「これはこれは……レインじゃないか」

　こちらに気がついたらしく、挨拶をするように、アリオスが軽く手を挙げた。

　ジスの村で出会ったことは、向こうにとっても予想外のことらしく、目を大きくして驚いている。
　ただ、その驚きはすぐに消して、余裕たっぷりの笑みに切り替わる。

「やあ、久しぶりだね。元気にしてたかい？」
「それなりにな。アリオスは？」
「僕も元気さ。この通り、というわけだ」
「どうして、アリオスがここに？」
「それは僕の台詞なんだけどな……まあいい。特別に教えてやろう」

　アリオスは得意げな笑みと共に、ここにいる理由を告げる。

「ここにいるということは、レインもあの事件に関わっているんだろう？」
「パゴスの村……悪魔の件か？」
「ああ、そうだ。僕は、パゴスの村人達を救ったんだよ」
「どういうことだ？」
「この南大陸を中心に旅をしていたのだけど、偶然、パゴスに立ち寄ってね。悪魔とやらに襲われていたから、僕が撃退した、というわけさ」
「アリオスが……？」
「にゃー……ウソっぽい」

　話を一緒に聞いていたカナデが、半眼でアリオスを睨みつけた。

「あんたなんかに悪魔と戦える力があるわけないもん。ウソだよ」
「ウソって……相変わらず、失礼な獣だな。ちっ」
「アリオス。カナデを獣と……」
「一緒にするな、って言いたいんだろう？　わかっているさ。ただ、今回の場合は、彼女に非があるんじゃないか？　僕は真実を告げただけなのに、いきなり疑ってきたのだから」
「それは……」

　もっともな話だった。
　カナデはアリオスのことを嫌っているから、それ故に、疑問の眼差しを向けてしまったのだろうけど……
　普通に考えたら、非はカナデの方にある。

　とはいえ、俺もカナデと同じようなことを考えているんだよな。
　アリオスが悪魔と渡り合えるかどうか？　それは、なんともいえない。
　やりあった時からそれなりの時間が流れているし、アリオスも強くなっているかもしれない。
　だから、アリオスの力はそれほど疑ってはいない。

　ただ……引っかかるものはあった。
　悪魔が現れて、壊滅したパゴスに、偶然、足を運ぶなんてことがあるのだろうか？
　もちろん、可能性はゼロじゃないんだけど……
　タイミングが良いというか、都合が良すぎるというか……どうにも、気になるんだよな。

「まあいいさ。僕は寛大だからね。つまらない戯言くらい、許してやるさ」
「にゃー……この勇者、上から目線でむかつくにゃ」
「カナデ、落ち着いて」
「フシャー……」

　カナデが尻尾を逆立てて、歯をむき出しにしていた。
　落ち着くように頭を撫でると、少しだけリラックスした様子で、逆立っていた尻尾が下に降りた。

「僕の言っていることは本当だよ。なんなら、彼らに聞くといい」

　アリオスが、近くにいるパゴスの人を指した。
　彼らは先程と同じように、アリオスに対して尊敬の念、感謝の念を送っていた。
　演技であるとは思えないし、そんなことをする理由もない。

　アリオスがパゴスを救ったというのは、紛れもない事実なんだろう？

「アッガス達は？」
「みんなは今、別行動をとっている」
「それは？」
「おいおい、どうしてそんなことをいちいちレインに言わないといけないんだい？　君は僕のなんだい？　仲間じゃないだろう？」
「……そうだな。余計なことを聞いた」
「わかればいいのさ。それで？」
「うん？」
「レインの方は、どうしてここにいるのか、まだ聞いてないぞ」
「あぁ」

　そういえば、何も話していなかったか。

　今のアリオスの返事を真似て……
　いちいちアリオスに報告する義務はないだろう？　と言ってみようか？

　……やめておこう。
　揉めてしまうだけで、何も意味がない。
　まあ、溜飲は下がるかもしれないけどな。

「俺が冒険者になったことは知っているだろう？　それで、今回の悪魔の件が、緊急依頼として発行されたんだ」
「ほう」

　アリオスの目が細くなる。
　おもしろいことを聞いた、と言っているみたいだ。

Does that mean you're going to take down the demon?
No, I'm not. I'm a survey team. We have a separate strike team.
Hmmm, I see.

　Arios chuckles.

