'Oh...'

　That's right.
　I agree with him.
　I don't want to confirm it now, but we're best friends.
　We started out as adventurers when we formed a party together.
　We'll be first together, Fenix said, and I complied.

　If I tried to stay in the party any longer, it would only lead to more complications.
　Still, leaving the party without consulting me would be a betrayal of sorts.
　It's like a broken promise.

　But Fenix is not going to blame me for that.
　What is going to take place now is a confirmation process.
　Something that will be done through logic and to find out where the emotions come from.

'Alba, Lark, Lily and of course Beulah are all important to me. But Reme, my, our starting point was a promise we made when we were young, wasn't it?


　--'I can be the best with Reme. For the first time in one hundred and thirty years, I'll be the best with the [Fire Brave] and the strongest [Black Mage].''


'But I couldn't stay, could I? I can't reveal my powers, and if I only revealed them to my friends, I couldn't or wouldn't try to hide them around Alba. It's a good way to make an impression. If I can't do that, then I'm still a baggage 【Black Mage】 in the eyes of the viewers. And--I can't change my 【title(Job)】.

　God's chosen profession. That's the job title (job).
　Of course you can live a life of defiance. It's difficult, but it's possible.
　However, adventurers are an exception. It's a rule that you can't register as anything other than a 【Position (Job)】.

But you're up to the fourth position. I wasn't even close...

　Yes. Fourth place is one of the best in the world.
　We started out at the bottom, too. The newbies started at the bottom.
　Even so, we rose through the ranks at a tremendous pace.

　When I first met Mira two years ago, we were ranked 13th at that time. But soon after that, we had risen to the fourth place.
　After reaching fourth place, we went through one rank change.
　The result was that we maintained our rankings.
　In terms of achievements alone, we were no less than third place or more, but the reason for our stagnation?

'That's why. I limped in fourth place, and that's why Alba's frustration blew up.

　Fenix is a [brave man] who is worthy of being the strongest of mankind.
　All of my friends think that it's not strange to be ranked first. No, they think he should be ranked first.
　His achievements are sufficient.

　Fenix has superior looks, physique, his own abilities and contracted spirits.
　She has a lot of exposure on the video board (TV), and her video distribution is one of the most viewed.
　Then why can't he be in the top three?

　The faces above the third place haven't changed over the years.
　But Fenix is a 【Brave Man of Flame】. The warrior who has a magic sword, the hunter who shoots an unnoticeable 'god speed' shot, and the holy knight who excels in both offense and defense are all in line of strength.

However, if I could climb into the top three in the next update, my reputation might have changed.

　If we can make it into the top three parties that are steadfastly popular, the wind might have changed.
　Although there was no visual appeal like [White Mage] Panakea-san's, for example, restoring the magical bodies (avatars) of her damaged friends.
　Still, the top three rankings were of such great value.

　Surpassing the current top three groups was not something that could be done by dragging one's feet.
　Being in the top three means that all of you are top-notch.
　Of course, even if they did make it in, there would be negative comments like, ''They're only getting in due to the popularity of the 【Flame-Brave Man]. But I'm sure many adventurer fans would admonish that.
　Because there are more people who know that it's not a place to go up to that level.

'Yes, but we're talking about the fact that it wasn't possible.

　Me and Fenix both wanted to be the best.
　Once I became the best, the people who rejected me would accept me.
　Because that's what it would be.
　Can you think of an incompetent among those beyond Mr. Aerial's party?
　Such a thought itself is an insult to them.

　Then, if there is a [Black Mage] in the first place party, then that [Black Mage] is excellent.
　Even if I accepted Aerial-san's invitation, I'm sure I would have gotten the same result. It might be easier to convey the message.
　As long as we can show that the total strength of the party won't drop even if Panacea-san is left out, that's fine.
　''Huh?　It's hard to understand, but does he make it easier for you to attack him? What a difference it would have made, and the number of viewers gradually changing their perceptions in that way would have increased.

That's... but...

