[Indomitable Brave] Altrito.
　The leader of a party that was ranked number one in the world about ten years ago, albeit only for one year.

　Inevitably, it's been ten years since I last saw him, so I can feel the passage of time in his appearance.
　Nevertheless, he looks so young that it's hard to believe he's past fifty. I heard that he still trains adventurers, so he himself must not have neglected his training.

　If I were told that I was about to dive into a dungeon, my expectations would far outweigh my worries.
　When I look at it this way, I see a resemblance to Wraith. Or maybe it's the other way around.

　But the reason I couldn't see that at first glance is because the color of the hair and eyes are different.
　I'm sure you'll be able to see that the color of Wraith's hair and eyes are different.

''Hmm?　Yeah, Wraith takes after his mother.

　I wonder if he sensed it in my gaze, Altrito-san says.
　I may have stared at him too long.

''Oh, no I'm sorry.''

No, no. You noticed it without anyone's permission, after all. So does that mean that my son and I have some similarities?

　I somehow don't think it was communicated by Lace-kun himself. It seems to me that Lace-kun leaked the information to Aerial-san, and then he told Altrito-san.

　It's wrong to say that it was not told to anyone.
　Because Fenix told me, but I certainly had a sense of déjà vu. It was--.

''There's a.......face.

Ho!　I'm glad to hear that. I'll tell that guy next time.

　He smiles and laughs like a child.

'Sorry about the excitement, but I think you should have Reme sit down first.

　We are in a private room in a restaurant.
　Unlike the open spaces we usually eat and drink in, there were partitions to protect the privacy of the customers.

'!　Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry about that. Go ahead, have a seat. Sure, if you don't mind.

No way!

　I'm louder than I thought I would be.
　I sat down across from them, blushing.

　Aerial-san and Altrito-san were sitting side by side.
　What kind of situation is it with the new and old first place and dinner...?
　It's not just that they're strong, they're both admired. They are also nervous.

'I'm sorry to bother you today. I heard from Aerial that my son is obsessed with you and I wanted to meet him if I could.

No, it's really nice to meet you myself.

Ha-ha, you're a good kid.

Leme doesn't mean to be flattering. He says he's a fan of yours.

　I nodded in agreement with Aerial's supplement.

'Oh?　I'm glad to hear that. I didn't know a youngster like you would know that.

I used to watch them when I was a little girl.

Oh. That's not very nice.

　Indeed, it's the [brave] who unleashes flashy magic guns that kids will love.
　Many kids say that those who stand around in the mud are rather uncool.

'It was cool. It always gave me courage.''

　He looked fine in front of Fenix, but a fight with a multitude of people was always a heartbeat away.
　Still, he was in there to help, and he couldn't afford to lose.

　Although I'm not a strong person who can dash in and take them all down in an instant.
　I'll do whatever it takes to accomplish the goal of saving them. Never giving up and conquering the dungeon, like the [Indomitable Brave Man].

　Altrito-san took me seriously this time.

''I see.......In that case, I'm glad to be an adventurer.

I'm the same way with Leme.

Ha-ha, you're a lot more open-minded than I thought.

　Come to think of it.......Aerial-san said she was friends with Wraith-kun's father before.
　I don't think there was any information about their relationship or anything like that.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this, but I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this through Aerialist.

I'd like to see you forget what happened when we just met.

The boy who said, 'I'll never be a hero' is now the best-ranked boy in the world.

　When Altrito-san said teasingly, Aerial-san scratched her cheek in embarrassment.

''........You haven't changed, have you?''

I was told you two are friends.

'Oh, and a friend. Although I'm playing the strongest and bravest now, back in the day... don't stare at me like that, you don't want to ruin your junior's image, I get it.

　Maybe it's not surprising.
　Everyone has more than one face. There is a difference between the face at work and the face at home.
　There are many people who have more detailed expressions, such as the face you make when you're with your girlfriend, your friends, your family... and so on.

　When you are with your friends, when you are with your juniors, when you are on the video board (TV).
　When I'm with an older friend I've known for a long time.
　It's very difficult to see that look on Mr. Aerial's face.
　He's at the top, and he's the oldest of the adventurers.

'I suppose he had business with Leme today, not the old days.

Ha-ha, yeah. I'm sorry. I told you a little earlier about my son.

Yes, sir.



　I don't think I should be the one to talk about his problems.
　But by the looks of it, Mr. Altrito seems to have noticed it too.

　Is it natural?
　I've seen the entire process of how Wraith-kun became the way he is now.



'Of course. It's just ... it's a shameful thing to say, but he's not talking to me.

'Oh...'

　Wraith-kun's goal was to prove himself right by achieving success in the way of the [Indomitable Brave Man].
　My existence made Altrito-san choose to retire. That's what Wraith-kun can't forgive.

　Mr. Altrito doesn't think that retirement was a mistake in the first place.　
　There is a disagreement, and Mr. Lace is not going to discuss or persuade him to do so.
　As a result, the son is ignoring his father.

''I wonder if this is also called rebellion...''

　Altrito is understandably depressed.

'No ...'

　If anything, I think he has too much respect for his father........
　He thinks of his father as a strong, good-looking, brave man, so much so that he denies himself.

When I told him about Reme, he said, 'If it's from a predecessor who liked him that much, he might listen.'

　Even if Mr. Aerial had heard from the man himself that I had noticed Mr. Lace's father.
　Apparently he didn't talk about the conversation that followed.

'These things, you see, can make the situation even more complicated when you're a party to them, can't they?

Yeah.

　I nodded.
　When I had to leave the Fenix party. Of course, Fenix kept me back, and afterwards, she sent me a follow-up email.

