Travis let out a deep breath after Dustin walked away from the common room.

'Phew ...... utterly, my liver was chilled. I thought we were going to have to start killing each other.
I'm sorry. But I don't feel so vain that I'm going to survive a fight with him.
It sounds like 'I was going to take a bullet for my life'.
I'm saying we didn't mean to kill each other.

　I couldn't just throw away my life in that fashion, no matter how hard I tried.

　Just imagining everyone's reaction when they hear that he was killed in a fight for such a reason makes me lose interest in risking my life for nothing.

　The problem in particular is Garnett.
　It's probably the worst level in history as to how the target of my protection was killed.
　I'm too sorry to die, but I'm not ready to die.

　But if Dustin hadn't retracted his disdain for Garnett and was willing to buy a fight - I don't know what would have happened then.

'But the preparation of the Demon King's army honestly makes my tongue wag,'
'Yeah. So you had a double and triple trap set up for when you lost before you fought.

　After the human side won the battle for the position, the Demon King's army sabotaged the human side with two measures.

　Blowing up the mines and destroying the evidence by slaughtering the dwarves.
　The sabotage by the Mad Golem, which Dustin had talked about earlier.

　Both of these operations could not be prepared in time even after the defeat was decided.

　The preparations for the operation should have been made before or at the same time as the battle.

'Hey, Luke. I don't necessarily agree with Dustin's rant, but maybe we should raise the alert level.
I know. I would have been more than happy to oblige if you hadn't said anything.

　With everything that needs to be said, we follow Dustin out of the common room.

　I head to the dining room space to join everyone else, while Travis heads to the front door to leave the inn.

　Shortly after that, I heard Travis' loud voice in the doorway.

'Whoa!'
What the hell?

　He rushed to the front door, but nothing more unusual happened.

　The one who appeared at the completely quiet entrance was not Travis, but an Eastern girl with a familiar face.

'Oh, Luke-dono. Odd, isn't it?''
'Sakura, didn't you hear the big man screaming on your doorstep earlier?'
'Then I thought it was me that caused it. I almost accidentally bumped into him when I was passing him, but for some reason I was startled out loud. ......

　It was a very lame cause when I opened the lid.
　I feel like I've lost out by worrying about it for a second.

'Don't worry about it. 'Don't worry, he's not good with women. There's no other reason.
My God, so that's what happened. I see.
'And yet you ...... look strangely ragged today. Did you come here with a difficult request?

　I stare at Sakura's outfit from head to toe.

　Traces of scorch marks remain on the edges of his clothes and light armor.
　Her bangs were also stuck to her forehead with sweat, and I could see that she had been exercising hard just a moment ago.

''Ah, no, this is. I was working out just now. I was keenly aware of my lack of ability in the previous battle. And to begin with, martial arts training is my primary goal.
I see. You're working late.
I'm tired as a stone, so I think I'm going to take an early rest today.

　Sakura said and gave a small bow and tried to walk past me.

　--The wind blew my hair in the air and I could smell the scorched flesh mixed in with the sweat.

　What kind of training has Sakura had to do with this?

'...... sakura. If your equipment or body is damaged, I'll make sure to [repair] it. Just tell me anytime.
Yes, thank you.

　After seeing Sakura walk back to her room with a smile on her face, she made her way to the dining room space of the Spring Wakaba Tei.

　They must have had everyone waiting here, but Garnett was nowhere to be seen, and I could only find Noir and Erica talking at the same table.

　It's an unusual combination - and then I casually thought about it, and then I remembered that there was a situation like this before.

　That time it was a combination of Noir and Sakura, and the next day the idea for a new product, a miniature scroll that mimics the spell of the East, came to me.

　I wondered what they were talking about this time, so I walked up close to them to see what they were up to.

'...... Ah, manager. Have you finished your errands yet?

　Erica is the first to notice us and speaks to us from her seat.

'Yeah. 'What are you doing, by the way?'
I was being taught how to work with rare medicinal plants.

　It's a very good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're talking about.

　I'm sorry, but with my amount of knowledge I can't even imagine what is being described.

''Noir is teaching Erica? As I recall, Erica was more of a potion maker in her own right, right?
But it's still a different career. My experience and knowledge are far different.

　Perhaps embarrassed at being praised outright, Noir lowered his gaze in a reserved manner.

　Then, as it was, he began to mutterly explain about their skills.

'Black magic is ...... of medicinal and poisonous herbs, and concoctions are also within ...... range. Of course, the medicinal practitioner is more of an expert, but if you're in the ...... field of harming others, you can't lose, so ......
'That's not all, Mr. Noir. He knows a lot about plants that are used as medicine. I've learned a lot from her.
It's ...... my sister is a white wizard, so we've been teaching each other ...... and so on and so on... ...

　Noir's voice gets quieter and quieter.

　He's not used to having pure respect and admiration directed at him, and he's probably feeling confused and ashamed.

　I know the feeling painfully well.
　I've had similar looks from Sylvia and Sakura, and I've felt quite uncomfortable.

''(And yet, it's your sister, ......)

　I felt a painful sensation of something like conscience deep in my chest.

''(I guess I'll have to tell Noir about the possibility of Bran joining the Demon King's army. But what is it about ...... telling him here ...... that makes me feel uncomfortable about the quicksand?)

　Noir looks puzzled by Erica's respect, but seems to feel a certain joy.

　If I told her about Bran right now, I'm sure this clumsy smile would be shattered without a trace.

　There's no need to tell him anything here, it should be fine before or after work tomorrow - I've just convinced myself that, when Garnett appeared from the back of the inn.

'Oh, you're back. Looks like the Two Spearman's business is over.''
Yeah. Let's just go home. We'll talk about it later.

　He would have to confide everything to Garnett, the escort sent by the Order.

　But right now, on the contrary, I was grateful for that.
　Because a person who can communicate without hesitation even on a topic that is difficult to talk about is something that is truly hard to get.