I couldn't breathe.
　My chest clogged and hardened as if the night air had turned to liquid, and my blood became a murky stream that rang in my ears.

'It's fun when you do this,'
Is that fun?

　The whispers I heard earlier are still there.
　The muttered words of a black-haired girl who is desperately trying to disguise her embarrassment. The somewhat bewildered yet still gentle voice of Shiroe, the guild master.
　Resisting the fact that her knees were about to bubble and flow out, Minori headed for the kitchen. In both hands, a cup of dandelion barley tea. Minori walked unconsciously, holding the wooden tray she was trying to carry to the terrace, thinking Shiroe would drink it. I can't stay in that place. I can't just watch that scene.

　His head was so confused that he couldn't understand what was going on, as if his mind was bouncing through thousands of noises. It was all I could do to leave the scene anyway, as if driven by ethics.

　The first thing I felt was shock. Secondly, an overwhelming sense of confusion. --You don't have a clear question to ask, but only a sense of wonderment flooded in from the back of your mind. I wanted to ask questions. But you don't know who to ask or what to ask.
　The feeling of confusion and need for help fills my chest, and as it descends into my lower abdomen, it turns into something heavy and uncomfortable.

　Almost unconsciously, Minori walks back into the kitchen and sits back in her chair, placing the tray on the dining room table. He didn't really know why he was in such a state of shock.

　However, just now, there was something between Shiroe and Akatsuki, as seen from the entrance of the third floor terrace. At the very least, there was a special feeling for Shiroe in Akatsuki's face.

　When he noticed the feelings of contemplation of the older girl, which rarely surfaced, but were still clearer than the fire, Minori cringed in shock, as if she had been touched by the flames without realizing it.
　Then, unable to think of anything else, she ran back to this place of refuge.
　Even as she sat here, her consciousness was so disturbed by a sandstorm of random thoughts that she was unable to ask any questions.
　Minori stares at the surface of the table, at a loss.
　His brain is completely bleached out and his thoughts are paralyzed.

　Not a few moments later, the first thing that came to mind was, "Akatsuki is in love with Shiroe.

(That's right. Akatsuki was in love with Shiroe.

　It was a simple fact.
　It's sunny today. Autumn comes after summer.
　It is as clear and unquestionable and natural a fact as those.

　It's a terribly simple thing to say, and yet, when I whisper it in my mind, it replays the shock I felt earlier and almost covers my consciousness in a sandstorm. The short facts of just a few words are broken up into phrases, stretched out, chopped up, mangled, and if you're not careful, you won't even be able to grasp the meaning in your head.

　Minori picked up the scattered fragments of her thoughts, wriggled them together, and took several deep, deep breaths.
　The discomfort from his chest to his abdomen seemed to have even physical substance now, and he couldn't swallow his breath well. Even my heartbeat seems to be suppressed and I can feel my body temperature dropping.
　Minori finally came face to face with the frustration of not being able to take in as much oxygen as she would like and the uneasy feeling of having her spine slowly skewered from behind.

(I like you, too, Shiroe.)

　The first thought I knew was not a pale lemon taste or anything like that.
　It was a dark, bitter, burnt iron-like scent from the start.

　Minori was confronted with the "helplessness" as every joint in her body loosened and shuddered as if it was about to fly off in a random direction. She hadn't felt this helpless since that night Touya had spent in the intensive care unit.
　She was just sitting there, but something made her feel like she was going to run, screaming, and it was hard to control herself. Growing up with her twin, Touya, and helping her brother who was crippled, she had thought of herself as a calm and responsible person.
　I didn't know I was capable of such strong emotions.

　--I love Shiroe.
　Just thinking about it makes my heart ache like a steel clawed heart. It's too fearless, even untruthful. It was the pain of fear of my own hubris. But it was also true that there was a hint of indulgence that had crept in from somewhere within that pain.

　The sweetness of that sweetness wasn't a happy feeling that he and Shiroe might get together. I'm sure you're aware of the pain that comes with touching a wound, but you can't help but feel the warmth of the blood flowing through it. It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you can get to know them, but also the sweetness of the pain of love.
　-- Minori couldn't come up with a single reason to be chosen by Shiroe, but she could come up with dozens or even hundreds of reasons why Shiroe would not choose her.
　So maybe that sweetness was the anesthesia given to Minori.

　Age difference. And the difference in talent that comes from the age difference. The difference in practical ability. The difference in combat ability. His own inexperience. Inadequacy. Shamelessness. Even his appearance is ordinary compared to Akatsuki's.... In short, Minori is nothing more than an ordinary middle school student who can be found anywhere.

　And now, for the first time, I know my own ugliness.

