Sunlight filtering through the curtains roused me, and for once I felt refreshingly alert as I sat up.
I stretched my back wide and shook off the lingering drowsiness. For a long-sleeper like me to wake up this clear-headed was a rare thing indeed.
Vacations really were the best. The chocolate parfait certainly had something to do with it, but getting outside and moving my body a little probably helped too. Sitting in the Clan Master's office all day was a sure recipe for becoming sedentary.
Yesterday's exhaustion meant the moment I hit the bed, I was out cold before I could even think.
I poured water from the pitcher and took a sip. That was when I noticed two eyes staring right at me.
"!?"
"Good... morning... Mastaa..."
"Tinno!? G-good morning... What's going on with those eyes?"
I had completely forgotten. On the bed about a meter away, my junior was hugging her knees and watching me with an unblinking gaze.
She wore the loose-fitting, long grey pajamas that Citry had prepared, which looked fresh on her. But what caught my attention far more were the two eyes above her huddled knees — swollen and puffy, with dark circles underneath so much worse than the day before.
I had gone out of my way to persuade the worrywart Liliz and the others to allow her the use of a bed so she could sleep peacefully, and this was the result?
"...Couldn't sleep?"
"...Just a little, my heart was racing... Mastaa fell asleep right away, so..."
Tinno's eyes welled up with tears, and she looked at me as though pleading for something.
Of course I fell asleep. What else was I supposed to do in a bed? But still — how many days now had Tinno been running on no sleep?
Tinno's bare white toes peeked out from beneath her pajamas, fidgeting and rubbing against each other.
That little gesture made something click in my mind.
"...Don't tell me, you thought I might — you know... make a move on you?"
I chose my words carefully, and Tinno's face flushed a deep crimson, her slender shoulders beginning to tremble in tiny vibrations. So that was it — she'd been on guard the whole time.
I thought we had settled that matter yesterday after a thorough back-and-forth with Liliz and Citry, but apparently it hadn't been enough.
I had my share of desires, and sure, I sometimes found Tinno adorable, but I wasn't the kind of person to lay a hand on my junior. Besides, a man and woman sharing a sleeping space was hardly unusual for Hunters.
Wasn't she being a bit too sensitive? Citry and Liliz were in the next room, for crying out loud — if I tried anything, they'd come storming in in a heartbeat.
As I stared at her with a hint of exasperation, Tinno seemed to pick up on it. Her cheeks, her ears, her neck — every bit of her fair skin reddened further, and she quickly ducked her head away. She brought this on herself, I thought, and she really ought to trust me a little more.
I knew I could be dense, but I was pretty sure I had never given her any reason to think I was the type to get sloppy with women...
"Good mornin', Klye! See, I told ya nothin' happened! Klye is totally head over heels for me, you know — ahahaha! Tee, what's with that face! So funny!"
"Good morning, Klye. I didn't hear anything, but... I believed you. Let's have breakfast. Tee-chan looks a little wobbly, so I'll give her some medicine later."
The two who might be the root of all evil walked in.
Liliz patted the swaying Tinno on the back with loud thwacks, while Citry let out a sigh of relief.
If these mentors of hers hadn't said anything to put strange ideas in Tinno's head yesterday, she would have slept soundly without a care. But now that things had gone this far, there was nothing I could do. I just hoped to get at least a little sleep in the carriage...
§ Overnight, the town of Gra had transformed completely from the day before, buzzing with an odd kind of energy.
Hunters caked in mud and blood walked alongside armored knights. Yet none of them wore any look of tension on their faces.
Liliz, trudging beside me with a large pack on her back, eyes wide, spoke up. She'd been eavesdropping as they walked, apparently.
"Huh, sounds like they finished clearing out the orc herd. Boring."
"From yesterday to today — this town's knight order is remarkably efficient. ...If the effects hold, they should have been fired up, though... I should make a note."
大规模な魔物の群れの討伐は何日も掛けて計画を立てて実施するのが普通である。 Large-scale monster exterminations normally took days of planning before execution.
Even removing the troublesome fortress from the equation, wrapping everything up in a single day was unheard of. If they were going to resolve it anyway, they could have at least done it before we arrived.
Liliz, glancing around, suddenly lit up and poked my arm.
"Klye, they're holding a festival in three days to celebrate the crisis being averted! Wanna check it out?"
Now that was... an appealing proposition.
I loved festivals. I loved auctions too. I enjoyed participating, and I enjoyed just watching. I loved the cheerful atmosphere.
But extending our stay by three days was a bit much. Luke and the others weren't around, and I'd already finished the chocolate parfait.
