This was his first time entering the city, but he had been to this city a few times before.
　Compared to that time, the people in the city still seemed somewhat restless.

　Would that settle down in a few more days?
　Once word of the Horned Dragon's defeat had spread through the city, time would tell.

　The only problem is how to deal with the evacuees who are out there now.
　What exactly will they do?
　The Arsus family will have to think about that area as well.

　........It must be tough.
　That's the only impression that came to mind as I passed through the nobleman's district and arrived in front of the Arsus family's residence.
　As expected of the house of the lord who is in charge of this land, it is incomparable to the other houses.

　In the garden, which I could glimpse through the gate, there were a number of carriages lined up.
　Perhaps those are the people from the theater.

　There are two gatekeepers. I approach them, who have been looking at me.
　First, I put down the box I was holding. They were slightly alarmed, but I quickly handed them the permission slip I had received from Krua-san.

　One of them comes in front of me and the other moves to check the contents of the box.

Okay, come in.
Thank you.

　After re-carrying my bags, I went straight inside.
　

　I'm heading to the building away from the mansion, not the mansion, as the knights told me to.
　It seems that she is managing the knights' tools there.
　The knights also come and go frequently.

　Not only that, people who seem to be merchants are also coming and going.
　........Indeed, it's difficult to collect a large amount of potions from a single merchant under normal circumstances.
　It's only natural that they're talking to a number of merchants.

　So one of them is Krua-san.
　I call out to a nearby knight.

I'm sorry, I'm here to deliver a potion on behalf of merchant Krua, but where do you want me to take the shipment?
All right, you'll take it inside, then. The guy inside will know what to do.
Okay.

　It's quite a load, so I hope you'll receive it as soon as possible, but the knights know that too, so maybe they're making me carry it all the way like this.
　When I entered, the knights showed me the place.

　I put my luggage in the designated place and then exhaled lightly.
　........That was heavy.
　I lightly turned my shoulders and then exited the detachment.

　Now, it was just a matter of seeing if I could afford to talk to the people in the playhouse.
　I walked slowly on my way home but I didn't see any of them, either because of bad luck or because they weren't there now.

　What a shame. It can't be helped. Next time I see you at work again, I'll ask you about this time.
　I was just leaving the mansion with this thought in mind.

''........Is that, Lelius-senpai?''

　His voice was somewhat lackluster.
　It didn't look like it was just tired, just tired.

'It's been a while, Ristina-san,'
''Ha, yes. ........Senior, what are you doing here?　Oh, are you here to see me or something like that, by any chance?

　Ristina smiled teasingly at me.
　I chuckled and nodded at her.

''Yeah, well, I guess that's about half of it.''
'What?　Oh, really?　.... but half?
'Yes. I was originally coming to deliver a potion for Mr. Krua's business.
Oh, that's right.

　Ristina looks at me blankly.
　Looking at her like that, I asked her a question I wasn't sure whether to point out or not.

''What's going on?''
What's that?
You seemed to be in a bit of a funk.
....

　Apparently it was a figurehead.
　She closed her mouth tightly.
　

''Well........well, there's a lot going on here.
I'll at least listen to what you have to say. I'm here originally because I'm a little worried about Mr. Ristina.
...Is that so?
'Yes. I was bullied by some of the older members of the troupe when we left, and I was wondering if they were doing anything to me again.
....

　........It seems to be a figurehead, too.
　In other words, the reason for the lack of energy is because of that senior - I believe his name was called Kurutta?

''Well, could you come over to the tent I'm using for a moment?''

　I was a little bit of a doozy.
　But only a little bit. Because looking at Ristina-san's expression, I knew she wasn't joking.

　Normally Ristina-san would definitely say it in a teasing way.

''I understand.''

　I walked into the grounds once more. In case you're a friend, I break through the gate without any problems.
　I go into the tent placed in the garden of the mansion with Listina-san.

　Perhaps because Ristina-san has returned, the people from the other tents have appeared.

''Yo, Ristina......... What.........what's that man?''

　The man, a refreshingly nice young man, looked at me steadily.

'It's your boyfriend.'

　At the same time as I said that, Ristina-san crossed her arms.
　What are you doing now?　He almost screamed at the soft touch against his right arm.
　The man had a piece on the man and his eyes widened.

'What?　Oh, it's true!
No, no...

　I said this with a sigh, but the man didn't believe me, and he turned into a statue with his mouth just snapping open and closed.
　As I passed by him, Ristina-san finally released my arms.

'Are you thrilled, Lelius senior?'
Well, more or less.
I knew it. It's good to see you looking good!

　Listina smiles at me and then goes into the tent I'm going to.
　I went in there too.......and at that moment, I froze in place.
　Inside the tent I found what appeared to be a costume used in a play.

　As I looked at it, which was covered in mud and torn apart, Ristina-san turned to me.

''What is this?''
It was the outfit I was going to wear for the show.

　When she said, "I was," her face wavered sadly.