It'll be fine. I can assure you that you will be fine. You may have only been able to use one skill, and you may have been only an E rank adventurer, but you're a great person .......
Thank you for that. It's very flattering.

　He tipped the liquor bottle and poured it into Florence's cup.

　Florence laughed in annoyance and sipped at her light drink.

'I'm not flattered. I really am.'
...... I guess so.
'Yes. Even if you only have one skill ...... no, you've been well aware of your surroundings because you only have one .......

　The cup on the table makes a light thumping sound.

'I've realized once again since I became a chapter leader that if you're going to lead an organization or a group, these qualities are more important than your skills.
Any adventurer who leads a big party is the same. Travis is a big deal, too.
It's nice to be able to honestly compliment others like that.

　Giggling, Florence pulled a plate of nuts that was close at hand and threw a few into her mouth.

　Talking like this over drinks and food reminded me of the old days, not long after I became an adventurer.

　At that age, having only one skill was not unique, and it was a time when I could have expectations that I was still a novice, and that my skills would increase in the future.

　I have memories of sitting around a tavern table with a group of young adventurers, sharing their dreams and goals with cheaply earned drinks and food.

　Florence was also there when she was young. Richard, who would later become her husband, was also there.

　Travis must have been around when he was already well enough to have his own party, but he still often showed up at the old familiar banquet.

　...... That's a fond memory.
　I'm not sure if I want to go back to that time, but I would shake my head without hesitation.

　It's a time of undoubtedly happiness in the midst of the poverty of a fledgling business, but the present moment is even more difficult to obtain and important than that.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most of your time in the city, but it's already just a nostalgic story.

　My feelings of attraction are now monopolized by a girl.

　While thinking about this, I was about to look at Garnett, when my gaze was interrupted by a figure approaching us.

'Long time no see, Luke-san!
Jesus, it's Roy. You were telling the truth about arriving in Green Hollow.

　The man with the claw marks of a demonic beast on his face, Roy of the Hundred Beast Plain, laughed apologetically and put his hand on the back of his head, the one that wasn't holding a large wooden mug.

''I'm sorry for the delay in greeting you. Well, it took me a while to deal with the aftermath of that one incident in the royal capital, so I only recently got to come over here, right?　And now I'm having trouble finding a place to live.

　Roy was a personnel sent by the Adventurer's Guild to help in the investigation of the Night Ripper case that occurred in the King's Capital.

　He said that as soon as the case was solved and the cleanup was completed, he would move to Green Hollow to participate in the search, but it was a pretty big case, so it seems to have taken quite a bit of time.

'By the way, where's that beautiful lady over there?　You've got a lover in King's Landing, and yet, ...... is the Chief Florence Branch!　I beg your pardon!

　Florence looked at Roy, who ate bubbles and straightened his posture, and broke into an amused look.

''You must be Roy from the Hundred Beast Plain. Thank you for your help, it's a powerful thing to have four A-ranked people join us in our quest.

　I can't help but blurt it out, because Roy is so nervous.

It's time for you to go say hello to Travis over there.　Now they'll think they're crossing over and bite you.
''Ugh, even Travis from Black Sword Mountain ...... is a ridiculously big guy. I'm very nervous about things .......
I'm fine. He's a nice guy, and I think he'd get along with you just fine.

　To me, Travis and Florence are old friends from the days when they were starting out, and they are old friends that I can interact with rather easily, but that is not the case for Roy.

　For Roy, who has only been an adventurer for a few years or so, the two of them are veteran A-ranked and high-ranking chapter leaders.

　After pushing Roy back and sending him to Travis and his friends' table, I got up from my chair.

'Oh my God, are you going somewhere?'
...... kinda. He's about to sulk if we leave him alone.

　Florence blinked a few times, then pulled the bottle of liquor from the side of my chair with a small smile.

'Go ahead. Can I have all this?
Go ahead. Travis got the guy, so tell him what you think.

　He left the table where he had been sitting for a long time and lightly tapped Garnett's shoulder, who was talking to Ezell the Brave and his brother Eddie.

'Whoa!　...... What a white wolf. Surprise.
Sorry, hero. Can I borrow this one?

　When he called out that between Garnett and Ezell, Ezell smirked in a manner that said he'd figured it all out, and waved a fluttering hand in approval.

　Eddie was about to interject that he was about to talk about something important, but Ezell pulled him back to the center of the revelry, stopping him so-so and pulling him into the center of the party.

''Well then, see you later. Let me know if there's any progress!
'Shut up!　f*ck. ......

　With a frustrated Ezell in tow, we move to a relatively unpopular part of the Spring Wakaba-Tei building.

　You can hear the commotion of a drinking party here as well, but you don't have to worry about it.

So, what's the matter with you?　It's not too early to sober up.
Today's banquet was supposed to be a celebration of the date of my knighthood and the year I moved here.
It's ......, so what does that matter?

　Garnett is leaning against the wall, arms crossed, responding with a curt gesture, but his gaze moves in a way that doesn't seem to hide his expectations.

　I don't know what exactly he has in mind, but I'm not going to let him just shrug off the disappointment.

　In truth, I probably should have waited until the banquet was over.

　Maybe I should have gone home and made sure that no one would interrupt me or overhear me before I told them.

　But when I realized that Garnett was giving me a sideways glance, as if he wanted to interrupt me right now as I was having a conversation with Florence without hesitation, I couldn't very well put it off that long.

　Besides, I don't think I'm going to be able to hold off until the end of the night either.
　I couldn't wait to hear the answer as soon as possible.

'A year in Green Hollow means it's been almost a year since I met you.
...... What's that about?
You know, you want to give them a gift to commemorate the occasion. So I wanted to ask you what you'd like to get.

　Garnett made a muffled expression, but couldn't hide his blushing cheeks, and lightly kicked my leg off the wall, backing away from the wall.

'It doesn't matter what ...... you choose to do,'

　That's all Garnett told me, and he walked quickly back to the dining room.

　I tried to catch up with her with my big strides so as not to lose sight of her back.