◆ Chapter3.06　



　Shiroe was aware that he had probably failed.
　Even though he couldn't determine the route to success after re-examining it, he still wondered if he could have done something a little better.　I think.
　For example, in the past scene, last month, the month before that, at the Roundtable, what if we'd had a different approach to the conversation with Ains?　What if I hadn't done more to gather information on the Shivya incident than to awaken the Earthmen?　What if you could just focus on domestic affairs in Akiba instead of Operation Sacrifice Gold?
　--that's the question that comes to mind. Of course, at the time, Shiroe had done what he believed was best. Even if you went back in time now and went back to that moment, it's doubtful that you would have been able to make another decision unless you brought back information from the future.
　But even so, somehow, he could have managed to achieve a slightly different result, couldn't he?　It is the human spirit to think that way, and perhaps that is the meaning of the word regret.

　After the 〈Roundtable〉 ended, Shiroe had returned straight back to the guild house. Normally, he should have had some kind of exchange of ideas with the other guild leaders, even if Ains couldn't, with Karashin, Michitaka, and Isaac, but he decided that it was impossible given the noisy conference hall. Most importantly, Shiroe's mind was saturated, too, and he didn't know what to say.
　Essentially, Shiroe was a preparatory person. Whether it's a negotiation or a large-scale battle (raid), he has done his homework in advance and made detailed plans and countermeasures, and then at the actual event, he will hit the target and crush it without thinking.
　It's no use planning and preparing for a sudden situation like this one. Above all, it was unlikely that he would be able to have a substantive meeting with the other guild masters if Shiroe's own heart was not centered.
　That's why Shiroe retreated to his office and spent the next two days and nights prostrate on his usual desk like this.

'How could I have gotten myself into this mess?
　But I'm finally beginning to understand why.
　If I spend this much time, I'll have a good idea of that. I'm not drinking the completely cold tea, but rather touching the teacup and letting it go, and Shiroe sighed.
'Oops, Shiroe.'
"Naotei...
　Without warning, it was Naotsugu who opened the door to his office and appeared.
　His best friend, dressed in rough loungewear, walked straight into the office, put the tray on the desk and spoke in a gasping tone.
''How's it going? You're starting to put your head together. You're asleep, man, you look awful.
Have you been sleeping?
Hey.
I'm a little depressed, as you can imagine.
　Shiroe's muttering while worrying about her sleeping habits could be described as childish. When you are in front of Naotsugu, many of the things you have to mend will come off. It's not important.
I don't think it's worth dwelling on.
'Well, yeah. I guess so.
You think you could have done better.
I don't know why I'm so clumsy.
　There are many things to reflect on.
　Avoiding dialogue with Ains was one of the biggest of them. With the pretext that we should not have interfered in the internal affairs of other guilds, we should have contacted them privately outside of the and worked for mutual understanding.
　It's not a matter of likes and dislikes, we should have done it.
　I think we should have done that.
　Perhaps that would have made a huge difference in the outcome. If only we could have reached a mutual understanding.
"I'll get the death penalty, but will it make you any better?　Don't even think about it.
Well I guess so.
　Naotsugu's point is probably true, too.
　There is no doubt about Ains' good intentions.
　However, there is no way he could be dragged into that goodness and throw everything away.
　For example, if a young child was left behind at the scene of a fire, it would be good to save it.
　On the other hand, is it really good to send thousands of unprepared rescuers into the flames?　It probably won't be a good thing. It will only cause more damage. Of course, abandoning people in need of rescue is bad. It's a question that has no answer.
So what were you thinking about?　Operations Chief.
Yeah. I can see that the conversation has already entered the next phase. In other words - the 'roundtable' is over.
Is this what the Honestis were screaming about?
　Shiroe spent the night sorting through the thoughts he had considered.
　The epidemic of apathy that Ains feared was probably not at the heart of the problem at the moment.