　When Akatsuki was touching Shiroe, Minori thought, "That's not fair.
　It's not fair - and that's not fair.
　There is no reason for that, it's just selfishness. It's just an accusation. It's natural. Even Akatsuki has the freedom to like someone else.
　But in spite of that, the reason why I thought it was unfair is because Minori thought that Shiroe was hers, somewhere deep inside her heart.
　Shiroe was the one who encouraged him through the long and painful blindness of being held captive by the Hameln. And Shiroe for rescuing me from my captivity. And Shiroe, who longed to follow her as a star to aspire to. Minori had thought that Shiroe was "her own" somewhere.

(I, Shiroe, have always been there.... I always thought of her as my teacher.)

　How arrogant and shallow was he? At the ugliness of his own ugliness, Minori felt as if his insides were covered in mud. A mucusy flame, like coal tar on fire, seared the underside of her skin. The agony that seemed to make him want to crawl around, however, was not helped by screaming.

　It was painful. And I hated it.
　Minori was even giddy at the thought of herself hiding such feelings. He hated himself for being so proud of Shiroe as if he owned her, as if he had some kind of ownership over her, to the point where he wanted to kill her. The most important thing to remember is that I'm so disgusted with my unconscious arrogance that I didn't even notice that I was there, until now.

I'm not saying it's cheating, I'm saying it's cheating, I'm saying it's cheating. It's not fair, why should I.....

　Minori continued to breathe, enduring the pain of being slowly squeezed and torn apart in the darkness. As always, the air was sticky and weighted, no longer as painful as a lump of sand.
　No matter how many shallow breaths he took, his thoughts were not as clear as if he lacked oxygen.

　A long time passed.
　It was hard to tell how many hours had passed, and Minori spent the entire time without moving a muscle, facing the pain inside her.

'Minori?'
　The kitchen is lit up when Touya calls out to Minori with the Bug Light Lamp. Minori didn't notice her twin brother until he was just a few feet away, and for a moment it seemed like an illusion, and she stared at Touya with a fawning look on her face.

'What the hell, Minori. What kind of face is that?
　Pulling a hand towel out of her pack, Touya wiped Minori's face roughly. He picked his nose through the towel and made a gagging sound when he was moved from side to side, and Minori finally realized that she had been crying.

'Touya.....
What is it?
Touya.
What?
　Touya sits down in the chair next to Minori. He is Minori's proud younger brother, as usual, as he cheerfully unloads his bags and loosens the strap belt on his leather armor, somewhat unclassified. Despite his blunt attitude, you can tell he's worried about you.

　My hubris that I should have realized just now. You know you don't have the right to have such feelings, but you can't hold back the jealousy that you can't control, no matter how much you tell yourself that you have it. Even that jealousy is calmed down a bit.

I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what to expect. I'm going to be the one.
Yes.
I like you, Mr. Shiroe.
Yeah.
What?
Yeah, I like it.
　Touya said this without turning around to look at Minori as he gathered up the leather armor he had removed with his belt. It was an obvious tone, as if they were talking about the weather.

'Huh?　What?　Why would you react like that?
It's a bit late for Minori to be in love with Ms. Shiroe.
Is it too late for that?
　Maybe it's too late. Maybe it's too late. It was too late. .........and Minori was depressed with the third gear. If it were up to Touya, this suffering would be "too late" for him. But even so, with Touya next to her, although she was embarrassed to have her distraught self seen, the bitterness of chewing sand seemed to fade a bit.

'Oh boy,'
Why?
　Minori's voice made Touya look at me for the first time, and in the light of the faint white lamp, he looked more mature than usual.

'Because...'
I'm not in trouble, Minori. You're not in trouble, you're just in pain.
　His heart jumped.
　The words pierced Minori. He felt as if he could see right through them.

　It reminded him of Akatsuki's gently extended fingers.
　That fingertip that touched Shiroe's forehead, as if it was reserved, but still unbearable.
　Minori feels herself getting jealous.
　It's a thought that isn't even the slightest bit right, yet she still can't stop herself, and only the ugliness descends.

　That bitterness, that pain, is indeed painful.
　But that doesn't mean I want to throw it away or leave it behind. Minori's feelings for Shiroe, which she first realized in the midst of her pain, are blooming sweetly within her.

'It's okay, I guess.'
Isn't that what we do?

　I guess I don't have a choice. Minori thought.
　It's not an excuse to look for an excuse, it's a movement of the mind to find something useful within the bitterness and darkness. It's a desire to find something of value within the murky ugliness, but still not rotten.
　Minori breathed deeply and listened to the distant sounds, just as Shiroe had shown her how to do.

