We've progressed to this point with a moderate supply of supplies. Since the appearance of that giant spider, the Huge Spider, not many demons had appeared since the appearance of the Huge Spider. Rather, even if they did come out, they were only low-ranked demons.

　In the first place, the further east one went outside of this twilight, the more dangerous it was, and if one only moved north and south, it was within the safe zone. There are no high-risk demons like the ones we saw earlier.

　The twilight is still shrouded in mystery... if you say so, that's true, but I definitely had an uncomfortable feeling about it. It's a strange feeling that I understand because I've been in this twilight for two years.


'Yulia, Yulia, bah!


　I look up with a huff as Shelly's voice finally reaches my ears.

'What's wrong?'
We'll be resupplying at the Third Warded City.
Okay, okay.

　Shelly's face looked complicated like that. I'm sure you're aware that I have complicated feelings for this city.

　I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do anything about it.



　◇


Hey Julia, why don't we have a party?
What?


　Dan was one of the best anti-magicians in my grade at the time. I was in many different parties, but the fact that he was only able to heal himself in battle meant that he was in a state of limbo. I should give up on being an antagonist... Just as I was thinking that, Dan approached me.

　But I hadn't heard any good things about him. I heard that he surrounded himself with women and built a harem, or something like that. But I was allowed to do so because of my ability.

'Is it okay with me...?'
You're a good healer, aren't you?　My party doesn't have a healer at the moment. What do you think?　Would you like to try it?


　Behind them were Rebecca and Aria. They're both excellent counter-magicians. Me in a party like that?　You don't mind if I come in?　

　At the time, I was just genuinely happy. I thought someone had approved of me... but when I think about it, I was just a pawn... and I know that now.


'Hey, Yulia. Thanks for lunch.
I have a café au lait.
I'll have ... tea!
But the money...
'Oh?　Do you know what you're doing at this party?
I'm sorry, I'm going to go...


　I was being used by everyone to do what they wanted. I paid for everyone's lunch, and I, on the other hand, had almost no money to spend on food. I would die living like this, even though I didn't have my parents for free... but if I went hunting in the twilight, I would get a good reward for it. We went out to the twilight quite often, and we were earning a lot of money. The amount I get is really tiny, but it still adds up to quite a bit.


'Julia, I'm going to go into the danger zone sometime. All right?
But I don't think it's safe to...
''But the rewards are good. Regardless of whether you're a student or a first class versus a mage, if you can hunt those demons over there, the reward will be a lot of money. Alright?
Yes but?
Hey, we're friends, right?
Uh-huh.
'Who is it that you, who can't join any party, are earning money in the twilight like this?
Of course, it's all thanks to Dan and the others...
Then you know what I'm talking about, don't you?　Huh?
Uh, yeah...


　I wasn't allowed to object. I'm a slave. Just a slave. But that was the way it had to be. Dan said, "The world is weak and strong. This world is a world of the weak and the strong. It's the same in human society. The strongest man on top of the strongest man on the bottom. It's a perfectly natural thing to do, he said.

　I didn't have any arguments against it either. Because...there was nothing for me....

　And from there, what awaited me for the next two years in the twilight. A world far harsher than what Dan and his friends would have us believe.

　One step ahead is a direct line to death. And I....survived in that world. I survived. If I were to meet everyone what would I look like?


　◇


All right, we'll meet in two hours. We can each have some free time.


　Silas said as they arrived at the Third Boundary City. 'We're almost to the First Boundary City, I'm sure this is our last rest.

''Shelly, come with me to do some shopping!
Hey, I'm not!
I don't need it. I don't need it!


　Shelly and Sophia, the only ones who could talk to each other, just went away. I.........

　What should I do.......I didn't even have time to think about it, my feet subconsciously moved forward on their own. I headed for it. To the dormitory where I lived.


".........

　We reach the front of the room. The dormitory was easy to get into. Or rather, it was deserted and empty at this time. I miss it I thought. I hadn't been here very long, but that made me feel nostalgic.


'Let's go back...'