No. No, it's not unrelated, but it's not the direct cause of the problem. The problem of lethargy in Akiba's town is, I don't know, a trigger, or something.... According to a survey conducted by the Eighth Shopping Street, the maximum number of people who are truly immobilized is only about one hundred and fifty. Of course, there are only about twelve thousand adventurers in Akiba. The exodus to neighboring cities has begun. There can't be thousands of people who are depressed.
Huh?　No, I don't think so. I'm sure there were many more.
　While munching on a handful of scones that were brought in, Naotsugu looks at me with a suspicious look.
'No, that's not true. It's probably just a matter of impression. There are 12,000 adventurers in Akiba, but they are not resident adventurers. There are also adventurers who go from place to place to do business, and others who go on demon hunting expeditions, so at any given moment there must be at least 8,000 adventurers in the city. That's why you see a relatively large number of people on the streets during the day and sitting listlessly in the streets.
Oh. I see.
　Seeing more, feeling more - that's the essence of the problem.
　It can also be a "mood" problem, where things we've never cared about before become unsolvable as soon as we get past a certain point. It's as if the moment you reach a certain amount of summer homework and time left to do it, you find it difficult to give up and try.
Maybe it was the same at Honesty. The Honesty is now more than 2,000 people, I think. If there are more than a hundred lethargic people among them, your mind will be overwhelmed first. That's all you can see, and you feel like there's no solution.
...and by all accounts, it's a stubborn face.
　Naotsugu pulls the armpits of both eyes and shows them to me as threadbare.
　It must be an imitation of Ains.
'But on the contrary, a hundred and fifty is only a hundred and fifty. I think it was possible to reduce it. If there were about a hundred people, various guilds could have taken on the task little by little, and the Eighth Shopping District has already begun to take on the task. Maybe what was needed to solve the problem wasn't such a big budget or system or reform, but rather, all we needed was five people, Marie-san. Of course, that wouldn't make them all stand up and be happy, but that's just the same as adding a budget to it. ........I'm sorry Ains-san, but this problem isn't something that can be solved with a single swing like the Holy Sword (Excalibur). If you wish for such a thing, the problem itself will get worse and the solution will be delayed....... Anything more than that will just take time.
　I'm not sure about the second half of the story, and I'm mumbling, but apparently Shiroe doesn't think so. Shiroe is not so bright in that direction, but when a community is on the verge of a rift, hard-line measures - community purges, major policy changes and forcing some people to bear the burden -- will only complicate the problem more than it will solve it, I have a vague feeling.
　After all, humans need the sun. Someone to light up the world and tell them that it's not so bad, you know.
　That's why Shiroe, Karashin, and Krusty have been pushing to raise the level of the Adventurers and interact with the Earthlings, even if it means going a little farther.
　Shiroe had Kanami, Naotsugu and the squad leader.
　Minori and Touya were joined by Isuzu and Rundelhaus.
　Akatsuki was there, too.

'So there's no problem then?
'No, it's the other way around. The problem just got bigger.
Is that so?
　Shiroe also takes a bite of a muffin brought by Naotsugu, probably made by the squad leader, and continues.
I'm sure the problem of people who have lost their motivation can be solved by nature, and of course that doesn't mean that everyone will be able to live happily and happily every day with a clear mind, but at least it's not a problem that we can't do anything about, that we can't handle. We could have done more.
　This world is small.
　Because it's small, the disappointment and apathy of a hundred or so people can bring a dark cloud over the city.
　But because it is small, conversely speaking, it is possible to change the future with a little effort. The dark clouds brought in by the sighs of a hundred people can be illuminated by the smiles of ten people. There should be no need to despair.

'I mean, the real problem is that we've been... hesitating to move on and running Akiba. The city is full of disappointed people that could have been taken care of if we had really pulled together. But we couldn't. That's because we wanted to reduce the authority of the Roundtable and let everyone else do their own thing. Adventurers' bodies are healthy and strong, and most things can be solved with magic and items. So we didn't need to rule them.
　As a mere student and young adult, I didn't think it was appropriate for me to be involved in politics or an organization with such a heavy image as the government. I was avoiding it, even if unconsciously.
　But how many adventurers should be more responsible than Shiroe?
　There are only 30,000 adventurers in Yamato. It is unlikely that any of them will be professionals in politics or statecraft. Even if there were, it is impossible to find someone who has any experience in dealing with the feudal aristocracy of the Middle Ages.
　It's not a good idea to say that you are an amateur in this world where everyone is an amateur.