(Shiroe....)

　I remembered Shiroe.
　The words Shiloe had spoken. The look behind his round glasses.
　The careful choice of words in response to a question. The way he opened the map and explained it to me.

　A slightly annoyed gesture of repositioning his glasses.
　A pouty lip, as if he were trying to be stubborn. The pale profile with determination.

　The strength of his voice as he nodded his head in that way, saying that he would take care of it.

　Those memories were only fresh and vividly colored within the vision of Minori's thoughts, which had become a desolate wilderness of confusion and suffering.
　In order not to lie about that vividness. To not betray that vibrancy. I was willing to trade all of the gray noise for it.

　The buzzing of the kitchen where Minori and Touya spent their time echoed far and wide, as if the city were breathing. After spending a long time under the flickering lights of the 〈Flamethrower Lamp〉 (Bug Light Lamp), Minori gave a small nod.

'Right. Troubled, no. It just hurts. Just that. --I haven't lost anything, nothing bad, I haven't done anything. Well, I'm not. I haven't done anything yet, have I?

　The feelings I first knew were not pastel-colored sugar candy.
　It was the bitterness and darkness that resembled a rough noise, a vividness that cut off when touched, like a burning fire or flowing blood. With a dizzying contrast of emotions in his chest, Minori still gave his twin brother a little smile. The tears running down her cheeks hadn't dried up, but it was inevitable.

　I haven't done anything, Minori thought, and I can't help myself with this pain. It hadn't started and it wouldn't end, he gave up.
　I haven't been able to give anything back to Shiroe, I haven't been able to catch up on any of this, I can't help but be in pain and suffering.

　Minori spent a long night with Touya's assistance.
　It was the first night of forging the blade of the blue steel, but Minori herself knew very well that it would not be her last night.



　◆



　Yesterday's rain must have washed the air.
　Blinding stars were twinkling in the night sky of Akiba.
　In the world of the Elder Tail, the stars are more numerous and dazzling than in the old world, and I'm not sure if that's because the air is clean or not. I don't know if it is because of the clean air or the art design, but the night in this other world is decorated with stars.

　On this night of the Libra Festival, the streets of Akiba were abuzz with activity until late.

　The city of Akiba is the home of the Adventurer, and its functions are extremely sophisticated.
　In this case, the functions are primarily gates, banks, guild halls, temples, and registered markets. In the game of Elder Tail, the Adventurer needs these five things to get by. And by sophisticated, I mean that there is nothing to waste. Sophisticated and functional means that all but the five essential pieces of equipment are in place.

　Before the catastrophe, Akiba's streets had no living facilities.
　Of course, taverns and inns existed as objects of the city, but they were placed there as a backdrop, so to speak, to represent a medieval fantasy world, and their use by the player as a role-player - or in other words, as a "gameplay" - was not It was not a building that could be used for daily life.

　But after the Catastrophe, the Adventurers had no choice but to make this town their true home. This meant that even if they were only in town, they would need to have adequate facilities. Restaurants were the earliest change, followed by shops of all kinds, independent shops, and service businesses.
　Some of these shops were run by the Adventurers, but more often they were either run by the Adventurers and the Daichijin, or by the Daichijin alone.

　There were many reasons for this, but one of the biggest was the wage gap. Adventurers are able to earn more money in less time than the average Daichijin. Even a mid-level Adventurer could earn more than a month's wages for a farmer in a single day, if he or she was serious about killing field monsters.
　In terms of production, there was no such disparity as in combat, but there was still a clear difference. An engineer who was considered an expert among the masters of the Earth's people would look like a subclass level of about 60 to the adventurers.
　Of course, a chef or a seamstress with a level of 20 would be able to produce items of sufficient quality to meet the demands of ordinary life. In the Cook's level, that means freshly baked bread and delicious soup, crispy fried potatoes and crispy roasted chicken. For a seamstress, it might be a comfortable shirt and loose-fitting trousers, a grass-dyed tunic or a leather vest.

　The Daichijinshi can also produce such "items of ordinary use". So it was only natural that adventurers would move into the realm of work that only adventurers could do, and Daichijinshi would take on the role of creating relatively common items that were available in greater quantities.
　As a result of these changes, the streets of Akiba lost their sophistication as a game and became lined with a variety of shops and facilities. As a matter of course, the number of Daichijins has doubled, and its population is growing at a rapid pace. As a result, more and more shops run by the Dirtbags were opening their doors.

　There was another reason for the increase in the size of the Dairyman's population.

