The barbecue was over, and late at night - late at night.
　I was upstairs on the balcony of my room, thinking about what I'd said to Sierra.

　I said I wanted magic to be a dream, but I've killed people and monsters, and dreams aren't a word that makes me optimistic.
　But that didn't bother me.

　I don't know when I entered the room, and then Hilda-san appeared.

'I knew it was the right decision to leave it to you, Masamune.

　As he came into the balcony, he crossed his arms and propped his elbows on the parapet as he said this.

You've been watching me?

'When Sierra was hugging you?　Of course I was watching, and so was my father and mother.

....

'Don't worry about it. We were both happy to see that Sierra finally had a friend she could trust. You were right to ask, and I hope you continue to take care of Sierra for me.

　With that much said, Hilda left the fence to leave the balcony, but stopped before entering the room.

'And don't forget what I said before,'

　Hilda's figure disappeared from the room and into the hallway.
　She's a strange person.

-- ''There was a reaction to the magic tool 《Ring of the Dragon Crystal》.''

　Suddenly I hear the usual announcement.
　A display appears in front of me.

''Hmm, the Dragon Crystal Ring?''

　As soon as I wondered about it, I remembered.
　This was the one Zeke had given me then.
　I took the ring out of the other space storage and put it on my finger.

'This is what you want? .....

"...hmmm, did you get the call? ...maybe... can you hear me?　Nito'

　I can hear people's voices, but it's hard to hear them.
　And the sounds are mixed with the clatter, and I can hear three voices.

　But as I gradually stabilize, I realize it's that guy's voice.

'Nito, can you hear me?　Zeke.

Yeah, I heard you. That was Zeke who tried to kill me, right?

　How could I forget?

'Oh, by the way, I heard you guys attacked the Greberg. You are a terrorist organization. When you said it was an investigation, I thought it was going to be something a little lighter.

"...Nit, first of all, we need to know where you are?

'Well it's Raz Hausen,' I replied sardonically.

''Oh, so it's already reached that point.......''

'Zeke, we don't have time for this,' a tense female voice said in the depths of her telepathic voice.

'I'm sorry,' he said. 'I'm sorry, I'd like to take the time to explain this to you if I could, but we don't have time. But it seems you know what we're doing in Greberg right now, and I'd like to be straightforward with you if possible.

Well, you guys are like celebrities. So what's the point of being blunt?

Do you remember when I asked you to join the organization?

Oh, you want me to go into the dragon's heart or something?

Thank you for remembering. How about after that, you ready to go in?

It's subtle.

"Subtle?

What I've been secretly thinking about and what you're trying to do now are surprisingly close.

What do you have against Grayberg?

'Something like that. Come to think of it, working with you guys isn't all that bad, part of it seems so.

I'm so relieved to hear that. Now, if you don't mind me saying this, Nito, could you help us?

Can I help you?

"On his way into the Greyberg, he had a fight with the forest wizard Albert Morlowe.

　Albert - the old man who was in the hall with Aries and the others.

'I know that jolly old man, I know him.

　As I answered that, I heard a 'giggle' from the other side of the telepathic conversation.

''Looks like Nito has a reason to come here, too.''

"Alford, I don't have time for this.

　The laughter now seems to be Alford's.

'Quick story if you know, actually, we have a bit of a problem. Albert was once a wise man who was famous on the continent. Before I knew it, he was living in hiding in Grayberg, but it was Albert who was the root of the summoning of the heroes.''

So what's the problem?

I need to rest my body for a while.

...I see. So that means I'm supposed to take your place.

'There are still Aries and Johannes left in the castle, both of whom are skilled in their own right. In addition, they'll have to deal with the troops directly under them. It's a heavy burden for Eliza and Alford alone, I don't know if their magic power can last until then...''

Is there any reason for you to go through with it at this time?

The first thing you need to do is to get your hands dirty. But this time it's the summoning of the heroes, we can't postpone it. I'm not going to be able to get my hands on any of them. If you want to do it, it's now or never.''

You're going to kill the people they summoned?

'I don't know the scale of the summons, but those from the other world are innocent. The only people to be killed are those who summoned them and those involved. But you will be killing everyone inside the castle.

　--It's now or never.
　That's what I thought.

　You don't know the difference in strength between us and Saeki and his men.
　But this time it's only Kingdom personnel I'll be killing.
　I thought I'd have to wait until I was a bit more confident, but now I have friends in my own right. This is the perfect opportunity.

Okay, fine, we'll help you this one time. But I haven't decided to be one of you guys yet.

I know that.

And let me kill Johannes and Aries, I know them.

''Fine, that was the original plan. Aries Grayberg is a user of transference magic. He is a well-known assassin in the underworld and is known as the Witch of the Neck.

　It's no wonder you let me fly.
　Even if you are a princess, you're an assassin and even have an alias.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this as well. It is said that he was a user of earth magic.''

"King and adventurer, the more I hear about this country, the more it stinks. So, where are you going to meet up?　It's going to take at least a few days to get to Greberg from here.

"I'm going to use transference magic to move you over.

Well, we'll see about that. But how do you do it?　I can't use transference magic.

'Huh, you're still a funny guy. You must put the dragon crystal ring on the middle finger of your left hand. And raise it in front of your heart. I'm not going to be able to tell you what to do. I'll give you the timing for the chanting.