　But you don't have to go in there. From what I could tell, the name tag had a stranger's name on it. This is not my place. My place is ... the room next to that Shelly. So I walked out and saw three familiar people walking around.

　Familiar?　No, but it's not impossible it's possible. But those three guys........they're heading to the same meeting place as us. As I recall, they said that they were going to meet up with the student selections from the Third Boundary City here and head to the First Citadel. But I didn't think........how could this be happening.......

　As I stood there in a daze, staring at the three of them, they glanced at me.


''You, you don't look familiar. Don't tell me you were selected from another city?
Hey, Dan. This face is...
I think I've seen him before.


　All three of them have grown up. They've grown taller, and their faces are more mature. And their voices have not changed. They sound exactly the same as they did back then.

'Dan, Rebecca, Aria........'
Wow, how do you know my name?

　What should I say? I can't pretend I don't know this. I have to deal with the past... and that d*mnable past.

"Julia Curtis. That's my name. Good to see you, guys.
".........


　The three of them gasp. And they stare intently at my face.

"Seriously........that's Julia's face.......
But Yulia....
'Yeah ... that time ...'


　They look awkward. But Dan doesn't seem to mind at all and asks the usual questions.

'You're alive?　How?　More importantly, if you're alive, why don't you come back?
I'm in the Seventh Warded City now.
So far. So how are you still alive?


　What's in Dan's eyes is impatience. You know, what Dan and the others have done is a murder of sorts. He's probably just trying to get information out of me to save his own skin.

"I was in the twilight for two years and I've only just gotten back into it.
Ha, you'll have to lie better than that if you're going to lie. There's no way you could survive in the twilight. And what's with the hair?
''Well this hair is all white from stress. The reason it's long is because I haven't cut it for almost two years now. Besides, I know you guys....


　I've spoken. Things that could only be known between us. They were surprised, but gradually convinced that this was the return of Julia. Julia had come back.

"Dan, this is not a good idea, this is...
"Do we have to...
We'll be fine. Hey, Julia, we're friends, okay?
....
I had to do it. I made it back to the rescue afterwards, you know?　But you weren't there. Hey, I don't blame you, huh?　Huh?
....


　It's a lie. I remember carefully warding them off so they couldn't escape so that I could be the bait. All for the sake of self-preservation. Ahhhh.......how could there be such an ugly person? My heart is gradually being dominated by a black emotion.

'Huh Dan, you're never going to change, are you?
'Oh?　I'm sorry to hear you talk like that. You just got a little taller, and you're starting to act like a man.　I'm already a first class demon.　Do you think you can win?
''I'm still in the student selection for the Seventh Boundary City. And I'm going to become a special class anti-magician. I've already been recruited, so all that's left is my response. Dan, Rebecca, Aria I am no longer the person I was then.
''Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!''


　I said, staring at the ground. I still haven't gotten rid of the bitterness. I haven't completely broken free of the spell. I still had some ingrained habits from those days.


'Hey, did you hear that?　Yulia says she's an extra-grade anti-magician!
I heard that's not possible...
Your hair turned white and you're not gonna go crazy, are you?


　The three of them continued to laugh. But it doesn't matter if they don't believe me. We won't have to get involved anymore........


''Hey Julia, those three are........''


　Just then, it was Sherry who came in.

'Sherry no, it's nothing,'
What is it?　What's going on, Julia?
'Sophia doesn't have to worry about it either. I just met someone I know for a bit.

　As I said that, Dan's attention was already not on me. Those eyes were facing Zirori and Shelly and Sophia's bodies.

　How lowly is this "ghastly"........


''You two are so cute~. Hey, which city are you from?
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

　Sophia nodded and twined her arms around me.

'Let's go Yulia. I'm not into other guys, sorry?
What?　You want Julia?　This dull man?
'Dull...?　　You're not even close to being that good.
What... what?　Hey, what do you mean........hey, Yulia!

　He glares at me menacingly with a snap. But I just wanted to walk away.

''Well Dan, I'm going to go now. See you later.

　And so I left the place. At that time, I could never forget the murderous atmosphere I was feeling on my back.