Published at 25th of March 2019 11:06 pm

Volume 6: Chapter 2: Cracked Wing

1

"Just give in, okay? Fufu, you just need to entrust your body to me. I won't do anything bad to you, alright?"

"Mary… you are acting like a perverted old man."

"Ah, ah wahh!"

Akatsuki was sitting at the edge of the couch, glancing at the chaos in the room.

This was a beautiful meeting room. The peach-colored wallpaper was brand-new and the decor was filled with grace and feminine elegance. The coffee table along with the luxurious tea set and the ladies in the room created a gorgeous atmosphere.

The host, Raynesia, maintained her usual smile with a hint of uneasiness. That was natural. The clothes Maryele wanted her to wear was a nurse uniform.

Even Akatsuki thought it was too adventurous.

"This dress is… a bit small for me."

Raynesia shook her head like a trembling rabbit. (Wrong move…) Akatsuki thought. Maryele replied, "Don't worry! Our seamstress tailored it perfectly for you!" as she moved in to capture Raynesia.

This roundabout way of declining Maryele would not work. If it was Henrietta… that would be even worse. Akatsuki shook her head even thinking about it.

"Eh, like this? This way?"

"Not this way. Yahh!"

"Mary… I told you not to use this action."

"Ah wah wah!"

Serara stood beside them at a loss. She obediently followed Maryele's instruction of, 'bring me that hairband over there,' even while being flustered, making the hierarchical relationship in Crescent Moon Alliance clear.

"Aren't you going to rescue her?"

The female Adventurer sitting opposite Akatsuki holding an elegant tea set was Rieze. She was a Sorcerer in D. D. D with a head of blonde hair. Akatsuki heard that this beautiful lady with a slender body was the captain of the training corps.

Akatsuki shook her head in response to Rieze's query.

She had some experience with this situation. Akatsuki was in Raynesia's position not too long ago, suffering these antics frequently. Although most of the attacks came from Henrietta, it was not much different from the current situation.

The number of victims would double if she moved in now. Akatsuki needed to protect herself.

The point was this room had been transformed into the dress-up room of Crescent Moon Alliance demons.

"Is that so." Rieze dropped her gaze to her red tea without any hint of accusation.

Akatsuki picked up the red bean bun on the plate and took a small bite. It was sweet and savory, one of the perks of this mission.

But Akatsuki thought calling this chaotic tea party a mission sounded weird.

She was here on Shiroe's request after all. It might be just a small errand, but Akatsuki thought of it as her bond with Shiroe. Akatsuki would continue to take part in these tea parties for the following month.

It was just Akatsuki in the beginning.

She drank her tea in awkward silence under the suspicious gaze of Raynesia and left after 15 minutes. About a week later, Maryele joined in. She came alone sometimes, other times she would bring some friends from Crescent Moon Alliance along. Following that, Rieze, who was drinking tea in front of her, and ladies from several other guilds also started to frequent this tea party.

To be honest, Akatsuki was not motivated to do this.

She was familiar with the girls of Crescent Moon Alliance like Maryele, Henrietta, and Serara, but it was hard to sit with the members of other guilds. Akatsuki thought that they must be disappointed at her for being unable to hold a conversation.

Surprisingly, apart from the members of Crescent Moon Alliance, the only one Akatsuki could speak comfortably with was Raynesia.

There were about fifteen female Adventurers who had shown up to this tea party. Although Maryele attended frequently, it was only two or three times a week. Each participant had their own responsibilities in their respective guilds.

The most consistent participant who visited daily was Akatsuki, although she was only doing it to keep her promise with Shiroe.

"Woah. Your skin is beautiful, as expected of the princess."

"A, Akatsuki-san. Erm… help me…"

"Ah wah wah…"

"Non non. I will be gentle!"

However, seeing each other frequently didn't mean that they were now friends. They had only progressed to the stage where they could chat idly.

It was troubling when Raynesia hinted to Akatsuki that she should save her. Mainly, because Akatsuki was also prey in this game. Akatsuki shrank her body thinking that she would be able to survive this ordeal if she could make herself smaller, but her interesting actions caught the attention of Henrietta.

"Akatsuki-chan♪ Why are you curling up like a ball?"

"!"

Akatsuki jumped, startled, and began denying in a panic, making Henrietta smile. But she did not press on further today. She was probably satisfied just by teasing Akatsuki.

The exhausted Raynesia walked to Akatsuki's side to seek refuge. Even after being toyed with for so long, she was still sitting elegantly with her knees closed. She was wearing her usual expression, but her eyes were dead tired.

Akatsuki poured tea into Raynesia's cup.

She knew how exhausted Raynesia must be.

The mastermind, Maryele, took new costumes from her Bag of Holding and lined them up with the help of Serara.

The scariest thing was the swimming costume that was part of the lineup. Maryele didn't even care that it was the middle of winter now. Akatsuki felt sorry for Raynesia.

Raynesia was a very beautiful girl. She had a delicate neck, a slender frame which supported her elegant shoulder contours, a small face and long, luscious silver hair that shone like silk. She had a gentle nature, was always smiling and never spoke loudly. A real high-society lady.

(Ah, but she is a princess, that is different from a being a lady, right?)

Akatsuki considered the role of 'princess' to be something like a higher job level than 'lady'. Thinking like this really made Raynesia appear to be of a higher grade.

The first meeting between Raynesia and Akatsuki was rather tense.

On the day they decided to march for Sand Leaf, Akatsuki helped Raynesia to change her clothes under Shiroe's instructions… or more accurately, stripping off her dress and forcing her to put on another set of clothes.

(Raynesia must think of me as a barbaric person,) Akatsuki thought. Raynesia was still wary of her ever since the daily tea parties had started, and was jumpy even now.

However, Raynesia didn't avoid Akatsuki blatantly or ignore her words.

Raynesia put careful thought to every sentence and conversed as warmly as she could. That the princess had such a good upbringing impressed Akatsuki deeply. Her memory was good and she could comprehend topics after talking about them just once. Akatsuki understood why Raynesia was so popular.

"My Adventurer guests, is this your usual clothing?" Raynesia said in a perplexed voice.

She was talking about the nurse uniform she was wearing… one with a mini skirt on top of that. Although Raynesia was not very tall, her proportions were perfect and her breasts formed a beautiful curve, so the outfit suited her well. Akatsuki shook her head feeling complicated emotions. No matter how you sliced it, there was only a very small minority of Adventurers who dressed like this daily. (There were still players who did so, thanks to the cultural influence of Elder Tales.)

Raynesia got more depressed after confirming the negative answer.

Every action of hers was like a beauty in a drawing, making Akatsuki feel even more complicated.

(If I act more like she does, my lord surely would… No, he would not.)

Akatsuki thought.

Raynesia did not have the body of an Adventurer or the ability of an Assassin. There was no way for her to be Shiroe's bodyguard. Akatsuki was unwilling to give that up. She knew how willful her thoughts were, but she couldn't stop the bleeding from her wounded heart.

"… Yeah… Yeah. Nurse uniform… hah? Yeah, I said nurse uniform. The dressing which girls in the medical industry wear… I see."

Rieze started mumbling to herself.