'But I'm sorry to hear that. Your deeds are going to be in vain.'
What do you mean?
I'm here. You can leave it to me to investigate and defeat the demon.

　What is it?
　Arios's words made me feel uncomfortable.

　Why would Arios want to get so deeply involved in this case?
　Given Arios's personality, I don't think he'd go off on a tangent, but...
　Or is there 'something' in this case that needs to be involved?
　For example, what it takes to defeat the Demon King....

　........No.
　I try to think about it, but I can't get to the answer.
　There's an overwhelming lack of information.

　Maybe I should look up something about Arios, not just about the demon.

'Come on. Rain can go back to Horizon.
That's not how it works. I'm the one who gets the job done. I'm not just gonna throw you out of the building.
With me?
'What does it matter?　I'm not backing out unless there's an official order coming down from above.
Tsk....

　Arios clicked his tongue grimly.
　Maybe it's the fact that he's with me that makes him uncomfortable.

'....Oh well. Come to think of it, this is my chance to show you what I'm capable of. I'll show you that things aren't the same as they were then.
You have a lot of confidence, don't you?
Who do you think I am?　You're a brave man.　You or me I'm going to make it clear this time who's better, you or me.

　I'm not interested in that kind of game, but....
　Arios seemed to be totally in the mood for it and smiled wryly.

　I hope it won't get you into trouble...
　It was either a trick of the goddess of fate, or it was only when I thought of it that I got into trouble.
　I had a bad feeling about this.

''Well then, I'll take my leave now. The consolation of the villagers and the meeting for the countermeasures against the demon. I have a lot of things I have to do.
Yeah I'm sorry about that. It looks like I held you back.
'Kuhu ... let's keep each other in line, shall we?　Hey Rain.

　Arios gave one last indescribable smile and walked away.

''Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!　You were making a huge joke of Rain.
I don't think I'm going to like Arios, either.
Are you going to f*ck her?
Hey, hey, hey.

　While restraining Kanade, for a moment I wondered if that was okay too........

　That's how annoying it is to get involved with Arios.
　I don't feel comfortable with it.
　Being with him reminds me of my bitter past, so I want to keep my distance as much as possible.

　However, Arios doesn't seem to think so.
　It's clear from the way he's acting now, but he wants to make things clearer with me.
　I'm sure that the fact that I was beaten up when I fought against him before may be the root of my problem.

　It's a good thing that you're a brave man, so don't worry about that, and prioritize what you have to do.
　He probably won't listen to me even if I tell him.
　If you do what you want, the bill will come due sooner or later.
　Have you ever thought about that?

Well, okay.

　You don't have to worry about Arios.
　I have to take care of me.

"Well I'm sorry. I shouldn't have interrupted the conversation...

　I was so distracted by Arios that I forgot about Cell.
　We're working together and I've done something to ignore her.
　I hope I didn't offend you...

....

　Cell was pouting.
　I've only seen her calm down, so her reaction like this is refreshing.

'What's wrong?'
You... you knew a brave man?
'Yes, but didn't I tell you that?'
I didn't say that. That's new to me.
'Sorry. But it's not really worth mentioning, is it?
'That's, well but if you'd let me know in advance, here, I wouldn't have been so surprised.
It's ... how bad,

　I think I've startled that cell.
　I feel a little bit guilty.

'I didn't want it to be known that I was related to that guy. I'll tell them if they ask, but I don't want to tell them myself.
'Did you hide the fact that you were related to a brave man from yourself?　It's a strange thing to do ... usually something you can be proud of for the rest of your life.
Well, it's a long story.
Yeah.

　When I hear the 'various' part, Cell makes a convincing face.
　It's like he sensed that there is 'something' between me and Arios that can't be solved in one word.

''It sounds like there are some things you don't want to say, and I won't ask you in depth. I am.
Thank you... but what about me?
'I'm sorry. I don't mind, but it doesn't seem to work that way over here...

　Out of the corner of Cell's eye, Axe was there.
　.........Come to think of it, I had forgotten about Axe as well.

''You're an acquaintance of the hero-sama!

　I'm gulped down.

'Well, well, you will but what's going on, all of a sudden?
Please, get him to sign it!
Axe is a big fan of the brave... haha.

　I felt like I was in trouble, and Cell let out a sigh.
　........I was in the mood to sigh, too.