word the Berserker spat out.

"What is needed to protect an old woman from thugs is power. What is required to care for a child chased by loan sharks is also power. Even when saving someone who jumps into a duel prepared for death, you cannot do it without power. Whether it's financial power, martial power, or political power, there are moments where you absolutely must have power to get the answer you want."

It was a tongue colder than a blade and harsher than the snow on a snowy mountain.

"That is also why you, and you young Hunter, were given neither the right nor the opportunity to protect the Demon Knight. With your abilities, you cannot protect him. Furthermore, you won't even be able to save him."

At least, that was how it felt to the Inquisitor. A blade could at least be blocked, but those words would be heard even if she covered her ears.

"... Then, what about you, Fighter Boss? I know we are weak. But if it's you, Fighter Boss..."

"Young Hunter."

But the most sorrowful thing, the thing that made the Inquisitor feel the most wretched, was...

"Do not think you are the only one frustrated by the limits of your power."

The reality that the Berserker's expression as she said that was incredibly heart-wrenching.

"If I could have stepped forward, I would have done so already. The Demon Knight is a rare, amusing opponent, and one I want to fight against again."

Because she realized that even the Berserker actually didn't want to back down like this... the Inquisitor couldn't help but feel sorrowful.

"... Even so, I will not give up."

However, instead of shedding tears, she shouted with reddened eyes.

"In the end, it will be solved if I become stronger, won't it? So, instead of giving up, I will try harder. Because that is what I must do."

Because the Inquisitor's life was one that would rather break than bend.

"... Do as you please, Priest. But... no. Just, don't be late. Destiny does not wait for you."

The Berserker cheered for her with an exhausted face. That face still predicted its impossibility, and a fleeting sense of skepticism and even regret could be felt from it, but at the very least, she didn't look like she would try to stop her.

That was enough. Even without someone joining her, she was a person who could take action.

"Slacker, are you going too?"

"... Where?"

"We have to follow the Demon Knight! Putting aside whether he relies on us or not, we at least have to find out if there's anything wrong with his health!"

"... Ah, right. We should."

However, she had to make this slacker join in, at least. She looked at the guy who had grown gloomy again after hearing a single remark about being weak, and smacked him on the back.

SMACK!

"──!!!"

To think he would melt down and flounder like a freshly caught fish just from getting hit once!

She stared down at the wretch collapsed on the floor, forgetting the fact that she was a person who carried an average of 30 to 40 kg around with her.

"This is only the beginning, so don't make such weak noises already! Do you think standing by the Demon Knight's side is a joke?!"

"..."

"Answer me!"

"..."

"... Uh, Priest."

"What is it?"

"I think the young Hunter fainted."

"What???"

* * *

[Urgently seeking Demon Knight to receive health checkup at the castle]

[Seeking Demon Knight to give a chance to deliver a gift and apologize]

As for what the identity of those two things was...

They were the phrases that caught my eye when I came down for breakfast after a refreshing sleep at the inn.

"Demon Knight!!"

"Boss!!"

I lost my words as I looked at the two people holding picket signs outside the inn. The two of them showing up in a form that surpassed my imagination was so baffling that my mind simply went blank.

'What are they seriously doing?'

"Uh, customer. Are they perhaps acquaintances..."

While I was standing there in a daze, an employee sneakily approached and asked...

"I don't know them."

"Yep."

I really didn't want to answer. After all, panic was panic, and embarrassment was embarrassment. It was incredibly humiliating.

After sending the employee away with a more brutal and strict demeanor than usual, I gathered my magic.

CRACK!

"Ack!"

"Uwah."

A small, manifested magic spear shattered only the picket signs in the Inquisitor's and the Deathbringer's hands before disappearing. The people walking down the street seemed slightly startled, but this wasn't the time to be considerate of them. Phew. Finally, the embarrassing things were gone.

"Demon Knight, the fact that you broke the picket signs means you do have the intention to talk with us—!"

'... No. I guess they haven't disappeared yet.'

As soon as the picket signs broke, I saw the two of them coming into the tavern-style first floor of the inn. It looked like dogs... no. It looked like madmen were charging at me.

"Your order— Uwah!"

"Heok!"

I reflexively kicked the table near me. I saw the customer sitting in front of that table and the employee who was approaching to set down food clutching their hearts, but there was no damage done.

"Hup!"

The table flew through the air and struck the Inquisitor and the Deathbringer directly. The Inquisitor grabbed the table, spun it around, and set it down safely, but anyway.

In the meantime, I slipped into the kitchen. I did this knowing there was another exit in the kitchen.

"Customer, this isn't a place to enter... wait... uh, please use it as much as you like."

'It's a good thing I always carry my luggage in my inventory.'

