Why am I here?
This is strange. I was supposed to be sleeping in my den.
Yet Pakira woke me up, and now I'm sitting in this drawing room.
Lupinus. Pakira. Riv. Bitt.
All assembled. I have no idea what's going on.
I'm pretty sure I was sound asleep in my own bed, in my own room.
But when I woke up, I was sitting in the drawing room of the Torquetam hideout's mansion.
Yeah. I have absolutely no idea what's going on.
What on earth happened?
Could this be a dream?
"If so, what a nightmare."
"What are you muttering about?"
"This is reality, you know."
"Hmm... real..."
"I knew it — dragging someone here while they're sleeping is basically kidnapping."
Bringing me over?
Kidnapping... wait, you brought me here while I was sleeping!?
"That's just straight-up abduction..."
"I agree."
"Hey, Pakira. You were involved too, weren't you?"
"Yeah... everyone... accomplices."
"I had no idea what was going on!"
So, *Torquetam* had kidnapped me.
Incredible. I never thought they'd do something like that. But why go to such lengths for me?
"Ahem. We're sorry, Wof. We are the ones who brought you here."
"Um, but why?"
I'm on good terms with them, but I'm not a member of *Torquetam*.
This was a *Torquetam* problem, and I was a complete outsider.
"We needed a third party, someone who could look at this calmly," she explained.
"Yeah... a so-called... buffer..."
"A... buffer..."
"We speak our true feelings, and things can heat up."
"That's true, we've never really done this before, so it's hard to stay calm," one admitted.
"I'm also quite embarrassed by this sort of talk, but it's a first for me," said another.
"As it is for me," echoed a third.
"Yeah... same..."
Even I... no, I do have memories of this from my past life.
Ah... ugh... this is not a pleasant memory.
"Wof, what's the matter?"
"You're looking rather pale, you know."
"Mm... water, please..."
"Ah, thank you."
He receives the water and drinks.
"You feeling rough?"
"If you're not up to it, we can cancel the meeting."
"Indeed, that would be wise."
Wait... are they planning to hold the meeting without me?
"No, I'm fine."
"That's good, but don't push yourself."
"That's right."
"Mm... pushing it... bad."
The three of them shower me with gentle, caring words.
You'd never guess they'd forcibly dragged me over here while I was still half asleep.
Maybe I'm imagining it, but are they in some kind of rush?
"Wof... I'm really sorry about this."
Bid apologized with a guilt-ridden expression.
"No, it's really fine."
It's just that this reminds me a little of a certain serious negotiation from my past life.
Specifically, the negotiation during my past life when my wife was unfaithful—and committed brood parasitism—leading to divorce.
But it was a heavy memory for a thirteen-year-old, so it hit me hard.
"For now, I just have to listen, right?"
"That's the general idea, yes."
The general idea. The general idea, huh... the general idea?
"Well, it's more like we'll ask you if something comes up."
"Right... as an advisor."
An advisor... an advisor!?
"Then let's begin. The first ever 'Torquetam' meeting. A heart-to-heart talk."
"Sure."
"Mm..."
"Yes-sir!"
It all started with a weirdly solemn air.
"The moderator will be me. Lupinus will handle that role."
Moderator?
"Then let me start first, shall I?"
"Go ahead, Pakira. Tell us what you really think."
"Very well. As for me, I'm clearly not okay with Bid leaving 'Torquetam.' I admit we've been in the wrong on some points. It's true we kept doing things the way we always have, without adjusting our coordination and such. But that's something we can fix going forward. There's no need to leave."
"Th-that's..."
"And another thing. After you left, there's been this strangely awkward atmosphere. You feel bad about staying around even though you've left 'Torquetam,' don't you, Bid?"
"...Yes-sir."
"That's because you've been thinking of leaving, haven't you?"
"...Y-yes. I have been thinking about it."
Bid gave a small nod.
So I was right.
Even so, that was a full-on, no-holds-barred confession right from the start.
"And further, I gave it some thought. I simply couldn't figure it out, you see. Why you left 'Torquetam.' And then it occurred to me — was it the sense of alienation that made you want to leave 'Torquetam'?"
"Yes. I couldn't shake that feeling... so I wanted to quit."
"Mm. I'm sorry I didn't notice that sooner."
Pakira lowered her head.
"No, that's how I felt — it's not your fault, Pakira!"
"Say, Bid. Would you give me a chance?"
"A chance?"
"If you just quit like this, you'd eventually be unable to stand it and leave, and then you'd start avoiding us, and before long you'd leave Hydrangea too — and that's not what you truly want, is it?"
