Chapter 125

125 – A Toast with Friends, The Traces of his Hero

「I wonder. Even so, it was my own circumstances that caused me to rush」

If only we could get to 1st rank, then all the voices criticizing Fenix for letting a Black Sorcerer in the party will cease.

This guy didn’t put me in the party just because we’re best friends.

We were both equals who aimed to stand at the top, so it’s a misunderstanding that Fenix invited me into the party or whatever.

I wanted to prove that.

「…At any rate, I almost lost my relationship with you without being able to return the favor.」

「You did return the favor. That thing with Berith was more than enough.」

With her guidance, Berith’s movements became even more like an Insect-Human.

「…That is insufficient. Even if it was, not much time has passed since then and yet here I am now creating another debt.」

「Debt? Are you perhaps talking about your current request?」

Lily nodded.

I smiled cheerfully.

「A Hunter as strong as you will be of great help to the defense. I’m grateful, there’s no reason for me to demand gratitude. I’m not that greedy, y’know?」

Lily opened her eyes wide, Fenix smiled slightly.

「Or what? Are you requesting me to let you participate through our connection as friends despite not knowing if you’ll be useful? If that were the case, then you would owe me one.」

When I said that, she finally loosened her lips.

「…No. Not at all, Lem. I will definitely be of use to you. If you give me the opportunity, I shall bring you victory.」

「Nice. Well then, to a fair and equal trade.」

We make a toast.

I held out my wooden jug towards her and she modestly taps my jug with hers.

And with that, I once again attained a reliable ally, even if it’s only for the Raid Battle.

「…Hey, why are you so chipper anyway?」

I glare at Fenix.

「I’m just happy that Lem is getting recognized.」

「You’re creeping me out, man.」

「Lem, that’s going too far. While it is true that Fenix’s fellowship towards you is…excessive, and I’ve honestly been worried about it for quite some time but… Anyway, friendship is a hard-earned treasure. We misunderstood it, but so long as it doesn’t disrupt calm thinking, we should respect it.」

Ah, so everyone did think that Fenix let an incompetent person in the party because he is his best friend.

If that assumption is gone, then there is nothing wrong with his feelings towards a childhood friend.

「Also, there is something that even I understand. Lem, aren’t you in a good mood whenever you hear good rumors about Fenix?」

「…Uhm, Lily? It’s not like that, right?」

I don’t get into a bad mood, though.

「Even someone who is as good at reading people as you can’t read yourself, I see.」

「No, but really…」

Just as I was thinking about how I should explain it, I noticed that she was giggling.

…Looks like she was teasing me.

「So even Lily laughs at that.」

「My apologies. You don’t waver in the midst of a battle or even during the previous discussion, but when it comes to Fenix, you’re at a loss for words, so it’s a little…」

Guh…

It’s complicated.

We’re childhood friends. I was once like his older brother, chasing away all the kids who bullied Fenix.

But when I turned ten and confirmed my Job, the world turned upside down.

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All my friends left me, save for Fenix who was a Hero of all things.

We promised each other that we’d become Adventurers and we did.

He’s my childhood friend, my best friend, my brother, my ally, my rival.

I suppose I do get angry when someone makes fun of him, and I’m happy when he’s praised. I’ll admit that.

However, to simply say that it is because we are good friends doesn’t feel right.

「I…I feel as if I understand Fenix’s feelings somewhat. You truly wish to save people, driven not by righteousness nor kindness.」

At that moment, Lily’s smile was as beautiful as a work of art, which stunned me for a moment.

It has a soothing sweetness like Cashew but lacks the heart-thumping, bewitching quality of Milla.

It’s similar to looking at a beautiful scenery. Your eyes are captivated by nature and you let out a breath of wonder.

「…I don’t really know about that…」

「How surprising, to think that there is something you don’t know.」

「What I do know is that you’re not surprised at all.」

Smiling wryly, I scratch my cheek to disguise my shyness.

After that, I confirmed Fenix’s Monster Avatar,  talked about when to summon the two of them, how to get them to work, and made a Contract with Lily.

「Everyone says I’m cold…I’m not cold. I just can’t do things frivolously without meaning.」

Lily put her soft cheek on the tabletop, ears bright red.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen her this drunk.

Maybe she felt somewhat relaxed because she was able to let out what happened to Suuri, which she hadn’t been able to talk about with her allies before.

「Ah, yeah, that’s right. I think that’s one of your strong points, Lily.」

Lily is dissatisfied with her public reputation. It doesn’t change things, but even so, it’s not as if it doesn’t hurt.

「…I hated your insincere smile.」

「Yeah, I didn’t like it either.」

「But…just now was…zzz…」

「Lily?」

It looks like she fell asleep.

「…I’ll take her home.」

「Don’t bring her to some strange place, now.」

「That’s too much, isn’t it?」

「Well, it was just a joke. I’ll follow you too. If you walk around town with Lily on your back, it’ll become minor news tomorrow.」

If we have my recognition inhibition, there’s no need to worry about that.

「Oh, that’ll help a lot.」

I could lend a hand by carrying Lily back to her inn by myself, but somehow I don’t have a good feeling about that.

More specifically, I can see Milla being in a bad mood in the future saying something like「Lem, I smell the scent of a woman on you, exactly who did you get close enough to in order to leave a scent? Oh, that’s right, you had an appointment with the Hunter Lily today…fufu, fufufu.」

We paid the bill and went outside the tavern.

We were silent for a while.

「Oh, come to think of it. You were about to say something when you were talking about Wraith.」

「…Hm? Ah.」

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We walked side by side on a crowded main street, nobody paid any attention to us.

「He reminds me of someone but I can’t seem to recall who. Did you notice anything?」

Fenix asked me a question on top of my question.

「…Lem, where did you first hear the words『The hero always wins in the end』?」

No, it was an answer in the form of a question.