She was using telepathy.

Raynesia looked shocked and became embarrassed.

"The length is just right. It is about 15cm above the knee!"

Raynesia had also noticed the gaze of the others as she pulled on the skirt of her nurse uniform. But the non-elastic material was unable to hide Raynesia's thighs. Pulling it taut did nothing other then accentuate her figure.

Raynesia looked at Akatsuki with pleading eyes, asking her to 'help me' as she said 'Ermm… ' Akatsuki was not sure what to do either. Although Rieze was elegant and polite, she pulled such pranks from time to time. Akatsuki grunted softly at Rieze and gave her a reproaching look.

Rieze laughed merrily as she fidgeted with her ears and said "It's a joke, the telepathy was just an act." Akatsuki felt the joke was in bad taste. Raynesia also looked at Rieze unhappily.

Rieze bowed her head slightly at Raynesia.

"I'm sorry. I was feeling slightly jealous."

"Eh…"

"Because milord is devoted to the Princess Raynesia. By taking up this security detail, I can even be exempted from today's training."

Weak spot, she was poking at her weak spot.

It was indeed so.

Akatsuki and Maryele came to this conclusion after a discussion.

The People of the Land princess needed to be protected. Ever since the Libra Festival incident, there was a group lurking somewhere in Akiba that was working against the city. If they wanted to harm Akiba, they would not hesitate to drag the People of the Land into this.

For Adventurers, the worst-case scenario would just be a trip to the cathedral to respawn after dying, but it was different for the People of the Land. If Raynesia was to come to any harm, Akatsuki did not even need to think too deeply to understand the waves that event would create. Relations with Raynesia's grandfather, the ruler of Maihama and Chairman of the League of Freedom Cities Eastal, would sour or even break down completely.

Princess Raynesia was protected by People of the Land knights sent from Maihama City. But they were People of the Land after all, their level was around 30. If any Adventurer tried to harm the princess, the escorts would not suffice.

Akiba was also guarded by the violence-detecting security system, but even if they apprehended the culprit, Raynesia would not be able to respawn if she were killed.

Akatsuki thought Shiroe had foreseen all this and that was why he assigned this task to her. It was the same with Maryele. With Shiroe out of action during this period of time, Akatsuki could only give her all to fulfill this mission.

But when this situation was brought up from the lips of the graceful girl from D. D. D, it felt like she was poking at Raynesia's weak spot.

It was hard for Akatsuki to look straight at Raynesia whom Shiroe was worried about.

When did she became so weak? Even Akatsuki herself wasn't sure.

(This is so unlike me.)

(It shouldn't be like this.)

She should be happy that Shiroe was relying on her.

But she was comparing herself to Raynesia and the other girls.

She wanted to get stronger and live up to Shiroe's expectations.

Akatsuki had been working hard at this, but her world seemed so dark and narrow, tormenting Akatsuki.

Surrounded by the elegant laughter of others, Akatsuki felt alone.

2

Night fell earlier in the winter and the sun had already set when Henrietta left the Consulate. She felt the streets of Akiba were beautiful. Although it was dimmer than Tokyo back home in the old world, compared to how dark the night of this world could be, the night scene in Akiba felt elegant and graceful.

There were several dark buildings standing tall in the blue night of Akiba. The ancient evergreen tree with branches spreading far and wide. Magic light shone warmly from high over the street. Henrietta felt this gentle, fantastical light was more pleasing than the bright, fluorescent street lamps.

"The sun is setting much earlier now."

"That's right,"

Henrietta nodded, agreeing with the blonde girl walking besides her.

Rieze took a scarf out of her Bag of Holding and wrapped it around her neck. The excess hung down her back; it appeared to be a scarf for men.

"What is with this thing? It's so tedious to use and has so many layers." Rieze complained in a cute manner as Henrietta adjusted the scarf for her.

With the lower half of her expression hidden by the scarf, Rieze muttered, "Thanks." She looked embarrassed with her shifty eyes. Henrietta laughed softly as she said, "Don't worry, it's a simple matter."

This young girl she had befriended recently looked like a perfect lady from the outside; she probably had wanted to go the route of an ice-cool beauty. She gave off a glimpse of her caring side from time to time, however, making her so cute. She was definitely much younger than she looked.

"There is no need to work so hard, you are already a fair lady."

"Eh?"

Rieze turned to face Henrietta, who just pushed Rieze along by the shoulder gently.

"Alright now, let's hurry before the place closes."

"Okay."

The duo headed in the direction of main street in this soothing atmosphere.

Henrietta was in Crescent Moon Alliance while Rieze was in D. D. D. Although they were in different guilds, the two of them often left together after the tea party at the Water Maple Consulate.

Maryele and Serara left early to prepare for dinner while Henrietta and Rieze went shopping for food to supplement the meal.

After the revolution, the Adventurers ate delicious meals everyday. It was an enjoyable thing, but it was also a hassle. Only those with the subclass of Chef were able to prepare tasty food; this was less than 10 percent of the population, from what Henrietta had estimated.

After the formation of the Round Table Council, there were numerous people changing their subclass to Chef, but it was not strange for a small guild with less than 10 members to have no Chefs. Although a guild with hundreds of members would definitely have one with the Chef subclass, preparing food for hundreds of people was a heavy burden.

To compensate for such situations, they needed to buy the food made by People of the Land either as take away or eating out.

"What do you want to buy Henrietta-san?"

"I'm getting fried chicken. Mary has been nagging me to buy some."

They chatted as they shopped for food in the mall. They timed their trip to be just before closing time, when the stores were trying to sell off their merchandise and putting things on sale.

"Fried chicken cutlets?? Did you say fried chicken cutlets? Shop at my stall, lady! Garlic-flavored just three gold for one kilogram!"

Henrietta bought three kilograms generously.

There were more than forty starving Adventurers in the Crescent Moon Alliance so this would not be enough. It would be gone before you knew it.

Rieze bought quiche with hazelnuts. For a guild with its own cooking department, these were just snacks.

The shopping mall was doing great.

Just like Henrietta and Rieze, Adventurers out shopping were flooding the mall, and you needed to watch your surroundings. Especially with the Adventurers returning from their battles who were still wearing armor or holding their staves, people required more space to move around than in the old world.

After finishing their shopping trip and squeezing their way out of the mall, Henrietta's memory of the tea party became hazy. Just walking in the mall was a tiring task, she just wanted to go back to her guild even if it were just one second faster.

Henrietta was surprised when Rieze said, "Akatsuki-san seemed rather depressed". That was the same thing that Henrietta was concerned about.

"You could tell?"

"It's that obvious."

Akatsuki had been looking languid recently. She kept to herself even when there were things troubling her and adopted a polite demeanor so most people wouldn't notice. Henrietta knew because she had been watching Akatsuki since the Catastrophe.

She was surprised that even Rieze could tell. Rieze only came into contact with Akatsuki at Raynesia's tea party. That meant they had been acquainted for half a month.

Henrietta was impressed with Rieze.

"Akatsuki-san is more senior than me right?"

Was Rieze referring to biological age or the amount of time spent playing Elder Tales? Henrietta nodded her head ambiguously.

