Masamune!

A little bird? ...why...

I opened my mouth and lost my words in my mask.
And I repeat the words over and over in my head.

--How did you know that? .... and...

How did this guy know it was me?

I should have been dead a long time ago.
That's what happened to me in the demonic message.

That's Francesca's article.
Probably got an interview with these guys, and they all talked about me as if I was already dead.
That's why Ichijo was treated as 'missing' while I was treated as 'dead'.

''Hey? ........you're Masamune, right?

How can I help you?　My name is Nito, sir?

I know my voice. It's because I've always heard it.

What are you talking about?

I used to play with the little birds when we were childhood friends.
We went to the same school in elementary, middle and high school.
But we hadn't spoken a word to each other since elementary school.
So how did you know?

You are... alive... aren't you?　Masamune.....

A little birdie cries on the spot, despite his denial.
What does that mean?
No, more importantly, it's not a good idea for them to know I'm alive right now...

Nito?

No problem, just keep your mouth shut for a minute.

Toa looks at me suspiciously.
"Who is this woman?" I know what you mean.
I understand. I understand, but I can't let Toa and Sufilia come in right now.

I don't know what the circumstances are, but did you say you sound like them?　If so, perhaps you heard wrong?　I am not, well, Masamune. As I said before, I'm an adventurer, my name is Nito.

When I said that, the little bird gave me a look that seemed to check me out with wet eyes.
Apparently, she's confused.
But I don't know in what sense she's confused.
Does it mean that I lied to her, right?
Or are you confused because you realize that you've made a mistake?

...Which one?

'Sounds like an important person, doesn't it?　I'm sorry for your loss....

But there's nothing more to say.
That time when I was at my hardest... that time when it was so hard, so painful that I wanted to die every day... that feeling every day when my vision was gray and I went to school and it was as if I had just left home a few minutes ago. ...it wasn't this guy who saved me from those days when I couldn't remember what happened between the time I left my house and the time I came home.

--It was me.

No one ever reached out to me.
Sometimes it was just a cheap, empty hand and a few flimsy words that sounded like they could be written in a moral book.

In the end, no one saved me, and I ended up despairing that I was a fool for hoping that they would one day save me.
I was fed up with that world, where every day was gray, and I ended it.

--I'm not going to be able to get out of it.

And what I got was this world.

And now....

It was a mistake, but I had indeed 'reincarnated'.

I admitted to myself that I had reincarnated.
And I gained the world.
I'm not going to be able to get the best out of it.

For now, the three of you will be there for me.
And this is my world.

So, if you are a stranger do not defile my world....

'Why don't we go to the bar on the way home?　I haven't had a drink in a while.

As I said this, I turned my back to it and headed for the exit.

It's okay, but...

Toa seems to be concerned about her standing there with tears streaming down her face.

'Me!　Ichijo-kun and I really wanted to go looking for you!　But then I didn't have the strength!　But now!　I'm a senior blacksmith!　And I can even use advanced magic!

It's so loud back there.

'I can help you now!　I'm going to make you look good!　So! .....

Then for some reason, Sufilia stopped in her tracks.

''Hm?　What is it, Sufilia?　Let's go ... you like to drink, don't you?

'Yes, yes I do. Then let's go.

What is it?
Sufilia stopped for no reason, but when I asked her, she started walking normally again.
........Funny guy.

''Why don't we look at the stalls too?''


Ahhhhh.........it's a pain in the ass!


That's fine, but...


When am I going to...


We've got two days until the matchup, and in the meantime, we'll have fun in town!

It's a festival!


Can I have my own world?


.........




o.




After Masamune left, the cheers gradually stopped and each of them left the hall.
Then, as they were left behind, Saeki and the brave men were there.

''Saeki!　What are you thinking about?　It's not like those upperclassmen around there who are just a little more powerful, you know?

In the midst of the tension, it was Kawachi who first opened his mouth.

''Shut up........''

In response, Saeki shows an unexpectedly weak pretense.
He still can't fully accept the reality that Kyogoku has been mocked by a single hand.

''Saeki?　Are you okay?

Behind him, Kida looks worried.

'And yet, Saeki-sama, that was too much, wasn't it?　Do you understand, Saeki-sama, how much of a drawback it is for a mage to not be able to measure an opponent's strength?

Joanna blamed Saeki in a dumbfounded way.

'I know, but I didn't sense any magic from him at all. He just looked like a pervert in disguise.

It's probably a dwarf mask. I've seen it once before. Forget that, Saeki-sama is far too confident.

What did you say?

'What does it matter that you don't feel any magic?　Don't tell me you thought that Saeki-sama thought that person's magic power was small?

Then Saeki looked as if he didn't understand the meaning of the question.

To begin with, Saeki was fundamentally wrong.
Saeki thought, as a matter of course, that he was right.

'Of course I thought so, but?　You either have little magic or you don't have it, right?　That's why I can't feel it.

Joanna sighed loudly at those words.
The other brave men also listened to that conversation with interest.

''There is no such thing in this world that has no magic power. The fact that they don't feel any magic means that their magical power is on a different scale than ours.

What? .....

Don't you get it, Saeki-kun?