　During the time of the Elder Tail, Akiba was a player town. From an adventurer's point of view, Player Town was just that: a base camp. For most adventurers, it was simply a place to start their adventures, a convenient place to get ready for their adventures. But for the Daichijinshi, it had a different meaning.
　The Adventurers, a life form completely different from their own, possessed great combat prowess and immortality. These Adventurers have created a base in this world, and that base is Player Town, as seen by the Dirtbags.

　Many of the Chichijins were grateful and respectful to the Adventurers. The Adventurers were a reliable and dependable part of the world, as they often protected the land of Yamato from the wilderness and monsters. At the same time, however, I also felt a great sense of awe. The same was true of Player Town, where the Temple of the Adventurers' immortal regeneration device was located. Or perhaps they feel even greater awe of the forbidden land than they do of the adventurers themselves.

　The Daichijin, who live in the city of Akiba, are a unique group of people among the Daichijin, having lived in the city for generations. They were akin to priestesses and priestesses who worshipped the gods that possessed them. Banks and consignment sales were all sustained by a few of these special people.
　To most of the mere mortals, however, Player Town is a sanctuary for the adventurers, except for those few. You may have felt uncomfortable coming to it, but you had no choice in the matter.

　But those days of fear are gone.
　Of course, the Adventurers are just as powerful in battle as they are today. Their fearsome power has saved the Earthmen from goblins, orcs, dragons, and other powerful monsters on many occasions. The Adventurers, however, seem to have stuck to their transient relationship of client and solver. But now, for the first time, a formal treaty has been signed between the Adventurers and the Earthmen.
　The significance of the signing of this treaty between the League of Free Cities of Eastar and the Round Table is no small matter. It signified that the Adventurers were not just good-hearted helpers passing through, but participants in the world of the Earth.

　One of the symbols of this attitude was Princess Reinesia's assignment to Akiba.
　Reinesia was not only representing the nobility, but also the Daichijinshi, as a representative of the Daichijinshi, to live in the City of Adventure.

　Because of this, Akiva's population was growing by the day.
　Originally, Akiba's streets were full of abandoned buildings, but as the Daichijins took in the newcomers, even the streets began to change. The rubble was cleaned up, and buildings that looked haunted were cleaned up.
　Most of the Adventurers living in Akiba are Japanese.
　For better or worse, they are good-natured, but when they see the Daichijin busy cleaning up the city, some of them think it's time to join them. If you work together, you're likely to talk to each other and eventually you'll come to understand each other.

　The number of adventurers employed by the Daichijinshi is increasing, and the number of Daichijins doing business with them has increased tenfold.

　--The number of adventurers who do business with the Daichijin has increased tenfold.
　On the first night of the Balance Festival, this tavern and restaurant for professionals was raided.

This tomato stew is really good.
It's delicious!

　At the far end of the noisy shop, across the table from each other, were Nyanta, the leader of the Record Horizon, and Serara, the new caretaker of the Crescent Moon Alliance and a newcomer herself.

　The not-so-large shop was crammed to overflowing with customers. It was already October and the night breeze was chilly, but it was hot inside the shop, which was supposed to be unheated.
　For the past few days, the city has been packed with visitors for the upcoming festival. Naturally, all of the lodgings in town are fully booked, as well as the zone set aside by the Roundtable for temporary lodging.

　The same is true for restaurants, which are all busy. Even the shops in the backstreets that boast great taste are full of adventurers and earthlings who are grabbing a drink to cheer themselves up for the festival to begin tomorrow.

　The restaurant prides itself on its taste, and the time of day when the drinks are served makes for an unrefined, noisy atmosphere. The restaurant was a bit of a challenge for the girl, but Serara was happy to have a late dinner with her favorite kitten. The fact that it was a small restaurant was tickling with joy, considering the distance between their kneecaps bumping into each other under the table.

'Are you tired, Nyanta-san?'
No, it's not.
　Nyanta replied that, but today was a great day for the eight-armed man. The Crescent Moon Alliance will be setting up several shops at the Fall Festival, including the revived Crescent Moon, where they will be selling snacks. There will be a revival of the Crescent Moon snack shop, as well as the sewing department will be selling demonstrations and the blacksmiths will be selling weapons with their names on them.
　The Crescent Moon League is a small guild, with only about five members in each section. Nyanta is one of them, and he's a member of the tuning
　However, as the central caretaker of the lower and mid-level members, Celara is responsible for taking care of the newcomers within the . Unlike Isuzu, who had just been pulled up from Hameln, Celara has a group of friends who rely on her.

　She felt sorry for that and apologized to Nyanta once.
　The kitten smiled at me and said, "You're a great boy, Serara," he said. Nyanta was always kind to me as an adult and a gentleman, but since then, I think he's gentler, and he's gotten more serious about talking to me. So as for Serara, she's happy enough in this position now.