"… I am not very sure. I heard she is a veteran Assassin. She looks like one too."

On the luscious green pathway between the mall and the guild building, Rieze continued to speak softly. In the cold winter, she was breathing out white air as she spoke.

"She came to observe D. D. D's training once. No, maybe more than once. The only time I sensed her was just that one time. But she watched our training for 4 hours."

"Is that so…" Henrietta could only answer this way.

She could guess what Akatsuki was troubled about. But to stare at the training of a major guild for hours, how did this petite young girl really feel? It must be really heartbreaking, Henrietta imagined, but she was unable to say she understood Akatsuki's pain.

Henrietta had no experience in major raids; she was a normal Adventurer. She was not a top-ranked Adventurer when Elder Tales had been just a game.

"We thought it was someone who wanted to join our guild. Although it sounds wrong for me to say this, D. D. D is a great guild. It is a good environment to be in if you want to join in major raids… And we were working hard to make it so… although the members are idiots. They start acting like children when we encounter battles. Wrong, they are kids. Kids who are more childish than real children. Just like a bunch of Americans rushing to a BBQ, they are like kids running to fight in a raid. That's why I thought she wanted to join us."

"I don't think so."

"… Correct. I found that out pretty quickly."

Rieze stared at the ground and nodded when Henrietta corrected her.

"Anyway, I reported this to milord. There were some who thought she was a spy, but the reply was to ignore her. He is okay with her observing our training unconditionally."

She calmly stepped on a fallen leaf, leaving her boot mark on it, and continued.

"Some of the proud kids in our guild aren't happy about this. Although it is not something to worry about, milord gave me a new assignment shortly after this."

Henrietta sighed as she looked at the proud blonde girl who was a little bit shy. Having a crush on Krusty was pretty rash, right? She sympathized with Rieze by just recalling the man who made difficult demands with a nonchalant expression.

But it was the same for Akatsuki who had a thing for Shiroe.

Compared to them, Henrietta was much more reserved.

Although thinking about Shiroe stirred her heart a little, it was still within an understandable range. In this world with little entertainment, seeing Shiroe being intimate with Akatsuki or enjoying his time with Minori, she didn't feel any pain in her heart. Rather, it was more like an affirmation of happiness.

Henrietta held on to her one-sided love from a safe distance. But with her being satisfied so easily, Henrietta had no right to criticize the efforts of Rieze and Akatsuki.

"The way Krusty… sama put it, he owes a lot to Shiroe-san. That's why he gave permission for Akatsuki-san to observe. If she opted to join us, it would be a good deal, but soliciting Akatsuki-san was prohibited."

Rieze stopped the topic since she didn't know how Henrietta felt about this.

"Is that so."

Such an arrangement was definitely possible, Henrietta thought.

Shiroe probably didn't know about Krusty's thoughtful actions.

She didn't get whether guys were dense towards such things or just preferred to go in a roundabout manner. This could be easily resolved if they approached Akatsuki after noticing something was up. From Akatsuki's standpoint, she would be at a loss if they approached her.

(What Akatsuki-chan is after… is confidence.)

What she wants.

Things which some took for granted. Others wouldn't even know where to start in order to achieve it.

Maryele was such a person. This friend of Henrietta's was like a sunflower illuminating those around her with her bright nature. Henrietta didn't have the confidence to smile like that. She felt she would never have the heart and personality to shine for everyone.

This was unique to Maryele. It was something only a handful of people like Maryele possessed, but was absent from most people like Henrietta.

On the other hand, Henrietta knew people who lacked confidence no matter how hard they worked. For people like that, every second that passed by was torture. Henrietta had seen people who held such fear and self-abasing feelings. She met a few when she was graduating college. Such people were jumpy wherever they went, tired in both mind and soul. They would even bear a menacing attitude towards others.

Henrietta felt she was like this when she reflected on herself.

Unshakable confidence… She didn't have the confidence to safeguard the things that were most important to her. This confidence could only be earned as a result of experience and effort.

For example, maintaining your friendship with others.

Or holding a job without troubling your company.

Getting married… With such a chaotic setting in place, even going to a matchmaking session was impossible. But worrying about the love life of your friends while being the accountant of a guild was a pretty good way to kill time.

Becoming the hero who would bring everyone back home would not fall on her. To protect her juniors with the things she had learned-- that was the role Henrietta gave herself.

Instead of brooding on tasks she couldn't do, she worked on things she could.

This was not anything major, just a normal conclusion by a normal person.

"Not getting what you want is a common thing in this world."

Rieze said as she buried her face in the big scarf designed for men.

That's right, this was obvious.

This was all too normal for commoners.

This was the life most people lived, growing accustomed to the fact of not getting what you wanted. Henrietta was used to it. It was probably the same for Rieze.

But that didn't mean there were no complaints.

They were used to not getting what they want and there was nothing they could do about it. That didn't mean they could accept this fact so simply. It stopped you in your tracks. It was impossible to go on without adjusting to this, but going with the flow made you nothing but a walking corpse.

Henrietta thought Akatsuki was shining brilliantly.

This foolish girl was weak. It was a weakness which Henrietta thought of as part of 'growing up', a weakness of getting hurt easily. It was a weakness, but also an asset.

Henrietta also knew this weakness was tormenting Akatsuki.

Henrietta did not wish for her beloved Akatsuki to suffer this pain.

Unfortunately, she thought it was impossible for her to help.

She didn't know where to start and was aware that this was not something others could help with. Henrietta reflected about herself. She was not sure how she became like this in the first place.

"The only thing we can do is stay by her side."

"That's… true."

Rieze probably knew this too and answered curtly.

(That pitch-black Kuroe-sama is really…!)

Henrietta let out a big sigh without Rieze noticing.

With his close ally in a bind, what was that incredibly smart youth doing right now? The Shiroe who was able to see through any schemes seemed to be blind when facing this type of situation.

… Or maybe, this had nothing to do with his eyesight, he might just be wearing binoculars he couldn't remove.

Henrietta, who was thinking about slightly rude things, smiled bitterly.

She wanted to treat Akatsuki better. Let's bring clothes for Akatsuki to dress up tomorrow. The cloud cleared in Henrietta's heart when she thought about this. She browsed through the catalog in her mind. This was all for Akatsuki's sake, she convinced herself.

This was just another peaceful indigo night in Akiba.

3

On this very same night, a group of people wanted to change the peaceful night scene with their guts and will.

Known as "the most glamorous guild in Yamato server", this was the harem guild with girls of iron discipline, West Wind Brigade.

It had a high ratio of ladies to men, but this didn't mean they were all girls. Just like its name suggested, the ground floor lobby was glamorous as usual with dozens of members focused on preparations.

Most of the members were girls, but the atmosphere was not sweet.

With their limbs clad in armor, they were a gathering of beautiful young ladies ready for battle. They chatted in soft voices as they looked at their leader, Soujirou.

The boyish Soujirou surveyed the lobby. The group that would 'sortie' tonight in Akiba comprised of 24 people. With four parties of six Adventurers, they had organized themselves into a full raid. All those present were level 90 and above.

"Everyone."

Soujirou's voice raised the tension in the hall. Aside from the 24-girl raid group, other members were present to lend their support. There were twice the number of raid group gathered here.

