*

　When Makoto returns to the inn, he finds Yuka propped up against the counter.
　Shelly is looking at us from the counter.

'Shelly, I'm home.'
You mean, you're the husband?

　Shelley patted her chest.

'You've bought in a lot, haven't you?
'It's the basket hands and leggings that make it look like a lot.

　He lightly cowered his shoulders and sat down next to Yuka.

''........My stomach is queasy.
It's called a hangover. Remember.
I don't drink anymore.

　Yuka grunted.

'So what are you going to do now?'
Those three....well, six if you count the ones who left me in the dungeon. Of course I'm going to get revenge on the six of them.
So what kind of revenge will you have?
Of course I'm gonna kill him.
Well, good luck with that.
Can't you help me?

　Yuka raised herself up and spat out such a line with a straight face.

'I won't help you. What are you talking about in your sleep with a straight face?'
I didn't sleepwalk!
That was so bad!

　Mako yelled back.

'Please!　I'll do anything except get naughty!
No, no, no, no. You let me help you kill people and you don't let me have s*x with them!
You said you'd do anything but that!
If I'm going to help you kill someone, let me do it!
It's good!　I've already killed twenty, thirty people!　Five or six more people won't change that now!
That will change!

　Mako shouted.
　I would have helped him rather than cause him pain, but I want to refuse to help him kill at all costs.
　I mean, I don't want you to get involved.

'Yes, sir,'
Thanks, Shelly.

　Mako slurped at the lemon water Shelly had placed on the counter.

'Can't I?'
You know you can't do that. Are you f*cking nuts?
Yeah, there's a lot to say.
No, no, no, no. That's what people usually say.

　Yuka looked hurt, but I want to tell her to stop messing around.

''Then what am I supposed to do?''
...What do you want me to do?

　I swallow the words "think for yourself".
　If it's left to Yuka, the conversation won't go on.
　We should make a proposal that is beneficial to both parties.

'How about we help them in a pinch?
Help?

　Yuka blatantly scowled.
　The way she said it was, 'Taa, suke-ruh? It is.

"They save you with a smug look on their face when they're in a pinch. You should see the look on their faces when they're rescued by someone they think is a lower rank.
I'm going to cut off the limbs of Kouki and Takeshi, and then I'm going to lay Hossino-san in front of them--
I'm scared!

　Makoto interrupted Yuka's words.

'Wait, what's a dismemberment?　Don't you have a crush on that guy, Kouki-kun?
'What?　You've betrayed my feelings, you deserve to be punished for that!
'Of course not!　Dismemberment is a Mexican mafia thing!
Then I'll just break the bones.
"Neither do I!　I mean, don't give off the vibe that I'm compromising when I'm talking shit!

　And he's ready to take the high road.

'What do you want to do then?'
'It's like I said, do this or do that. You don't have to be involved in crime to make them feel bad about it.
Are you so frustrated that you can't help them in a pinch?
''You'll be frustrated because you looked so proud. I've got other dungeons they're trying to conquer first, and I've won some sort of martial arts tournament... Anyway, we'll show them that we're on top.
Are you really sorry about that?
Yeah, he'll be sorry.
....

　Makoto assured him.
　Yuka gave him a quizzical look, but this was a scene that should be assured even if there was no evidence to support it.

'What exactly?'
I think we should just lay our foundations down for now.
...sober.
They're full-time employees and I'm a freelancer.
...a freelancer.

　Yuka grunted.

'I'm actually kind of unemployed. You have to be at least a self-employed person to compete.'
All right, I gotta make a living.
I'm not surprised.

　Makoto said, feeling disgusted.

'I've never worked part-time before, so I'm a little nervous.
You'll feel better if you figure out what to do with it in your own way.
Is that a rule of thumb?

　'Oh,' said Makoto, nodding.
　It's the uncertainty of the future that makes me anxious.
　It's a good idea to think about how you're going to behave in the future and that will alleviate some of the anxiety.

'If that's not enough, think about how no one can do well from the start.
Isn't it a bit of a self-deception?
It's all right.
Is that about right?
That's about it.
Okay.

　With that, Yuka stood up.

'Are you going back to your room?'
I'm still not feeling well, so I'm going to stay in my room and rest.

　Yuka walked up the stairs in a billion words.

'Sir, thank you for your time.'
I'm really tired.

　Mako picked up her glass and drank the lemon water.

'Are you going to go along with your revenge?'
No way. I'm not that stupid.

　Putting the glass on the counter, Sherry poured the lemon water without saying a word.

'I'm not going to interfere with their relationship, though. You can't make me cry.
She's not my girlfriend.
Oh, no?
No.

　Shelly said, surprisingly, and I have to correct her.

'If that's the case, though, I don't think you should make a girl cry,'
Yeah, yeah, I'll be careful.

　It's a value I honestly disagree with.
　I don't like the idea of a man taking the lead in taking on the labor.
　Still, I said I'd be careful because I know it's useless to argue with it.
　He-hey, he said it was at least a resistance.
　I don't intend to be in a relationship where we only use each other, and vice versa - I don't intend to be in a relationship where we only use each other.