　It's a totally useful tool. Maybe it's more upscale than Sierra had expected.

''Then please wait for me to give you the signal.

　Once there, the telepathic conversation was cut off.
　I go back into the room and close the balcony door.

'-- What did you mean by that?'

　I felt my blood boil.
　I turned around and saw Toa standing in the room.

'Who were you talking to?　You're going to Greyberg....

　--Toa spoke to me.

'The heart of the dragon.'
Yeah.

　Toa turned away from me.
　A heavy silence passed in the room for a while.

'You're going,'

Yeah, I'll be right back.

Do I have to go?

　Toa's tone strengthened slightly.

'It's been decided for a long time, I was going to head to that country at some point.

'I don't get it. But I do know that Masamune is trying to do something not good...

Well I'm thinking about something that's not good.

'So long! --

“But we have to go. Otherwise, we can't move forward...

　You can turn back now.
　But that's just trying to run away because of weakness.
　You're trying to get away from something you don't want to see.
　Well I'm afraid to go to that place.

　There is a Saeki in that country.
　No small amount of memories from the previous world have seeped in.
　Especially in that hall.
　I'm afraid to go back in every sense of the word.
　But if I stay, I won't be in denial.
　With Toa and Sierra and Nem, I won't be scorned for my incompetence.
　But not in that country. That hall is a terror to me.
　It's steeped in the malice of those who denied my existence.
　That's why I decided it was now or never to kill them.
　Fear, left untreated, is traumatic.
　You will continue to be bound by the pain of the past in this world.

If you're a coward who can't even take revenge properly, what can you do in the future?

　There was no point in saying that to Toa.
　But I didn't know what to say to Toa.

'I........I've been alone at home.

　Then Toa began to speak suddenly, with an air of composure.

'I was lonely, and I was bored. So I used to sneak into the treasure room and play with junk I didn't understand.

　What are we talking about? .....

"One day I found a mirror. It was a large mirror. It was an ordinary mirror, except it was big, but I felt nostalgic, and I touched it. I touched it, and when I touched it, I saw the reflection of a man in the mirror, the only person in it.

A man?

'The person was alone, walking alone in the dark. Sometimes the view in the mirror would be disrupted and the person would not even be able to see him, but every time the view returned, the person was hurt and bleeding. But still, that person just kept moving forward.

　I don't know who he was or what Toa was talking about, but there was some emotion on Toa's face.

'I've had a few drinks and fallen asleep drunk, but I thought it was awesome. It was dark and there was nothing around me, and yet I remained calm and didn't try to stop going on. Huh, I actually laughed at that.

　Toa laughed as if he remembered something.
　........alcohol?　Then I remembered.

　Come to think of it, when I was in the dungeon, I was also drunk and sleeping.
　Because at that time, I hadn't yet had the idea of using healing magic to sober me up.

'Besides, that man was strong. He defeated a giant knight, who was much bigger than his own height, in the blink of an eye. When I saw that, I wondered how he could hang in there when he was all alone.

Wait a minute. Toa, the story is...

'Well I was looking at Masamune. I kept looking at her until I couldn't see her in the mirror anymore.

....

"The next thing I knew, I was in the forest. The bandits caught me, and then Masamune appeared in front of me.

　What........what a mirror.
　It's like....

I thought it was fate. I don't think this is an accident. There must be a reason for it. There must be a reason why Masamune and I have met.

Why?

So it's fate.

　How fragile and beautiful it was, I thought to myself.
　The Toa now looks different from the usual person.

''........fate? Maybe so.........I'm fine with that with Toa. But.........then you know, right?　If you've been watching me all day.

　If you stare at him, he stares back at you, Toa.

'It wasn't an accident that I lived through the darkness of wandering. It wasn't a random act of fate that I didn't give up. It was all about killing those men. I swore an oath to destroy them, that princess and that country, who they despised, ridiculed and betrayed. I swore an oath, and I held on to it. That's why I'm still alive.

　As I spoke, I felt an unmistakable fear.

I'll never forget the look on that woman's face as she looked at me. I'll never forget the look on their faces as they looked down on me, just as I was being sent away in misery. Toa do you despise me?

"I don't. I have faith in Masamune. I believe in Masamune, no matter who she is.

　--I was afraid of being abandoned by Toa.
　I was afraid of being abandoned by Sierra and Nem and everyone else.
　I finally met everyone who would accept me I wanted to believe in with all my heart.

'Nito, I'm ready to go. Anytime you're ready to make the transition.

　I heard a telepathic message from Zeke.

'....Okay.

You're going.

I'm sorry.

Don't be sorry I understand. I'm sure Sierra and Nem will understand.

I need to borrow this robe.

　It's the "Robe of Hiding" that Toa was wearing when they met.
　With this, I can hide my identity.

''Yeah.''

Well, I'm off.

　Wearing a robe, I looked at Toa's face once more.

''-- 《Callocation transfer (transcode).

　A magic circle unfolds at his feet and his vision is engulfed in light.

''Masamune........''

　Toa was about to say something when the view of the room and Toa disappeared and I shifted.
　Like an elevator going downhill, the white landscape surrounding me flowed and ascended like an elevator.
　In such a world, I heard Toa's whispered voice saying, "Come back.

　It felt like.............