"I have stressed this many times, the enemy is of unknown origin. Please keep your guard up. He is more powerful than any single one of us… including me. Please don't take him on alone. Also, moving alone is prohibited. Maintain formation and report in periodically. The contact person will be Nazuna."

"Yes, since we are doing this, let's get it right. Don't push yourself, everyone. Once you engage the target, assume formation alpha and drag the fight out. We assigned two healers to each party, so we are lacking in terms of firepower. Don't assume you can accomplish anything with just one party. The mission objective is to report back any sightings, and slow him down, okay?"

Nazuna was wearing loose home clothes as she spoke slowly.

If there was a need to be nervous, she could leave the butterflies to the parties who were going out to fight.

No problem. She trusted her comrades.

The secret to the success of raids by small guilds like the West Wind Brigade, as opposed to major guilds like Black Sword Knights or D. D. D, lay in their unity and common goals.

Right now, West Wind Brigade was fueled by anger in their quest to apprehend the culprit.

Nazuna, who bundled her black hair behind her, inspected the members who were moving out. They had made ample preparations in terms of equipment and tactics. Nazuna nodded at the members who promised to stick to the plan.

"Well then, your shift will be over in two hours. The second raid group's formation formation and preparation will be done here. There will be supper when you come back, look forward to it. After a two-hour break you will need to move out again, so don't get too relaxed. Like Souji said, the enemy is overwhelmingly strong. Don't forget this point. Okay, I leave the rest to you, Souji."

"Hmm… What else is there to say? What I want to talk about has already been said. Alright then, there is only one goal. The culprit who assaulted our family… cut him down."

Soujirou was a young man that gave the impression of the sunlight in spring.

He was smiling at everyone as usual without a hint of panic in his speech, but his words were ice-cold, freezing the mood in the hall. A female Cleric who seemed to shiver from this cold air squeezed out a reply from her stomach. Not a single member was concerned that night had fallen.

The four parties rushed out of the hall in high spirits.

The West Wind Brigade guild hall incorporated a Japanese style in its layout.

The place wasn't like this in the beginning; it had slowly morphed into its current state because of the interests of Soujirou and his members. In order to conduct troop inspections before the patrol, the furniture had been moved out of the way.

Soujirou pulled a wooden chair into the hall and sat on it.

He was on standby, but had no intention of going back to his room or the dining hall.

"They are making pork rib soup in the kitchen." Nazuna informed Soujirou out of concern, but he just shook his head with a smile.

(It would be great if Shiroe-san or Kazuhiko-san were here.)

Nazuna put her hand on her chin.

She had been like this since the old world; she was taller than normal girls and had a voluptuous body. Although it was not at the gravure level, her figure was still great. Some commented that 'it looks pleasing to the eyes', but she felt troubled by it. With her feet shoulder-width apart and her arms crossed, she looked older and more mature.

As a founding member with a helpful nature, Nazuna earned the trust of those around her. Because of this, Nazuna was recognized as the vice-guildmaster in West Wind Brigade. Nazuna thought that compared to the charismatic leadership of Soujirou, she was more comfortable running the guild from behind the scenes.

The members were all good kids who adored Nazuna, and she loved them back. West Wind Brigade was family to her. Living together after the Catastrophe made her feel that everyone was family.

But beneath the kind and warm mask Soujirou wore all the time, she caught glimpses of his serious expression, making Nazuna feel bashful as she reminisced about old times.

But Soujirou was right this time.

The opponent was the Murderer threatening Akiba in the night. As one of the eleven guilds of the Round Table Council, West Wind Brigade had the obligation to defend the security of Akiba. Patrolling the streets was expected of prominent battle guilds and Nazuna agreed with this.

Furthermore, the Murderer had laid his hands on a comrade from the West Wind Brigade.

Kyouko respawned at the cathedral. She didn't lose much in terms of memory or items. Kyouko feared the Murderer but she could still face him in combat, that was what she said. But an assault was still an assault. The murderer laid his hands on the family of Nazuna and Soujirou.

Unforgivable.

That's how Nazuna felt.

She knew Soujirou shared her wrath. Although Soujirou's judgment could be too direct at times, that was his nature since the Tea Party days. It sounded good when you described it as no hesitation or worries, but on the flip side it meant he was merciless and cruel.

Nazuna thought Soujirou was not as warm and gentle as the ladies of Akiba portrayed him to be. No, he might feel like a warm and kind young man, but that was not his true nature.

He just happened to act this way.

Soujirou was gentle to women. He acted this way to almost all ladies.

He was not doing this out of kindness. This was simply the way he was.

It was the same with his instructions to take revenge on the Murderer who harmed his girl. He didn't do it because he particularly liked Kyouko. He was just this type of young man.

This was a principle of sorts. When his mechanical thinking made a decision, even Nazuna could not influence this aspect of him. Nazuna could delay or call off this decision though. She could advise him to 'link up with Black Sword Knights first' or to 'leave this issue to the Round Table Council'.

But Nazuna could not warn Soujirou or guide his growth.

The only one who could influence Soujirou at that level was Shiroe or Kazuhiko.

Because the idea of protecting girls was deeply rooted in Soujirou's thinking, Nazuna's advice was unable to reach him.

Soujirou was gentle to girls. This was not just a good point but a bad point he needed to correct.

Following him to West Wind Brigade, Nazuna could be seen as one of Soujirou's girlfriends.

But for Nazuna, she thought of Soujirou as a kid brother.

Someone that made her worry and she could not leave alone.

For Soujirou to act like a guildmaster normally and wear this facial expression was just a streak of lucky coincidences. Nazuna wouldn't be surprised if this young man, Soujirou Seta, destroyed himself or his guild somehow. That was just the way Soujirou Seta was.

(But I love him. I love with all my heart.)

Nazuna fidgeted with Soujirou's hair subconsciously as she thought.

Although she really liked him, there was no mistake in saying this young man was abnormal.

He could even rival the Murderer.

That's why he could manage a guild with 90+ girls and even lead them to the top of the competitive raiding charts.

"What is it?" Soujirou asked Nazuna with his eyes wide open.

He was worried about the silent Nazuna. Nazuna felt troubled as she smiled at him. She couldn't help it because they were family. She would make up for the things that Soujirou lacked and avenge her other family member, Kyouko, who fell under the blade of the Murderer.

4

The white fog was settling near her feet, even the smell of the wind was becoming gentle.

The night seemed as dense as a drop curtain which gradually turned transparent and gentle. This was the feeling of the coming dawn.

Although the streets of Akiba were still covered in darkness, the pressure was much less than in the tense and heavy night.

The sky slowly turned dark blue. Even though everything was quiet, time was still passing slowly.

Akatsuki was tired after patrolling the whole night.

Although Adventurers wouldn't get tired just from staying up one night, searching for the enemy on high-alert all this while was a heavy burden mentally.

(I'm hungry…)

Akatsuki thought.

She really wanted to drink a warm bowl of corn soup.

Nyanta's special soup with lots of corn inside.

But she was on the crumbling overhead bridge right now. Her comrades from Log Horizon were still sleeping in these early hours before dawn, so she couldn't expect warmth from anyone.