　The seafood soup cooked in tomatoes was light but rich and delicious. The boiled vegetables and omelette as an accompaniment were also delicious. Nyanta and I enjoyed chatting about trivial matters, and Serara was able to proceed with her meal with a happy heart.

　Just then, a sharp crushing sound echoes and the buzz in the restaurant stops for a moment. Apparently, the waitress had dropped the dishes. The restaurant's famous tomato sauce splattered around, creating a geometric pattern like a bright red flower on the stone floor.

　The white porcelain plates were shattered and scattered on the floor, but that's only to be expected in a restaurant. Just as the buzz was about to return to such an insignificant trouble, the sound of a beating cut it off again.

　When she looked back at the table, she saw the fallen woman and the man standing in front of her.

'You've got to be kidding me. You've got this stain on you, what are you going to do about it?
　The man yells at him stoutly.
　Serara is quick to check the status. I'm sure that both of them are earthlings. The main occupation is not that of an adventurer. The young man still wears expensive clothing. The aristocratic man accused the waiter's daughter of mismanagement, saying it was no amount of money that the waiter's daughter could afford to pay.

　The atmosphere in the restaurant was breathtakingly quiet, which made the man feel better. He became even more aggressive and began to demean the store. He said it was too small and too dirty. Dirty. Noisy and lacking in dignity. If you ask me about this famous restaurant, it's a disappointment. I guess the only thing that's missing is the noise," he said.
　Serara feels bad. She was enjoying her meal. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is a bit noisy, but that's not to say that I don't like it. The food was delicious and the place was a bit noisy, but that's not to say I didn't like the atmosphere, I just thought that people who like such things should come here. It's not cool to interrupt someone else's meal. It's not cool to interrupt someone else's meal.

Are you stupid?　This guy,
　Someone in the store blurted out.
　The man is mistaken. This restaurant is not a dedicated grand diner, as a man - perhaps a nobleman usually eats, nor is it a social restauranteur. It is a "restaurant" that serves delicious tomatoes.
　And there is another point of misunderstanding. The reason why everyone around him has become quiet is not because they are afraid of the man's authority. The reason why they are quiet is not because they are afraid of the man's authority, but because they are fed up with his excessive stupidity.

''Who are you?　Now you've been taunting me!
　Three adventurers stood up at the man's roaring voice. Perhaps sensing a threat, a guard-like "earthling" warrior who was eating at a different table from the man also raised his head. The atmosphere was tinged with tension in the restaurant as a result of the immediate reaction.

''Nyanta-san,''
　Serara shrugs and calls out to him.
　Fear is a different thing. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time with us. She has experience fighting the undead and hexenbiests. In terms of battle, this level of tension does not fall within the realm of drama. However, the tension of battle is different from the tension of a battle when humans are fighting each other's emotions. The desire for everyone to get along with each other makes them feel uneasy and uncomfortable.

There's nothing to worry about.
　At the same time as Nyanta stood up and turned around, he reached out his hand with a gesture and caught the young nobleman by the neck. It was exactly the way he did it, when he lifted the cat. The young man who was struck by the emptiness of the situation seemed to have his eyes blackened and his reaction blanked out for a moment.

I shouldn't do that. This is a place for everyone to have a good meal.
Shut up!　Commoners!
I am an adventurer, sir.
　The man is momentarily at a loss for a response to Nyanta's answer, and his expression is filled with dismay. Yes, this is Akiba's city. The number of Daichijin is increasing, but more than half of the people who come and go in the city are still adventurers.
　I'm not sure if I've forgotten about that fact or not, but the man's face is twisted with embarrassment.

It's all the more irrelevant then.
Hmm.
This is our people, the Daichijin. We're not the only ones with status differences between the people of the Earth. Let's keep it that way. We don't want to have any problems with the Adventurers.

'Heh. I didn't see it that way.
I mean, it sounds like you've been giving our favorite place a run for its money.
　The three men who stood up at the back of the store must have been adventurers. One of them is casting a recovery spell on the girl who serves her.

　The male bodyguard frequently licks his lips and peers restlessly from side to side. Looking at their equipment, the difference in ability is obvious. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make your life easier and more fun. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to find the right one.
　Even from Serara's point of view, the man guarding her looks like he can be subdued.

''Young Master, how about this place........''
This is Akiba's town, you know. This is Akiba's town, and the town of Akiba has its own order to protect. You shouldn't do that.
　Nyanta walks towards the doorway, interrupting the guard's words. The aristocratic-looking young man, who was about to yell and flail, seemed to run out of oxygen when he saw the slender and not-so-young-looking Nyanta lazily dragging himself around with one arm. The young man is being dragged along on his heels, and when he reaches the doorway, he is lifted up by the slender arms of a ninja who doesn't look like he put much effort into it.

