Hey, why do you have to go?　You know each other. Why don't we meet and talk?
'We're not that close. I think they've already forgotten about me.
Really?
Yeah.

　We left the Order of the Sun (Sunshine Knights) as soon as we could.
　Hero of Light: It's true that I'm not close to Sakurai-kun.
　But I saw an unpleasant face near him.

　The Water Priestess, Sophia Roses.
　A woman who took one look at me and assumed I had no talent.
　But to think that a princess of the Water Country (Roses) is also here.
　Maybe she's in trouble.

Did you see that?　You had a powerful face. And there was even a princess!
Well yes.
It's not very responsive. Princess Noel, first heir to the throne of the Sun Nation. She has an aura about her.
'What?　Is there anyone like that?
What are you talking about?　You've been a real showstopper.
　Heh, the water priestess had caught my eye.
　Come to think of it, there might have been a woman in a luxurious dress nearby.
　But how could there be two princesses in such a small town?

Well, okay. It's none of our business. Let's go to the tavern where we're meeting!
Why don't we go to the guild and cash in the minotaur first?
Not now!　I'm hungry!
Hey, hey. All right.
　I could use a drink too.
　Shall we meet up with Fujiyan?

　

The "Hero's Tavern" was easy to find.

　It was a tavern, or rather a huge beer garden.
　Tables and chairs were scattered here and there in the open air.
　It was a very sketchy tavern.
　There were adventurers drinking everywhere.
　Some of them are sitting on the ground, perhaps because there are not enough chairs.
　It's a festival, this is a festival site.

'Lord Takatsuki-sama!　Lady Lucy!　This way, yo.
　Nina was waving her hand, twitching her long ears from side to side.
'I heard you quickly defeated the Minotaur!　That's great.
　The table where Fujiyan was sitting already had a pile of food on the table.

''The speed of that information is as good as it gets.
'Wow, that looks good!'
　Lucy was taking a bite out of a giant piece of bacon and bread.
　I ordered one ale and took a seat.

'What have you been up to, Fujiyan?'
I've been negotiating with the Guild for a regular airship service.
Oh, yeah? Did it work?
That won't be a problem. We'll start with McAllen, the Great Labyrinth, the City of Water, and the City of the Sun.
McAllen is floating around in that one.
　Lucy is very clear.

'This is Lady Christiana's strongest wish.
You can't fight your sponsors.
　He's in trouble.

Speaking of which, I heard Lord Sakurai is in town.
　Fujiyan says this to me as I take a bite of the big bone-in meat.
''I saw him just now. He was wearing some kind of expensive-looking armor.
'Oh!　It's the brave men of light we've heard so much about!　Master and Takatsuki-sama are acquainted with each other, aren't they!
　Even Nina's eyes are shining.
　Why do you all like brave men so much?　

''Tacky-dono. The brave man is certainly a popular skill, but Sakurai-dono is famous because he is the 'brave man of light'.
What's the difference between you and the other brave men?
　I ask, pouring down the slightly lukewarm ale.

'Really, are you serious?'
Lord Takatsuki, you are so naive.
　The two women pouted.
　Huh?　Am I crazy?

'The brave skillful possessors basically belong to a country. The 'Ice and Snow Brave' from the Land of Water (Roses), the 'Burning Brave' from the Land of Fire (Great Keith), and the 'Wind Tree Brave' from the Land of Trees (Spring Rogue) are the most famous.
There's usually one person in each country with the best skills in the world.
Hmmm, I'm jealous.
　It's still unfair.

''But you know, there's only ever been one 'brave man of light'.
Yeah?
　Really?
　I thought it was a very well known skill.
　I'm familiar with it.

Abel the Savior. Abel the Savior, the only skill he had. It's called "Hero of Light.
There are two of them now.
True. No one has had the 'brave of the light' skill for a thousand years, not since Savior Abel.
Oh, I see.
　That's a lot of attention.
　For a thousand years, no one has had it.
　And the skills of a great hero who saved the world.

I've heard that the Water Kingdom claimed ownership of the Hero of Light when we wandered into another world. They were the first to protect it. And then the Sun Nation (Highland) pressured them and took it away.
So that's what happened behind the scenes.
　I didn't know that.
How do you know that, Fujiyan?
'I found out later after I became a merchant. I heard that the Water Country (Roses) got the right to freely scout the rest of the otherworlders in exchange for giving up the Sun's heroes.
　So that person in charge is that water maiden.
　You're right, she was looking at us with glazed eyes.

''Thanks to that, the 'Lightning Hero' in the Land of the Sun is said to be in a bad position.
You are now Princess Noel's fiancée.
'What?　Seriously?
　Sakurai-kun, you're in that kind of situation?
Moreover, there are rumors that you are also close to the Water Priestess Sophia-sama.
What?
　What's that?
　Princesses from two different kingdoms hounding me, huh?
　Now I know why there's a princess in a place like this.　

"Huh!　The hero of this world is Sakurai-kun, right?
　He gulped down his second ale.

Things aren't looking so good for you.
　Fujiyan chuckled.
'I hear the princes of the Highlands are trying to kill you. ''Rumor has it,''
Well, you don't want to lose your throne to a guy who just shows up.
Oh, yeah. That sounds like a lot of power struggles and stuff.
My classmates, Yokoyama-san and Kawamoto-san, seem to be having a hard time too.
　The women in Sakurai-kun's group, huh?
　It must be tough to have a rival princess.

The rumor is that the defeat of the Abominable Dragon this time is also a conspiracy of the anti-light heroic faction.
Where do you hear these rumors?
Fujiyan, you're moving too fast.
　It's a staggering network of information.

　Then, how he fought the Minotaur in the water dungeon.
　Once upon a time, Nina-san went to the middle level of the Great Maze.
　In fact, the liquor in Hero's Tavern is distributed in large quantities by Fujiwara Store.

　We drank a lot, carried by the atmosphere around us.

　◇

　Did I drink a little too much?　So I was sipping water.

"Do you mind if I sit here?

　Suddenly, like the wind, the man appeared.
　Like a wind chime, a fresh voice.

"'Huh?' Lucy and Nina were piqued.
'This is a surprise,' said Fujiyan.
"We were just talking about it," I said.

'It's been a long time, Takatsuki and Fujiwara.

　The one who appeared was Ryosuke Sakurai, the "Hero of Light" who was the center of attention on the continent.