The late night patrol was done behind her companions' backs. She was envious of a certain female member in her guild, and wanted to obtain strength that could rival that of the major battle guilds. That was why she was leaving every night to track the Murderer. She couldn't bring herself to tell her companions about this.

As she surveyed the streets that were gradually turning bright, Akatsuki sighed.

These unspeakable feelings and exhaustion, Akatsuki knew herself that this was the expected result of her willful investigation. The desire to become stronger was to feed her ego in the first place. Shiroe and Naotsugu had never asked this of her. And they definitely didn't request her to track the murderer, Akatsuki knew she was acting without any basis.

She might witness the battles of high-class guilds if she hunted the Murderer.

And she might see them using 'Over level'.

If things went well, she might get a clue about learning it.

These were all assumptions. A plan that was full of 'maybes'.

Akatsuki understood it too, and it got harder for her to share her thoughts with her friends.

Passing through the main street, Akatsuki went along the flyover leading to the center of Akiba.

The streets of Akiba welcomed the morning after the darkness retreated. The breeze in this winter morning was chilly enough to cut through your skin, stripping the warmth from Akatsuki's face. Her body was freezing from wearing her ninja garb for the whole night. It was fine when she was moving around with a tense mind, but she became cold when she stopped and looked around the city aimlessly in the coming dawn.

She was moody.

Of course she was, she had wandered the streets for the whole night with nothing to show for it.

Akatsuki made her way up some concrete debris covered in moss and stood on top of the rubble. This had probably been the platform of the central metro station, but was now a courtyard in the sky supported by the trees. The air was still freezing, but the wind had been blocked by the trees, giving Akatsuki a slight reprieve.

This large building was not an independent zone, but an open zone within the streets of Akiba. There was no set entrance; anyone could enter just by jumping from the flyover.

Akatsuki walked down the stairs onto the central square lost in thought… She continued to think as she sat on a rotting bench.

Akatsuki was not that tired.

She just didn't feel like moving.

She felt her stomach become heavy when she sat, as if there were something solidifying inside, an unbearable sensation.

Akatsuki was surprised as well.

Why was she sitting on a bench and looking at this scenery? The fact that she was at a dead end was right in front of her.

Akatsuki kicked a pebble. There were twisted ancient trees growing all around, and pebbles lay all over this place that used to be a platform. From the look of the birds flying off, she must have startled them.

The gloomy Akatsuki thought about many things.

Things about guilds, matters regarding Shiroe, stuff about the idiotic low-class Naotsugu, Nyanta and his delicious meals, things about her juniors, stuff about Crescent Moon Alliance, and all the enemies she had fought so far.

And also matters regarding Minori.

A girl among girls. Petite and cute. Cuddly like a ball. Outgoing, wasn't shy and had proper manners… but that wasn't much. Akatsuki thought this kind of cuteness would just get her a bit of popularity in school, and she could be too direct sometimes.

She didn't know how to cook or where to buy nice clothes since she was a middle schooler. Her taste in bags was childish. She got so excited when talking to Shiroe, her high pitch voice definitely irritated Shiroe.

Akatsuki bit her lips.

What am I thinking about.

So shallow.

She was surprised at how narrow her mind was.

Her reflection in the mirror was twisted and ugly. The bitterness known as jealousy ate at Akatsuki. Minori hadn't done anything wrong.

Minori had never been hostile towards Akatsuki. But Akatsuki belittled Minori's actions akin to a brat who didn't know her place. Even though her heart knew it wasn't true. Although Akatsuki knew Minori was a hardworking and cute junior. Akatsuki couldn't help feeling jealous of this capable middle school girl.

She couldn't stand brooding over this by herself. The sensation of jealousy that was suppressed when everyone was together spread out in her heart, drowning her like an out of control torrent.

Akatsuki took a few deep breaths.

She loosened her clenched fist slowly.

The shadows of the tree with all its leaves fallen in the winter as well as the shade of the evergreen coniferous tree covered the courtyard.

A sound like a bell chime came from somewhere.

It was the bird from before. In these abandoned ancient ruins, the winter air had a clean feel about it. Even the dry air that turned your breath into white fog was an important part accentuating this beautiful scene.

In this dazzling white light, Akatsuki felt she was a dark stain. A stain that spread if you rubbed at it. Even the black hair Akatsuki was so proud of became disagreeable when she thought this way.

Akatsuki thought that maybe Shiroe didn't like black hair, preferring brighter hair colors like Minori's instead. Thinking this way made her stomach feel hard like a rock.

Akatsuki knew very well Shiroe wouldn't discriminate anyone by their hair color. Shiroe wouldn't be concerned with physical traits and be biased towards anyone over small things like hair color.

The reason Akatsuki was pondering about something as dull as 'does he prefer brighter hair colors' was because of jealousy.

The jealousy in Akatsuki was staining her image of Shiroe.

Akatsuki was belittling Shiroe because of her jealousy right now.

(What right do I have to address him as lord?)

Akatsuki understood why she sat on this bench.

Because she didn't want to return to Log Horizon's guild house.

Just like a gradeschooler playing truant from cram school.

It was funny when you thought about it. It was escapism on the level of children.

Akatsuki was cold, pained and in a miserable mood. Even though she had such an important home and happiness, in her quest to protect this happiness, she spent the whole night chasing after a source of power. But this resulted in her finding it hard to return. Akatsuki reproached herself, this was putting the cart before the horse.

Minori,

Minori, Tohya, and the junior team were out hunting and would be camping out tonight.

She wouldn't see them even if she returned now, and she knew Nyanta would welcome her warmly.

So all her talk about not wanting to go home was just Akatsuki being temperamental.

Akatsuki was aware she was just being proud.

But she couldn't let it go.

(I want to see my lord…)

Akatsuki thought. This wish seemed to bind her chest tightly.

She wanted to see Shiroe. Even just for a bit, she wanted to talk to him. She wanted to get close and tug on his cloak. She wanted to pour black rose tea into Shiroe's tea cup. Just like the times when they sat on the couch and looked at the scenery outside the window. When Shiroe made complicated faces while reading complicated letters, she tried to imitate his face.

But she couldn't fulfill her wish here. She didn't feel qualified to live peacefully by Shiroe's side with the pride she was holding on to. If she returned now, she would always be the 'bonus item' that came along with Shiroe.

Akatsuki thought that was fine too.

Staying by Shiroe's side, basking in the sun together with him, living as his ninja was also bliss.

But that was just self deception.

Being satisfied with just this was just being bashful. Minori had taught her this.

A swallow that was unable to fly wouldn't be able to keep up with Shiroe one day. There would be no other way but to leave.

Her thoughts were similar to before, going round in circles. No matter what, she was just thinking about herself. She hated herself for being so self centered.

There wouldn't be anyone who liked a girl like that. Always thinking about herself and unable to make friends. That's why she couldn't face Shiroe now.

That was the instruction Shiroe gave her.

"… I will stay at an inn today."

Akatsuki forced her legs to support her heavy body.

She felt drained even though she was not tired, this must be a psychological illusion.

The winter breeze blew across these foreign lands without any answers for Akatsuki.