That's the point Mr. Ains was frustrated to make, after all. We didn't want to take the blame for the whole thing," he said. We didn't want to take responsibility for the whole thing, or at least that's what it looked like from an external point of view. I was going to speak as Gilmus of the Log Horizon, but I wasn't going to speak on behalf of Akiba.
'It's not White's fault. There was no one like that. Besides, by that logic, the last thing they needed was a distress signal from Ains, right?　This happened in our guild, and we need everyone's help. There's no government in Akiba, so we can't do this on our own. Please help me. I should have said so.
'That may be true. But that was in the past and it's not now. The problem is that we've gone to a different stage.
What's that?
　Shiroe dropped her gaze and unconsciously spun the pen she was holding around.
　It was daunting because she knew that what she said would put her on edge. But it was he (Shiroe) who didn't hit the brakes in such situations. If you're not aware of it, it's still bad to hide the fact that you've become aware of it. I've lived like that until now, and I have no intention of changing it in the future.

The fact that there is no one to represent the Roundtable means that Akiva doesn't speak, which means that in this world, Akiva has no opinion of its own and doesn't care what anyone does to it.
Couldn't we just have a "round table"?
　Shiroe kept his mouth shut.
　It was good when Krusty was around.
　That incomparable personality, who seemed to know everything, was able to convince everyone that he was the ruler of Akiba without saying a word to anyone in that atmosphere alone. Not a single leader of the participating guilds questioned Krusty's presidency of the Round Table, nor did the lords of the League of Free Cities of Eastar raise any doubts about it.
　With a single act of royal dignity, Krusty had nullified the Roundtable's difficult decision to become a political entity and to elect its leader. Moreover, they didn't have to be the rulers themselves to cause stress to those around them.

'Things have changed. "The situation has changed," he said, "During the meeting of the Lords, the other side treated me as the representative of the Earthlings. But things have gotten so complicated now that even the governing bodies of the Daichijin are now divided into two, the Free Cities Alliance Eastar and the Holy Empire of Westland. The West Runde in particular includes not only the Earthmen, but the Adventurers as well.
....
The Daichijinshi are not included in the Roundtable. --I said at the first meeting when we launched the Roundtable that we should acknowledge the Daichijinshi and live together with them, but I didn't even try to find out how the Daichiinshi of Akiba felt, and we had to form an organization together. I didn't even think it was a bad idea. After all, an organization that doesn't include the Daichijinshi isn't the right one to organize Akiba's streets.
Okay.

　That is the problem we are facing right now.
　The Round Table has reached its limits.
　In the first place, the Roundtable was an organization designed to help the adventurers in the area around Akiba, which had been disrupted by the catastrophe, stand up again. As such, they are not qualified to govern Akiba, a city of 50,000 people, including the Daichijin. The only reason they have been able to do this is that the Daichijinshi have not voiced any dissatisfaction, and each guild has been able to deal with problems that can be solved within their own guilds, but if a problem arises that is too large for a single guild to deal with on its own, they will be able to say, "We have a proper governing body, and we are not going to have to worry about it. The problem of "not having" is easily exposed.
　It's just that it has now become apparent.

That's why Mr. Ains was right in the end. That's why Mr. Ains was right in the end, he showed us that the Round Table was no longer working.
So you're going to join this Akiba Regime Authority thing?
It's...
　Shiroe is at a loss for words.
　The Round Table is no longer working. Over the past two days, I've learned the hard way that a self-governing, uncoerced, volunteer-based, self-respecting organization that only cares about itself is no good.
　But that doesn't mean we should reorganize into the Akiba Ruling Office. There was no prospect of resolving the problem by joining the Akiba Governing Office.