"There's no charge for this. I'll give you a free service. It's a festival today, so it's best to have a good time and keep your troubles to a minimum.
　Nyanta threw the man out of the doorway with a pop. The man in the guard shouting, "Wakasama, Wakasama," hurriedly chased after it.
　Just as the man had first pushed the serving girl away, the guard mechanism that existed in the city of Akiva would not react at this level. It was widely known to the city's residents that the guards were surprisingly monkeys, as long as they didn't pull out their swords or do any direct damage.

'Nyanta-san,'
It's okay. I'm going back to eating.
　Serara is relieved to hear Nyanta say calmly.
　Likewise, the atmosphere in the shop seems to have relaxed and the noisy atmosphere has returned. The daughter of the waiter goes around bowing to everyone, but all that comes back is a voice telling her not to worry about it, it's normal. My daughter turned bright red and grateful.

'But it's rare. Such a thing.'
That's because the number of Daichijin has been increasing. Besides, it's a festival today, and there are a lot of people who aren't usually familiar with this town.
　Nyanta carefully dipped the shredded bread in tomatoes and took a bite of it.

It's like an aristocratic society, you know. The atmosphere in Akiba may be confusing to you.

　I can't believe I'm bothering you," Serara trailed off. Serara had rarely lived outside the city of Akiba. I've been in the city of Susukino for a short period of time, but I can't really claim to know the atmosphere of the city, just hiding in plain sight. I'm not sure if I'm familiar with the atmosphere and customs of the Daichijinshi, but it's sad to say that this is an everyday occurrence for me.
　The Daichijin are the mainstay of this world. They have the right to lead their culture and life as they see fit. In fact, the Adventurers may not have the right to disrupt the order of things. I had heard this phrase before from Nyanta and Shiroe. The word had never crossed my mind before, but it hit me very hard.

'Well, but. But our town is our town. Do as the locals do. Eat a good meal with a smile on your face. Festivals are fun. ...and if you get into trouble, you just have to be careful.

　Nyanta's words, Serara nodded with some relief.
　This festival was not only a festival for Serara and the other , but also the first event opened to the . There may be more trouble like the one we had today. But that doesn't mean I'm going to turn back. It was necessary, Serara thought without needing anyone to tell her that.

　The atmosphere inside the tavern was once again warm and bustling. You may have been left with a sense of doubt and uncertainty in your mind, but that didn't seem to be the reason for the adventurers to be dented by this. You can't live in a different world if you're worried about making a mess like that.
　Akiva's adventurers have been in training for the past five months. That's why it's safe. Serara smiled at Nyanta, reassured.



　◆



　That same night, elsewhere, another pair of men were working at a desperate pace.
　A beautiful woman (?) leading the Crescent Moon Alliance. This is the duo, Marielle and Henrietta. The preparations for the opening of the temporary shop and show are underway with a flurry of instructions.

　The Crescent Moon Alliance currently has 65 members. The number of members has increased due to the Hameln incident, but it is still a medium-sized guild on this scale. Naturally, they would not be able to hold an event as large as those of the three major production guilds.

　However, this year's festival was a small to medium-sized guild-initiated event. New ideas weren't something that could only come from a large guild. Considering the peculiarities of this other world that, unlike the original world, did not require large-scale capital investment, it was clear that with good craftsmen, ideas, and a backup system, small and medium-sized guilds could compete with large guilds.
　For example, the Gingko Kobo, a guild that specializes in clothing and apparel, is incredibly popular considering its numbers.

　It is also true that the "size" advantage of large guilds, which worked so well in the days when Elder Tail was a game, has been questioned as it has become a different world.

　According to the rules of this other world, only one subclass could be learned. It is impossible to be a seamstress and a carpenter at the same time. Therefore, even if a guild is large, it will be divided into small groups according to their respective professions. Without a good divider to act as a transversal liaison, it is no different from a mid-sized, single-role guild.
　In the past, large guilds were able to stockpile materials in a common warehouse, but now that the number of trade routes with the Daichijins has increased, they are able to purchase large quantities of low-level materials at low prices, and this makes it difficult to differentiate themselves from smaller guilds.
　The weaknesses of a large group of people, the slowness of discussion and decision-making, have also been pointed out, and the era when large guilds can overwhelm others based on size alone is gone.

　Of course, this is only true if you think of business as war, and most adventurers don't think like that. Most adventurers don't have that kind of mindset. Most of them want to experience something new in the midst of the economic boom and the festival movement.

