We continued our walk with Sola and Luna.
　We came through the main street and came to a section lined with shops.

''Oh!''

　This was the first human city she had visited in 200 years.
　Everything she saw seemed to be new to her, and Luna's gaze darted here and there.

'This is not so bad.'

　Sola was scurrying around in a similar way, though not as frolicking as Luna.

　They've both been like this all day.
　It's somewhat smiling.
　I feel like I'm walking around with my kids.
　However, if they knew I was thinking about that, they'd be pissed at me.
　I've got to keep it out of their faces.

'By the way, Rain. There's something that's been bothering me.
Yeah?　What's on your mind?
Lane signed up with Kanade and Tania, didn't he?
Yeah.
'Signing a contract with Kanade has enhanced my physical abilities. Signing with Tania has enhanced my magic power. Am I right?
Yeah, but...?
And Rain made a deal with me and Sora.

　I see.
　I kind of understood what Luna was trying to say.

''In other words, what abilities would you have gained by signing a contract with Sora and the others?　That's what I'm talking about.

　What I want to say is said by Sora instead.

'Mmmm, you're right!　I'm curious to see what power Rain has gained by signing up with us.
I'll tell you what...

　I'm interested in it myself.
　According to Kanade, if you sign a contract with a race above a certain level, you get the power of the one you're using.
　Sora and Luna are the strongest species, the spirit race, so there is no doubt that they are getting some kind of power.

　It's just........I don't really feel it.
　In Kanade's time and Tania's time, I couldn't realize it until the actual battle.
　What is changing in me and how is it changing?
　It's hard to realize that.

Do you notice any changes?
I don't know ... not really, it's just the same as before.
'Did you notice anything unusual during the last battle in the mine?'
I don't think...

　He replied, thinking back to the earlier battle.

　Physical abilities are unchanged.
　My magic power ... probably won't change.
　I was able to properly control the amount of magic power.
　If his magic power had increased further due to the contract with the two of them, it probably would have been a hell of a lot worse.
　He couldn't control it as much as he had before, and it was very likely that he would have destroyed himself.
　If that hadn't happened, it meant that his magic power hadn't risen.

''Hm?　That's odd.

　Hearing my story, Luna looks doubtful.

"Our spirit race is an individual that specializes in magic power. I thought that if you used us, of course our magic power would increase, but...
'Maybe there's more magic you can handle?　All the magic that Sola and the others can use, and so on.
'Oh, I see!　Well, that may be. All right, it's Rain!　In the meantime, try unleashing some immense grade magic!
For now, there's no way you can shoot magic in the city. I mean, what's with all that exquisite magic?
'You know that magic has its place, don't you?　Beginner, intermediate and advanced. Those are the three basics among humans, right?　I'm sure. Kanade mentioned something like that to me.
Yeah, you're right.
But there are two more levels on top of that. There are two more levels of magic that far exceed the higher level. And beyond that, there is a secret art that only our spirit tribe can use, an immense magic. Well, we haven't reached that level yet, so we can't use it.

　I know about super-class magic.
　It's the magic said to have been used by the brave men in fairy tales and other stories.
　Not long ago, I was only aware of it as the content of a mere fairy tale, but.......
　It seems that Tania used it the last time she clashed with Arios, and I learned that it was a real magic that existed in reality.

　
　And to think that only the spirit race can handle it....
　Once again, I realized that the strongest species is a tremendous species.

''Extreme grade magic?　Of course, you can't use advanced magic either.
'Isn't it too soon to give up?　You'll never know if you don't try it, will you?
You two know what I'm talking about.　The magic that I've mastered has its structural formula in my head, but I can't think of anything that doesn't. The only three magic structural formulas that come to mind for me are Fireball, Heel and Boost.
'Hmm. Well, if that's the case, it doesn't sound like you're learning new magic.
'So what powers does Rain gain?　Maybe you didn't get anything out of it?
I don't like that. I think we're getting off on the wrong foot.
'An outlier messenger demon with a contract but no power to gain... will Sora and the others be labeled as such?
''Ugh I feel even worse when I put it into words. Rain, did you have that in mind!
There is none.

　I patted their heads with a pompous pat to calm them both down.

'Huh.'
Hi.

　I patted their heads lightly and they both spilled out a strange voice and became meek.