5

Raynesia closed her eyes from the cold.

It was obvious that closing her eyes wouldn't relieve the chill.

It was rare of her to visit the streets of Akiba like this.

Even though she was posted, or exiled, here, Raynesia was still the 2nd daughter of the Corwen clan which chaired the League of Freedom Cities Eastal, one of the 2 Dukedoms in Yamato. Because of security reasons, she seldom went out. Even if she left, she would be going by carriage, not walking on the streets in casual wear like this.

If Maryele from Crescent Moon Alliance hadn't suddenly told her 'Let's eat breakfast outside today!' she wouldn't have even left her home.

Elissa and her guards would usually oppose her from leaving, but this was Akiba. With a few veteran Adventurers by her side, she would be much safer than staying in the Water Maple Consulate. For some reason, Elissa had speedily made preparations for her to go out, so she was unable to decline.

"It's so fluffy."

"You should wear your hat."

And so, Raynesia walked down the streets of Akiba between Maryele and Rieze.

She was wearing a short coat with soft fur today.

In the end, Raynesia was not aware of what she had in her wardrobe.

Her maid would choose her clothes and change them several times a day, which was the norm for noble ladies. But because of Raynesia's lack of interest in fashion, it felt extreme.

That's just the way she was. And she didn't feel any joy from changing her clothes. If no one bothered her, she was confident of spending the whole year in a one piece linen dress.

Raynesia had gone through education as a noble and understood she needed to dress appropriately according to the time and place.

Even though it was a hassle, Raynesia knew her silver hair was rare. Clothes that fit her silver head were hard to find, and unfortunately didn't include pyjamas.

That's why Raynesia was not sure of what clothing she had, she only had the idea that there were all sorts of dresses inside.

"The anti-cold equipment for low levels are limited after all."

In the group walking together, someone spoke to Raynesia from behind. It was a girl named Mikakage.

She was also a member of the tea party, a friendly and bubbly young girl.

"That's right."

Raynesia answered simply.

Raynesia replied so obediently because Mikakage was one of the people she would not go up against. Not because Mikakage was an Adventurer, but she was a Chef who brought all sorts of delicacies when she visited, so Raynesia didn't want to upset her.

Raynesia was not too sure, but there seemed to be 2 sorts of Chefs among Adventurers.

One had a high Chef level, but was mediocre as a cook. Another type was a real cook with both skills and Chef levels… That's how it was. The Chef level was supposed to reflect the skills of cooks, but others would criticize them as 'waste of talent' or 'fake Chefs', which confounded Raynesia.

Even though Raynesia was not familiar with the culture of Adventurers, she knew that Mikakage was a real Chef. The delicacies she brought along all tasted great.

Confectioneries that were so fine, desserts similar to gems. Aside from the snacks, the pork miso soup and mushroom rice she brought occasionally were great as well.

Mikakage described sweets as works of art, while other food was entertainment. Raynesia could only tilt her head in confusion. She felt all her food had a nice and gentle taste.

Mikakage took off the scarf around Raynesia's neck and hung a strange ornament on it. The little fairy that was always following Mikakage tried her best to catch a glimpse. The ornament was a doll of a puppy. It appeared round and lazy, looking cute in Raynesia's eyes.

"I didn't modify it much, but how is it? Does it feel warmer?"

"Yes, it is very warm."

People of the Land couldn't make such a small and delicate doll. The best they could do was wood carvings. This was the first time Raynesia was wearing such a decoration. Compared to jewelries and ribbons, Raynesia felt this was closer to the dressing of an Adventurer.

"Pretty."

Mikakage nodded in agreement. Maryele leaned over from behind and said "That's great!" with a beautiful smile.

The lady Maryele was also a frequent visitor of the Water Maple Consulate.

She always brought all sort of clothes, making Raynesia think that she was a fashion designer of some tribe. But after asking around, she found out that Maryele was one of the 11 members of the Round Table Council. One of the governing clan leaders of Akiba.

Raynesia was tense in the beginning, but grew accustomed to her.

When Raynesia found out that Maryele was from a governing clan, she conversed with her like a lord. But Maryele always treated Raynesia like a dress-up doll, or chatted about idle things in the city or held mini-concerts.

Maryele was always cheerful, she liked parties and was always smiling.

The first to address Raynesia as "Sia-chan" was her. Her family called her "Raysi" at home sometimes, but no one addressed her as "Sia". Raynesia was troubled in the beginning, but got used to it eventually.

The tea party with the female Adventurers was now part of Raynesia's daily schedule.

Raynesia was the "Winter Rose of Eastal," but "Sia" was an ignorant People of the Land girl posted to this Adventurer city. Of course she was an aristocrat and an ambassador, and would imitate businessmen when negotiating business sometimes, but she was not the "Winter Rose of Eastal."

Raynesia noticed that the blond girl who was matching her pace in front of her worrisome steps had turned around to look at her. This girl was Rieze, from one of the 11 governing clans D. D. D, whose leader Krusty, who was also the leader of the order of the knights, was the bane of Raynesia. She seemed to hold a high rank within the clan.

Rieze also frequented Raynesia's tea party, an intelligent maiden. Her actions were closest to the nobles' among the participants. But compared to the inflexible socialites of Eastal aristocrats, she was much more enlightened.

She had learned the word enlightened from Rieze.

Its meaning was like 'wearing clothes that wouldn't constrict your stomach and enjoying Custard Dorayaki.'

What a great word.

In Raynesia's eyes, all the Adventurers were amazing.

Not just Raynesia, probably all the People of the Land felt the same way. Elissa had once sighed and said, "Now that you mentioned it, I forgot they were Adventurers."

Adventurers were too different from them, it was too hard for her to comprehend.

Raynesia had met with many People of the Land, and all of them asked her similar questions.

'… What are Adventurers like?'

'… How do we get along with Adventurers?'

After moving into Akiba and becoming a bridge between the People of the Land and Adventurers, she met with People of the Land guests everyday, trying to discuss and resolve their problems. She would introduce Adventurers to them to do business, or find Adventurers who were willing to take on quests. Raynesia didn't think she was up to the task, but since no one else was doing this, she had to do this.

Even if others asked her what Adventurers were like, Raynesia also didn't know the answer. Among the People of the Land, the most ignorant one might be Raynesia. She met with Adventurers more than any other, so the things she didn't know were ever increasing.

But she understood several things.

Adventurers were just Adventurers.

Raynesia thought the biggest mistake the People of the Land nobles made during the conference in the Ancient Palace of Eternal Ice was to treat Adventurers like aristocrats.

Adventurers were not nobles, treating them as nobles wouldn't make things go smoother. Adventurers were also not peasants or knights, they were not even People of the Land. So you couldn't treat them with the expectation and culture of the People of the Land.

Raynesia thought that was the reason the conference had ended in failure.

Adventurers were just Adventurers, there was no other term that could describe them.

But Raynesia was able to use terms to define most of the people around her. Duke was a duke, baron was a baron, knight was a knight, a servant was a servant. Citizens were people living in the city, villagers lived in a village. Hunters hunted, lumberjacks cut down trees.

