When the winter chill eased and the amount of snow fell less... Ray was walking along the main street of Gilm with Vihela.
　Usually, Beune and Seto come here, but today it's just Ray and Vichela.
　In addition, it seems that Marina's succession as guildmaster is coming to an end, and she was working with workers today.
　The reason why Ray and Vichela go out like this only today...

"Look, Ray. Why don't you look a little happier, since you're out alone?"

　Vihela holding hands with Ray says so with a big smile.
　...yes, we went out together for a date this time.
　As long as we have a party from now on, there is little chance for us to be alone.
　So today, with Vihela... and Marina and Ray were going on a date when the handover was completely over in a few days later.
　The idea was first raised by Vihela when everyone was talking in Ray's room in the Wheat House at dusk.
　Of course Elena was in attendance on the subject in pairs, so I objected...For some reason, Ray and even Beune were thrown out of the room, and after three women had a discussion, Elena accepted Vihela's words and this was how the date came out.

"I'm thinking I'm looking happy,"

　Tell him so and take off the hood of his dragon robe.
　The sky is a cloudless blue sky, as if it were the end of winter and the coming of spring.
　The sun floating in the blue sky is shining so vigorously that I don't think it's winter yet.

"Really? Well, if you're happy with Ray, that's fine... Oh, look. There are a lot of stalls today, perhaps because of the fine weather. Shall I buy you something?"
"Well, there are so many stalls that there are so many people who are free."

　Many adventurers are tempted to do something else if they spend their days in self-deprecation.
　Of course it's attractive to people, but I guess that's the type of people who run stalls to kill time.
　However, as long as they set up stalls to kill time, it is no wonder that they are not as good as professional workers.
　The reason it still sells to some extent is because passersby are relaxed by the unseasonable weather.
　However, some of them are adventurous, but with natural talent they cook as well as their professional counterparts, so Ray looks around at many stalls to see if there are any.

"Oh, come on, Ray," It's not a stall, but it's going to be a little interesting."

　Vichela suddenly pulls Ray's hand as he looks around for something delicious.
　Vichela's eyes sparkled with curiosity, as the saying goes.
　Looking at Vichela's eyes, Ray understands that Vichela will be pleased.
　It wasn't the kind of stall Ray had seen... it was like a street performance.
　Several adventurers are there, looking around with confident smiles.

"Yes, two silver coins! Two silver coins! Then we pick one of these faces and pull the strings together so that we don't get out of the circle on the ground. And the one who let the other person release the string from his hand or let him out of the circle wins! The prize money varies depending on the other person!"

　The game...or play seemed to Ray to be a combination of tug of war and sumo.
　There are many limitations, so it is necessary not only to use simple physical strength but also to imitate what others think.
　Vihela must have been interested in that area.

"Do you want to do it?"
"Well, let's give it a try."

　Vichela smiles amusedly at Ray's words and approaches the challenger.
　Then Ray naturally follows her... and the man who is inviting her notices them and twists their cheeks.
　Ray's face knew this call, as long as he was an adventurer.
　He also knows Vichela, who works with Ray.
　And most of all, I understood that these two were substandard in many ways.

(Oh my gosh... what are you going to do?)

　As long as they came straight to themselves, they were certain to challenge themselves.
　A man who doesn't think he can beat them purely by physical ability casts his eyes on his companions.
　But all those who looked at him nodded back to him.
　If this had been a mock battle, the men would not have nodded honestly.
　But this game was rather widely known in men's hometowns.
　That's probably why he thought he might be able to beat Vihela or Ray in this game called a circular string.
　In fact, men have been outdone by this circle of tricks against higher-ranked adventurers.
　I don't think I could beat Ray or Vihela easily, but maybe... I had that feeling.

"Then, please be the strongest."

　And Vichela challenges the strongest of the men.
　That's the one who always had the best results in the village's round strings.

"All right, then I'll deal with you to the fullest extent. I'd ask you, "Do you usually have any moderation?" but I don't think I need to ask you that."
"Yes. Please do your best."

　At the man's words, Vihela says so with a big smile.
　He must have liked the man's attitude.
　Paying for the challenge, Vihela and the man stand on the circle, each holding a string.
　Then, the man who was looking for a challenger screams to stir up the reactions of those around him.

"Can the fair maiden beat the rascal, then?"
"Here,"

　He mutters discontentedly to the man who had made Vihela the heroine of justice, simply cutting himself out of his supposed companionship.
　However, the man who is being told does not seem particularly concerned and declares the start of the game.

"Let's get on with it said.

　Along with the words, the first to respond was not a man accustomed to the game... but a purely reflexive Vihela.
　I'm going to pull the strings as if I were going to tell you to decide the winner at once, but the round strings are the strongest of them all.
　Relaxing the force of the hand holding the string, Vihela suddenly steps on the back of the opponent who is weak.
　But Vihela never moves from the circle with her legs full, as she has read about such a man's behavior.
　On the contrary, he pulled the cord with all his might, as if he were lucky enough to lose his strength.