Then David interrupts.
David is also a bit taken aback by Saeki.
This is not so important because this is an unusual case, but students in a class with the goal of mastering magic, such as the higher magic class, know this as a matter of course.
In other words, this was elementary.

''For example, Saeki-kun, do you know if a level 1 mage can sense the magic of a level 60 mage or not?''

Yeah, you can do it. Of course you can, huh?

''That's right. In other words, even if there's a difference of, say, 60, the magic power itself can be felt. If I tell you this much, you'll understand, won't you?

Saeki looks puzzled.
He probably knows, but he can't put it into words well.


-- ''Then I wonder how much of a difference it would take for you to not be able to feel it?''


At that moment, a voice was heard from the cluttered auditorium.
All eyes were focused on it.

''Kyogoku-kun, are you okay?''

Kawachi calls out to him in passing.

''Hmm? 　Hahahaha!　It was a serious killing spree. It would have been a close call if that kid behind me, my companion, hadn't stopped me. He's right. If it weren't for this place, he would've killed me and you, too.　Saeki?

That Kyogoku admitted to losing.
Saeki spat at his words.

''So?　What do you think?

Kyogoku repeated his earlier question again.
Then, although they had never met before, David replied in the flow of the scene.

'Well this is not a very believable theory, but there is a story about a mage who, in the past, was met by a mysterious dragon that didn't attack humans, who was about level 30 or so. According to the story, the dragon was about level 100. But the mage was able to sense his magic. That's just a theory.

Then Kyogoku sat up and slowly stood up.

''I see.......70........then it's not helpful~''

''That's right. To begin with, not being able to feel magic power is a rare fairy tale in this world. We don't have any documentation.

Oh yeah. Well whatever. Either way, it's strong or weak. And that's all I'm interested in.

Kyogoku then went away with a bored look on his face and didn't say a word.

'Saeki-sama?　I didn't want to do that to Master Nito again... I know!

But Saeki was already well aware of that.
That Kyogoku had admitted to losing.
At that point, there was no way he could win now.
That is a well-known fact, and Saeki admitted it as well.

''Even so, I didn't expect Saeki to be so childish.

It was Hiiragi who said that.
She was a high-flying woman, she seemed to be high and mighty to everyone, and although she no longer had the wealth of being the daughter of a conglomerate like she did before she was summoned to the other world, she still seemed to be high and mighty.

''Oh?''

Saeki turned his gaze to Guillotine.

'There's nothing to fear from a look like that!　Because I'm a little girl!　You're so unhappy about being a puller!　The other guy is an S-ranked adventurer and a hero, and that's a dungeon conqueror, too!　Isn't it an honor just to be able to play in a venue like this!

Saeki couldn't say anything as the words were folded in.

'You didn't think you'd be embarrassed?　And that's mostly why it's so stupid.　That's why I'm calling you childish!　First of all, what face do you have to lose to you in the first place!

That too.
Saeki is just a student, and although he has a certain amount of recognition among the students, he is unknown to the world.

''Saeki-kun.......shouldn't you start looking at yourself again soon?''

Koizumi speaks to Saeki in a mild manner.
Saeki inwardly felt an uncanny feeling there.
That Koizumi is saying things like 'look again'.
You can't help but feel uncomfortable about such a thing.

'You and I have both been too arrogant. It's not too late for that, so from now on I'm going to face my childish side. If you are having trouble with that, you have everyone else. We're the only ones who know Japan, and that's why we'll be able to help each other.

--I feel nauseous.

That was Saeki's first thought.
Saeki tries to think about what in the world happened to Koizumi in a nutshell.
But the reason he doesn't ask is because he doesn't want to hear the sickening episode behind it.

''Weak-minded people, keep your hand in hand with those who are coasting along like that!　I'm just trying to move up, and I don't need all of you creepy "friends" in my life!

I gave up on you once, Saeki, because I thought you wouldn't understand anyway. I thought that you would never understand anyway. I thought that you would never admit your guilt for Hidaka's murder. But that's only for now. As you grow up, you will expand your horizons, and you will have to face your crimes.

That's what I'm talking about, man!

'It doesn't have to be now. You can count on me when the time comes.

I don't know if you're mistaken, but I don't regret it for a second!　I didn't kill him. He killed himself!　He died because he was incompetent!

You can't do it.

Koizumi didn't listen to Saeki's words and said that while turning away.

''You won't survive in this world then...''

Koizumi said that at last and left the place.
Then the other brave men around him follow suit, turning their backs to Saeki one by one and moving away from him in the same way.

Saeki feels an unidentified irritation at this situation.

'I ain't wrong!

Saeki finally shouted, so loudly that it echoed through the hall.



Someone was spying on this series of events from a distance.

--Patrick.

Curious, Patrick had been spying on Nito, who was struggling with the Fischanatica students.
And after Nito left, he watched those who were arguing with him from the mood of the moment.

Patrick didn't know that Nito was an otherworlder who had been summoned by a heroic summons.
But even so, for a moment, he felt a sense of discomfort that he couldn't describe in words when Nito released an unusual killing intent.
Of course, no man would allow himself to be touched by a woman he cared about.
But even so, that's what I mean.

After the brave group of men disappeared from the hall, Patrick disappeared as well.

With a sense of discomfort that I can't fully express...