I don't think that's a good idea, either.　It seems that Ains said a lot of things at the meeting, but it's a matter of what you think about getting a knighthood. It's a good idea to have a string attached to your paycheck. It doesn't make sense to call in more trouble to solve a small problem.
Yeah..... However, there are other options in this situation.
　Shiroe tried to speak to Naotsugu in distress.
　That said, it was also true that there was no one other than Ains who showed him the vision. For Shiroe, who had made the problem so much more complicated by her actions of leaving the choice alone, non-choice was a resistance to the idea of non-choice.
　He feels that if he sits still, things will get worse. He must run. But the surroundings are dark and you can't find your direction.
　That is Shiroe's vision right now.
　There is no strategy that Shiroe can plan now that the necessary conditions have not yet been established.
　I'm not going to give him a break from this whole thing, but it seems that he has no intention of giving it a rest just yet.
　Minori, who followed the knock, held out a letter with a nervous expression, as if she was aware of the situation.
'Excuse me, Mr. Shiroe. We have a visitor. I understand you left a letter of invitation for me.
　It was a letter from Ains of the Honesty, the other party with whom Shiroe and Naotsugu were discussing the matter, inviting them to meet privately.




Chapter 3.07　


　It had been a long time since Raynesia had visited D.D.D. again. Partly because she had heard that D.D.D. was very busy with paperwork to disband, and partly because Reinesia herself was exhausted from the repeated, one-sided announcements.
　She wanted to visit D.D.D. because she wanted to talk to her friend (or so she was told) Lise about the progress of her engagement.
　However, he didn't get the chance to do so until an emissary from the Holy Duchy of West Runde visited him, and word of the engagement spread far and wide throughout Akiva. I wanted to explain myself at least, but Liese might think I was a terrible traitor.
　Reinesia felt as if she had swallowed a stone, but she still visited the new guild house where she was informed.
　The metal plate on the side of the front door is inscribed with the words 'D3Hub' (D3Hub). It's an engraving of gold-colored letters on matte dark blue steel. It was a shade that vaguely reminded me of Krusty's armor.
　The new base I visited for the first time is a building with an atmosphere unlike anything I've ever seen before. The abandoned building that was reconstructed with decorative bricks was, according to Akatsuki, who accompanied me, a "Taisho modern" building, but to Reinesia it seemed to be a functional building with a new design. The white stucco and oil-polished walnut flooring was clean, and yet it seemed to be a comfortable base of operations for even the most sedate Reinesian eye.

'Sorry about the other day,'
I'm sorry to have bothered you at all.
　Lise, who was opening a box of cakes in front of Reinesia, who waved her hand in denial, gave a small smile. She was wearing her round table uniform today. There were four women in the room, a quiet, short-cut woman, Takayama Sansa, Reinesia, and Akatsuki.
　The room with its ivory walls was large. It was probably about thirty meters square. Reinesia and the others were on an indoor deck, built in the style of a loft, from which they could look down on the downstairs like a workroom.
　The multiple wooden tables were more massive than the dinner tables, and several elaborate maps were spread out on them. This bulky mansion, which does not have a garden, seems to be a sort of operational command center that, to the best of Reinesia's knowledge, doubles as both a defensive knights' guardroom and a mapmaker's library.
　The mezzanine floor, which overlooked the workroom, was a space surrounded by railings and furnished with circular low tables and sofas. It was made to resemble a common room with a ridged carpet and large, vertical windows that let in sunlight.
　The operations room seen downstairs was somewhat cluttered, but there was no sign of people. It gave the impression that it had just been moved in and was not yet sufficiently organized.
　There were four women gathered in this large space.
　Takayama Sansa, who expertly serves tea, takes out danishes, jams and other snacks from his "magic bag" and arranges them at a steady pace.