I walked past the flustered cook and headed out the kitchen's back door—well, it was on the side, so should I call it a side door? An alleyway between the inn and the building right next to it appeared.

"Ahht, Demon Knight!"

"Boss, wait for me!!"

Crazy bastards. I slammed the door shut and quickly walked out of the alley. Since there were a lot of people on the main street, I figured it would be better to blend in with them.

"Demon Knight!!"

"Boss!!"

'Don't call me out loud! It's embarrassing!'

I made sure not to run, but I swiftly weaved through the crowd.

For reference, the reason I didn't run was because I was by no means a fugitive. Anyway, that was it. Why would I need to make a desperate escape when I had no guilty conscience? I was just avoiding them because I didn't want to get involved.

"Demon Kniiiight!!!"

"Boss, I know I'm not qualified, but I still feel like I have to do this...! Argh, please wait just a moment!"

Fortunately, those guys didn't run either. Probably because there were a lot of people.

TAP, TAP, TAP.

Regardless, I slipped into an alley again. My destination was the bookstore I went to yesterday.

Originally, I was planning to go to the castle to ask about the schedule and ask around for the next decent smithy... but I couldn't bear dragging those two around.

"You're really fast, Boss..."

"Demon Knight! Where are you going? Are you heading to the Temple? Ah, you can get examined at the castle! The Archmage changed it so that it could be done at the castle!"

But I got caught in the end. I was speed-walking and those guys were half-running, so it couldn't be helped. The two of them stuck two steps behind me, chattering away.

"Uh, um, Boss. So..."

"Don't stutter and speak properly."

"... I'm sorry. This isn't something I should say now, and I don't think I have the right to... but still, I have to apologize..."

"Stop dragging out your words!"

"You, stay out of this for a bit! Ah, I'm not saying this as a joke. Boss, I know it's too late... but I truly mean this. I'm sorry. Back then... I mean, when I attacked you. I'm really... really sorry... I didn't mean it, really. I, I just... I mean, no, not just... it was only that at the time, I was a bit..."

Then, hold on. When I heard the apology that I thought I would never hear, a corner of my mind went blank for a moment.

"So... ah shit, I'm sorry. I'm really... really sorry... If you happened to be hurt by it..."

"What do you mean 'ah shit', 'ah shit'! Do it properly!"

"Argh! Please just back off! I-I want to do it properly too, but the words just aren't coming out right!"

'They didn't hate me after all.'

'... They weren't terrified that I would kill them.'

"This is my first time doing something like an apology... So, I mean... argh, I-I'm not even expecting forgiveness or anything! It's just, just this feeling that I'm truly sorry... um, you don't necessarily have to acknowledge it, Boss, but still, um, I wanted to convey it... Because I, I really did something wrong... I, I was really... I'm sorry for acting so stupidly back then..."

Listening to the Deathbringer's voice as he finally started to tear up, I barely suppressed the urge to turn my head.

"I can't say it makes up for it, but um, I bought a longsword... could you... maybe accept that, at least. I won't dare assume I've been forgiven just because you take it..."

"Not even being able to give an apology properly is truly fitting for an idiot. However, Demon Knight! This guy is also repenting a lot. It is not something I dare intervene in, and I have even less intention of forcing you to forgive him, but still, how about giving him the chance to apologize?"

It couldn't be helped. His apology was a little late. Maybe a lot. Or perhaps, naturally so.

Like an inevitability.

"..."

Realizing the identity of the longsword the Deathbringer had been hugging yesterday, I opened my mouth, then immediately closed it.

It was a meaningless conversation to have now.

"... Boss?"

"Demon Knight, did you hear us?"

If only to shut my ears to them, I focused on finding my way. It didn't take long for the familiar alley to appear.

KNOCK, KNOCK.

"Where is this place?"

"... There's only one window."

Along with the knock, I focused on the presence inside. It seemed I had arrived too early. I couldn't hear any sound. Then again, it was morning, so there might still be some time left before he came to work.

"Huh, customer?"

"Hm?"

"...?"

"... Uh?"

Luckily, the bookstore owner arrived for work shortly after. His gaze momentarily drifted to the two people clinging behind me.

"Uh, why are people from the Temple..."

'Does the bookstore owner have a bad relationship with the Temple?' Looking at his pale face, I motioned with my chin.

"Open it."

"Um... customer, I think there's a misunderstanding..."

"Demon Knight! Who is this person?"

"He, he looks like a transcriber... Is that right, Boss...?"

"...??"

'What should I do about this collective monologue. And what's wrong with the bookstore owner today. What does he mean by misunderstanding.'

"... Uh, Priest. Are you not here to inspect the store?"