　But it wasn't the words of my best friend that saved my depressed mind, it was the healthy smile of the fruit vendor's baby girl.
　Sometimes it's someone who has nothing to do with a problem that can turn things around and save your mind.

'It's just...'

　I stammer.
　With that, Mr. Altrito seems to understand.

'Oh, you couldn't do it.

　Maybe I half expected it.

'I'm sorry I couldn't help you,'

'No, no, it's not something I would normally ask someone to do. It's kind of like I was already involved in this, and I feel badly for you.

Wraith, you're...

　I start to say it and remind myself that it's something I should be talking about.

'It's okay, why don't you talk to me?'

'Let's say you're wrong, Wraith-kun. I think it would be difficult to get him to change that with words.

I'm stubborn.

　Mr. Altrito chuckled powerlessly.

'You can duck and bounce off the logic. Because people can have their own things. But reality is different. Of course, you could say that everyone has their own way of perceiving it, but for example, a loss is a loss. If you look at it in a different way, it's not a win. There is a clear judgment.

Yes.

'I think the only way you can make people realize that it doesn't work that way is by confronting them with the reality that it doesn't work that way,'

"Hmm. So you're saying that if you lose a raid, my son will rethink his behavior?

　He strokes his chin curiously.

'If you lose in the way you think is right, or...'

'I see. But my son is not one to give up. So much so that no matter how many times he loses to Aerial, he always wins in the end.

'If his goal is to become an [indomitable brave man], I think his exit is very heavy. Raid battles, especially since not delivering them is not an option.

''Well I guess you're right. You might be right.

　You can't achieve that, that you will always win in the end.
　I'm not the kind of kid who takes that lightly. In terms of personality and purpose.

　For a moment, Altrito-san's expression seemed to be shaded for a moment.
　But in the next moment, he cowered his shoulders.

''Then there's nothing we can do. We can only hope for the people of the Demon King's Castle.''

Hey, hey, what about being a father who expects his son to lose?

It's not so much about short-term wins and losses as it is about ultimate happiness.

''Hmm I wish I could do something about it, but I have to be serious about attacking it.

'Haha, that's of course. You'll have to challenge him with the intention of fully attacking him. What Reme-kun is saying is that if that guy loses on top of that, it might be an opportunity for him to reevaluate himself, right?

Yes, sir.

'Yeah, I guess so. There's no point in mulling over the things we can't do anything about. We'll just have to wait and see until one day you can talk to me again.

　With that said, we wrapped up the conversation and the next topic of conversation was the tag team tournament.

　I was nervous at first, but halfway through we were able to talk about our favorite strategy videos.
　The dreamy time passed in the blink of an eye, and when it was time to dismiss the group, it was time to go.

'Reme-kun,'

　It was just as Mr. Aerial was standing in the ladies' room.

'What is it?'

Take care of my son.

　..........?

Well, if there's anything I can do. But I can't get into his party.

　He smiles kindly.

'Lord Lucifer has been blessed with a successor, hasn't he?

I'm not sure...

　That's my master's dungeon name.

　[Demon King] Lucifer is the name of the strongest demon.

　The fact that I can't act on the spur of the moment here is partly due to the fact that the lines are too unexpected, but it's also proof that I'm still inexperienced.

''After all, you're a good kid, aren't you? You're honest, and you can't lie.

Why?

I'm sorry, it's mostly just a hunch. Not everyone is going to figure it out, so don't worry. Of course I'm not going to tell anyone, either.

　So you're bluffing, and you've fallen for it.
　But I'm not going to blame you for that.

''Magic power, is it?''

　Aerial-san once said that he reminded me of Lucifer when he first met me.

''No ... a hint, I guess. I've fought him before, even with this one. I was surprised when I saw you. I couldn't see it through the screen, but when I saw you in person, I was scared. I felt a tremor similar to the one I felt when I faced that Demon King. I don't know what happened, but if you're the heir, it's a tremendous thing. I salute you for your strength of will.

　If it's not a theory, I can't help it.
　There are people who are equipped with what I would call a special sense.

'I suppose I shouldn't say this to my friend and my son's enemy, but I expect it.

"...Mr. Wraith is a wonderfully brave man.

Okay.

So I'll beat you. You'll be a better and braver man.

Ha-ha, as a viewer, I'm looking forward to it.

　Just then, Mr. Aerial returned.

Well, you're having a lot of fun.

Yeah, but it's a secret.

　Then he put his raised index finger to his lips and closed one eye.
　I chuckled and gave a small nod.

　◇

How did it go?　You're a good kid, Leme.

　As Reme breaks off in front of the store and is out of sight around the corner, I talk to my older friend.

'Yeah, no wonder you asked him out. You hide it surprisingly well, but you've got one hell of a workout.

'His ambition is endless. Besides, his heart will never be broken.

''Sure, when you get to fourth place and get kicked out of your childhood friend's party, it usually breaks your heart.

They had their own reasons for doing what they did.

''.......Well, especially nowadays. Just being a [Black Mage] is probably hard enough for you.

　Even 【Brave man】, the public's interest in him is drastically different depending on whether he has a spirit or not.
　The impression that one gets from [Position (Job)] is a considerable handicap.

Even so, he's going to come up. I'm also going to surpass him.

That's good. It's good to have someone to compete with.

'Yes. One more thing to look forward to.

I'm a little jealous.

　The line was released jokingly, but it seemed to mean what it said.

'Come to think of it, you know Lord Ferro, don't you?

That's the man who made his son the man of the hour.

You said you had an interesting story to tell me.

Oh, come on. You're too old for this.

It doesn't have to be right now.

　Normally he would have laughed and said no, that he was already retired.
　But that day was different.

"...I'll think about it for a minute.

Yeah.

　Perhaps it's because of Leme?
　We walk away with that thought in mind.