　Marielle and Henrietta are among that group, and they simply continue to work late into the night in order to enjoy the cultural festival atmosphere to the fullest. But that doesn't mean it's all just a game with no regard for profit, either. The only ones who can make money are the large guilds, and small and medium-sized guilds don't have a chance to make any money.
　Even for smaller guilds.

　Tomorrow, the "Balance Festival" will be in full swing.
　The two main streets that divide the city of Akiba into ten letters will be filled with many stalls according to the allotment drawn by the Liaison Committee. The Crescent Moon Alliance had also obtained a modest stall at the outskirts of town. There, they plan to revive the Crescent Moon and resell the legendary Crescent Burger. Of course, the prices are much lower than they were back then.

Those were footprints, weren't they?
You're underfoot.
　Tired from packing boxes, they continue their conversation with a look of abandon.
　Marielle, the beloved guild master of the Crescent Moon Alliance with her large, beautiful breasts and large Kansai dialect, and Henrietta, the bespectacled, intelligent older sister who needs to be scolded, both look no different from ordinary adventurers, who can be found anywhere, when they are alone in the workroom.

　The first thing to do is to shake her partner's shoulder and say, "Marietta, get upright," as she fears she might fall asleep if she doesn't. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about that. It's a good thing that you're able to get the most out of it.
　It's a good thing that you're able to get a lot more out of it. It's a good idea to have a bed, but Henrietta is disgusted by her selfishness, saying she wants to take a shower for that.

You can take a shower if you want to.
I'm going to take a break. I'm in trouble at the hit point.
'The HP bar is completely green. If you're mostly in a pinch, why don't you just heel yourself in?
　The Adventurer's physical specifications are high. Even Henrietta, the Bard, could only feel a little feverish after 10 hours of packing boxes. It's far from exhausting to the point of languishing.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for when you're in the market.

''I'm going to take a break.
　Sighing deeply at her disgruntled best friend, Henrietta sits down next to her.

'What's the matter with you?　Marie
It's nothing.
　Henrietta shrugged. Marielle's demeanor was so cute that she didn't feel like making a delicate, tasteful tweak due to the slow, painstaking preparation of the food.

　I can vaguely imagine why Marielle is sulking.
　It was probably the example he'd been teasing her about for the past month.
　Henrietta ran the cursor over the menu she recalled in her mind.

''--Yes. It's me. Yeah, yeah. ... no, no, no, no, no, sorry about the evening. So, for a long time, yes.

　After establishing the connection, Henrietta cast her voice into the air. She used the telepathic function. Because the voice from the target is played inside the ear, it appears to be a scene of talking to oneself, but the magical contact allows one to talk to someone they know remotely.

　As it turns out, Marielle is talking to herself, too?　He doesn't show any signs of sniggering. Instead, however, his vague expression becomes increasingly serious, and he begins to panic and get upset.

'Henrietta?　Who?　Who are you talking to?
"Hmmmm. Yeah, yeah. Yes, that's it. I'm so hungry, I can't even look at it. It's true, she's sulking. You know, Marie...
Who?　Who are you talking to?!
I'm having a conversation. Can you be quiet?　Marie
I'm talking about my house and you're ignoring me!
　Marielle begins to shake Henrietta's shoulder as she continues to chuckle. But that part, Henrietta has been around long enough to get used to it. She tickles the back of Marielle's ear with her white fingers, and then unceremoniously pulls it away and holds it down on the sofa.

'Yes, yes. You have a pile of luggage. If Naotsugu-san can help you - yes, Marier will be delighted.
　 "It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're talking about.

It's a good idea to be able to have a good time. It's a good idea. It's a good idea. I'll see you later.
　Henrietta turned around with a radiant smile and saw a puffy but disconcerted Marielle.

'Why is Henrietta picking on us?
You're not hurting him?　That was a misunderstanding on Marie's part.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find something to say to me. It's very attractive to have expressive eyes that shine with an oval-shaped smooth outline. It's a good thing that you're able to have a good time with them. It is Henrietta's hobby to torment her and make her live.

'Are you sure?　Naotsugu-san, I'm sure you'll be able to show up to help in about an hour or so.
In the middle of the night?
Yeah.
　Henrietta replies sullenly. Marielle is suddenly upright as if she's been turned on, and she grabs the cardigan that's close at hand and runs off. She's probably going to go back to her private room and take a shower.

''Uchi. Just picking flowers!
　It's a good idea to have a good time with them. It's a good idea to have a good time with them," said Henrietta, waving her hand in the air as she sat down on the sofa.