"...? I am not?"

"Ah, ahhh! I see! Then a transcription request...?"

"Were you a transcriber?"

I let out a breath and hit the door with force. THUMP.

"If you won't open it, I will leave."

"No, no! Just a moment!"

The store owner, who had been distracted by the two of them, hurriedly rushed to the door. CLUNK. The old door opened.

"Please come in. There are many books we don't have, but transcription is fully possible—"

SLAM!

"Eh."

"Ehh, Boss!"

"Demon Knight?"

Right after entering the bookstore, I shut the door before the Inquisitor and the Deathbringer could come in. Both the store owner, who had just lit a candle, and the two people left outside let out bewildered sounds.

"Um, aren't the two outside coming in...?"

CLINK.

"Do not let them in, under any circumstances."

"Yep."

A coin pouch, a little heavier than yesterday's, dropped into the store owner's hands. It was only natural for the owner to beam at the silver coins gleaming through the pouch's opening.

"Then I'll assume you'll be reading upstairs today as well."

Of course, there was a high chance this would be breached if they paid more... but the Deathbringer was a cheapskate, and the Inquisitor rarely carried money around. They probably couldn't pay more than me.

["I bought a longsword... could you... maybe accept that, at least."]

'... Even though the Deathbringer is a cheapskate.'

GRUMBLE.

I turned my attention to the sound that rang out just in time. Ah, since I came without eating breakfast, my stomach...

After a bit of contemplation, I took out another 30,000 gal from my inventory and added it to the store owner's hands.

"What's this for?"

"I want to order what I got delivered and ate yesterday again; can you do it for me. You can keep the change."

"Ah, of course!"

If he was smart enough to run a store at a young age, I wondered if it was okay to entrust such a trivial errand to someone like him... but it didn't seem to displease him much. Feeling relieved, I went upstairs.

"Um, I'm sorry, but could you please leave..."

"Uh, we're kind of his party... is it still a no...?"

"Do they call it a party these days when someone shuts the door on you before you can enter the store? I haven't heard that the meaning of the word has changed."

"No, that's..."

"Th-That's..."

"Well, I don't really know the relationship between you all, so I can't say much... but I still can't let you in right now. He was the first customer to arrive, and he asked me first. If you're a real party, work it out among yourselves later."

"Ah, um. We came here right now to work that out."

"We came because we have something to apologize for... is that also..."

"Those circumstances are none of my business. Please leave. Honestly, looking at it strictly from my perspective, you all seem a bit like stalkers—"

"A r-request! We will make a request! Yes! We came to make a request!"

"Is that so? Then let's head over to the store there. The inside of this store is dark, so it's not very good for having a conversation."

"No, that's..."

"Is there a problem?"

For reference, the store owner did an absolutely excellent job of earning the money he was given.

'I should give him a bigger tip when I leave later.'

* * *

The Archmage let out a sigh as she looked at the pieces of Biryuho's corpse in front of her.

To think he would entrust her with something like this after saying they should keep their distance.

She wasn't sure if she should consider it a sign that she had his trust, even if they didn't have a bond, or if it had been left to her because the Demon Knight didn't place much weight on this action.

Though the probability of it being the latter was highly likely.

"Will you buy it?"

"... I don't think the Temple can buy it."

"I see. Then, as expected, the Magic Tower will buy it all."

Still, considering the dedication he had shown, what she needed to do was set in stone.

The Archmage pondered ways to appraise the highest possible price as she double-checked the butchered pieces once more.

"Hm?"

Then suddenly, a thought crossed her mind—wouldn't a pretty decent sword come out of this thing's thigh bone?

They had already bought a longsword for the Demon Knight, but that was just an ordinary iron sword in the end. It would break before long.

"I'll have to buy this one."

Since she was on the ignorant side when it came to weapons, she would have to seek the Berserker's or the Inquisitor's advice, but... she probably wouldn't get a bad answer regarding the material.

"The formula has just stabilized, so if things go well..."

She estimated how much personal wealth she had, and racked her brain on who she should entrust the crafting to if she were to commission it.

Luckily, there was one person she had recently contacted for formula supplements and item crafting.

"If things go well, I should receive it right on time."

To add this on top of the existing commission felt like giving them too much work, so her conscience pricked her a bit, but looking purely at skill, there was no other option.

The Archmage made her decision with the mindset of, 'If I don't use my connections now, when will I ever use them?'

"Archmage..."

"Mage Boss..."

"... Inquisitor? And you?"

Of course, whether the gift could actually reach its owner was a separate issue.

Right after she heard the detailed story from the two who had returned crying their eyes out, she tapped her forehead.

Somehow, straightening out a single bond was harder than hunting a demon.