My hesitation lasted only a moment. I'd been to plenty of festivals before, staying a long time under a fake identity could cause problems, and above all, in this town there were people who might see through my cover — even if they were civilians.
I put on a thoughtful expression and said: "No. Our purpose here is fulfilled. Let's press on."
"Gotcha. I mean, you can see a festival any time as long as Klye's around. All we gotta do is take down a flag, right?"
The unease gone and the town's vitality restored, we walked on. I spotted the café we'd entered yesterday, but this time there was a line out front.
Yesterday's quiet, tranquil streetscape had its own charm, but with the energy back, the town felt ten times more appealing. Even if there was a line at the café I had my eye on — waiting in line was surprisingly enjoyable too.
The sweet aroma drifting from every direction — this was a wonderful town. I would definitely come back someday. Of course, when there was no flag flying.
Above the gate, the flag that had been fluttering there yesterday was gone.
As I was completing exit procedures at the gate, cheers suddenly erupted from the large party entrance beside us.
The soldier processing my paperwork looked over with squinting eyes and explained.
"The heroes' triumphant return. They're the ones who took down the orc herd. Apparently, there happened to be a high-level Hunter in the direction the herd was rampaging toward, and by the time our forces intercepted, that Hunter had already slain the majority of them. And with only eight people, no less."
"That's... incredible."
"Right! Right! Their enemy was a maddened orc herd, and for reasons unknown, various other monsters had gathered there too. Truly something else. They're true 'heroes.'"
There really were some amazing Hunters out there. Defeating an orc herd meant their strength was unquestionable, but beyond even that — they were incredibly unlucky.
To be caught in the path of a rampaging monster herd — what did they eat to attract that kind of misfortune? They might as well have been me.
Alongside my admiration, I felt a deep sense of pity — empathy, even. The monsters' rampage wasn't my fault, so it didn't go beyond sympathy.
Citry tugged my arm and whispered, her lips close enough to touch.
"Going according to plan?"
"Huh? No, well... Hmm... I suppose?"
What plan was she talking about? This vacation was, needless to say, a completely unplanned journey.
As I tilted my head inwardly at Citry's cryptic remark, the crowd that had been surrounding the heroes parted for an instant.
I couldn't help but widen my eyes and look twice.
It must have been a fierce battle. The heroes were in tatters. Their armor was covered in scratches, and their entire bodies were smeared with blood — some from their enemies, some their own. I had heard there were eight, but perhaps due to injuries, only five were present. Even those five looked on the verge of collapse, some leaning on their companions for support. Yet on their faces was an expression unique to those who had given everything they had.
Their appearance was the very image of what a common person would imagine a hero to look like. But what surprised me even more was that these Hunters were people I knew.
Given my position, I naturally had many high-level acquaintances, so it wasn't entirely unexpected — but leading the ragged group at the front was the leader of the 《Thunder Dragon of the Mist》, Arnold.
His already imposing frame, now drenched in blood and battered, looked like nothing less than a battle-hardened warrior. But there was no mistaking him.
Yes, it was Arnold. The same Arnold who had just caused trouble in the Imperial Capital.
...I had no idea why he was here, but what a coincidence.
Liliz snapped her fingers as if everything suddenly made sense.
"Ah, so that's what it was. I thought it was weird he wasn't fighting — no wonder..."
"...Let's just go quickly. If we get noticed, it'll be a hassle. I'd like to catch up, but they look like they've been through a ringer."
"Okaaay!"
While keeping a wary eye out, I waited for the paperwork to finish. Just then, through the crowd, I thought Arnold's clouded gaze met mine.
Arnold's exhausted expression shifted to one of blank shock for an instant, and the corner of his mouth twitched. I quickly turned my face away.
Did he notice? He didn't notice...? ...He definitely noticed. I was too scared to look back.
Fortunately, the paperwork was just finishing, and I slipped through the gate. They looked wiped out and surely had no energy to spare for us.
I was breathing a sigh of relief when Liliz, walking beside me, executed a graceful spin.
Blowing a kiss over her shoulder, she called out toward the gate in a bright voice.
"Byeee! Good work on the fight! Glad you're alive — you tried real hard, huh! Well, it was only an orc herd, so for a bunch of country folk, you did pretty okay! Sorry, but we're busy, so we can't stick around. See ya!"
"!?" — "Hey, Liliz, don't antagonize them... Citry, let's move."
A few seconds later, a bestial roar echoed from inside the gate. I bolted for the carriage waiting outside the town.