Everyone had their duties, living within their area of responsibility. This was something that was obvious. Raynesia was Raysi, the granddaughter of a duke, the winter rose princess. She had never questioned this all her life, and never resisted, thinking that all this was natural.

But she sensed that she couldn't comprehend Adventurers using these standards. She might not know the correct answer, but she realized she had to find out the meaning behind their existence and their duties in this world.

The members of clan Crescent Moon Alliance included Chefs. If she could classify Adventurers so simply, it would be easier to deal with the Adventurers. Just like the knights of Maihama, the employed maids moving into the castle, or arrogant young nobles.

But Maryele, Rieze, and Mikakage were too special, Raynesia was unable to do that.

All the Adventurers were like special gems polished personally by the hands of god. All of them were different, shining in the crowd.

"Hmmm? What is it?"

Maryele turned around and asked with concern.

Raynesia smiled and said "Nothing." Mikakage asked after seeing her reaction "Already hungry?" making everyone laugh. (Do I look that hungry?) Raynesia was a bit worried. Adventurers always carried snacks in their bags, and everyone was taking out something for Raynesia to eat.

Raynesia's group turned north at the junction.

"This way?" "Yeah, that's right."

Maryele and Rieze who were chatting were dressed lightly.

Unlike People of the Land, Adventurers preferred clothing that let them move with ease, even in winter. Maryele was wearing a short skirt, exposing her pants underneath. Raynesia thought that would be very cold, but Maryele didn't seem to mind.

Rieze was wearing a coat with a scarf, but she was still wearing a white shirt with a tight skirt. Compared to them, Raynesia and Elissa, who was standing behind her, were dressed in thick layers.

Raynesia saw Akatsuki suddenly.

Maryele asked Mikakage: "Is Milky Margaret this way?" Mikakage ran off to scout ahead, so the 2 ladies who were chatting with Raynesia went ahead. As Raynesia was catching her breath, she saw Akatsuki appear in the entrance of a building.

Akatsuki was biting her lips.

The petite figure left in the opposite direction, looking like a lost child.

All sorts of emotion rose in Raynesia's heart. She felt as if she had been spending several hours in the night looking at the ceiling.

Raynesia wanted to call out, but the words were stuck in her throat before materializing.

She was not sure what to say.

Raynesia felt like vines that were shrinking because of the water collected on its leaves. Akatsuki seemed to have lost all her vitality and was dragging a heavy heart. This was a side of her that Raynesia had never seen.

She looks like a child.

That was what Raynesia thought.

Raynesia always thought this black-haired girl to be a short sword made from obsidian.

With the beauty of a gem and the strength Raynesia could not fathom.

Raynesia pondered with her brain, which she felt was mediocre, but gave up. Akatsuki was gone anyway, lost in the crowd. Akatsuki didn't notice Raynesia and the others, as they passed each other at a distance.

At this point, she felt perplexed and stuffy.

But this was nothing unusual.

Raynesia had experienced all sorts of emotions before. Most. Most of the guests were not welcomed by Raynesia, but she knew from her youth how it felt like to hide in her blanket and immerse herself in the darkness. She was confident about hiding in her blanket.

Raynesia shook her head to refresh herself.

In the city of Akiba, she was needed to be ready to act as a negotiation consultant. She needed to change her mood and refresh herself often.

"Hey~ Sia-chan~ what were you doing? It's this way~"

This voice made Raynesia hurry along with her troubled steps.

6

"Princess~ Princess~?"

Elissa called out to her mistress.

She tried calling for Raynesia since the room was silent, but Raynesia just stayed on her couch, depressed.

She was downcast and at a loss, her long silver hair flowing down her round shoulders like a waterfall. This young lady's sorrowful air could make the corporal whose face was full of scars and who was known as 'the Orc' encourage her gently: "Don't be so depressed, I will help you."

Lady Henrietta had once described her as 'a puppy caught in the rain'.

It was a dreamy, lonely, melancholic and gloomy figure.

The perfect display of a frail and cuddly person.

But Elissa knew very clearly.

Raynesia right now was so exhausted she didn't want to move.

"Prin~cess."

"Elissa… ?"

Raynesia raised her chin and gazed upwards.

The contours of her face were as smooth as a boiled egg, with wet eyes.

Don't misunderstand. Her teary eyes were not because she remembered something sad or was moved emotionally, it was because she was holding back a yawn.

"Alright. Aren't you tired? Your humble servant Elissa will prepare your bedroom in just a bit, please wait a moment. Would you like some tea? Maybe dessert?"

Elissa asked her.

It had been some time since her lunch with the group of lady Adventurers, it was not surprising if she were hungry now.

But the princess named Raynesia, because of her metabolism or some other reason, just wouldn't get fat no matter how much she ate. Be it meat or cakes, her skin was smooth like a baby's. She could eat all she wanted without getting fat, which made others envious.

After the Catastrophe and the Akiba revolution that followed, all the dishes had wonderful flavors. With half a year gone, the revolution had penetrated deep into the People of the Land's society. From the nobles to the peasants, everyone was enjoying this whole new experience.

Because of the delicious food, some people might overeat. Most of the People of the Land aristocrats had gained weight. But Raynesia was the exception and didn't fatten up, making Elissa feel complicated. Elissa limited herself to one cake every 3 days, as she didn't have Raynesia's metabolic rate.

"No thanks."

Raynesia shook her head lightly, leaning exhaustedly on the couch, supporting her face with the back of the couch. If a hotblooded apprentice knight with a crush on Raynesia were to see her like this, he would definitely have a nosebleed.

(Although it doesn't mean anything to me.)

Elissa approached Raynesia casually, lifting Raynesia's feet with indoor slippers on and placed them on the couch after bending them at the knees. Raynesia didn't resist as she lay on the couch.

For the beautiful princess of Maihama, this was an unladylike pose. If a man happened to see it, they might misunderstand. No matter how she really was on the inside, Raynesia was educated to be a princess, so even her family wouldn't have the chance to see this pose of hers.

(I didn't want to see it either.)

After re-positioning Raynesia's feet, Elissa used a broom to sweep under the coffee table and couch.

"Princess."

"What is it?"

"What did you eat today?"

"Cream soup."

"Ehhh… was it Adventurer style?"

"It seemed to be the meat of 'Flame Boars'. It was great."

"It's so festive recently."

"That's right."

Elissa cleaned the room thoroughly while conversing casually with the princess.

This room was cleaned daily, so it didn't take too much time. Cleaning was a chore Elissa had to do as a maid, but there was no need to go to the extent of lifting her mistress's feet onto the couch. Maids who did that to normal nobles would probably be executed. Because Raynesia was a clueless person… correction, a generous person, that's why Elissa dared to do that.

But there seemed to be a tea party everyday, if she finished up now, the maid on duty the next day would have an easier time. There would definitely be female Adventurers visiting tomorrow as well. Especially the petite lady Akatsuki who had dropped by without fail these 10 days.

"You look very tired today."

"Yeah."

Raynesia answered lazily.

She must be exhausted. But that was natural. Lady Henrietta and Lady Maryele had been toying with her after all, dressing her up after coming back from breakfast. Elissa smiled bitterly as she recalled the cries of her mistress begging for mercy.