"...I don't want that."
Bid's expression twisted with anguish, as if the words were painful to speak.
But if things stayed the way they were, that really could have happened.
I think Bid himself had probably entertained that thought somewhere in the back of his mind.
"I especially don't want that to happen to us!"
"I really don't want that either!"
"Mm... Riv... too... absolutely... don't want..."
The three of them pleaded with Bidd earnestly.
"E-everyone..."
Bidd's eyes glistened faintly with tears.
"That's why I want to give Torquetam another shot—together, like before."
"---But I still..."
"Bidd!?"
Bidd suddenly went stubborn on us. What was that about?
Oh—wait, a thought occurred to me.
"Excuse me—can I say something?"
"Wof?"
"What is it?"
"What you're really worried about isn't the party name 'Torquetam,' is it?"
"...!"
Bidd flinched.
"What do you mean?"
"What exactly does that mean?"
"Um... ah... 'Torquetam'... astronomical instrument... horizon coordinates... equatorial coordinates... ecliptic coordinates... it measures three types of coordinate systems... so I named it... three..."
"So that's what it was."
"So that was it."
The origin. So that's how it came about.
Even if this world had walls, the real stars were still out there, so astronomy was apparently a thing here.
"I... looked it up. The name was given because there were three people, right? So I... I figured that if I joined, it wouldn't be 'Torquetam' anymore..."
I see. So that was it.
Because the party name signified three, she couldn't help fixating on that number even after the group grew to four.
Had she felt a deep sense of alienation from that?
"It was because there were three of us."
"I hadn't thought that far into it."
"Hmm... I'll come up with a new party name... that means four people..."
"That's...!? No, I really can't accept that... It's a party name you've been using for so long. It'd be a waste to change it just because of me."
"It doesn't matter one bit."
The leader of Torquetam said it without hesitation.
"That's right. A party name is neither here nor there."
"Hmm... okay then... from now on... we go as 'Riv+3'... nice to meet you."
"Rejected."
"Absolutely not."
I mean, wouldn't "Riv and His Merry Companions" be the obvious go-to there?
Well, that probably wouldn't get adopted either.
"You sure?"
"Of course. Like Pakira said, the important thing isn't the party name. What matters is you."
"Indeed. Something like 'Riv+3' is absolutely out of the question, but any name that signifies four people will do."
"Riv too... 'Riv and the Merry Companions'... that could work too."
"That's a no."
"Oh, you..."
Never learns, does he.
Bid was trembling, tears welling up in his eyes.
He burst out crying, then laughed through the tears.
"I wanna keep on goin' with everyone from here on out...!"
"Yes, welcome aboard, Bid."
"Glad to have you with us, Bid."
"...Pleased to work with you... Bid."
"Yes, sir!"
Phew. Happy ending at last, for real this time.
"So then, let's have Wof decide on the new party name."
"Huh? Why me?"
What?
"It's for the sake of fairness."
"No no no, surely that's— surely that's a bit much."
Fairness, what now?
Anyway, I'm definitely sitting this one out.
"Wof. Please, we're counting on you."
"I too, beseech you."
"Wof. We're countin' on ya, 'kay?"
"Boy... become... the one who gives... Riv and the others... their name..."
The pressure from four beautiful girls looking up at me with puppy-dog eyes was intense.
This was—ggh, I couldn't refuse! I was completely unable to say no!
"…………"
Still, I quickly darted my gaze up toward the ceiling, trying to escape.
There's a chandelier. I just noticed.
A chandelier... it's all sparkly, like stars... Stars, huh.
"Four Stars."
"Oh my, how lovely."
"That's nice. What's the meaning?"
"It means 'four stars.'"
If Torquetam was an astronomical instrument related to stars, then some kind of stellar connection would be fitting.
"Hmm... very good..."
"Four Stars! I like it!"
"Then it's settled. We shall be Four Stars from now on."
"Indeed. Four Stars it is."
"...We are... Four Stars... the three of us... though our surnames differ... and so it is."
"That's us. Four Stars!"
Four girls, squealing with delight.
Is it really settled just like that...?
Is that actually okay?
Later, a party name change request was actually submitted to the Delvers' Guild and officially accepted.
You've got to be kidding.
Goodbye, Torquetam.
And hello, Four Stars.
By the way, does the party name application really need a "naming rights" field?
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Notice.
As of this chapter, Torquetam has officially been renamed to Four Stars and reborn.
Thank you so much for your long support of Torquetam.
We are now officially a party of four beautiful girls.
Please continue to support Four Stars going forward.