That's it.
　Liese and Raynesia looked at each other, trying to cut them off from either side, and they exchanged awkward apologies with reservations.
'I'm really sorry about our Gilmouth,'
I'm sorry.
　It took the form of Liese and Takayama Sansa, who both took the lead and lowered their heads.
''Originally, Milord should be here. He was involved in an accident and seems to be stranded on the You Red continent. We've received word that he has a special bad status and is restricted in his movement.
Well.....
　The members here are unaware of the conversation between Kalashin and Reinesia's mother Saraliya. That's why they don't think that Krusty made Reinesia injured in some way, and they would shake their heads from side to side in surprise if they were told of such a thing.
　But on the other hand, even the adventurers know that guardian knights are so-called guardians. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
　Whatever happens to Reinesia's future, she has the right to consult with her guardian, and the guardian has the obligation to do so. In that sense, it was Krusty's fault simply because he was not here. The logic of this was understandable to Liese and Takayama, who were modern earthlings.
'No, I'm the one. I apologize for spreading the story without permission before we discussed it.''
　On the other hand, the Reinesia side also felt guilty.
　They should have followed the proper procedure, but they had to announce it to the whole city. In an aristocratic society, this is an incredibly rude way of doing things, and it is the fault of the Saimiya family for sending a messenger. However, it is difficult to pursue such mismanagement by Malvez, who claims that he was taken advantage of by a merchant to become a nobleman. It's difficult to pursue the future of the marriage, because if you marry, you will live under the protection of the Saigu family. The guardian was supposed to be there to help Reinesia in cases like this, where she would be reluctant to pursue her partner's mistakes or to discuss the terms of the marriage.
'I'm afraid we're not going to get anywhere,'
Yes.....
I think you should have a cup of tea.
　It was Akatsuki who saved them from struggling to deal with the awkward atmosphere between them. She was fast-paced, and before she knew it, she took out her own teacup and poured it from the teapot, holding it like a small animal.
　With a vague smile on her face, Liese and Reinesia often escape from reality with the steam in front of them, saying, "Shall we do that?

'Are you going to marry?'
　Lise asked after a not-so-short silence.
　It was a question that she thought would probably be done.
'Yes.......... Well........... I've heard that the adventurers are fast, but for the earthlings (us), that's not true, in fact, it's more of a slow process from a standpoint.
　Much smoother than she had expected, Reinesia was able to give a response.
　If you ask me that, I'll answer like this. He hadn't thought of it that way, but it was still an answer that sounded as if it had been planned.
　Of course, Reinesia has never been married. So I don't know anything about marriage. I've never visited the Saigu family, and for that matter, I've never been west of the Old Court of Eternal Ice. Nor, of course, do I know what the Westlands are really like. I don't know the voice and face of my spouse, Tohri, and I don't want to talk about what I don't know.
　I don't want to talk about what I don't know.
　Because I don't want to lie to my friend (Lise).
　So naturally, the answers became few and far between, and the rest of the contents were added together to form an answer. That's all there was to it.
I see.
　Reinesia wanted to say something to Liese, who was showing signs of sinking pain, and she searched for words inside herself. She searched within herself for something that wasn't a lie that she could offer to Liese, to pick and choose, to share more... In that laborious act, Reinesia was disappointed to find that she was far more empty and upholstered than she had thought.
'I mean...'
　Nevertheless, as he gathered up the remaining wreckage, he looked at Liese, trying to convey the message somehow.
''-- Because the daughter of a duke's family has been raised for that.
　I think I was able to tell him properly, even though I had to whisper it to him.
　Strangely enough, as soon as she heard the words, it was Sansa Takayama who let out a deep sigh and leaned back on the couch. She looked at Reinesia with an expression as if she was looking at something painful, then shook her head from side to side and dropped her gaze.

''Are you going to disband the clan (guild)?''
　Reinesia felt somewhat guilty about the situation and asked a question that had been bothering her for a long time. Liese and Takayama Sansa exchanged a glance and nodded. 'Yes,' was the affirmation in response.
'It's not that Milord gave us any instructions. If anything, it was more for our convenience.''
　Liese began to speak faintly.
　It was in a tone that seemed to confirm something by putting it into words, rather than searching for words like Reinesia did.
It was impossible to run 〈D.D.D.D〉 in this world to begin with, that is to say. D.D.D. (our guild) is the largest combat guild on the Yamato server. We have an automatic troop formation (matching) function for people who want to enjoy 24-man (full raid) combat on an external server as a web service. ........It's hard to understand for Princess Reinesia, isn't it? Ehhh.
　As Liese waved her index finger and fumbled to think of an explanation, Takayama Sansao offered his help in a calm voice.
It was as if there was a civilian organization of a hundred people to support the operation. But due to the 'catastrophe', we lost contact with them.
''It's like that. Right now, we're not good enough to run a guild of this magnitude.
　I felt like I could understand that if I thought about it logically.
　The D.D.D. is a huge guild with more than one thousand five hundred members. No other guild in the Free City Alliance Eastal has a guild of that size. Moreover, it was originally a larger organization, and if the civilian officers in charge of internal affairs were lost in the catastrophe, how confusing would that be?
　Reinesia looked at Liese, who was not much older than she was.
　She was a talented woman running such a huge organization, and her heart ached at the dignified expression on her face as an adventurer who could continue to do so.

