After the dishes were served in a row, there was only one last thing left to do: dessert for after dinner. There were three desserts to choose from, but one on the menu called 'Robust White Peach Millefeuille' caught my eye.

''Maria-san, is this made from a fruit that increases your ability value?''
Yes, we're serving a special guest.
If that's the case, why not choose mille-feuille?　The other desserts are "Rest in Peace" or, um... "Passion"?　And it says.
'Hey, I'm not so sure about the passion... it seems to energize me, but I'm just so blind at night...'
''Kyouka-san, you can't do that, not in front of Arihito-san.......''
'Aren't you sleeping well, Igarashi-san?　Then maybe this 'Milk Bavarois for Restful Sleep' is the way to go.


　I don't know why I was pissed off - well, it's true that desserts are important to women, so I shouldn't be the one to make the decision on my own.

''Louisa-san had better up her defenses too, because I'm sure she'll be worried about men's eyes.
''Nah........Misaki. I don't really admire you for saying things like that....
No, no.......I'm used to it. It's not good to worry too much about it, so I try to wear the clothes I want to wear.
''Well I hope my armor looks proportional to my defenses.

　Igarashi-san and Louisa-san sigh at the same time. Looking at the two of them, there is someone who chuckles - surprisingly, it's Maria, the cook.

''I recommend the 'Strudel of Passion' to you two. Since it's a dessert with alcohol in it.
'Oh, well I guess I'll get a good night's sleep then...'
Right, so can we go there, please?

　The use of alcohol seemed to be to Louisa's liking, and it was a quick decision - Igarashi-san seemed to want to do the same, but we talked about sharing it with Louisa-san, and we decided to order the "Robust White Peach Millefeuille".

　I'm not averse to alcohol either, but I don't think I'd like it any more than an aperitif. I don't know what a pastry called "strudel" is, but I don't think it's laden with so much liquor, so I don't have to worry about it.

'Madoka-chan, do you want to come up the stairs of adulthood with us?'
''Oh ... yea, yea, it's still too early for a boozy dessert, so I'll have a millefeuille.
"...I'm curious what 'passion' is, but I'll take millefeuille too. I want to make the defense tighter.
BOW!

　The members participating in the battle seem to basically ask for 'Robust White Peach Millefeuille' - the principle is strange, but it's useful to be able to become somewhat stronger just by eating it.

''Theon needs to brush his teeth to avoid cavities.
We have something called a "mastic branch" for guard dogs. If you can chew this one like gum.

　They are really caring - Maria resigns from the room once she confirms her dessert order.

　Celes and Steiner have also joined the meal, but they are reserved and less verbal because they are craftsmen - but the girls are also tipsy from the aperitif and feel better.

'Aricht, why don't you have that girl cook the fruit for you?　You may be able to enhance the effects of the fruit faster than you can find a pharmacist.
'I'll ask him later if I can ask him. I'm sure we'll have to wait until another day to actually ask.
''I'm wondering what I'm going to do with my defenses any more, so maybe I should have an adventure once in a while.
I'm not much of a drinker, but I like to be taller than I am on these occasions. You are an unworthy disciple.
'Master's not strong enough, or is it okay to take it?　I guess.
Geez..... You're not saying anything to Ariehito, are you?

　I'll assume that these exchanges are also a sign of good friendships. But what exactly is the 'unnecessary thing' - I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that Celes-san looked so big behind the fumes of hot water in the bathroom before.

'Aricht, you should not pry too deeply into a woman's age and background. Do you understand?
Yes, yes....

　Once I'm nailed down like that, I can't pursue it in depth. I can feel the pressure from Igarashi-san and Louisa-san as well, so I'll be quiet here. I'm sure that Igarashi-san is younger and so is Louisa-san, who has a very ladylike appearance.

　◆◇◆

　Adeline was having dinner with her troop mates, so she met up with them as they were leaving the guild and was shown to their quarters. On the way there, she told me the information she got from the Guild Saber unit after the Stampede was suppressed.

