CH 16

Episode 16 – Return

TL Note: Triple release to close out the preface arc, enjoy! In other news, I have decided to be consistent and add parentheses after every dialogue quote to clarify who is speaking it, as many other translators do. I have gone back and fixed the other chapters accordingly to reflect this change. Much thanks to those continuing to provide constructive feedback in the comments as well!

“So that’s how it is… I suppose it can’t be helped. It’s really unfortunate that just as I was able to become friends with not only Ahmed-san, but also with Dion-san and Smash-san, this happens….” (Lewin)

“Acting distant so soon, huh? It’s not like this is goodbye forever. We were only banned from going to Grezesta’s Adventurer’s Guild, not from the city in its entirety. We can still come to Grezesta to visit you and hang out, and if you want to meet with us, become stronger and come find us!” (Ahmed)

Become stronger. Of course I have this intention, but even if I were to become stronger at the fastest possible speed, I feel like it would take several years. Taking into account Ahmed’s standard, it would probably take even longer.

“I’ll do my best… but I would still be happy if you guys would come to see me.” (Lewin)

“You’re a sissy bastard.” (Ahmed)

“…..So when are you leaving Grezesta?” (Lewin)

“Well, it was a fun chat. It went in a kind of depressing direction, so I’m going to sleep!!” (Ahmed)

“…Yeah. Good night.” (Lewin)

Forcibly ending the conversation, Ahmed stormed off.

Before that conversation, I felt like I could sleep well, but that conversation stirred up unpleasant feelings inside me.

From Ahmed’s perspective, I was just another client to her. But from my perspective, as the first person who was kind to me since I came to Grezesta, she ended up becoming an important person to me. Even though it was just a short period of three days, I was shocked by what she said because I was expecting to be able to build a proper give-and-take relationship with them in the future. That said, in reality, there was really nothing I could do about this situation. I just felt disgusted at my own powerlessness.

After eventually falling asleep in a gloomy mood, I woke up the next day, but I kept having strange thoughts in my dreams and couldn’t sleep well.

While rubbing the sleep out of my tired eyes, I walked towards Smash and Dion, who were cleaning up as usual. The sun just came up, but they were already awake, huh.

“Good morning, Dion-san, Smash-san.” (Lewin)

“Lewin-kun, good morning. What’s wrong? You look pretty sleepy.” (Dion)

“Yeah… it’s just that last night, Ahmed-san told me that she was leaving Grezesta, so I was thinking about it and couldn’t sleep well.” (Lewin)

“Hoh, Elisa actually told you that?” (Smash)

“She didn’t bring it up herself, but after I asked her if she would accept another escort request from me in the near future, she told me about it.” (Lewin)

When I told them that, they looked at each other.

“So that’s what it was. I also enjoyed Lewin-kun’s quest commission, and the request itself was easy, so I would be happy if we could work together again in the future.” (Dion)

“If Elisa didn’t have that dispute going on, I think we could have formed a great relationship…” (Smash)

“I thought so too, but there’s nothing we can do about it now. Our contract finishes today, so let’s work well together till the end.” (Lewin)

They still had to escort me back to Grezesta, so I once again asked them for their cooperation. After the three of us finished cleaning up, we had some extra time left before we had to leave, so I decided to go on one last plant collection session before descending Mount Cornello.

“Oiii, are you guys ready yet? Even if you forgot something, we won’t be coming back to get it. Alright, let’s return to Grezesta!!” (Ahmed)

After that night, Ahmed returned to her normal high spirited state, and we began preparations to leave our temporary base. Carrying the bulging sack filled to the brim with collected plants and herbs on my back, I said goodbye to the temporary base that we were living in for the past four days. Thanks to the bounty of this mountain, I was able to set my sights on brighter prospects for living. After bowing deeply to the mountain in sincere gratitude and promising to come again some time in the future, I turned around to leave Mount Cornello.

""

After that, we finished descending Mount Cornello with no problems. While listening to Ahmed’s cheerful singing, we returned via the flat paved road that we took to get here just four days ago. Unlike the time when we were on our way to Mount Cornello, since I was now familiar with the personalities of three, we had fun, lively conversations the entire way back. But before I knew it, the city of Grezesta was already in sight. For some reason, the way there felt much longer than the way back.

“We were able to bring you back safely after all. Lewin-kun, thanks for your hard work.” (Dion)

“Lewin was by far the best client we’ve ever had. Our base city may be changing, but if we meet again somewhere in the future, let’s have a nice drink together.” (Smash)

“Thanks for treating me so kindly for this entire trip, you two! I’m honestly so glad that I chose the [Azure Alliance] to fulfill this request. By all means, if we see each other again, let’s definitely have a meal together.” (Lewin)

I said goodbye to Dion and Smash at the gates of Grezesta. It was only four days, but it would be no exaggeration to say that these four days changed my life.

“Go on, enter the city first, Lewin. We still need to go through the procedures for completing the quest commission.” (Ahmed)

Ahmed sent me off with this one line. I thought we were getting along pretty well, but… this kind of response is pretty characteristic of her I suppose.

“….Ahmed-san, thank you for accepting my quest commission. You’ve shown me not only the ways of escorting, but also the heights of being an adventurer. I’ll put forth my best effort to become stronger. You might have to wait for a long time, but I’ll proclaim it here and now. I promise to become stronger and come to see you, so please remember me when that time comes!” (Lewin)

“…………Didn’t I say I was leaving next month? It’ll be embarrassing when we see each other in passing on the streets, so stop it right now! Hurry up and enter the city!!!” (Ahmed)

I was bowing deeply to her as I said this, but Ahmed had one hand raised as if she was threatening to smack me, so I immediately ran for the city gates. Well…she did tell me that she was going to be leaving next month, but I got a little overwhelmed with emotion there and ended up saying too much. If I left her with such embarrassing parting words, I’m sure she was right in that it would be pretty awkward if we were to pass each other in the city in the next few weeks.