(Marier is as cute as ever. This doesn't look like it's going to happen for the time being. Oh dear. --that's for sure.)

　Henrietta flipped through the bundle of papers she took out of her bag.
　The fragmentary appearance of Shiroe that she heard from Naotsugu reminded her of something that had been bothering her.

　It was the material compiled by the liaison group. Guilds, shops, individuals and groups that wanted to set up a stall were listed. The stall fee was set modestly, but even so, the proceeds alone were impressive. That's how large this festival had become, which was much larger than expected.

　The main reason for this was the Daichijin. Not only the Free Cities Alliance Eastal, but also traders and noblemen from the west gathered there. The economic scale of Akiva's city was far greater than its population would suggest. This is the result of the Daichijin's desire to make inroads into the city of Akiba.

　It was expected by Karashin and the rest of the members of the association, but once it was opened, the event attracted much more attention than they had expected. Tomorrow's festival, especially for small and medium-sized guilds, will be surprisingly successful.
　I'm sure that many of the stalls, which are filled with adventurers, will be sold out in the blink of an eye. After all, the merchants of the Earthmen were here to stock up. They are fundamentally different from the adventurers who examine what they want and buy one item at a time.

(But...)

　Henrietta pushes up her glasses with her fingertips.
　Her trademark, the thin silver-rimmed glasses, sparkle slightly in her focused expression. Something is tugging at them. It's hard to call her an old-timer or a veteran, her experience in the business world. Nevertheless, her experience of being an accountant and rolling up the books as a self-proclaimed accountant conveys something uncomfortable about her.
　The unknowable hazy sensation was unpleasant, and Henrietta bit her lip tightly.

(Shiroe-sama would.....

　Before I knew it, I remembered the profile of a young man I was familiar with.
　Come to think of it, all I can remember is the profile face. It's not that we've never talked face to face, but that important scene of that stubborn young man was Henrietta, who always seemed to be watching from the side.
　Whether it was at the meeting where the Round Table was established or at that meeting where Reinesia stood up. Henrietta had always played a supporting role, watching her profile from a step back.

　A young man with that profile, with its strength of will and keen intuition, could reveal the true nature of Henrietta's anxiety.

　Every time I followed the address menu, I was tempted by the idea, but in the end I never got in touch with him. It was a conclusion I'd come to several times over.

　Shiroe already had plenty of chores for the .
　The policy of not bothering Shiroe with the chores related to this festival is an agreement made between Karasin and Henrietta. Of course, we didn't explicitly commit to it, but we had a common understanding that the Round Table was overworking Shiroe too much.

　Besides, Shiroe now has Akatsuki and Minori.
　Both girls were beyond attractive in Henrietta's eyes.
　A smooth, graceful figure that reminded me of a slender lily. Akatsuki, a beautiful girl with black hair like a Japanese doll.
　Minori, who is slender and makes you want to hug her, and yet has the strength and sense of responsibility of a girl.

　Looking at the feelings the two of them have for Shiroe, it's as if there's no way I'll ever be around her.

　I am vegetative by nature, Henrietta thinks.
　I don't understand the animalistic emotions associated with love, and the desire to communicate based on skin-to-skin communication, as Marielle often does, seems distant to me. It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them, but if you're not able to do that, then you're not going to be able to do that.

　It's a very good idea to have a good time with your friends and family.

　"I'm the best of the lords,
　This is Henrietta, who once described Siloe as such.
　She knows at least that her feelings are very faint, but she is in love.

(I mean, he must be pale...)

　I can't help but feel a certain amount of loneliness there, but that's one thing. It's one thing to think of the face of someone you love day in and day out, but I'm aware that I don't seem to be able to have that much attachment to them.

　To Henrietta, Akatsuki is a lovely and cherished friend, and Minori, though a newcomer, is also an uncomfortable friend. It was gratifying not to have to share in the love lives of such friends.
　I can't put my trust in either of them, but I am at least prepared to congratulate the person Shiroe has chosen.

　You can't be sure of that, but I am at least prepared to congratulate the person Shiroe has chosen.
　I want that rare con artist with that stern profile to be happy.
　Isn't he the type of person who makes the people around him happy for the first time by being happy?　Henrietta thought of Siloe that way.

(They're a jittery threesome, though.)

　Henrietta sighs.
　Both the two girls and Shiroe seem very clumsy in that sense. I'm not sure if they are the type to get lost even if they go on a picnic in the middle of nowhere. The three of them are a challenge, and it's frustrating not to be able to help them.

　Henrietta, who was thinking about the friendship guild's love affairs, had lost track of her earlier discomfort at some point. Totally, both of them had too many things to think about at many ends.