''That 'named' was like a queen, strengthened by being offered the souls of her own kind. If it had absorbed more souls, it might have gotten out of hand. In that respect, the fact that the front was spread out over a wide area of the Fifth Ward from early on, and the fact that the number of Death Stalkers defeated by the time The Calamity was defeated was not large enough to make it work. The analysis team said.
''I see........I think there was a stampede last time too, due to the nature of that demon. What kind of fight did it cause then?

　As if expecting to be asked about it, Adeline took out what looked like a leather-bound notebook. She seems to have borrowed the records from the Fifth Ward Guild Saber.

''Well... the last Stampede occurred a year ago, but the Fifth Ward commander at the time was wounded in a battle with 'The Calamity' and couldn't subdue it for three days before help arrived from the higher wards. At that time, the commander of the Fifth District was replaced, so even if we were able to suppress it in one day, he must have felt responsible for not being able to lead his own unit.
Three days... if you try to take down 'named' without trapping them, I guess that means they'll run away like the other scorpions.
''For such a demon to come to this ward and defeat it in a few hours... that's surprising, and the guild savers in the fifth ward, too.

　The more I hear you talk about it, the more I realize that even though it was necessary, it had a huge impact on the people around us.

　What the Guild Saber Unit in the Fifth District thinks of us. Depending on that, it will have a bearing on whether or not we'll be granted permission to explore the Red Tower of the Flaming Sky - if that's the case.

　We should go and greet them while we're at it. As I think about this, two guild savers walk in from across the evening-darkened street. They are Nayuta-san and a man who appears to be a bit shady.

''Huh........Dylan Third Class Dragon Colonel-dono.......why are you here......?''
This is a bit unexpected, or is it some kind of...notice...or...?

　Adeline-san and Seraphina-san straighten their backs. The man in military uniform named Dylan comes up to me - he's not so different in height from me, and I guess he's about the same age.

'I see... you're Atobe. I'd heard about you, but being a rookie once every few decades means you were serious about it too. Well, I'm surprised.
Hi, nice to meet you...
'Don't be so cocky, I'm a guild saber by title too, but I used to be an explorer. No, I really wasn't amused. I had a feeling they'd do something for me when Courselka and Josh-san came, though.

　I don't feel like Frank, or even much of a military man - would it be rude to say that. He's kind of a relaxed person, for better or worse.

'Well, you know, Josh, you know...'
'Yeah, I guess you could tell him as Sergeant Khosrow Ryuji. He uses his family name as the registered name of his license.

　Does this Dylan person mean that he is an old acquaintance of Mr. Kuserka and Mr. Khosrow? And he knows about their abilities - it's not as if he knows about his subordinates because he's a superior officer, but rather as if he's fought with them before.

'Commander Dylan, I saw them lead 'The Calamity' into the corridor and make a great contribution in defeating them... no. It should be seen that they took the initiative in defeating it.

　When Nayuta advises, Dylan-san - Commander Dylan returns a nod. Then he took out something he had in his pocket and held it out to me.

'One thing I'd like to apologize to you guys for... some of you claiming that you were dogmatic about your great achievement. It's vital that we defeat the 'named', so no matter what the circumstances are, I should be the first to pay my compliments and congratulate you guys for fighting... I'm really, really sorry.
No, no. We weren't spoken to directly.
''That's true, I must urge you to reflect on those who say such things. You have received the Most Meritorious Service Award as the defeater of The Calamity.......and it has been decided to recognize you as 'Specially Selected Explorers', a title above 'Encouraged Explorers'. Will you accept it?

　The Magisterial Medallion of Magistite
　The title of "Specially Selected Searcher" certified by the guild will be proven.
　Your magic power limit will be increased.
　You have a hidden power.

This is....
It's called a title medal. Just by having it, it works well as equipment. Think of it as a kind of talisman, and I hope you'll keep it.

　A medal made of a metal I've never seen before, engraved with the Guild Saber's coat of arms. It's not too big to carry around, so I'll keep it in my suit's inner pocket.