It is because I ran into Ichijo that I moved the place to the guild, and I told them that I would save my visit to the orphanage for tomorrow, but Nemm didn't ask, "I want to go today," and I had no choice but to go on my way.
　Sierra probably hasn't gone home yet, so it's fine, but why would she follow me to Ichijo?
　It's been a long time since I've seen Sister, and she welcomed me with respect, "Hero-sama". Ichijou's smoldering gaze at that time was painful and uncomfortable.

'Come to think of it, Nito the Adventurer is the hero of this country, and his achievements since then are countless. But when you think of that Hidaka-kun is now a hero, you feel proud, but at the same time, you feel an itch for some reason.

　The beastmen of the orphanage brought me a warm cocoa-like drink.
　Nem and Toa are playing with the sisters and children. Sufilia is still the same. She sits alone on the sofa away from me and sips cocoa.

'Hidaka-kun, why didn't you come to Mr. Alford's funeral?

　There seems to be some distrust of me in this guy. I guess that's why he followed me.

"I met those guys right after Aries sent me away," he said. They wanted me to be their friend, but I wasn't interested. I wanted to look up at the otherworldly skies, feel the air, and let them rest for a while now, like I was hiding in a longing. But when I got involved with people, it was Saeki's face that I remembered. I was more haunted by revenge than I thought I was.
Then I'll take Saeki.
You said you wouldn't kill me. I'm not going to kill you.
Sonoda was suspicious of it.
"...because he's a skeptic. Basically, he doesn't talk much and doesn't communicate much and a guy like that has a lot of internal conversations. He's the kind of guy who talks to himself all day long. That's why I didn't get anywhere and that's why my suspicion of me has grown. Like Ichijo said, I declared that I would kill everyone. That's probably the bottleneck in Sonoda's case, because it's easier to convince him that I'm coming to kill him. That will wipe out the petty guilt, shift the blame, and next time they'll come back at you with a grudge.

　I smiled lightly.
　I gulp down the cocoa, take the old gelt out of my pocket, and pour the wine in with the cocoa still in the bottom. I drink it.

'Some of them say that they have no right to be resented by Hidaka-kun. As for Sonoda...no, I don't care about Sonoda. That guy had a bit of a difference of opinion with the other students. The other students seemed to be taking it out on him, but Sonoda was the only one who seemed to be convinced. Like Hidaka-kun said, maybe it's because of the lack of conversation.
'Ichijo, stop conceding to me.
....
That sympathy, too. It's like seeing the Sierra I once knew.
Sierra?
'It's nothing. Ichijo, I'm going to tell you exactly what you're thinking. I'm the one who resented you at that point. Isn't that right?
...when you were exiled.
'I think so too. No one tried to help me at that time, including Kawachi, who is usually a clean-cut guy, but no one tried to help me. But of course, even I wouldn't help others. I'm a stranger, you know. Right?
''Oh,'' Ichijou nodded in surrender.
'That's why. That's why I'm not going to kill anyone, it's logical. The evil is Aries, not you guys. And I was the one who caused it. And it's my fault for being incompetent. I've learned from my travels that healers are incompetent. So I'm not going to hold a grudge against you guys now. I don't harbor any anger towards you guys now.
''But........'' clipped Ichijou.

　I probed Ichijou with my 《emotional sensing》.

''Is.......something on my face?''
Why are you looking at me like that?
"Eyes?
That's what Sonoda said.
You mean the eyes of a murderer?
No, Sonoda is...
Yeah, I remember you saying something like that.
'I spent more time roaming around the country than I did in the organization. There were many times when I met someone with eyes like Hidaka-kun's. But ... well, you can't judge a person by their appearance.
'You can make decisions, it's just that you can't draw conclusions. But that's up to people. Well, it's none of my business. If you want to believe Sonoda's story, go ahead, but I don't have time for the students.

　I got up from my seat.

What are you going to do now?
I'm going on a trip.
A trip....
Seeing the world, everyone, and then
....
Waiting for the right moment.
Time?
"...until then, I'll hide in my longing. That's all.

　To speak even a bit of that to Ichijou is already what I can only call weakness.

''Hidaka-kun, if I could, I'd like to--''

　That's when Ichijou was about to say something. The glass window in the room shattered and splattered across the room, and a figure appeared from it.