I see..... But that's not such a bad thing, is it?

Yes. I also noticed it when I was watching Siloe during the Everlasting Moth's Nightmare. It's not easy for me to support her now. But that's alright. I've realized that I just have to be as careful as I can be to support myself.
　That Liese gave her a curious look, and Reinesia smiled, ignoring the pain in her chest. She was probably right, it probably wasn't a bad thing.
'And that's why you're a hub?　Is it a snake?
　Akatsuki, sitting next to me, has a look on her face that doesn't quite register at the moment, but this is one challenge for a woman named Liese.
It's not a snake," she says, "Hub means center. --D.D.D. will be disbanded, but it won't shrink in size. In fact, D.D.D. will spawn a lot of guilds. We're going to break up the combat regiments and divide them into battalion-sized units to make them self-supporting.
　Liese looks at the wall of the operation room, where countless wooden tags are run on the wall.
　If you look around, they were all clan (guild) names.
''There will be many more guild masters, and they will be able to take care of their own affairs. Originally, because D.D.D. aimed to be self-sufficient, it also had a production department. We're going to make each department independent and collaborate with each other. I'm worried, but everyone is very motivated. Milord might be disappointed, but this is the answer we've come up with.
　It was a strange, uplifting creation.
　D.D.D. may break, but it will not die.
　On the contrary, each of the shards shines to create a new constellation.
　Liese's sparkling eyes held the power of will.
　The color of the challenge of jumping into that storm, even though you don't know how the future will turn out.
　Reinesia knows that color.
　The same young merchant whom the lord of Tukuba let carry a letter.
　Or the dwarf who traveled long distances to learn blacksmithing and the one-eared torn elf who arrived in search of a song. In short, it is the color of that same fiery expectation and pride of pride as those who have put their lives on the line for the future.

The D.D.D. will be a guild alliance. We're going to accept a wide range of D.D.D. members, and we're going to make it an even stronger place for today's Akiba.
　Riese's declaration hit Raynesia hard in the chest.
　Raynesia opened her mouth to congratulate him, and was bewildered, unable to speak. She held her chest, opened her mouth, and looked down at her own knees for help, as if in trouble.
'What's the matter?'
'Well, I'm surprised. I don't know why I'm surprised...
　Desperately returning just that to the question in the soft, comforting voice of the Takayama Sansa, Reinesia clenched her fists tightly to keep from drowning in the stormy impulse blowing in her own chest and laughed to keep her friend from worrying.
　But I knew that the laugh was a pathetic half-smile, not a ladylike one, and I knew it was not a ladylike one at all.
　For some reason, Akatsuki, who had peeked out from the side, clenched his trembling fist.

'Milord said over the communication. ''If you don't regret being stolen, it wasn't yours from the beginning. It seems that Milord met an enemy on the other continent (server) and something was taken from him. It seems that he won't return until he fights it and destroys it.
　Turning to Liese, who had closed her mouth at Raynesia's condition, Takayama Sansa explained in a slow, careful tone.
'Is it a terrible battle?　Master Krusty is undergoing an ordeal, isn't he?
　It was the disappearance of Krusty, who was supposed to have been fighting like a demon god on the continent. The guardian knight of Raynesia, who had heard of her survival and whereabouts, was apparently also spending his days fighting in Eureed.
　Reinesia tried to believe that, but it didn't succeed half as well. She thought she heard the words whispered in her ear by the sarcastic, yet gently squinting spectacles. They might have been words Krusty had said about Krusty himself, but it didn't seem that way to Reinesia.
　It sounded like the words were directed at Raynesia.
　The words of understanding and agreement he had squeezed out to cover it up were interrupted by a simple shake of the head of denial from Colonel Takayama.
'No, no way. Other than that, 'I've finally been able to admit that fun is fun. He said something like, 'I'm throwing away the Earth house, so please take care of the Akiva house. I'm throwing it all away.'
It's awful.
　Akatsuki spoke for Reinesia, who was momentarily taken aback.
　I didn't know what he was saying in the first half, but it sounded like he was saying that he was going to push Ak Akiva to Liese and the others and focus on the fun battles on the continent. I was confused and asked for an answer, and Liese nodded at me.
''Yes, I'm really sorry,''
There's no other word for it than trouble. I don't know what to say other than that I'm in trouble, and I haven't changed a bit in the way I've always pushed around people. But it's probably for the best. I won't explain in detail because we're talking about the world of the Adventurer, but Milord also has a troublesome upbringing. It's because he's throwing it away. I think he's learned to distinguish the most important things in life. It took me a long time, though.
　The urge that had been blowing in Raynesia's chest was quieted, as if she had stopped breathing. It was still not an understanding, but only a premonition of understanding. The premonition of what was being communicated to me, the feeling that I would be in trouble if I really understood, made my body shake with a blur.
　After a choking moment of blankness, the impatience that thrust through my chest became a burning heat in its intensity.
　It was shame, humiliation, and longing.
　Reinesia did her best to restrain herself from screaming, but she hadn't felt this intense since she had decided to ride into a meeting at the Old Court of Eternal Ice. Unlike the pale and distant loneliness and determination of that time, and the distant loneliness and determination of the surroundings, Reinesia desperately clenched the painful and fierce emotions that made her chest burn with fire.