Making sure her mistress was appropriately dressed was Elissa's duty.

Managing Raynesia's wardrobe was also Elissa's responsibility.

Her mistress was very beautiful, so planning her daily dressing was a challenge.

For example, after meeting with a certain merchant, she couldn't wear the same thing when meeting the same merchant again, or they would think the women of the dukedom were always wearing the same clothes and look down on them. That's why she had to plan Raynesia's clothes for morning, noon, and evening. She had to keep a detailed log of the accessories she wore too, that was one of the duties of a maid.

For People of the Land aristocrats and merchants, they could just follow the usual protocol. Although it was tedious preparatory work like solving a jigsaw puzzle, it was not much when they thought of it as part of their job.

But it was harder when dealing with Adventurers, since they had nothing to refer to. If it was a formal audience, they could match the dresses according to the purpose of the audience or the customary protocol. But the tea parties recently were private events, so dressing too formal might upset the Adventurers. But even if she could pick any casual clothes, Elissa was not sure what was the standard for 'casual' among Adventurers.

The clothes Adventurers wore varied too much. Most Adventurers differentiated between combat armor and their street clothes, but there were no obvious guidelines. There were some who lived their lives wearing metal armor all day.

There was another problem. Elissa wanted to know the preference and customs of the Adventurers, and investigated the dresses and clothes that couldn't really be defined as dresses in Akiba, but the pricing was a mess. The Corwen clan was a grand noble clan, so even if the equipment of Adventurers was expensive, they could still afford them. But Elissa couldn't understand the pricing standard. 2 similar silk shirts could have a 50-fold price difference.

The store clerk explained that the materials were different.

The more Elissa learned about this, the more surprised she got. A pair of boots made from the leather of a Gorgon, or the breast plate for a woman made from 'Fairnacht' were sold by Adventurers in stores. They needed to hunt high level mythical beasts to craft such clothes. Even the Dukedom with their top-level wealth among the People of the Land could not afford to buy all of them.

The dressing carnival was actually the result of a discussion between Elissa and Maryele. Thanks to Maryele assuring her 'just leave everything to me', and bringing plenty of clothes over, the wardrobe Raynesia could use for Adventurers was expanding.

To achieve this, Elissa did not hesitate in sending her mistress to the dress-up festival. If she didn't do this, Raynesia wouldn't participate actively. Elissa thought this was a good dose of medicine for Raynesia.

Elissa held a lot of respect for Raynesia. She remembered the brave front Raynesia put up at the lord's conference, making her proud and inclined to applaud her mistress. But Raynesia was basically lazy and cowardly, a girl with a pillow for head (meaning her brain was full of feathers).

But it was hard to say whether she bore this respect when serving Raynesia.

(Well, this is all for Raynesia-sama's sake.)

Elissa thought as she spread out the rug.

Not just clothes.

Having a friend of the same gender about your age was an invaluable experience too.

Putting aside Elissa, who was the daughter of a low-ranking noble, it would be hard for Raynesia from the Corwen dukedom to find a suitable spouse.

Elissa reminisced on Raynesia with her perfect smile in the Palace of Maihama or the Ancient Palace of Eternal Ice. The society of noblemen was very strict. Especially for young girls, even a small scandal might be a fatal wound.

In order to survive under the gossiping court sparrows that were ever watching, Raynesia learned graceful manners. To protect her grandfather and her family name, the mask Raynesia chose to wear was perfect. In the end, she won the legendary fame of the 'Winter Rose of Eastal'.

But because of this, Raynesia did not have anyone she could call a friend. Although Raynesia was close to Elissa, she was just a maid after all.

"Although you seem so reluctant, you seem to be having a good time."

"What… ?"

"Elissa is glad you have made some friends."

This was true.

Elissa felt that Raynesia had a richer variety of expressions in this half month.

"But they are not friends right?"

… But she got a surprising answer.

"What are they then? The princess seems so happy… Although it was troubling at times…"

"They are Adventurers."

Facing Elissa's query, Raynesia answered without much thought.

"This is not an enjoyable chat. Adventurers are different from us. Way too different. All the customs I know don't apply to them. If we can't convey our emotions in the form of words, they won't understand us, that is the only way to converse with them."

This was correct.

Adventurers held no reservations in terms of social status. They would even invite Elissa when holding a tea party. Elissa had gained some knowledge after getting posted to Akiba. Lady Henrietta, who held the same attitude towards work like her, Rieze, who felt a bit like her sister back in town, and the hardworking Serara whom she wanted to have as a colleague.

But like Raynesia mentioned, there was a big difference between Adventurers and the People of the Land. There were times when they couldn't come to terms, and they couldn't figure out what the other was doing. But that didn't mean they couldn't work together.

Elissa had learned all this from Raynesia herself.

So she asked Raynesia.

"But you seem so…"

"You have to convey your feelings of joy even if it is just a tiny bit, same with sadness. You have to bear gratitude when you feel happy. You can't convey your emotions if you don't do that. That's what I am doing. Elissa understands too right? The real me is lazy and cowardly… and irresponsible. Be it social circles or nobles, whatever is fine. I will be happy in a life where I can nap everyday. I don't understand something like that anyway."

Raynesia muttered in a bored tone.

"This is work."

"… Is that so."

"…"

Raynesia shifted her gaze and leaned on the back of the couch. To describe it in words, she thought it was a bother and didn't want to care about anything, an irresponsible attitude. But her lazy demeanor was as moving as a painting, the privilege of being a beautiful young lady.

The only one who could see this side of the princess was Elissa.

Playing the role of the perfect lady in public, it was the same with all the People of the Land noblewomen. She showed the forthright side of her before the female Adventurers, but she couldn't help sitting properly like a cat ill at ease. This might be the psychological barrier the unfathomable princess put up unconsciously.

(… And there is also that man.)

Raynesia thought about that bulky young man with sand-colored hair. Raynesia seemed to have opened her heart to that youth. But her inability to lie played a big part, she had no say in this from the very beginning.

Was there anything Raynesia wished for?

She wanted to convey her joy even if it were just a small happiness.

That's how Raynesia put it.

But didn't that mean she was happy about it after all?

Even though she was so exhausted that she dozed off before dinner, she could get up from bed the next morning without the maids waking her. She picked her dresses carefully as she looked forward to the day. Elissa felt that she was not treating this as work, but as an enjoyable activity with friends.

Raynesia was living every day happily after coming to this place filled with Adventurers.

But Raynesia herself, who was looking out the window at the scenery dyed blue outside, was unaware of this simple fact. Maybe she was avoiding the term friends. Or maybe this was the first time she was experiencing this? Or she had already given up on this aspect of life. Elissa didn't know.

Elissa felt sad when she thought about this.

With her beauty, plenty of compliments, wealth and social status, this young girl seemed to give off the feeling of giving up sometimes. If the courage she displayed at the lord's conference stemmed from her disillusioned heart, that seemed so sad.

Raynesia who was gazing out the window looked dreamy and beautiful, with a bored expression on her face. Elissa sighed seeing her mistress this way.

Elissa wanted to help her mistress, but she knew that advising her normally was futile.

Elissa knew very well that Raynesia's stubbornness was at the same level as her laziness.

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