Well done, Lars, you did a wonderful job. Well done, Lars, you got that coward on board!


　Miroslav praised Lars with a congratulatory smile.

　In response, Lars awkwardly scratched his cheek.


''I'm sorry, Milo. The whole Milo story slipped out of my head halfway through... I didn't mean to give you a ride or anything, I was just really mad at that guy.

''Hmm, I think because you're that kind of person, they were willing to do that too. Now we can get that girl, Seal, out of Sola's hands. Lars has done a great job.


　With that, Miroslav gripped Lars' hand firmly in both of his hands and smiled at him.

　Lars smiled as if he was embarrassed.



　The two of them, Lunamaria was looking at such a figure of the two of them, also expressing confusion.

　Miroslav noticed her gaze and called out to her with downcast eyes.


'It's just that I didn't think that the other side would want Luna as a slave instead of me. That's the only part I miscalculated. I'm sorry for Luna.

It's...

But I'm fine!


　Miroslav raises his voice to interrupt Lunamaria's voice as she tries to say something.


''There's no way Lars can lose to that coward. Lars is level sixteen and they are level one. No matter how you spin it, Lars's victory is not going to move. I understand that there is some concern about accepting the terms of being a slave, but please, please trust Lars. I also ask that you do this for me.


　With that, Miroslav hung his head deeply.

　Then, Lars also nodded vigorously to dismiss Lunamaria's concerns.


'Miroslav is right. I will never be defeated by a coward who taunts a slave who can't handle it. You see, I don't want to be the object of a betting contest for Luna, but I want you to know that I am willing to bet on it. In order to help that girl Seal please!


　Even as he mouthed the words, "Please," Lars didn't seem to have the slightest idea that he would be refused.

　He was convinced that he had won, and he believed that his friends were also convinced. There was no way he would be refused, Lars thought.



　But Lunamaria didn't nod. She didn't nod.

　Because she felt the power that Sola had hidden in her, more than anyone else.

　Earlier, when I saw Sola after a while, she even seemed to be even bigger than the last time I saw her.

　I had expected it, so I didn't get stiff and immobile like I had before, but I still felt a crushing sensation that grabbed my heart when Sora looked at me.

　If asked if Lars could win against that Sola, Lunamaria could only shake her head.



　When Lars noticed Lunamaria's hesitation, he tried to open his mouth again in a dubious and unexpected way.

　The one who stopped it on the verge was Ilaria, who had been silent until then.


'Lars, don't do it. It's not about what we're capable of doing with each other. You can't just nod your head and say, "Yes, I understand," when you're putting your own reputation on the line in someone else's game, can you?　No wonder Luna was so hesitant.

'Oh, yeah, that might be it. Sorry, I may have been a bit bare.

And isn't that a bit odd?

What's funny?

'You're level sixteen, they're level one, and you'll win if you fight. But I'm sure Sora knows that more than we do. How could Sola have been beaten at such a disadvantage?

Why... because you thought you could win, right?

So I'm asking you why you thought you could win. We took the game because we had a chance to win. And we don't know what those odds are. Since the Lord of the Flies incident, Sola hasn't been seen in Ishka for nearly two months. It looks like she's been to the Empire, but it's possible she got some kind of strange power there.


　Hearing Ilaria's words, Lars raised his eyebrows in thought.

　Here, she thought, Lunamaria revealed the thoughts in her heart to her friends for the first time.


'Lars, as it pertains to what Ilaria just said...'

What is it, Luna?

'This is the feeling of a spirit user, and it's hard to prove it for sure, but Sora-san is not the same as she was before.

No?

'Yes. Probably, Sola is not the first level now. I feel a power that is incomparable to what I felt before. I think that something happened in the Lord of the Flies' nest.


　Using the word "dragon" would reduce its credibility. So, Lunamaria explained Sora's abnormality in as clear an expression as possible.

　Hearing that, the wrinkles between Lars' eyebrows became deeper and deeper.

　The one who spoke to Lars was Miroslav.


''Lars, there's nothing to worry about.

"Milo?

'Even if the man's level of commitment had been raised, so what?　Even if I spent all of the past two months slaying demons, level three is the best I could do. If I'm willing to die for it, I might be able to reach level four, but that's the limit. Yes, to Sora, it must feel like her power has been doubled or tripled. But, Lars, I'm an adult and a child compared to you.


　'To begin with,' said Miroslav, raising his voice.


The difference between that man who has spent the last few years collecting herbs and you, who has gone through so many dangers, is much greater than just your level as an adventurer and a warrior. This gap cannot be bridged in just two months or so. Isn't that right?

'Yeah, of course it is!'

And I have an idea of what Ilaria just said about "odds".

Really?

Yes. That man told you the other day. He paid 30 gold pieces for this boy, Seal. Where did he get the money?　Earlier, in the guild, that man took out gold coins to fund the call for a priest to use the Lie Detection (Sensei Rai). Where did he get the money from?　I suspect that was the money that was left behind by those who died in the Lord of the Flies' nest.


　Hearing that, Iria murmured quietly as if she remembered something.


''........Come to think of it, that guy did bring back the other adventurers' recognition slips.

''Yes. Otherwise, a man who was kicked out of the settlement without paying a good tip would not be able to obtain gold coins out of the blue.

Right. Is that why I saw an unfamiliar sword on his waist earlier?

Yes. That's one of the things you got from selling the dead man's belongings, isn't it? It's nothing. The only reason you've traveled all the way to the Empire is to sell off what you can't sell in the city of Ishka. With the money I earned from that, I bought weapons that were too much for me to wear and bought slaves to come back to. The man who is now showing off such a self to the people around him in such a way that he is enjoying himself. The bottomlessness of his stubbornness is evident when he stays at his old place of residence.

'Then the 'odds' that Ilaria was referring to are...'

It's that sword. It's like a child who has only touched a toy sword, but now he's sneaking out his parent's sword and wielding it with great joy, saying, "Now I'm getting better. Frankly, it's hard to argue with that.


　Miroslav quickly dismissed Ilia and Lunamaria's fears and looked at Lars' face again.

　Then he gently reached out a hand to Lars's cheek.

　For a moment, an indescribable light seemed to sparkle in both of their eyes, was it really because of Lunamaria's imagination?


'Lars. It's an adult's job to take care of a child who's misbehaving. It is the role of the expert (veteran) to break the nose of the rookie (rookie) who misunderstood the sudden level up. Let's show Sora what a real adventurer and a real warrior can do?　You should do that to help that poor beastly girl....