I was going to go alone.

If you say you're going, I'll be there.

　Ex-san and Arthur-san are childhood friends. They were close even before [Position (Job)] was revealed.
　Even if it's a fight in the flesh, it means they won't let one of them go alone.

It seems that the spirits want to see us very badly. If they even invite us, we have no choice but to go.

　It looks like Mr. Merlin will be there.

'I'm going too. I can't wait to put everyone in the village at ease.

Of course I'll be there.

I'm coming with you.

Maybe I'll take Sitri with me then. I don't want to leave her here.

　The members have been decided.
　[Jet-Black Hero] Ex, [Knight King] Arthur, [Visionary Wizard] Merlin, [Black Mage] Leme, [Blood Manipulator] Mira, [Reaping Knight] Fulkus, and [Devil in Love] Citry.

　Me and Mira-san each have another name, 【Ship-horned Dark Mage】 Remegeton and 【Vampire Queen】 Carmilla, respectively.

''........It's useless to stop them, isn't it? I must stay behind as the person in charge. ........Please be careful, everyone.

　With Maru's permission, we're off.

'Mr. Leme!'

　It was Joss-kun.

''Well ... well ... me too ...''

　I'm glad he feels the way he does. It's true.

'Have you heard about the villagers?

Yes, sir.

We'll bring them back home, and I need you to take care of them, Joss. Could you do that for me?

"!　..... HEY!　I'll consult with the [White Mage] and the doctors and wait for their return!

Thank you.

　This time, we used the transference recording stone to transfer to the safe room.
　The reason we didn't use the increased entrance was a matter of certainty.

　The tension of challenging a dungeon in the flesh was more than we expected.
　Still, we didn't stop.
　We all proceeded to the door leading to the fifth level.

　When Xu-san touched the door, it opened by itself.
　The other side is pitch black and we can't see much.

''Let's proceed with caution.

　Looking around at all of us, Ex said.

　We stepped forward, and--

　◇

Leme...

　The sleeve was tugged on.
　There was Fenix's face, looking at me as if he cared.

　Daytime.
　The forest.
　A lot of people my age and a lot of people of my age slinking around in lines.

'Hmm?　Oh, oh. I was dazed.

I don't see...

　My best friend looks like he tried to laugh and failed.

'What the hell, Fenix, are you nervous?'

　There was an annual ritual where children who would be ten years old that year would be gathered together once a year.
　Each region would be taken to the nearest temple.

'Umm, yeah.... Reme sounds like a lot of fun.

　Even though there's no such thing as a ceremony, we're just going to one of the temples in the world, accompanied by the adults in the village.
　However, I was nervous.

　More than that, I'm excited.
　Today, the [Position (Job)] will be revealed.

''Feni-chan is going to be a [crybaby], right?　Already so!　Ahaha!

　One of the three fools said something like that, so I(,) kicked him in the ass.

''Then you're a [fool]. Do you know what 'fool' means?

''You........Leme you bastard, if you weren't a [brave], we'd all be laughing at you!

I'm going to be a hero.

I can't! "There's no brave man fighting in a pit! I ain't much of a fighter, you know?

I think there's a guy who makes me cry every time he's not strong enough to use that pit. Who was it?

"Pssst." "Pssst.

　There's nothing fun about being involved with the three idiots, so I'll just ignore them.

Reme is going to leave the village when he becomes...........................a brave man.

　Fenix says such things with a worried look on his face.
　He's a beautiful boy who looks like he's on a video board (TV), but he's just so feeble.

　We became friends because we live next door to each other, but he always follows me around like a chick.
　He doesn't seem to be good at socializing and won't join in with the other friends unless I tell him to.
　At first I thought he was a bit of a strange guy, but as we played, I understood.

　This guy can't just go along with the flow. He can't do it in a casual way.
　He can't speak or move until he has thought it through and come up with a clear answer.
　That is his personality.

　Words can wait, and so can thoughts. If he's in trouble, you can think with him.
　That's what friends are for.