--I knew it.
--He knew this side of me, and he sent a message.
--No matter how far away that youkai is, it's me.
--He would look into my heart and tell me rightly what I didn't know.

　In the midst of the shame of being seen through, it was pointed out to me that it was Reinesia's greed.
　Raynesia was foolish and didn't realize that she was so greedy because she hadn't had a solee before.
'It's a 'stolen and frustrating thing,' isn't it?
　The dark-haired girl made up for what the incomprehensible Reinesia hadn't yet been able to put into words.
　That's right.
　It was frustrating to be stolen.
　Reinesia seemed to like this Akiba.
　She loved spending her days in Akiba, and she loved her friends who spent time with her in Akiba.
　It's not that she didn't love the work she was doing at the House of Waterflies, but she loved the work she was doing at the House of Waterflies, even though she didn't know it at all.
　She loved the work she was doing at the House of Waterfleet, and when it went well, she felt proud.
　I loved meeting people from all walks of life in that office and listening to their life stories and cheering them on.
'Oh...'
　Raynesia heard a sighing, crying sound escape her mouth. She felt as if she wanted to disappear, beaten down by her own stupidity.
　I was so self-pitying that if I didn't get my way with everything, I would end my life like a doll fulfilling the hopes of those around me, that I couldn't even be aware of my feelings, which were so simple.
　I was embarrassed as if flames were coming out of my face.
　And at the same time, I was frustrated as if my heart was burning.
　I spent a long time in Akiva. Every part of that time was marked by a brilliant smile and an expression of pride and determination. Countless "earthlings". Countless "adventurers". Humans, elves, dwarves, cat people, wolf people, fox people, all kinds of people. All kinds of people. Brave men and women, arrogantly leaning their faces on the ground and going straight for their future!　Raynesia's role is to wave to them and give them a shout-out. To write them a letter to help. To introduce them to a handful of friends. Apparently, it had somehow become a small pride for Raynesia herself.
'I'm sorry...'
　Reinesia spat out depressingly, not even knowing what the apology was for.
　She had complained so much and thought she was the only one who could do it.
　She even felt dizzy at the increased pride.
　What was the use of understanding that he loved his job, that he was proud of it, when in fact, he loved it so much he thought he could just slack off and do nothing.

I'm sorry. I guess I had something to be sorry about.
　For the first time in her life, Raynesia confessed with tears of frustration.
　She had thought it was hers.
　That's why it was unbearable and so painful to have it taken away from her.
　It was too sacred a feeling to just leave it wrong. It even felt like a betrayal to keep it in his chest, though he didn't know what it was against.
　Raynesia repented in front of her friend, as if the thought had motivated her to do so. Her voice was trembling, and her manner was very unlike that of a nobleman, but she couldn't keep it to herself.
'I care about this city (Akiba), my work (...)
　The three witnesses did not laugh at the confession, which seemed to be a punishment to them.
　Reynesia's friends embraced her gently.