''Other than achievements and [brave] popularity, there's something else that doesn't reach the third place. When you think about what that is, you can't help but think of me.

But the truth is, you were the reason I was able to move up to fourth place at this speed.

It wasn't just me. And that new girl, Beulah, she's very talented.

Are you watching our attack?

Yeah, just nibble on the screen.

　All the way down to the point where it's cut in the delivery.

'Then you know what I mean. The addition of Béla may have improved the look of the screen. But.....

　Fenix stammered.

'And that's my fault too, come to think of it.

　Alba and the others are top-notch adventurers, but they don't grow up dramatically like [the brave men], nor have they been trained by the Demon King like me.
　We're of the same age, and that's why there's a limit to our efforts. Because we are young, we have room to grow, but because we are young, we are also inexperienced.

　I was trained thanks to my master, and on top of that, I've been consuming magic power for twenty-four hours straight, which has improved my limit value and skills.
　But that's something I can do because I'm a [Black Mage].

　I wanted to be first place with Fenix. As soon as possible. Naturally, I don't want my abilities to be exposed.
　It's a good idea to have a good time.
　As a result, my friends showed more power than they were capable of, but my magic prevented them from growing up step by step when they should have.
　Because I was in a state of "always getting the best results with no problems at all", I was forced to "make mistakes, look at the problems, work hard and fix them, and as a result, grow". That's what kept me from being able to 'make mistakes, look at the problems, work hard, fix them, and grow.

I'm as guilty as anyone else in that regard.

　With me out of the picture, their movements are now commensurate with their age and the effort they've put in so far. They would have struggled to differentiate themselves from reality as they perceived their power higher than it actually was in that state.

'But their movements have changed a bit since the seventh layer, haven't they?

Yeah, that's thanks to Beulah.

　Fenix said that the newcomer Beulah suggested that we go into the attack on the assumption that my black magic was useful.

''........Heh. Did Alba approve of that too?　I can't imagine it.

'Oh, they wouldn't have listened to me if I told them.

　Fenix chuckled.

'Right. But sure, as it is....

Yeah, Beulah is good, but he's only a [brave] man.

　A fighter, I mean.

Well, I guess there are more exits than ever before.

　In the fifth layer, Beulah. In the sixth layer, Lark and Lily. In the seventh layer, the three people other than [Brave] have each left.
　Their movements have changed, and compared to right after I left, they've gotten better.
　That means that they've decided to fight with their original abilities.
　And I realized that it was impossible to capture the Demon King's Castle overwhelmingly with their original abilities.
　It wasn't to the point of being toothless, but they wouldn't have been able to reach the tenth layer if [The Brave] wasn't a Fenix.

''Lark and Lily seem to have changed their perception of Leme. Alba also seems to understand but.......because it's him.

I understand. But I'm confused...

I've fooled you, though.

　Reme is a mutant 【Black Mage】 like Panakea-san.
　But since ancient times, the superior 【White Mages】 have been called saints and sages, while the superior 【Black Mages】 were called witches because the superior 【Black Mages】 were more on the demon side. Moreover, the highest level wielder is the 【Demon King】, and there is a history of turning a city into a dead city in a single night.

　Just being suspected of being a black magician was troublesome, and if he was followed around by the country, rumors would quickly spread, and in the end it would cause trouble for the party.
　That's why I kept it hidden.
　It's not an outright lie, and it's easy to accept since there's a precedent like Panacare's.

'I see,'

"Leme, I'm...

'Fenix, don't say another word.

　The food is brought to me.
　I start to eat quickly, but Fenix doesn't reach for the dishes.
　Munching and munching. Muggy muggy. Mogu........too.
　Oh, it's no good.
　I guess I need to talk to you.

"You know why I didn't talk to you about it. I didn't want you to have to say it.

　I've known this guy since he was a wimpy, crying worm and a coward.
　And I know that he still holds on to his old promises.
　Well, that's what I do too.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most of it. No, it would be worse than pointless. You won't be in first place.