　Above all, Fenix is a good guy.
　And yet, I have a lot of trouble with the three idiots who come at me because they don't fit in, like the three idiots who come at me.

'Of course, right?　I'll go to the city where the school is located.

Oh, I see...

　That's enough to make Fenix look like he's about to start crying.
　It's true that I don't feel uneasy about leaving this best friend behind.

''If it's an adventurer-friendly [position (job)], do you want to form a party with me?''

I mean, me?　I can't do it. I can't fight, I can't do it. And besides...

Not interested?

I'm ... sorry.

Why are you apologizing? It's okay.

I'm rooting for you. I want you to be the best and the brightest.

Ha-ha, you're a good guy.

　Even though it was a temple, it was a ruin near our village.
　There were broken columns and rocks whose original shape was unknown.

　There was only one statue of the god that had been taken care of.
　All that was left was to go in front of the god statue one by one and meditate on it.
　Then, the gods will tell you your position (job).

　I'm sure the rituals are done all over the world, but can gods speak in many places at once? Can he do it because he's a god or something?　I don't know, but it's awesome.

Okay, who's first?

　The acting village chief's lead man said.
　I raised my hand vigorously.

''Yes, yes, yes!''　I'll do it!

Oh, Leme. Okay, let's go.

　As I started to run, I stopped for a moment in front of the God statue.

　A strange feeling.

　As if I knew (,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,) what was going to happen next.

'What's the matter Reme, did you get spooked?'

It can't be!

　I said that back to my uncle and meditated.
　In my head, the [Position(Job)] is informed.


　--【Brave man(...)】.


　Uncomfortable.

''How was it, Leme!　Could you be a [brave]?" "You're a [lumberjack] or something, anyway! ''He's a [Black Mage] or something!　Black magic~, tsk. Haha!

　Why?
　Why.
　Why or why not? I don't know.

　I could have become the【Brave man】that I admire.
　So why is it different... Why is such a strange thought running around in my heart?

Leme...?

　Fenix's voice.

''I ... [I'm a] brave man.

　I stifle my discomfort and say so.
　Everyone was surprised.

　The three idiots opened their mouths wide and Uncle said, "Oh! I was delighted and all my friends congratulated me.

'....Congratulations, Leme.

Why are you crying?

　I smile at my best friend, who wipes tears from her eyes and wipes them away with her sleeve.

Good, I thought. I think you deserve to be a brave man.

Well thank you.

　That's right.
　My best friend is happy to know that we are saying goodbye.

　What is strange.
　I'm sure he just doesn't feel it yet.

"I'm going to build the greatest party and become the best in the world!

　Once again, I declared.


There are a lot of guys who are strong in battle. I want to see someone who is strong in battle and has a strong heart. I want to see someone who is strong in battle and has a strong heart, someone who will return to the hard and painful reality to survive after being given the ideal world.


What did you say, Fenix?

　I thought I heard something muffled.
　A muffled voice, like through an obstacle.

"...?

　Fenix shook her head. Teardrops scattered and fell to the ground, reflecting the light.


''I'm surprised. You still have your mind in reality. It's kind of funny. The ordeal fails when you are completely consumed by your dreams. I will raise the bar on your eternal ideals. I hope you've been asleep for a while. But if even one of you manages to return to reality on your own I'll wake up all of the quitters and grant you your wish.


　I heard it again. It was kind of harder to hear than before.

"Geez, [Lumberjack]?

　The cry of one of the three idiots.
　My consciousness turned to that guy's 【Position(Job)】 rather than something mysterious and auditory.

　Anyway, I became a 【Brave man】. I had become.
　From now on, I'm going to gather my reliable friends, win together, take the world by storm, and climb up the world rankings.

　This is the best thing that could happen to me.
　I'm going to have a great life ahead of me.

　And why?

　What is it that makes my heart ache, as if to appeal to something.
　I can't get rid of the thought that the 【Brave Man】 is not worthy of me, but of my best friend in front of me.
　It doesn't make any sense at all.