"Ah!"

　The man, who noticed the string disappearing from his hand, tried desperately to stop it, but... by the time he was about to do so, the string had already completely disappeared from his hand.

"The winner, the maiden of war, Vihela!"

　The host man's voice echoes around him.
　The man who was fighting against Vihela probably didn't think he would lose so easily.
　All I could do was stare at Vichela in amazement.

"Well, that's wonderful. an adventurer with Ray as expected I can't believe I've won so easily.
"Really? But this time it was purely my physical ability, but I don't think it's going to be so easy to win next time."

　Vichela's words put him back to his senses.
　Then he turns his eyes to Vihela and nods back proudly.

"Of course! If there's anything else I'll do, I'll never lose!"
"Well, yes," I'm looking forward to it."

　Vihela smiles at the man and receives two gold coins as prize money.Vichela was surprised at the unexpected amount of money, but probably because she had absolute confidence in the strings.
　He's also had a track record of kicking all the men he's had.
　It was a complete betrayal of the feeling that a circular cord would not lose against Vihela.
　However, today's profits are more than two gold coins at this point, so it's not that they're in the red.
　Ray was thinking of trying, but when the host looked at me with a moist look, I couldn't refuse... I ended up giving up.

"Look, Ray. You don't look very disappointed. You're with me, so why don't you have a little more fun? ... But you're right. Do you want something to eat? I got a prize, and I'll buy you something within that range."
"Well... I see." Why don't you try the sandwiches that are sold at the stall? They smell pretty good, and they look delicious."

　Ray looked at a stall.
　It looks like an ordinary street stall, and there aren't a lot of customers.
　But the scent from the stall definitely stimulated Ray's appetite.
　At Ray's words, Vihela also concentrates on the stall.
　Then, as Ray said, there was an appetizing scent.
　It's not exciting, it's kind of nostalgic scent.
　In Ray and Vichela, the environment in which they grew up...not to mention the difference in the world itself, but the smell of floating still gave them the same impression.

"Well, then shall we eat?" if it hadn't been for the snow, I could have done it more slowly."

　Vichela grabs Ray's hand and walks towards the stall.
　Ray doesn't go against it, holding hands with Vihela.

"Well, spring is just around the corner. Then... shall we all go somewhere to hang out with the party? We can have a picnic while asking for harvesting."
"Oh, that's good," I'd like to relax somewhere near a lake once in a while. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Oh... I see. It doesn't take long to get to the sea if we take a set, but if we have a party, that's a bit of a problem."

　That was the biggest downside to the party.
　Just Ray... if it's just Ray and Sett, that's what Ray can always travel on.
　Given the speed at which a set travels, there is literally an order of magnitude difference from walking normally.
　But Ray is the only one who can fly on Sett's back... No, Bune is still a child and light, so only Ray and Bune can fly.
　But when Ray and Bune ride on Sett's back together, Sett's range is limited.
　Of course, there would be no problem if he grabbed Sett's ankle and moved it, but leaving it to Sett to move in the air was dangerous in many ways, and nobody wanted to use it.
　Viehra was delighted to be caught by Seto and to fly.
　Anyway, as long as we acted as a party, we had no choice but to compromise there.

"Now that you mention it, what happened to the cab?"
"Marina said she'd get the message right?"

　After ordering the sandwich, Vichela responds, handing it half way to Ray.

"Oh, now that you mention it, did Marina say so?" but what kind of carriage do you think it will be?"

　Vihela shakes her head to Ray as she walks down the street carrying sandwiches to her mouth.

"I don't know what kind of horse-drawn carriage Ray expects, but I think it's probably an ordinary horse-drawn carriage."
"...that's what happens,"

　If possible, Ray would have liked a magic-item carriage with an inside extension like Elena's, but of course such a carriage is very expensive, let alone money can buy it.
　Connections, materials, luck... all sorts of things are needed.
　Even if you knew it, it was only natural that you would want to ride in a comfortable carriage if you had ever ridden in Elena's.
　Once you get used to luxury, you'll find it hard to get back to a better life.

"I wish I had the carriage that Elena was in,"
"...if we just had a party and had a carriage like that, I think we would be in trouble."
"That's the problem... when we have a party, it's too much trouble."

　The notorious Rank B adventurer Ray, Gryphon Seto, the rare Dark Elf and Spirited Wizard Marina, and the former Princess Vichela of the Empire of Bestia. ...and the latter two are beautiful enough to stimulate a man's desire.
　The most inconspicuous is Bune, who is also a survivor of a bloodline of great significance in labyrinth cities.

"... Come to think of it that way." Rather, it's a good date today, so let's enjoy our time slowly without thinking about anything else.

　Ray nodded to Vichela, who smiled and said so... and enjoyed the time alone on this day when the end of winter was drawing near.