I'm sure that even if you don't have the power to get it, you're still an important friend to me. I'm not going to judge you on the basis of power or anything else.
I'm in trouble.
Yeah?
Sora would be embarrassed to hear such a thing.
Mm-hmm. I'm so busy I can't even look at Rayne right in the face.

　They both squirmed uncomfortably, their cheeks slightly stained.
　Aside from Sora, even Luna.
　It's hard to imagine from her usual demeanor, but maybe she's surprisingly innocent.

You're not going to be able to get away with it. Why do you trust us so much?　We've only just joined the party. We have only seen the party in one battle. And that battle was half-hearted, with us leaving the party after we had secured the prisoners. So why should we trust them?　As I say, my dear, don't you trust me too easily?
'What Luna said was on Thora's mind. Why is that, Rain?
Uh ... sure, you might be wondering.

　Maybe they're both right.
　Trust is not something that can be built overnight.
　It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of time to build up, and then it is finally created.
　Trust is not built up over a single night, and if we call it trust, then it's a fake.

　I'm aware of this, but....
　Still, I call Sora and Luna my precious companions.
　I may be wrong, but I keep calling them my friends.

'Didn't I tell you the story about me getting kicked out of the brave party?

　On the way back to the city after the capture of the Lost Forest...
　I've talked to both of them about this and that to explain how it all came about.

'Yes, I remember. You mean those dumbasses who said they banished Rain?　The person you met at the inn that time was a brave man, right?
Stupid people. Every last vestige of humanity that I know is bottled up in there.

　Their words are harsh.
　Maybe they feel sorry for me.

"There were no two words of 'trust' between me and Arios and the others. What there was was just a conflict of interest ... and now that I think back, it was an empty party with nothing to show for it.
'A party built solely on interest...'
It's just not the same with us.
'Now that I think about it, maybe I didn't trust Arios and the others somewhere. They were brave, but I was a powerless beast-tamer. Even if I tried to believe them, I wasn't sure of myself, I couldn't believe them...maybe I was scared somewhere that they might think I didn't need them. And he couldn't trust Arios and the others... and the result was exile.
"...and...
If I had trusted Arios and the others with all my heart if I had put my trust in them, another outcome might have come.
'That's not........Rain isn't bad. I don't know the details of Sora, because they only met each other lightly.......but I had a very bad feeling about that human. Even if Rain had trusted him, I think he would have betrayed her.
I'm with you on this one. Humans are stupid. Rayne is a man worthy of our trust, but the rest of us are not. You don't have to feel bad about yourself.
Thank you. It's nice to hear you say that. But I still think it's my own fault for not being able to trust you.
"....Rain...
So I've made up my mind. I'm not going to make that mistake again. Believe me, believe me I don't care if it betrays me. I'll just smile and accept it. That's what makes me believe that something will open up. That's what I believe. So I will believe in my friends, no matter what. By believing in them, I will build up my 'trust'.
It's kind of... typical of Lane.
'Hmm. Simple, but very straightforward.
That's not a compliment, is it?
'It's a compliment, okay?　It's very Rayne-like ... and Sora has come to trust Rayne more than ever before.
I don't like other people, but you don't like Rain.　You've helped us, you know. Besides, I can 'trust' what you just said.

　In response to my words, they both used similar words and smiled.

　Maybe we're just a tentative party now, not yet united in genuine trust.
　Still, one day........
　Let's keep walking with that in mind.
　Our thoughts will cross, and our paths will cross.

By the way, it's Rain.
Yeah?
Seriously, we were talking about this and I'm starving. I think it's time I got something to eat.
You just had a hot dog what the hell is going on with Luna's belly?
That's not enough. I want something heartier than that!
Haha. Well, in that case, we'll have lunch. First, let's go back to the inn and pick up Kanade and Tania.
Mmm. Hurry, lunch is waiting for me!

　Turn right.
　We went back the way we had walked so far to the inn.

Phew.
What is it, Luna? Your laugh is disgusting.
That's disgusting!
It's true.
'I just got in the mood for lunch, that's all!　Don't go into every single thing!
I can't go through with that kind of laugh.
Mmm. My sister, she's got a lot of nonsense to worry about.
'I'm afraid Luna doesn't care about too many things.
What?

　You two having fun?　Walk a little behind talking.
　A peaceful time.
　Today is going to be a quiet holiday.

　

'Hey, there,'

　A voice called out to us.
　I turned around and saw a man dressed in a very luxurious outfit.