''......................Huh.

　Mako let out a small sigh.

*

　The "Scales of the White Silver Dragon" pavilion - the finest inn on Rockwell's front street.
　It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on a new one.
　I'm sure you're not the only one who's been suffering from exhaustion.
　This was the result of their death-defying efforts to conquer the small dungeon.
　Even though he was trained by the strongest knights of the Veris Kingdom, training and actual battle are still different.
　Kouki was keenly aware of this as he stood in the front line himself and inspired his friends.
　If he had had more practical training, he might have been able to avoid losing his friends.
　He struggled to suppress the feelings of shame that were bubbling up.
　A person at the top should not express his emotions.
　If he expresses his feelings, they will be transmitted to his subordinates.
　Therefore, he speaks to his subordinates in the same tone of voice as usual.

Tomorrow you will return to the capital. I know you are tired, but I want you to pack your bags so that you can leave the inn immediately.
Oh, really?
I'm so tired, I'm exhausted.
Give me a break. You can come back tomorrow.

　There are accusations, but Kouki is unfazed.
　He doesn't have enough food or clothing to know civility, but that's the way it is when you're tired.
　So he waits for everyone to calm down and opens his mouth.

''Please ... please.''
If Kouki says so, I don't blame him.
Yeah. We're all tired, aren't we?
Let's go one more time.
Thank you.

　When Kouki thanked him, everyone except Hoshino and Takeshi went to their rooms.
　Hoshino is looking at you with eyes that seem to want to say something, as if he's having something to discuss.

''What's wrong?''
Excuse me, I need to talk to you.
I'm sorry, but we'll have to talk about this later.

　Tears spilled out of Hoshino's eyes.

''Oh I'm sorry. I'm so tired.''

　HOSHINO wiped his tears away and ran from the scene.

'Kouki, I know you can't afford it. You don't have an attitude like that, do you?
I'm sorry. I have to call Princess Charlotte now. After all, I'm a sponsor.

　Takeshi and HOSHINO know that Charlotte, the second heir to the throne of the Velis Kingdom, is making a fierce approach to Kouki.

The only thing I can think of is that it's not a good idea. I'll follow up with you.
Sorry, Takeshi. I owe you a favor.
I'm doing you a favor. We're gonna need all the help we can get.

　Takeshi smiled bitterly and turned on his heel.
　Kouki let out a small breath and headed for the top floor where his room was located.
　When he was almost at the top floor, he came across a man.
　He was a great man, dressed in the same white and silver armor as Kouki.
　His forehead was wide and his bridge of the nose was wide and long.
　His small eyes show no trace of charm, and his lips are thick with a slanted shape.
　He is the strongest knight in the Kingdom of Veris, Luke Aberdeen.
　He is a level 49 knight and has the nickname of the Unbreakable Fortress because of his skill structure that specializes in physics.

''Kouki-dono, I heard from my men that you have conquered the dungeon?''
Yes, thanks to all of you working so hard to make it happen.
Ho, does that include my people?
Yes, of course.

　Hoho, Luke nodded.
　There was a sneaky smile on his mouth.
　Even though it's a formality, Luke is his boss.
　He has to be respectful to his boss.
　Kouki gave way and hung his head.
　'It's nothing more than hanging your head.

'I wish I could always be that cute.
....

　With that, Luke started down the stairs.
　Kouki raised his head when he could no longer hear the noise and headed to his room.
　Kouki entered his room and closed the door behind him.
　The room, which took up a quarter of the floor, was lavishly furnished with most of the things.
　He took out a bottle of lemon water from the refrigerator - a magic item named - and sat down plumply on the sofa.

''Well you're a useless woman, aren't you?''

　He leaned back against the couch and looked up at the ceiling.
　The useless woman was Hoshino - Hoshino Kirara.
　Due to her position as the daughter of a flower arrangement headmaster, she was the girl's organizer at school.
　However, in this world, the title of daughter of the head of the flower arrangement is of no use.
　The reason why I am still able to maintain my position as girls' organizer is because I am close to Kouki and Takeshi.
　Without it, they would fall to the lowest rung of the school caste.

'Losing Satou Yuuka was painful.

　The more she bites into Kouki, the more she bites into him, the more sympathy she gets for complaining about how desperately he's trying to protect everyone else.
　Takeshi and HOSHINO hate her, but Kouki even thinks she's cute.
　It was hilarious to watch her try so hard to hide it even though she has feelings for Kouki.
　I was going to thoroughly use her and throw her away, but I didn't expect her to be eliminated so quickly.
　Perhaps the cause was her origins.
　Kouki and the others' school - the private Okawa Gakuen High School is a place where selected people gather.
　In order to enter the school, students are required not only to have financial strength but also family status.
　It's not a place for a woman who is just smart and doesn't know who her father is.
　Well, the bottom line is that they weren't my friends from the beginning.

'Well, it's a good thing it helped to build cohesion in the end.

　Kouki changes his mind.
　I have to talk to Charlotte now.
　It's a job that requires patience, but it's what we need if we're going to get this country.