Chapter 162
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Several days have passed since the red-haired girl threw herself into the Hero’s arms.
The young man decide to take a break instead of heading to the next town, using the excuse of needing to recover from their lingering exhaustion.
The young man keeps shaking his head as he repeatedly recalls that scene and the girl’s clouded eyes. Whether he’s lying in bed at the inn, eating alone while mumbling to himself, or doing anything else, that scene keeps suddenly flooding back into his mind. Each time, he has to tell himself out loud, 「That’s wrong,」 「This must be some mistake,」 「She and I are—」
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I am at a loss for words.
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The next day, the young man finally makes up his mind and goes looking for the red-haired girl.
Since it’s lunchtime, he checks the dining hall they often used together and finds her sitting there.
「Hey. How’ve you been? Feeling better?」
Even that single greeting requires immense courage.
「Oh, just normal, I guess.」
At the red-haired girl’s curt response, the young man scratches his head saying 「Haha, yeah, what am I saying?」 But still, gathering his resolve, he shares his request.
「Since you’re feeling better, let’s do some magic research together today like we used to!」
Though he forces himself to sound cheerful, his heart is pounding, and he can feel his voice cracking.
「Sorry, but I’m busy. I don’t need magic research anymore, so why don’t you continue on your own from now on?」
At that moment, the young man looks into her eyes.
What he sees there is an empty, hollow color—complete indifference toward him. He holds his breath. Then wisely waits for her reply. But then—
「Hey, Angie. Have you been waiting long?」
A voice comes from behind. The speaker—Ryūgūin—converses with the girl across the young man.
「Not at all, Hero!」
The young man feels almost dizzy as he watches the girl answer devotedly with flushed cheeks.
「Good. We still have some time before the performance, so let’s have a meal here before heading over. Oh? If it isn’t Yamada! What in the world are you doing standing around here? Ah, did you have something to discuss with Angie?」
The red-haired girl responds without missing a beat.
「No way, Hero! That’s impossible! Please don’t misunderstand! I have nothing to discuss with him!」
It’s a complete denial.
Hearing this, the Hero’s lips curl into a smile.
「Well, that’s what Angie says, but Yamada, do you have anything else you’d like to say? Ah, you must be hungry. We were thinking of having a meal here—why don’t you join us?」
No, it’s nothing. Sorry. Not hungry.
The young man barely manages to reply before quickly leaving the establishment.
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How did things end up like this—I…
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After that, the young man spends most of his time alone.
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From my memories, a slightly more dignified version of him calls my name.
「ANGELICA!! It’s okay!! Don’t lose your concentration!!」
His words are meant to be reassuring.
He has always been thoughtful.
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After clearing the Mirror Dungeon, he had stayed confined to his room for a while, but this time, after much contemplation, he immediately springs into action.
He resumes his activities quite energetically—not only maintaining his daily training routine but also visiting the Guild to take on requests for practice and consulting with the Guild Master about the next dungeon.
One afternoon.
He usually has meals delivered to his room rather than eating at dining halls, but since that gets boring quickly, he heads to a food stall for a change of pace.
In his line of sight, he sees the Saint, the Hero, and the red-haired girl.
Why—
Upon seeing the three of them, the young man hides himself.
Still, he can’t take his eyes off them.
They appear to be sparkling with radiance.
Both the Saint and the red-haired girl wear melting smiles at the Hero’s words. The two of them are basking in supreme happiness.
Seeing this, the young man is overwhelmed by a terrible sense of powerlessness and loneliness.
Covering his mouth, he rushes to the bathroom.
Returning to the inn with a pale face, he collapses face-down onto his bed, soaking the bedding with tears.
Didn’t you say we’d always be together?
Didn’t you say we were the best combination?
With you, I thought I could—
So why, how come—
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Not only is Puru exhausted, but my mana has also hit rock bottom.
Ichiro, despite his pale face, nods and says 「Leave it to me.」
It reminds me of that time.
Ah, that was a time we can never return to—
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This happens while they’re traveling to the next town.
Despite being a party of four, they end up renting two carriages.
The young man rides alone in one carriage, while the Hero and the other two follow in the carriage behind.
The journey to the next town is long, expected to take about a week.
When night approaches, they stay at inns in villages or towns, but when none are nearby, they have to camp outdoors.
The young man hates camping.
In his field of vision, the three others engage in cheerful conversation.
He hates camping because it forces him to face an unwanted reality.
In the young man’s eyes, they look like heroes from a storybook with their destined heroines.
So then what am I? he thinks.
What am I to all of you—
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Maintaining Thunder Claw is now barely possible.
As Ichiro says, the Liquid Dragon converts the Fog into mana, continuously restoring its body at an incredible rate. But whether it can’t escape the pain, or perhaps even his monster is starting to reach its limit—
「GRURURURURURURURU OOOOOOOOOOO」
Its body bubbles up violently as it lets out an ear-splitting screech.
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This was right after conquering the Strength Dungeon.
Even after gaining more power, the young man still had several close calls. However, when he was in danger, not a single companion came to his aid.
The young man would reminisce alone, showing a nihilistic smile while saying 「Man, that was rough.」
He had to do that, or else he felt he might break down completely.
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His once vast mana has now fallen below twenty percent.
Still, he manages to show a smile.
If allowed, I would have wanted to embrace him.
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One day, the young man receives an invitation to dinner.
When the Hero invites him, the young man hesitates for a moment, but agrees reluctantly after hearing, 「It’s to deepen our friendship, you know. That will ultimately become the foundation for conquering the dungeon and bringing happiness to the people.」
They agree to meet at the restaurant. When the young man appears, the Hero raises his hand saying 「Over here.」 The young man sits down and sighs.
「You’re late. We’ve already started,」 the Hero sneers.
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