Trading City Oyaimo II-1

When I woke up, I saw a ceiling I’d seen before.

A strong sense of déjà vu. How many times has this scene played out now?

This is an accommodation facility provided by the Trading City Oyaimo.

If this isn’t the afterlife, it means I’ve defeated the monster and entered the town.

As I sat up, I found myself in a surprisingly large room, filled with more people chatting and laughing than I’d expected.

"Why are all of you here?"

"Hey, you're awake, Taro."

There were members of the caravan, Alex and the others, and even Rilka and Coil.

"It's been a while. First, here's your reward for defeating the monster."

Alex, whom I hadn't seen in a while, looked exactly the same as before. I accepted the reward for the monster slaying from Alex.

"Why were you in the Forest of Beginnings, Taro?"

Alex sat down in the chair and asked. His wounds had fully healed. The others were the same.

Once again, I was the only one left in tatters.

While feeling dissatisfied with my own weakness, I reflected on everything that had come before.

I had acquired nearly all the information about the Hero's Legend, gathered various details from different countries during the process, and even obtained gray-area information—enough to make it impossible for me to remain in the country any longer.

Looking back, there were many things. It was a journey filled with deep experiences.

"Did anything happen with Alex and the others?"

"Nothing particularly unusual on our end. We've just been taking on guild quests, completing them, and then taking on more—just like always. If anything, we've had more missions related to the war."

"War-related?"

"Yes, you're aware of it, aren't you? The kingdom declared war on the empire. It's said the conflict began over rights to the massive magical ore mines located along the borders of various nations. Thanks to that, my place has been flooded with requests from cowardly nobles ever since morning."

Aleks has a high adventurer rank.

High-ranked adventurers can take on requests from nobles. Noble requests are usually well-paid and relatively easy. That's why adventurers who don't know if they'll live to see tomorrow eagerly accept noble commissions...

"In the end, I just couldn't stand the constant noise. So I decided to take on the task of hunting down the monsters that have been appearing more frequently lately. I also invited those girls who seemed to be idle at the time."

"When I heard it was a simple request, it turned out to be slaying a monster. Tough break, huh?" "Yeah, really."

They don't seem to change at all.

And then

It's been a while, Noel. You look healthy.

Yeah, that's right. You're about to die.

Noel, whom I hadn't seen in a while, seemed more mature than before. Has her way of speaking changed?

Why won't she look me in the eye? Maybe it's because we haven't seen each other in a while—she's nervous?

She has unexpected sides to her...

"It's been a while. Taro. I'm glad you're still alive."

"Deputy Commander, it's been a while. I'm really happy to see you again. How have you been lately?"

"Nothing special. Lately, it's been up and down due to the war. With preparations for war, weapons and long-lasting food are selling well, but everything else is terrible."

"Is it just war everywhere I look? It's getting unbearable."

"I know. Really..."

"Um... where is the captain right now?"

Boom. The moment I asked, Noel slammed his fist into the wall.

What's wrong with him?

The deputy captain spoke heavily.

"The captain has died. More precisely, he succumbed to injuries sustained during combat with bandits and monsters that arose during the war."

The captain... is dead? That captain?

"Such a thing..."

The empire declared war not long ago, but for years there had been constant skirmishes—so many that it felt like they'd gone on forever. Many people have lost their jobs and turned to banditry.

Alek explains the current situation in further detail.

"We were attacked by surprise while traveling on a road we normally feel safe using. We managed to survive that initial assault, but several members, including the group leader, were injured. Then, there were far more monsters than expected, forcing us to fight with our limited strength."

As a result, the group leader, already wounded, continued to stand at the front lines. In the end, he was worn down completely and never returned.

I understood the deputy commander's words perfectly, but I couldn't accept them. It felt as though a hole had opened up inside my heart.

After that, considering my still-unsatisfied physical condition, the meeting was adjourned.

That night, I stared blankly at the empty ceiling.

I couldn't sleep, even though I'd just been fast asleep a moment ago.

No, it wasn't just that. After hearing so many things, my mind was swirling with thoughts, spinning round and round.

The time I spent with the late team leader was brief.

Yet, the gratitude I feel surpasses that time. I wish, at least, I could see him once more.

Tears won’t come, but my thoughts won’t stop.

Just then, I heard a knock at the door—knock, knock.

“Hai.”

“Hurry up, now.”

There, without warning, stood Noel.

“W-what’s wrong, Noel? Why are you here at this hour?”

“Does it matter? I just came to talk.”